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IE 7: so much for Firefox
CNET.com ^ | February 15, 2005 | Molly Wood

Posted on 02/16/2005 10:38:24 AM PST by decimon

The party's over.

In the past year, the little browser that could, Firefox, became the people's hero, an underdog warrior that took a huge swipe at its enemy, Internet Explorer. IE dipped below 90 percent market share for the first time in years, while Firefox lured users like the Pied Piper, blowing past its own fundraising goals and reigniting the browser wars.

Meanwhile, the bad news continued to mount for Microsoft. An IE exploit put even Windows XP SP2 users at risk from phishing schemes, even as Microsoft touted SP2 as the most secure version of Windows yet. Worse, major security companies and the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team began to recommend that computer users dump IE for something more secure (read: Firefox).

By early this year, Netscape was emboldened to reenter the fray, announcing in January that it would release a new version of the Netscape browser, designed specifically to resist phishing schemes--something even Firefox lacks. Then, Opera said it would offer free licenses to universities, in order to make sure it would still be relevant in the new world browser order. And through it all, what was the response from Microsoft? Silence.

TalkBack Are you afraid of a standalone Internet Explorer, or will you keep betting on the Firefox pony?

For a moment there, it looked like the tyrant IE could actually be overthrown. Those were heady days, weren't they? Well, they're over now. Papa Bill just dropped the hammer. Bill Gates announced this week, at the RSA Security Conference in San Francisco (of all places), that Microsoft will ship Internet Explorer 7, without waiting for the next version of Windows. Gates says the standalone browser is designed to address the perception that IE itself is a massive security risk. What he didn't say, but you know he was thinking it, is that IE 7 will easily put a stop to this upstart browser rebellion.

Don't believe me? You should. Firefox is great, I use it. But it's a chore sometimes, what with most sites using that pesky nonstandard IE code. Not everything renders properly, and some sites just plain don't work--I have to load up IE to use them. Plus, let's be honest--Firefox has its flaws. Why is there no way to check for updates from within the browser, for one thing? Why does it take so doggone long to launch? Why, why must it crash every single time I open a PDF? I mean, every single time. Opera, fine, whatever, I'm not paying for a browser, and for some reason, although I've tried it several times, it's just never captured me. It's too clunky, and I was raised on IE. I don't want to learn something completely new. IE, on the other hand, is like the sweeping tide--it's just easier not to fight it.

If a standalone IE 7 is even 50 percent more secure than current versions, the Firefox rebellion is finished. If IE 7 has tabs, Firefox will be destroyed as surely as the Hungarian uprising of 1956 was crushed by Russia. I use the analogy deliberately, too--no one expected Microsoft to issue a standalone version of IE, but those months of silence (and, no doubt, frantic development) look awfully ominous now. This is a company that's absorbed Justice Department lawsuits, threats of daily fines from the European Union, and lawsuits from nearly every state in the union, and that has steadfastly refused to break up its republic of Windows-IE-Windows Media. But this Firefox thing must have it fearing the domino effect, big time.

It was bad when Microsoft seemed to ignore Firefox, treating it like a harmless upstart not worthy of comment or attack. But now that the sleeping giant has awakened, I think the buzzing gnat of the browser wars is about to be squashed flat. What do you think?


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Technical
KEYWORDS: asshatauthor; browser; computersecurity; convictedmonopoly; drang; firefox; internetexploiter; kneepadder; microsoft; redmondshill; sturm
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To: Terpfen
I have to admit total ignorance about PlanetQuake. I looked, and to my eyes it sorta feels like "Classic Gaming". (A couple of years ago I was into Mame32 a little bit, just amazed that Atari vector games were out there). On RSS, I'm 49 now and all the acronyms are blurring. The only RSS I have set up is here, from the Freep. It's not a case of laziness, but it's not something I think to even use since I have to hit the main page and check posts to me anyway. I suppose I look at Yahoo's offering of RSS the same way, since I go there and check mail, etc.

As for a link from Yahoo, let's see if this will work:



It's easy to find content to add to your page. Use the find box, browse by topic, see what's popular, or explore editors' picks and sources in the spotlight. Learn more.
Find
Find Content      Add RSS by URL
  Learn about RSS
Search by topic or provider. (ex: Yankees, cooking, USA Today)

Okay, that works fairly well in preview, using Firefox to copy the source. I got that by selecting "Add Content" on the "My Yahoo" page. It's still Greek to me, admittedly. (There's supposed to be a box to enter your data there).

When they finally get around to setting up T-bird where you can save mail as .eml as the default, since I'm an OE user, (though open to alternatives) then perhaps they'll have won me over. At least they finally got away with 2 sets of trash cans and Sent Items, etc. Mozilla sometimes has an illogical way of doing things, my biggest peeve being images associated with the Downloads box.


141 posted on 02/16/2005 8:19:20 PM PST by JoJo Gunn (More than two lawyers in any Country constitutes a terrorist organization. ©)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Soon you will be able to login to your personal virtual PC from any Internet access point.

The Network Computer, or a little different take on it. Hasn't flown yet, but things change.

142 posted on 02/16/2005 10:12:20 PM PST by kezekiel
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To: decimon
Maxthon Internet Browser software is a powerful tabbed browser with a highly customizable interface. It is based on the Internet Explorer browser engine (your most likely current web browser) which means that what works in the IE browser will work the same in Maxthon tabbed browser but with many additional efficient features like...
143 posted on 02/17/2005 12:26:26 AM PST by jordan8
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To: Flying Circus

ping


144 posted on 02/17/2005 12:28:52 AM PST by nickcarraway
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To: decimon
Why, why must it crash every single time I open a PDF?

Because you didn't install it correctly. I have never had this problem.

Really, most writers endeavor to conceal rather than advertise their ineptitude in their field of alleged expertise.

145 posted on 02/17/2005 6:28:55 AM PST by steve-b (A desire not to butt into other people's business is eighty percent of all human wisdom)
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To: ProudVet77
Embedded is a BS statement

If it's not "embedded", perhaps you can explain its uninstall procedure to the class....

146 posted on 02/17/2005 6:32:25 AM PST by steve-b (A desire not to butt into other people's business is eighty percent of all human wisdom)
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To: Redcloak
If IE 7.0 is as closely immersed in the OS as previous versions are, then the same basic problem with IE will still exist. The browser is allowed to do too many things; too many dangerous things.

Yeah -- it's as if you installed one of those combination-lock keypads on your front door, and then added all sorts of doo-dads that let you use the same keypad to make phone calls through the intercom, control the house lighting and appliances, etc... and then were all surprised when jokers figured out how to use the system to fiddle with your lights and making calls to Borneo on your dime.

147 posted on 02/17/2005 6:38:16 AM PST by steve-b (A desire not to butt into other people's business is eighty percent of all human wisdom)
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To: All

i have both foxfire and ie.

i prefer foxfire because there are less problems, log-ins and passwords work better, etc.

one problem that occurs with both, more often with ie, is that when you click on something, a grew balloon appears and says it isn't available. but click again, and usually it connects.

it's not spy or ad ware. i have spy bot, and ad-ware and use them routinely and often.


148 posted on 02/17/2005 6:51:17 AM PST by ken21
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To: JoJo Gunn
So, you're saying you're not a paid shill, that instead you're just an estrogen crazed groupie??

Please seek therapy. Immediately.
149 posted on 02/17/2005 10:30:13 AM PST by Bush2000
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To: Bush2000
Hey, that was my line!
150 posted on 02/17/2005 11:15:33 AM PST by JoJo Gunn (More than two lawyers in any Country constitutes a terrorist organization. ©)
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To: JoJo Gunn

;-)


151 posted on 02/17/2005 11:30:59 AM PST by Bush2000
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To: Knitting A Conundrum

I love the tabs too. I got stuck on them with MYIE, but it ran over IE and I still had all of the spyware problems. Switched to FireFox and now I have my tabs and no spyware.


152 posted on 02/18/2005 3:54:13 PM PST by TankerKC (The Media turn each tactical victory for insurgents into a strategic victory for terrorists.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

"A decade ago there was no Internet."

um...a decade is 10 years. And yes, there was internet 10 years ago. In fact, I made my first web site a decade ago.


153 posted on 02/19/2005 7:22:51 AM PST by melbell (A Freudian slip is when you mean one thing, and say your mother)
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To: melbell
"A decade ago there was no Internet."

um...a decade is 10 years. And yes, there was internet 10 years ago. In fact, I made my first web site a decade ago.

What about ARAPNET? You forgot about ARAPNET.

As long as we're being anal about things.

154 posted on 02/19/2005 8:35:30 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws help fund terrorism.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I don't think I know what you mean. What were we being anal about?


155 posted on 02/19/2005 8:51:02 AM PST by melbell (A Freudian slip is when you mean one thing, and say your mother)
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To: melbell
I don't think I know what you mean. What were we being anal about?

Ten years, twenty years, what's the difference.

The point is, technology changes all the time.

156 posted on 02/19/2005 8:57:37 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws help fund terrorism.)
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To: BibChr

I agree...I've tried Avant and its nice.


157 posted on 02/21/2005 1:30:30 AM PST by FYREDEUS
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