Comments on: Microsoft: To secure IE, upgrade to XP

Affirms plan to make browser upgrades available only through XP updates, while half the Windows world operates with older OSes.

[jeaninej]

Yet another reason to move to a different browser

Who says that Microsoft isn't trying to monopolize the browser/os market? If it weren't for the fact that I provide tech support to the less technical members of my family, certain friends and work contraints, I'd probably have dumped Windows long ago for a different os. I only use IE when forced to like when I have to log into the company for off hours support functions or to pay my mortgage (neither company supports/recognizes Mozilla Firefox).

I switched to Firefox a year ago & never looked back

About a year ago, I switched to Firefox, and found that I had a browser that was lean and mean. It was fast, and didn't allow pop-ups. It also didn't allow spybots or any other such junk onto my PC. I then switched to Thunderbird for e-mail, and was again pleasantly surprised. My next switch is to Linux -- Then I'll be free of the Redmond mental midgets.

Complain to the bank...

You should complain to the bank that they don't support Firefox for mortgage payments...

[COMALite J]

Re: mortgage, try User-Agent Switcher.

This is an extension that you can easily install for FireFox that will make the Web server think that you're running IE (or Netscape Confusicator 4.7 if you should have any reason to do so, or, if you're willing to add your own USER-AGENT strings to the menu, any other conceivable combination of browser and platform -- you can even make Firefox on Windows look to the server like Safari on a Mac if you want!).

Of course, this will not fix any problems caused by actual incompatibilities with the Web standards that Firefox supports so well, or any sites that require ActiveX, etc. But it will fix problems with sites that check the USER-AGENT string to see what browser you're running, and either reject you outright or load a reduced-functionality or even faulty version of the page if they don't see that you're running IE.

Case in point: if you go to a YahooGroup and click on "Chat," IE will take you to that group's specific chatroom. But Firefox (with Sun Java installed) will take you to a generic chatroom instead, and you would have no easy way to get to the group-specific chatroom.

But, just switch the USER-AGENT to IE with this handy-dandy Extension, and go back to the YahooGroup page and click "Chat", and voila! You go right to the GROUP-SPECIFIC chatroom, just as if you were using IE!

This proves that the problem is with YahooGroups itself, and the fact that they try to detect your browser, not with the browser itself.

Another cool extension is Launchy, which gives you a right-click option on any link, allowing you to pick what to open it in. This way, you can use Firefox for your casual browsing, and when you come across a link that you know works in IE only, simply right-click and open it in IE instead!

[jm808]

Hell yes!

Just don't use their browser ... Firefox works great.

Time fer a change.

IE is most secure with XP? IE is more secure with XP?

How about IE is less secure than all other browsers, period?

Yee gads, IE is the world's version of the internet Petri dish.

[C.Schroeder]

Upgrade to WinXP not an option for some...

I still use Win2K, because I use several COTS software packages in my work that do not officially support WinXP yet. I guess Micro$oft believes they don't need to support all of their Fortune 500 customers?! How many people do you know that bought Win2K for a home PC?

Win98 SE support was scheduled to end at the beginning of this year, until Microsoft realized how much of their international customer base was still using it. As we all know, you can't load WinXP on every PC currently running Win98, because WinXP requires more hardware resources than Win98, and while WinXP will run on many older PCs, it is painfully slow. I guess Micro$oft has now reversed their earlier decision that continuing support for their international customer base is important? Looks like a golden opportunity for lean & mean Linux desktop distros, in addition to Mozilla et al, to secure more market share.

Curt

[tomal_rocks]

Now people will move to Firefox

I have been monitoring the reviews of Firefox preview and thought people will adopt it at an average rate. But now the policy of Microsoft will make IE to fall ; now people will turn to Firefox or other alternatives once they know have to pay to upgrade for better security whereas alternative browsers are better secured and free !!!

Lets see what time will say. But we are all sure IE dominance will be deeply hurt within the years to come.

[ZenWarrior]

Firefox vs. Microsoft (Now, no contest.)

Okay, this does it. I have used Firefox on and off for a year now. Quite frankly, I prefer I.E. as a browser, but I much more prefer Mozilla's attitude toward their users. Micro$oft would keep me as a user of their browser if they cared one iota about their customers. They very obviously do not. Goodbye, I.E. I'm back, FireFox.

Indeed, may lightning strike me dead should I use I.E. any time other than when *absolutely* necessary. And even then, I will first decide whether I really need to visit a "Micro$oft-compliant" web site. That said, I foresee removing a few bookmarks. So be it. *Anything*, even the devil himself, has now become a better choice than Mico$oft. Indeed, may lightning also strike me dead if I ever again buy a Micro$oft-based operating system. Goodbye, WinWoes. Hello, Linux. (And I may even return to Macintosh.)

[eviltoaster]

Really

Microsoft is really pushing XP. Too bad they're alienating all the millions of businesses and users that have Win2k Pro. Businesses paid big money for all of their win2k licenses, and now microsoft is refusing to fix their own holes in their software. Bummer. Looks like they're SOL.

I wholeheartedly agree that this gives Linux, and Linux based Mac OSX a chance to shine. Linux is powerful, stable and secure, and Apple Packs that with their superior Aqua Interface and PPC Platform.
It actually seems kind of stupid of M$ to anger their customers by refusing support, because this gives businesses a reason to switch to a better environment.

That's the spirit!

That's the spirit!
Let's hope others follow!

:-)

[thetruth1960]

Thank you Microsoft. Now more people will switch

I love this move from Microsoft. I'm a website developer. I develop primarily for FireFox/Mozilla/Netscape, and then I test on other browsers.

With this move MS has made my life easier. More people will move away from IE which is a piece of (...) old technology way behind the curve.

Thanks MS.

[Jonathan]

Hmmm free better browser or $99-$199

Yah that's a really hard choice.

Security patches cost money.

Wait till next year when MS starts charging all customers for
security patches not just upgrades.

Hmm, that does beg the question. What exactly is an upgrade
for a windows user anyhow? Switchng to OS X, perhaps.

Non-Techie Users will not upgrade anyway

I think that most non-technical users will simply continue on using Windows 95 (or whatever version they have). We all know by now that the majority of regular users need auto updates to secure their systems. What makes M$ think that they will pay to upgrade their OS??? It looks like spam-zombies are here to stay!

Businesses with IT departments will now seriously look at switching browsers.

[AbbyMac]

An exception to your suggestion

My technologically backwards company doesn't have the money to pay for upgrades to XP for all our computers (we're a non-profit), but that's the extent of your correctness. We began recommendint a switch in our office to Mozilla & Firefox months ago, and I'm now going to force the last hold-out (my 75-yr-old boss) to learn the new system. I'm also going to start investigating Linux systems. So just a note - even though we may not upgrade, I think more and more casual computer users will be moving away from both IE and Microsoft's OS.

so EZ to stup Firefox

The less teckie of the peoples should ask their pc guru how to install firefox http://www.mozilla.org
or just click on install.....
i guess its like when touch-tone phones came out.
only the "brave" left their old Rotary Dial Phones for the ease and operation of the new phone, did i mention "faster" also

[neal_r_smith]

XP Upgrade and IE

I have used windows 98 for a long time and have not upgraded to XP because of the continued mess that Microsoft calls an operating system. If I can not get an upgraded IE without spending the money to buy another OS that is full of holes, I guess I will try another Browser! Microsoft needs to concentrate on getting it right, not creating new versions of the same mess to sell to people stupid enough to believe that Microsoft cares one bit about security and everything about selling new operating systems.

product placement

the most ironic part; under all these direct comments about how people will avoid SP2 or XP or IE or whatever....is a link:

"Improve your PC with SP2"

:)

Typical tech industry tactics.

Whoever heard of a car manufacturer saying that it no longer will service a 2000 Ford Mustang for faulty brakes it installed in the car? (Remember, Windows 2000 is only 4 - 5 years old)

Only in technology can a company simply ignore its past mistakes and instead try and push consumers to buy more of its products...

Key word here is "try". I truly believe Microsoft is at the height of its existence and it is going to be a long slow decline from here... I'm not an open source advocate, nor am I anti-Microsoft - rather I'm a business man who gets irrated when tech companies feel they can do business anyway they please...

[jekyl20]

Problem with your analogy

The problem is you are talking about having to physically bring in cars to replace a physical part where as the IE changes are software only which can be distributed just like everything else form Microsoft.

The big thing I see is this tries to force people into an OS that allows Microsoft to control the upgrade times. Once on XP, when they decide to drop support for it, and you need to reload your PC, you can no longer get the authorization number from Microsoft and this would force you to migrate to some other OS (in their eyes, that would be a Microsoft OS of course). At least with Win 98 or Win 2000, I can still re-install my machine and not have to beg Microsoft for the key to unlock what I have already bought. It is just another step in their desire to make you rent the software and have no ownership in it.

meh

New Market for White Hats

Microsoft is big-business. Why not look at this (and get pissed off--again) as an opportunity to do them in on the Browser Market.

If so many Black and White Hat hackers can rip into the Browser they can also provide oppotunities to close those rips.

I don't care if it free or not, but somebody with skill could make some cash off providing patches.

It's could lead to extortion of course, but isn't that what MSoft is doing? It would be more a question of whose your protector Big Biz/Gov or the Mafia Don down the street?

[stephan6969]

XP & IE

I agree that Microsoft is trying to force people to upgrade to XP. If someone can offer a XP like platform that is not so intrusive. I personally would adopt it. I want the IE upgrades without beinig forced to upgrade. Mozilla, here I come again.