Future of Internet Explorer

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History Fan

Can anyone recommend a good (non-Microsoft) website that has
info/gossip about Microsoft's future plans for Internet Explorer? IE has
been losing market share to Firefox for months, as well as taking a
tremendous pounding in the media and among computer enthusiasts. To say
you use IE these days is almost as bad as admitting you're an AOL
subscriber.

I'm wondering if Microsoft will upgrade IE before releasing Longhorn
next year. Maybe they hope the Firefox surge will gradually fade?
 
To say you use IE these days is almost as bad as admitting you're an AOL
subscriber.
Click to expand...

Here is an example of what I mean: a few months ago, I visited a
store that builds/sells new & used computers, and repairs PC parts. All the
computers that I saw had Firefox loaded as the default browser. I was
scouting for a used computer for my uncle (who has only used IE), and when I
asked the salesperson (who was also a PC technician) about using IE with
these machines, his faced turned into a scowl and he said..."we avoid
Internet Explorer like the plague. Stay away from it." Everytime I asked a
question about using IE on their machines, he mentioned how insecure it was
and changed the subject.
 
History Fan said:
Here is an example of what I mean: a few months ago, I visited a
store that builds/sells new & used computers, and repairs PC parts. All
the computers that I saw had Firefox loaded as the default browser. I was
scouting for a used computer for my uncle (who has only used IE), and when
I asked the salesperson (who was also a PC technician) about using IE with
these machines, his faced turned into a scowl and he said..."we avoid
Internet Explorer like the plague. Stay away from it." Everytime I asked
a question about using IE on their machines, he mentioned how insecure it
was and changed the subject.
Click to expand...


IE kept up to date is no more insecure than Firefox.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
 
Frank Saunders said:
IE kept up to date is no more insecure than Firefox.

--
Click to expand...

Not according to Secunia (http://secunia.com/)... You know, the company that
tries to keep track of the bugs in a lot of software. Though I do have to
admit it's mostly people's stupidity when they get Spyware and adware
installed in the first place. People have to learn to click No...
In the meantime, there needs to be an IE7. And soon if Microsft want to keep
their market share...
 
In the meantime, there needs to be an IE7. And soon if Microsft want to
keep
their market share...
Click to expand...

Amen to that. IE 6 debuted in August 2000, didn't it? Pretty old
program. Heck, I'd settle for IE 6.5.
 
I tried Firefox and some IE addons like Maxthon and for me there is zero
advantage in tabbed browsing.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
Click to expand...

Not if you were a buyer like me. I can tab between four vendors at the same
time getting prices while talking to a customer, and the tabs are well
organized and I can keep track. With IE I have to open windows and it can be
a pain in the you know where. Also on startup the benefit of 4 or 5
newspapers opening all at once in tabs is tremendous.

Anyways to each his own for what works. MS will eventually include it when
they realize its benefits.

Bill
 
History said:
Can anyone recommend a good (non-Microsoft) website that has
info/gossip about Microsoft's future plans for Internet Explorer? IE has
been losing market share to Firefox for months, as well as taking a
tremendous pounding in the media and among computer enthusiasts. To say
you use IE these days is almost as bad as admitting you're an AOL
subscriber.

I'm wondering if Microsoft will upgrade IE before releasing Longhorn
next year. Maybe they hope the Firefox surge will gradually fade?
Click to expand...

For those with legacy versions of Windows -- which includes Windows 9x,
NT, and 2000 -- a new version of IE will not help because Microsoft will
not offer IE7 for older versions of Windows. IE with XP SP2 is far more
secure than earlier versions of IE, but this is no help for the many who
are in no position to upgrade to SP2: e.g. my mom, who has an old PC
running 98 which does not have the resources to run XP.

Newer versions of IE will only help the majority of Windows users if
Microsoft were to abandon its policy of abandoning older customers.

BTW, you can get news about browsers at my site
http://www.upsdell.com/BrowserNews/
 
I'm with Frank on this one. I can't see the advantage to Tabbed browsing
either; seperate IE windows will appear on the taskbar so I know where I am
at all times... Though I do understand that the grouping of taskbar items can
become annoying this way and having them not grouped leaves a crammed
taskbar, I just dont need the tabbed browsing when I'm on the net. I suspect
that this is how Microsoft are thinking as well, otherwise why isn't tabbed
browsing a feature already?
At the end of the day, whether you use Firefox, IE, Opera or anything else,
it comes down to *your* opinion of how it looks and operates. I prefer IE.
 
I agree its a matter of opinion, no problem there. As for why MS did not
have it as a feature I can tell you there are a zillion things that MS has
released or incorporated that wasn't their original idea or they never
thought of first. In IE and in a lot of their other programs. Tabbed
browsing is only one of them. And when they do include it remember this
thread.:-)

And please don't get me wrong I am not a MS basher, just frank
observations.

Bill
 
| At the end of the day, whether you use Firefox, IE, Opera or anything else,
| it comes down to *your* opinion of how it looks and operates.

NOT!

| At the end of the day, whether you use Firefox, IE, Opera or anything else,
| it comes down to the total lack of support (unless you pay $35 up front) you
get from Microsoft,

I have had 3 problems with IE6 that started after installing SP2 (XP):
1. the Page setup for IE6 will NOT retain header and footer info
2. IE6 and OE6 cuts off the top and left side of anything I print
3. the coupon manager on coolsavings.com will NOT work in IE6

all of these problems accured after installing and then uninstalling SP2 for XP.

OK, you ask why did I uninstall it? Because IE would not allow me
to put my toolbars back the way I had them just b4 installing SP2.

I am NOT paying MS one penny for tech spt when THEIR SP2 did it.

I have literally spent at least 20 hours if not more trying to find a solution
to these problems and guess what NO help anywhere >>including this board.

I installed Firefox and instantaeously all three problems were fixed. (except
the part of #2 that pertains to OE -- and I am fixing to replace that tooooo
for all the same reasons.)

So, it is NOT personal oppinion -- it purely and simply "does it work correctly"

Oh yes, I am NOY just banging Microshit. I moved away from Netscape and used
IE for years that is UNTIL I TRIED SP2 FOR XP AND IT ALL WENT TO SH*T....

| I'm with Frank on this one. I can't see the advantage to Tabbed browsing
| either; seperate IE windows will appear on the taskbar so I know where I am
| at all times... Though I do understand that the grouping of taskbar items can
| become annoying this way and having them not grouped leaves a crammed
| taskbar, I just dont need the tabbed browsing when I'm on the net. I suspect
| that this is how Microsoft are thinking as well, otherwise why isn't tabbed
| browsing a feature already?
| At the end of the day, whether you use Firefox, IE, Opera or anything else,
| it comes down to *your* opinion of how it looks and operates. I prefer IE.
 
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