Newsletter Archives

• Google does its part to wean people off Internet Explorer 6

  Posted on January 30, 2010 at 21:31 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  IE 6 is dangerous. You know it. I’ve been warning you about it since November 2006. Even Microsoft admits it. Now Google’s doing something about it.

  In the wake of the Chinese attack on Google, the Googlies are starting to pull back support for Internet Explorer 6, beginning on March 1.

  Quoth the Beeb:

  Google has now said it is going to phase out support for the browser “starting with Google Docs and Google Sites”.

  Rajen Sheth, Google Senior Product Manager puts it this way:

  Many other companies have already stopped supporting older browsers like Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 as well as browsers that are not supported by their own manufacturers. We’re also going to begin phasing out our support, starting with Google Docs and Google Sites on March 1st. So while you’ll still be able to access these Google applications, newer features may not be available and some features may even stop working.

  Thanks to HFP for the heads-up!

  Other Google, Internet Explorer 6

• IE 6, or 7, or 8?

  Posted on April 11, 2009 at 15:41 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Reader CG wrote:

  Your advice yesterday was very clear:

  “If you´re still using Internet Explorer 6, run to the Internet Explorer 8 download site and get it installed, like, right now. IE 6 is the single largest source of PC infections ever invented.”

  But later in the day your advice is rather different:

  “I´m still ambivalent about Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Internet Explorer 8, if you have IE 7 installed and patched, and you use Firefox.”

  You may wish to comfirm your thoughts.

  I ask, because, following your initial advice, I did install IE8. However, it seemed to slow down several processes, and I have gone back to IE6.

  I use Firefox for all normal browsing. I only used the IE Tab Add-in for Microsoft sites that won’t allow Firefox, and the increasingly few other sites which don’t work well with Firefox. But in addition, I effectively use IE for batch upload purposes (with AutoIt) and also of course Secunia uses the IE engine. Plus some programs Help-About links seem to point to IE.

  Am I therefore at risk? Do not the IE6 security updates protect me?

  I’d appreciate your thoughts on this.

  I was afraid that’d be a bit convoluted. Let me try to put it all together.

  IE 6 is a festering boil on the posterior of Windows. Even if it’s all patched up, it’s still a mess.

  IE 7 is much, much better, from a security point of view. If you have it, and it’s all patched up, and you don’t use it, you’re fine.

  IE 8 is a decent browser. I’m not overly impressed with some of the touted features (for example, InPrivate Blocking doesn’t do much at all), but it’s significantly better than IE 7. I wouldn’t rush out to install it because IE 7 is good enough – particularly if you don’t use it. But if you have IE 6 and you need to lance the boil, IE 8 is a decent choice.

  All of this presupposes that you actually use Firefox, of course. I’ve been using the 3.1 beta for quite some time now, and haven’t hit any problems.

  I haven’t hit any performance problems with any of the browsers – can’t even perceive the difference (or more accurately the mood swings on my broadband connection dwarf any performance difference between browsers). You may be more sensitive to time delays than I, though.

  Windows News InPrivate Browsing, Internet Explorer 6, Internet Explorer 7, Internet Explorer 8

• Still have Internet Explorer 6 – what to do?

  Posted on April 10, 2009 at 06:19 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  My good friend BB wrote with this:

  Woody, Never did put IE7 on my machine , but it seems that IE8 is getting good reviews. You think its ok to go with it now? If it doesn’t have that Genuine Windows checks…I ‘m still not sure if I’m ok or not..Oh Well !

  If you’re still using Internet Explorer 6, run to the Internet Explorer 8 download site and get it installed, like, right now. IE 6 is the single largest source of PC infections ever invented.

  If Windows Genuine Advantage prevents you from downloading or installing IE 8 (I’d be curious to find out if it does), you can still download and install Internet Explorer 7 – Microsoft removed the WGA check from IE 7 in October, 2007.

  Don’t worry about installing or running WGA on a Windows XP system. If your computer fails the WGA test, the worst that will happen is your desktop background (wallpaper) will turn black and you’ll get nag balloons out of the lower right corner. You’ll still be able to use every part of WinXP.

  While it’s important that you download, install and update IE 7 or IE 8 – Windows has hooks into IE that expose your PC to all sorts of infections – you shouldn’t use IE. Firefox offers a much better browser. It’s free, and it doesn’t interfere with Internet Explorer at all.

  Download and update IE to keep Windows secure. But use Firefox.

  Windows Patches/Security Internet Explorer 6, Windows Genuine Advantage