i.e. 7

[SamIAm]

[ QUOTE ]
i think this is a great analogy. add to it that i have never had a single explorer issue and that the product supports my needs. therefore, there is some laziness and complacency to complement the stupidity

[/ QUOTE ]
Keep in mind that if someone exploits a vulnerability on a general website, they'll only be able to generally hurt you. Maybe they'll fish for bank passwords or something, but they'd have to get pretty lucky.

On the other hand, if they exploited a vulnerability on a Poker website, then they know you're a poker player. That means they have a pretty good idea of who you are, and a pretty good idea of what to target. (Fishing for poker-account passwords must be pretty damn profitable in that audience.)

Just food for thought if you're waiting for your first break-in before you add security.
-Sam

[carlo]

Downloaded IE7 and couldn't use my desktop icons. Could go to a site through my favorites but got a black blank page in outline using the desktop icons.
Tried it by downloading it twice. No answer,sent report to Microsoft.

Finally uninstalled IE7 and back to IE6. Any explanations out there?

Thanks,

carlo

[CrayZee]

[ QUOTE ]
I still don't understand why anyone would use IE with all the security related issues (tho IE7 > IE6 somewhat...but only somewhat). IE is fine for trusted sites you absolutely MUST navigate that absolutely DON'T work (due to bonehead web coding) in any HTML/CSS compliant browser, but for general browsing it's a bad bad bad product to use.

Could one of you IE users explain why it's worth risking open execution of any code from any unknown site simply by viewing their page (or in some cases, somply their banner ad) by using IE instead of one of the several free alternative and non-affected browsers out there? I really don't get it. Do you lock your car doors but leave the windows down? Lock your windows but leave the front door open and swaying in the wind? *shrug*....I'm stumped.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe there was some period of time when IE was the go-to browser (back in the last days/versions of Netscape Navigator...esp. when Netscape decided to rewrite their code base from scratch?), but most people I know use Firefox. Minus, of course, less "computer literate" or lazy people.

Unless you're a web designer/developer or simply forced to use IE 7, don't bother. I'm sure IE 6 is fine for most of those needs anyway.

It's funny, my WinXP home machine wouldn't even run IE 7. Only Windows Update works, but the stupid app crashes otherwise. I gave up and uninstalled it...sure, clear type is pretty and all, but my Macs have been doing this for years already.

It's funny how most people just wait to upgrade to new MS things. "Better to let the water settle for 6 months before bothering w/ Vista," etc., I hear from people. I'm sure it's better, but whatever. I hear it's not even compelling for gamers to upgrade atm (i.e. no need for DX10).

[jjshabado]

[ QUOTE ]
I still don't understand why anyone would use IE with all the security related issues (tho IE7 > IE6 somewhat...but only somewhat). IE is fine for trusted sites you absolutely MUST navigate that absolutely DON'T work (due to bonehead web coding) in any HTML/CSS compliant browser, but for general browsing it's a bad bad bad product to use.

Could one of you IE users explain why it's worth risking open execution of any code from any unknown site simply by viewing their page (or in some cases, somply their banner ad) by using IE instead of one of the several free alternative and non-affected browsers out there? I really don't get it. Do you lock your car doors but leave the windows down? Lock your windows but leave the front door open and swaying in the wind? *shrug*....I'm stumped.

[/ QUOTE ]

I use IE for checking my hotmail account (since Microsoft is a bunch of jackasses and doesn't let the MSN Messenger email link use the default browser).

I also find that IE works better with video links and a few web pages (with the previously mentioned retarded CSS/HTML differences between browsers).

Other than that I never use it.

As I've already mentioned I want to stab Microsoft in the eye for the clear type [censored]. Even if you think its an improvement it definitely shouldn't be bundled with a browser update.

Don't forget though, I still hate Macs.

[BiPolar_Nut]

IE Video must see [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

(and it's only slightly exaggerated)

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
IE Video must see [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

(and it's only slightly exaggerated)

[/ QUOTE ]

now THIS VIDEO is a must see

[Meech]

I still use IE. I like the tabbed browsing, I like the RSS features, I actually like cleartype. I haven't been hacked, and if I am -- I can clean it.

I don't like self proclaimed technology evangelists preaching how much better Firefox runs on their shiney new eMachines box.

The contrarian/rebel in me says that when everybody is running towards Firefox -- run in the other direction.

[BiPolar_Nut]

[ QUOTE ]
I still use IE. I like the tabbed browsing, I like the RSS features, I actually like cleartype. I haven't been hacked, and if I am -- I can clean it.

I don't like self proclaimed technology evangelists preaching how much better Firefox runs on their shiney new eMachines box.

The contrarian/rebel in me says that when everybody is running towards Firefox -- run in the other direction.

[/ QUOTE ]

Meh. Tabbed browsing & RSS??? Those have been avail in FF, NS, Mozilla, Opera, and others long before IE finally got around to adding those features. That leaves Clear Type. Basically what I'm hearing is that your position is "looking pretty > security". You of course are entitled to that view, but I really don't believe it's good for the casual user (without the ability to even realize they've been compromised until they are locked out of their financial sites and their funds are gone) to see a post like yours and think they're safe because others give the impression it's perfectly okay to use IE for all their browsing.

If you know the risks of using IE and have the tolerance to accept them, then fine. Use it to your heart's content. Just as a single person who lives alone may feel perfectly comfortable keeping a loaded .45 on their nightstand and never had any accidents, that doesn't mean a foster parent w/ 14 kids in their home can do the same with the same peace of mind.

IE *does* have a ridiculously high number of currently unpatched exploits both public and private. Some are quite old. Often MS "bugfixes" open up holes that were previously patched. Open source browsers, on the other hand, get patched quicker, have a larger base of people willing and able to fix holes that are discovered, and at any given time are generally less vulnerable to being the entry point to compromise a user's system.

Who are the shiny new e-machine technovangelists you speak of?

Being a rebel was cool in high school. Some of us grew up and adapt to what's most +EV for us within the environment we're choosing to live in. I believe using a browser vulnerable to a handful of private exploits is ++EV over using one vulnerable to many public and private exploits.

BTW Meech, what did you use before IE7 to enjoy tabbed browsing?

The bottom line is that the security risks using a current patch level of FF exposes your system to security problems to a lesser degree than a current patch level of IE. People must be aware of that and decide for themselves weather it's worth the risk. Millions of people play lotteries. Some actually win. Millions of people use IE. Some actually don't have security problems as a result.

[Meech]

I was programming in RPG before the PC came out, so skip the lesson.

Desktop PC security is 80% common sense, 20% technology.

When your barber, the gas station attendant and the greeter at Walmart says it's time to use Firefox -- I'll pass.

Oh, I used a skinned IE prior to IE7 :P

Honestly, if I am surfing somewhere that I don't want to leave tracks, or if it's a site that I question securitywise -- I'll fire up FF. I set that to purge on exit.

[BiPolar_Nut]

10-4 on the punch card input, line printer output [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Really, though...isn't doing the opposite of the masses merely "security through obscurity"? While that is arguably slightly better as an additional layer of "protection", I don't see how it is a good move when the alternative one picks is far less secure and still a massive target. If security through obscurity is the goal, and you still need a modern browser, wouldn't Opera be a better choice (at least for the masses subscribing to that line of thought).

Ah well....I'm not trying to tell *you* you shouldn't use IE, since obv you know the common sense and can handle any problems that may creep up, and obv have the risk tolerance making it worth your while to use it. My point is towards the less tech-conscious, less browsing-sense-endowed, and the security-unconscious....I'll still make a strong push to them to use FF.