Microsofts evil antics!

I just read M$ is going to try and force everyone to upgrade to the newest version of IE thier computer can handle...

http://m.gizmodo.com/5868510


I DONT TRUST ANYTHING NEWER THAN IE6.. MICROSOFT IS TRYING TO GET EVERYONE ON THE NEWEST GARBAGE SO THEY CAN BE TRACKED THE EASIEST! (IE6 luckily isnt compatible with GEO-tracking,etc) Im so glad i am on Win98se where they CANT TOUCH IT!!


IN A WAY ITS GOOD THEY ARE SHOWING THIER HANDS ON THIS,IT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO BLOCK UPDATES,ETC SO THEY DONT HAVE TO HAVE THAT GARBAGE!!

Microsoft is just about the last vendor to move to automatic updating.
Google and Mozilla Firefox already do silent updates to their browsers.
Android apps do it.

If you want to live in the past using ancient software, that's fine.
Don't complain about newer technology because you choose not to use it.

IE6 is utterly insecure, and is responsible for much of the spread of malware, because of utterly clueless people who refuse to upgrade. It's a shame that so many of the refuseniks are businesses, though they do at least mitigate the security holes somewhat by using industrial strength firewalls and AV.

But I'm pleased that MS are doing everything they can to upgrade insecure browsers, so that the rest of us can have a degree of protection from the flood of spam and malware that has resulted. If I had my way, I'd go a heck of a lot further than MS are proposing.

A link to the IE9 blocker can be found here:

http://discussions.virtualdr.com/sho...d.php?t=250936

I am using IE8. Many sites will no longer work with IE6. Many also won't work with IE9, so i have it blocked for now. Microsoft is unlikely to get all of the bugs out of IE9, since they are already working on IE10. That is the big drawback to the accelerated release schedule - it all becomes beta software. There is no reason to fix the bugs, since the next version is only a few months away.

I have the same issue with Firefox. Bugs are everywhere. What's a surfer to do?

If Chrome starts stealing a significant share of the browser users, maybe M$ and Mozilla will rethink their strategy. A browser that isn't going to be hacked and that doesn't crash is far superior to one that may have the latest eye candy or features, especially of those features cause problems with existing web sites.

Steve R Jones posted this on a sister site:

Microsoft's scheme differs from either Mozilla's or Google's, however, in that the company will let enterprises retain control of upgrades. Nor will it force updates on consumers who have already declined earlier offers to abandon an older IE.

Under its plan, IE will be silently upgraded only to those users who have opted in to automatic updates on the Windows Update service.

"[And] customers who have declined previous installations of IE8 or IE9 through Windows Update will not be automatically updated," Microsoft promised in a Thursday blog post.

IE to Start Automatic Upgrades across Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7

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... we recognize that some organizations and individuals may want to opt-out and set their own upgrade pace. ... The Internet Explorer 8 and Internet Explorer 9 Automatic Update Blocker toolkits prevent automatic upgrades of IE for Windows customers who do not want them. ...

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• Toolkit to Disable Automatic Delivery of Internet Explorer 8
  
  
• Toolkit to Disable Automatic Delivery of Internet Explorer 9

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... future versions of IE will provide an option in the product for consumers to opt out of automatic upgrading.

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Originally Posted by SuperSparks

IE6 is utterly insecure.....

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Any browser can be unsecure buddy,it depends on the end user! (If they know how to set it up,its fine)

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Originally Posted by Dude111

Any browser can be unsecure buddy,it depends on the end user! (If they know how to set it up,its fine)

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All right, why don't you enlighten us on how to set up IE6 so that it is secure. MS themselves say it cannot be made secure, so I'm sure we would all be interested in how you have managed to find the solution.

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Originally Posted by Dude111

Any browser can be unsecure buddy,it depends on the end user! (If they know how to set it up,its fine)

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We would all agree on the "it depends on the end user" You should be using The Proxomitron at the very least if you insist on IE6.

My beef is allow the user to disable auto updates if they want without external Fix-Its, registry changes or disabling scheduled tasks. Firefox does so, Chrome does not and soon IE won't either I'm just saying, give users an easy to access choice. Don't make it convoluted (by not doing so, IMO, they treat us like idiots!)

I am on dialup at home. Because of that, I must pick and choose when and where I update programs (and it's never at home.)

FWIW...

IMO, the cause of this is Google. They are causing rampant panic in both IE and FF. IMO, they are scrambling to copy Chrome as hard as they can (and Chrome is far, far from perfect.) It's my opinion this is why FF is using their new insane release schedule and IE is now forcing updates (vs. the current acceptable Windows Update pipeline. Which, again IMO, works fine already.)

Have just seen this on the How-toGeek:
http://www.howtogeek.com/100683/week...ampaign=181211

I use Chrome and Chromium, but I really do not understand people that use a 10 year old browser or OS. I do tend to adopt early though, as it usually results in better security.

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Originally Posted by cdroman

I use Chrome and Chromium, but I really do not understand people that use a 10 year old browser or OS. I do tend to adopt early though, as it usually results in better security.

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For anyone other than businesses, there is likely no good reason for running something that old. But unless Windows Update (WU) is turned off, they should already have the latest and greatest IE.

My beef is that WU was fine for this. MS didn't need to add one more download complication.

If you value your PRIVACY (What you do on YOUR computer) there is EVERY GOOD REASON :)

http://www.msfree.com/cached/www.hev.../microsoft.htm

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Windows 98 does not connect to Microsoft's computers. Microsoft Windows 98 runs completely independently of other computers.

Windows XP (And all newer OSs) connect to Microsoft's computers in at least 18 ways.

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I VALUE MY PRIVACY .... MY COMPUTER IS MINE,NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S TO SNOOP ON @ WILL!!

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Originally Posted by Dude111

If you value your PRIVACY (What you do on YOUR computer) there is EVERY GOOD REASON :)

http://www.msfree.com/cached/www.hev.../microsoft.htm




I VALUE MY PRIVACY .... MY COMPUTER IS MINE,NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S TO SNOOP ON @ WILL!!

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I was just thinking that with all the security holes on your set up ( IE6 and all), that just about anyone can snoop on it alt will. I could be wrong...

Ironically the home page of that anti Windows XP and Microsoft diatribe, on which there is just that one article that doesn't recommend XP, has 10 articles on why you shouldn't use Internet Explorer.. and most of those are referring to newer and even more secure versions than IEX6. In fact the only operating system they recommend is Ubuntu (which does not come with IEX at all).

http://www.msfree.com/

Also, looking at the website of Michael Jennings, the person who wrote that singular anti XP article, I see no indication of his credentials as a computer or computer security expert.

http://www.futurepower.org/index.html

But what he says is quite true my friend! (And very strong)

There is no way a firewall protected OS can call home unless the user agrees. Period!

The key here is firewall protected. Firewalls protect traffic going in both directions - inbound and outbound. I don't know of anyone who hasn't used a firewall during the past 15 years or so.

I'm still not understanding old outdated software supported by old outdated articles. Today's OS' and software are so much better, it isn't a close contest for the home user. Glad my friends and family have moved on to the new software; saves me a lot of headaches.

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Originally Posted by cdroman

I'm still not understanding old outdated software supported by old outdated articles. Today's OS' and software are so much better, it isn't a close contest for the home user. Glad my friends and family have moved on to the new software; saves me a lot of headaches.

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You would probably have to be paranoid yourself for it to make any sense :rolleyes: