I’ve got a suggestion. You don’t have to take it and I know not everyone is ready to make a change, but…
Now is a good time to start thinking about using something other than Internet Explorer to visit websites.
I know this may seem a little radical to some of you. Kind of like the whole “earth is round” thing, but stick with me.
Currently, 90-95% of all internet visitors do so using Internet Explorer (a lot of people drive Fords as well). I would guess that the vast majority do so not due to some educated choice, but rather because when they first took the computer out of the box and turned it on there was that shiny “e” sitting right there, waiting to take them on a journey through “cyberspace”. Ohhhhhhh Ahhhhhhhh.
The problem folks, is that much like the Pinto of years gone by, Internet Explorer is a piece of crap. Many people in the know have been sending red flags up for years, but there has been a drastic increase in these warnings lately. Here are just a few:
- Internet Explorer Is Just Too Risky
- Pop-Up Program Snatches Banking Passwords
- New Virus May Steal Data
I realize these may sound alarmist and, yes, I do remember when eggs used to be bad for you. However, you do have a choice when it comes to what browser you use and I would strongly encourage you to think about putting that Pinto up on blocks and test driving something newer (and safer).
My suggestion is that you take Firefox out for a spin.
Firefox is a browser that geeks from around the world have been developing in their off-hours for the past few years. It’s free, it works on PCs and Macs, and it has some very nice features, including pop-up blocking and tabbed browsing, both of which are explained at the site.
I switched from IE to Firefox about a year ago now and haven’t looked back. In fact, I’m usually amazed when I use someone else’s computer with IE and see all of the pop-up windows that sites seem to be forcing on their users lately.
The 1.0 release of Firefox will happen sometime later this month, but I would encourage you to download the current version (0.9.1) and try it out. If you like it, you can make it your primary browser by going to Tools > Options > Default Browser.
Occasionally, you will need to launch IE to view some sites. There are still some web developers out there (none I know) who build for IE-only. I’m seeing fewer and fewer of those though.
So, check Firefox out and let me know what you think.
July 2nd, 2004 at 11:59 am
Okay, so I’ve downloaded Firefox and I’ve set it up with my Favorites and all transferred. But, I don’t see much different from the Mozilla product I am already using, Netscape. I do like not being subject to all the attacks on IE but what do I gain by staying with Firefox as opposed to Netscape?
Ignorant on BI
July 2nd, 2004 at 1:04 pm
Check out Dad using the Netscape.
Firefox is a stripped down version of Mozilla, which is what Netscape bases its browser off of. Netscape just adds a lot of AOL stuff along with the browser that I don’t use.
Stick with Netscape if you’re happy. I was more interested in encouraging IE people to switch to something else.
July 3rd, 2004 at 10:56 am
Funny that you should talk about this as I was just looking into firefox this morning after seeing on the news that Microsoft is launching patches to fix some of the IE problems.
I think I will try it when I get home!
July 4th, 2004 at 7:30 pm
Now CNN is even telling people to switch from Internet Explorer for security reasons.
Renewed calls for alternative browsers
Security flaws aside, I would still argue that Firefox and the other alternative browsers out there are far more usable than IE.
July 5th, 2004 at 1:36 pm
Hey Aaron,
two things…..
One I downloaded that Firfoz and couldn’t access a few of my online banking sites. It’s seems to have problems with some Java applets. But I’ll continue to use it and wait for the next release…..
Second,
I don’t know if you noticed with the azf2k web page, but every time someone posts a message, their email address is added too….
Scene: A cafe. One table is occupied by a group of Vikings wearing horned helmets. Whenever the word “spam” is repeated, they begin singing and/or chanting. A man and his wife enter. The man is played by Eric Idle, the wife is played by Graham Chapman (in drag), and the waitress is played by Terry Jones, also in drag.
Man: You sit here, dear.
Wife: All right.
Man: Morning!
Waitress: Morning!
Man: Well, what’ve you got?
Waitress: Well, there’s egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam; spam bacon sausage and spam; spam egg spam spam bacon and spam; spam sausage spam spam bacon spam tomato and spam;
Vikings: Spam spam spam spam…
Waitress: …spam spam spam egg and spam; spam spam spam spam spam spam baked beans spam spam spam…
Vikings: Spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam!
Waitress: …or Lobster Thermidor a Crevette with a mornay sauce served in a Provencale manner with shallots and aubergines garnished with truffle pate, brandy and with a fried egg on top and spam.
Wife: Have you got anything without spam?
Waitress: Well, there’s spam egg sausage and spam, that’s not got much spam in it.
Wife: I don’t want ANY spam!
Man: Why can’t she have egg bacon spam and sausage?
Wife: THAT’S got spam in it!
Man: Hasn’t got as much spam in it as spam egg sausage and spam, has it?
Vikings: Spam spam spam spam… (Crescendo through next few lines…)
Wife: Could you do the egg bacon spam and sausage without the spam then?
Waitress: Urgghh!
Wife: What do you mean ‘Urgghh’? I don’t like spam!
Vikings: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!
Waitress: Shut up!
Vikings: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!
Waitress: Shut up! (Vikings stop) Bloody Vikings! You can’t have egg bacon spam and sausage without the spam.
Wife: I don’t like spam!
Man: Sshh, dear, don’t cause a fuss. I’ll have your spam. I love it. I’m having spam spam spam spam spam spam spam beaked beans spam spam spam and spam!
Vikings: Spam spam spam spam. Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!
Waitress: Shut up!! Baked beans are off.
Man: Well could I have her spam instead of the baked beans then?
Waitress: You mean spam spam spam spam spam spam… (but it is too late and the Vikings drown her words)
Vikings: (Singing elaborately…) Spam spam spam spam. Lovely spam! Wonderful spam! Spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam. Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Spam spam spam spam!
July 5th, 2004 at 1:43 pm
Norm,
Yes, there are a lot of banking sites that are written to work in IE only. Hopefully that will change soon, but for now you will need to keep IE around.
You’ll be able to use Firefox (or any other modern browers) for the vast majority of your browsing.
You’ll also need to use IE when going to Windows Update to patch your machine.
The email address is actually encrypted in the code so that spam crawlers won’t recognize it as an email address. I would, however, like to not require an email address at all. I think this is one way that Typepad tries to prevent people from spammning the comments.
I’ll look into it.
July 6th, 2004 at 9:34 am
Aaron,
I don’t care what Lester says about you. you’re a great guy.
July 6th, 2004 at 9:49 am
Check’s in the mail.