Dissapointi​ng

I read on News.com that there will be no IE updates for Windows 2000.  I can understand this move from a Windows 98/ME perspective but there are still a number of enterprises that deploy Windows 2000 Pro and 2000 Server products.  To do this is no less than abandonment.  Im going to ask you the same questions my customers are going to ask me, because they have been bugging me for an IE update for Windows 2000, Why should we continue to buy into microsoft products and be forced to upgrade when we are not prepared or ready to do so?  With this type of news you strengthen the linux companies argument that you guys strongarm consumers.  What are we supposed to do, install Firefox and Apache and alternative software because you guys are unprepared to compromise and deliver crucial security support for your own products. I'm not saying this to start a fight or belittle the work you guys do at Redmond.

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+To+secure+IE%2C+upgrade+to+XP/2100-1032_3-5378366.html?tag=nefd.lede

Read the article again.  They aren't saying they won't deliver security patches.  They're saying they aren't going to add the various functionality upgrades (popup blocker, etc) that were included in XP SP2.

Pop-up blocker and Active X blocker is an essential part of IE security.

rjdohnert wrote:

Pop-up blocker and Active X blocker is an essential part of IE security.

Nonsense.  Popup blocking has nothing to do with security.  It's an anti-spam measure.

There are plenty of freeware popup blockers out there... and by "free" I mean that the only cost is that the makers know everywhere you go...

article wrote:

The ongoing security updates do not, as Microsoft points out, include the latest security fixes with Service Pack 2, released last month. Those include a new pop-up blocker and a new system of handling ActiveX controls and downloaded content.

Sounds like MS doesn't count the pop-up blocker, ActiveX handling ... as "ongoing security updates" ... those are nice, but they're not REALLY essential.

More important are the countless buffer overruns. I wonder if those are consider IE updates or system updates.

Heck, maybe FireFox is a real option?

When someone can install software on my computer using active X without my knowledge or permission thats a problem.  Im just going to take the information i have to my customers, i can tell you right now it doesnt look good.  Oh well.

rjdohnert wrote:

When someone can install software on my computer using active X without my knowledge or permission thats a problem.

I agree, but that's not what ActiveX does, at least not "out of the box".  You have to click YES to install it.  (Unless a web page is using some kind of IE exploit, but I have yet to see a real world example of this, on "proof of concept" sites.)

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1650750,00.asp

More commentary on this subject.  There are a lot of 2000 users up in arms about this issue.

rjdohnert wrote:

  There are a lot of 2000 users up in arms

Let's tickel their armpits.

Perhaps people will start taking alternative software seriously (OS and browser). After all, Microsoft needs a bit more competition, to motivate it to innovate more.

If market share for Firefox rose considerable (10, 20%), I am sure IE will be updated (and not just for Windows XP).

Apart from security updates and SP2, it hasn't been updated for many years (Mozilla wasn't even version 1 when IE6 was out, Firefox didn't exist and look how much they have come on - without much in terms of financial resources). I'm sure there are more developers working on Mozilla than are on IE (due to its open nature).

A determined user can still install ActiveX components with SP2. If you think all ActiveX is evil, you can disable it in the browser.

Oh, they sure make it hard to do without SP2.  Ever tried disabling ActiveX yourself, then going to basically any website with Flash?  Prepare for a barrage of popups never seen since the likes of Gator....

As I thought, it didnt work out very well.  I told a public library, who is a client of ours about the situation and they decided to block all use of IE from the web excet for Windows update and Firefox is being installed on all the computers.  Microsoft, I thnk you guys have made a big mistake and your browser is going to suffer.

rjdohnert wrote:

As I thought, it didnt work out very well.  I told a public library, who is a client of ours about the situation and they decided to block all use of IE from the web excet for Windows update and Firefox is being installed on all the computers.  Microsoft, I thnk you guys have made a big mistake and your browser is going to suffer.

We have about 200 public use computers in libraries. Use www.pacomputing.org lockdown Gates tool. We have absolutely no problems. No maintenance. No issues. Now if I could only put it on all the regular desktops life would be fine! 

EDIT: And you may want to look at http://teamsoftware.bizland.com/

The PWB skin for IE

Essentially a skin for IE that allows certain customizations of the tool bar that are otherwise unavaillable in GP. Very, very helpful. And it can be run from a single .ini on a share that allows you to change setting for all users.

IE, like all else in MS historically, is pretty insecure by default. BUT, and this is a BIG but, you can control this across an enterprise with the right tools. 

EDIT2#: It's not the browser... It's the user permissions.

I will agree with the kernel that the options he points out above work EXCELLENT. Something to consider for certain workstations. But in some cases it probably would not be an option.

* Yawn *

BHODemon shows you detailed information about Browser Helper Objects.......

 http://www.webattack.com/get/bhodaemon.shtml

MS Popup Blocker

 http://toolbar.msn.com/