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Resolved Using Firefox, but what happens when IE6 is discontinued?

Discussion in 'Firefox, Thunderbird & SeaMonkey' started by Frank D, 2009/10/23.

  1. 2009/10/23
    Frank D

    Frank D Inactive Thread Starter

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    The title of my topic may sound strange, but here's what I'm faced with:

    Firefox 3.5.3 is my default browser; however, I still have IE6 installed as my alternate browser (in WinXP Pro SP3). I have the Coral IE Tab add-on installed in FF, so when any particular webpage hangs or refuses to load I click the taskbar icon and it switches over to IE6, where the webpage usually displays fine. This has worked for as long as I've been using Firefox.

    Here's the first part of the problem: I've been getting messages in IE-rendered webpages that IE6 is about to be discontinued and I should get a modern browser. Of course, I already have one: Firefox.

    Second part of problem: I've seen articles (in Ask Leo, for one) that say, in effect, "Don't install IE8." I've also heard that IE7 has flaws that IE8 fixed, and that IE8 has its own problems. So, I'm sort of locked out of all IE options.

    What's an FF/IE user to do? Could some knowledgeable person please recommend the right procedure I should follow if and when IE6 becomes defunct? Should I give in and install IE8? Don't use IE7 or 8 at all?

    Thanks in advance.

    Frank D
     
    Frank D,
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  2. 2009/10/23
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    You really should install IE8 - IE 6 is about as secure as a sinking ship- full of security holes which may compromise your system.

    I have run IE8 from the beta stage through to RTM both on XP SP3 and now on Windows 7 without issue (As MVP I had access to the retail versions of Win 7 back in August)

    OTH support for IE 6 may well cease soon, but as an occasional user as you imply, it will continue to function. It's basically your call :)
     
    PeteC,
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  4. 2009/10/23
    Frank D

    Frank D Inactive Thread Starter

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    Pete,

    Thank you for your reply. Based on your recommendation, I'm inclined to switch to IE8 when the time comes, but I have one additional question: I use DropMyRights for running both Firefox and IE6, as recommended here:
    http://news.cnet.com/defensive-computing/?keyword=DropMyRights
    "No matter what browser you use, Windows XP users should run it under the control of DropMyRights ... see Every Windows XP user should drop their rights. "


    Would the fact that I always run Firefox with reduced rights (i.e., not as an administrator --by using DropMyRights) protect my PC to the extent that I wouldn't have to worry about whether I use IE6 or IE8 as my alternate browser?


    I realize that this is a tricky question and may not be adequately addressed in this thread. Perhaps I should start a new thread titled: "Will browsing in restricted rights mode protect my PC from harm?" May I have your thoughts or suggestions?

    Frank
     
    Frank D,
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  5. 2009/10/23
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    I have not used Drop My Rights, but the article you posted suggests that both Firefox and IE can be run under that program.

    Regardless I feel that you would be inherently more secure with IE 8.
     
    PeteC,
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  6. 2009/10/23
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    If I may butt in:

    I use IE8, Mailwasher and Outlook Express with DMR. The only benefit (that I can see) is that a "drive by" installation of malware is made more difficult since you're connected with reduced privileges. I have separate shortcuts NOT connecting with DMR because Microsoft Update won't run with reduced privileges.

    So, DMR protects you from ... :rolleyes: ... Microsoft Update ... :p ... and hopefully anyone else who is trying to install stuff on your system but DMR is not the solution. My recommendation is to upgrade to IE8 and run it with DMR. IE8 has its quirks but if you use FireFox for most of the time ... :confused: ... what's the problem?
     
    Christer,
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  7. 2009/10/23
    Frank D

    Frank D Inactive Thread Starter

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    Christer and PeteC,

    You both make a lot of sense. So when the appointed time comes, IE8 it is!

    Thanks!

    Frank

    BTW, (1) I use PopTray (instead of MailWasher - small difference) which makes the potential for bogus e-mails getting through extremely small, (2) I have separate, full-rights shortcuts to all DMR-protected programs which are to be used only when needed, and (3) I wouldn't have raised the IE7/IE8 question except that it was recommended against by at least a couple of articles I read. So, if neither of you sees any problems with it (IE8) then I'm all for it. Thanks again.
     
    Frank D,
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  8. 2009/10/23
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    You're Welcome :)
     
    PeteC,
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  9. 2009/10/24
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    There are quirks with IE8. I experience "waiting for this or that URL" every now and then but hitting the "refresh button" loads the page. My conclusion is that I really am waiting for IE8 ... :rolleyes: ... and not "this or that URL ".

    Apart from that, I only had some trouble with Adobe Acrobat 6 but I found a workaround. If you use that program, let me know. The most recent versions of Acrobat works fine.
     
    Christer,
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  10. 2009/10/24
    Frank D

    Frank D Inactive Thread Starter

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    I use Acrobat 6, but don't plan to upgrade since it does everything I need. How would Acrobat 6 be dependent on the installation of IE8?

    Frank
     
    Frank D,
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  11. 2009/10/24
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Have a look at IE7 casualty > Acrobat Distiller 5.05. As you can see, it started whith IE7 and Acrobat 5.05 but continued with IE8 and Acrobat 6.06. The "workaround" is found in the final post. If you don't print (to PDF) any documents with vertical labels, you probably won't notice anything.
     
    Christer,
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  12. 2009/10/24
    Frank D

    Frank D Inactive Thread Starter

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    Christer,

    Luckily I don't use Adobe Acrobat (6.06) for anything but creating PDFs; I use PDF-Xchange viewer (http://www.docu-track.com/download/PDFXVwer.zip) for everything else, including printing. And I don't have nor know how to print vertical labels, so I guess I'll be OK with IE8. I appreciate the feedback. :)

    I'm going to mark this thread Resolved.

    Frank
     
    Frank D,
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  13. 2009/10/24
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Frank,
    it doesn't matter but "print to PDF" is the same as "create a PDF ".

    Even if you did print or create PDF's of documents with vertical text (labels) maybe your combination of hardware and software would not be affected the same way as mine.
     
    Christer,
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  14. 2009/10/24
    Frank D

    Frank D Inactive Thread Starter

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    Well, here I need the help of someone smarter than I am, because I believe that printing to a PDF is not the same as creating a PDF.

    Now, I don't want to get into a deep discussion on this because I'm happy with they way things are, but here's a very big difference that I know of: when I print a webpage to a PDF, even using Adobe Acrobat (not the Reader), none of the webpage's links is carried over to the output PDF document; however, when I copy the webpage's URL and paste it into Acrobat's File > Create PDF > from Web Page command, then the output PDF document that is created has all the operational links, whistles and bells that were on the the webpage.

    For me that's a very important difference, and I don't know of any free PDF creator that will do what Adobe Acrobat does in this regard.

    Frank
     
    Frank D,
    #13

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