Posted By: John H.
time to dump Internet Explorer? - 07/13/04 05:52 AM
In the past month or two I've read at least four pieces by tech authors that say we shouldn't be using Microsoft Internet Explorer as a web browser any more. (That includes using Outlook Express as an e-mail client too.) This is due to security concerns that just aren't being addressed by Microsoft. And when they are, another vulnerability pops up every week, it seems; it's just a never-ending game of playing catch-up that Mr. Gates can't seem to win.
Links to these articles:
"Time to Dump Internet Explorer" --
http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/249
"Internet Explorer Is Too Dangerous to Keep Using" --
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1617927,00.asp
"Why You Should Dump Internet Explorer" --
link
"It's Getting More Dangerous Out There" --
http://www.securitypipeline.com/trends/index.jhtml
(These tech articles aren't necessarily written by Christians, so there might be a questionable word or concept presented here and there.)
I myself haven't used IE for years now, for anything besides doing Windows Update, which doesn't work with any other browser. Windows XP has an auto-update feature built in, so IE isn't even necessary for Windows Updates in XP. Every now and then you might run across a site that has special features that only work with IE, but that's rare these days.
That last article says, in part,
"First, if you're still using Internet Explorer, you need to ask yourself why. Alternative browsers such as Firefox and Mozilla can access nearly all the sites that Internet Explorer can. They're free, and they're not susceptible to attacks that threaten Internet Explorer."
Those browsers are available, for free, at
http://www.mozilla.org
Mozilla page -- http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/
Firefox (browser) page -- http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
Thunderbird (e-mail client) page --
http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/
The Mozilla browser has browser and e-mail all in one; or you can use the Firefox browser/Thunderbird e-mail client combination. Either works well. Firefox is a little faster than Mozilla, but is still technically in 'beta' stage. Mozilla is more fully developed. But Firefox works well, I use it every day.
There's also the Opera browser, available in free (ad-supported) and paid versions, at
http://www.opera.com/
===
[edit] Yet another dump-IE article, from respected tech columnist Brian Livingston:
"Run, Don't Walk, from Internet Explorer" --
http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/columns/executive_tech/article.php/3379651
[ July 13, 2004, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: John ]
Links to these articles:
"Time to Dump Internet Explorer" --
http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/249
"Internet Explorer Is Too Dangerous to Keep Using" --
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1617927,00.asp
"Why You Should Dump Internet Explorer" --
link
"It's Getting More Dangerous Out There" --
http://www.securitypipeline.com/trends/index.jhtml
(These tech articles aren't necessarily written by Christians, so there might be a questionable word or concept presented here and there.)
I myself haven't used IE for years now, for anything besides doing Windows Update, which doesn't work with any other browser. Windows XP has an auto-update feature built in, so IE isn't even necessary for Windows Updates in XP. Every now and then you might run across a site that has special features that only work with IE, but that's rare these days.
That last article says, in part,
"First, if you're still using Internet Explorer, you need to ask yourself why. Alternative browsers such as Firefox and Mozilla can access nearly all the sites that Internet Explorer can. They're free, and they're not susceptible to attacks that threaten Internet Explorer."
Those browsers are available, for free, at
http://www.mozilla.org
Mozilla page -- http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/
Firefox (browser) page -- http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
Thunderbird (e-mail client) page --
http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/
The Mozilla browser has browser and e-mail all in one; or you can use the Firefox browser/Thunderbird e-mail client combination. Either works well. Firefox is a little faster than Mozilla, but is still technically in 'beta' stage. Mozilla is more fully developed. But Firefox works well, I use it every day.
There's also the Opera browser, available in free (ad-supported) and paid versions, at
http://www.opera.com/
===
[edit] Yet another dump-IE article, from respected tech columnist Brian Livingston:
"Run, Don't Walk, from Internet Explorer" --
http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/columns/executive_tech/article.php/3379651
[ July 13, 2004, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: John ]