I really like the sound of that.
Force people to quit IE ... and Germany didn't suggest upgrading to 8 ooooh no... they said look for an alternative.


that is the way to go!

I'm stealing Jalo's post and adding some more...

Forcing to quit IE is like forcing to quit bad habits. In fact, IE is a bad habit.

=D

Yea, this story also ties in with the Chinese hackers that are attacking google... most think they are using IE to do it.

Drag~

Poor IE. Those guys take a lot of flak every day from web "gurus" that like to bitch about how much of a poor browser Explorer is. Its a complete DUH they have a few flaws, but so does Firefox, Safari, and even our precious Chrome.

But why exploit the security flaws in IE and not the other browsers? Because IE is the most commonly used browser in the world. Let me quote a blog post from MrMario on December 1st, 2009:

MrMario wrote:According to Net Applications' statistics, Internet Explorer 6 is still the most widely used browser, with 23.3 percent share of usage in October, followed by IE 7 at 18.2 percent and IE 8 at 18.1 percent. The newer browsers are gaining on IE 6, but so are rivals including Mozilla's Firefox, Apple's Safari, and Google's Chrome.

Now that's just IE6. Let's look at what Marketshare has come up with for just about every browser out there:

Your "dreaded" IE	62.69%
The bad ass Firefox	24.61%
The sexy Chrome	4.63%
The talented Safari	4.46%
The ingenious Opera	2.40%
The cute Opera Mini	0.53%
The "holy shit its still alive!?" Netscape	0.32%
Ol' Mozilla	0.13%
ACCESS NetFront	0.05%
Playstation (yes, they actually calculated it)	0.04%
Konqueror	0.04%
Flock	0.03%
Obigo	0.01%
Danger Web Browser	0.01%
Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer	0.01%
Blazer	0.00%
WebTV	0.00%
Lotus Notes	0.00%
BlackBerry	0.00%
iCab	0.00%
MaxThon	0.00%
ANT Galio	0.00%

So back to that question: Why IE? If I'm a Chinese computer nerd with even the most rudimentary laptop and I had hacking skills that would make me a god, and I wanted to get inside some of the top Fortune 500 companies out there, which would be my portal of choice? Hmmm... that's a no brainer.

But I'll break it down for you.

Since PC is more widely used than Mac in the business world (don't believe me? I'm in the U.S. Air Force. We ONLY use PCs because [get this] MAC doesn't support the security platforms we need in order to keep hackers like tiny Chang, over here, from getting into our defense network - if you need more proof, walk into McDonald's. Their registers have the DELL logo plastered in front) then that weeds out all the companies that will more than likely have closed-off networks and incompatible operating systems.

I then want to see how they are accessing their networks. What kind of servers do they use? How big is my window of opportunity to get in and get out without being noticed?

In fact, the answer to that last question is easy.

Each month approximately, you would be visiting 59 domains; view 1050 pages and spend about 25 hours in these activities. Each surfing session lasting around an hour. Source: Bizymoms, Computer and Technology

As a talented hacker, I don't need to go all Tom Cruise-like and infiltrate a damn building, I just need to plug and play from where ever the hell I'm at. In fact, I think I'll choose a Starbucks and thank AT&T for letting me get inside Google's servers.

If Bizymoms is correct, then I have approximately two freakin hours to do all the snooping and industrial espionage I want. And which browser does every damn company let you use by default (and most of the time - at all) on their preciously expensive DELLs? You guessed it. I-freakin-E.

Fuck (pardon my francais) Chrome or Firefox. A lot of companies have firewalls in place to prevent their employees from downloading .exe files. So how the hell are they going to quickly install a new browser unless they transfer the install files on a portable drive? And don't even rely on that as an opportunity. Portable drives are being more intensely scrutinized ever day because of company secrecy.

FACT: There are equal flaws in every browser. No matter how shiney their logo is, or how "friendly" they are with displaying web pages and tricked out scripts.

MYTH: IE should be done away with. TRUTH BEHIND THIS MYTH: IE shouldn't be done away with. Its NOT GOING TO BE done away with. IE and Safari are the only browser that come pre-installed on their respective operating systems. The most powerful military in the world uses Internet Explorer and its exploits its secrets to their (our, since I'm still ranting here) advantage everyday. Fortune 500 companies use it because its relyable, doesn't crash all the damn time, doesn't have pop-ups telling you ITS TIME UPGRADE VERSION XX-3E7-383V-VAD.8!. Its used by schools around the world to easily educate students, as well as instruct those who are computer-illiterate on the fundamentals of the internet.

More on that: Let's say I'm 67 years old. I'm retired, living at home with a wife who likes to bake cookies and rant about our grand kids. My oldest grandson has forced me into taking a computer education class at the local community college. I reluctantly go, at least hoping to learn a bit about these outrageous "social network" websites.

I learn that in 5 years, 50 million new users would be fully capable of checking their e-mail, posting "lol" on Facebook, uploading a video to Youtube, and even start learning the basics of how a webpage is constructed using a complex computer algorithm and language known as HTML. (source: cyberatlas.com)

But if I am to learn how to start browsing the web, which step am I going to take first? Downloading Firefox? HOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT AT 67 YEARS OLD! No, I click the shiny blue "e" with a yellow slash whirling around it. DUH!

Now back to the disturbing news at hand. This time, I think I'll take a whack at Germany. For one, I'm shaking in my boots that one government (meaning, a committee of a old geysers in ties) is attempting to boycott a browser that 62.69% of the world is using to access the almighty WWW. Second, why the hell are we sanctioning off the browser when this hack threat was clearly aimed at big companies and their trade secrets? Third, the odds of a hacker targeting Heir Maximilain Heinkel, over here, while he's enjoying himself on Gametap is a million billion to one.

But by all means, scare the shit out of your population and then go have yourself a Weizenbock and a good time, expecting that when you go back to work the next day, Microsoft (one of the most powerful silicon companies in the world) is going to answer your request and get rid of their web browser. It sounds like some noob yelling "I'm gonna sue your ass if you don't...!"

Pardon my ranting, but I'm just so sick and tired of hearing all the bitching and moaning about Internet Explorer. If a web master wants to develop a sight that works for all browsers, then good luck. But I can promise you that won't happen anytime soon (unless, of course, someone on the W3C committee stops accepting bribes and grows some balls). In the mean time, why don't you check out something called a SSB (Site-Specific Browser). Hell, do it right and you could be the next Bill Gates.

EDIT:

Oh and one more thing:



This post was made using Firefox IE.

wow... what a read ... what a rant

You guys are probaly going to hang me for this but, I love IE lol. It's so easy to use. Plus Mozzilla always causes problems on the internet im using. Every 5 seconds I get a pop up asking for my internet username and password to get to the next page.

skullcandy wrote:You guys are probaly going to hang me for this but, I love IE lol. It's so easy to use. Plus Mozzilla always causes problems on the internet im using. Every 5 seconds I get a pop up asking for my internet username and password to get to the next page.

Sorry my Friend , IE is The worst Browser in the world , it have a lot of hacking Ads , I was hacked 5 time when I was using that Browser but when Mozzila out , i never hacked again , and The Password Problem you have , you can save your password if you want , there is a lot of Tutorials

Take care my Friend .

or just go chrome

Its nothing new with Germany issuing warnings for browsers when chrome was released, the Federal Office for Information Security warned users against using chrome calling it “an unfinished advance version“ & saying that it was “risky that user data is hoarded with a single vendor. With its search engine, email program and the new browser” it even featured on prime time news in Germany before the government backed down.

Germany also attacked the Google analytics service warning website owners that the use of Google Analytics to track people’s online behaviour is against the law again with privacy issues.

So Germany warns about a lot of things but what does this mean for Microsoft? Well its already dropped to the second biggest browser in Germany and that trend of share loss was continuing before the governments announcement so I expect an even larger decline of IE in Germany.

Leaving my harsh criticism of Internet Explorer to one side I do feel for Microsoft and don’t think the warning from Germany was or is justified the attacks were not on normal internet users and must have been highly sophisticated yet its their product so the blame for any fault stops at their door.

Jalokim wrote:wow... what a read ... what a rant

I do my best.

Little update

The French government has followed in the footsteps of its German counterparts by recommending that users stop using Internet Explorer, until a critical security vulnerability is fixed.

The Wall Street Journal reported that German downloads of Firefox "spiked in the four days following the Friday posting of the recommendation by the German agency", with 300,000 incremental downloads above its typical rate.

Opera is also said to have benefited from the advice to switch from Internet Explorer, with downloads doubling over the weekend.

to be fair.


I mean recagenda did do out of his way in writing his rant.
Thing is IE 8 ... isn't the worst thing in the world... but to be dead honest , there are better browsers out there.


I dislike IE just because I has caused me a load of problems in the past. I despise IE6, because of the countless hours spent creating IE fixes on my CSS styles.

I ask myself now why? no other designer for example on hitskin, didn't bother doing IE fixes. They create themes on their native browser, whether it be firefox, chrome or safari and the thought of checking its compatibility with other browsers was not even on the checklist.

though hitskin is a really bad example, cos in reality hitskin is a dump for styles. and I am considering removing my themes and offering them here via manual upload only.

cos I really don't want to see my themes inbetween rips, stolen copies, half wit work and crap made in paint.


back ontopic... In the past it was only me and placehold that actually thought of IE fixes... when I mentored Jason, I also said to check browser compatibility cos its a issue.

A browser that you have to create a seperate css for is obsolete in my mind. Even though IE8 has tried hard to get up to date... its still bears the burden of its predecessor and it still doesn't top the list with html 5 or css3 technology.

The pain staking IE fixes and the "who cares" approach microsoft have on their prized browser is what fuels my rage.
At the beginning, I really pounded IE users... I wanted to get it through their thick skulls that they are living in the past (99% of IE users are thick skulled and won't admit they are using a crap browser)

Now , I don't give a damn.
If they have problems viewing the board... not my problem.
If they see white backgrounds instead of transparency ... hey it their choice.

I am glad any time something happens beating IE down... its just one small step to eliminating what seems like an unbeatable foe.

yesterday germany, today france ... tomorrow the EU ...
thats all it takes to start taking action.

as an example:
in the godfathers project ... I said I'd be using css3 and uncompatible for IE scripts.
He said , no no it must be good for the 60% that use IE.

the project is almost 100% css3 and there is a load of script that doesn't work on IE and I don't give a hoot.

Wont be long before IE is second in Europe according to this:

According to web analytics company StatCounter Firefox is now a close second to Internet Explorer (IE) in Europe, with 40% of the market compared to Microsoft's 45% share. In some markets, including Germany and Austria, Firefox has overtaken IE, the firm said.

---

We had a big will they wont they over here on if the British government and armed forces would follow in the German and French governments foot steps or continue their widespread use of IE with a sad ending to the speculation when the Cabinet Office, which oversees the deployment of computers in government, saying that "it doesn't think the issue [of being open to hacking] would be resolved any better by going elsewhere".

The Ministry of Defence, which has 300,000 desktops worldwide referred to a previous announcement made last year stating that it was sticking with IE6, "and at the current time does not have a requirement to move to an updated version".

But

"The government's own advice to businesses and consumers, through its Get Safe Online site that it helps to fund, is to not use IE6.” So they aren't taking their own advice but guess that’s the UK government.

---

New Update

20th Jan - Microsoft said it will issue the new patch on Thursday, 21 January.