*~Onna76~* said: jlauro said: Older versions of IE do it less. Onna, are you on IE 7? There is a registry setting to fix it, but I don't feel like looking it up. As a matter of fact "I am" and I don't see any reasons why I should change, use IE ever since I got a computer and am more then pleased about it. At least I don't download all kinds of stuff from the Internet, maybe that has to do with the security problems on your computers. Or ever thought of running an adaware on your PC? It's so easy to blame MS for all of this while people who're collecting junk on their computers but don't even know about it.

You don't need security programs if you don't run Windows. Period. Even if you download random stuff. Windows is totally insecure and costs money too. Why would you pay money for less features and bad design? If you're "happy with IE", you shouldn't be. Don't you want absolute security, no adverts of any kind ever, faster browsing, the open recently closed tabs button, in-line search, portability, standards compliance, freedom of software and freedom from Microsoft's near-monopoly on computer software?

I have seen this behavior on IE, and it comes from exactly what Just_Ben said. If IE can't resolve the address, it automatically does a search for it.

Onna, Avoid Firefox! It's like a drug. Once you use it, you can't stop. And once you've tried it, you are forced against your will by a secret underground group called the Mozilla Mafia which threatens to kill your family unless you promote Firefox to everyone you know.

My dad was pretty adamant about staying on IE for a while too. Then I installed Firefox for him and showed him how you could shut off all of the flash ad animations and other ads, and how Firefox worked faster, was unaffected by all the security problems (or features, as Microsoft likes to call them) and so on. Now he too is addicted to Firefox. And that ended up being a gateway program to another one called Thunderbird, which he's been raving about now.

So heed the warning. oh no! They're coming to get me! AAaiaiiiiiiiii

Game_boy said: *~Onna76~* said: jlauro said: Older versions of IE do it less. Onna, are you on IE 7? There is a registry setting to fix it, but I don't feel like looking it up. As a matter of fact "I am" and I don't see any reasons why I should change, use IE ever since I got a computer and am more then pleased about it. At least I don't download all kinds of stuff from the Internet, maybe that has to do with the security problems on your computers. Or ever thought of running an adaware on your PC? It's so easy to blame MS for all of this while people who're collecting junk on their computers but don't even know about it. You don't need security programs if you don't run Windows. Period. Even if you download random stuff. Windows is totally insecure and costs money too. Why would you pay money for less features and bad design? If you're "happy with IE", you shouldn't be. Don't you want absolute security, no adverts of any kind ever, faster browsing, the open recently closed tabs button, in-line search, portability, standards compliance, freedom of software and freedom from Microsoft's near-monopoly on computer software?

While I agree that you don't need security programs if you don't run Windows, just having a bit of knowledge about what you are doing can also make it fine to run without them on Windows. I haven't run an antivirus on my system for at least 4 or 5 years, and even before then, I can't remember the last time I had a virus. While its default setting are rather open, it isn't difficult to secure Windows. Then again I may be overestimating how easy this stuff is anyhow, I am a Computer Science postgrad :P

For the topic at hand, go with Firefox. While I won't repeat what everyone else has said, the extentions alone are worth it in my opinion. I wasn't even aware that VGChartz had ads until a few weeks ago when I came here from a PC at uni (which was running firefox, but with no extensions).

I actually disabled adblocking for VGChartz because ioi deserves the money.

*~Onna76~* said: jlauro said: Older versions of IE do it less. Onna, are you on IE 7? There is a registry setting to fix it, but I don't feel like looking it up. As a matter of fact "I am" and I don't see any reasons why I should change, use IE ever since I got a computer and am more then pleased about it. At least I don't download all kinds of stuff from the Internet, maybe that has to do with the security problems on your computers. Or ever thought of running an adaware on your PC? It's so easy to blame MS for all of this while people who're collecting junk on their computers but don't even know about it.

Since you are writing to this site, you clearly download stuff (this site for example). Any flash/java/or other active feature is a security threat. You can't even watch youtube if you don't want any viruses/bots. In fact, visiting any website is a potential threat. Or just to keep your PC online. I do blaim Micro$oft, since they haven't done really anything for the feature, that allows stuff to install itself to your OS. Unlike any good operating system. Right Game Boy?

Just_Ben said: Don't use the IE. It always does that if: Can't find the domain by DNS (Bad timeouts). Sometimes also: Target is refusing the connection (e.g. vgchartz is under heavy load). Just use Firefox or opera ;)

Or Safari! 

Windows was not designed with security as the first priority, it was designed for ease of use and to support closed standards. While Windows has become more complicated to use and still has large security holes, Linux and others are now as easy to use as Windows.

Internet Explorer was not designed with security as the first priority, it was designed for ease of use and to support closed standards. While IE has become more complicated to use and still has large security holes, Firefox and others are now as easy to use as IE.
stof: Safari has as many security holes than IE because it is in beta for Windows currently.

Yeah, I say use Firefox, it has so many nice features. The thing I love the most is when Windows decides to crash and close all my programmes, when I launch Firefox it remembers all the pages I was on.

Also, the extensions are great, they can really change the way you browse the web.

Safari, just like all Apple applications on Windows, is a real RAM hogger.

*~Onna76~* said: jlauro said: Older versions of IE do it less. Onna, are you on IE 7? There is a registry setting to fix it, but I don't feel like looking it up. As a matter of fact "I am" and I don't see any reasons why I should change, use IE ever since I got a computer and am more then pleased about it. At least I don't download all kinds of stuff from the Internet, maybe that has to do with the security problems on your computers. Or ever thought of running an adaware on your PC? It's so easy to blame MS for all of this while people who're collecting junk on their computers but don't even know about it.

 

The part I bolded cought my attention.  You do not have to download something in order to get a virus.  Simply visiting a webpage with a browser is enough if the browser is vulnerable to the attacks the website employs. This is why I am advocating firefox, because of their quick responce time to patch known security flaws.

 I understand where you are coming from, I really do. I have asked countless people to switch for a variety of reasons and most resist the change, thats their choice and yours as well.  All I can do is tell you that if you ever feel different you can always give it a try, play with some of the modules and addons etc and if you don't like it, then you can uninstall it.  

As far as your other comments, I don't think you understand where I am coming from.  I am not telling you "I used to have all these problems and now I don't because of firefox...". I am not just some random guy who likes computers, I have a degree in software engineering. 

I think you hit on an important point however.  Computer security has to start with the user, and the user needs to be aware of their computer and what is and is not good for it.  Most people don't know these things and that is why firefox, adaware, Spybot S&D, AVG Free, and others exist. But even those informed should see the benefit in good software that offers further protection at no cost, especially when you are talking about a piece of software as fluid as a web browser that requires constant updates and new patches and changes to keep them fully secure.

 

firefox is the answer, join the light side.