Ed Foster's Gripelog || Ten Rules for "Safe" IE Browsing

» All 33 InfoWorld Newsletters Technology & Business Daily

INFOWORLD GRIPE LINE BY ED FOSTER

Bookmark this page

Ten Rules for "Safe" IE Browsing

By Ed Foster, Section The Gripelog
Posted on Fri Mar 31, 2006 at 01:58:30 AM PDT

I'm sure IE users can't help but be a little nervous right now as they wait for Microsoft to release patches for the latest IE security vulnerability. But, never fear, Microsoft has assured its customers that all they have to do is practice "safe browsing" habits until April 11th -- or whenever Redmond actually gets around to fixing IE yet again. So, while I'm hardly an IE expert, let me do my bit by boiling down the things Microsoft has been saying into my ten simple rules on how to browse safely with IE.

Rule 1. Only visit "trusted" websites that you have been to many times. OK, that means you can't actually browse with your browser, but safety needs to come before all else in these perilous times.

Rule 2. Before visiting even trusted websites, you should first check to make sure they are following all of Microsoft's instructions for compatibility patches. When browsing with IE, it's best to phone ahead.

Rule 3. Guarantee that your Internet connection is safe and secure by canceling your broadband account and signing up with MSN.

Rule 4: Avoid responding to scurrilous, rumor-mongering, and/or pornographic content (like that from airline ticketing agencies, online software sales sites, or the BBC), as such material is commonly used to lure unsuspecting victims.

Rule 5. In order to make sure you do not accidentally activate any malware embedded in e-mail messages, buy several books of 39-cent stamps and use our nation's postal system. Encourage your correspondents to do likewise.

Rule 6. Disable the Active X, Java, HTML and TCP/IP capabilities of your computer. After all, you can't be too careful when it comes to safe browsing.

Rule 7. If you know which website was the source of a problem, never go back to it again.

Rule 8. Visit Microsoft.com to make sure you have all the latest patches and bug fixes for IE and Windows.

Rule 9. Don't worry about the fact that following Rule 8 forces you to violate Rule 7. Life is full of these little contradictions.

Rule 10. Finally, visit http://www.mozilla.com and download Firefox. It will allow you to browse safely while ignoring Rules 1 - 9, before and after April 11th.

< Opting Out From 3Com Spam Requires Opting In | Real Reader Voices >

Ten Rules for "Safe" IE Browsing | 224 comments (224 topical) | Post A Comment

One Rule For "Safe" IE Browsing[ Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#1)
by Anonymous User on Fri Mar 31, 2006 at 10:52:37 AM PDT

1. Only use IE to visit windowsupdate.com for the latest security hotfixes. Otherwise use Firefox or <non-MS browser of your choice>; never use OE, instead using Thunderbird or <non-MS mail/newsreader of your choice> :)

--------
I am the terror that flaps in the net!
I am the buggy security patch that makes stuff stop working!

[ Reply to This ]

Beware ...[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#5)
by DatabaseMX on Sun Apr 02, 2006 at 12:27:21 PM PDT

Firefox has its own set of problems; however, the hackers are just not targeting FF because it's NOT Microsoft. But this does not imply there are not security issues with FF. And unfortunately, there are many, many sites that FF does not render correctly ... in varying degrees. Don't get me wrong, FF is very cool, especially the tabbed browsing and there are some very cool free developer tool add-ins - for testing during web site development. One of the best things you can do in IE is ... to have it Prompt for loading of ActiveX controls. Unfortunately, this is a major PIA on many sites like Yahoo, even Microsoft ... because you constantly have to click 'Yes' (and the default is No). HOWEVER ... it really minimizes crap getting load via the browser. This setting also flows over into Outlook Express (probably Outlook also). Since I started doing this a couple of years ago, running Ad-Aware (et.al.), it's finds virtually NO malware, crapware, underwear, etc! AND this in conjunction with having IE prompt you when 3rd Party Cookies are trying to be loaded by (usually) legit sites ... it keeps your system pretty clean. I've just gotten used to clicking Yes on the ActiveX thing - as big a hassle as it is. EOP

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Firefox[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#7)
by Jeff Foster on Mon Apr 03, 2006 at 02:27:36 AM PDT

And unfortunately, there are many, many sites that FF does not render correctly

Like what? Name a site that renders incorrectly(not differently from IE, which many IE proponets seem to take as incorrect)in Firefox. Since there are many, many such sites, it shouldn't be too difficult. I don't dispute that such sites exist, it's just that their number has gotten so small I no longer run into them. Maybe you haven't used firefox in a while?

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Don't forget...[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#8)
by Anonymous User on Mon Apr 03, 2006 at 04:39:49 AM PDT

...to only count sites that are actually set up in true HTML-compliance rather than M$'s "standards"....

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

True HTML compliance[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#9)
by Anonymous User on Mon Apr 03, 2006 at 07:51:24 AM PDT

Counting only sites that are truly HTML compliant works if you are talking about, well, HTML compliant web sites.

That's not relevant, however, if you're talking about sites that you can view in FireFox. If there's a site you need to use and they chose to ignore standards and design to IE, saying that they violated the standards won't make them work in FireFox, saying they don't "count" doesn't solve the problem. You still have to use IE for those sites and it's still an issue (just not a FireFox issue).

You of course should certainly complain to the owners of the site to try to get them to be more standards compliant.

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Not Relavent[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#10)
by DatabaseMX on Mon Apr 03, 2006 at 11:56:58 AM PDT

Exactly! And you're right, it's not a FF problem ... and it is a big problem. And again, I am not knocking FF, which I would prefer to use. However, if I want to be 99% sure ... that a given site is going to 'work', I will be using IE ... thus, I tend to use IE most of the time, sadly.

As far as sites not rendering correctly, I will keep a list as I come across them. Maybe the list has become smaller. <>

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

That's not an awnser[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#11)
by Jeff Foster on Mon Apr 03, 2006 at 04:28:38 PM PDT

if I want to be 99% sure ... that a given site is going to 'work', I will be using IE

This is the second time you have made a sweeping claim about how IE 'works' better then Firefox, and you still have yet to give a single example of such a site. If it's a bad as you say it is, it should be really easy to name one....

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

eh what[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#12)
by Anonymous User on Mon Apr 03, 2006 at 05:09:22 PM PDT

Just use Firefox where you can, and IE where you must.

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

doutei[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#198)
by Anonymous User on Mon Nov 03, 2008 at 04:18:16 AM PDT

なんと童貞が今大人気！セフレにするならやっぱり童貞！

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

only time FF didn't work when IE did[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#13)
by Anonymous User on Tue Apr 04, 2006 at 09:20:41 AM PDT

one example (i use FF whenever possible which is 99.99% of the time)

Billing updating on Blizzard for WoW (world of warcraft).

I was unable to update my billing information last month using FF, had to break down and use IE

Only time I ever had a problem.

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Billing etc.[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#20)
by Anonymous User on Tue Apr 04, 2006 at 01:28:45 PM PDT

I had a similar problem with a website, and complained to them, they wrote back to me immediately, because they thought their site *was* working in FireFox. And indeed it was, turns out the problem was on my end, and FF was refusing their cookies. I didn't know that I had blacklisted their cookies, but that must have happened, for that is where the problem was. ROARTM

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Broken sites[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#15)
by terry v on Tue Apr 04, 2006 at 10:22:33 AM PDT

I'm normally a Firefox user, and I'm irritated when I have to use IE, but there are broken sites out there like http://www.mcdonalds.com/search.html

Search for "menu", and then click on any of the links while using FF. Appears to be bad javascript. I sent them a caustic email about a year ago about large companies that can't hire competent developers. I see it didn't do any good. Internal sites at companies are even worse about being IE only.

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Claims ...[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#16)
by DatabaseMX on Tue Apr 04, 2006 at 10:41:30 AM PDT

Do you work for FireFox ?

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Re:Claims ...[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#23)
by Jeff Foster on Wed Apr 05, 2006 at 09:39:17 AM PDT

Do you work for Microsoft?

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

That's not an answer[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#17)
by Anonymous User on Tue Apr 04, 2006 at 11:50:46 AM PDT

Several surveys on surveyspot.com require the use of IE rather than alternate browsers. I just opt out of these surveys.

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

More sites that don't work when using FF[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#22)
by Anonymous User on Tue Apr 04, 2006 at 06:10:56 PM PDT

http://www.stipda.org/

State and Territorial Injury Prevention Directors' Association.

If you click on "About STIPDA" the left hand menu on the next page doesn't work under FF, it works with IE. (It also doesn't work under Safari.) I complained about this months ago.

The problem is that Web designers don't seem to care about standards compliance and, apparantly, neither do the folks who hire them. It may seem sstrange to say here where almost everyone has a background in computer technology but suspect that many (even most) of the decision makers who hire Web consultants don'e even realize that there are browsers other than IE.

Now that more and more government agencies are becoming FF-only I think that we may see more standards compliant sites.

That is -- unless MS includes several "fancy" proprietary things that will only work under IE 7 and then push their sales crew really hard to get venders to implement them ---- and to use MS server software. But MS wouldn't do that, would they?

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Unless?[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#28)
by Anonymous User on Thu Apr 06, 2006 at 10:52:32 AM PDT

Unless? Why do you think that they might NOT include new things that don't work with anything but IE7?

Embrace the Standards.
Extend with proprietary functions.
Destroy the Standards.
"All the other browsers are broken."

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

yes[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#84)
by maderikapapa on Sat Jun 28, 2008 at 12:25:05 AM PDT

出会い系出会い系サイト出会い喫茶出会い掲示板ナンパ出会いカフェ人妻出会い無 009;系サイト優良出会い系攻略完全無料。アダルトビデオアダルト動画アダルトアニメアダルト画像アダル 488;サイト無料DVDアダルト風俗サンプル無料風俗優良アダルトサイト比較海 806;。人妻画像人妻パラダイス知合い人妻援護会人妻コレクション風 439;告白。熟女画像東京熟女掲示板動画熟女ビデオおまんこオナニー。エロ画像エロフラッシュアニメ 456;ロ動画エロゲームエロ漫画無料エロサイト。エッチ画像エッチ動画エッチ小説写真エッチ 450;ニメエッチ0930。セックスアナルセックス画像セックス動画セックスフレンドスワッピング SEX写真セックスボランティセ 483;クス体位東京セックス仕方 SEX。おっぱい画像おっぱい村長おっぱい楽園掲示板お 387;ぱい命おっぱいゲーム。巨乳動画巨乳画像アイドル巨乳 522;示板風俗。セフレ募集セフレ掲示板セフレ画像掲示板セフレの作り方出会い無料素人セフレ。童貞狩りエロ漫画童貞狩り童貞喪失童貞オークション素人童貞逆援。不倫パートナー不倫出会い人妻不倫不倫を楽しみたい方にはお薦め 154;妻画像など満載出会いサイトを楽しむならココ無料出会いで一緒に遊ぼう出会いはLOVEｱｹﾞｲﾝで決まり

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

出会い[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#93)
by Anonymous User on Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 01:36:38 AM PDT

SEXできるサイト逆援助専門の出会い逆援助でセレブ女性とH 童貞喪失も可能不倫がしたい人にもおすすめセックスフレンドもできますセフレがほしい人におすすめセックスフレンドがみつかるサイトです奥さんと不倫できる SEXできる優良出会い初心者でも逆援可能不倫関係希望女性多数逆援助でもOKです。 M男募集中の痴女人妻さんとセックス逆援助で稼ぐセックスができます。愛人希望のOL 不倫希望の人妻出会いがみつかる出会い系サイトはこちら。

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

�o �/��,�Oen[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#95)
by Anonymous User on Mon Sep 01, 2008 at 05:05:04 PM PDT

<a href="http://meet-k.net/sbmx/sb20pd.html">fXf^fr</a>
<a href="http://www.rankingwalker.net/?skcn">'ª,«</a>
<a href="http://rank.ranking-cafe.com/11mtpc/">ff<--F</a>
<a href="http://meet-the-meet.com/00/kb0038.html">--öl</a>
<a href="http://love.frenchkiss.jp/00/jk000.html">--Žq,¶</a>
<a href="http://rank.drank.jp/mk079/">ff<--FOefŽ¦"Â</a>
<a href="http://sincerely-love.com/sbmx/15sffr.html">fZftfOe</a>
<a href="http://sincerely-love.com/00/jk022.html">--Žq,¶</a>
<a href="http://hidebbs.net/bbs/fr0016?sw=7">*s--Ï</a>
<a href="http://hp1.mymobile.jp/34/idkb0019/"> °/°°ÆoOefŽ¦"Â</a>
<a href="http://meet-k.net/sbmx/09sfsn.html">fZftfOe</a>
<a href="http://atseek.jp/sbmx">fXf^fr</a>
<a href="http://frsp.jp/fr0021/">*s--Ï</a>
<a href="http://www.noahs.jp/~stabijuhati/">fXf^fr</a>
<a href="http://mediawave.kir.jp/00/dk0001.html">o °/°°ï,¢Oen</a>
<a href="http://inter-cross.sakura.ne.jp/de-a-i-kei.com/sbmx/14htii.html">lÈ</a>

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

出会い[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#97)
by Anonymous User on Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 12:20:36 AM PDT

�o �/��,�Oen[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#94)
by Anonymous User on Mon Sep 01, 2008 at 05:04:03 PM PDT

fXf^fr��fpf �/��f_fCfX '��,�fNf�fjfbfN f�f<--F</a>PEACH --��lAngel �--�q�,��-�-@'n`� f�f<--FOef��"�</a>-079 fZftfOe��ftf��[fN �--�q�,��B *s--�'T,� �/��ƏoOef��"�fLf"fO fZftfOe��V fXf^frMAX *s--�fZfbfNfX fXf^fr18<� <a href="http://mediawave.kir.jp/00/dk0001.html">�o �/��,�Oenf}fbfNfX �l��,�fCfC�I

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

deai[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#90)
by Anonymous User on Mon Aug 04, 2008 at 09:58:50 PM PDT

SEX 逆援助逆援助童貞不倫セックスフレンドセフレセックスフレンド奥さん SEX 不倫逆援助 M男人妻逆援助セックス愛人不倫出会い出会い系

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fvbh[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#114)
by Anonymous User on Wed Oct 22, 2008 at 05:07:30 AM PDT

SEXlink1

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fgbb[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#122)
by Anonymous User on Thu Oct 23, 2008 at 07:17:21 AM PDT

�,��ff�,��,��,��f*�f�不倫

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

gbvv[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#133)
by Anonymous User on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 05:06:28 AM PDT

�,��ff�f��,��f��f��f^出会�,,

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

gfdd[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#141)
by Anonymous User on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 04:45:26 AM PDT

出会�,,�,��ff�,��,�素人

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fgkk[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#149)
by Anonymous User on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 05:09:08 AM PDT

�,��ff�f�巨乳熟女

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fdmm[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#157)
by Anonymous User on Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 07:33:38 AM PDT

�,��f��ff�f"�f��,��,��ff�,��,�童貞

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fbvd[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#165)
by Anonymous User on Tue Oct 28, 2008 at 07:06:33 AM PDT

童貞 �,��f*�f��f��f��f`

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

gfmm[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#171)
by Anonymous User on Wed Oct 29, 2008 at 06:43:22 AM PDT

�,��f��f��f^�,��f�不倫

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fdgg[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#180)
by Anonymous User on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 06:25:44 AM PDT

SEX �,��ff�,��,�おっぱ�,,

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

ffgb[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#188)
by Anonymous User on Sat Nov 01, 2008 at 06:38:23 AM PDT

不倫熟女 �,��ff�f�風�--

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fkoo[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#196)
by Anonymous User on Sun Nov 02, 2008 at 07:20:54 AM PDT

�,��ff�,��,�SEX 逆援

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

okmm[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#205)
by Anonymous User on Mon Nov 03, 2008 at 06:33:24 AM PDT

不倫童貞 �f��f��'��,�

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

jdhh[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#212)
by Anonymous User on Tue Nov 04, 2008 at 04:56:09 AM PDT

�,��f*�f�熟女 �,��ff�f�

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

mkoo[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#219)
by Anonymous User on Tue Nov 04, 2008 at 11:11:36 PM PDT

人妻 �,��f*�f��,��ff�,��,�

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

gfbb[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#227)
by Anonymous User on Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 11:52:02 PM PDT

�,��f��f��f^�,��f�熟女

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

ggfd[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#242)
by Anonymous User on Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 04:36:05 AM PDT

�,��f��f��f^SEX 逆援

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

kajj[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#250)
by Anonymous User on Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 08:01:15 PM PDT

�,��f��,��f*�f��,��ff�f�

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

EXILE[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#96)
by Anonymous User on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 12:48:42 AM PDT

セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中セックスフレンド募集中

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

Re: Not Relevant[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#18)
by BigManTate on Tue Apr 04, 2006 at 01:26:40 PM PDT

Exactly! And you're right, it's not a FF problem ... and it is a big problem. And again, I am not knocking FF, which I would prefer to use. However, if I want to be 99% sure ... that a given site is going to 'work', I will be using IE ... thus, I tend to use IE most of the time, sadly.

I have been using Firefox exclusively for a couple years now and seldom run into a website that doesn't work. On the rare occasion I come across a site that demands IE, I move on. If I am forced to use IE by a website, they are forcing me not to be their customer. Period. I also inform them of this. Some listen, some don't. Their loss. :)

Allen Tate
www.AllenTateComputing.com
[ Parent | Reply to This ]

yes[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#80)
by maderikapapa on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 11:08:20 PM PDT

doutei[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#150)
by Anonymous User on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 09:11:41 PM PDT

なんと童貞が今大人気！セフレにするならやっぱり童貞！

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fvbh[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#110)
by Anonymous User on Wed Oct 22, 2008 at 04:02:39 AM PDT

SEXlink1

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fgbb[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#118)
by Anonymous User on Thu Oct 23, 2008 at 05:55:11 AM PDT

�,��ff�,��,��,��f*�f�不倫

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

gbvv[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#129)
by Anonymous User on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 02:48:19 AM PDT

�,��ff�f��,��f��f��f^出会�,,

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

gfdd[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#137)
by Anonymous User on Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 03:19:15 AM PDT

出会�,,�,��ff�,��,�素人

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fgkk[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#145)
by Anonymous User on Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 02:52:58 AM PDT

�,��ff�f�巨乳熟女

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fdmm[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#153)
by Anonymous User on Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 06:19:08 AM PDT

�,��f��ff�f"�f��,��,��ff�,��,�童貞

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fbvd[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#161)
by Anonymous User on Tue Oct 28, 2008 at 05:24:53 AM PDT

童貞 �,��f*�f��f��f��f`

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

gfmm[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#167)
by Anonymous User on Wed Oct 29, 2008 at 05:32:49 AM PDT

�,��f��f��f^�,��f�不倫

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

fdgg[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#176)
by Anonymous User on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 05:06:12 AM PDT

SEX �,��ff�,��,�おっぱ�,,

[ Parent | Reply to This ]

ffgb[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#184)
by Anonymous User on Sat Nov 01, 2008 at 05:11:50 AM PDT

不倫熟女 �,��ff�f�風�--

[ Parent | Reply to This ]