Something made me quite pissed off this week. I had this friend who is nonsensing (yeah, I know there is no such word) a commander right in front of me.
The commander was having some troubles with viewing a particular web page, he cannot log in. I went in to explain to him that the javascripts are not properly loaded due to the army’s network sending a completely blank javascript to the user’s computer. It happens a couple of time and is probably caused by some security settings that they applied.
My friend came in and played around with the commander’s commander and identify the problem as an Internet Explorer problem. I told him it’s not and he insisted that it really is.
Firefox is more secure than Internet Explorer
Generally true. But if you hold the latest Internet Explorer, it is quite secure too. The commander’s computer does not have the latest version of Internet Explorer and Windows updates.
Firefox automatically corrects Javascript mistakes
He pointed out that Firefox can fix the Javascript errors found in Internet Explorer as it is more intelligent and is able to correct the web developer’s mistake. I then told him the web developer didn’t make any mistake because the commander can access the web page through his home computer. He insisted on installing his Firefox. He then launch Firefox and told the commander that there is no Javascript errors. I told him, Firefox is likely to have hidden the errors as it is not helpful to the end user. He insisted that Firefox fixed the web site.
There are more people using Firefox now
And the commander asked him why install Firefox. He tells the commander that more people are using Firefox so website work better with them. Er… Did his twelve-year-old brother tell him that? As far as I know, Internet Explorer is still the browser more people use.
Firefox comes bundled with Javascripts so you don’t have to download them
He then suggest that the web developer didn’t do a good job and he says Firefox has some Javascripts that comes preinstalled so Firefox don’t have to download additional Javascript. Oh my god, what the fuck is he smoking?!
And so I left the room
“Sorry sir, please excuse me, I need to attend to some work. Maybe it’s better to view this website from your home computer.” I left, quite pissed. Firefox browser didn’t make that web page work too. He doesn’t even listen to my explanation. I load up Firefox browser and go to the same web site in another room. It seems that whatever browsers I am using, I am receiving empty Javascript files. If you want to promote the Firefox browser, please don’t feed false information because I’ll be damn pissed if I hear it. I use the Opera browser and I am happy with what I am using, do not recommend me another browser, thank you. I believe in sticking with whatever browser interface you are comfortable with so long as you own the latest version.
[On a side note, take a look at this strange Microsoft article - The words "Friendster," "Klum," "Nazr," "Obama," and "Racicot" are not recognized when you check the spelling of English-language text in the Office 2003 programs.]
Possibly related:
Tags: browser, firefox, internet explorer, lies, national service
hi! haven’t been commenting for a while..
wow, i dont recognise all the words except friendster. xD
by Milky (Mar 17, 2007 at 4 AM)And I made you switching to Opera, right Mr Dew?
Well, Opera is the most secure webbrrowser, not Firefox, not IE7
).
And IE7 is better but not very secure still
(Microsoft even didn’t make a patch day this month because of the CeBit!
There has been stats – click.
And you are right about the JavaScript and all you said, of course, don’t let people maKe you pissed off!
by Nafcom (Mar 19, 2007 at 5 AM)Milky: Oh, did you know that we can’t access Frienster from camp computers? Perhaps some guy is just jealous that he has no friends in friendster and bans everyone from entering that web site.
by Mr. Dew (Mar 21, 2007 at 2 PM)Nafcom: Yup, you can say that you made me switch, hahaa… I use a combination of browsers, I’m more used to Opera now though. I think IE7 is secure enough already, most of my browsing is done in Opera, I prefer to use IE7 for reading and replying mails though.
by Mr. Dew (Mar 21, 2007 at 2 PM)Mr Dew: No, IE7 is sadly not safe at all. I thought you use M2 of Opera for your emails, too?
by Nafcom (Mar 23, 2007 at 1 AM)I think it is okay, so far I have not heard horror stories from people who have the latest updates installed. It’s really hard to judge which browser is more secure, you really need to wait till something happen and evaluate the situation to see if it’s the vendor’s fault. I think IE7 is doing a pretty good job so far. It’s secure for most users although there is certainly room for improvement.
I do not use M2, it does not suit my needs unfortunately. I generally use Outlook for as my offline client. I use it because there is a calendar. I use web mail more, I use both Gmail and Hotmail because I can access it wherever I am. I often receive a lot oof attachment and as much as I try to separate work and for-fun emails to different mail addresses, I still get those bloody forwarded emails in my work account. I receive lots of videos from people so I rather not download the attachment at all.
M2 is too simple for me. And I tend to drag and drop a lot and I always assume it just works, well… Not all the time in M2. That’s one area Outlook excel in. Unfortunately Outlook is really slow in launching and I only use it for calendar and to check occasional email accounts.
by Mr. Dew (Mar 23, 2007 at 2 AM)Mr Dew: If you install Opera Portable on an USB Stick you can do the same with it. I would never ever use Outlook or webbased anymore
http://www.kejut.com/operaportable
If you see the lists of known but none fixed security holes in IE7 …
Which is logical because it’s the most used browser. If Opera was it they would have the same problems IE has now.
by Nafcom (Mar 23, 2007 at 6 AM)Yeah, but I hate it when people force an installation of browsers on their friend’s computers. I go around to fix friend’s computer sometimes and they would usually ask me to recommend a browser. I would always recommend the one that they are using because I feel that we mustn’t forget the best web browsing experience not only comes from good web design but also familiarity with the browser interface.
I still need to carry a flash drive around. I just gotten a new one – SanDisk Cruzer Titanium, it has U3 features. Unfortunately the places I go to would disallow me entry if I had a flash drive, so it’s not a good solution. I just use web-based mails. Anyway, web-based mail has really improved loads.
by Mr. Dew (Mar 23, 2007 at 11 AM)Mr Dew; Well, I have experienced a case where installing IE7 was not possible becasue it destroyed the internet stuff, the only possibility to get the thing secure was, to make him switch to Opera.
Which is a lot easier than reinstalling everything from scratch especially when data that is still needed is on the PC
by Nafcom (Mar 23, 2007 at 10 PM)Yeah, there are always such cases I guess. Sometimes I just wished the user has been more careful on making decisions that would destroy his/her computer.
Opera and Firefox are lucky that not much tools are targeting it, if that happens things probably wouldn’t look as good. They would be releasing a lot more patches than the current rate.
And I only fear that with the new UAC thing in Windows Vista, it would be harder to do software upgrades. The upgrade tool in Firefox requires special rights which just confuses the average user. I’m quite sure Opera would encounter the same problem.
I use Filezilla and it didn’t even allow me to download to any of the folders due to permission problems. Either the software programmers have to get their applications fixed or Microsoft got to come out with a better solution than UAC.
by Mr. Dew (Mar 23, 2007 at 11 PM)Mr Dew, unfortunately Firefox is slow with fixing security holes. And there are rumours that they are in financial troubles….
UAC is not a big issue in Vista (X64 here). I have it on and one gets used to it better than first thought.
If you have any quesrtions, feel free to ask me,.
by Nafcom (Mar 24, 2007 at 2 AM)I was refering to the auto update thing found in all applications. Look at how Microsoft products update, there is no UAC. My point is that UAC confuses users who aren’t as technology adapting as us. I’m not surprised that they disallow Opera to update itself too. I think Microsoft still has work to do here.
It would be complicated but creating a user for the Opera installer may just be a good idea. I was thinking about that yesterday. Perhaps, during an installation of Opera, the limited user for Opera installer gets to own the Opera folder, you get what I mean? Then when Opera updater wants to update the contents in the Opera folder, it can feel free to do so without those prompts.
Of course, if Microsoft is willing to let previledge software vendors to make use of Windows Update, it would be an even better way.
by Mr. Dew (Mar 24, 2007 at 3 AM)Yes Mr Dew, I understand. However I think users who are new to Vista will learn how to handle UAC. They learned the same with antivirus and antispy programs, they will learn to handle UAC, too.
Well, unfortunately Windows Update (and if you allow it to switch to it) and Microsoft Update, are unfortunately only for Microsoft products and drivers, but the idea you raised would be nice but cost companies probably cost a bit.
by Nafcom (Mar 24, 2007 at 7 AM)I don’t think they actually understand antivirus programs that well actually. They just install it for the auto protect feature. It supposed to magically work right? Today, we have Windows Live OneCare and Norton 360 that is quite easy to use and understand, that’s how these security programs should be.
I hope they’d take quite time to read what UAC is about. It’s not hard to understand but many people refuse to spend the extra time reading a dialog box and can’t wait to get rid of it. I am a little amused (and annoyed) when I am waiting to see an error message in my friend’s computer. He was controlling the mouse and when he launched the application, there is an error. I told him I want to see the error message and he understood it. When the application is launched, he just clicked OK to the error message! Not once but thrice! He gotten too used to that action.
Windows Update is great though, pity that only Microsoft can use it. I imagine one day all Microsoft products would support it. I think it supports Microsoft Office too now. Maybe one day Visual Studio and Microsoft games would be supported.
by Mr. Dew (Mar 24, 2007 at 10 AM)Mr Dew: Well, anti virus prgs still need a full scan once in a while because often viruses/trojans/worms come to your computer while the on-access-scanner didn’t know it at this time.-
There was somethingb like thgat before, it was a co-op of Tucows and BigFiX, howerver they stopped the co-op and now they only offer what Microsoft Update does, too
by Nafcom (Mar 24, 2007 at 10 AM)There are people who are still using Norton 2002 or something. Kinda sad actually.
by Mr. Dew (Mar 25, 2007 at 12 AM)