Microsoft Archives

IE 10 for Windows 7 is going to your system automatically

It was teased in 2011. Yes, it was in 2011 (not a typo) when Microsoft unveiled the first preview version of IE 10 for Windows 7. The second preview also can run on Windows 7.

But after that, IE 10 has been for Windows 8 only. Apparently, Microsoft attempted to use this IE 10 as a teaser for Windows 8 upgrading. It seems the attempt failed: instead of upgrading to Windows 8 to get IE 10, most users chose Chrome or Firefox.

Developers also accused Microsoft actually was holding back internet, because IE 10 supports more web standards. Yes, IE 10 finally has “60% increase in supported modern web standards”. This 60% increase is compared with IE 9. To be precise, this 60% means 30 new web standards. So, many or most web standards are still NOT supported in IE 10. Microsoft style!

Compared with IE 9, … Read the rest

The looming browser war on Windows RT: Microsoft wants to go back to “Return to the Digital Dark Ages”

Daily digest, Safe Surfing Guide

Do you know or even heard about Netscape Navigator?

It has been the best browser from its initial launch in December 1994 to its death (almost dead, and bought by AOL) in 1998. It was buried by AOL in 2008.

Netscape Navigator was not defeated but was murdered, by Micro$oft. Sometimes, this is often referred to as the First Browser War. As a long time user of Navigator, I always believe Navigator was murdered. The murder is Mirco$oft. The ammunition used by the murder mainly includes: 1). monopoly in the PC operating system; 2). huge cash pile; and 3).the uninformed mass.

So, The notorious Internet Explorer dominated in almost all Windows PCs, and the digital dark age started. The antitrust slap on M$ could not revive Netscape Navigator. Thankfully, the Firefox, somewhat linked to Navigator and Mozilla, and Chrome, from the Chocolate Factory, lighted the sky.

Now, Micro$oft … Read the rest

Another April 1st joke: Internet Explorer provides best browser battery life

Daily digest, Safe Surfing Guide

We all know Internet Explorer sucks. We always recommend our readers to use alternatives, e.g., Firefox, Chrome, Opera, SeaMonkey. Even the old Netscape or Mozilla is far better than the IE.

Today, I read a report claiming Internet Explorer provides the best browser battery life (i.e., drain your battery at a slower pace). It sounds like an April 1 joke.

Usually, I did not pay much attention to such benchmarks: I rely on my own “experience”. That’s the major reason I switched from Firefox (which is far better than Internet Explorer) to Chrome (which is currently my favourite browser). User experience is the key factor to decide which browser is better for you.

Actually, based on the same test, Google Chrome is the fastest since September 19, 2011. This is consistent with my experience. The battery test results probably indicate that the Internet Explorer draws less juice because it … Read the rest

Another reason to dump Microsoft IE: Microsoft claims Google bypassed its browser privacy easily

Daily digest, Safe Surfing Guide

IE privacy setting is just a joke, now this is clear.

In our safe surfing guide series (part 4), we recommended you to dump IE and choose a better web browser, e.g., Chrome or Firefox, or SeaMonkey. Today, you get another reason to dump it forever!

On Feb. 20, Microsoft claimed that Google has been bypassing the user-defined privacy settings in Internet Explorer by using incorrect P3P identification terms:

Technically, Google utilizes a nuance in the P3P specification that has the effect of bypassing user preferences about cookies … By sending this text, Google bypasses the cookie protection and enables its third-party cookies to be allowed rather than blocked

Google’s response gave us a clearer picture.:

Microsoft uses a “self-declaration” protocol (known as “P3P”) dating from 2002 under which Microsoft asks websites to represent their privacy practices in machine-readable form. It is well known – including

… Read the rest

Microsoft security update flags google.com as a severe, exploit-filled threat

Daily digest, Safe Surfing Guide, The Proxy Free

It is not a joke. Micro$oft did it again. Last year, Microsoft Security Essentials tried to Google Chrome by deleting it.

According to some reports, Microsoft Antivirus and Security products ( Microsoft Forefront and Microsoft Security Essentials) started to mark google.com as being a severe threat called Exploit:JS/Blacole.BW on Valentine’s day. A V-day gift for Google.

Surely, Microsoft quickly (4 hours) fixed the issue, and as usual, explained this is another technical issue.

Of course, I was not affected because I am using Avast!, one of the best free antivirus software. We used it for many years without major issues.

I just feel a bit sorry for those who are still using M$ antivirus or internet security software. If you are using Windows (90% of our readers are still using it on the desktop), you need antivirus for safe surfing as explained in a previous post.

But you … Read the rest

Silent update of IE from January 2012

Daily digest, Safe Surfing Guide

Finally, Micro$oft knows how to do a silent update for your IE browser. Maybe just learned from Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

Anyway, this is a smart move to stop or at least to slow down the loss of market share (to Chrome and Firefox). M$ won the browser war against Netscape by bundling IE to Windows since Windows 95. But is has been a loser in the same battlefield against Firefox, nor against Chrome.

Security, speed, and W3C standard are the major reasons tech geeks abandon IE. IE 8 and IE 9 did have some improvement in security and speed. But the compliance with standards is still not as good as Chrome or Firefox.

So, M$ silently updates the IE browser for most users; a lot of users will not know because they already switched to other better browsers.… Read the rest

What a Joke! Internet Explorer 9 Crowns the Browser Security

Daily digest, Safe Surfing Guide

After the post on “How to surf safely? Dump IE, choose a better browser” was online, a reader pointed me to a so-called research report that IE 9 crowns the browser security.

According to the report, IE 9 can block 96% socially engineered malware; while the distant second (Chrome) can only block 13.2%. The full report is freely (anyway, nobody is willing to pay such so-called reports) available here.

It sounds like a story told on April 1. And it actually is.

If you happen to read the report, you will notice their research was based on “NSS Labs has developed a unique proprietary “Live Testing” harness and methodology”. So, we have no idea how reliable the test was. Who knows?

Secondly, the report did not say how many false blocking generated by IE 9. Remember, if Microsoft Security Essentials can treat Google Chrome as a … Read the rest

How to surf safely? Dump IE, choose a better browser

Daily digest, Safe Surfing Guide

This is part 4 of the Safe Surfing Guide series. You may check other parts as well to read the complete safe surfing guide.

To surf safely, your browser can also play an important role. There are so many choices for browsers now: IE, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, SeaMonkey; all are freely available. But unfortunately, most users are still using the crappy piece of IE, simply because it is bundled by M$.

You should dump IE when you get your new PC. Most computer viruses or malware reply on IE, because M$ tightly integrate IE with the Windows OS.

In addition, IE is notorious for ignoring the web standards and trying best to drag the advancement in HTML standard. Although M$ changed gradually changed the strategy since IE 8, it is too little, too small.

Sadly, if you are not using Windows 7, you cannot disable or … Read the rest

Microsoft Security Essentials kills Google Chrome

Daily digest

When we get a new PC, anti-virus software is usually installed. Some big companies (I really don’t want to name them) give you 30 to 90 days trial. Of course, this is mainly for Windows machines. If you are using Linux or UNIX (e.g., I know a geek is still using FreeBSD), you probably seldom worry about virus.

Anyway, all anti-virus software companies should thank Microsoft for creating the business opportunity for non-productive nonsense. Some of you may not know Microsoft also offers “free” anti-virus software together with Windows. If Windows finds out you have not installed any anti-virus software, this free guy will jump out. The name of this guy is Microsoft Security Essentials.

Ironic? If you cannot make your OS secure, how can we trust your “Security Essentials”? If it is essential, why can’t you put it into OS? Anyway, M$, as well as some analysts … Read the rest