TECH MINUTE: Safe Web Browsing
Phone rings. Microsoft Windows users from Cambridge to Norway ask, "Is my computer safe? I heard about a virus called Poison Ivy or something."
I assure them (and you) that as long as reasonable precautions and safe habits are employed, you will be safe even though the government of Germany has issued a formal warning to temporarily stop its citizens from using the Internet Explorer web browser.
Microsoft is scheduled to release a critical security patch today that, when installed, will further reduce any potential threat from this brand of virus infections.
Whichever version of Microsoft Windows that you are using, please make sure that all latest critical patches are installed.
Ask your local IT support person, even if it is your local teenager for help, if you can not do this yourself.
Safe Computing.
david mokal
4:56 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Thank You.
Mike G.
11:44 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Nobody ought to be using Internet Explorer now. There are so many better alternatives.
david mokal
1:02 am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
Mozzilla Firefox?
Joe Gray
10:01 am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
The business models of some companies are tied to the technologies in Internet Explorer. So a complete move away from it is unlikely, anytime soon.
Besides, as new web standards get deployed and web services get updated, it's best to keep at least two different branded web browsers installed on your computer to have options for compatibility.
I don't recommend that users lock themselves into any single web browser.
Chrome, Opera & Firefox are best general options.
Mike G.
3:48 am on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Don't know if I agree with your statement about business models built around interest explorer. It's more the case that web developers are too lazy to make their webapps compatible across multiple platforms.
Mike G.
9:58 am on Sunday, September 23, 2012
*Internet explorer. Stupid autocorrect...
Joe Gray
2:31 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
Whether it is a decision by web developers or by companies or by web developers that are employed by those companies, our statements are not incompatible. We actually agree, by looking at different aspects of the same issue. The slight difference is that I'm not blaming any particular group, but simply pointing out the existing realities.
There are still legacy environments dependent on IE, that were created in the 1990's. I see this in some of the Library database resources used by some universities. Funding was short in the 1990's and funding is short for many businesses & Libraries around 20 years later. They used whatever tools were easily available or given to them for free. Major web development companies will give universities and schools many free tools and support to use a particular technology. Everyone has their preferences. Denying free stuff is difficult regardless of how we all feel.
Mike G.
12:03 am on Monday, September 24, 2012
I kind of lost you there.