Slashdot Mirror


BBC says "Avoid Explorer"

twitter writes "Citing security flaws that lead to ads and spys on Microsoft infested computers the BBC in this article recomends avoiding Internet Explorer." Ain't it the truth? Mostly its about adware & spyware and other wretched bits of software that make the internet suck a little more each day.

20 of 529 comments (clear)

  1. Explorer? by muyuubyou · · Score: 4, Funny

    They should recommend avoiding Windows if their problem is security.

    BTW, being Explorer unseparable from Windows, avoiding Explorer is avoiding Windows. Am I right, Bill?

    1. Re:Explorer? by alexburke · · Score: 2, Funny

      BTW, being Explorer unseparable from Windows, avoiding Explorer is avoiding Windows. Am I right, Bill?

      Absolutely! Stay tuned to see. Video at 11! [snicker]

      Love,
      Bill

  2. didnt i see... by epicstruggle · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wasnt there a story about the bbc website using spyware to see what you were looking at on slashdot recently.

    epicstruggle

    --
    "Im drowning here, and you're describing the water!"
  3. Microsoft's Patch by cordsie · · Score: 5, Funny
    Microsoft has just released a patch for all of the issues outlined in the article. From the readme:

    "Avoid the BBC"

    1. Re:Microsoft's Patch by mijok · · Score: 2, Funny

      As far as I know, the patch addresses the following bugs with pages rendering incorrectly:
      "avoid internet explorer" bug is fixed and now shows "avoid mozilla"
      "avoid ms-office" fixed to "avoid Open Office.org"
      "avoid windows" fixed to "avoid linux"

      --
      Karma. Moderation. Is my .sig good now?
    2. Re:Microsoft's Patch by stinky+wizzleteats · · Score: 5, Funny

      I would have laughed myself out of my chair if you had said "do not trust content from the BBC"

    3. Re:Microsoft's Patch by tgd · · Score: 3, Funny

      Do not trust content from the BBC. ...

      Did it work?

  4. Why? by 91degrees · · Score: 3, Funny

    Apart from the known issues with IE, outlook, and IIS, what is insecure in Windows?

    And as far as IIS goes, Apache hasn't had a spotless security record.

    1. Re:Why? by pubjames · · Score: 4, Funny

      Apart from the known issues with IE, outlook, and IIS, what is insecure in Windows?

      When I first read this, I assumed it was a joke, along the lines of "What did the Romans ever do for us?" in Monty Python's "The Life of Brian". But looks like everyone is taking it seriously so I must be wrong.

    2. Re:Why? by Seahawk · · Score: 2, Funny

      And apart from the Geeky, Selfcentered, preaching maniacs - whats wrong with Linux? ;D

      Well - enough of this - someone might think I'm serious...

    3. Re:Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Real Hackers don't use Windows to begin with.

      Bullcrap. Real Hackers use all sorts of operating systems, including windows. I think what you meant to say was "No-Life Pear-Shaped Loser Nerds don't use Windows to begin with".

    4. Re:Why? by pubjames · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, seeing as this has been modded up to +5 funny, I guess I should take the plunge:

      Reg; People are always complaining about the security in windows, but come on, Windows is great. All my friends use it!
      Loretta; Yes, and my friends friends.
      Reg: Yeah.
      Loretta: And my friends friends friends.
      Reg: Yeah, all right. Don't labor the point. And tell me, what is insecure in Windows?
      Rebel2: Outlook?
      Reg: What?
      Rebel2: Microsoft Outlook.
      Reg: Oh yeah, yeah. That's insecure. That's true, yeah.
      Rebel3: And Internet Explorer.
      Loretta: Oh yeah, Internet Explorer, Reg. Remember all the security holes that's had?
      Reg: Yeah, all right, I'll grant you Outlook and Internet Explorer are two things are insecure...
      Mathias: And IIS.
      Reg: Well, yeah. Obviously IIS, I mean IIS goes without saying, doesn't it? But apart from the Outlook, Internet Explorer, and IIS...
      Rebel4: Word Macros.
      Rebel2: Passport.
      Rebel5: Hotmail.
      Reg: Yeah, yeah, all right. Fair enough...
      Rebel1: And Active-X.
      Rebels: Oh, yeah
      Francis: Yeah. Yeah, That's a really bad one isn't it? Active-X.
      Rebel6: The Windows kernel itself.
      Loretta: Yes, remember when they found that NSA key Reg?
      Francis: Yeah, well, that's certainly a bit worrying, isn't it?
      Everyone: Huhuhuh. Huhuhuhuhuh.
      Reg: All right. But apart from the Outlook, Internet Explorer, IIS, Word Macros, Passport, Hotmail, Active-X and the Windows kernel itself, what is insecure in Windows?
      Rebel2: SQL server?
      Reg: Oh, fuck off.

  5. IE the STD. by DarkHelmet · · Score: 5, Funny
    Internet Explorer is like that old, dirty slut that really isn't worth spending your time with.

    Some people decide they'll be on the safe side by "Condoming Up" and turning security all the way up.

    But when they get rashes of popup ads, and sore security holes, they realize that IE is a tired lay that not only lacks the finesse and technique of younger variants, but leaves you wanting your money back.

    Even though you didn't pay anything... Bastards. You just wanted to surf the net with IE, and BANG!!! Next thing you know you have a Windows infection.

    --
    /^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
  6. Important Security Patch by Tsar · · Score: 5, Funny

    I understand that this security/usability patch will correct virtually all the problems with IE to which the BBS objects. Of course, it's a pretty complete patch...

  7. Re:Great idea but still an unrealistic solution by ninkendo84 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hey, who are you to say that's bad coding? I took a web design class in high school and one of the first things our teacher taught us was how to make a separate page that says "You need internet explorer to view this page."

    And if my teacher says to use internet explorer, it must be good! Albiet we were just using FrontPage for all our web editing...

    --

    $ make love
    make: don't know how to make love. Stop
  8. Re:Try this: by Jugalator · · Score: 3, Funny

    But then you've got a perhaps larger problem than IE itself - Windows 98/ME. Eeek! :-o

    --
    Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  9. Beep beep beep by hayne · · Score: 3, Funny

    I was, like, starting to read the article using Internet Explorer. And then my computer went like beep, beep, beep. And then I got redirected to msn.com. Seemed like a really good article. Bummer.

  10. Re:Actually... by minus9 · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's a very bold statement.

  11. (*o*) THAT IS NOTHING !! (Sc0re:5, Auto-Popups) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Read this : http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/default.asp?ur l=/downloads/sample.asp?url=/msdn-files/027/002/10 4/msdncompositedoc.xml


    Microsoft® .NET Alerts
    is a message and notification routing service that makes delivering customer communications easy. Content providers can send messages to customers who choose to receive them. Alerts are routed to Microsoft Windows® desktops, cellular phones, wireless personal digital assistants (PDAs), or any e-mail addressâ"all based on the customer's delivery preferences.

  12. Remember, these are the same bastards... by venomkid · · Score: 2, Funny
    --
    vk.