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Microsoft Agrees to Stop Hijacking Music-Shopping
ScottSpeaks! writes "CNN , ABC, and others are reporting that Microsoft has agreed to fix Windows XP so that it no longer launches IE (instead of the user's chosen default browser) when the user selects the "Shop for Music Online" option in Windows XP. MS isn't admitting that it's a violation of the consent decree they signed to get the DoJ to drop the anti-trust suit against them, but threats to take them to court over it are what prompted the move."
All of this means that your system will be wide open for all sorts of cross-site certification and scripting 'sploits. I'd do some research if I were you, since Microsoft left the most recent slew of IE holes unpatched.
What version of Outlook are you using? Mine fires up Moz Firebird no problems, here's a link on how to do it.
I am NaN
Here is a better question: should windows update even be run through a browser? No! Windows Update should be a completely standalone program. It has no business even being done through a web browser.
Let's look at the other operating systems. Redhat uses rpm/yum/up2date which are all command line with a couple of gtk front-ends you don't need to use. Debain used apt. Gentoo uses emerge/portage. Not sure about OSX, but I'm willing to be that it's update tool isn't connected to Safari.
Binding the update tool to the web browser seems to be one of those ploys Microsoft started years back to try to prove IE was essential to their operating system and couldn't be removed. Bad design dictated by bad politics. Here is a better question: should windows update even be run through a browser? No! Windows Update should be a completely standalone program. It has no business even being done through a web browser.
I dont see this happening in Windows XP. It launches my mozilla.
I could change the world, but GOD won't give me the source code
There is a differerence between "default browser" and what is associated with *.htm* files.
That is EXACTALLY what your problem is.
I too use WinXP Pro. Windows Update uses an ActiveX control(s). I don't think Firebird is compatible with ActiveX. I could be wrong.... If so please list where to enable ActiveX within Firebird as it is my default browser as well.
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All the windows security updates are available for non-IE browsers at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.aspx?Di
just my
This is different how?
Apple is not a convicted monopolist.
Do you even know anything about perl? -- AC Replying to Tom Christiansen post.
If you point IE for Mac (or Opera, OmniWeb, Safari, whatever) to Napster with the intent to purchase music, the Mac OS doesn't launch iTunes and stuff you back to the iTMS.
It's about leaving the decision up to the user. It's about not using the OS to redirect choice.
"The more corrupt the state, the more it legislates." - Tacitus
not true, other apps are not forced to use ie and are free to use whatever browser they like, default or otherwise. The issue that is being claimed is that Microsoft's music service loads ie directly instead of the default browser. I don't see any reason why microsoft shouldn't be allowed to use there own software, it is not like the music site blocks you using anyone elses browser.
Now if only they could ship Windows with the "Launch every application in an Internet Explorer Window" turned off by default. I just _love_ having an excel spreadsheet open up in explorer instead of Excel.
btw, you can turn this off for any file type, see http://ask-leo.com/archives/000041.html for instructions.
moz can pose as ie also, that's not what most sites do. they'll use java script or a server side preprocessor to determine your browser and lock you out w/o ie browser. posing even w/ moz gets around this.
Or at least which browser you claim to use.
Just add this to your user.js file (create the file in the same dir as prefs.js if it doesn't exist yet):
user_pref("general.useragent.override", "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1)");
That'll fake it so the site thinks you're using IE 6 on an XP box. Usually, unless the site has something really extraordinary on it, it'll work reasonably okay anyway.
- Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
http://www.iol.ie/~locka/mozilla/mozilla.htm
why shouldn't someone be able to force me to write a program in such away as to force me to generate charts
The rules are different when a court determines your business is a monopoly. This change would not have happened if that was not the case.
Bad boys rape our young girls but Violet gives willingly.
IIRC, the whole anti-trust suit against Microsoft thing got started during the Clinton Administration, when the DoJ was run by Reno, not Ashcroft.
Zagreus sits inside your head, Zagreus lives among the dead, Zagreus sees you in your bed and eats you in your sleep.
No it's not the same thing. It seems like It's not so much of an annoyance if the program uses the ie control to render html inside it the program itself ie: Media player uses the IE control to show the windows media content page. The problem is when it launches the actual ie program to view a url. That is not the same as Mozilla's mail reader using gecko to render html.
[alk]
Why would they admit doing something illegal if they don't have to? Why would a company risk getting sued or fined for doing something if they don't have to?
This is the way the legal system, plea bargins, ect work. Both sides end up getting something that's better than the alternative if the other side wins - the DOJ gets what they want, and MS doesn't lose a bunch of money. Both sides would rather have the certainty of that outcome than a partial chance of total victory.
I have blog like everyone else
Their is legally nothing wrong with having a monopoly in any given segment of the market. It is however illegal to use such a monopoly to prevent others from competing in the same market segment (contractual limits, threats, etc.).
Apple has never been found to be guilt of being monopolistic however MS has.
The same thing happens for "mailto:e-mail@address.com" code in html pages. It opens Outlook Express despite having set my default to thunderbird and disabling access to Outlook.