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Internet Explorer 7 on Linux
An anonymous reader writes to mention WebExpose is running a quick guide to get Internet Explorer 7.0 running on Linux. From the article: "Microsoft conditional comments do work, unlike the standalone version of IE on Windows, so you will be able to develop and test webpages across almost all major browsers (IE 5-7, Firefox, Opera) on one Linux box! Also note that we will avoid Microsoft's Genuine Advantage download validation checks, so pure-Linux users will be able to finish the process without having to find a genuine Windows machine to download the IE7 setup file (the check is avoided legitimately, by the way)."
One of the problems I've had running IE6 through WINE (not through ies4linux, just a stock Crossover install) is that the filter-based workarounds to trick IE5.5 and IE6 into displaying alpha-transparent PNG images correctly just doesn't work. IIRC, it's because those methods force IE to display the image through an ActiveX control which isn't present on Linux systems. It replaces the image with a blank one, but doesn't display the alpha-blended background.
This shouldn't be an issue with IE7, but it does make it difficult to test layouts that use alpha PNG and rely on the IE6 workaround.
It's good to know that they've got conditional comments working, though. That's always been the trick with running multiple IEs on Windows. You have to tweak the registry, or else each IE engine will parse them as if it were the most recent one installed on the system.
....not exactly groundbreaking stuff
Well, I guess that is the difference between knowingly voiding the check and stumbling upon the process that voids the WMA check. I wonder which one the lawyers will believe?
From the article summary:
If you do your main development on a Linux box, and want to test minor changes in IE as you make them (major changes and final testing should still be done on a native system if possible), it's a lot more convenient to fire up a copy of IE in WINE than to move over to another box or reboot into Windows.
Great question. Seriously.
Before you flame me into oblivion, tell me what I miss with IE7 when I already run Windows + Firefox 2.0. I ask in all honesty. Let's just say I have some legit XP machines and I have "friends" with illegitimate XP machines that won't bother with WGA as they know they'll fail. They'll happily go on downloading security updates but don't bother with IE7, Media player 10, etc.
So what.
Their computers run fine and they seem to be able to do everything that everybody else does - play movies, pictures, music, etc, etc
So in this case, what does IE7 get for people over the ones who are forever doomed to Firefox 2.0 and IE6? What are the benefits?
C'mon IE7 supporters, this is a lay-up. Lay it out for me...
I do most of my development on my personal web projects on my Linux box at home. Every once in a while I will fire up the Windows box and test things in IE. But I have a copy of IE6 installed through Crossover Office that I can use to verify that, say, a CSS change I've just made does what I think it does. The main problems I've encountered are fonts and the filter problem I mentioned here.
Basically, I use the WINE copy for (pun not intended) sanity checks, and a native copy for serious testing.
I know Slashdotters love Opera, for whatever reason, but I wonder why Safari isn't considered a "major browser" according to the post. There are several different surveys here:r owsers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_web_b
and, no matter which one you believe, Safari seems to have a much larger share of the browser market than Opera. I wouldn't say this is so much offtopic as it is tangential, but do as you will and mod away as you see fit.
I'm just sayin'.
Browsercam.
It's a plug, yes. But they deserve it.
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
The important question is, why doesn't his online banking site work in Firefox? Have you contacted the bank to ask them when (not if) they'll support Firefox?
Some *NIX systems have a directory in the root directory, which contains a set of statically linked utilities that can be used for recovery. On FreeBSD, this is /rescue, which contains statically linked copies of many of the things from /sbin and /bin. If something goes wrong with your linker (or you numpty up and accidentally delete it) then these tools can be very important.
Either way, it dosen't matter. When an executable file is run then all of its libraries are opened, incrementing their reference count, so deleting them will not actually delete them on disk until the program runs and thus it is possible to run 'rm -rf /' and delete every file.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
Wow, that's interesting...
IE7 is on linux even before it is on Win2000.
Actually, they say it will never come out for win 2000.
Now... can I run a windows simulator inside my windows in order to run these programs MS is specifically blocking from win2000? Such as IE7, windows live writer (a blog editing program), windows live messenger, etc.
A web developer running a hacked-in IE7 on Linux is like an auto mechanic using one of those cheap screwdrivers with changeable-heads to fix cars. I'm shopping for web design right now, and I wouldn't hire anybody who told me that this was how they checked IE7 compatiblity.
There are often group purchases on fundable.org, where groups of solo web designers pool their money to purchase a group subscription as if they were a larger company. $40 gets you one year of premium access, and it's not against BrowserCam's TOS, in fact they're aware of the practice and apparently have no problem with it.
There are a few spots left on this group purchase, and if you miss that one, another one is sure to pop up soon.