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Posted by: Stuart

I enjoy working with HTML, XHTML, CSS and designers as a web developer. At home I enjoy listening to music, playing music, reading and food.

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Posted on: 28 June 2004

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Comments: 13

More IE Woes

Well close on the heals of my IE Wiki post comes news regarding the latest IE security warning. This time it would seem to be a very serious risk though not too widespread and, as you will see in the news item, IE users are being advised to use something else until the hole is plugged. As Microsoft take 100 days on average to provide fixes this should give everyone about 3 months to get used to a GOOD browser. Not before time I would say. Let’s hope that people don’t just run back to IE when the crisis is over.

Comments ( 13 )

Root
Stu I am taking this very seriously and proactively> I have already posted on my blog but I am just wondering how far to go. A concept: Divert all IE users to an *Emergency Advisory Page*,
effectively closing our blogs.
28 June 2004, 23:24
Stuart
I'm not sure about that one Root. The vast majority of surfers use IE because it is supplied with Windows on most PCs you buy these days. I know we would like them all to change to something else which is more secure but our arguement isn't with the user, it is with Microsoft, the manufacturer who made this crap software. I don't think it is for us to penalise the user who may well not know any better, though you would think more of them would have spotted all these warnings dotted all over the net. Denying access to our blogs is copying Microsoft tactics and I don't think we need to sink that low. Just constant, gentle persuasion which does seem to be working even if it's a bit slow for my liking. :wall:
29 June 2004, 00:12
Thomasso
Hey Stuart and Root, you both could use passive aggressive techniques that involve neither ostracizing the IE user or adding chaos to the free world. Why not whip up some form of a banner, for example, that would flag any IE user for a few seconds before they moved onward into your BLOGs? Say something specific like " You are a IE user, please be advised that...." then they go on their marry way! Make it in the form of a plug-in that WordPress user's could install.... Just a :twisted:morbid:twisted: thought from someone who doesn't know that much the problem. :clap:
29 June 2004, 07:59
Root
Well I am not absolutely serious about my proposal but I have two
thoughts. One is that the commercial design community has failed to deliver this message effectively to MS, to users, and to web corporate clients. Secondly this has now gone too far. IE is not safe. Period. Now in those circumstances - if one is commited to web standards, concerned about network security, and you are in any way publishing on the net - then - how and what do we do that is effective? The upgrade your browser campaign, has not yet delivered on any commercially meaningful scale. *Install a better browser* does not sell. *Your browser is unsafe* may do.
30 June 2004, 05:32
Stuart
I think Tom may be on the right lines. There are a couple of tricks I use. One is for "non-standards" browsers and is in the form of hidden text on my Home page. If you use a "standards" browser you don't see it. If your browser is "non-standards" you see some advice about getting a "standards" one. Another trick I used to use but don't now, was that when you selected my "SETI@Home" page you went through a little intro to the effect that "if you had a heart condition you should avoid going here, the bomb site would not be held responsible, you've been warned etc.. ". Anyway maybe something along those lines which is only visible to IE users so they get the message but doesn't stop them seeing the site. Or maybe just a permanent text block at the top of the page, under the banner, pointing to the BBC article so they realise this is REAL and not just us non-IE users having a gripe which I think is a part of the problem too.
30 June 2004, 16:11
Thomasso
Thanks Stuart, I got the idea from a website, that I can't remeber the name of, where it told you what operating system your using and what type of browser with its (corp) symbols. It was realy done well. I remeber that it told you such items would not work because of the type of browser you have and that you should upgrade? Ugh, I wish I knew the name.... Oh well, hope that helps.:mrgreen:
1 July 2004, 11:47
Root
Well my point is that the message *this site wont work well unless you upgrade* is completely contrary to the web standards ethos. It reads like MS hype. My message is *we are really clever web designers :roll: so your browser will be fine - but I have a responsibility to tell you that your browser is unsafe. At any minute you may contract a very large phone bill due to a dialler virus*. That is my message. Stu seemed to be on the right lines. To many Windows users the word upgrade does not comport with anything not made by MS. We need to speak their language - not ours.
1 July 2004, 23:13
Thomasso
Humm, point taken. I would never implement something along those lines myself Root, only that I have seen this done before and that you could use it as a peaceful means of informing the masses.
I just described what the site did and how powerful it's message was; that's all.
2 July 2004, 01:52
Stuart
Well for the time being, at least, I'm going to inform as much as possible using other peoples' opinions and taking any perceived bias on my part out of the equation. To that end I've included the "BBC" link on my Home page and I shall try and include different links, as I find them, throughout my Security pages. I may use my "test page" to see how "hidden" code might work. I'll let you know.
2 July 2004, 05:08
Root
My comment was about *the message* That is a pr term. Those are not the words or the way its presented Silly.
2 July 2004, 06:43
Stuart
You lost me there Root. :wall:
2 July 2004, 07:49
Root
Good PR first of all requires us to define the *message*. The message though can actually be delivered in a number of ways, in different mediums and from different angles. At the moment the web standards community use a message of *upgrade to a better browser*. Now who does that sound like? My message is *your browser is not safe*. Thus when the guy arrives at the conclusion I want him to which is he needs to *upgrade* the idea is his - not mine. So now he looks for info on *better* browsers. And there is the Moz family. He thinks he found it. He is an early adopter. And he feels good. Heck he can even install stuff now. I have not told him to do anything. Do you see the difference?

Now it may not be a good idea for us to tell him directly his browser is unsafe. Because then he feels foolish. But we do keep him *uptodate* on security issues which affect his browser. Just my eight cents worth. Or something.
2 July 2004, 17:14
Stuart
Ah. Well I understood that anyway. My other minor point though was that there are more than a few visitors to my site who have known me for a couple of years, and are aware of my dislike of many things Microsoft. So they really think I'm just plain biased. You've probably spotted my Bombshells. I've put the link there to be more permanent though I shall update it as time goes by. The fact that there are two links is good as it suggests I'm not just picking on MS. Hopefully, as they read the article, and as they will not be on my site at the time, the penny might drop. Anyway that's just what I'm doing for now. If anyone comes up with a good idea let's have it.
2 July 2004, 22:50

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