New IE and WMP11

[epricedright]

Does anyone know if there's a work around so that the multiple tabs will shrink smaller so you can see more than 9-11 tabs at a time. That's irritating they slide down where you can't see them. Firefox's tabs shrink and you can see atleast 20 at a time in the bar. I like the quick tabs feature you can click on to see all the pages in another window though....that's cool.

Has anyone tried the Windows Media Player 11 yet? Are there many bugs still there? I hear it's still in Beta. I was browsing a Personal Media Player site, and they talked highly about it, regarding transferring movie and picture files to media players.

[Regis]

Hi eprice,

The tab issue is an obvious annoyance and in my opinion, adds to clutter. How do you like IE7 so far? I used it for about a week and unistalled it in favor of IE6. Sad to say that the uninstall process was the only thing that impressed me. When I uninstalled IE7 it took me back to IE6, right where I left off. I'm sure many users will enjoy the " conveniences" of IE7 and that's great. The one concern I was suspicious of were the spyware attached and associated with IE7. Nothing is really for free....always remember that in regards to programs. I was able to locate 2 tracking programs. One of them is self-replicating (prongs out) and very stubborn. Whether they are/were active is beside the point. If you don't mind someone looking over your shoulder then it's all good. These 2 are the only spyware that I can confirm. I did find remnants of another interesting program but didn't spend enough time on it to figure it out.

Here are my reasons for dumping it:

- Wasn't appreciably faster (speed wise) over IE6

- More advanced and obviously intentional security issues

- More cluttered browser

- Too cute looking (LOL....I have an issue with things that look cute and bubbly....sends up red flags)

Of course these are simply my opinions. I'm sure IE7 has serious potential once some of the bugs are made known to the average user, "patches" available, and third parties become involved to keep IE7 in check.

[mmarinov]

Of course these are simply my opinions. I'm sure IE7 has serious potential once some of the bugs are made known to the average user, "patches" available, and third parties become involved to keep IE7 in check.

Exactly - I'll let others be the beta! The only thing that bugs me about IE7 is that it was released as a security update. WTF? Even came across as an update for Server 2003 SP1.

[epricedright]

Hi Regis! I personally like the multi-tab browsing, as I've become accustomed to it with FireFox, but the tabs that disappear (hide off to the side) in IE7 is annoying. Spyware with IE7! Hmmm, well that explains why I have had all the tracking spyware picked up with Adaware here lately. It's gotten so bad, they slow my laptop down. I attributed it to some sites I've been browsing looking for personal media and mp3 players for my kids, but this has only been a problem since I upgraded to IE7. I once ran the anti-spyware, and after visiting a few sites, it would slow down again, so I immediately ran the spyware again, and Bam, there they were again. Adaware even picked up two "Hi-jack attempts of my browser". I've never seen that before, till now. I didn't realize there were spyware issues w/ IE7, so Thank You for the heads up. I despise spyware - so I will uninstall IE7 from all 3 of my pc's today. I figured I could trust Microsoft....guess not.

I was hoping to get away from FireFox with IE7, as I've been having stability issues with it. Sometimes while browsing, it will lock up, and I get a message that Firefox needs to shutdown. It especially doesn't like Adobe Reader - if I ever open up a pdf file, it slows to a crawl. I'm hoping more RAM will help my laps, as they seem to get bogged down too easy.

Do you recall which of those spywares had "prongs out"? Did you have to delete them from your registry manually? I hate the thought of having that crap in my pc.

Of course these are simply my opinions. I'm sure IE7 has serious potential once some of the bugs are made known to the average user, "patches" available, and third parties become involved to keep IE7 in check.

Exactly - I'll let others be the beta! The only thing that bugs me about IE7 is that it was released as a security update. WTF? Even came across as an update for Server 2003 SP1.

Exactly! I figured they were done with it; all the bugs worked out, I could trust it, etc. Especially being it was included in a "Security Update" What BS! Can't even trust Microsoft. I've learned a lesson here. I will be uninstalling that crap today!

So I guess I should leave WMP11 alone as well?

[Regis]

eprice,

Regarding WMP11.....is there an application requiring it? Or do you simply want it because it's new? I wouldn't fault you for wanting the latest programs. Just realize that there concerns and issues with the newest releases. Always have been and most likely always will. Kind of like cars wouldn't you agree?

A little birdy told me that IE7 was going to be buggy and I was curious so I DLed it. It lived up to my expectations and more as far as the "extra programs" attached were concerned. But unlike most I get off on discovering spyware, trojans, etc. It's impressive what some programers can create. Eprice, if I were a betting man I'd say you have a weakness for the latest and greatest. So my suggestion would be to get in the habit of backing up your important pictures and files for when the inevitable happens. Like Mark I prefer to let others be the test pilots. But every now and then I DL suspicious programs just to see how good (bad) it is. But I do it knowing to expect things and I'm prepared.

Acrobat Reader.......aaah yes. Love it. Hate it. Kind of like a pack mule. Reliable and just as stubborn. Doesn't like to play well with others, especially if you try to tell it to go home. When you closeout acrobat reader it doesn't really go away. By default it will drop down into the system tray but can't be seen. However, you can see it in the Process List. Just click on it in the Process List and then click End Process.

[epricedright]

eprice,

Regarding WMP11.....is there an application requiring it? Or do you simply want it because it's new? I wouldn't fault you for wanting the latest programs. Just realize that there concerns and issues with the newest releases. Always have been and most likely always will. Kind of like cars wouldn't you agree?

A little birdy told me that IE7 was going to be buggy and I was curious so I DLed it. It lived up to my expectations and more as far as the "extra programs" attached were concerned. But unlike most I get off on discovering spyware, trojans, etc. It's impressive what some programers can create. Eprice, if I were a betting man I'd say you have a weakness for the latest and greatest. So my suggestion would be to get in the habit of backing up your important pictures and files for when the inevitable happens. Like Mark I prefer to let others be the test pilots. But every now and then I DL suspicious programs just to see how good (bad) it is. But I do it knowing to expect things and I'm prepared.

Acrobat Reader.......aaah yes. Love it. Hate it. Kind of like a pack mule. Reliable and just as stubborn. Doesn't like to play well with others, especially if you try to tell it to go home. When you closeout acrobat reader it doesn't really go away. By default it will drop down into the system tray but can't be seen. However, you can see it in the Process List. Just click on it in the Process List and then click End Process.

Hi Regis, I admit I like the latest and greatest gadets and toys (only if I can afford them ), but not when it comes to my pc's. I just bought the iriver clix 4GB flash mp3 player for my daughter for Christmas, and I've been reading it was designed around WMP11, and although using WMP10 is supposedly fine and compatible, there are some features of the player that are only utilized w/ WMP11. If it's buggy though, I will leave it alone. I haven't really looked into it yet, but I recall a few comments about how "great" 11 was. I'm definately not into being a beta test monkey, not into that at all. I want it only after all, or atleast most of the bugs are worked out.

Thanks for the Acrobat info...that explains why it stays in there after I close the pdf files, and see it when rebooting. I figured I did a bad install of either FireFox or Adobe. Using the end process will help out I'm sure, esp with the little RAM on my laps. Ram is on my Christmas list btw....hopefully Mrs. Clause will come through for me.

[mmarinov]

Acrobat Reader.......aaah yes. Love it. Hate it. Kind of like a pack mule.

You ever had the "pleasure" of upgrading to 7? Multiple reboots and about three iterations of InstallShield. And this was at work too which made me real productive.

[epricedright]

I uninstalled IE7 without a hitch. Back to IE6. I also verified adobe running as a process in the task manager - yep it's still there after closing a pdf file opened from the net. I noticed though if I open a pdf file from My Documents, and close it, it closes out of the running processes in TM. So apparently it keeps running only if you open a pdf file from a browser. That happened with both Firefox and IE.

Spyware: I now recall Bill Gates verifying if my OS was licensed (not bootleg) while doing the IE7 upgrade. How intrusive! What else was he doing while he was verifying my OS, that I wasn't made aware of?

Here's another...after getting IE7, I went to weather.com. There was an ad on there for a weather toolbar made for IE7 that gives you your local weather and forecast. I thought cool! Can't be as bad as that Weatherbug was. So I DL it and whenever I would open my browser, I would get a huge Orbitz pop-up advertisement beneath my browser. Minimize my browser, and there's ORBITZ! So I unistalled the weather bar in add/remove and after that, whenever I go to weather.com, I get that pop up...Still! On my other lap, whenever I go to weather.com, no pop-up. So apparently, the DL left a tentacle (prong) in my registry calling up the pop-up when I visit weather.com. What BS! I do recall when I did the uninstall, it asked if I wanted to do the normal or custom (not those words exactly) uninstall, so like a dummy I chose normal. I feel if I opted for the other one, I could have taken that crap out. I guess I could reinstall it and then uninstall the other way....will do if I get bored. It's on the kid's/wife's lap, and they never look at the weather anyhow.

I'm learning!

[TDK]

Installed IE7...

Could not figure out how to eliminate extra screen line filled with tabs.

Uninstalled (nicely I'll agree)

Problem solved.

Odd that every toolbar thinks its so special that it deserves another screen line and won't join up with others even it there is room.

Any program that won't cede screen space per the user's desires - is abject ignorance on the part of the code author.

Now, if anyone can figure a regristry hack to completely kill off the insanely obnoxious "Reviewing" toobar (only on any Office document that you import from anyone else...), please let me know.

Thanks for the rant time!

[epricedright]

What's a good weather site, with perhaps a little temp readout in the task bar? Anyone like weatherunderground or Accuweather? Someone once told me of a good site, but I can't recall the name. I didn't see it googling.

[Regis]

eprice,

The object, in your situation of less RAM, is to have less on your system tray. I have over a gig of ram and that's still my rule....less things on the system tray. Which equals less Processes running which equals faster smoother running operating system. Also having that little active temperature readout means smaller bandwith. And what kind of information is it sending/ receiving? Nothing is for free.

I like weather.com and use it everyday. But I don't allow Javascript and pop-ups so I don't get all the nonsense and the page leaps right up. I have a Weather folder in my Favorites and have the page with my zip code saved. Takes me maybe 3 seconds to call up my local weather.

[epricedright]

Hi Regis,

You're right, that's the last thing I need - another item in my sys tray. I keep my startup items there to the barebones minimum through msconfig. I've always used weather.com as well, but was turned off by that DL. I used to use a local news station's weather readout in my tray, but learned they were being invasive, so I uninstalled that. My pop-up blocker is enabled, but I still get that pop-up from weather.com on that one laptop, after downloading that weather toolbar.

Could you please give me an example of javascript on a web page? Maybe a specific website so I can see what it looks like? All I know is that it's an html language. Right now I have it enabled. I take it I won't miss any pertinent info on websites by disabling it and that's the thing to do? Thanks!

[Regis]

Go to weather.com and view the front page. Make a mental note of what it looks like. Then disable Javascript (use the directions on this link if you don't have a setting on your firewall: http://www.answers.vt.edu/ask4help/email/vtkb2083.htm ), refresh the browser and note the changes. The difference should be obvious.

Now in that Security section under Tools you can regulate which sites to allow javascript and which sites it's disabled on. You should be able to figure it out. A good firewall will have quick tweaks that make javascript handling much easier and convenient. But it's pretty easy to setup on the browser itself if you don't have a quick tweak setting on your firewall.

[epricedright]

Thanks Regis! I see what it is now. Most anything that moves and animates is javascript I take it? The kids favorite sites (Nick, Disney and Cartoon Network) are full of it. I had to leave it enabled on theirs. I disabled it on my laptop and couldn't reply to this post. Maybe because I was using the "rich text editor"? What ever that is. So left it enabled. I'm using Firefox and didn't see a way to enable javascript on select sites. I did see that on IE earlier.

I installed Firefox 2 on the kids pc, I didn't see the older version to download. They liked the tabs, so...I'm now a test pilot. It looks very similiar to IE7 - has the tabs that slide off the end - they only shrink so much. With Firefow version 1.5.0.8, the tabs shrink really small so you can get 30+ tabs up and see them all at once.

While looking again at the kid's pc, I noticed the pop-up blocker was disabled. That was why I was getting the weather.com/Orbitz pop-up. Darn kids. So disregard the above comments about weather.com.

I'm using the Windows firewall. My Linksys wireless router is secured as well. Do you recommend I get an additional firewall or should I be ok?

[adallak]

I have both IE7 and Opera installed. When I get tired of IE I switch to Opera and back. LOL

[rmac-etc]

Hey adallak, been using opera for years, just got a new company issue pc and firefox is standard equip. so have been using it for a couple of days. not bad .... haven't tried ie7 yet. Always liked Opera.

[Regis]

Eprice,

Animations, floating ads, certain pop-ups, and better web page functionality are just some of the things javascript allows. But probably the most important concern of javascript is that it allows your true IP address to be seen (even if you use a router). Now you can see why it's something you might want to disable, depending on the site. And FYI, most free firewalls don't have the ability to block or disable javascript.

[GreenMachine]

IE7 is NOT FREE. There is no spyware/adware etc in it. You payed for it when you bought windows, you also payed for Windows Media player. Thats why you have to go threw the windows genuine verification for it.

You may have to upgrade your anti-spy ware/adware etc programs for any issues that come up.

If your experiencing more than usual spyware/adware its most likely because of the websites you visit, not the new internet explorer. No matter what broweser you use, you are at equal risk for spyware/adware etc. You will need external programs from your browser to keep the system clean.

You may be receiving messages that you didn't before because the security settings may have defaulted to a higher or lower level, some security levels allow it block things silently, while other levels ask the user if they want to allow the source in question.

General rule of thumb, if you didn't ask for it, deny it.

I use AVG Anti-virus (free for residential users, commercial business have to pay, thats ow they make thier money and offer the home user dumbed down versions.) I also have AVG-Anti-Virus, same deal, except if you want the resident shield you have to pay.

I also use Spybot-Search and Destroy with residant shield (active protection really) and Spyware Guard. Spyware Blaster is a great system that blocks actual web pages and prevents IE from going there and downloading in teh first place (also does the same for Firefox).

Its also important to download the TRUE VERSIONS of the above, some imitate that above and actually do the opposite and install garbage on your system.

Links to the above software:

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

http://javacoolsoftware.com/

http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

[Regis]

You know egreen, I was going to reply with a rather harsh reality check. Including information from a buddy of mine that writes programs for nanotechnology but then I came to my senses. I understand where you're coming from.....idealism. What I know is obviously different from what you know and believe. I'm not going to waste my time trying to persuade you but I would encourage you to do some detailed research and keep and open mind regardless of what you may have previously purchased or have installed on your computer. The reality of life is that things aren't always what they appear to be.

[GreenMachine]

You know egreen, I was going to reply with a rather harsh reality check. Including information from a buddy of mine that writes programs for nanotechnology but then I came to my senses. I understand where you're coming from.....idealism. What I know is obviously different from what you know and believe. I'm not going to waste my time trying to persuade you but I would encourage you to do some detailed research and keep and open mind regardless of what you may have previously purchased or have installed on your computer. The reality of life is that things aren't always what they appear to be.

I'm always open to find out whats wrong with the programs I use. My research into these shows that they are safe to use and great to use. I'd like to know what is wrong with the programs I've been using.

Also why wouldn't a past IE or alternative browser (Firefox, opera etc) contain Spyware and such. From my understaind the biggest thing with the new IE is the fact that you can send information (no personal) and feedback back to microsoft, but that can easily be disabled (heck the browser asks when you first start it up and its tutorial about what you want to disable).

I also know about a program (called no script) that is a great accessory ad don to Firefox to let you choose what sites run javascript. IN the end it all comes down to what sites you visit, if your in "risky" terrority, like myspace pages or some XXX stuf then of course your running the risk, but sites likes this one, or Microsoft.com or http://www.wwiionline.com or the website I manage http://10mdiv.wwiionline.org, your going to be in a "safer" zone.

[Regis]

EGreen,

No matter what I say and no matter how right I am, I am just not going to win (so to speak) against your vigorous 18 year old mentality. I've been there and I know what I'm up against. I'll just be banging my head against the wall (Scotty I need that picture lol). I'm sorry you didn't find my post enlightening but then again you read it with your eyes and mind closed. You didn't want to believe that something that you like and enjoy could be so tainted. Functionally IE7 is just fine. Does what it claims, which it should, and for that I give it a thumbs up. It's the things that are going on in the background, without one's knowledge, that concerns me. But it obviously doesn't bring you concern or otherwise you would at least think "Hmmm what if....." and not be so closed to the possibilities or probability.

I'll end with something to ponder and hopefully open your mind a little. Just because you buy something doesn't mean you're all of a sudden priviledged to all information regarding the purchased item(s). Assuming that would be understandable but naive. This website for example collects data on who visited, when, how often, what pages were viewed, how long, how many, links clicked, etc (doesn't mean Bruce actually uses or applies the information). Does Bruce come out and tell you these things? And I paid for my membership. Does that matter? Your parents television set has resistor/module that has a "designed" shelf life. Bet they weren't told that by the manufacturer. And the ipod. Did you know that also has a designed shelf life as well. How about the black box in cars to record crash data. Were those car buyers informed of its existence when buying? Hopefully you get the point and if not then that's fine too. Microsoft needs plenty of test pilots and data to sell. Things are not what they always appear to be.

[epricedright]

Regis, the brief research I did after you mentioned spyware/adware tied to IE indicated that was the case. But I wasn't going to argue with an 18 year old either. I knew EVERYTHING then too when I was that age. Didn't we all?

EGreen, not sure if you were implying this or not, but for the record, I don't visit porn sites. I too have, run and update AVG Free, Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy regularly.

[Regis]

Regis, the brief research I did after you mentioned spyware/adware tied to IE indicated that was the case. But I wasn't going to argue with an 18 year old either. I knew EVERYTHING then too when I was that age. Didn't we all?

eprice,

Are you kidding me? I did know everything at 18. It's only later on that I found out that everything I knew back then was wrong. LOL

I like EGreen and he'll do ok. Like you implied, we've all been there. I miss that feeling of being bulletproof the most. Heck, now I yelp when I get a papercut. And how come it takes so long to heal?

[GreenMachine]

If I came off as sounding "know it all" I apologize but the info I've been told and fed but people who claim to be "experts" differs.

I like to weigh all the evidence before I make a conclusion, and through talking with guys who build computers (not really that hard if you have couching the first time) and program stuff.

All I was asking for was your evidance that the above programs are taking my information.

Now IE7 DOES "Spy" on you for information of your windows version, hardware configuration, and software version, but the "feedback" stuff in the tutorial can be disabled....unless I'm wrong, which I may very well be.

I'm always open to new suggestions, heck if I wasn't I would still be trying to fix my blasted windows 98 machine and never built my own for half the cost of a DELL

In contrast I'm am sorry if I came over "know it all" but the comments after what I said, and made by you were somewhat condescending.

I also was not trying to imply that you look at porn. I was simply making a point of two contrasts or different ends of the spectrum.