


Plugin Lets Users Turn IE into Firefox 542
An anonymous reader writes "There is a new plugin available for IE that can make Internet Explorer resemble Firefox by adding tabbed browsing capabilities and an integrated search box. Moreover, the plugin improves IE's privacy and security by integrating a firewall designed to block out Internet exploits, phishing sites, spammers, spyware and worms, with a special HTTP filter that removes private data, and an anti-spyware tool that can identify and remove all pests in less then 10 seconds"
Wrong Way (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Wrong Way (Score:5, Informative)
It's not half bad... and it can be configured to use either the IE or Gecko engine (which, unless I'm completely mistaken, is at the heart of Firefox).
Maxthon ain't half bad... (Score:5, Interesting)
Supports multiple proxies, autorefresh (these are available as addons to firefox), and has tabs (inc undo), switchable disable of activex, download and ad managers.
Took me a while to find the Gecko engine, but there's details at their forums [maxthon.com]. Unfortuately its a bloody ActiveX plugin with the Gecko engine in, and its huge!
I'm impressed - Its certainly better than IE - and suitable as a replacement for it, and very quick. Surprisingly, it actually runs WindowsUpdate faster than IE6 does on my PC [after Disabling Windows Advantage [derp.co.uk], naturally]
There's some faults that let it down but working with IE, its probably the best they could do
Having said that and having used it, I'm still going to stick with Firefox!
Though I am going to keep it installed along with OffByOne [offbyone.com] - [thanks to Artifakt [slashdot.org] who i saw mentioned it yesterday] not many features (no iframes, even!) but small enough to run on a floppy! Comes in very useful occassionally!
Duguk
Re:Maxthon ain't half bad... (Score:4, Informative)
Or you can just double click a tab to close it. That's a big seller for me. I hate having to right click just to close a tab.
Maxthon also has the ability to open the last page that was viewed or if the brower crashes you can resume all of the paegs your were looking at!
Just a question. Why not turn off active X and scripts if you want IE to be more secure??
Re:Maxthon ain't half bad... (Score:3, Funny)
That's what she said....
Re:Maxthon ain't half bad... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Maxthon ain't half bad... (Score:3, Informative)
I've used MyIE2 and it didn't bundle with spyware at the time (this was about a year ago.)
I'm pretty sure you're thinking about Cool Web Search..
Which changed to My Web Search..
and is probably Nude Web Search by now.
And yes that guy is a parasite from hell, and I would bet at least 30% U.S. homes have it installed as an IE toolbar and don't even realize it because it was installed as part of a hidden package from the 'HUGE NEW SUPER GREAT EMOTICONS FOR MSN' or from one of the MANY other pa
Re:Maxthon ain't half bad... (Score:3, Informative)
IAAT also and I just recently cleaned a home system of a colleague of multiple spyware/adware/malware and it took 4+ hours to get it clean. CoolWebSearch was a big part of the length of cleaning time. I ran 3 or 4 different removal tools, did 2 manual removal procedures and had to literally tear a registry key out of the registry by force to get the thing clean. This key
Re:Maxthon ain't half bad... (Score:5, Funny)
No, they changed the name because it had IE in it.
I love Maxthon! (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Wrong Way (Score:2)
Re:Wrong Way (Score:5, Informative)
Merry Christmas (Score:4, Informative)
http://www.websitepromotion.ws/firefoxie/ [websitepromotion.ws]
Re:Wrong Way (Score:4, Funny)
as IE??? That's how I read it at first
Re:Wrong Way (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Wrong Way (Score:3, Insightful)
Mod me -1, I dare you!
Re:Wrong Way (Score:2)
Wouldn't it be easier to just customize the toolbar and drag the search bar off?
Re:Wrong Way (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Wrong Way (Score:5, Insightful)
Perhaps you could identify common locations that are used to identify Windows versions and leave pointers to a text file explaining exactly what you've done. This would allow tech support to determine that the customer has been deceived and has wasted their money, and to point them back toward you for vengeance (and give you the chance to supply an OSS program that does the same thing for free).
Re:Wrong Way (Score:4, Interesting)
When a "stealth install" blows up in someone's face and you find yourself in court, you will have reinforced all the negative stereotypes of the Geek. God help you if actually try to collect that 120 quid from an "older person," a pensioner, perhaps, who wants his Windows system back in order as you promised.
Re:Wrong Way (Score:5, Insightful)
You, sir, are a fucking disgrace. You embody everything the public finds repellent about the "arrogant techie" stereotype, and are unethical, deceitful and (if any money or reward changes hands as a result of your "service") likely comitting fraud to boot.
"All these users are older people who use their computers for web browsing and printing mostly, and I take my experiences so far as a kind of scientific 'evidence' that this class of users can't tell the difference."
So that makes it alright? Supposing one of them goes and buys a new family-tree plotting app, or garden-design program (to choose two examples my aunty recently bought) - what happens then? They're faced with a long, expensive call to tech support, which likely still won't the problem that you caused them. Eventually they (stupidly) turn to you again, and what do you tell them?
"Oh, right, yeah, that won't work - get your money back from the shop, if you can get them to believe that a version of 'Windows' won't run this certified 'Windows' application. Oh, and (if you're exceptionally lucky) here's a barely-maintained buggy-as-fuck butt-ugly hobby OSS version of something so pathetically niche that it'll never attract any kind of decent development community, to replace the version you just spent half your pension buying."
"If you service machines for friends and family try this. Don't ask, just do what is good for them. After all they are putting their absolute trust in your computer knowledge, to do anything less is to fail them in."
More like: "After all, they are putting their absolute trust in your computer knowledge, so to do this is to utterly and arrogantly violate that trust in the worst way possible."
Look, if you're sick of fixing computers for family, friends or others, just fucking tell them. Give them a choice of either switching to (your special version of) Linux or compensating you for the time you waste fixing their Windows boxes.
Alternatively, they can stop coming to you altogether and instead pay to have a computer shop fix it.
Under no circumstances is it ever ethical to violate their trust, especially not because you think you've got away with it so far.
For comparison, suppose you went to the doctor, and he told you you had gangrene. You'd expect some explanation of the options and some (pretty strong) recommendations, but ultimately it's your decision what happens.
You wouldn't expect the doctor to simply club you unconscious, chainsaw off your leg and bandage the stump.
"So what?" he might say - I've prevented it spreading to the rest of your system and killing you! You'll retain the use of your other limbs, and for anything you can't do with them, here's a half-arsed prosthetic replacement for your missing limb. Sure it might look a bit nasty, and doesn't always work too well, and sometimes breaks, but look - you can take the cover off and mess about with how it works inside! Ok, you're not a prosthetics expert, and so probably never will, but this clearly makes up for my complete lack of consultation before my arbitrarily rearranging your entire physiology!"
Jesus. Whatever happened to professional ethics?
You're the kind of person that gives us geeks a bad name.
Re:Wrong Way (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Wrong Way (Score:3, Informative)
I don't know what your problem is.
Re:Wrong Way (Score:3, Funny)
Free Linux [freebsd.org]
Open Linux [openbsd.org]
Net Linux [netbsd.org]
Re:Wrong Way (Score:5, Insightful)
I love Linux. Use it on all of my servers and maintain hundreds of them for a living. I even have a stuffed Tux hanging from my rearview mirror. But Linux is a real pain in the ass on a workstation.
On a server, I expect to recompile my software occasionally. It's a server. It's finicky. It takes time to do right. I don't mind that.
But I won't do that on my workstation. Screwing with dependencies sucks. 9 times out of 10 when I go to install or upgrade some package, it requires a new version of x, which requires a new version of x, y, and z, which each require a new version of h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p, and half of the packages refuse to install and only break my system with I try to force them.
Screw that.
Hey, I'm not defending Windows. It sucks in it's own special way.
Hmm. Now I don't know why I posted this, or what my point even was. Nevermind...
Re:Wrong Way (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Wrong Way (Score:5, Funny)
Oh dear, that's not good.
Re:Wrong Way (Score:3, Informative)
How long has it been since you've used Linux?! Every distro I can think of will automatically fill dependencies. They also provide one central point to upgrade all your installed software. The early RPM-based distros where you had to hunt for your own packages were awful, but Linux and the BSDs are now lightyears ahead of Windows when it comes to software management.
right... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:right... (Score:5, Insightful)
Yeah, but there are certain occasions where Firefox is of no help (e.g., IE-only web pages, ActiveX stuff, etc.). An IE plugin with these security features would tremendously cut down on some of the major malware problems that many people are currently facing. All without having to switch browsers, too.
Don't get me wrong, I love Firefox as much as the next Slashdotter, but don't we all want a more secure Internet Explorer for our Windows-using friends as well?
Re:right... (Score:5, Interesting)
This is going to sound completely selfish but I say no - because in the longterm, I want people to have more of an incentive to turn away from Microsoft - not keep using it. Or at least not give companies an excuse to design IE-only compatible websites.
I think any other free alternative is better than a MS dominated future. Hell, MS didn't even make this plug-in so how can I trust them to secure the rest of their apps?
IE-only web pages... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:right... (Score:2, Interesting)
I know what's good for them, so if I could conceivably trick them into using a better tool, we can chalk up another victory for (more) secure browsing.
Re:right... (Score:3, Interesting)
So I have to use two browsers, one for regular browsing and one for internal website (expense reports, hr, timesheet, etc. etc). I'd love to be able to have tabs for IE so that I don't end up with multiple windows for intranet sites. I'll pr
Alternate download link (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Alternate download link (Score:2)
The web page looks very much like a Mozilla Foundation/Corporation page. I wonder what their intentions really are?
Re:Alternate download link (Score:2)
Foxie is not a Firefox "rip-off". On the contrary, the Foxie Project was originally designed to bring all the great functionality of Firefox to Internet Explorer users. The fact is that the overwhelming majority of web users still use Internet Explorer as their default web browser.
The reasons a person might choose IE over Firefox can vary from reluctance to switch browsers, imposed restrictions, personal preference, or the inherit problems of Firefox (
Re:Alternate download link (Score:2)
Really, would it be so hard to add a "Coralize Links" button to the Story Submission form?
Sheep in Fox clothing (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Sheep in Fox clothing (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Sheep in Fox clothing (Score:3, Insightful)
Not that I need for firefox to "take over the browser market," but it'd be nice if people would just take a chance.
Re:Sheep in Fox clothing (Score:2, Funny)
It's like... like... choosing a guy over a girl for rough anal sex.
Sure, with the guy you get the job done, but sheesh, you feel dirty afterwards.
The latter, however, gets the job done AND makes you feel like a man.
--
Laugh, damn it! It's a joke!
Firefox? (Score:2)
Re:Firefox? (Score:2)
10 seconds? I doubt it. (Score:5, Insightful)
What heuristics are they using that can find and zap all unmentionables in 10 seconds? Has "anonymous reader" ever run a virus/spyware scan before?
Re:10 seconds? I doubt it. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:10 seconds? I doubt it. (Score:2)
Yahoo Cache [66.218.69.11]
Oddly, Google does not have the page cached.
Re:10 seconds? I doubt it. (Score:2)
Re:10 seconds? I doubt it. (Score:3, Interesting)
I run linux, and admittedly I haven't got around to it, but I do know of linux boxen getting cracked, so root kit scanners and tripwire stuff is almost as important on a *nix box as spybot/adaware on a windows box.
How about a plugin that turns Firefox into IE... (Score:2, Funny)
Misleading title. (Score:5, Insightful)
Mods be damned, Scuttlemonkey's submissions are getting more and more similar to mass-media headlines. This title has the express purpose of starting a flamewar on the world's most popular anti-ms site.
It makes IE look somewhat like firefox, and adds some lacking functionality that makes it work somewhat like firefox. The two are neither identical nor interchangable.
Re:Misleading title. (Score:5, Funny)
April fool's already? (Score:2)
Kind of silly not to just use Firefox, eh?
Nice, but (Score:2, Funny)
Wouldn't it be easier (Score:2)
Dead (Score:2)
That didn't take long at all...
Re:Dead (Score:5, Funny)
Or you could just use Firefox... (Score:4, Insightful)
Mom always said (Score:5, Funny)
Reply (Score:2)
old news (Score:2)
Returning to IE (Score:2, Insightful)
As a tech-savvy net browser, I am able to avoid/repair any spam or malware I might pick up with IE, so displaying pages correctly and avoiding the various small bugs of FireFox was what led me back to Microsoft. I'm sure there are many p
My recent horror story (Score:4, Interesting)
Well, fate finally caught up to me. I was browsing a Google cache of a discussion group. Within seconds, the IE toolbar had been taken over, icons were installing on the desktop, and my computer rebooted, only to never come up again.
The aftermath was really messy. I got about four hours of sleep that night, trying to clean and fix things. By the next day, I'd mounted the drives on another computer and cleaned it, but it still wouldn't boot. I then had massive problems with Windows Activation, getting stuck in Microsoft call center Hell. Eventually I managed to install the Windows 2003 Server setup from an inactivated Windows XP Pro installation and it worked.
Needless to say, I've added additional security, as well as switching to Firefox. Going through that level of pain and suffering is the biggest motivator to moving away from Microsoft that I've experienced in a long time. My guess is that since the Windows 2003 Server browser is so locked down, they don't bother fixing holes.
Re:Returning to IE (Score:3, Informative)
There are a lot of people that do this, though I think it is unfortunate.
As for speed, I'm OK with Firefox all the way down to a 400MHz Pentium II. Sure, IE is faster but for the IMO minor speed increase you get the malware risk. I'd rather spend another sub-second waiting for a page to render than spend an evening removing
Now I need a plugin... (Score:2)
Really ? (Score:2)
Momentary layout change? (Score:5, Interesting)
I don't think it could have been a glitch in the rendering; it looked too orderly and intentioned.
Re:Momentary layout change? (Score:3, Funny)
Hardly "turn IE into firefox" (Score:2)
Why bother? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Why bother? (Score:2)
Sure there are: virus writers, phishers, identity thieves, etc.
Plugin Control (Score:3, Funny)
What about fixing IE's broken rendering engine? (Score:4, Insightful)
Does this plugin address any of that? I'm guessing not, since it wouldn't likely be possible to do that with IE through a simple plugin. At any rate, that makes this thing much less interesting IMO.
Can it... (Score:5, Insightful)
Does it support popup blocking? Find-as-you-type?
well...
The firewall's working already! (Score:2)
Who is this for? (Score:2)
Check out Avant Browser (Score:2, Informative)
I am the only hacker I know who actually prefers IE (security zones are a killer feature once you fix the stupid defaults), but I do miss tabbed browsing. A while ago, I went looking for tabbed browsing for IE and came across Avant Browser [avantbrowser.com]. It's an MDI interface for IE, each tab containing an IE web browser control. My only complaint is a user interface bug where it loses focus in the browser control itself when I alt-tab to a different application. I'll have to try this new plug-in and see if it's any
BugMeNot (Score:2)
Am I the only one thinking this is a joke? (Score:2)
What would Admiral Ackbar do?
Yell: It's a Trap!
Niceness! (Score:2)
but the rendering! (Score:2)
Why stop at the browser.. (Score:2)
Cross-dressing is nothing to be ashamed of. Plug-in the real you here [wigworld.com].
Trademark infringement? (Score:5, Interesting)
Trademark infringement, anyone? Did you see their logo? And the layout of their web page is clearly designed to blur the distinction between the Mozilla Foundation and whatever organization or company owns this project.
It appears to me that this group is trying to piggy-back on the success of the Firefox name and image in order to further their own product.
Re:Trademark infringement? (Score:5, Funny)
Full mirror of article (Score:5, Informative)
It wasn't obvious to me if you needed to be admin to install. If so, it kind of blows the argument of giving corporate types who are locked to IE an alternative.
Nothing New (Score:2)
Pwned!!!! (Score:2)
OK, have installed it. Report time: (Score:5, Informative)
It's heavily tied in with Ask Jeeves; it comes bundled with their desktop search, and you can't change the search button to go anywhere else.
It comes with a desktop firewall, spyware cleaner and privacy shredder (cookie/temp files deleter) but I'll leave someone with a clean VM image to try those things on thankyou!
While it would be nice to have tabs and a search box in IE, those are not the features of Firefox that make me use it. If you did something like "block ActiveX in IE", you'd get close, but then all those things that require IE wouldn't work.
The adblocker works. It displays boxes with "Ad blocked" rather than no ad at all, and lets you show them by clicking on them.
I look after a lot of people who need to keep using IE for various sites, but I still think that Firefox for general browsing and icons on the desktop for broken sites is the best option.
Hats off to the Foxie people though; it's not OSS and it's likely to be funded/sponsored by a search engine, but will be interesting to see if it gets better. It might be worth throwing on the PCs of people who need to use IE for regular browsing.
Re:OK, have installed it. Report time: (Score:2)
Nothing at all like a "full" antispyware scanner like Spybot or MS/Giant AntiSpyware.
One possible implementation for defanging ActiveX? (Score:3, Informative)
Copy the MS HTML control, binary patch the copy so it has its own registry keys and profile and doesn't get confused with the original. That includes its own HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT!
Using these patched keys, configure it so it will ONLY run ActiveX controls from %SYSTEMROOT%\s
Enough!! (Score:3, Insightful)
Just for one second PLEASE realize that there are legitimate reasons for this plugin. They might not be reasons you would choose, or it could be that are forced on you (businesses), but they are valid nonetheless.
Variant Trials (Score:2, Informative)
I've tried FireFox and Moz flavors, Opera, Maxthon, IE 7, and IE6 with MSN tabs.
drumroll, please (Score:2)
[drumroll............]
It's name is... ahem... Firefox....
I have made IE work EXACTLY like Firefox, like so: (Score:4, Interesting)
2) when your site detects IE, try sending your page as data for the plugin you just had the user install.
3) the plugin passes the rendering of the HTML to firefox which renders inside of the IE window. Your IE window appears to have all of the benefits of firefox while your users still think they're using IE.
You laugh, but I've done it before and it works. The only problem is the big install and making sure that your site uses the plugin if its available.
Plugin Lets Terrorists Turn Firefox into Firefox! (Score:3, Informative)
Internet Explorer rendering in Firefox [mozillazine.org].
NOTE: I haven't tried it out or anything (you'd probably have to read the entire thread and use the unstable branch of Firefox -- 1.0.5), so I can not guarantee anything.
Virus?!? (Score:3, Informative)
This Program is a Hoax! (Score:3, Informative)
Doesnt MAKE it firefox. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:But does it run extensions? (Score:2)
No, Opera failed (in that it hasn't conquered the internet) because of the ads/paying. That was all. FF is popular because it's an IE alternative and there's an insane level of fanboyism for it, particularly here. Partly it's that firefox is in many ways the open source poster child. Everyone and their dog is switching their grandma to firefox to get awa
Re:Or you could use Firefox! (Score:2)