A couple of other websites I'm on are pressuring me to upgrade to Internet Explorer 8. If I do, will I lose the password to this site and any of the others I'm on?
People still use IE?
The upgrade should inherit all the favorites and saved passwords you had with the previous version of IE. Whether IE should be used in lieu of any other browser is a separate question (I use IE only with sites which either won't allow or won't work properly with Firefox).
Okay, at least now I only have to worry about space-related issues.
What version of IE are you currently using? If it's IE6, you probably should have upgraded a long time ago.
Nope. IE7. I remember upgrading to a newer version of Internet Explorer, and I had nothing but trouble from it.
Quote from: hbelkins on May 17, 2012, 12:37:46 PM
People still use IE?
Many companies and corporations still tie everything into Internet Explorer, and usually annoyingly and clumsily so.
To me, I don't complain, because I prefer separate "work and play" browsers.
Re: IE....
At my work, we use one program that works best with IE, and one that works best with Firefox (among others...we each have dual monitors for all the c.r.a.p. that's open at one time). Interestingly, the IE-friendly one doesn't work well when I log on at my house.
Quote from: formulanone on May 17, 2012, 02:39:12 PM
Many companies and corporations still tie everything into Internet Explorer, and usually annoyingly and clumsily so.
Indeed. While I am allowed to have Firefox on my work computer (and do), our expense reporting system only works properly in IE (for whatever reason). Same for our corporate filesharing service (because the method of tying an MS Office Program to the site only works with an MS Browser).
I would strongly recommend using LastPass to keep track of your passwords; then, it doesn't matter what you do to your computer; as long as you can remember your LastPass password, you'll have secure access to your passwords. You can use other browsers at the same time, and all of your passwords get saved to your LastPass account.
Same deal with XMarks (which LastPass owns), except for your bookmarks/favorites instead of passwords.
If you have Windows XP, you can only upgrade to IE8. Vista and Windows 7 can go to IE9
Then this Last Pass company will have all your passwords. What if they are hacked?
One assumes the password data is stored on your hard drive, as with any such password remembering software - not remotely on a server which LastPass maintains. Because then yes, that would be a huge security risk.
Not quite. LastPass went to very extensive lengths to design the system so that nobody but you can see your data, because otherwise, what's the point?
If you want the full explanation, Steve Gibson of Gibson Research and of the popular Security Now podcasts did an in-depth investigation of LastPass and how it works. To get the transcript, go here: http://www.grc.com/sn/sn-256.htm. Or, just watch the episode: http://twit.tv/sn256
Brief Explanation:
Yes, LastPass stores the data on its servers. But they built an encryption scheme that's done entirely on your computer, based on your LastPass username and password. It uses your computer to encrypt the usernames and passwords you're storing in LastPass first before being sent to LastPass's servers.
But better yet, LastPass built the system so that, if they're ever hacked, all the hackers get is a bunch of pseudorandom noise. That's also all LastPass employees will ever get, or the government with a subpoena. LastPass went to great lengths to NOT have access to the information needed to decrypt your user data, both to bolster confidence in its security and to prevent law enforcement harassment to turn over data. This is as much about protecting themselves as it is protecting you.
I understand your apprehension, Bugo, and the "what if they are hacked" question prevented me from signing on until I got the full explanation on how it works. The "Security Now" podcast link I provided goes into mind-numbing detail on the specifics of LastPass's scheme, and as a result of this information I have complete confidence in LastPass.
IE is still the default browser at my workplace. But I would not choose it for personal reasons.
On my Mac I use Safari, Firefox and Chrome. Safari is the Mac default but for some reason, on my computer it does not render a lot of sites properly. Chrome and Firefox both have their good points.
Re: LastPass: Most online password managers will use your master password as a salt combined with a good encryption system (AES, Blowfish, whatever), with at least 256 bits. Your master password is kept as a hash; hopefully SHA-1 (which was designed by the National Security Agency, by the way) with a decent salt. Long story short, they don't ever see your passwords, nor can they, even with a government subpoena. They'd have to have you master password which they can't see either. There might be badly-designed services (after all, even large companies have been proven to use weak hashes or clear storage; PSN is among those) but hopefully they're not the norm.
Re: Internet Explorer: Please do get a newer version. As a programmer, I can testify that it is a pain in the arse to support old versions of IE, because of the sheer amount of bugs and quirks they have.
Also, a public service announcement: It is a bad idea in general to forget your passwords. ;)
Use Firefox, IE8 is the last for Xp, IE9 is the last for Vista, IE6 Sp1 is the last for 2000 Pro.
Firefox will be supported far longer than the OS itself, Firefox 13 will not run on 2000 Pro for example, or XP pre SP2.
Windows 2000 Professional isn't even supported by Microsoft anymore. In April 2014, neither will Windows XP.
Quote from: JREwing78 on May 24, 2012, 09:21:29 PM
Windows 2000 Professional isn't even supported by Microsoft anymore. In April 2014, neither will Windows XP.
Didn't one XP end-of-life date come and go already? I seem to recall Microsoft reluctantly extending the support date due to large business concerns being unwilling to upgrade from XP. (My workplace still uses XP throughout, for example. I don't think there's a single Windows 7 install anywhere in the building; not in the slot machines, not in the SAS, not in the offices...)
I think this is one of the advantages of the release cycle of most Linux distros. Because there is a release every six months or so, most of them are fairly incremental; it is usually no big deal to go from Fedora 13 to 14 or whatever, which makes it easier to justify upgrading. Which means end-of-life comes much earlier for old versions. (Of course it helps that upgrading is free, and generally as easy as typing a few incantations into the terminal.)
I can't see it going much further. These days Windows 7 is probably as common as XP in businesses, and new XP roll-outs are rare. Plus, when 2014 comes around, calling XP a dinosaur would be generous.
Quote from: deanej on May 25, 2012, 06:56:43 PM
These days Windows 7 is probably as common as XP in businesses, and new XP roll-outs are rare.
We just had one of our vendors replace their entire complement of slot machines with newer model cabinets. Guess what OS they're running!
DOD still uses XP...probably a big reason why Microsoft is still supporting it.
As a systems integrator, I can tell you that, yes - there are still big corporate businesses that still use XP. Win7 is gaining ground. And we have a couple that have actually standardized on Vista.
Quote from: Scott5114 on May 25, 2012, 07:53:11 PM
Quote from: deanej on May 25, 2012, 06:56:43 PM
These days Windows 7 is probably as common as XP in businesses, and new XP roll-outs are rare.
We just had one of our vendors replace their entire complement of slot machines with newer model cabinets. Guess what OS they're running!
For embedded, kiosk, and other single-use systems like slot machines, there are usually zero compelling reasons to upgrade operating systems, particularly if the device isn't networked.
That's what "Windows XP Embedded" was intended for.
Now there's "Windows 7 Embedded."
^^^
But for a fielded embedded system, what's the motivation to upgrade? If it works with XP, upgrading to 7 adds cost and risk while providing no functional benefits. There is a reason some kiosk terminals like ATMs out there still run Windows 3.1 or even MS-DOS. They already have a mature product and don't need any of the new functionality found in a more modern OS.
DOS rocks.
Well, they might need the security updates, but it depends on the kiosk. As was mentioned, Windows 3.1 is still out there, so I wouldn't use those as a motivating factor for extending XP's support.
Quote from: realjd on May 26, 2012, 07:59:04 PM
But for a fielded embedded system, what's the motivation to upgrade? If it works with XP, upgrading to 7 adds cost and risk while providing no functional benefits. There is a reason some kiosk terminals like ATMs out there still run Windows 3.1 or even MS-DOS. They already have a mature product and don't need any of the new functionality found in a more modern OS.
The primary motivation - provided the hardware meets the spec for W7E - is to standardize the image used on the hardware across the board. Streamlines the process when a change is made, and simplifies support when you only have to support one OS.
Security is the other motivator.
If the computer in question didn't have internet access, and there were no software updates or other items that required the upgrade, there's no reason to do so. But the amount of devices that fit that description is declining rapidly.
Quote from: realjd on May 26, 2012, 09:29:30 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on May 25, 2012, 07:53:11 PM
Quote from: deanej on May 25, 2012, 06:56:43 PM
These days Windows 7 is probably as common as XP in businesses, and new XP roll-outs are rare.
We just had one of our vendors replace their entire complement of slot machines with newer model cabinets. Guess what OS they're running!
For embedded, kiosk, and other single-use systems like slot machines, there are usually zero compelling reasons to upgrade operating systems, particularly if the device isn't networked.
Perhaps, but I thought it sort of bizarre that they were using XP on what is effectively a new install (since the old 2006-era machines were being physically removed and replaced with ones manufactured in April). This particular type of machine is a Class II machine, which to make a long story short means that the game results are determined from a server, so there is networking involved. (Even traditional slot machines are networked these days with the advent of cashout vouchers. A server stores and tracks all vouchers in case there is an issue with one not crediting properly. When the network goes down it's sort of hilarious to watch all the machines shit the bed, in an abstract 'this would be funny if I wasn't working here' sort of way.)
Slot machine manufacturers do continue to use newer technology, if not exactly cutting edge, since today's games use all sorts of immersive technology like touchscreen input, high-quality graphics and sound (many slot machines have Bose speakers these days, and some even have surround sound in the chair). For most manufacturers this means newer Linux releases but a few still maintain a custom OS...and then there's two Class II vendors that are still on XP Embedded.
Also you could get "taxed" for using IE7 now:
http://bit.ly/Nk35EC
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 11, 2012, 01:59:31 AM
Also you could get "taxed" for using IE7 now:
http://bit.ly/Nk35EC
a bit of stealth advertising? I had never heard of Kogan before. now I have.
Ow. That's harsh from them.
I don't even know what version of IE is on my home (XP) computer, though it's probably 7 or 8. I use Firefox primarily, and Chrome on occasion. In my web development hobbyist activities, I try to keep things as simple as possible so the browser would have to have some insane quirks to mess it up. I don't use JavaScript if I don't have to.
Just use Chrome. If anything doesn't work in Chrome, then dust off your IE desktop shortcut.
That's what I do. :D
Well, it looks like I'm going to have to get a new computer soon no matter what... maybe even before Christmas. I hope it has enough space for all these alternate browsers.