Once Again, Don't Click On Suspicious Irc Links
Sniper_Chance
Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10549Members
Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10549Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Warning to IE users</div> Me and probably, most of Gamesurge have witnessed yet another lame virus link.
Once again: <b>Do not click on suspicious links from people you may/may not know. Your friends could even be infected. Do not be gullible.</b>
IF YOU ARE INFECTED, <a href='http://virusremoval.net-addicts.net/' target='_blank'>FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THIS PAGE.</a>
In fact, play it safe. Use <a href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/' target='_blank'>Firefox</a> instead of IE, and you'll never have to worry about these links anymore.
This is just a repeat of any past warnings about IRC links. If a mod feels it necessary, then sticky this thread.
Once again: <b>Do not click on suspicious links from people you may/may not know. Your friends could even be infected. Do not be gullible.</b>
IF YOU ARE INFECTED, <a href='http://virusremoval.net-addicts.net/' target='_blank'>FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THIS PAGE.</a>
In fact, play it safe. Use <a href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/' target='_blank'>Firefox</a> instead of IE, and you'll never have to worry about these links anymore.
This is just a repeat of any past warnings about IRC links. If a mod feels it necessary, then sticky this thread.
Comments
Same for Opera, and just about every other browser I can think of, there is no need to worry if you aren't using IE.
Mozilla and Firefox are invulnerable, because they comply to standards. IE gets hit because it doesn't listen to the MIME filetype (the .jpg on the end) and compares it against its internal database FIRST. Which is a direct and intentional standards-violation.
Oh, and if you switch to Mozilla or FireFox, you stop getting the annoying 'IE errors' on these forums.. all forms work properly, including the Search pages, submissions won't give a 'cannot be displayed'...
I'd heavily recommend anyone with two brain cells to rub together download and install it. It's NOT hard, and you'll thank yourself later.
I'd like to quote someone at the forums with this one: "If someone says he's got a problem and you say you don't have a problem so there can't be one, is the same as him saying his leg is broken and you replying *Really? Mine's working all fine so nothing is wrong*"
But on the topic now: I'd love to use mozilla and stuff like that but Im with windows XP, and like XP and pretty much any other Win OE, they tend to be rather IExplorer friendly. You know, I did use mozilla because of IE borkage before the format of my HD, but I noticed that no matter what is the default browser set to, clicking links in irc or msn or such just make IE pop up and be used. So it's pretty much useless, and in fact waaaay too fussy to start using other than the standard in windows operating systems imo.
Talesin, i'll just put aside your offensive remark about my intelligence and reply to the fact that I'll instead use my "two braincells" into not clicking links without knowing what it is.
The mIRC thing isn't caused by XP as far as I can see, because even XP opens links in firefox. I personally have stopped clicking links in mIRC because of this. But oh well, I'm not using mIRC much anyway.
As for MSN, can't comment on that, because I'm not using MSN <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->. <a href='http://www.miranda-im.org/' target='_blank'>Miranda</a> opens them just fine <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
But, put short, the only place I experience IE-focusing links is in mIRC. Anything else seems to work fine with firefox, even windows itself.
1: There's no way I could live without tabbed browsing. I still remember the days where I had to open the threads one at a time with I.E., rather than just middle-clicking everything I want to read.
2: I'm an irreversible nerd, I don't like doing the "default" thing <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Disallow IE from reaching the internet. One easy way to do that is to tell it to proxy to 127.0.0.1 in the connection settings. This pretty much disables IE (one pleasant side effect is that it removes the ads in steam) for any program that is trying to use it. Another way is simply just block it off with your firewall.
After that, install firefox and set it as default.
Im a bit wary of SP2, they say it may break older programs. What good is a computer that cannot run my classic games?
Good luck, and keep them brain cells rubbing!
I believe Microsoft does this so new users can double click on a file, and if it is recognized, it will open usually regardless of syntax. Not good for security, but great for computer noobs. Would be nice if it could be turned off.
There is an extension available that opens new pages in new tabs instead, so you won't have to middle click.
Tell someone who's 300 pounds overweight that they're incredibly fat and nasty. Then run. After all, it's true, and it MIGHT get them to get up and jiggle around, and eventually drop some of that weight.
Tell someone who's using a moronic, security-hole-filled browser that they're a numbnuts, and they actually might pick up something with at least HALF a clue.
[edit] You know the japanese who eat the puffer fish (fugu) right? Well that is only DANGEROUS if you can't cook it right. Many tell them not to eat it and eat like salmon instead but they don't want to. They CAN cook it right. See my point? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Duh, you need to upgrade to the latest version of the browser name, <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=66836&hl=moonpanda' target='_blank'>Moonpanda</a>
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Im a bit wary of SP2, they say it may break older programs. What good is a computer that cannot run my classic games?
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thats why I still use 98SE... annother plus was I didn't get MSBlast or its cousins <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I haven't had any problems with IE so I stick with it.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Didn't you just get done telling us how you'll have to be careful about what links you click? I'd call that a problem. Not that I approve of Tailsin's conversion approach...
Or what if you're browsing a 'trusted' site, which has a MIME-exploit 'JPEG' on accident as a banner ad, or innocuous link topic? They don't need to be a page to themselves, after all, and site admins DO make mistakes.
The point is, IE is filled with security holes BECAUSE it doesn't follow the standards set for browsers. It has FAR fewer features, and is actually quite a bit slower (and has a larger memory footprint) than a build of Mozilla (or Moonpanda) with the debugging options turned off.
To draw a parallel, Windows is a house. IE is the car in the garage that came with the house... but it's a beat-up Pinto. It's missing the side mirrors, one of the tires is flat, and it's picked up 'speed holes' from every teeny-bopper who's ever taken a crack at it. You can crash it easily, and when it does, you're in deep... problems.
Mozilla is closer to a van. It's got a lot of stuff in it, but at the stock level it has a lot of stuff put on for testing purposes.
Moonpanda is a Mitsubishi GT3000. There are aftermarket versions available for free, tuned specifically to your driving style.
It's not only a question of where you're going, because all of them will get you there eventually. It's a question of if you want to get there quickly, safely, and in style.
I begin opening a large program or running an installation file that requires large amounts of CPU usage and the hard drive to spin.
Double click Firefox. It begins to load.
Double click Internet Explorer. It begins to load, and completes.
Program or installation file still loading.
I open a bookmark on IE, which loads the page.
Program or installation file still loading.
I click on a new link in IE, load a new page.
The program or installation file ends loading.
Firefox opens.
Sure, IE is built in the engine (I know that's what you're going to say). But in every respect, IE loads faster on my computer. Even though I agree that Internet Explorrer has its faults, I think you're being overly dramatic on how you present those faults.
Now, don't get me wrong, I don't like Internet Explorer. Even when I'm careful, I still fall prey to trojans and other spyware just by surfing around message boards (free EZBoard accounts display ads with trojans in them). Once that began to happen, I stopped using it. Now I don't use Internet Explorer unless I need to (mostly websites that require it).