Internet Browser?

garred · 05-01-2006 12:26pm #1

Tired of spyware on the pc, used ad-aware, spybot, etc. Had Ad-watch, teatimer but still have spyware that cannot remove.

Am going to do a reinstall and was wondering what would be the better equivalent to Internet explorer (not saying that it's whats causing the spyware as me thinks someone else is using my machine). If I choose another browser do I have to do something during windows 2000 install so that ie is'nt installed?

ButtermilkJack · 05-01-2006 12:34pm

As far as I'm aware you can't 'not' install IE. That's what the whole Microsoft monopoly court cases were about apparantly

If anyone can tell me otherwise though I'd be delighted

SwampThing · 05-01-2006 12:39pm

You can't not install it but you can choose not to use it.

Firefox is the browser of choice - once installed, set 'Program Access and Defaults' to not use IE as the default browser.

As you said yourself, this is not the answer to spyware/malware - but it will help a little.

garred · 05-01-2006 12:43pm

Thanks lads, will do the reinstall after lunch. I presume you just google firefox and download.

quazzy · 05-01-2006 12:48pm

yup, that'll do or click below

http://www.mozilla.org/firefox

G'luck

jor el · 05-01-2006 2:06pm

SwampThing wrote:

You can't not install it but you can choose not to use it.

Not quite. You can use nlite to edit your Windows install CD and remove all traces of IE if you like. Be aware though that things like Windows Update won't work if the IE core is removed.

Best option is probably to ignore it and use Firefox, Opera or whatever instead. Firefox gets my vote anyway.

zuma · 05-01-2006 2:09pm

IE6 can be uninstalled if you have XP Lite.

SwampThing · 05-01-2006 4:19pm

jor el wrote:

Be aware though that things like Windows Update won't work if the IE core is removed.

...kinda fundamental, Windows Update.

The original issue here was spyware/malware - not having updates is not likely to help in that regard.

Would anyone actually be bothered to 'edit your Windows install CD and remove all traces of IE' ?

Balfa · 05-01-2006 4:46pm

garred, don't forget to try Opera! Far better than firefox, in my opinion :P

www.opera.com

J2DaC · 05-01-2006 4:54pm

Nah, I like Firefox better, much cleaner and the customizable skins are great. IMO.

Capt'n Midnight · 05-01-2006 6:37pm

zuma wrote:

IE6 can be uninstalled if you have XP Lite.

still leaves behind dll's and other junk like stuff to see help files and WMF's

Best thing to do is to set it up with a junk proxy address so it's don't phone home or connect to the interweb.

AARRRGH · 05-01-2006 7:16pm

While Firefox obviously has less people trying to find security holes in it, I wouldn't let the brainwashed Firefox drones fool you into thinking it's the new Jesus.

Yes, it is more secure at the moment, but it is by nooo means perfect.

I've always used IE and I've never had any spyware/virus problems. I'm simply not mongotastic when it comes to web surfing.

Capt'n Midnight · 05-01-2006 7:21pm

dublindude wrote:

I've always used IE and I've never had any spyware/virus problems. I'm simply not mongotastic when it comes to web surfing.

Todays word is WMFmaker
Google seems to have censored it in the last hour.
Yahoo can still find it.

Balfa · 05-01-2006 11:03pm

dublindude wrote:

I've always used IE and I've never had any spyware/virus problems

Yes, because security is the only reason people choose not to use IE :rolleyes:
I use Opera because of tabbed browsing, mouse gestures, the fact that it's WAY faster than IE (especially when going BACK and FORWARD - way faster than FF in this respect, too), because the whole page, text/images/flash/etc. can be resized on the fly, because it has a class download manager, it's got a miniscule install footprint and a small memory footprint, and because right->left click goes back, to name but a few reasons.

Since I'm also not "mongotastic", security doesn't really mean much to me, but it's an added bonus on top of everything else.

AARRRGH · 05-01-2006 11:47pm

Balfa wrote:

Yes, because security is the only reason people choose not to use IE :rolleyes:
...
Since I'm also not "mongotastic", security doesn't really mean much to me, but it's an added bonus on top of everything else.

Was there really a need for :rolleyes: ?

mukki · 05-01-2006 11:51pm

this reminds me of the film 8 mile

unkel · 05-01-2006 11:56pm

Balfa wrote:

I use Opera because of tabbed browsing, mouse gestures, the fact that it's WAY faster than IE (especially when going BACK and FORWARD - way faster than FF in this respect, too), because the whole page, text/images/flash/etc. can be resized on the fly, because it has a class download manager, it's got a miniscule install footprint and a small memory footprint, and because right->left click goes back, to name but a few reasons

Yep same important reasons why I use it plus a few more. It's also by far the most stable browser even with many pages / tabs loaded, you can automatically reload a page at an interval of your choice, built in superior undo closed tab, superior bookmark management, built in google search, built in page search and a lot of other things that are less important to me

I've used Netscape back in '95. Then 10 years of mainly IE, then ALL versions of FF up to 1.5 Beta and finally Opera 8.5 and I'm delighted with it

Give it a try, you will not regret

unkel · 05-01-2006 11:58pm

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Todays word is WMFmaker

Stop stirring, Capt'n

Balfa · 06-01-2006 2:38am

oh! I forgot one of the most important. Sessions. You can close Opera at any time, turn off your PC, and then come back to it the next day and open Opera, and all the pages you had open are still open. You can pick up from exactly where you left off

tie_mi_shu · 06-01-2006 2:44am

i've never tried Opera, i'm using IE at the mo, is there anything i should do before i start testing out Opera (i'll try it out over the weekend) ?

tia

Balfa · 06-01-2006 5:40am

tie_mi_shu wrote:

is there anything i should do before i start testing out Opera

Nope, nothing. Opera comes in a little 3MB download and doesn't affect your system or put anything in the registry (except the windows uninstall path). When you first run it, it'll ask if you want it to be the default browser, to which you can choose no (though i'd recommend yes! and if you do choose next, IE will ask the next time it's run, so it's easy to change back).

The best thing to do when you start it up is hit alt+p for prefs, and make sure Startup to "continue from last time". But beware, once you're used to the speed Opera flips backwards and forwards, it's very difficult to go back to anything else!

Enjoy!

Snowbat · 06-01-2006 7:36am

dublindude wrote:

While Firefox obviously has less people trying to find security holes in it,

How is that obvious? The fact that Firefox source code is freely available would lead me to believe there are MORE people trying to find security holes in it.

tie_mi_shu · 06-01-2006 12:32pm

how do i move my favorites over to Opera from IE ?

unkel · 06-01-2006 12:35pm

tie_mi_shu wrote:

how do i move my favorites over to Opera from IE ?

Start Opera. On the menu, select File, Import and export, Import Internet Explorer favorites

tie_mi_shu · 06-01-2006 12:38pm

unkel wrote:

Start Opera. On the menu, select File, Import and export, Import Internet Explorer favorites

lol..

that was easy..

thanks

unkel · 06-01-2006 12:40pm

Opera comes with free tech support too

tie_mi_shu · 06-01-2006 1:52pm

.. have to say so far after installing Opera (2 hours roughly), i'm not liking it.. could be my settings but it's extremely ssllooww.. i find IE is 3x quicker, i set google.ie as my homepage and it won't even load, even after 2/3 mins..

i didn't mod any of the setting from the install, except move over favorites from IE and set the homepage to google.ie .......

art · 06-01-2006 2:26pm

dublindude wrote:

While Firefox obviously has less people trying to find security holes in it, I wouldn't let the brainwashed Firefox drones fool you into thinking it's the new Jesus.

Yes, it is more secure at the moment, but it is by nooo means perfect.
.

So its better not to choose the more secure option!!

Well done, excellent advice, right up there with "Driving with Safety Belts on is a bad idea"

zuma · 06-01-2006 3:00pm

tie_mi_shu wrote:

.. have to say so far after installing Opera (2 hours roughly), i'm not liking it.. could be my settings but it's extremely ssllooww.. i find IE is 3x quicker, i set google.ie as my homepage and it won't even load, even after 2/3 mins..

i didn't mod any of the setting from the install, except move over favorites from IE and set the homepage to google.ie .......

You must have messed up the install of something as Ive never had such experiences even on a Pentium 200MHz/32MB RAM computer and Im being 100% honest in saying so!!

On that very old computer Opera was far faster than Firefox and certainly of equal speed to that of IE.

tie_mi_shu · 06-01-2006 3:09pm

zuma wrote:

You must have messed up the install of something as Ive never had such experiences even on a Pentium 200MHz/32MB RAM computer and Im being 100% honest in saying so!!

On that very old computer Opera was far faster than Firefox and certainly of equal speed to that of IE.

how could i mess it up on the install? i double clicked on the ow32enen851 app that i d/led from the Opera site..

Balfa · 06-01-2006 3:48pm

tie_mi_shu wrote:

i set google.ie as my homepage and it won't even load, even after 2/3 mins

Hrm..
1) what ISP are you using?
2) In internet explorer click tools > internet options > connection then double click your default dialup connection (or click LAN Settings if you're not using a modem). Are there any boxes ticked? If so, post the details here.

Even though Unkel should be doing this, cos he's your free tech support

unkel · 06-01-2006 3:49pm

tie_mi_shu wrote:

.. have to say so far after installing Opera (2 hours roughly), i'm not liking it.. could be my settings but it's extremely ssllooww.. i find IE is 3x quicker, i set google.ie as my homepage and it won't even load, even after 2/3 mins..

I don't really understand. Is it slow loading pages or does it not load any pages at all?

unkel · 06-01-2006 3:50pm

Balfa wrote:

Even though Unkel should be doing this, cos he's your free tech support

LOL

tie_mi_shu · 06-01-2006 4:13pm

Balfa wrote:

Even though Unkel should be doing this, cos he's your free tech support

thanks guys i appreciate the help..

i'm using NTL BB 2meg.. every page loads (slowly), except google.ie just wouldn't load..

edit.. actually i reinstalled it and it seems ok, google.ie flys open now

.. could of been NTL or something.. i'll give it more time/testing

..

unkel · 06-01-2006 4:19pm

tie_mi_shu wrote:

google.ie flys open now

Nice one

In future, to check if it is either your browser or your connection that is causing the problem, try loading some pages in more than one browser. If both browsers are slow, it is probably your connection. If only one browser is slow, it is probably your network connection

I still have IE6 and FF1.5 installed

zuma · 06-01-2006 4:56pm

tie_mi_shu wrote:

thanks guys i appreciate the help..

i'm using NTL BB 2meg.. every page loads (slowly), except google.ie just wouldn't load..

edit.. actually i reinstalled it and it seems ok, google.ie flys open now .. could of been NTL or something.. i'll give it more time/testing ..

What did I tell you???

Internet Browser?

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