Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Microsoft Arrogance

I had seen rumblings in various forums that the new Internet Explorer 9 caused problems for some websites so I thought that I had better install it for myself in order to check mine. The installation process itself was alarming. A window came up to say that various programs that included system functions were in use and had to be closed. I agreed, while making a mental promise to myself that if this f***s up my computer then I'm switching to Linux for good!

I also saw my security software disabling itself. If any other program from any other source did that I would bail out quick. It really is sheer arrogance on the part of Microsoft to expect users to allow an installer to do things that security common sense says it shouldn't, just because the software came from Microsoft. I wonder how long it will be before the malware guys set up fake IE9 downloads which exploit the knowledge that the setup disables security to load bad stuff on a computer?

After the install was finished the computer had to be restarted. Windows just loves being restarted. I wonder how many millions of hours of productivity are lost every year waiting for Windows to restart after an update? But I was now ready to try Internet Explorer 9.


The first thing I spotted is that the embedded APRS maps from aprs.fi on my website and also the WOTA website no longer work. Instead of the expected map you get a message box that says: "Minimum usable map size is 200x100. Currently: 550x0." This is something that has worked on every single browser on every computer platform until now. It is another example of Microsoft arrogance to release a browser that is incompatible with everything that went before, knowing that because so many people use their lousy browser website developers will have to change their sites to make them work with Internet Explorer.

On my QTH Information page where I had an embedded map from Google Maps showing an aerial view of the neighbourhood centered on my house, the map is replaced by a # and a pop-up panel appears at the foot of the page to say "Internet Explorer has modified this page to help prevent cross-site scripting." I have no idea what that's all about. I guess I'll just have to dump the maps.

I gave up writing software except for my own use because Microsoft made it impossible for self-taught amateurs like myself to write programs that work on all the different versions of Windows. Now it seems they are trying to make it impossible for self-taught amateurs to create web pages. Why can't they keep things simple, and if something worked why did they have to break it? Perhaps it's time to reinvent those little badges that people used to put on websites in the 1990s, only this time the badge would say: "This website works best in anything other than Microsoft Internet Explorer."

9 comments:

VE9KK said...

Good morning Julian, I had a big smile on my face as I read your post. I have had many issue's with Micfosoft.....my XYL does not term them "issues" it's more like a rant she says when I get going. I will refrain from getting on my soapbox as I will fill the comment box in no time. But very good post I did not know the issues IE9 had. Not sure it will affect my blog but you never know maybe Microsoft wants their nose in that too.....op's I digress.

Jim Rayburn said...

Julian,
Thanks for going through all the problems with IE9, it helps me in feel better that I am moving to Linux and Mozilla.

73
Jim
KC4BQK

Unknown said...

I don't know about *all* the problems. Those are just the ones I found in the first 10 minutes visiting my own sites. I normally use Firefox, slow though it is, but I'd be surprised if there weren't issues with other sites I normally visit.

G4NKX said...

Oh Dear !
I get the tiniest feeling of a Linux switch coming - I moved "From" Linux last year to Win7 - It's (OK) - but you have to have soooo many extra security "things" running in the background to protect it so it chugs along - Linux has got a "snap" about it, more responsive and without the worry of importing something "orrible" when installing software - I only moved back to check out some of the radio software available.
You'd think they would get Browser S/W right though.

Unknown said...

The problem is it doesn't matter what *you* run, if you have a website some of your visitors will be using Internet Exploder whether you like it or not. So if you don't want endless complaints that something doesn't work you have got to make your site compatible with Microsoft.

Eldon R. Brown SR said...

Julian,

I switch to Linux (Ubuntu) several year ago on all of my computers, but I do keep a minimal XP system for the few programs where WINE does not work. Recently I have been looking at "VirtualBox OSE" on linux for my MS use. Also, on my laptop, I wished that I had saved a small partition for MS and set up Ubuntu with Dual Boot, which is easy to do but I did not know how at the time.

Eldon - WA0UWH

Ricardo - CT2GQV said...

Julian,
Please don't switch to Linux! You are going to stop posting about windows and windows software problems, that's about 1/3 of your writing :)

73

p.s: Please don't stop, also, buying from the internet :)

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hello Julian, my XYL and me are still using IE7 on XP laptops. IE8 was seriously giving problems. Actually we are more Chrome users...73, Bas

The one with no shadow said...

I believe that you should actually act by posting the "use anything but IE9 to view this" banner instead of blaming IE9.

Dump this monster, I did so two years ago and had never had any compatibility problems with a n y web page but with some bank's obsolete online services that required.... IE7 to work properly (I've since switched bank!!!)