New Microsoft Patch Blocks Firefox Downloads

Scrappleface ^ | 12/19/04 | Scott Ott

[clyde asbury]

December 19, 2004
New Microsoft Patch Blocks Firefox Downloads
by Scott Ott

(2004-12-19) -- Microsoft Corp. today released a new security patch for its Internet Explorer (IE) web browser which prevents users from accidentally or intentionally downloading the new free, open-source Firefox browser from The Mozilla Foundation.

"Firefox is a dangerous and contagious browser that could seriously jeopardize marketshare ," said an unnamed Microsoft spokesman. "Unless consumers take action to block Firefox, it could speed up web surfing and return control of user computers to the users themselves."

The source added that Internet Explorer is a superior product because it allows computer experts, called 'hackers', to control your computer.

"Who would you rather have in control of your PC?" the Microsoft spokesman asked rhetorically, "Do you want an expert who knows every line of the IE code, or some bozo like you who just walks into Circuit City and buys the cheapest PC off the shelf?"

Although Microsoft recommends that IE users download the anti-Firefox patch immediately, users who fail to do so will get it anyway within two weeks through Windows automatic updates.

Asked whether Mozilla's free email program, Thunderbird , could also pose a threat to Microsoft's Outlook, the spokesman said, "There is no competition for Outlook. We have not heard of Thunderbird, and we are not now preparing a patch to block it, which will be released in January."

[goldstategop]

LOL. Actually Microsoft is NOT that unscrupulous. Check this out:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/default.mspx

[Jet Jaguar]

It's a blatant attempt to give Firefox and Mozilla browsers a bad name.

Mozilla and Firefox are far superior products. IMHO

[goldstategop]

Its satire. Any Mozilla based browser is secure. Including AOL's front end Netscape which is a rebranded Mozilla Suite browser. I've used it a couple of years now and to be fair, Bill Gates hasn't take any step to to prevent or hinder my using it.

[clyde asbury]

Yes, it's satire. It's Scrappleface. :)

[TomGuy]

I've been trying out Firefox for a few weeks. I like it and many of the extensions.

But, for some reason, I get a wide screen on some webpages. I have to use the left-right scroll bar to show the whole screen. I haven't found a way to restrict the webpage to the 'window'.

The wide screen doesn't happen when that same web page is opened in other browsers.

One webpage last evening had the wide screen. After I scrolled right, 1/3 of the page was blank.

IIRC, Netscape browser used to do that same thing. I quit using Netscape around version 4.7.


Anyone know a quick fix to force Firefox to 'wordwrap' into the window size without the left-right scrolling?

[Riley]

Check this out:

LOL! I love the picture of the guy 'looking for spyware' on his computer with his nose up against the monitor and his hands shading his eyes!

[goldstategop]

The Netscape 7X browsers are built on the same open source Gecko Engine build as the Mozilla Suite and Firefox browsers.

[Jet Jaguar]

Thanks!

It is late here and I prolly missed that.

[gridlock]

That won't work with a flat panel...

[Condor51]

ROTFLMAO!

Oh boy, it took me minute to see "scrappleface".

FireFox ROCKS.

I do have to check out Thunderbird though. Outlook Express it starting to irritate me.

[TomGuy]

I use Foxmail rather than Outlook Express.

I loaded Thunderbird but just haven't got in the habit of using it.

[Condor51]

Anyone know a quick fix to force Firefox to 'wordwrap' into the window size without the left-right scrolling?

Try this.....

1. Go to Tools, Options.
   
2. Click Advanced at bottom of new popup window
   
3. Under "Browsing", 'check mark' box that says "resize large images to fit browser window

However, if the site you were on was a blog with posts, that might not help. Some ijits post things like: zzzzzzzzzzzzzz ad infinitum until they go 'off the screen'.

Then there's always the F1 key (HELP) as a last resort.

[Condor51]

Foxmail?

Ok thanks, I'll check it out.

[MineralMan]

C'mon! Scrappleface is not news. It's satire.

[goldstategop]

I.E users' gripe for a long time was you couldn't zoom a page into full screen mode. I think that's been fixed now.

[goldstategop]

Ah! But liberals think its real. :)

[clyde asbury]

TOPICS: News/Current Events; Technical; Click to Add Topic
KEYWORDS: CORPORATEINSECURITY; FIREFOX; GETAMAC; HUMOR; INTERNETEXPLOITER; LOWQUALITYCRAP; MICROSOFT; MONOPOLY; OPENSOURCE; PATCH; SCRAPPLEFACE; WINDOWS; Click to Add Keyword

---

[Monti Cello]

I am on my first week with Firefox, and it's good. I have noted one thing which inhibits my Freeping a bit.

One feature it doesn't have that IE does is the CTRL-N which opens a new window identical to the current one with all typed text included. This is a handy feature for a Freeping when you want to jump back to re-check article text, or to grab a quote from a troll who needs a smack upside the head. Instead Firefox opens a new window to the designated home page.

[Ben Chad]

I've been wondering: How do you know whether a given firefox extension is trustworthy from the standpoint of malware, spyware, or whatever?

[MineralMan]

Satire should not be posted in News topics. It gets takens seriously far too often on Free Republic. There is a Humor topic. That's the appropriate place for satirical posts.

[goldstategop]

I tell you... liberals will not find you funny. They take ridicule as a sign conservatives are as uptight as they're pictured to be. Of course the Left never takes the time to reflect they're the ones missing a sense of humor. That's why we can appreciate the irony on here.

[Sgt_Schultze]

Try CTRL-T. It opens a new BLANK tab for immediate use.

[clyde asbury]

If it must be spelled out for you, here it is:

You can:
1) whine
2) add your own topic(s) and keyword(s)

[Big Giant Head]

Or, double click the Tab bar. Same new blank tab.

[clyde asbury]

CTRL-N which opens a new window identical to the current one

I don't know if FF can do that.
But, if your mouse has a middle button or roller, clicking on the tab bar opens a new, blank tab.

[clyde asbury]

I meant to say double-clicking, left button.

Clicking on an open tab with the middle button closes the tab.

[Condor51]

Try looking here: Tips & Tricks

The odd thing is according to HELP (F1) Ctrl+N is supposeed to work the same way?!?

I found this to:
Reveal More Tab/Window Options

There are some hidden options for the Tabbed Browsing that will allow you to force links that open new windows to open in the current or a new tab. First, add the following code to your user.js file:

// Reveal more tab/window options: user_pref("browser.tabs.showSingleWindowModePrefs", true);

Restart Firefox and go to Tools > Options... (Edit > Preferences... under Linux and Mac OS X), select Advanced and click on Tabbed Browsing. The following options should be visible:
Force links that open new windows to open in: the same tab/window as the link a new tab The options should be self-explanatory.

[SouthTexas]

Guess I got the early "trial version" last week. Crashed everything.

[Monti Cello]

Thanks for the tips. Merry Christmas and Happy Freeping!

[RedWhiteBlue]

Try this. I am now replying to your response #19. At the bottom of this reply, the last line looks like this:

[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

Right click below on To 19, then choose "open link in new tab." The new tab will open with your reply #19 at the top. #19 may not be the response you wanted to find, but at least you've got new tab open to the same page.

[Condor51]

I was going to suggest that too - because that's what I do :-).

But I thought he was looking for key board shortcut keys.

In any case I'm finding out new stuff about Firefox almost daily. I've now had it about three months or so.

The options and goodies seem endless. But there is ONE THING lacking and I've written to Mozilla support about it... an extension like IE spellcheck. IE spellcheck is much more powerful than the spell check we have here below. Many times I wind up tabbing over to Dictionary.com to find-verify a somewhat obscure word's spelling.

[Condor51]

Hey you're welcome.

And a Merry Christmas to you too :-)

[RedWhiteBlue]

Many times I wind up tabbing over to Dictionary.com ..

I really love the firefox extensions that allow you to highlight a word and search Dictionary.com, IMDB.com, and Amazon.com. So handy!

[xusafflyer]

Using Firefox and Thunderbird now. Both are great programs.

[Ben Chad]

One feature it doesn't have that IE does is the CTRL-N which opens a new window identical to the current one with all typed text included. This is a handy feature for a Freeping when you want to jump back to re-check article text, or to grab a quote from a troll who needs a smack upside the head. Instead Firefox opens a new window to the designated home page.

Here's an extension I have loaded that provides the New-Window (Ctrl-N) behavior of IE. I can't vouch for trustworthiness, but it hasn't crashed my machine and has generally positive feedback at the download website.

[clyde asbury]

Satire should not be posted in News topics. It gets takens (sic) seriously far too often on Free Republic. There is a Humor topic. That's the appropriate place for satirical posts.

(sarcasm tag on)
Scrappleface is a news site. If it is ever demonstrated otherwise, I'd like to be the one to break that story.
(sarcasm tag off)

[Founding Father]

Thunderbird is a great screwtop, aged in transit, wine.

What's the word...
Thunderbird,

What's the price...
Twenty twice.

[Jackknife]

bump

[FreedomPoster]

>>I've been wondering: How do you know whether a given firefox extension is trustworthy from the standpoint of malware, spyware, or whatever?

I'm under the (perhaps mistaken?) impression that anything at the mozilla site is pretty safe.

[SamAdams76]

On a serious note, I downloaded FireFox a short while ago and have decided to stick with it. I get zero pop-ups and pages seem to load even faster. I like the "tab" feature as well. I can now open up multiple web pages whenever I start the browser.

The only annoyance is that it didn't bring all my cookies over so I had to manually log back into certain websites like Free Republic and Accuweather.com.

[SamAdams76]

Satire should not be posted in News topics. It gets takens seriously far too often on Free Republic. There is a Humor topic. That's the appropriate place for satirical posts.

Labeling this post as humor/satire defeats the whole purpose of posting it in the first place. The object of these kind of posts is to see how many people fall for it. Otherwise all the fun is taken out of it.

[clyde asbury]

Try looking here: Tips & Tricks

Wow. I hadn't looked closely until tonight, Condor, but that's a very nice site.

Thank you. I hope your Christmas is a happy one.