Microsoft Not Going To Fix Bugs In IE
Building on my last post about Firefox, there is now an even better reason to dump Microsoft Internet Explorer. According to this article on news.com, Microsoft reiterated its position that it will not fix any security problems in Internet Explorer, except the version that is in Windows XP. This means that if you run an older version of Windows, like about 200 million other people, then you are going to be forced to upgrade to Windows XP if you want to keep your computer secure. Without the security fixes, which come out on a monthly basis, your Windows 2000, Me, NT, or 98 version of software will be wide open to viruses, spyware, malware, and all sorts of other horrible problems.
I have known for years that Microsoft is an evil company but this sinks to a new low. Now they are using the rampant security problems in Internet Explorer, which is built into all versions of Windows since 98, to force their customers to upgrade to Windows XP. Many customers have chosen not to shell out the $99+ to upgrade their version of Windows because they feel that what they have works good enough. In fact, according to IDC, 49.2% of Windows users don’t currently
run Windows XP. With Microsoft’s next version of Windows not being released until sometime after 2006, it looks like Microsoft had to get ‘creative’ to find a way to get people to give them more money.
So, what should you do to protect yourself? I would start with dumping Internet Explorer and using Firefox instead. It is free, secure, and fast. But, because Internet Explorer is built into Windows, you still will be vulnerable, although by not browsing the Internet with IE you will have some protection. You should still make sure to run a virus scanner and firewall. If you really want to be secure, install Linux on your PC or go buy a Macintosh.
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