[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
Neil Williams wrote: > But as we know from the EU cases, it is impossible to delete internet > explorer from current and old versions of Windows. You can delete the > shortcuts but the symbols and the libraries are "a core part of the > OS", supposedly. More like lazy programmers who can't be bothered to > implement a stable API and bone-headed managers who wouldn't recognise > a package manager if it slapped them in the face. Not strictly true. When Windows 98 was launched a colleague in work managed to cut IE out and still maintain a viable - well.. for Windows anyway - OS. Also there were Windows 98 Lite versions available which I believe also gave the ability to remove IE. I think there is even an XP Lite OS. In Windows 2000 at one point I removed IE by the simple expedient of deleting it from Add/Remove Programs with no ill-effects. That could possibly be a result of it being a business OS based on NT4 and not a direct development of the Windows 3.x - 95 - 98 consumer OS family. Granted for the average user you can't just get rid of IE, but I think the *absolute* necessity of it being installed is a myth that Microsoft are more then happy to propagate. I said 'no ill effects' above, perhaps I should have said 'Not to the OS anyway'. I do agree that lazy programmers using IE DLLs will result in a situation whereby, regardless of whether the browser is integral to the OS nor not, you must have it installed or some of your other software will not work. As for the MS' comment that the vulnerability was present in all versions of IE. Doesn't this suggest they've known about it for a long time and *chosen* not to fix it until such time as someone outside the company discovered it? Kind regards, Julian -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html