Updated to IE7? Now you need to upgrade your system.

[Stinkythe1]

So I have a little tale of an experience I've had with Internet Explorer 7. Now that it is a required update for windows, I can expect a big switch to Mozilla Firefox. Why?

Well, I am a computer consultant for some medical clinics in town, and every now and then they have problems and I go and fix them. Unfortunately, one of the computers ran windows update and updated to IE7. Now, whenever IE7 would try to open up, it would bog down the computer so much that it would freeze.

So when I got back there, I did not even try to downgrade back down to IE6, I just installed Firefox. It opened up perfectly.

Microsoft is constantly losing base with their customers. They are constantly making bloated products with faulty features. Let's not get started on their rejection of web standards.

So there it is.

 

[SkyBell]

agreed

 

[mkrishnan]

What does "required update" mean? Does Windows Update not allow you to de-select it, or is it required for other security updates or something?

 

[clayj]

It's been my experience that IE7 uses LESS memory than IE6... they've done a lot to improve performance, particularly if you use a lot of tabbed browsing (IE7) versus running a bunch of separate windows (IE6).

 

[pianoman]

i recently re-installed WinXP on a computer i was fixing up for a friend and i did Windows/Microsoft Update when i was done and installed IE7. the entire machine crashed and i had to start from scratch. the second time, though, i forgot about that update and told them to stick with Firefox.

it's a sucky experience especially since i'm used to a system that works without fault.

to be fair, this was an isolated experience. my dad has IE7 on his ThinkPad and it works flawlessly.

 

[Stinkythe1]

What does "required update" mean? Does Windows Update not allow you to de-select it, or is it required for other security updates or something?

Unlike Software Update in OS X, in Windows, you are unable to select what updates you want to install. It simply lists them and you can either install them, or not. If you do not want IE7 installed on your computer, you will come to a point where you can't update without installing it.

 

[apfhex]

Unfortunately, one of the computers ran windows update and updated to IE7. Now, whenever IE7 would try to open up, it would bog down the computer so much that it would freeze.

That's not a great reason for bashing IE7... obviously something went wrong. Unless you can confirm that IE7 creates this sort of problem on every computer it's installed on, which I sincerely doubt is the case.

I hate IE as much as the next guy but IE7 is supposedly a huge improvement over 6, even if it's still nothing compared to Firefox. Any closer to standards compliance is a good thing.

As for "required" updates, that's sucky.

 

[clayj]

Unlike Software Update in OS X, in Windows, you are unable to select what updates you want to install. It simply lists them and you can either install them, or not. If you do not want IE7 installed on your computer, you will come to a point where you can't update without installing it.

Well, that's if you let it download all updates it thinks you need. If you don't like anything on that list, you can choose to NOT install anything and then you can go to the Windows Update site and install just the updates you want.

To imply that IE7 is a *required* download at this time is simply misleading.

 

[Felldownthewell]

Well, that's if you let it download all updates it thinks you need. If you don't like anything on that list, you can choose to NOT install anything and then you can go to the Windows Update site and install just the updates you want.

To imply that IE7 is a *required* download at this time is simply misleading.

But at some point, you will have to update. For example, you cannot install XP through bootcamp if it is SP1. SP2 is an update- and obviously a required one. Also, if you ever call into tech support they will usually ask you if your machine is up to date. If it isn't, they will have you update it before they will continue to help you. (At least that has been my experiance with Dell)

 

[clayj]

But at some point, you will have to update. For example, you cannot install XP through bootcamp if it is SP1. SP2 is an update- and obviously a required one. Also, if you ever call into tech support they will usually ask you if your machine is up to date. If it isn't, they will have you update it before they will continue to help you. (At least that has been my experiance with Dell)

Yeesh.

First off, the Boot Camp/SP-2 requirement is something that APPLE imposed for the Boot Camp beta. Microsoft has nothing to do with that.

Second, there's a huge difference between SP-2 and IE7, to whit: SP-2 is an OS UPDATE. IE7 is a new browser. You are not required to upgrade to IE7.

Microsoft doesn't require you to upgrade to SP-2, either... but they're under no obligation to provide patches and updates that work with original Windows XP or XP SP-1, and if you call in for support, they may ask you to update to SP-2 when you can, since there's no real reason not to. (In most cases, updating to a new SP should only be requested if the problem you're having is actually supposed to be fixed in the new SP. Otherwise, the tech support person isn't doing their job; they're punting you. I used to work at Microsoft in tech support, and asking someone to install a service pack "because you need to" is usually a sign that you don't know what the solution is and you hope the SP will fix it.)

 

[Felldownthewell]

Yeesh.

First off, the Boot Camp/SP-2 requirement is something that APPLE imposed for the Boot Camp beta. Microsoft has nothing to do with that.

Second, there's a huge difference between SP-2 and IE7, to whit: SP-2 is an OS UPDATE. IE7 is a new browser. You are not required to upgrade to IE7.

Microsoft doesn't require you to upgrade to SP-2, either... but they're under no obligation to provide patches and updates that work with original Windows XP or XP SP-1, and if you call in for support, they may ask you to update to SP-2 when you can, since there's no real reason not to. (In most cases, updating to a new SP should only be requested if the problem you're having is actually supposed to be fixed in the new SP. Otherwise, the tech support person isn't doing their job; they're punting you. I used to work at Microsoft in tech support, and asking someone to install a service pack "because you need to" is usually a sign that you don't know what the solution is and you hope the SP will fix it.)

Very true.

However, it is kind of an irritating situation to be in; if there is some kind of bug fix in the update that you need, but at the same time you have to install IE7 and don't want to, it is annoying.

Hmph. I'm going to start building myself a windows machine in a few days and all this OS stuff is starting to make me re-consider.

 

[yg17]

IE7 is horrible. I work in the IT department at my university, and all of the campus computers are configured to not auto update to IE7, because it's not compatible with PeopleSoft or Blackboard. But people update manually, then call us wondering why PS and BB quit working. Gee, maybe thats why we sent out several announcements telling people to not upgrade to IE7?

 

[Queso]

Here's a way to remove it from the available downloads handled by the Automatic Updates client. All you do is run this tool and restart the AU service, and IE7 no longer attempts to install.

 

[clayj]

IE7 is horrible. I work in the IT department at my university, and all of the campus computers are configured to not auto update to IE7, because it's not compatible with PeopleSoft or Blackboard. But people update manually, then call us wondering why PS and BB quit working. Gee, maybe thats why we sent out several announcements telling people to not upgrade to IE7?

Well, there is always that. Where I work, we had ONE system that wasn't compatible with IE7, and no one bothered to test it until IE7 was released. It didn't take but a week or two to get the system updated to work with IE7. (It didn't work at first because IE7 employs new pop-up blocking features, and this particular system pops up a window when you use it. Now the system works since it knows the right way to pop up a window in IE7.)

But remember that Windows XP and IE7 are SEPARATE. There will still be plenty of updates for XP that don't require IE7... and there will be updates for IE7 that (obviously) require IE7.

Let's not forget, though, that Apple doesn't continue to issue patches for OS X 10.4.a when it's replaced by 10.4.b, 10.4.c, 10.4.d, etc. Every software maker does this, and for anyone to pretend that Apple is somehow special in this regard is disingenuous.

 

[mkrishnan]

Well, that's if you let it download all updates it thinks you need. If you don't like anything on that list, you can choose to NOT install anything and then you can go to the Windows Update site and install just the updates you want.

Mmm, thank you both for the clarification. I've only ever used versions of Windows after Win 98 on a managed-install basis (I've used managed Win2k and WinXP seats). And I've briefly used my parents' XP box. But I haven't really dealt with upgrades on Windows computers using relatively modern OS versions. It used to be that when the updater brought up the list of updates, you could check them on and off like in OS X, I thought. But it sounds like you lose all the niceness of the updater if you reject an update?

As far as I know our school PCs do use auto-updating (about 50% of them are on XP and the rest are on Win2k). Although the installation allowed me to install and use Firefox, I haven't noticed that the XP boxes gone to IE7. I should check again.

 

[Sesshi]

Whether you prefer IE7 in terms of interface is a matter of personal opinion. I'm not too fond of it, but it is considerably better than Safari as far as the overall web experience goes.

All of my PC's have been updated with zero problems. As I may have said before, too-old-kit, poor maintenance, inept handling and lack of knowledge is not an indication of a crappy product per se.

To the OP - as a 'computer consultant', perhaps you should raise your skills a little, or be a little better prepared in the future.

 

[Scottyk9]

A memo went out at our institution warning people not to install IE7 due to compatibility issues with a specific web-based program. Previous recommendations have been for people to enable "automatice updates"

What is amusing about all this is that if you just choose the default options for automatic updates (or just install the "critical updates") IE7 gets installed.

While I completely agree that it is "critical" to stop using IE6, I'm not so sure IE7 is the answer...

 

[Scottyk9]

To the OP - as a 'computer consultant', perhaps you should raise your skills a little, or be a little better prepared in the future.

hmm, to me sounds like he solved the issue presenting itself using a mutually satisfactory and cost-efficient solution....

 

[synth3tik]

"required" if you have to select update

I have to say I find it really annoying when ever I boot into XP Pro I will be greeted by the software update for IE7, I don't update it because well it's worthless to me.

On a side note for work I had to do the yearly harassment refresher course online. I could not get Java to update on the old NT system I have at work. and I could not get the page to load in Firefox on my powerbook (IE6 required), but I was able to load the page that required IE7 in Safari!?! kinda odd.