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Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/14/2010 5:20 PM

Last couple of times I've re-started my PC after an update, I've been presented with this:

To date, I've just closed it & carried on as usual. Anyone else had this? Anyone know the provenience?

John.

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#1

Re: Information regarding web browsers????

04/14/2010 5:49 PM

Yes, it's a new thing to bother with:

delete "browserchoice.exe" from:

C:\WINDOWS\system32

Dang... now I cannot find the site I got that from.

I googled "information regarding web browsers" and got a number of hits, the fix above was from one of them. There is some discussion, but no real explanation I could find.

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#14
In reply to #1

Re: Information regarding web browsers????

04/16/2010 9:57 AM

I use this site to check such out:

http://majorgeeks.com/

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#15
In reply to #14

Re: Information regarding web browsers????

04/16/2010 10:04 AM

Nice one - thanks!

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#2

Re: Information regarding web browsers????

04/14/2010 6:16 PM

I am in North America, so I only know anecdotal information/news about this issue.

"In January 2009, the European Commission announced it would investigate the bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows operating systems from Microsoft, saying "Microsoft's tying of Internet Explorer to the Windows operating system harms competition between web browsers, undermines product innovation and ultimately reduces consumer choice."[24][25] In response, Microsoft announced that it would not bundle Internet Explorer with Windows 7 E, the version of Windows 7 to be sold in Europe.[26][27][28][29][30][31]

On December 16, 2009, the European Union agreed to allow competing browsers, with Microsoft providing a "ballot box" screen letting users choose one of twelve popular products listed in random order.[32] The twelve browsers were Avant, Chrome, Firefox, Flock GreenBrowser, Internet Explorer, K-Meleon, Maxthon, Opera, Safari, Sleipnir, and Slim.[33] which are accessible via BrowserChoice.eu"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_Microsoft_competition_case

I believe it has to do the the whole anti-trust issue between the European union and Microsoft with the 'packaged' software of internet explorer. If someone did not know better, or if this information window was not presented - some people may be led to believe that they HAVE to use IE and are not able to use other explorers (Firefox, Opera, Chrome, ...)"

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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Information regarding web browsers????

04/14/2010 6:43 PM

One would think MS had bad enough conflicts within its software, now we have to deal with EU conflicts.

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#4

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/14/2010 7:52 PM

Thanks guys - thought it was prob'ly something like that - just that I don't trust anybugger on the web unless either I know they're safe or I have absolutely no alternative.

An' please don't blame us poor sods in the UK - we've been sucked into a whole heap of nasties, not of our making.

Maybe for the same reason that we're the only country in Europe that queues up for busses & stuff - we're the only country that pays any attention to the kfcuing silly EU rules .

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#5
In reply to #4

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/15/2010 11:17 PM

You can definitely trust Firefox (at least the Mac version) - I've been using it for several years through several upgrades, and never a problem.

I assume the PC version is equally trustworthy, but you know about that word 'assume'...

Dick

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#7
In reply to #5

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/16/2010 3:59 AM

It's not the browsers themselves I'm distrusting (I actually use IE; the browser itself is not a problem).

The thing I'm wary of is anything unsolicited that invites me to "Click Here".

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#11
In reply to #7

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/16/2010 9:36 AM

Given recent insidious ingeniousness from hackers, we should be wary of everything, all the time. Recent exploits hook malware into the "Close" or "Cancel" button of a scary-sounding "anti-virus" pop-up.

I just asked a colleague with more recent Windows experience than I if it's possible to hook into the standard close-window "X", and install your malware that way. We don't know, but it's probable. If one of these annoying things show up while browsing, it's best to click the X.

But, the only truly safe option is to use an abacus or slide-rule.

Oops, I spoke too soon:

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/moredetails.aspx?showBleed=false&ProductNo=339273851&colorNo=0&pr=F

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#13
In reply to #11

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/16/2010 9:48 AM

I can assure you that - particularly if one is creating web pages with something like Visual Basic, it is trivial to use the button to start something nasty happening.

How nasty depends on how clever the programmer is and how malicious they are.

[p.s. - nice link ]

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#6

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/16/2010 3:50 AM

I run IE, Chrome and Firefox and have had no really bad problems with any. Mostly use Chrome as I like the search facility being in the URL box (saves a mouse click).

However, I've found that some sites do not run properly on anything but IE, so I keep it as "back-up", so to speak. As for the others, the Firefox "Autopage" function doesn't work on some sites, and Chrome has limited facilities.

It appears to me that it depends how you want to use your browser as to which is the choice, so it's not quite as important as the dialogue box would suggest.

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#8

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/16/2010 5:58 AM

Must confess, I had the same misgivings. An on-screen explanation would have been appropriate.

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#9
In reply to #8

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/16/2010 8:04 AM

Would an on screen explanation really have helped you decide weather to click it or not?

I don't trust any unsolicited links even the ones from friends are suspect.

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#10

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/16/2010 8:16 AM

It might have helped me sort out what the hell the box was all about, but fair point.

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#12

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/16/2010 9:40 AM

Sometimes, clicking on such links actually loads malware or worse onto your computer, or gives you a years supply of some magazine at an outrageous price or the like......

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#16

Re: Information Regarding Web Browsers Pop-Up

04/16/2010 10:52 AM
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