# Active-X controls

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-x-controls/243539>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [May 4, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-x-controls/243539 "2004-05-04T22:31:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![iamme99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/57b2e6/32.png) [@iamme99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamme99)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-x-controls/243539/1 "2004-05-04T22:31:11Z")

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I have my IE security settings configured to prompt me whenever a site tries to install/run an Active-X control (actually, tries to install anything at all). Whenever I open an SDMB page, I always get this prompt “Do you want to allow software such as ActiveX controls and plug-ins to run?”, which is annoying. And I don’t notice any change whether I reply yes or no to the prompt.

What is trying to run? Is it necessary? Can it be eliminated?

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**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-x-controls/243539/2 "2004-05-05T20:49:59Z")

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When I asked the same thing, I was told that it has to do with the graphics. I don’t THINK that they’re gonna remove the ActiveX. In any case, I have listed the SDMB as one of my Trusted Sites in my browser security settings. This way, I don’t get a prompt at every page.

I’m very suspicious of ActiveX, and I wish that we didn’t use it. Unfortunately, it seems that more and more web designers are using it.