# Goddam Internet Explorer **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 29, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497 "2011-11-29T21:18:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/21 "2011-11-30T14:48:26Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > That could be a problem. In the last few years browsers have changed radically. So back in 2008, getting signed off periodically was considered a desirable feature? ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/22 "2011-11-30T15:43:30Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So back in 2008, getting signed off periodically was considered a desirable feature? Were your cookies set correctly? Did you remember to check the keep me signed in thinger? If you logged in on one tab and closed it and then went back to the board, it might not keep your sign in if it wasn’t set to remember it. Did your relatives change the security level in the browser? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/23 "2011-11-30T15:55:13Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I can’t imagine downloading and installing new programs on somebody else’s computer without their knowledge. If somebody ever did that on my computer, they’d certainly lose computer use privileges forever. They’d be lucky if I even let them back inside my house. Am I on ignore? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/24 "2011-11-30T16:58:33Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Am I on ignore? No, I just didn’t see anything I needed to say in response to your post. In this particular thread, I’m not asking about the relative merits of IE vs Chrome - I already know the answer to that: Internet Explorer sucks so I long ago switched to Google Chrome for my own use. But here I’m just saying that I’m temporarily forced to use IE once again and I’m complaining about how much it sucks. I’m not going to reprogram my family’s computer or buy a new laptop or stop visiting my family for the holidays. I’ll just live with using a lousy browser for a few days and bitch about it. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/25 "2011-11-30T17:20:46Z")
I think the point is that you can use Chrome Portable without installing new software on your family’s computer. Right? Edit - maybe I’m wrong. I thought it would run from the USB drive without needing to be installed on the computer, but I can’t access that link right now to know if that is true or not. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/26 "2011-11-30T17:30:02Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > I think the point is that you can use Chrome Portable without installing new software on your family’s computer. Right? Yes, I could. But that wouldn’t make Internet Explorer not suck. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/27 "2011-11-30T18:47:03Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Internet explorer has all of that. Unless you’re years out of date or have your settings screwed up completely, it’s not IE, and even then it isn’t exactly IE’s fault that you haven’t updated since 2005. My wife uses IE9. I use Firefox. She would love to have a spell-checker for IE. Is the add-on Speckie the way to go? There’s nothing already built into IE9, is there? ---
**Author:** ![opmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9d8465/32.png) [@opmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/opmike)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/28 "2011-11-30T18:50:17Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So back in 2008, getting signed off periodically was considered a desirable feature? That’s not a “feature” of IE. While I use Chrome and Firefox personally, I’ve not encountered some of the issues you have when I’m forced to use IE on campus, at work, or on a family member’s computer. I understand you want to bitch, but it sounds more like there’s an issue with that particular machine you’re using if you’re really having all of those problems. People who don’t update their software for years tend to have a whole host of other crap going on with their computers. Also, most people I’ve encountered that use IE do so because they simply are not aware of better alternatives; it’s not due to some allegiance to it after they’ve tried other options. Perhaps you should share with them the merits of Chrome? I promise it won’t entail you having to reprogram anything. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/29 "2011-11-30T19:13:57Z")
> [@opmike](#): > > That’s not a “feature” of IE. I was using that thing we call “irony”. Smiling bandit was saying that the problem of signing off was due to having an older version of IE. I was making a joking response due to the fact that there is no reason why any version, old or new, should sign itself off. That would have been seen as a defect in 2005 just as it is in 2011. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/30 "2011-11-30T19:28:09Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I was using that thing we call “irony”. Actually, you were using sarcasm. Irony is a whole 'nother concept. 😛 (and this is called “pedantry”) ---
**Author:** ![Snow\_Pea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Snow\_Pea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snow_Pea)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/31 "2011-11-30T19:58:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I was using that thing we call “irony”. Smiling bandit was saying that the problem of signing off was due to having an older version of IE. I was making a joking response due to the fact that there is no reason why any version, old or new, should sign itself off. That would have been seen as a defect in 2005 just as it is in 2011. As mentioned upthread, can’t you just run the browser of your choice off a thumbdrive? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/32 "2011-11-30T20:20:50Z")
I don’t know why no one has mentioned it yet, but someone told me there’s a version of one of those newfangled web browsers that can be run off a thumb drive. Have you looked into that at all? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/33 "2011-12-01T00:08:31Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I was using that thing we call “irony”. Smiling bandit was saying that the problem of signing off was due to having an older version of IE. I was making a joking response due to the fact that there is no reason why any version, old or new, should sign itself off. That would have been seen as a defect in 2005 just as it is in 2011. No, I was not. I was suggesting that you were using some older version, and implying tha it probably didn’t have the settings you prefer. Some people use higher security which does force sign-offs. Some people have years of spam, malware, and bloatware. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/34 "2011-12-01T01:21:13Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Yes, I could. But that wouldn’t make Internet Explorer not suck. I see, so you’re just having a good old moan without adopting the simple solution suggested? Reminds me of a girlfriend I once had. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/35 "2011-12-01T01:45:48Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I see, so you’re just having a good old moan without adopting the simple solution suggested? Reminds me of a girlfriend I once had. Girlfriend moaning should be a good thing… ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/36 "2011-12-01T02:38:41Z")
While I think IE 9 made a lot of things better, I don’t have access to it everywhere. IE 8 (and earlier) drive me up a goddamn wall, though. Not because of rendering or “standards compliance” or any of that bullshit, but because it’s simply _too fucking annoying to use._ If I install Firefox or Chrome and then launch it, it opens a window with the default home page. IE, however, just can’t shut the fuck up. First time you launch it, you get harassed about accelerators and web slices and other such bullshit. If you get that out of the way, then you have that stupid “information bar” popping up telling you IE blocked the file you were trying to download. If that wasn’t bad enough, the taint-smooching program also throws up a modal dialog box saying “Did you notice the information bar?” Yes, I noticed the cock-juggling information bar, and now I want you to die! Further, on firefox or chrome, if you open a new tab, you get (ta-da!) a new tab. IE “helpfully” natters away on your hard drive for the apparent purpose of loading a page that tells you that “you’ve opened a new tab!” Well, no fucking shit! Please don’t tell me you wasted memory and CPU cycles on telling me the things I did. Because I know the things I did… in fact, _I’m the one who did them!_ And don’t get me started on how IE steals focus all of the fucking time. The second anything happens on a loading page, IE will steal focus. No, that’s okay, I wasn’t typing anything in another window. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/37 "2011-12-01T03:10:12Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I see, so you’re just having a good old moan without adopting the simple solution suggested? Reminds me of a girlfriend I once had. I fully aware of what the solutions are and I was aware of them before I posted. I never asked for any help or advice. This is the BBQ Pit not General Questions. I was just complaining about how IE sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Dolomite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Dolomite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dolomite)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/38 "2011-12-01T03:18:42Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Honestly, I see no difference whatsoever between IE and Firefox anymore. They have similar functionality and speed. I use both and find switching between them cmpletely seamless. In fact, I now use IE for high-security stuff, and Firefox for more low-security. IE has a slight edge there, while Firefox is a hair faster. Similar functionality? IE doesn’t have extensions. If a browser doesn’t have an ad block extension, it isn’t worth using. And if you’re using XP, you’re stuck with IE8. Vista will not get anything beyond IE9. Mozilla can figure out GPU accelerated rendering in their browser on XP, why can’t Microsoft? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/39 "2011-12-01T03:22:57Z")
> [@](#): > > And if you’re using XP, you’re stuck with IE8. If you’re still clinging to an almost 12-year-old OS, you deserve all of the pain and misery you get. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497/40 "2011-12-01T04:26:30Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > If you’re still clinging to an almost 12-year-old OS, you deserve all of the pain and misery you get. You’re speaking pretty harshly of my 76 year old mother. But seriously, has Microsoft actually got you this conditioned? They sell you a product. Then they design a newer product that will make the first product no longer work. And then they tell you that it’s your fault if the product you bought doesn’t work because you should be buying their newer product. A program you bought twelve years ago should still work as well as it did in 1999. If you decide to buy a new product it should be because the new product is an improvement on the old product not because the new product disabled the old product. But for some reason we tolerate practices in the computer industry that would be considered insane in any other business. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddam-internet-explorer/604497.md?page=3)