Transcript: Internet Explorer, November 11, 2004
Published: August 12, 2004
Chat Date: November 11, 2004
Please note: Portions of this transcript have been edited for clarity
Introduction
Andy Q (Moderator):
Welcome to today’s chat. Our topic is Internet Explorer Questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome.
Andy Q (Moderator):
We are pleased to welcome our Expert for today’s chat. I will have them introduce themselves now.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Hi, My name is Dave Massy and I'm a Program Manager on the Internet Explorer product team. I've just spent a few days moving house without any internet access. It certainly bought home to me how essential the browser is to daily life. We're a little light on support here today I'm afraid but we'll do the best to answer your questions and I'm looking forward to the chat.
Start of Chat
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: When will I be able to get the popup protection on IE with the ME O.S.?
A: Hi Anthony, For Windows ME we'd recommend an add-on for popup blocking such as the MSN toolbar or the Google toolbar.
Andy Q (Moderator):
Q: Do you guys really think u do good software?
A: Yes, I use it everyday!
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Do you have plans to add Tabbed Browsing to future versions of Internet Explorer?
A: We're looking into this functionality but at this time it is too early to discuss exact details or schedule at this time.
Andy Q (Moderator):
Remember the topic of today's chat is Internet Explorer, please wait to discuss other topics until after the scheduled chat event, thanks!
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: does Microsoft Internet Explorer support css as Firefox does, what about rss?
A: Hi Kern, IE6 supports full CSS1 and parts of CSS2.1 We are looking into further enhancements in the future in recognition of some issues in our current implementation.
Andy Q (Moderator):
Please only submit technical questions, we are short handed and some people really want their questions answered. Thanks!
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Ever thought about separating the MSHTML engine from Internet Explorer? Separating the rendering engine means no upgrades to IE required for new rendering, support of new web standards, etc.
A: Hi khlo, One of the things we believe is important here is compatibility. It is important that we evolve the web but keep rendering existing content. We'll certainly be looking at our component architecture to see how best to achieve that as we move forward.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: IE SP2 in my mind is a great improvement, Will we be seeing any/much IE development and releases between Now and Q1-Q4 2006 when longhorn is released?
A: It's a little too early to give any details about future enhancements. I can say that we are working hard and have heard plenty of valuable feedback.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: When will there be an Update or increased functionality added to Internet Explorer?
A: Hi Muessig,
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: When will there be an Update or increased functionality added to Internet Explorer?
A: Hi Muessig, With Windows XP SP2 we made a significant update to Internet Explorer to keep users secure. It's too early to say exactly when and what features will be in a future release.
JeremyE_MS (Expert):
Q: did u guys cooperate with the spyware creators to make the internet surfing a better place?
A: A lot of the work was done in XPSP2 to give you more control over what software gets installed on your machine. This includes controlling some forms of spyware. Several programs are on the market that can scan your machine for spyware.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Sorry I lost connectivity there for a moment and had to restart
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: dave: what about the browser add ons such as Avant and Maxon, if you have ever used one of them then you can see what IE can truly do ?
A: Yes they are great examples for how you can extend IE to add value.
JeremyE_MS (Expert):
Q: What advantages can IE offer over competing browsers?
A: IE offers excellent compatibility with web sites including many corporate intranet applications. To extend the functionality of IE (tabbed browsing, RSS, etc), you should check out our IE add-ons web site at: http://windowsmarketplace.com/content.aspx?ctId=63
Andy Q (Moderator):
Q: Will 98 ever see another Internet Explorer?
A: Windows 98 has reached the end of its standard support lifecycle, you can read more here: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifewin
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: when will your enhancements to css2.1 and stuff come, so that we can use rss feeds in IE? when my grand dad is dead? or when long horn is out?
A: As I've said previously it is too early to discuss details or schedule for future releases. We are looking forward to improving the browsing experience as we move forward.
Li_MSFT (Expert):
Q: there is a pop up blocker in IE SP2, what about adding anti spyware measures?
A: Hi, quibicfactor. SP2 contains features to block spyware that attempt to gain entry via ActiveX controls and file downloads, and to detect add-ons. We will continue to improve security to ensure that vulnerabilities are not exploited by spyware. See http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/default.mspx for recommendations from Microsoft.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Dave, if the IE add-ons are so much better, why not have IE do those things natively?
A: Sometimes we do add functionality natively but we also provide great extensibility mechanisms to allow others to add their own particular features.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: so Maxthon is officially supported?
A: The functionality that Maxthon uses to extend Internet Explorer is fully supported and documented on MSDN http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/workshop/browser/prog_browser_node_entry.asp
Li_MSFT (Expert):
Q: Every time I try to open internet explorer, before it gets done loading it pops up an error that something went wrong with a .dll, and when I click OK it closes it...therefore I cant get it to open...how do I fix this?
A: Hi dimitri. If there is an error message about a dll, you should search for the dll file on your machine. It sounds like you installed a version that is not compatible with the rest of the system. What is the dll name?
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Why are you encouraging XP-users to use XP SP2?
A: Windows XP SP2 is a significant update to the Operating System that improves reliability and security. We highly recommend Service Pack 2 for every Windows XP user.
Li_MSFT (Expert):
Q: Is there a way to avoid the "The Web page could not be saved to the selected location" message when you save a page as an .mht file or as complete, even if a style sheet or other parts of the page are on another domain?
A: Hi a2004-11-11, this issue should be fixed in XPSP2.
Tom_ms (Expert):
Q: Automatic Prompting (for Active X and File Downloads)security settings: Do they apply only to nonuser initiated downloads and if so should these settings be enabled only if such downloads are generally permitted in other settings?
A: Automatic Prompting for File downloads is a setting that will block attempts to automatically download a file to your machine. User initiated actions, ex: clicking a link to download a file, will not use this setting. If you disable file downloading, then user initiated and non user initiated downloads will be blocked.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Are you developing the Internet Explorer for Longhorn as well as keeping secret builds of I.e from being leaked
A: For users of earlier versions of Windows we continue to provide security updates for supported versions of Internet Explorer. There are also add-ons available for popup blocking for example through the Google toolbar and the MSN toolbar
JeremyE_MS (Expert):
Q: Is it true that Google will produce a browser with one of the (ex)IE-employees?
A: Microsoft cannot comment on our competitor's plans or future products.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: hello Dave, Jeremy, Li, Tom, would you consider using the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) for Internet Explorer's downloading of files?
A: Hi, We're certainly looking at improving the download experience in the future.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: What ever happened to favicon support?
A: We continue to support Favicon. We are aware of some issues where the icon is lost and hope to address that in the next version.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Is IE currently being developed at this moment?
A: Yes we are hard at work developing a future version of IE that will provide an even better browsing experience.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: will internet explorer have full support for altha transparency?
A: We are currently looking at providing support for alpha channel PNG. Due to the display architecture of IE this is not as simple an issue as it might seem but we do hope to address this in the future.
JeremyE_MS (Expert):
Q: Though several pieces of software are available to scan machines for spyware and remove them, there is very little by way of prevention of spyware. Does Microsoft intend to attempt to stop this problem that is becoming more of a nuisance than spam?
A: As part of Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft is investigating many ways to protect PC users on the internet. This includes spam, spyware, and malware. For more information (and to check status as new information is released), go to http://www.microsoft.com/security.
JeremyE_MS (Expert):
Q: How about an option in IE to force a DNS cache update or something like that?
A: IE does not provide this option, but you should be able to flush your DNS cache by using the following command line: ipconfig /flushdns
Tom_ms (Expert):
Q: Network Protocol Lockdown settings in group policy: What are they and can you give me an example of their use? A link to some guidance would also be helpful
A: Network Protocol Lockdown (NPL) provides the ability for an administrator to lockdown, prevent, a user from using a protocol in Internet Explorer. For example, say you want no users on your network to have the ability to use IE to connect to an ftp server. You can disable the use of the ftp protocol in the browser.
Andy Q (Moderator):
Q: I'm having problems, where do I go for help?
A: http://support.microsoft.com
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Are you thinking of making a more 'advanced' IE that users will have to pay for?
A: We have no plans for this. We provide great extensibility so that others may add value themselves such as can be seen with AOL, MSN, Maxthon etc. etc.
JeremyE_MS (Expert):
Q: After installing sp2 internet explorer has a problem opening some web pages that were accessible before is there something I can change in internet explorer to rectify the problem
A: Do you have an example web page?
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: What is the difference between DHTML, MSHTML, and HTML?
A: DHTML stands for Dynamic HTML and is a loose term to describe the ability to dynamically change HTML content
Dave_MS (Expert):
MSHTML is the term for the HTML rendering component in Internet Explorer
Dave_MS (Expert):
HTML is the markup language commonly used on the web
Li_MSFT (Expert):
There have been several questions about whether the next release of IE will have a download manager. We are certainly looking into that functionality, but I cannot confirm anything right now.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Will IE support RSS in the future?
A: We're certainly looking into this. It's a little too early to discuss details of future features and schedules though.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Does Microsoft intend to fix the issue in IE with SP2 that causes IE's time to load a website to jump (2.6 seconds on SP1, 52.7 Seconds on SP2, With DSL Internet Access)?
A: Hi Dane, I've not seen any issues here. Is it happening on more than one machine?
JeremyE_MS (Expert):
Q: I know this isn’t much to do with IE, but the web, what are your future plans for IIS? and what do you think of apache considering that it has a load of market share?
A: Since the IIS team is a different team from Internet Explorer, we cannot comment on IIS plans. For information about IIS and future IIS development, go to: http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsServer2003/iis/default.mspx.
Andy Q (Moderator):
We are going to have to wrap up this chat in about 10 minutes. We’re going to answer a few more questions, though.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: What is being done to improve the rendering engine? The proprietary rendering code is hurting my web designing process.
A: We are looking to address some consistency issues with our CSS implementation as we move forward. We do clearly document in each reference page on MSDN http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/workshop/author/editing/editing_ref_entry.asp which standard if any applies to that piece of functionality.
Andy Q (Moderator):
Q: what are the three main versions of windows xp?
A: There are 4: Home, Professional, Tablet Edition, Media Center Edition
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Why did you stop supporting Internet Explore for the mac. Will you at least consider us again for a newer version of Internet Explorer
A: I think it is unlikely we'll look at developing IE Mac further as those users are well catered for with Apple’s own browser release.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Why is there a separation of browsers in MS: IE and MSN? I enjoyed the functionality of MSN like the sidebar and download manager. Will MS eventually be integrating these two programs? I've heard rumors that IE was going to be trashed and MSN was...
A: MSN extends and adds value to Internet Explorer. So rather than seeing this as a separation you can think of this as one being a superset of the other in the same way that AOL uses IE technology. I wouldn't pay attention to rumors :-)
Tom_ms (Expert):
Q: NPL follow-up: What other security questionable protocols should I consider restricting and why? thank you
A: This really depends on how you want to configure your user on the network and what restrictions you want to apply. Here is a some examples of usage, http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2brows.mspx#EAAA.
Andy Q (Moderator):
5 more minutes folks! We are answering as fast as we can!
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: will a public beta of IE be released to give your customers a taste of what to expect?
A: As with previous releases we certainly hope to make a beta available so that we can get product feedback. We can't discuss exactly when that will be though.
Andy Q (Moderator):
Any last questions folks?
Li_MSFT (Expert):
Q: Why is there a separation of browsers in MS: IE and MSN? I enjoyed the functionality of MSN like the sidebar and download manager. Will MS eventually be integrating these two programs? I've heard rumors that IE was going to be trashed and MSN was...
A: Deron, the MSN Client browser is designed specifically to take advantage of services provided by MSN. IE is a general purpose browser. The MSN team will continue to add value by providing client software that works inside and outside of IE.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Does IE currently fully support XHTML, both online as offline (loaded from the hard disk)? If not, is it going to be present in future versions/updates?
A: IE does not support strict XHTML. In as far as XHTML is well formed HTML IE will of course read and render well formed content.
Andy Q (Moderator):
Well that's it folks!
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: Are you working to improve the User Interface in future releases or Internet Explorer?
A: We're looking at improvements in many areas including the User Interface to make users more productive on the web
Andy Q (Moderator):
Thanks to our experts today, they worked hard to find pertinent questions and get them answered for you
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: can u stay for another two hours....
A: Sorry but we'll have to leave shortly.
Andy Q (Moderator):
Thanks, look for more chats at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/chats/default.mspx
JeremyE_MS (Expert):
Q: Will IE will have a p*rn blocker for parents to use for the children, so they don’t have to see bad stuff?
A: IE has built-in support for content ratings using Content Advisor (Internet Options\Content tab). For more control of parental settings, you may want to take a look at MSN 9. They offer even more control over your children's web browsing experience.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: many web developers are unaware of the doctype switch which sets IE into standards-compliant mode; are you planning any kind of campaign to inform more developers of features such as this?
A: We certainly want to make people aware of this http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnie60/html/cssenhancements.asp as we see it as a way to add enhancements without breaking existing web content.
Dave_MS (Expert):
Q: What exactly does the "Discus" option in IE do? Every time I go to a website and click it I get a message saying it is not possible!
A: This is an option that is added if you have Office installed allowing you to discuss with other office users if you have the server infrastructure from office. Any program has the ability to add functionality to IE this way.
Li_MSFT (Expert):
There have been some questions about skinning. Right now, there are many IE based browsers that allow you to customize the look and feel. We will continue to provide a rich platform for 3rd parties to build custom web browsers. See http://windowsmarketplace.com/Results.aspx?collID=46
Dave_MS (Expert):
Thanks guys. It's been fun chatting. Sorry we couldn't get to every question.
For further information on this topic please visit the following:
Newsgroups: Windows XP General Discussion
Transcripts: Read the archive of past Windows XP chats.
