IE6 Do I need it?

[victoria]

At my last 2k install I did not update IE to version 6. Since I use Firefox I didn't see the need for it. But now I wonder if there were some operating system updates in IE6 that I would be better off having.

Does anyone know what benefits there are to having IE6 if you don't use it for web browsing?

[Martin Zugec]

Many Windows is component/object based OS, so even if you dont use IE, you use its objects. So arguments like I dont need it, because I use FF are not good. Microsoft will allow enabling/disabling access (similar to OEAccess in unattended) with replacing stubpath with Firefox (or othe browser).

[At0mic]

As long as you have IE installed, your susceptible to its vulnerabilities weather you use it or not. The only way to get away with not installing updates is to remove it completely with a 3rd party tool such as nlite.

[Win2k3EE]

As long as you have IE installed, your susceptible to its vulnerabilities weather you use it or not. The only way to get away with not installing updates is to remove it completely with a 3rd party tool such as nlite.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sorry, but I didn't get that.Please, explain your response.

If you can't update your OS, then you're in trouble.

I use FF for browsing, and IE 6 only for WU and I have no problem what so ever.

victoria better listen to soulin.

[victoria]

I'm not at all interested in getting access to the Microsoft update service. I wasn't asking about that and have never used that service.

I'm talking about other underlying OS features that may be installed with IE6 that might be beneficial to the system - DLLs and system files for example?

[Oleg_II]

victoria

I don't use IE on W2k and even blocked its access to the Internet with firewall. I tried to install W2k without it (Remove IE from Windows at install and found that only two appz I use apart from included in system depends on IE's engine: one is a Flash player and the other is the small and cute web-editor. Everything worked fine. In fact I found the way for the editor to work without IE installing just a few files from Windows Help system. The only reason I'm still installing OS with IE is I'm still using Outlook's address book - I can't find the alternative that suits my requirements.

Best regards,

Oleg 2

[victoria]

Thanks Oleg.

[fdv]

It's all here, but I'm chiming in with my 2cents

@victoria - There is no added functionality in terms of updated files that IE 6 will give you over IE 5.5. (There are security updates, media hooks updates, Internet browsing anfd HTML display related fixes, but no added functionality you're missing.)

tommyp created an IE6 integrator that no doubt he'll adapt for the post sp4 rollup coming in a few days, so you might want to watch that thread. I have tried the IE6 integration method and it works very well at it stands right now. IMO if you do not ever use IE6, there's no point. Again, IMHO. To rid yourself of IE, tru nlite or my site (referenced both in Oleg_II's post and in my sig).

@Oleg_II - Somewhere in my site I have an INF that allows for installation of both Outlook and WAB without IE. If you want I can dig it up; it's something only one or two people asked about a long time ago.

All - In win2k, you can still use Daisy at http://opensource.w2k.vt.edu/daisy.php to keep your machine patched without having to visit MS's WinUpdate site.

[Oleg_II]

@fdv

That will be very kind of you.

And if you can help me to install Help system also that would be great I need some of its files for one of my appz and for reading some .chm files (unfortunately the program you recomend for this doesn't always work for me - some files I have can't be read).

Best regards,

Oleg 2

[fdv]

@Oleg_II - Uh-oh... If you need Help to work flawlessly, and IF the xCHM proggie doesn't work... You guessed it. You need IE

This INF: http://www.vorck.com/data/msoe50.inf will install MSOE and WAB after you've installed Windows without IE, BTW.

[Oleg_II]

@fdv

Thank you very much! Will try it after I'm back from business trip.

Just curious if it is possible to install it during unattended?

As for Help: there was a bug during of one of my experiments wich installed Help on my system but I have not found any trace of IE after it. You can try to simulate this instal: include a chm file to your batch file wich is run through cmdlines.txt. During unattended installation there is an error opening this file (something like "There is no Help system") but installation continues and it installs all the helps and some Help system files. You have to close the error window in order the unattended complete.

In my case a proram (NetStumbler) opens a chm by the end of its installation and this installs Help system (a few system files and all helps in corresponding folder).

Best regards,

Oleg 2

[fdv]

Oleg2-yes to the unattended question. just replace the existing msoe50.inf file in i386 with mine. also, be sure to uncomment the msoe50 line (remove semicolon) under [infs.Always] section in syssetup.inf. this also works in nlite, though it takes a little more work (but it still works in the same manner).

as for the help system - yes, it can technically be installed but it uses the html dll's the ie uses, so i have (well, we have -- the nlite community) always considered help to be part of ie, since they share this critical library. unless i am missing something. when it installs, it does ask for the windows cd, right? shdoclc.dll is really the heart of ie, and as long as the pc is without this file, ie will not welcome malware and exploits. on the other hand, installing outlook and having the html libraries installed (with help) might be a bit problematic unless you're fully patched (post sp4).

[Oleg_II]

@fdv

No, it didn't ask for cd (it was unattended and cd was in the tray), it just complained about "Can't open the file because of ..." but in a few minutes file was opened by himself.

I can't confirm if there is shdoclc.dll on the system untill I'm back home on June 17 maybe. But I'll definitely check for it. If I have time during my trip I'll probably spend one night with trying to simulate it in Virtual PC and report back.

Regards,

Oleg 2

PS Quick question: you don't cab your files? Just rename them with _ instad of the last letter? Should I do the same or can I still cab them?

Edited June 9, 2005 by Oleg_II

[jaclaz]

Just for the record, I posted here links to a couple of alternatives to xchm:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...ndpost&p=332273

The first is pretty useless, whilst the second is interesting

jaclaz

[fdv]

@jaclaz - thanks. Wish the guys who develop these programs wouldn't always assume Windows doesn't need them This sample is unfortunately really only for developers to speed up their understanding and deployment. Wish we had some programmers able to run with this; it would also be nice if the Mozilla foundation one day just decided to develop a FF extension...

@Oleg_II - no, not cabbed (compressed). They are this way so that they can be edited easily. You can compress them if you want to, but in the interest of ease of use and editing, I chose not to (plus it cuts down on e-mail from inexperienced users who might try to open and edit the files and not really understand the whole compression thing).