Of all the things I would like to bring to the fore, now, I have to waste time with this. Okay. Has anyone else noticed their IE browser recently updating to the most recent version (10) automatically on Win 7? Put a “tick” in the ‘me too’ column if so. Thanks to my healthy skepticism of Microsoft updates, it usually comes to the place where my system has to re-start on its own before an update is installed. However, the other night, I was in the process of shutting down the system and noticed the usual mantra, “Do not touch the power button or unplug your computer; Windows is configuring your system blah, blah…. Some time elapses, then, I power the system up again. What do I find you may ask? Congratulations, Microsoft has taken executive power and upgraded your so-called “outdated” browser. Here I’m thinking it was an absolute critical system update and come to find distasteful IE 10 where I once had tolerable 8.
I will explain why this has happened. It used to be that a “browser” update was optional. In reviewing my recent Windows update history, they changed the status from “recommended” to “important” hence my system only installs “important” updates and why I find myself in the mire of IE 10. The organisation of which is detestable compared to 6, 7, or 8. Items I used to be able to locate effortlessly are now seemingly obfuscated. For example, the “Webpage privacy policy” was once prominently displayed on the “Status bar” to alert me to what Websites were employing unseemly third-party cookies - - now, not only did I have to “add” this item, it is placed way off to the right of the browser under what can best be described as a “fast forward” button.
Putting the inconvenience aside, I would like the denizens of this respected forum to contemplate, “Why now?” Was the “upgrade” of this browser really to address vulnerabilities OR is it something less forthright occurring right under your nose? Please note, Microsoft’s own “splash” page upon installing IE 10 (which I have attached as a PDF, enlarge view if required) where, by their own disclosure, they acknowledge, “To improve your browsing experience, some limited additional data is collected….” First, how does it supposedly “improve” my experience by intruding more into my browsing habits? Second, how do we define “limited”? In my experience, things are rarely as simple as people would like to make them out to be. We can only hope that this is “on the level” (so to speak) and not just anouther “power play” by special interests to harvest more data from an otherwise unsuspecting public then “farm” it out to a so-called “Utah Data Center” where God only knows what they can do with it AND Microsoft acquiescing to keep the peace.
In closing, at this point, I am seriously considering retrograding back to IE 8 and turning off Windows automatic updates (so maybe I can catch this sneaky update and de-select it next time) OR limit browsing in IE 10 utilising a spare terminal that still has IE 7. It makes me laugh to think how quickly they have progressed this browser. Frankly, I think I was good with 6 let alone all these subsequent versions. But I guess it’s the new thing. New G-mail look- terrible, New YouTube interface (at least by the consensus of this community)- deplorable. New N360 programme- conflicts with Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware. New IE 10- has haphazard organisation. They seem to operate under the philosophie that, “If it isn’t broke, tinker with it until it is….” Ah, but what do I know? I’m just the hammer wielding snapping turtle in the room. If you would like to “sound off”, feel free to do so; I’m not sure when or if I will attend to this thread.
Regards,
H.B.
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