10 replies to this topic

[mikel]

Rather off-topic, I know, but there have been a number of critical comments about IE and its users recently. Some of us have now choice. My school uses a ridiculously cumbersome, inflexible, expensive and full-of-things-I-want-to-do-but-am-not-allowed-to package which includes the entire school database, the attendance system, and also prints out all the reports. It can only be accessed through IE. This means that if I were going to use Firefox, I'd have to run them both side by side and I'm not sure that's a good idea, is it?

[DAJ Belshaw]

This means that if I were going to use Firefox, I'd have to run them both side by side and I'm not sure that's a good idea, is it?

Why not? I have to have IE installed on the systems I use both at home and at school as certain programs (e.g. MSN Messenger) use IE's core engine. I still use Firefox for browsing because it's so much better...

Doug

Edited by DAJ Belshaw, 22 December 2005 - 08:33 AM.

[mikel]

OK, I'm convinced. I'll ask our IT chappy if I can get it through the firewall. It's very picky about what it'll let us download! For example, I am informed that bit-torrent files are totally out of the question...

Edited by mikel, 22 December 2005 - 11:01 AM.

[DAJ Belshaw]

OK, I'm convinced. I'll ask our IT Gauleiter if I can get it through the firewall. It's very picky about what it'll let us download! For example, I am informed that bit-torrent files are totally out of the question...

Well that's to be expected. You don't need to talk to your IT guy, I shouldn't think - Firefox, like Internet Explorer, uses the default port (Port 80) to connect to the Internet. Just download it and off you go (preferably by clicking on the link on my site so I get the referral bonus...)

Doug

[Andrew Field]

OK, I'm convinced. I'll ask our IT Gauleiter if I can get it through the firewall. It's very picky about what it'll let us download! For example, I am informed that bit-torrent files are totally out of the question...

Well that's to be expected. You don't need to talk to your IT guy, I shouldn't think - Firefox, like Internet Explorer, uses the default port (Port 80) to connect to the Internet.

Just to make it clear - you most certainly do need to talk to the IT guy about it - he (or she) will then be able to make the informed decision to get Firefox installed across your school network, properly and correctly, rather than some slapdash installation just on your own PC.

When centrally installed, the IT people can then make sure that the installation is up to date with all the latest fixes and they can made sure that it works correctly with the other programs on the network. If you are allowed to install Firefox yourself then your school network is not secure.

In response to your initial issue where all the reports & admin take place via Internet Explorer, this can all transfer instantly to Firefox. I suspect all it is is a webpage that provides links to other programs. It doesn't matter what browser is used for this.

[DAJ Belshaw]

Black

(I'm just wondering whether, in the style of the Word Association game that's currently going on, Andrew will respond with 'White')

Doug

Edited by DAJ Belshaw, 22 December 2005 - 10:39 AM.

[mikel]

In response to your initial issue where all the reports & admin take place via Internet Explorer, this can all transfer instantly to Firefox. I suspect all it is is a webpage that provides links to other programs. It doesn't matter what browser is used for this.

I really don't know enough to tell whether you're right or wrong... The IT chap told me that everything else we do could be done with Firefox, but that the SMS database would only work on IE. He then said something about protocols or something but I didn't understand a word of it so I stopped listening...

[Andrew Field]

Well, it could be I suppose - without knowing what the system really is it might require Internet Explorer. This is probably what the manufacturers of the software say. In reality there is nothing that cannot work without Internet Explorer as long as the programmers are good enough.

As Doug said above there is no problem having more than one browser installed - I've got loads of browsers installed to test websites with. Firefox is a great, lightweight solution to browse the internet with - simple as that really.

Regarding my post above which Doug seems to have taken the wrong way - I'm just trying to say that it is essential that software is correctly installed on a school network. School networks are very fragile beasts. Unless you are lucky enough to have top quality IT support - which is unlikely due to the wages that IT professionals get paid at schools (compared to what they earn in the real world) the IT people do need to keep a very tight reign on what is installed. For example if you install Firefox but don't update the installation some new issue might appear. If it was installed centrally by the IT people they can ensure that it is patched to the latest version. However, your personal one that IT support know nothing about would be left. This could open up a security hole on your network.

This is why IT support people are so prissy about their networks - their job is to keep it running. Hence if things are working using Internet Explorer they'll be keen not to rock the boat. What you thus have to do is gently move and suggest them towards Firefox. For example suggest that they install it on their machines so they can evaluate it. Then a week later come back and ask them how, at home, you've found it never crashes and pages seem to load much more rapidly. Then suggest that it might be something that could be installed on the network....

Sorry if I upset you Doug - this wasn't intended at all.

[DAJ Belshaw]

Sorry if I upset you Doug - this wasn't intended at all.

Nah - it would take a lot more than than to upset me! I just find it rather funny when we give conflicting advice...

Doug

[D Letouzey]

My Firefox version can open a webpage using the IE interface.
It is a simple extension you can install.

Daniel

[DAJ Belshaw]

My Firefox version can open a webpage using the IE interface.
It is a simple extension you can install.

Yes, I have that installed as well - you can find it here

Doug