Why do I need Internet Explorer 7?

Seriously, why?

By Valardur Posted May 28, 2009 19:53:35

I'm installing Impulse on a reformatted computer and notice that during installation, it "recommends" for me to upgrade to Internet explorer 7.

After installation, with every right click, its menu is completely dark. Is this caused by not having IE 7?

I'm perfectly happy NOT having headaches by avoiding Internet explorer, I would rather use Opera than IE.

Guess I'll see what other things might pop up... I'm hoping not much.

Sorry I was raised by an anti-Microsoft brother

0 Karma 22 Replies 4 Referrals

You don't have to use Internet Explorer for web browsing, it is merely suggested that you have IE7 installed on your PC as certain functions in Impulse rely upon IE controls.

You can install IE7 and continue to use Opera.

A lot of people seem to confuse this. Impulse requires that IE7 be installed for some features. By no means does this mean you have to set it as your default browser, or even ever run IE itself. It just needs to be installed. I'm a Firefox user myself, and have IE8 installed just to keep that part of Windows updated and patched. Rarely if ever do I actually run IE. If you want to use a 3rd party browser, by all means please do, but have IE updated on the system.

Shirley

reply 2

I'm a Firefox user myself, and have IE8 installed just to keep that part of Windows updated and patched. Rarely if ever do I actually run IE. If you want to use a 3rd party browser, by all means please do, but have IE updated on the system.

Well... when I have (as I had this morning) an Internet Explorer script error while using Impulse, it reminds me how crappy IE can be and what a shame it is for Impulse to have it as a requirement...

What are you doing when you get this particular error? Let us know so we can look into it.

Hi Zubaz,

That error, though not frequent, happened when I posted in this forum using Impulse. I mentioned that already from the post where this issue created some havoc here (reply #23, the P.S.). When wanting to reply to IamDean, with the problem that had been fixed, and presenting some suggestions.

I went to "View Impulse's history" in order to copy some of the information there. I had a problem while highlighting because the drop down menu kept getting minimized. After I pasted the information I kept getting a cascade (more like a deluge) of IE script errors. I didn't immediately switch from Impulse to a browser because I'm more into resolving a problem than to give up on it.

I had to press "Yes" I want to bloody continue several times in successive intervals in order to finish typing. Then I was being unable to post it; I had to copy the info to wordpad and try again. I was able to upload the post at the second attempt, after refreshing the view, still with a problem of being unable to separate two sentences from each other on the first paragraph. I later fixed that when I used Firefox to edit the post.

That was my problem, thanks for asking.

So, there's also this Security Alert issue. It happens when I'm in the community section. Today I wanted to change from the previoulsy saved position Forums to Community.

Do we really need this kind of security alert from within Impulse? It's like some parts of Impulse don't trust each other!? I know that's not exactly why it happens, but that's the problem with depending on 3rd party software innit?

It would be nice to see some more fine-tuning for these issues. Thanks.

And here we have another IE script error

This time I was trying to access the "Empire Total War" article below my own (from My Impulse) when the error popped out.

My Windows XP is up to date and I have IE8.

This ends my report on the third-party interference issue. Sorry about the triple post.

So, there's also this Security Alert issue. It happens when I'm in the community section.

I've seen this error when teh PC's date is off. Check that.

Are you using XP or Vista? Vista should update certs good enough, XP may need help. YOu can update your root certs through Windows Update: http://www.update.microsoft.com/

Hi,

The Windows XP SP3 on my main computer has the root certificates updated. The latest is the May update, I believe, that I got from Microsoft Update on the optional software updates area some time ago. Time and date are also correct, being automatically synchronized from a server in Hong Kong.

This issue is a problem of the click and forget kind anyway, and I find that using a browser for stardock's forums is more advantageous. All forums are available and there's less random issues to worry about.

Thanks!

[e digicons]1*[/e]

What features of Impulse fail to function if I am unwilling to use IE?

I purchased software from Stardock several years ago and I am considering purchasing additional softward, but I will not use, update, or install IE.

Krafen

reply 10

What features of Impulse fail to function if I am unwilling to use IE?

AFAIK, the community features would be unable to function properly. Payments from paypal require browsing capability, so I suspect that could be in jeopardy as well from within Impulse.

I do hope that Impulse will get more self-contained in the future...

Will the advent of Windows 7, specifically the EU ruling that it can't be bundled with IE by default affect Impulse in anyway? As soon as i jump into W7 i'll be using firefox only and don't want to have to install IE at all.

While the browser won't be bundled, the Mshtml.dll will remain as core component of Windows 7. That dll is necessary for OS and third-party apps such as Impulse.

Even with IE disabled, Windows 7 still has the MSHTML engine present as it is used by a number of other parts of the OS. So Impulse should be unaffected.

Super

Yes. Really it's not IE7 that is the requirement, but the version of mshtml.dll that comes with it. I can't imagine this will not be included in the EU ruling versions of Win 7, and if so updated when necessary through Windows Update.

Any Windows OS lower than 7 (Vista and under) that support internet GUI web browsing has IE and you can not completely get rid of it. I thought i should just say that to those who keep saying they do not have IE and never will because they do have it, and IE is the reason you can go from WE (Windows Explorer) to a website just by changing the above Address.

Also i believe that is total BS that there was a ruling against Windows 7 from being packaged with IE, because Leopard OSX has safari packaged in, and it is Microsofts OS no one else's if you don't like it don't get the OS.

Last i am pondering why Stardock does not just make their own Browser instead of using IE. There could be hundreds of new features and upgrades to it, just by using the chrome engine instead Stardock could easily make life easier for itself and regular users with the engine packaged in Impulse. It wouldn't give the actual web browser, but just have the engine that Impulse would use inside of the Impulse package, to make life easier. I personally can not stand the Security Implications of IE because they are so numerous, plus it crashes my computer whenever anything using it is run. Impulse is the first program using IE that has not crashed my computer. I have had to turn off all internet access for Steam and all ingame Steam games (Because their motd uses IE as well) for this problem.

... just by using the chrome engine instead ...

You realize that Google Chrome doesn't even use its own engine?

It uses Webkit, an engine that was originally designed for Safari.

Stange how IE is crashing so much, though? It's not the best browser out there, but it should be stable. Are you running with the latest updates?

But yes, I agree with many people that it's a good idea to keep IE up to date even if you never use it. A lot of applications have been known to use it even when you're not using it yourself.

Now I know what do they mean by "Impulse needs IE7".

Impulse should get the dll packed with it and not rely on up-to-date systems [e digicons]^_^[/e]

Nobody took into account this :

quoting post

After installation, with every right click, its menu is completely dark. Is this caused by not having IE 7?

This is caused by the "custom" skin not working properly, I had the same problem, my question was ignored too. Click on the Stardock button on the top menu, wait for the menu (why is it so long ?), and tick "Disable custom skin".

lhetre

reply 19

quoting post

After installation, with every right click, its menu is completely dark. Is this caused by not having IE 7?

This is caused by the "custom" skin not working properly, I had the same problem, my question was ignored too. Click on the Stardock button on the top menu, wait for the menu (why is it so long ?), and tick "Disable custom skin".

Thanks for the reply. However when I go to the starock button, click on preferences, I see nowhere to click the "Disable custom skin" (I've been randomingly clicking all over the window since it seems I can not see everything that is displayed in any IMPULSE windows, yet I"ve been unsuccesful

Preferences show when you click on the Stardock logo :

http://img232.yfrog.com/i/impulse01.jpg/

Disable custom skin is here :

http://img232.yfrog.com/i/impulse02.jpg/

It worked

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!