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Reader gets feisty in a WinXP/IE Babylon stylee

Well, you think of a better headline then...

MS surrenders! IE not integrated with WinXP after all

Oh blimey, the WinXP/IE palaver has called one Alan W. Rateliff II to arms:

(My ranting and raving opinion...) People are dumb and will believe anything, and let everyone walk all over them. Lawyers are even worse because they don't really understand what's going in, just listening to raving lunatics.

When will people actually concentrate on important issues? Like the fact that most new name-branded computers are installed so the default Internet Connection Wizard starts up MSN sign up, or AOL, or DellNet, or some other stupid crap like that, making it virtually impossible for a local ISP to EASILY guide a new user through setting up their access?

Not to mention that the wording of the ICW is misleading in the first place. The options are:

  • I want to sign up for an Internet account
  • I already have an Internet account
  • I want to configure my Internet manually


Most computer newbies are sucked into the first option. I work for a local ISP and there have been numerous cases where computer newbies have run that option, believing that it will work for us. Other times we've had customers who buy a new computer and select the second option because they think it will allow them to transfer their account with us to the new computer.

Of course it's the third option we want them to use, though its importance is vaguely stated.

I've found that in some cases you have to delete the MSN signup icon from the desktop before the ICW will work properly.

Now, let's talk about the fact that I don't want that damned MSN Messenger icon on in my clock. It's automatically put there when I install IE6 (and I'm pretty sure it did it with 5.5SP1.) I deliberately avoid using Yahoo!, MSN, and all most other IM programs. I have always used ICQ, and recently started using AIM because many of my less Internet-savvy collegues and friends insist on using it. (Aside from the fact that there are ICQ and AIM clones that run on my Amiga. I despise AOL in many respects, but I'm always up to using their servers without authorization ;)

Nicely put Sir. Any more for any more?

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