Now seemed like a good time to encourage clients to start using something other than Internet Explorer, so I’ve written the following email and will send it out to my web clients later today.
Hello all
I’m emailing my clients to recommend that they switch from Microsoft Internet Explorer to a more secure web browser in light of the security vulnerability currently being publicised in the news. So far, two governments (Germany and France) have warned that Microsoft Internet Explorer should *not* be used.
A web browser is the program used to view web pages. Microsoft Internet Explorer is the default web browser that comes with Microsoft Windows – it has a blue ‘e’ as its icon.
If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer to access the web, I recommend you download and install a better and more secure web browser to use instead – it’s very easy.
Here are a couple of good options, both of which are free and superior to Internet Explorer:
Mozilla Firefox
http://getfirefox.com/Google Chrome
http://www.google.co.uk/chromeHere is some more detailed information on the situation and the government warnings for those who wish to read more:
The German and French governments are warning web users *not* to use Microsoft Internet Explorer to access the web due to a security vulnerability, present in all versions of it, which was used in the recent attacks on Google, Adobe and other companies. They are recommending that current Internet Explorer users switch to an alternative web browser.
As a web designer, I also very much agree with this recommendation, based on security considerations as well as other important issues such as quality of web page rendering.
BBC news articles on the subject:
German government warns against using MS Explorer
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8463516.stmFrance joins Germany warning against Internet Explorer
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8465038.stmMicrosoft admits Explorer used in Google China hack
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8460819.stmIf you have any questions, or are not sure how to go about using a different web browser, feel free to reply and ask.
If you know of others who may still be using Internet Explorer, you may like to forward this email onto them.
Kind regards
David Oliver
3 Comments
Good call! I’ve been thinking about doing the same thing, so I guess now I actually have to do it(;
I really hope that this is the final gut kick to IE6 (don’t mind IE7 too).
Ha – go, go, go! ;) I had an old colleague of mine phone me in response with a couple of questions – he then switched to Google Chrome.
Another deconverted client just thanked me via email – now using Firefox. :)