Old news, it's been pulled. It almost got me to dust off the html-of-ie-death, though... There in the mid 90s, there were sites that could crash internet exploiter, and I doubt that the actual flaws got fixed, just the particular iterations that were popularized...
On Wed, 15 Aug 2001, will trillich wrote: >short version: > >webmasters, take note and add > <meta name="MSSmartTagsPreventParsing" content="TRUE"> >to every page you own... > >lnog version: > >more darkness from redmond -- this, from an 'addme.com' >newsletter i subscribe to (i'm not affiliated in any way; in >fact i seldom find time to read them at all, but this one caught >my eye). if nothing else, the author is blatantly "one of us" at >least in spirit. > >irrelevant portions snipped-- > >........................................................ >August 14th, 2001 *** ISSUE #216 *** >........................................................ > > Real Life Internet Evil: > Microsoft's Smart Tags > ========================= > >By Richard Lowe, Jr. > >You've worked hard on your web pages. If you are anything like >me, you've spent countless hours writing content, finding or >creating graphics, cursing at tables, juggling lists and learning >HTML and possibly even CSS, Java, DHTML and countless other >things. > >My web site is uniquely mine. It is a product of my imagination, >my sweat, my brain and my frustration. I have spent many >sleepless nights and countless long days adding just the perfect >content to communicate exactly what I wanted to say. > >Now Microsoft has come along with a "brilliant" idea. They want >to piggyback their own selected content on top of that work. The >idea is to have their products (such as Internet Explorer and the >Office suite) scan web pages and documents for keywords and >phrases known to the Microsoft. Any of these that are found would >be underlined with a special purple "squiggle" to show that they >are "smart tags". > >Anyone viewing the page could then click on the smart tag and be >transported to a Microsoft web site for more information. For >example, you could write a web page about the Grand Canyon, and >the phrase "Grand Canyon" could be underlined, allowing your >visitors to check out the Expedia.Com page about how to book >travel to the area. > >Why does Microsoft want to do this? It's really very simple - to >make an incredible amount of money. Look at it this way, >Microsoft suddenly would have at their disposal every single >document viewed with a new Microsoft product as a potential >advertisement. Wow. That's power. No, this is an understatement >of incredible magnitude. This is more than power - this is the >harnessing of everyone's creative energy into a huge global >advertising tool. It totally staggers the imagination. > >You could be looking at a newspaper site, reading an article >about train travel, and click on numerous links to Microsoft >sites (and presumably third party sites which paid Microsoft for >the privilege) selling train related products and services. If >you read a classified ad on that same newspaper site selling an >automobile, the word "Cadillac" could be underlined with a smart >tag linking to a Cadillac dealer. > >Content (the tags) are added dynamically to web pages by the >browser without the permission of the person who created the >pages (the webmaster or author). While strictly speaking this >might not violate copyright laws (but it might be considered >vandalism), it sure is rude. In fact, most people would consider >it highly unethical. > >As an example, suppose you bought a book through a book club. >Before it was shipped to you, someone opened the book and >examined every single page, adding comments here and there about >how you could purchase this or get more information about that. >You would be very annoyed if you were the author, you'd probably >be livid if you were the publisher of the book, and you'd almost >certainly return it if you were the customer. > >Carefully crafted web pages whose look and feel has been lovingly >built for countless hours by dedicated designers, authors, >artists and webmasters would be randomly covered with trash by a >company intent on siphoning away visitors to their own sites and >pages. > >And what about the problem of inappropriate content? Suppose you >had a site which was against animal cruelty, yet Smart Tags went >ahead and added to your pages links to other sites which sold >muzzles for horses? You wouldn't like that very much, would you? > >Another problem is that Smart Tags are "opt-out". This means the >tags are inserted unless you (the webmaster or the user) indicate >that you do not want them. Opt-Out is the preferred method of >removal for many advertisers because they understand that most >people will not bother to remove themselves from the list. Opt-in >is the preferred method of most consumers because then they >receive only what they have requested. > >Webmasters can keep smart tags from working on their site by >including a special "opt-out" metatag in the header of each and >every page. I highly recommend that all webmasters include this >tag to prevent smart tags from operating. > > <meta name="MSSmartTagsPreventParsing" content="TRUE"> > >As soon as Smart Tags appeared in a beta release of Windows XP, >the furor began. It was awesome to see. Microsoft was hit from >all sides by just about everyone, because their intentions were >so transparent and so blatantly monopolistic that even the most >conservative could see what they were up to. The dangers caused a >flood of protests to be received by the giant company, so many >that Microsoft was forced to remove the feature from their >products. > >"As a result of smart tags in beta versions of Windows XP and IE, >we received lots of feedback, and have realized that there is a >need to better balance the user experience with the legitimate >concerns of content providers and web sites," Microsoft said in a >statement on June 28th, 2001. > >Keep an eye on Microsoft, however, because they also added, >"Microsoft remains committed to this type of technology, and will >work closely with content providers and partners in the industry >in the coming months to further refine how it can be used." > >------------------------------------------------------------ >Richard Lowe Jr. is the webmaster of Internet Tips And >Secrets at http://www.internet-tips.net - Visit our website any >time to read over 1,000 complete FREE articles about how to >improve your internet profits, enjoyment and knowledge. >------------------------------------------------------------ > >To subscribe to this newsletter, please go to >http://www.addme.com/nladd.htm > >----- End forwarded message ----- > >i include the author's site info and the newsletter info in case >anyone a) wants to check it out or b) complain at them for >having someone such as me, for a subscriber. :) > > -- There is no problem so great that it cannot be solved with suitable application of High Explosives. Who is John Galt? [EMAIL PROTECTED], that's who!