> There are several "browser applications" (for lack of a better name)
> available for that require IE 4 or IE 5 on a win platform.
>
> One of these is eWebEditPro available in the tag gallery at:
>
> http://www2.allaire.com/developer/gallery/index.cfm?ObjectID=1
> 2741&nocache=yes
>
> I don't mean to single this one out, only use it as an example to
> illustrate the application.
> (My CF host, zanova, provides a similar application called iEdit).
...
> You can do the same thing with Java.... but these solutions
> are usually browser & platform independent... they don't require
> windows & IE
>
> I guess my concerns/questions are:
>
> Why do they require Windows & IE?
>
> Why do they require the versions of the browsers that are
> integrated into the OS?
>
> Are they using OS or browser features (not available to Java)?
>
> Does this provide a path to the OS, through the browser,
> that is an open invitation to hackers & viruses?
We actually have a better name for them: ActiveX controls. That's in fact
what they are. ActiveX is a standard that allows Windows clients using IE to
download and install relatively small programs, which then act just like any
other installed programs. ActiveX programs are much more powerful and more
efficient than client-side Java applets, because they're native code and
they're installed on the user's computer; Java applets have to run with
relatively limited capabilities, and they aren't installed (generally) on
the user's computer.
ActiveX controls present serious security problems, just like you face with
any other program that you install on your computer. An ActiveX control will
be able to do anything that that user is allowed to do - delete files, etc.
The answer to this is to only install trusted programs, but of course that
requires that users be competent in judging what's to be trusted. In large
corporate environments, IE clients can be configured to have lists of
trusted sites, but it's hard to make a machine completely safe from a user
determined to install a piece of software. The component does have to be
installed, though; it can't just install itself, the user has to give
permission and the user has to possess the right to install software on the
machine, which is a given on Win95/98, but not necessarily the case in
NT/2K.
Dave Watts, CTO, Fig Leaf Software
http://www.figleaf.com/
voice: (202) 797-5496
fax: (202) 797-5444
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