Internet Explorer 7 - Advice needed

[wiseguy]

Hi Guys

I recently downloaded I.E.7 through my Windows Critical Updates Alert. Although it has proven to be more stable on sites that used to crash my I.E.6, ever since it has been downloaded I have been getting the following annoying messages:
(1)
Whenever I access hotmail I get a drop-down alert bar message saying:

"This website wants to run the following add-on: 'MSN Messenger Service' from 'Microsoft Corporation (unverified publisher)'. If you trust the website and the add-on and want to allow it to run, click here"

What does this do and why does Microsoft Corporation class itself as an unverified publisher and ask me if I want to trust running their own add-on?
(2)
Also on some sites containing streaming media I get either of the following drop-down alert bar messages:

"This website wants to run the following add-on: 'Windows Media 6.4 Player Shim' from 'Microsoft Corporation'. If you trust the website and the add-on and want to allow it to run, click here"
or
"This website wants to run the following add-on: 'Windows Media Player Core' from 'Microsoft Corporation'. If you trust the website and the add-on and want to allow it to run, click here"

What do these two do and again why does Microsoft ask me if I want trust running their own add-ons, especially as I have always played media via the sites before and never been asked to do this using I.E.6?

I would appreciate any help and guidance as to what these add-ons do and to whether I should allow them to run. Many thanks, Dave.

[Jacques]

Problem (2) isn't actually your fault as I understand it. It's a problem with websites that use AWStats. For what ever reason, only known to Micro$oft the shim isn't pre-approved in IE7 and so AWStats can return the wrong ProgID causing the alert.



"...Windows Media Player 9 Series uses a shim to translate the Windows Media
Player 6.4 object model into the native Windows Media Player 9 Series object
model...."


Problem (1) I don't know, but IE7 is supposed to give the user more Active X control than IE6 so maybe this is what that is?

[Shaun TM]

Why IE? I mainly use Firefox and Opera, the only time IE comes out to play is if FF & Opera can't display a site.

[andy at handiwork]

IE7 has just downloaded itself and is now asking if I want to install it. Whats a poor boy supposed to do? Stick with 6 or give it a go? I can always go back to IE6 if there's any problems it says.

[jeffhaskeft]

i down loaded it too and it's shite stick with version 6

[Jacques]

jeffhaskeft wrote:

> i down loaded it too and it's shite stick with version 6


If I had a pound for every time I'd heard this......