Windows Look-a-Like Linux Distro...

rootking · 08-23-2009, 04:48 PM

I am curious if there are any web browsers for linux that can goto all the sites that Internet Explorer can goto and won't cause errors saying that you must run IE 6.0 or later? I want to use linux as an image for some real estate agents that really needs to print, scan documents from the printer to the PC, use their usb drive to load documents, print to the copier, and goto any website that works in IE.

If anyone has advice on this area I would be greatly appreciated if you would share.

thanks

MS3FGX · 08-23-2009, 09:22 PM

Websites that only work in Internet Explorer are exceedingly rare these days. Are there some specific sites you are having problems with, or are you just asking as a precautionary measure?

If you are going to a site that says it can only be viewed in IE, and moreover suggests you use IE 6.0, then you are probably looking at a site that hasn't been updated in the last 5 years.

i92guboj · 08-23-2009, 09:30 PM

Most of this "requirements" will be solved by changing the user agent of your browser. The only reason why a site would *truly* require IE would be if it uses ActiveX in which case yes: you need IE. You can try to install IE under wine, or to use Windows inside virtualbox or a similar VM. There's no open browser supporting ActiveX in linux.

windtalker10 · 08-23-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rootking

I am curious if there are any web browsers for linux that can goto all the sites that Internet Explorer can goto and won't cause errors saying that you must run IE 6.0 or later? I want to use linux as an image for some real estate agents that really needs to print, scan documents from the printer to the PC, use their usb drive to load documents, print to the copier, and goto any website that works in IE.

If anyone has advice on this area I would be greatly appreciated if you would share.

thanks

Firefox

I've used Linux myself for 5+ years, which isn't all that long but in that time I've never found a site that Firefox has a problem with if all your plugins are installed properly.

jiml8 · 08-23-2009, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i92guboj

Most of this "requirements" will be solved by changing the user agent of your browser. The only reason why a site would *truly* require IE would be if it uses ActiveX in which case yes: you need IE. You can try to install IE under wine, or to use Windows inside virtualbox or a similar VM. There's no open browser supporting ActiveX in linux.

However, note that Microsoft - without telling anyone - decided to "fix" firefox on Windows with a security update about six months ago. They modified FF to accept Active-X.

I don't recall all the details since I am not affected, but if you google you'll locate the information.

chrism01 · 08-23-2009, 11:10 PM

FWIW, on MS you can add the IETab extension to FF for sites that are written specifically for IE. Works pretty well.

i92guboj · 08-23-2009, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jiml8

However, note that Microsoft - without telling anyone - decided to "fix" firefox on Windows with a security update about six months ago. They modified FF to accept Active-X.

I don't recall all the details since I am not affected, but if you google you'll locate the information.

I am aware of that, though I haven't looked into the details because it certainly doesn't concern me at all.

But that extension doesn't work in linux, since in linux there's no activeX at all. So it really doesn't matter for the thread at hand. The original poster is interested in running IE specific sites in linux.

rootking · 08-24-2009, 12:52 AM

thanks for the information. the IETab sounds good and I will check this out.