Unpleasant surprise this morning.
I remember there was something about Bing like a year ago. Now it has once again taken over the Firefox 'address bar' search engine (not the search engine toolbar to the side). Meaning that I used to be able to type 'Facebook' in the address bar and Google/Firefox would just take me there, directly. Now all I see is some Bing search engine results.
Bing seems to have something to do with Microsoft, but I don't recall installing it. It's nowhere to be found in the Firefox plugin list.
Anyone got a clue?
Removing Bing from Firefox again?
Removing Bing from Firefox again?
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
Bing is Microsoft's new search engine.Tricky wrote: Bing seems to have something to do with Microsoft, but I don't recall installing it. It's nowhere to be found in the Firefox plugin list.
As for my firefox's default home page, it is still using Google's search engine, not Bing's.
I'm not sure how that happened in your case, but I have the url for Google to appear at Firefox Start (when you first start up Firefox):
[url]http://en-GB.start3.mozilla.com/firefox?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB
fficial[/url]Try pasting that at the home page option and see if it works or not. Hope this answers your question.
''They say truth is the first casualty of war. But who defines what's true? Truth is just a matter of perspective. The duty of every soldier is to protect the innocent, and sometimes that means preserving the lie of good and evil, that war isn't just natural selection played out on a grand scale. The only truth I found is that the world we live in is a giant tinderbox. All it takes...is someone to light the match" - Captain Price
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dragon wench
- Posts: 19609
- Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2001 10:00 pm
- Location: The maelstrom where chaos merges with lucidity
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It's probably their most recent Windows Update.
I just downloaded it myself this evening, and stupidly I clicked "Express Install," because it's never caused me any issues in the past. I should have paid far more attention...
It made IE my default browser and screwed around with my Google Talk.
The first was easily fixed, I'm not sure how to repair the latter. Google Talk still works, but it no longer handily sits in my toolbar unless I minimise it, and I can't seem to log out or check my Gmail with it. (NM, just fixed that by reinstalling Gtalk)
So, unfortunately I can't help your problem, but just corroborating that this recent update appears to have caused some issues all round.
EDIT
You may want to check this page:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/is-m ... bars-/8590
I just downloaded it myself this evening, and stupidly I clicked "Express Install," because it's never caused me any issues in the past. I should have paid far more attention...
It made IE my default browser and screwed around with my Google Talk.
The first was easily fixed, I'm not sure how to repair the latter. Google Talk still works, but it no longer handily sits in my toolbar unless I minimise it, and I can't seem to log out or check my Gmail with it. (NM, just fixed that by reinstalling Gtalk)
So, unfortunately I can't help your problem, but just corroborating that this recent update appears to have caused some issues all round.
EDIT
You may want to check this page:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/is-m ... bars-/8590
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Two minor points:
- Windows Update isn't active on my PC. Windows Genuine Advantage however is, which is probably how they installed it. WGA is scary Big Brother stuff, part of the reason why my main computer is running Ubuntu.
- Des, I am not talking about the default home page. That is still Mozilla/Google. I'm talking only about the adress bar. The things that reads htp/ww.gamebanshee right now.
I've been doing a lot of searches and apparently there was a similar problem around november 2009. This new surgence seemed to have first happened a day or two ago at the most. I didn't really notice because I spend some time at the hospital. Lots of people are complaining about it right now, but I have yet to find a fix. It is already being dubbed a browser hijacking.
I found a November 2009 article, in which there are two contradicting reports where a microsoft spokesman mentions nothing is being forced on anyone, with the next person saying it automatically installed itself on every computer in the building. ([url="http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/InternetExplorer/thread/b8ea67e5-caaf-4012-86d0-231df524b5e8"]scroll down to 'Dave_D Support Engineer' and the following post[/url]) It looks a lot like that here.
Still looking for a solution. Will update, unless someone else finds it first.
- Windows Update isn't active on my PC. Windows Genuine Advantage however is, which is probably how they installed it. WGA is scary Big Brother stuff, part of the reason why my main computer is running Ubuntu.
- Des, I am not talking about the default home page. That is still Mozilla/Google. I'm talking only about the adress bar. The things that reads htp/ww.gamebanshee right now.
I've been doing a lot of searches and apparently there was a similar problem around november 2009. This new surgence seemed to have first happened a day or two ago at the most. I didn't really notice because I spend some time at the hospital. Lots of people are complaining about it right now, but I have yet to find a fix. It is already being dubbed a browser hijacking.
I found a November 2009 article, in which there are two contradicting reports where a microsoft spokesman mentions nothing is being forced on anyone, with the next person saying it automatically installed itself on every computer in the building. ([url="http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/InternetExplorer/thread/b8ea67e5-caaf-4012-86d0-231df524b5e8"]scroll down to 'Dave_D Support Engineer' and the following post[/url]) It looks a lot like that here.
Still looking for a solution. Will update, unless someone else finds it first.
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
I think it may just be me. I've traced this thing back to Windows Live/WGA due to the accidental installation of MSN Messenger a couple weeks back. I just never restart my laptop (always hibernate) so it probably took a few weeks for me to notice it.
Still haven't figured out how to beat Bing off my computer though. Microsoft sure nows how to hijack a browser. I guess they [url="http://moconews.net/article/419-microsoft-beats-out-google-to-win-verizon-search-deal/"]payed off another company.[/url]
I want to go back to Linux, but.. you know.. GAMES. And my SO doesn't want me to switch. [url="http://www.xkcd.com/743/"]Evil stuff..[/url]
Still haven't figured out how to beat Bing off my computer though. Microsoft sure nows how to hijack a browser. I guess they [url="http://moconews.net/article/419-microsoft-beats-out-google-to-win-verizon-search-deal/"]payed off another company.[/url]
I want to go back to Linux, but.. you know.. GAMES. And my SO doesn't want me to switch. [url="http://www.xkcd.com/743/"]Evil stuff..[/url]
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
Well if you figure out how to get rid of it let us know Tricky, and if anyone knows how to do the same with Google I'd like to know, can't stand it.
[QUOTE=Darth Gavinius;1096098]Distrbution of games, is becoming a little like Democracy (all about money and control) - in the end choice is an illusion and you have to choose your lesser evil.
And everything is hidden in the fine print.[/QUOTE]
And everything is hidden in the fine print.[/QUOTE]
Wacky stuff. Have not seen the same crap myself. I'll keep my ear to the ground though and If i come across anything I'll check back. If it is a browser hijack, you may want to try treating as such, Microsoft notwithstanding. Run a scan from spybot or adaware and see if anything turns up. Google and Microsoft likely has deals with all kinds of shady sorts and may not care as much as they claim about how their search products are used.
Edit; I feel your pain, Bing sucks.
Edit; I feel your pain, Bing sucks.
It appears my first hunch was the correct one. Something is happening right now.
Microsoft hides mystery Firefox extension in toolbar update
I'll keep the topic updated.
Microsoft hides mystery Firefox extension in toolbar update
I'll keep the topic updated.
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
Microsoft has been using an Windows Update service for a lot longer than that. As it happens I have for years forcefully disabled Windows Update on my both XP and Vista.
The real, bad problem is not Windows Update though, it's relatively easy to disable that. Chances are you already have. Windows Live is the real culprit. It's just so damn hard to avoid. If you install MSN messenger, you get it. If you update your .NET, you get it. Many games these days, EA games in particular, come with a Windows Live installations for online play or just as an added copy protection measure. Unless you are willing to forgo a portion of all that (or hack your games and use alternative software to chat), you're going to get it.
Within Windows Live is a component called Windows Genuine Advantage, aptly named because it's only advantage is to Microsoft. It's a tool that pretty much allows Microsoft what you can and cannot do with the computer and software you bought. It can do everything from disabling hardware to software remotely, or in this case, infiltrating a program made by an entirely different company.
This is NOT farfetched, this the simple truth. Microsoft has gone too far and is in the constant procedure of infringing the rights of other companies, heck its own costumers. It may have started out as copy protection, but it has long since ceased to be about that. It will only ascalate. People will continue to be docile consumers and Microsoft will continue to play foul.
And in case you were wondering, this does make me upset.
The real, bad problem is not Windows Update though, it's relatively easy to disable that. Chances are you already have. Windows Live is the real culprit. It's just so damn hard to avoid. If you install MSN messenger, you get it. If you update your .NET, you get it. Many games these days, EA games in particular, come with a Windows Live installations for online play or just as an added copy protection measure. Unless you are willing to forgo a portion of all that (or hack your games and use alternative software to chat), you're going to get it.
Within Windows Live is a component called Windows Genuine Advantage, aptly named because it's only advantage is to Microsoft. It's a tool that pretty much allows Microsoft what you can and cannot do with the computer and software you bought. It can do everything from disabling hardware to software remotely, or in this case, infiltrating a program made by an entirely different company.
This is NOT farfetched, this the simple truth. Microsoft has gone too far and is in the constant procedure of infringing the rights of other companies, heck its own costumers. It may have started out as copy protection, but it has long since ceased to be about that. It will only ascalate. People will continue to be docile consumers and Microsoft will continue to play foul.
And in case you were wondering, this does make me upset.
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
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dragon wench
- Posts: 19609
- Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2001 10:00 pm
- Location: The maelstrom where chaos merges with lucidity
- Contact:
And the people at Microsoft sometimes wonder why the company generates so much hate..
There are some aspects of MS I don't mind. I think XP is a good OS, and I gather 7 is decent as well.... let's not even discuss Vista.. suffice to say, I waited that one out, and I'm still happily running XP until any and all 7 bugs are squashed.
I also happen to think Microsoft makes an excellent Office Suite. I use Open Office a lot, but there are some things the Microsoft version does that are just better and more intuitive.
However, I utterly loathe how Microsoft tries to take over any PC. You'd think with all the anti-trust issues that they'd have learned their lesson by now. Had I possessed the funds I'd have probably bought a Mac last time I upgraded. I've also seriously considered Linux, but... games... *sigh*
So, basically, aside from the aforementioned products, I try to avoid Microsoft where I can. I mean, every time I need IE for something I utterly shudder at how clunky and monolithic it is and I run screaming back to Opera.
There are some aspects of MS I don't mind. I think XP is a good OS, and I gather 7 is decent as well.... let's not even discuss Vista.. suffice to say, I waited that one out, and I'm still happily running XP until any and all 7 bugs are squashed.
I also happen to think Microsoft makes an excellent Office Suite. I use Open Office a lot, but there are some things the Microsoft version does that are just better and more intuitive.
However, I utterly loathe how Microsoft tries to take over any PC. You'd think with all the anti-trust issues that they'd have learned their lesson by now. Had I possessed the funds I'd have probably bought a Mac last time I upgraded. I've also seriously considered Linux, but... games... *sigh*
So, basically, aside from the aforementioned products, I try to avoid Microsoft where I can. I mean, every time I need IE for something I utterly shudder at how clunky and monolithic it is and I run screaming back to Opera.
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I know windows update has been around for quite awhile tricky, i am not that much of a noob . I was referring to the specific update referenced in the article. I had a whole bunch come piling in just a couple of days ago and any 'browser helper tool" would have raised alarm bells. The only reason asked about OS version was because that update had not been offered to me and i was wondering if it was windows 7 specific.
@ DW, I recognize that microsoft can be a bit overbearing, but apple is a bit too...much of a nanny for my taste. They restrict everything from hardware hookups to what kind of software you install "for your own good". I understand they are starting to relax a bit, but I was always under the impression that you did not so much buy an apple product as rent it. they act like it is theirs instead of yours. Maybe I'm wrong.
. I was referring to the specific update referenced in the article. I had a whole bunch come piling in just a couple of days ago and any 'browser helper tool" would have raised alarm bells. The only reason asked about OS version was because that update had not been offered to me and i was wondering if it was windows 7 specific.@ DW, I recognize that microsoft can be a bit overbearing, but apple is a bit too...much of a nanny for my taste. They restrict everything from hardware hookups to what kind of software you install "for your own good". I understand they are starting to relax a bit, but I was always under the impression that you did not so much buy an apple product as rent it. they act like it is theirs instead of yours. Maybe I'm wrong.
Now that completely baffles me. I've tried Opera a couple of times and it's terrible; the worst browser I've ever come across, it's so bad it makes IE look good!dragon wench wrote:I run screaming back to Opera.
I can't find anything positive to say about it other than it was easy to uninstall. It certainly made me appreciate Chrome, and even more so Firefox.
[QUOTE=Darth Gavinius;1096098]Distrbution of games, is becoming a little like Democracy (all about money and control) - in the end choice is an illusion and you have to choose your lesser evil.
And everything is hidden in the fine print.[/QUOTE]
And everything is hidden in the fine print.[/QUOTE]
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dragon wench
- Posts: 19609
- Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2001 10:00 pm
- Location: The maelstrom where chaos merges with lucidity
- Contact:
lol!galraen wrote:Now that completely baffles me. I've tried Opera a couple of times and it's terrible; the worst browser I've ever come across, it's so bad it makes IE look good!
I can't find anything positive to say about it other than it was easy to uninstall. It certainly made me appreciate Chrome, and even more so Firefox.
I think it probably has to do with setup and personal preferences. I find Opera works very well on my system. It's fast, takes up minimal screen real estate, and has some nice 'under the hood' features. I've also converted several handy greasemonkey scripts to it. It all works beautifully.
I can't stand Chrome, for some reason it's buggy on my system, and there's just something about it I can't quite put my finger on. As far as Firefox goes, it has become insufferably slow (particularly booting), sometimes it won't even start up at all. I used to like Firefox when it first came out, but it seems to me that each version has become slower and more bloated. (EDIT: though I did just tweak the about:config settings as suggested on [url="http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6620_102-0.html?threadID=388793"]this page[/url] which appears to help)
@JKLinders,
Ouch... if Mac is really that patronising I'm just as pleased I stuck with PCs.
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@DW
Strange on my PC Opera is so slow it could get overtaken by a comatose slug; it also throws a hissy fit if I don't put in the precise URL, no typing Gamebanshee into the address bar and going straight to the site like happens with Firefox.
Firefox on the other hand is very quick, tolerant and only crashes if I'm trying to run three Evony accounts at the same time
I'm also using XP pro, maybe it's the other things we have going on in the background that makes the difference.
Strange on my PC Opera is so slow it could get overtaken by a comatose slug; it also throws a hissy fit if I don't put in the precise URL, no typing Gamebanshee into the address bar and going straight to the site like happens with Firefox.
Firefox on the other hand is very quick, tolerant and only crashes if I'm trying to run three Evony accounts at the same time
I'm also using XP pro, maybe it's the other things we have going on in the background that makes the difference.
[QUOTE=Darth Gavinius;1096098]Distrbution of games, is becoming a little like Democracy (all about money and control) - in the end choice is an illusion and you have to choose your lesser evil.
And everything is hidden in the fine print.[/QUOTE]
And everything is hidden in the fine print.[/QUOTE]
Not only am I running nothing in the background, I have also heavily stripped down the SERVICES.MSC list. My current computer is a duo-core, but it only runs at 1.7 Ghz or so. For games that's not enough, as most of them don't know how to utilize more than one core. It's essentially like going back a decade in time, I *have* to optimize my computer if I want to run things neatly.
Someone alerted me to the following, six months old Dutch article:
Firefox-coördinator raadt Bing aan na privacy-uitspraken Google-ceo | Pro | Tweakers.net Nieuws
Briefly summarized, someone on the staff of Mozilla/Firefox doesn't like Google's definition of privacy anymore. Supposedly Bink provides a more secure service than Google. While I agree with Asa Dotzler that Google CEO Eric Schmidt sounds a bit scary when he talks about misunderstanding privacy, I have been unable to find any evidence that this would actually prompt Asa Dotzler to stop using Google for quick Firefox searches in the address bar.
Further more, it seems that address bar (again, not search bar) searches that consist of more than one word, do end up at google and send the user directly to a website (if the query is obvious enough). I tested "gamebanshee" and "game banshee" and it turned out to be true. Typing gamebanshee took me to Bink, wheras game banshee took me directly to this website.
All of this is very strange.
Someone alerted me to the following, six months old Dutch article:
Firefox-coördinator raadt Bing aan na privacy-uitspraken Google-ceo | Pro | Tweakers.net Nieuws
Briefly summarized, someone on the staff of Mozilla/Firefox doesn't like Google's definition of privacy anymore. Supposedly Bink provides a more secure service than Google. While I agree with Asa Dotzler that Google CEO Eric Schmidt sounds a bit scary when he talks about misunderstanding privacy, I have been unable to find any evidence that this would actually prompt Asa Dotzler to stop using Google for quick Firefox searches in the address bar.
Further more, it seems that address bar (again, not search bar) searches that consist of more than one word, do end up at google and send the user directly to a website (if the query is obvious enough). I tested "gamebanshee" and "game banshee" and it turned out to be true. Typing gamebanshee took me to Bink, wheras game banshee took me directly to this website.
All of this is very strange.
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
Just want to let everyone know I am still on top of this. Progress is a bit slow because there is some confusion around the matter. Less than a year ago an almost similar issue with Bing plagued the Firefox support forums. Nearly all of the advise people get is relating to that older issue. It's difficult the let the people in charge know there is a wholely different thing going on.
The best thing to do atm is not to use Live or Windows Update until Firefox has released their new update to Firefox. I highly doubt Microsoft is ever going to come through in this.
The best thing to do atm is not to use Live or Windows Update until Firefox has released their new update to Firefox. I highly doubt Microsoft is ever going to come through in this.
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
There appears to be some suggetion that there may be a registry entry that is affecting/overriding DNS settings-blablabla. Don't know what any of it means.
It is suggested that you search your registry for all occurences of mshome.net and empty the fields involved. I did that, but it didn't fix anything for me. I have reported my.. deviant findings.
It is suggested that you search your registry for all occurences of mshome.net and empty the fields involved. I did that, but it didn't fix anything for me. I have reported my.. deviant findings.
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]