ArchaicArcane

Streets and Trips is like google maps.
Please do set up your computer to do the updates automatically, it should keep you safer.

gale

I don't let my computer do any updates automatically. Any time there's a service pack up date to the OS I want to wait and make sure they get all the glitches ironed out first. I don't use IE though. It used to be a security nightmare even updated. Not sure if they've improved that but I just stay away. I do keep the latest version though, in case I need to use it for something.

ArchaicArcane

I get the impression you have a fair bit of computer prowess though. You're likely to realize that the updates are important. My updates are set to notify me as well and let me choose to install them.

The thing I find with people who use computers as a tool, or an appliance is they forget to do the updates. Then down the road, some "bad" thing comes along and clobbers the computer, mostly because their machine was out of date. My neighbor had antivirus that 5 years expired until I got to her last week.

One of my clients "doesn't do updates". Simply Accounting won't support her, her computer is constantly having trouble, Office and such are really buggy. I finally talked her into doing the updates. I haven't seen her in months

gale

I'm pretty handy with the computer. However, I have some friends that are not and the service pack 3 update on windows xp (remember that mess?) pretty much screwed up their whole system. I had told them to hold off on the SP3 update but they insisted they wanted to keep auto updates on. I can see your point but after what I had read about all that, I glad that I hold off on OS updates. I had problems with an update a long time ago not meshing with my kids' homeschool software. That was a mess that held up schooling for about a week.

I do wholeheartedly agree that simply not doing updates is a really really bad idea though.

sewnsewer2

I have mine set for updates already.

Kcmomto2

Same issue over here. I use both a MacBook laptop and an iPad. Doesn't happen on my laptop, just on the iPad. I emailed the webmaster for the board, and she said it's an iPad issue. (IMO, probably iOS issue in general) She suggested I download an ad blocking app, but, since she told me she "only uses real computers", couldn't tell me where to find one.
In my view, if you are a webmaster and care about your user's interface experience, you will be on top of how your site appears on ALL devices your users are likely to be on.

ArchaicArcane

I'd like to think that they've learned from the XP SP3 fiasco. I had no trouble with 98+% of the machines we did it on. I had one blow up, but it was fixed by reapplying the update, and one that just wouldn't play nice and it stayed downgraded to SP2 for a few years, because something with HP was incompatible. Luckily that was my own laptop and I could handle it security wise. I just didn't have the energy or inclination to figure out how to fix it, after HP publicly announced they were looking into it and didn't get back to the community any time soon. I still have that machine, and it's on SP3 now, and stable. *shrug*

Part of the problem if I remember right was at least partly HPs (And therefore also Compaq) fault. They shipped their machines with both the Intel and AMD drivers for the CPU (which should never happen, bad things happen with incompatible drivers on a machine), and Windows went and looked for the drivers to determine which CPU was in the machine and guessed wrong 50% of the time. (or some other %) They should have been reading hardware IDs but it looks like they weren't for some reason. By far, the majority of the machines I had to address with a failed SP3 update were "as shipped" HPs. There's always a small percentage otherwise that will fail. There are millions of different hardware combinations, they're bound to find an incompatibility with a few.

I bet the other issue was browser related IE is too invasive as part of the operating system, it's why we can't remove it easily. If it's updated before a piece of software that relies on it is updated to manage the new version, things go boom.

It's really strange that you would still be on IE8 then. The reason you don't see the nag to go to IE9 anymore is that FF doesn't care if your IE is out of date.

I suspect you're right about the iOS, but with the number of iPad / iPhone / iPod users on the internet and on this site, I think it needs to be addressed. I use a PC to do most of my surfing, but when I'm out on the road I use an iPhone, and it irks me to pay for the ads (in bandwidth). I've downloaded adblock for iOS, and will try it out over the next few days and report back.

Kijiji.ca and the QB are both really bad for ads and I try to avoid using them when I'm on the road because of it.

There. I said it.

I avoid using the QB because of the ads.

I run a forum and 4 other websites and none of them have ads on them for that reason, and my users tell me they appreciate it. Less ads means more real estate for your site's content. Not to mention the site loads faster, and many many people block them anyway. I would be interested in knowing the click through rates these days, and if they're even worth it. The ads don't work if people don't click on them.

gale

Wow, seriously?? I do use a desktop computer but I know a lot more people that use ipads now and I'd say it's a good enough split to make sure your website works with them. If adblock didn't work for me here I would say there's a 100% chance I'd never come here. Small static ads are one thing. Blinking, flashing, moving, pop-up or other totally obnoxious ads-no way. Life's too short. lol

I also frequent a scrapbooking board that has ads and luckily, adblock works there too. They don't seem to have pop up ads but they have moving and blinking ones. So annoying and it usually gives me a headache. But again, not sure how it works with an ipad. I could say that if all you ipad owners had android instead, there are probably a lot more apps for stuff like this. lol. iOS is a bit stifling IMO.

ArchaicArcane

I agree. I was stunned to find out there are only 2 ad blocking utilities for iOS, and both don't work the best according to reports. One of them apparently requires jailbreaking to work correctly. (I doubt more than 5% of QB people would be in a position to want to do this.)

The admin could easily look at the stats and see what percentage of their traffic is coming from an iOS device. I think it might be eye opening, it sure was on my sites. Even just from "safari" would open some eyes.

For Android, AdBlock Plus has an app already. I'd go with what I'm used to. In fact, maybe I'll just go install that now, since I may find a need to tether to my phone one day and it would be nice to have it already installed.

sewnsewer2

I am not using IE anymore, I totally switched a few days ago. I find I am liking FF much better!!