Today at noon, Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) began automatically installing on Extension computers via Automatic Updates.

In most cases, this update should install and run just fine. However, a few people will find that Internet Explorer crashes (stops responding) when you open it up. This is most frequently caused by the Yahoo! Toolbar, and it will need to be disabled.

If you find that Internet Explorer is crashing when you open it, please follow these steps:

1. Right Click on Internet Explorer and select Start Without Add-Ons


2. Select the Tools button in the top right corner


3. Select Internet Options


4. Select the Programs tab


5. Click Manage Add-Ons

Now you will see a list of all add-ons (extensions) installed in Internet Explorer.

If you have any Yahoo! add-ons listed, you must disable them. You may want to disable any other non-Microsoft add-ons if you continue to have trouble.

Add-ons can be disabled by completing these steps:

1. Select the add-on you wish to disable


2. Choose the Disable radio option


3. Select OK


4. Close and reopen Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer should now work fine. If you continue having problems you may need to disable additional add-ons. Feel free to call the Extension IT Support Hotline at (515) 294-1725.

You may also want to remove Yahoo! Toolbar from your computer entirely. Follow these steps:

1. Log on as Administrator


2. Select Start, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs


3. Highlight Yahoo! Toolbar and click Remove

Casey Melcher
EIT Support Hotline
(515) 294-1725

Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) has a number of new security features built in. Some of these include:

Phishing Filter: IE7 can help identify fraudulent web sites. When the phishing filter is on, you will receive a warning when visiting a site that is a known or potential phishing site.

Cross-Domain Barriers: Limits the scripts on webpages you access from interacting across domains or windows. This helps protect against malicious software damaging your system by limiting the potential for others to exploit security flaws or cause you to download spyware and other software that might damage your system.

Delete browsing history: Allows you to clean up your browsing history (cached pages, passwords, form data, cookies) from a single window.

Address Bar Protection: Every window will give an address bar which can help identify and block malicious sites masquerading as legitimate sites.

Fix My Settings: IE7 will warn you in the Information bar when your current security settings may put you at risk. Within the Internet control panel, you wil see certain crticial items highlighted in red when IE7 considers them unsafely configured. You will also continue to be reminded in the information bar as long as IE7 considers your settings remain unsafe. You can change your Internet security settings to 'Medium-High' by clicking 'Fix my settings' in the Information bar.

You can find more information about IE7 here.

Toolbars

Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) looks different than Internet Explorer 6 and many common functions have been moved to new locations. For example, the menu toolbar is off by default and many of the most commonly used features have been moved to icons/menus on the right-hand side of the screen. In addition some icons are sporting a new look and a feature called Live Search has been added to the top of the screen.

Internet Explorer 6 Toolbar(s)

Internet Explorer 7 Toolbar(s)


Tabbed Browsing


Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) adds tabbed browsing to the features available. Tabbed browsing allows you to switch between web pages without switching between browser windows. The different pages are indicated by separate tabs at the top of the window.

Internet Explorer 7 Toolbar(s) with tabs

On December 19th, Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) will be approved for installation via Automatic Updates for Windows XP computers.

What does this mean?

• Windows XP computers that are part of the iastate.edu domain will receive IE7 as part of an automatic noon update after December 19th. For many staff this will be noon on December 20th, but could be later depending when your computer downloads the update.

• As with other updates, once completed you will see a message prompting you to reboot your computer. (NOTE: You can temporarily ignore this message until it is more convenient to reboot by dragging the Automatic Update reboot prompt out of the way.)

• The first time you run Internet Explorer after rebooting you will see a 'Welcome to Internet Explorer' screen. You can either review some of the new features or proceed to your regular home page.

• IE6 will be replaced by IE7. Your Favorites will remain intact. You will have the same functionality you had in IE6 plus additional features such as tabbed browsing and integrated search.

If you want to install IE7 before December 19th, download the installer and run it while logged on as administrator.

I'll be making several more posts between now and December 19th illustrating some of the new 'look and feel' of IE7 as well as new features.

We have been testing IE7 for several months and have found the upgrade to be reasonably trouble-free. Because Microsoft is packaging this as part of its Automatic Updates, continuing to use IE6 is not an option--the update will happen automatically.

If you have a specific concern about this upgrade, contact the Extension IT Support Hotline with your questions (515-294-1725).

Last week at the CEED conference I gave a talk on Smartphones and PDAs. Topics included: what smartphones are, why you might want one, how they work. Smartphones combine the features of a cell phone and a PDA, can pull email, contacts and tasks from Outlook/Exchange and can transfer data over-the-air (operate almost anywhere you can use a cellphone) or wirelessly (operate anywhere you can connect wirelessly with your laptop).

You can check out the slides from the presentation here.

If you're interested in smartphones or PDAs, we are supporting Windows Mobile 5 for the operating system. This narrows your cell plan options and may mean that your area of the state is not quite smartphone-ready. The advantages, however, are that it is easier to set up and the phones/PDAs operate very similarly to your desktop or laptop computer (fewer separate systems to learn). ISU has business and personal plan contracts for cellular service that you may want to check out. Currently only Verizon (of the companies ISU has contracts with) offers smartphones with Windows Mobile OS. We do not recommend Blackberries for Extension use as they require additional software and setup.

At the recent CEED Conference I presented a session titled Getting Ahead: Preview Windows Vista and Office 2007. As promised, the slides are now available. Of course, since the session was largely demo you'll probably want to register for the upcoming online session some of my colleagues are giving on January 22nd. We have other upcoming sessions, too.

Here are answers to the follow-up questions I took away from the session.

1. How are search results ordered? Can it be configured?
   Search results are ordered by relevance--best matches first--and grouped by type of result (Programs, Files, Communications, etc). I can't find any way to alter this behavior.



2. Can you print multiple calendars when viewing in overlay mode?
   I couldn't find any built-in way to do this, but while searching the Help I found a free Microsoft add-in called the Calendar Printing Assistant for Outlook 2007 that does the job. For those that like to print calendars this tool has a number of formatting capabilities and other options.
   



3. Has PowerPoint been enhanced in the areas of audio or video?
   I'm hoping one of my colleagues can post a better response to this question, because these are features I don't personally use. But, there do seem to be some process improvements. Check out 'Add sounds or movies' in the Help or online.



4. Where can I get the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor?
   www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeadvisor/default.mspx

If you have more questions please post a comment, send me mail or come to the January session. We'll be bringing lots more Vista/Office material your way, but it helps to know what you're interested in or confused about.

Cheers.