My Technology Guide

Google has recently released a Web browser add-on that will stop the browser from sending information to the Google Analytics service.

To provide website visitors with more choice about how their data is collected by Google Analytics, we have developed the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. The add-on communicates with the Google Analytics JavaScript (ga.js) to indicate that information about the website visit should not be sent to Google Analytics.

Mainly websites use Google Analytics service to know their site's traffic pattern and to optimize their website further for their visitors. When a person visits a site, Analytics creates a cookie on the person's computer. Cookies are small data files used to record information about how a person interacts with a website. You can easily remove cookies from any browser.

Microsoft has released a free download manager, dubbed the Microsoft Download Manager, is designed to integrate seamlessly with Windows 7. It is now available as free download from Microsoft. Microsoft Download Manager utility is designed to help users control their downloads beyond the boundaries of the browser. It is specifically designed for downloads from Microsoft pages on the Internet but it can be used for any HTTP based downloads.

The Microsoft Download Manager enables you to download files from the Internet in a more reliable and faster way than using a browser alone. Using the Download Manager makes it easier to download large files such as an application or multimedia files.

More often than not, when users try downloading very large files, they face all kinds of problems, especially in the context of an unreliable connection. In such situations a download manager comes to rescue the user and helps the user to complete any download tasks, a feature which is missing in the browsers.

After the recent release of Internet Explorer 9 Platform Preview 1, Microsoft has just released a new Internet Explorer Platform Preview that is available for download at the Internet Explorer 9 website. Microsoft has also added a testdrive site that has a new set of developer samples and information about the upcoming Internet Explorer 9 web browser.

The second Platform Preview of Internet Explorer 9 shows a noticeable JavaScript speed improvements, thereby closing the gap between IE9 and Safari, Chrome, Opera, while surpassing Mozilla Firefox web browser.

The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) has just announced that they will be publishing an out-of-band cumulative update for Internet Explorer. This update will patch a publicly disclosed security vulnerability that is affecting Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7. Internet Explorer 8 is not affected by the security vulnerability. Microsoft has previously released two Fix It solutions for the vulnerability. This security update will be released on March 30 at about 10:00 a.m. PDT.

This Internet Explorer security update will be available through Windows Updates or from the usual Microsoft channels through which updates are made available for downloaded manually. This security update for Internet Explorer is cumulative in nature as it has nine more vulnerability fixes that were all supposed to be released on Microsoft's monthly Patch Tuesday on scheduled for April 13.

Few days ago, a zero-day vulnerability was reported in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer that could allow Remote Code Execution. As a working patch was not available and also since this vulnerability only affected Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7; Microsoft advised users to update their web browser to the latest official version of Internet Explorer, i.e, version 8, which would protect their computer system from the security vulnerability. Internet Explorer 8 was reported to be unaffected by this vulnerability.

For users who couldn't update to the latest version of Internet Explorer for various reasons, Microsoft now has released two Fix It solutions to patch the vulnerability. In short, Microsoft’s Fix it automated solutions work to automate solutions to common software problems in an easy, intuitive way that is available when and where you need it. Fix it provides a way to apply automated fixes, workarounds, or configuration changes so you don’t have to do a long list of manual steps yourself.

I always use a number of browsers for surfing. The main reason is the features that I like in one but is not present in the other. One more reason is I test My Technology Guide by loading it into different browsers. This helps me to make My Technology Guide appear and work as flawlessly as possible in different browsers. Once before, I covered a nice small portable application called "Browser Chooser" which helps me dynamically assign default browser. Which is very handy for anyone who is having a number of browsers installed.

Today, I will share with you a few keyboard shortcuts that are common to all the common browsers, viz. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome, Safari. Just remember these keyboard shortcuts and use them in any of your favorite mentioned browsers. After all using keyboard shortcuts is always faster than with the mouse! :)