Please!! How can I install Internet Explorer?!

[Charles]

I create web sites, and I'm having a serious problem. The pages look good in Opera, Konqueror and Firefox, but then, when some one opens them on a WinXP box with Internet Explorer, the pages look either broken, or the JavaScripts don't work properly.

I have a dual-boot to test pages in IE, but I loose much time rebooting all the time for testing purpose. I would loose less time installing WINE with IE on PC-BSD! Do you know how I can do it? I have found "Frank's corner" web site that has a tutorial for Linux, but on FreeBSD/PC-BSD it might be different. Has anyone installed successfully IE on PC-BSD?

Thanks, that would help a lot!!!!!!!!!! :D

[Valio]

I'll make a few tests if i can resolve your issue

[Weixiong]

Doesn't FireFox have an extension to display pages as they would in IE?

[Charles]

I wouldn't trust this extension on FreeBSD though, and I need to test in IE 5.5 and 6.

[DrJ]

I have the same need as you: I need the ability to run certain Windows programs on FreeBSD. Not Explorer, but others that might be considered the "usual" ones.

Here's a link to an Austrilan web site that details how Office can be installed in FreeBSD using Wine: http://caia.swin.edu.au/reports/041129A/.

The document describes how an older version of Wine can be installed on FreeBSD 5.3. The primary issue is that FreeBSD does not have the appropriate command to read hidden Windows files. They therefore go through an intermediate Linux machine to read the files, and then install on FreeBSD without issues. They also describe how to install it into KDE and CUPS.

There is a larger issue, though, that I would like to raise. You, I and others need to use Wine on FreeBSD in a professional capacity. Wine on FreeBSD seems to have lead a checkered life, and does not appear to be that well supported. I personally would much rather have CrossOver Office ported to FreeBSD. That way we could have professional support, and some certainty that the things we need would work the way we expect.

Here's the idea: CodeWeavers works on a bounty system to fix bugs. We might be able to use the same approach to have them do a FreeBSD port. For example, if we could get 100 people to throw in $100 each, we would have about $10K to do the port. That's about one month of a programmer's time (including overhead), which may well be enough to get them interested.

I've started preliminary conversations with CodeWeavers to do this, and the talks are still in the very early stages. Since you brought it up, though, I thought it worthwhile to get your input, and that of others, before I get too far down the road.

I'd be willing to serve as the contact point for coordination with CodeWeavers, collection and dispersement on monies, and the like.

Your thoughts are welcomed!

DrJ

[scottro]

You and I have discussed this--I've forgotten if it was privately or on this forum. What about getting a petition to Code weavers? I know that you thought numbers wouldn't be sufficient, but my feeling is that they think, If one person writes, ten others are thinking the same thing.

So, I think, especially if you're willing to be a contact point, perhaps announcing it in various places, trying to get a petition together.

Of course, fat lot of good it does me, as I think I've mentioned the two apps that I need don't yet work with Codeweavers. :-(

[Charles]

+1 :)
Last year I wrote to CodeWeaver, and they said they didn't plan to port CrossOverOffice to FreeBSD, but let's try again 8)
What if we opened a stricky thread on the feature request forum?
Everyone could write down their name, also we would put the e-mail address of CodeWeaver for every one to write them an e-mail... :roll:

[DrJ]

Scottro,

We did discuss this privately. One challenge with CodeWeavers is that they have announced that they will support their product on the new Intel Macs. This undoubtedly will consume resources. I can't blame them for doing this: I think it is a good business move.

We certainly can try the petition route first. There's no harm, and it will give us the email addresses of people who may be interested in providing cash in the event the petition does not work out.

I'd suggest that we draft a petition, and make it known on various boards, including this one, FreeBSDForums, BSDNexus, and the FreeBSD mailing lists (-general, -emulators, -release, and maybe a few more). Others? I may well be able to host the petition on my site.

Unless there is more general interest, perhaps we should take the details off the list and correspond directly.

DrJ

[DrJ]

I suppose Slashdot and OSNews would be good places to make the petition known as well.

DrJ

[Charles]

I suppose Slashdot and OSNews would be good places to make the petition known as well.

DrJ

Then Youlle come into play 8)

I can post the petition on Usenet as well (FreeBSD channel). Let's see if more people back us :roll:

[DrJ]

It may be better if the petition is hosted here at the PC-BSD site if there is space. It may draw some traffic, and it would be a petition about FreeBSD on the desktop. We do need a single place to gather the signatures.

DrJ

[munkymonkjr]

Konqueror can display pages as in IE, several versions of IE.

or you can get the linux-compatiblity package and the install CrossOver Office. It will allow you to install IE and several other programs.

[antik]

I wouldn't trust this extension on FreeBSD though, and I need to test in IE 5.5 and 6.

Even Microsoft do not trust Internet Explorer-why do you?

[DrJ]

CrossOver Office is known not to work on FreeBSD, even with Linux emulation. I can post my email note from CodeWeavers that states this, if you would like.

Also, there are times when certain Windows products simply are required. Some sites (primarily financial) do not work on any browser I have tried other than IE. I also work with some documents from the US National Institutes of Health that can only be treated properly with Adobe Acrobat (the complete package, not just the reader) or MS Word (no, NOTHING else works right). Finally, the GIMP is simply not a serious product -- PhotoShop is very much better.

So I do believe that there is a general need to run certain Windows products on *NIX systems. Linux users can purchase CrossOver Office; FreeBSD people cannot. Various people may have differing requirements, but I do think that many, many people would like very much to run one or the other.

In spite of what you may have heard, Open Source Software for traditional business applications is simply not good enough for those of us who have to deal with the outside world. This is a real problem. It is serious enough that unless it is resolved I will have to leave FreeBSD.

DrJ

[bhna]

Konqueror can display pages as in IE, several versions of IE.


this is not true. konqueror can only pretend an iexplorer.

[scottro]

We can post it here, or possibly at Nexus, I'm sure Wintellect would agree.

(I don't know how to put a petition on a web site.) We can announce it, I think everywhere without too much trouble. Once it's up, I'll post to nylug, CURRENT and STABLE.

[youlle]

But i might only want to use my powers for evil? eh... who am i kidding im too lazy to be evil, its too much hard work. sounds like a great idea, i use Crossover Office, & Cedega on Linux, its a cow i cant really use them on BSD.

[DrJ]

If you would ask at BSDNexus, that would be good. Who runs this web site? Kris?

I also don't know how to do the coding for the petition. I do have a good friend who is a very capable web site designer. I'd be happy to talk with her. I'd think it would simply be a text preamble, with a lines containing name and email address and a box to click to agree with the petition. The names would then simply be added to a running list. Duplicate entries could be removed using the standard Unix tools; an email verification may be a good idea.

DrJ

[Charles]

I also don't know how to do the coding for the petition.

Don't bother 8)
http://www.petitiononline.com/

[DrJ]

Cool! I should have surmised that something like this would exist. The FAQ description sounds like it would fit our case. Have you used the service, or known anyone who has?

DrJ

[Charles]

Yes, for the "Save Beastie" campaign :D
http://www.petitiononline.com/fbsdmsc1/petition.html

[Valio]

I can throw my few bucks in, if it sometime thats the case


But for now, if you guys have discussed, lets fire it up :)


I can do the petition also, but i prefer you Charles as you are familiar with this :)

[Charles]

You can go ahead 8)

[Valio]

Internet Explorer installation is more tricky than i thought :)


I tried so far: made a standalone installer of IE, tried if my Windows IE works on PC-BSD, playing around with the frank's corner tips


I'll make a few tests however

[markiv34]

I know for a fact that Opera 8.0 can be used on the sites that work on Internet Explorer 6.0. I have a mac at home and I use Opera 8.0 for going to my banks website that works only on Internet Explorer. Give Opera 8.0 a shot.

A while back I saw a website that allows you to view ACTUAL screenshots of whatever URL you want on different browsers/platforms so you could see how a specific website looks on different browsers and platforms. You can seen shots of a Mac using Safari or Camino, or in Windows using Firefox, IE or Opera, etc.. I think it is done using a distributed application that users voluntarily run on their computers. I don't think it would help with script problems though.

Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the site. Anyone know what the name of this site that I'm thinking of is??? Maybe this would be a good solution for this problem.

[Charles]

I know this site, there are actually 2 of them, including BrowserCam, but I don't imagine have to send back and forth files to a remote server all day long for testing purpose.

[DrJ]

A few random thoughts-

While it MAY be possible, with a lot of testing, to get Opera (or whatever browser) to work on some particular site, there will be others that probably will not render correctly. In large part, I see this as besides the point.

There always seems to be some need that requires a commercial product. For Charles, at the moment, that's IE. Tomorrow it may be a different product he needs. I have other needs that OSS software cannot satisfy. I do think we need to solve this for the most popular cases, whether it is through Wine or CrossOver Office. There's progress on the latter for the petition; stay tuned.

DrJ

Doesn't FireFox have an extension to display pages as they would in IE?

I beleive the extension you are thinking of allows you to launch a page in IE (assuming you have it, such as on a windows machine) in the event you run across a page that is IE only. I could be wrong though.