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Problems on Fx/SeaMonkey/Iron at Microsoft support pages
Sep. 08, 2011, 01:08 AM (This post was last modified: Sep. 08, 2011 01:34 PM by JJoe.)
Post: #1
Problems on Fx/SeaMonkey/Iron at Microsoft support pages
I don't know when this happened as I have not accessed any pages at support.microsoft.com in quite awhile as I run XP Pro SP2 and can no longer install patches. But I have been trying to access Microsoft's support site since yesterday and I get a blank page even if I try from http://www.microsoft.com and click on "support". I was trying to access this page in particular: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2607712 .

I finally figured out that with Fx4.01, SeaMonkey 2.3.1, and Iron 13.0.800.1 that I have to BYPASS Proxo to reach any Microsoft support pages although I do NOT need to bypass Proxo to access Microsoft.com. However, on Opera 11.51, I do NOT need to bypass Proxo to access Microsoft support pages. I have Opera set to permanently identify on ALL sites as Firefox (but I have no idea if that has anything to do with Opera being able to access Microsoft support pages through Proxo while Firefox and SeaMonkey need Prox bypassed to access the pages).

I rarely use IE6 but I just tried it at Microsoft support and it also will load only a blank page UNLESS I bypass Proxo. I don't recall ever before needing to bypass Proxo to access Microsoft support pages. Is this something new or do I just have a horrible memory and have always had to bypass Proxo at Microsoft support? How come Opera though is set to use Proxo (I double checked the proxy set up for it) and it can access Microsoft support pages with no need to bypass Proxo. What makes it different? Especially since I have it set to identify as Firefox not as Opera? Until March 23, when I upgraded my ancient Fx 1.5 to Fx 4, I was using Opera almost exclusively for a couple of years and it has no problem at Microsoft support pages with Proxo enabled. Maybe I have just forgotten that I had to bypass Proxo if using Fx since it has been a couple of years since I used it much (and was using Fx 1.5 until March 23)? So, is it normal on current Fx, SeaMonkey, Iron browsers (and even ancient IE6) to have to bypass Proxo to access Microsoft support pages but not need to bypass on current Opera?

Edit by JJoe: Fixed link by adding space before "."
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Sep. 08, 2011, 01:37 PM
Post: #2
RE: Problems on Fx/SeaMonkey/Iron at Microsoft support pages
Assuming that there is a box at the bottom of the page that has the word "timer" in it, click on the box and wait 4 seconds.

HTH
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Sep. 09, 2011, 07:57 AM (This post was last modified: Sep. 09, 2011 08:01 AM by Mele20.)
Post: #3
RE: Problems on Fx/SeaMonkey/Iron at Microsoft support pages
That was it. But I had scroll all the way down a blank page to the very bottom to see the timer in the left corner. I hadn't scrolled all the way down before.

Thanks!

But why is Opera unaffected?
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Sep. 09, 2011, 10:59 AM
Post: #4
RE: Problems on Fx/SeaMonkey/Iron at Microsoft support pages
this is from 2005, but still relevant today and explains your "why Opera" question - http://my.opera.com/haavard/blog/show.dml/11938
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Sep. 11, 2011, 10:47 AM
Post: #5
RE: Problems on Fx/SeaMonkey/Iron at Microsoft support pages
Yeah, I know Opera still has a problem (not as much so though as in 2005) with websites that detect it and send broken code. This is the main reason I forced Opera to identify as Fx on a global basis (rather than on a site by site basis which is what Opera wants these days).

It makes no sense though that because Opera identifies as Fx, it has no problem at Microsoft support site but Fx does.

I'm probably going to have a terrible time remembering it is the timer that causes this problem since I don't often go to Microsoft support site. Whenever I get a new computer, then I would be reading KB articles, etc more frequently and would remember, but I bet until then I am going to forget why I get a blank page there on most browsers.
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Sep. 11, 2011, 01:05 PM
Post: #6
RE: Problems on Fx/SeaMonkey/Iron at Microsoft support pages
(Sep. 11, 2011 10:47 AM)Mele20 Wrote:  I'm probably going to have a terrible time remembering it is the timer that causes this problem

Try adding

Code:
support.microsoft.com/kb/ $SET(0=i_timer:2.)

to Exceptions-U.

HTH
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Sep. 11, 2011, 01:55 PM
Post: #7
RE: Problems on Fx/SeaMonkey/Iron at Microsoft support pages
(Sep. 11, 2011 10:47 AM)Mele20 Wrote:  It makes no sense though that because Opera identifies as Fx, it has no problem at Microsoft support site but Fx does.

makes perfect sense to me...
it's not that different "code" is being sent, your Firefox is being sent the Firefox-code, your Opera is also being sent the Firefox-code...

the difference is that Opera, by design, is programmed to render non-standard code differently than Firefox... and don't kid yourself, web browsers MUST be able to render "non-standard" code because the vast majority of web designers don't have a clue about 'all' of the "standards"... or use "old" code that is no longer "supported", but new browsers are designed to be "backward-compatible"...

there are pros and cons to the way each browser chooses to "deal with" non-standard code, i wouldn't "fault" Opera or Firefox over the way they render a Microsoft site...
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Sep. 11, 2011, 07:04 PM
Post: #8
RE: Problems on Fx/SeaMonkey/Iron at Microsoft support pages
My Opera 11.11 with my Proxomitron cfg initially shows a "blank page" with the timer box at the bottom.

Some browsers that visit some Microsoft pages receive code that includes an mandatory timed event. The default sidki set tries to make such events optional because they may do unwanted things.

FWIW, I see no "fault" here.

In general, all rendering engines do not always render the same. Market forces cause developers to make choices. Users and content providers may try to compensate. Fault, when something goes wrong, is probably in the eye of the beholder and one of the reasons that the Proxomitron exists.

Have fun.
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