MS Silverlight, Office Live Add-in, and Windows Live Essentials

I was reading the threads about MS Silverlight.

Finishing up the How to Protect Yourself from Malware! Sticky, I have everything on my computer up-to-date and working well. I had gone to Microsoft Update and accepted most of the available updates. I just went from IE6 to IE7; I am holding off on IE8, the only high priority update I have not accepted. Of optional software updates, what’s left are Silverlight, MS Office Live Add-in, and MS Windows Live Essentials.

I gather that Microsoft would like Silverlight to be a competitor to Adobe Flash. However, I have never knowingly come across a website that required Silverlight for viewing until just recently. I came across a Mark Russinovich video on security that indicated Silverlight was needed. Perhaps I could have viewed it anyway (?) but, because I had not installed Silverlight, I passed. Is anyone finding much need for it?

Regarding the two Live items, I don’t see much need for them at this point. I’d just as soon keep all my files on my computer. Is anyone using these Live services and why?

 

You are right to not get those "updates".

I have only ever came across one site that needed silverlight and it was the ITV-Player so i didnt watch the vid

The whole "live" thing is crapware to me.

Q

 

Hi, I also agree with ~Q~. I have a 'rule of thumb' that I use, and that is: if it is Critical, or Important, I download it. I am sticking to IE7, it is a no-go for 8, and no, no Silverlight.. I don't have a need for it. Not Critical, and never found any site that I needed it for...

As for the "Live" stuff, I think "~Q~ said it best.

 

Q and TeeCee,

Thanks for your replies. Glad to see that my instincts were right.

 

I don't install much but I did install silverlight. Why? Because I have a paid Netflix account and if I want to stream movies to the XP computers, I need silverlight. At least Netflix no longer requires me to use IE to stream movies. I can use FF.

 

Hi plodr, at least you have a need for it... Me, I am on a DUN, so U-tube videos are out, and so is Netflix ... I can't do any movies, not as long as I am on this DUN, but this is my only choice. It is DUN or nothing.... At least I can get online... I am glad you can enjoy it...

 

Believe me, I thought long and hard because a) I was not running XP on any computer b) Netflix required IE.
One of my friends had a Dell that died. Before I could get there to try and fix it (he lives about 2 hours away), he bought a new computer. I told him not to throw the old one out. He threw out the power cord, keyboard and mouse! I brought a spare power supply along to his home, hooked it up and the computer fired right up. I brought the computer home, took it apart and really cleaned it up inside. He is a heavy smoker and has a dog. The inside was yuckky!!! I put in a new power supply and added a gig of RAM. Then I cleaned out all the junk and scanned to be sure it was not harboring malware. It's running XP so that solved one problem. Then Netflix allowed Firefox so that solved another. The only thing lacking was Silverlight. I asked around and most said it wasn't too bad so I installed it.

I sympathize with anyone who is stuck on dialup either because broadband is not available or is too costly in this economy.
When our electric was out for over a day, I dragged my laptop out and used dialup. It's good for email but heavy surfing was too painful for me.

 

I see your point, plodr, but here in the boonies, , it is dial-up or nothing. I still have my Windows '95, and it still works too. Just don't have a Monitor for it, because I am currently using that one on my XP. I doubt if we will ever get hi-speed here.... Sounds like you got one heck of a deal tho.
Glad to hear that.

 

TeeCee,

Don’t know if you live in an area where anyone freecycles. I signed up to give away things I can no longer use that still have lots of life left in them and someone else might want. Better than if they end up in the landfill. Too many people throw away things that someone else could use.

I answered an email from a woman who was giving away a computer left by the previous tenant in her apartment. She said she did not recognize what came up on the screen but it was not Windows. Turned out to be a nine year old HP with Ubuntu. She gave me the monitor, a keyboard and a mouse too.

I have not done anything with it yet, other than to clean it up like Plodr did with the Dell. I don’t know how to get beyond the first screen now. I don’t know a bit of Linux, but I guess I will ask in the Linux Forum when I get serious about learning something else new.

Back to the Silverlight—I figured that some things had to use it. I guess I will install it if I start coming across things that I really need it for. I still can’t see that I’ll ever be interested in the Live things though.

 

I ecycle my computers and peripherals. I sent one off to an Indian reservation in South Dakota. I upgraded it from 95 to 98SE and sent it with all the disks, monitor, keyboard and mouse. Hopefully the school children got a few years use out of it. It might still be in use. It was slow but you can play some good old games on it.
Two old CRTs were recycled through Staples and BestBuy. It is too costly to ship a CRT to anyone.
TeeCee, someone might want to get rid of an old CRT in your area because they've replaced it with an LCD. You could ask around. It might turn out that someone would be glad to have it out of the house gathering dust and it would be perfect for your 95 computer.

 

Hello plodr, sounds like you have been busy LOL I will do some checking, and see what I can find out.. As far as recycling computers, I haven't found any place yet, but will put some feelers out for sure! Thanks for the ideas.... The windows '95 has very little memory, and is slow, but gosh, I could put some of my files on there and it wouldn't be connected to the net, would be a safe storage unit.. Cool!

I can also check with Goodwill and see if they have any monitors around... Hmm.. Looks like I have my work cut out for me now LOL

@ bbpathd1: You also got a good deal

 

Plodr, good for you on the recycling. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that computer is still being used.

TeeCee, look at Freecycle.org for the city nearest you. Locally our group has changed to Freestuff (still a Yahoo group) instead, but still the same idea. Around here, there is a post every once in a while from somebody who got a new LCD monitor who wants to give away their old CRT one. Plus the local Goodwill accepts old computers and monitors here, refurbishes them and sells them in their computer stores.

I’m planning to archive a bunch of files onto my old eMachines 433i that came with Win98SE. I think it is a good idea to have one computer not connected to the internet these days.

BTW, TeeCee, your Trend Micro came out on top for security in identifying malware. It was at 70% and that was the highest for all the security programs tested. No wonder it is hard to keep the baddies away. I did not realize the current detection rate is that low.

 

Hi bbpathd1, thanks for the link, I'll check it out... As far as Trend Micro goes, I have always had great luck with mine, BUT I am also on a DUN, so I don't think the infection is as bad as it is on a hi-speed connection... I have been connected to my DUN since 2000, and never had anything get past it (KNOCK ON WOOD!) :-D I think they have come a long ways with their technology too... I like it, as I said, I haven't had any issues with it... I know my ISP likes AVG, (the price is right!) but what can I say? Nothing is perfect.... But, TM is the best I can find, and it came on my computer when I bought it.. I just keep that puppy updated, and scanning and I don't have to worry... That I think is the key. Have something that YOU are comfortable with, and works for you, and stick with it..

 

Regarding Silverlight, I installed it back in June 2008 and have had no issues with it. Before installing it, I started this discussion: http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=1173043. However, it's so rarely come into use that I'm almost tempted to uninstall it. It's in Add or Remove Programs and can be removed. But, if I recall correctly, I needed it to watch a video from Microsoft, so I'll probably leave it installed. I can foresee needing it again and would have to reinstall it if I had removed it.