"Message of the Day"-links call IE, not default browser

[Wildfire]

As I understand it, the "Message of the day" pop-up uses IE internally to display messages and such, any link given will open IE.

However, I do not use IE at all and Firefox is my default browser.

I realize that this is not some core function of NewsBin Pro so priority for changes and fixes will lay elsewhere, but I'm sure it would be possible to change the "Message of the day" in a way so it will open links in the default browser.

It's a minor annoyance, I know, but it's been bugging me for quite a while now -- and I'm sure I'm not the only one

[ozzie]

Yep, me too, drives me nuts when IE gets opened by any program!

[Quade]

I realize that this is not some core function of NewsBin Pro so priority for changes and fixes will lay elsewhere, but I'm sure it would be possible to change the "Message of the day" in a way so it will open links in the default browser.

I'm skeptical that IE can ever be convinced to use the default browser when you click a link. One thing you can do is use the "MOTD Archive" in the help menu. If should invoke your browser of choice.

[Wildfire]

I realize that this is not some core function of NewsBin Pro so priority for changes and fixes will lay elsewhere, but I'm sure it would be possible to change the "Message of the day" in a way so it will open links in the default browser.

I'm skeptical that IE can ever be convinced to use the default browser when you click a link. One thing you can do is use the "MOTD Archive" in the help menu. If should invoke your browser of choice.

I know -- but the issue actually is that the MOTD pop-up uses IE internally. Surely there must be some other way to display the MOTD messages?

As I said, it's obviously not something critical, but it would be nice if sometime in the future it would be adressed.

[kirm]

I know -- but the issue actually is that the MOTD pop-up uses IE internally. Surely there must be some other way to display the MOTD messages?
As I said, it's obviously not something critical, but it would be nice if sometime in the future it would be addressed.

As mentioned by Wildfire, might be something to think about with the intro of win10 and the eventual possible demise of IE

[Quade]

it's not invoking IE by name, it's telling Windows to use something to render a URL inside a window. Even if IE is replaced, I imagine the replacement will then be used to render into this windows instead of IE.

[syshog]

Why don't you use a default browser call instead telling it to render a url? There are free to play games that render a page in the launcher window when you start the game, but when you click on a link in the launcher it open the default browser on the host machine.

[tl]

Why don't you use a default browser call instead telling it to render a url? There are free to play games that render a page in the launcher window when you start the game, but when you click on a link in the launcher it open the default browser on the host machine.

Quade has already told exactly why he doesn't.

To elaborate on it a bit, there's no way to ask the default browser to do anything except "Open" which usually opens a new window with the URL in question but you can't assume that, it might do... nothing!

Here NB Pro wants to show some content inside a window IT controls, the only ways to do that is to either just call the relevant Windows APIs or embed an web browser! in the product and do all the work himself (usually Chromium, WebKit or a commercial "mini" rendering engine are used).

The first option will always use the IE rendering engine included with all Windows version even on Windows versions without IE browser "frontend", exactly what happens if you click a link on one of those Windows-N versions is a good question, best guess "nothing". I'm also not sure if Windows 10 will use the old or new engine for this (but both are "Trident" derived).

The second option means a lot of extra work for the coder and a larger download, for what in NB Pro has be classified as very little gain. The balance changes if you need more content interaction which I suspect the F2P games you mention have.

[Quade]

I think Syshog is asking why I don't just invoke the browser directly and not bother trying to render it inside a window. Which is kinda funny because Dex and I were discussing whether that would be a viable solution. The benefit of having it render inside a window is that I can control placement. With a browser, there's no control.

It's something I'm considering though.

[kirm]

I think Syshog is asking why I don't just invoke the browser directly and not bother trying to render it inside a window. Which is kinda funny because Dex and I were discussing whether that would be a viable solution. The benefit of having it render inside a window is that I can control placement. With a browser, there's no control.

It's something I'm considering though.

If you are going to go this route, please make it an option. I kinda enjoy the small popup window as it is now, it does only come up with a new announcement, otherwise it is out of my way. I for one do not want my browser popping up, due to I may already have several tabs open in said browser. Invoking full browser is kind of in your face. Not sure how others feel about this.

[tl]

I think Syshog is asking why I don't just invoke the browser directly and not bother trying to render it inside a window. Which is kinda funny because Dex and I were discussing whether that would be a viable solution. The benefit of having it render inside a window is that I can control placement. With a browser, there's no control.

It's something I'm considering though.

Please don't! I didn't consider that option because I consider it a massive violation of basic UI principles to cause another program to pop up in front of the screen, in front of the program just started! If a program did this I would normally uninstall it immediately, only programs I really need/like would I even bother checking if this was possible to disable first.

I wouldn't mind if it was an option and defaulted to "use internal", to address the few people who feel strongly about IE. And in this case I wouldn't uninstall it as long it was possible to disable this, you've earned that respect.

At the moment I can't remember seeing a program that actually does this, given the number of programs I've installed over the years that's actually surprising. I've seen a few that loads a web-page at the end of the installation, that's perfectly fine if you're asked if you want this or not as with NB Pro (release notes).

[Quade]

At this point, I'm not going to do anything about it. Dex and I are just talking about alternatives.

[tazmeister]

At this point, I'm not going to do anything about it. Dex and I are just talking about alternatives.

Would it be accurate to say that the MOTD display is basically embed IE? Which is why when we click on a link if loads in IE?
If so you just need a control that can render HTML but that is not IE thinly veiled by M$ so developers will pick the most convenient option to display HTML content and thus stick all their customers with using IE. It "benefits" M$ in the same way they say "any attention is good attention for Marketing even if it is negative attention"
Which personally I think is BS and mostly just a way for smarmy ad people to justify bad choices or behavior.



So can you use a different widget to display HTML or webpage content that isn't actually thinly veiled IE?

[Quade]

So can you use a different widget to display HTML or webpage content that isn't actually thinly veiled IE?

Like what? It's got to be something on every PC and it's got to be something that won't balloon up the download by 25 megs.