MS .NET Framework update KB963707

davolente · Joined: Oct 04, 2003 Posts: 317 Location: Kent, UK

Anyone know anything about the MS update which seems to want to install an "add-on" to Firefox, if I read it correctly and from what I've picked up elsewhere.
"The update to .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 for the .NET Framework Assistant 1.0 for Firefox addresses several compatibility issues with version 1.0.of the extension."
Is this necessary, what's it actually for, is it safe, and what's the association with Firefox that MS would normally keep at arm's length?

goretsky · Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:19 am Post subject:

Hello,

From the description here on Microsoft's web site, it sounds like it fixes some compatibility issues. It might be a good idea to install it to fix those.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 964

Somewhere, I don't recall where, I read an article about this that said that the FF ad-on in this will screw with the proper workings of FF & adds a security hole big enough to drive a MACK TRUCK through. (don't recall the details right off - I'll see if I can locate it & post a link)

Personally, I'd do some checking before I'd let M$ mess with any of my apps, especially the ones that aren't there's.

Just thought I'd warn ya...

EDIT: as promised, here is the link & after re-reading it, all I can say is... "ANYONE installing this update is a dang fool"! Sure you may "NOW" be able to do an uninstall but who knows what may be left behind? & we all know that stuff IS on M$. (please read all of the article - the comments are up to you)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/05/microsoft_update_...etly_in

davolente · Joined: Oct 04, 2003 Posts: 317 Location: Kent, UK

Thanks for that. I had a suspicion I'd seen something about that briefly elsewhere, which is why | posted. Thought someone would be in the know. Doesn't sound very healthy to me. I will pass, I think! Just hit "don't notify me again"

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 964

Well, as a side note, I have .NET 1, 2 & 3 on my XP box & so far I haven't ran into anything that requires an upgrade. So unless something specifically NEEDS it, why bother anyway. & if you DO, then you can decide if you REALLY need the app. (why I have all three - an app needed it & I needed the app)

Also, I rarely, if ever do an update on my M$ machine just for this reason. I don't trust them & it usually breaks a lot more than it fixes. I usually wait for service packs but even then it's a tossup as I had one machine that I couldn't run sp2 on as it would break a lot of the apps I ran on it. & SP2 completely changes the OS. I am STILL debating on SP3 as it does too, to some extent.

I got so fed up with the whole M$ patching a patch of a patch of a patch... that I now am running Fedora 10 (LINUX) & I DO the updates on it. I admit, it broke once under Fedora 9 (A VERY RARE THING HERE) but was QUICKLY fixed in about 3 days. (try that with M$)

I still have XP around though - for those occasion when I need it to do some proprietary <censored> that can only be done under it.

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2657

The original problem was MS added something to FF without permission and it could not be removed. It could be disabled but everything was grayed out so you could not select items. The file now offered corrects the problem so that if you want to remove it, you now can. This was the gist of what I got from reading the paid version of the windowssecrets newsletter yesterday.