Microsoft`s Sneaky Firefox Add-On Installation - Another Option
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Now that the patch has been issued, it’s obviously unnecessary to perform the risky, complicated task of modifying the Windows registry in order to remove the Firefox add-on. That being said, what if a user wants to get rid of it completely along with the Windows Presentation Foundation plug-in previously mentioned? Annoyances.org, which thankfully always seems to have an answer for every Windows annoyance in existence, has offered detailed instructions for modifying the register. According to the site, the steps are as follows:
Open Registry Editor(type regeditin the Start menu Search box in Vista/Windows 7, or in XP's Runwindow).
Expand the branches to the following key:
Delete the value named {20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}from the right pane.
Close the Registry Editor when you're done.
Open a new Firefox window, and in the address bar, type about:configand press Enter.
Type microsoftdotnetin the Filterfield to quickly find the general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnetsetting.
Right-click general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnetand select Reset.
Restart Firefox.
Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to %SYSTEMDRIVE%WindowsMicrosoft.NETFrameworkv3.5Windows Presentation Foundation.
Delete the DotNetAssistantExtensionfolder entirely.
Open the Add-onswindow in Firefox to confirm that the Microsoft .NET Framework Assistantextension has been removed.
Many of us are incredibly cautious when surfing the web. That being said, we all have trusted sites and companies, such as Microsoft, that we’ve come to rely and depend on. This is not to say that the Microsoft name has been diminished in a week’s time, but the sneaky installation of the Firefox add-on was more than a little disheartening for many MS users.
Aside from all of the usual worries we all face when it comes to our computers and their software, it’s an unfortunate fact that many PC users now feel as if they also have to protect themselves from those who write the software they use. Hopefully Microsoft doesn’t attempt anything similar in the future. Thankfully, it seems as if they’ve gotten the message loud and clear.
Photos: Voices.WashingtonPost.comandWYDay.com
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