General Chat

Recently I have been getting the message "install Flash Player" for watching various videos such as the news - thought I had it but installed it, still didn't work, checked programs and saw I had it twice, deleted both and reinstalled, still no good. Not that important as I found I could get anything I really wanted on Chrome. However today I saw a reference to Active X, switched it off and found I could get the IE videos no problem.

I haven't a clue what Active X is, what are the fors and againsts of using it?

ActiveX controls are little programmes or apps which are used for interacting with various other programmes - an example is a spellchecker.

There are many many security issues with ActiveX although these can be partially limited to a degree by altering your ActiveX settings.

The best alternative is not to use a browser (ie Internet Explorer) which uses ActiveX and use one which does not rely upon ActiveX such as Firefox etc.

If you really do insist on using Internet Explorer, let me know if you want to know how to change your ActiveX settings to get the best of both worlds.

thanks - I started with IE so just still have most things linked to it as default browser, tried Firefox during a problem time, increasingly using Chrome since getting a google tablet and adding anything new to it - I see Microsoft are abolishing IE soon anyway but until I completely get round to switching over perhaps I should change the Active X setting, would be for your advice

I'll post some instructions but it may not be for a couple of days if that is ok.

thanks - no panic but I did want to understand what was happening - and would like to clear it up some time!

Elizabeth, I have like you had it done 3 times deleted put back but had the same problems so deleted completely and now can't get any videos etc. will watch for Errol's instructions.

Noils - as you will see from my OP could use Chrome, have now added BBC news to my Chrome bookmarks. And now I come to think of it I could never get Youtube on IE, disappointing to miss out some of the hyperlinks on GR! have bookmarked GR on Chrome as well

Elizabeth How do you change your browser . Must admit been playing around too much and often saw them say change browser but took no notice! oh dear!

It's OK Elizabeth changed to Chrome and alls well .. Thanks!

I can't remember how I did it! I think our local computer guru added Firefox at some time and I tried and used it when I was having IE trouble, and I think Chrome just arrived when I got a tablet. You will probably only have to google "Firefox" or "Chrome" to get whisked to their sites to sign up. You can have access to as many browsers as you want but have to name one as your default which for me and you at present is IE - so watch out for little boxes telling to tick to make anything else your default browser.

I have now! and it says Adobe Shockwave flash enabled