Revenge of Internet Explorer 5

Princess Alice · 2012-08-09 01:48:21

So my brother found out that, for whatever reason, he still had a Windows 98 virtual machine lying around from two years ago. So I decided to make myself a copy of said VM solely to play "let's break the websites" by running 2012 websites through a 1999 web browser!

...This sounds dumber the more I think about it. Let's get on with it.

IE5's default homepage is MSN.com. Here's how the modern MSN.com renders in IE5. Also: "About" dialog.

Of course I tried loading this site. Why wouldn't I? You can't tell in the screenshot, but none of the thread links work. Seriously, I can't click on any of them; they just don't do anything.

This is what the thread looks like, on the off-chance you manage to get to one. Note only the post box only supports plaintext/HTML--no WYSIWYG.

I tried loading my Tumblr, but Internet Explorer wasn't too happy with that.

I also tried loading Tumblr's homepage, but for some reason it turns up a DNS error. Yes, I tried adding the "www.", it didn't help.

I even tried Googling "tumblr" and clicking the results, but to no avail. Google's search results page looks straight out of 2004, though.

Tumblr wasn't the only one, either: a handful of other sites turned up DNS errors, including GMail. I assume this means something's wrong with my VM setup. I'm gonna try to work that out and maybe post more screenshots if I can get it to work.

Spacey · 2012-08-09 01:50:21

this seems related

Princess Alice · 2012-08-09 01:55:54

Oh, I forgot to mention. You see how that picture of the thread says "3 items remaining" and shows the loading progress bar? Yeah, it was stuck that way for 10 minutes. At that point I just gave up and took the screenshot.

Imipolex G · 2012-08-09 11:32:55

what's that black bar under my name

Unknown · 2012-08-09 11:45:07

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Princess Alice · 2012-08-09 11:49:51

^^ That's me redacting your IP address.

Unknown · 2012-08-09 11:51:39

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Imipolex G · 2012-08-09 11:55:53

^^That was gonna be my guess.

^Hm, interesting

Justice4243 · 2012-08-09 12:19:54

STOP DOING ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES OVER TUMBLER!

Also highly amusing.

You should pick some more sites that are big on the latest internet stuff, what what have you, like New Grounds and Penny Arcade.

glennmagusharvey · 2012-08-10 00:32:02

This thread is the shiznit.

Also, needs moar tag "internet_exploder".

glennmagusharvey · 2013-02-23 12:35:25

Actually, I kinda like the 2004-era Google search page.

Without results suggestions and trying to send and receive search info that changes as I type.

In other words, sites that are stable when I have unstable connections.

Princess Alice · 2013-02-23 12:41:46

Heh, I turned off Google Instant in my preferences ages ago, so I frequently forget it exists.

Also, I finally fixed the VirtualBox DNS nonsense that was making sites not load on the Windows 98 VM, but I dunno if I'll bother doing this again since looking at modern sites in an old browser is just a "duh, what'd you expect?" kinda thing and not very funny.

Viani · 2013-02-23 12:41:47

"Serious Discussions and not being dicks to each other"

what? I don't remember this

Justice4243 · 2013-02-23 12:43:04

^^I'm not sure if you where here for that.

That was the heap's first discussion of "Privilege".

It got ugly in a hurry.

glennmagusharvey · 2013-02-23 13:03:02

The problem with turning off Google Instant is that I frequently use Google without being signed in anyway.

Princess Alice · 2013-02-23 13:18:24

Ah, I see. I don't usually use google without logging in, in part b/c I use an Android device.

glennmagusharvey · 2013-02-23 13:26:29

What are the benefits to not linking the device with a Google account?

Corporal Forsythe · 2013-02-23 13:28:25

Justice42 said:
^^I'm not sure if you where here for that.

That was the heap's first discussion of "Privilege".

It got ugly in a hurry.

It wasn't so bad, actually

Justice4243 · 2013-02-23 13:55:56

In the end, yeah, but it had a pretty rough start. Or middle...

Viani · 2013-02-23 16:30:03

I still don't know what privilege is, or why it's bad. Is it because white people are subjectively better or think they are entitled to things because of what other white people do?

Justice4243 · 2013-02-23 16:36:04

It's more if you're white you're more likely to get certain jobs, be treated better in certain places, etc... than others.

Though, that's something of an oversimplification of what is going on, that's the general idea.

RocketRunner · 2013-02-23 19:38:19

I love how, in those images, it actually kinda looks reasonable and not-so-broken.

glennmagusharvey · 2013-05-24 01:34:52

I was so pissed at the "has performed an illegal operation" error when I was a kid. I thought it meant that the law was monitoring all my computer activity, and only increased my curiosity about those places (and e-mails) that caused these errors.

RocketRunner · 2013-05-24 02:56:42

I got scared whenever I saw that as a small kid, but I think it was because of the red X and the scary noises. That, and I didn't know why.

Princess Alice · 2013-05-24 03:01:25

I admit, the first time I saw the "performed an illegal operation" message, I was worried the police were going to come and arrest me.

In my defense, I was 5.

glennmagusharvey · 2014-09-10 03:11:21

Hey, does anyone have really old Netscape?

Klinotaxis · 2014-09-10 07:14:45

https://archive.org/details/tucows_213275_Netscape

probably some other copies around there

Revenge of Internet Explorer 5

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