Need Explorer but don't want to install windows

I'm about ready to shoot my windows laptop!

No, I really mean I'm about to do violence to this machine. It keeps freezing up for unknown reasons. Task manager (when I can get it to run) shows high ram usage and the hard drive is running when I'm not do anything. Can't figure it out.

Ok, enough ranting about the soon to be demolished PC. I'll be buying my first Mac (13" Macbook Pro) in a few weeks. I still need Internet Explorer to access my work computer from home. (It's the only browser that will work. ) I really don't want to install a full version of windows on my new Mac just for that one program. It's my understanding (limited as it is) that I can install a program called WINE that will allow me to download and install IE 8. Is this correct? How difficult is that to do?

I'm hoping that this is possible and relatively easy to implement and use.

Your understanding is correct. I'd recommend the easy, supported version of WINE known as Crossover. I've successfully run IE8 on it for the benefit of a real estate client who needed access to an ActiveX website. It was pretty painless, and doesn't involve anyone have to pay Steve Ballmer any money, which is the best part IMHO.

You do realize that Safari can change its User Agent to emulate IE 8? By selecting to have the "Developer" menu item appear, (Safari Preferences, Advanced) the User Agent can be chosen as an option.

However, going along with what chas_m stated about ActiveX, I can not say how well it will work or not work. But it may be worth a try considering that Crossover is not free.

I agree with chscag on this one. It's very possible that the website is designed for IE with little to no technical reason that it can't run elsewhere. The designer may have only tested it on IE and as such, may preclude other browsers from viewing it. Try changing the user agent string of your browser of choice (Safari, Firefox, Chrome and Opera can all be made to present themselves as other browsers) first to save yourself the effort of working with CrossOver. If it doesn't work, CrossOver may do the job.

IE7 is supported as an "officially supported bronze medal" application while IE8 is an "unsupported bronze medal" application. See here for their IE8 support page and here for their IE7 page.

could you not use something like ie tabs for firefox?

The IE Tab extension is only available for Windows.

chscag said:

You do realize that Safari can change its User Agent to emulate IE 8? By selecting to have the "Developer" menu item appear, (Safari Preferences, Advanced) the User Agent can be chosen as an option.

However, going along with what chas_m stated about ActiveX, I can not say how well it will work or not work. But it may be worth a try considering that Crossover is not free.

Click to expand...

Since I very seldom use Safari, no I wasn't aware of that. I tried going to Preferences>Advanced, but don't see how to change the User Agent. Of course, I'm using the windows version of Safari so maybe it's not in there?

Since I very seldom use Safari, no I wasn't aware of that. I tried going to Preferences>Advanced, but don't see how to change the User Agent. Of course, I'm using the windows version of Safari so maybe it's not in there?

Click to expand...

We're referring to the OS X version of Safari. I have no idea if that option is available in the Windows version. I use IE 8 when in Windows as it works best.

chscag, I'll have to check that out when I get the new MBP. I hope it works since that would make it a lot easier on me. (Can't stand IE 8.)

Changing the user agent (in the Mac version) is a excellent idea **IF** the problem is that the website in question requires ActiveX. If that's the issue, then *NO* Mac brower can cope with that and you MUST use either Crossover/WINE or a Windows VM solution.

I found there is another way to access my work PC remotely. I was talking to one of our tech guys today and mentioned getting a Mac. (Thumbs up from the tech guy.) Was telling him the only problem I had was getting IE to work on the Mac so that I could access my work PC through our mobile connection.

He then proceeded to tell me that that was the old way to do it and there's a much easier, and better, way to do it. We can now remote in using the remote desktop feature built into windows. A few minutes of Googling shows the MS makes a Mac version of remote desktop which I can download for free. It will allow me to remote in to my work PC using my soon to be purchase MBP.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm going to try the remote desktop program. If that doesn't work then I'll have to try some of the things that were suggested here.

SD

Ok, well that didn't work. Trying to get back with the tech guy to see where the problem is. Really hoping that I can get the remote desktop app working. Really don't want to put IE on my new machine. I don't use it on my PC now except to access my work PC because I don't like it. (I use Firefox.)

Try Cord

ScubaDachshund said:

Ok, well that didn't work. Trying to get back with the tech guy to see where the problem is. Really hoping that I can get the remote desktop app working. Really don't want to put IE on my new machine. I don't use it on my PC now except to access my work PC because I don't like it. (I use Firefox.)

Click to expand...

Have you tried Cord? CoRD: Remote Desktop for Mac OS X

I have used it before to connect to a Windows PC at work.

Ok, talked to the tech guy again today. It seems he left out a page of the instructions. (That might be the problem, ya think?!?!) So now that I have the missing info, I'll try it again and see what happens.

@TrustMe, I'll look into that.

Aaaaaaaaarrrrrgggggg! Still can't get it to work. Oh well, I'll download the remote desktop client when I get the new MBP and hopefully that will work.