microsoft leaves 200 million users open to security threats

According to Paul Festa over at news.com,

If you're one of about 200 million people using older versions of Windows and you want the latest security enhancements to Internet Explorer, get your credit card ready.

...Microsoft promised 'ongoing security updates' for all supported versions of Windows and IE.

The ongoing security updates do not, as Microsoft points out, include the latest security fixes with Service Pack 2, released last month. Those include a new pop-up blocker and a new system of handling ActiveX controls and downloaded content.

And it's those more substantial changes, rather than the bug fixes that come with routine upgrades for supported products, that security organizations have lauded for addressing IE's graver security concerns.

Apparently security is just "an enhancement" to Microsoft and one you'll have to pay for even if you're using Microsoft's "free" web browser.

Well, at Mozilla, security is not an enhancement, it is a fundamental component of our process and of all of our products. If you're one of the 200 million IE users feeling left out in the cold, you should consider Mozilla Firefox. No brower is ever going to be 100% secure, but wouldn't you rather be using one that takes security seriously and doesn't charge you $99 for it's mistakes?

Get Firefox!

update: Security matters.

update2: Robert Accettura has some really good ideas over at his blog, Fun With Wordage.