Mike Powell wrote:
> I have heard some things lately about a browser called Maxthon
> (www.maxthon.com).  I notice that the browser is based on "the IE
> engine."
>  
> I can understand how a browser based on the engine of another can have
> different features, and possibly even seem more light-weight.  However,
> since IE is not open-source, wouldn't any browser based on the IE engine
> still have the same potential security issues that IE itself does?  Or does
> being "based on the engine" mean that it is only using a
small portion of
> the IE code, and not all of it?

As I understand it, Opera works this way - it's not truly a 
self-supporting browser ala Firefox.  That may not be correct now but 
the older versions definitely needed IE to run.

Since IE is so intertwined in the OS, there's no way to completely 
remove it - some functions still need to be present just for the 
interface to work.  What that percentage is, I don't know - MS may not 
even know.

Since it's using IE functions, it's vulnerable to the same 
exploits/weaknesses.  However, it could include code to mitigate these 
problems but you'd need some major testing to (dis)prove that.  The 
functions used may not be the ones under attack but...

> I am assuming that, since it is based on a non-open-source engine, that it
> must be running a part of IE in the background, and must be dependent on IE
> being installed.

Not necessarily that IE is installed but major parts.  'Twould be 
interesting (in a perverse sense ;) ) to use the IE "removal" procedures 
and see if it worked.  I leave that to your continued interest...

-- 
Jeff Guerdat

The two most abundant things in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.
                                                          Harlan Ellison
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