Active Content FAQ
November 8, 2007 – Important update: As a result of recent technology licenses acquired by Microsoft,
Microsoft plans to remove the "click to activate" activation behavior
from Internet Explorer in April 2008. After the update, controls will function
as they did before the activation change was made in April 2006.
Microsoft has indicated that developers will not need to make
any modifications to existing websites or change the way they develop new
pages. For the latest information about the update and information about
preview releases, please read the Microsoft Developer Network article, Information for developers about
Internet Explorer.
- What was the April 2006 change to Internet Explorer?
- The Microsoft updates to Internet
Explorer in April 2006 changed how it handles some active content such as that
viewed in Adobe Flash Player, Authorware Player, Shockwave Player, and Adobe
Reader, as well as Sun Java, Apple QuickTime, Real Networks Real Player, and
other ActiveX controls.
- Microsoft has stated that when
viewing an affected website using the updated Internet Explorer browser,
visitors will be able to see, but not interact with, the content. When a user
mouses over the content, a tool tip will appear telling the user to click to
activate the content. After the visitor clicks the content, the content can
receive user input and behave normally.
- User activation for Shockwave content
will be slightly different due to the way in which Shockwave Player handles
mouse activity. Users with versions prior to 10.1 of Shockwave Player installed
will be shown a modal dialog box prompting the user to click OK to continue
loading and activate the content.
- Microsoft provided a solution to load interactive controls externally
such that they are immediately activated for user input, and Adobe
provided an alternate solution aimed at further simplifying the fix for our
customers. To avoid this user activation requirement, developers can modify
their HTML pages as outlined in the Active Content Developer
Center.
- How will the Microsoft updates to Internet
Explorer, announced November 8, 2007, affect the end user experience as it
relates to embedded content?
- Microsoft plans to remove the
activation behavior from Internet Explorer in April 2008. Microsoft has
indicated that once end-users have installed the update, controls will function
as they did before the activation change was made in April 2006, and sites that
previously displayed the "click to activate" message will no longer
do so.
- For the latest information about the
update and information about preview releases, please visit the Microsoft
Developer Network article, Information
for developers about Internet Explorer.
- When will the changes announced on November 8,
2007, start affecting users?
- This change to
permanently remove the activation behavior will be included in the April 2008
Internet Explorer Cumulative. There will be a preview release available as an
optional download from the Internet Explorer download center in early December
2007. For more details, developers should visit MSDN or contact Microsoft.
- Will developers that made the active content
changes in 2006 need to update their websites?
- No. According to
Microsoft, after the update to Internet Explorer in April 2008, controls will
return to behaving as they did before the April 2006 activation changes.
Developers do not need to make any modifications to existing content or change
current development practices to benefit from this update.
