Hi Ken ----
I really have no concerns; I like IE. It was a poor attempt at humor :-)
>Internet Explorer is now considered a Windows component. Productrs like Office2000 and VS6 have core components that are dependent on the Web Browser control, which use the mshtml.dll and msxml.dll components installed with IE. These products are dependent on the IE components. In no way do they require you to use IE as your default internet browser. They thing to realize is that many products (Microsoft and non-Microsoft) are now becoming HTML/XML based, and these components are IE are reusuable and thus become required installs. Maybe you can explain your reluctance to install IE, but maybe my response helps clarify and/or nullify your concerns.
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John Koziol, ex-MVP, ex-MS, ex-FoxTeam. Just call me "X"
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro" - Hunter Thompson (Gonzo) RIP 2/19/05