Internet Explorer Restrictions

[Robert Sullivan]

>http://www.jsiinc.com/TIP1900/rh1976.htm

>It outlines a number of registry settings that you can set to lock down IE to
>prevent patrons from abusing the browser.  However, I've found that many of
>these settings, like removing specific toolbar buttons, do not work in
>WindowsNT 4 and Windows9x.

Technically, they work - but you have to use policies.  (Now that we have our
Gates PCs, I have seen this for myself.)  It sounds like Andrew is using Win
2000 policies, so this would be consistent.

I was never successful in making them work just by setting them in the
registry.  I believe this is because IE configures its toolbar at runtime.

For example, you could get the toolbar the way you like it and note the
registry settings for the two long binary keys which control this.  During IE
installation you can set these values and IE will look the way you want - but
you'll see the default toolbar for a second until it loads yours.

If you enable NoToolbarCustomize, you'll get the default buttons.  This makes a
sort of sense if you know IE makes the change at runtime, and you're telling it
not to allow the account to change the toolbar.

I would speculate that since the policy editor is making registry changes that
you could make yourself, there's a way to get this to work without policies;
perhaps there is another setting which conflicts with the button-removal
settings.  Someone with time on their hands could probably enable registry
editing in one of the Gates public accounts and look at the settings.  I'm
trying to get our lab ready for its National Library Week opening, so I will
leave that as an exercise for someone else. :-)

Bob Sullivan                               scp_sulli at sals.edu
Schenectady County Public Library (NY)     http://www.scpl.org