# Ie5 Internet Explorer 5.5 No Longer Available!???? Help!



## sorenmd (Feb 27, 2006)

I am an avid Mac 10.4 user and dislike using Internet Explorer for Mac, HOWEVER some sites (Bellsouth, etc) require IE 5.5 for mac to access their web features. Ive tried all other browsers (FireFox, Camino, Opera, Safari, ect) but to no avail.

So I went to the IE 5.5 download site for mac and it said that support has been discontinued! This is unacceptable. I don't care if they support it or not but I need to download the newest version 5.5. (NOT the old version 5.2.3)

Can anyone please provide a download link to the IE5.5_forOSX.dmg please!

If you don't want to put up a link, you can PM me and give me the link, or email me. 

Help is gratly appreciated. Thanks!


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## nixgeek (Feb 27, 2006)

There never has been a version of IE 5.5 for Mac OS Classic or X.  The last version for X was 5.2.3 and the last version for 9 and below was 5.1.7.  You can use the last version for OS X and it should suffice, but even Microsoft recommends using something other than IE for the Mac since it doesn't support the latest web technologies.  Your options are the following:

Mozilla Suite (which has the Mozilla Navigator for web browsing)
Seamonkey (a continuation of the Mozilla Suite using the rendering engine and other features in Firefox)
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Camino
Opera

If you REALLY need IE, then click on the link below and download from one of the mirrors:

http://mac.majorgeeks.com/download4560.html


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## nixgeek (Feb 27, 2006)

BTW, what specifically is it that these other browsers can't support on the BellSouth site?  Their webmail should work with all browsers on all platforms, not just IE.  I've used it before with Firefox on Windows without any issues, and Firefox is pretty consistent across all operating system platforms.


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## simbalala (Feb 27, 2006)

nixgeek said:
			
		

> BTW, what specifically is it that these other browsers can't support on the BellSouth site?  Their webmail should work with all browsers on all platforms, not just IE.


I use Bellsouth and I haven't fired up I.E. in months and months.


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## nixgeek (Feb 27, 2006)

There IS NOT nor has there EVER been an IE 5.5 for the Mac.  That message you get is referring to the Windows version (which had version 5.5 and up all the way to version 6.0).  The webmaster for BellSouth's website did a poor job of providing a description of which version and what operating system.  The 5.2.3 version is up to par with the 5.5 version in features even though the numbers aren't the same.

Regardless, it looks as though you're accessing a secured HTTP section of the site.  All browsers nowadays support this.  The other option you can use is to install a Firefox extension called User Agent Switcher.  This fools the site into thinking that Internet Explorer on a Windows machine is visiting it, when in fact it's another type of computer running Firefox.  Opera also has this feature built-in, and I believe Safari does as well.

In any case, here's the link to the User Agent Switcher:

https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=59&application=firefox

Install it, restart Firefox, and then head to Tools-->User Agent Switcher an select "Internet Explorer 6 (Windows XP)".

Good luck


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## ra3ndy (Feb 27, 2006)

There never WAS a version 5.5 for Mac.  Microsoft stopped development of IE fopr Mac after 5.2.3.  Sorry, but you're out of luck here.

You MAY have some luck in activating Safari's Debug menu.  It has an option to lie to a webserver about what browser you're using.  However, if bellsouth.com uses ActiveX controls, then there's simply nothing you can do but handle your business with BellSouth via telephone.

To activate Debug Menu:

Open Terminal (Applications/Utilities) and type:

defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeDebugMenu 1

then restart safari.  Now in the menubar, you'll have a new menu called Debug.  Under there, near the bottom, you can choose WindowsIE 6.0 and see if it'll let you through.  The Debug menu also has lots of other useful tools.

Note: To deactivate the Debug menu,  type the above code into Terminal, replacing the 1 with a 0

EDIT: or go with what Nixgeek said, that seems much easier


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## nixgeek (Feb 27, 2006)

If they are using ActiveX plugins, then you're out of luck.  It's going to require IE on Windows.  The best you can do is run VirtualPC or "Q" (a port of the QEMU virtual machine), perform an installation of Windows within either of these, and access BellSouth this way using the Windows version of IE.  Or, you can send Bellsouth to hell and switch providers if you have that option. 

I'm very happy with Earthlink and they support my Mac and Linux computers just fine.


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## simbalala (Feb 27, 2006)

Have you even tried a browser other than Safari?

I use Bellsouth services other than email (to pay the bill for example) and I've never had a problem using Firefox. I can get the screen you linked without getting that pop up even in Safari.

Opera allows you to set the user agent and the user agent switcher extension for Firefox lets you set it for Firefox.


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