Definition of ActiveX
ActiveX is one of Microsoft's object-oriented technologies. ActiveX technology enables interactivity with Web browsers through the use of ActiveX controls. Though there are similar programs on the Internet, ActiveX technology is specifically designed to work with Internet Explorer.
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ActiveX Controls
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ActiveX controls are the objects that run on ActiveX technology. ActiveX controls are programs that run on your computer rather than in the Web browser and enable you to open certain applications that will then run the files in the Web page's script. ActiveX control is another name for Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) object or Component Object Model (COM) object.
Web Browsers
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ActiveX technology is not supported by either Netscape Navigator or Mozilla Firefox, only by Internet Explorer. ActiveX technology is how Internet Explorer is able to use applications such as QuickTime and Flash. When you click on media on a Web page, Internet Explorer downloads it, and the ActiveX control opens it within the browser.
Programming Languages
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The programming languages C, C++, Java and Visual Basic and the scripting languages JavaScript, VBScript (Visual Basic, Scripting Edition) and PERL (Practical Extraction and Report Language) can be used to create ActiveX controls. Most people who work with ActiveX, however, choose to use Visual Basic and VBScript because these are the languages developed by Microsoft.
Similar Programs
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ActiveX controls are similar to scripts, applets and servlets. ActiveX, applets and servlets are compiled, so they run faster than scripts. All of these programs are capable of opening applications within Web browsers.
ActiveX is also similar to a plug-in, but it has more uses. While plug-ins are used only in Web browsers, ActiveX is capable of being used in other ways on your computer.
Security Concerns
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ActiveX is automatically updated with downloads to your computer from Microsoft. Unfortunately, these downloads have been used before by third parties to sneak malignant programs (such as viruses and spyware) into computers. Internet Explorer is improving the security associated with ActiveX downloads.
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