Internet Explorer question

[GM]

A question for anyone out there knowledgeable about Int Explorer/website development/spying etc...

I have found at a number of sites (non-porn) a little explorer box will pop up off-screen. About one inch by one inch, the only way you know it's even there is because it appears on the toolbar. If you manage to find a way to move this onto your screen it's usually blank. The only way I have found to close it is to right click on it's name on the toolbar and close it (occasionally even this won't work).

What is the purpose of these little boxes? I've run Ad-Aware and virus software, cleaned out all my cookies, whatever...nothing ever turns up. I'm curious if these boxes are left open if it's a method by which a website can track your actions, what's on your computer, etc.

Any insight would be helpful.

 

[Penguinfan]

Good question, I have seen these before too.

Penguinfan

 

[GM]

Somebody? Nobody? Anybody??

 

[Spock]

bad programming

Sometimes these windows will be changing the registry settings and options in the background. That may change your default homepage address etc. The keyword would be "sometimes"

Spock

 

[Stuman]

These are used to launch pop-ups at a certain interval. It is the programmer's intention that these go unnoticed, and are purposefully made difficult for the average person to close.

 

[GM]

Thanks for the answers guys. So, are you serious, registry entries can be changed by these things?? I always close them the instant I spot them. They just bother me.