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General discussion

Can't use Wikipedia app in Word

Jan 13, 2015 8:58PM PST

I would find it useful to use the Wikipedia app in Word. Unfortunately when I click on the app icon I get this message "your browser version does not support this app you need the latest version"
I use Mozilla Firefox and I have the very latest version so I don't understand the problem.
Clicking on the message takes me to a page which gives all the latest browser versions.
I've tried Chrome as default but get the same message.
I've not use IE for some time having disabled it but suspect that may be the same.

Discussion is locked

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Confusing
Jan 13, 2015 9:17PM PST

You start with talking about Word (a word processor), then switch to Firefox and Chrome (browsers).
Then you talk about a "Wikipedia app", while apps don't run in Word nor in browsers; apps run on phones, tablets or the Modern interface of Windows 8.

If I want to use wikipedia on a Windows or Linux machine, I just type wikipedia.com in the address bar of my browser.. Did you try that?

Kees

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(NT) Can't use Wikipedia app in
Jan 13, 2015 11:35PM PST
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Can't use Wikipedia app in Word
Jan 13, 2015 11:54PM PST

I may have mislead by referring to Wikipedia as an app.
In Word under "Insert" is a Wikipedia icon on which you can click and insert text etc, directly into your document.
A pane opens on the right hand side where reverent info from Wikipedia appears.
However this pane opens with the message as described.
I'm only a partial idiot.

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Here's my bet.
Jan 14, 2015 12:12AM PST
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Re: app
Jan 14, 2015 7:01AM PST

Indeed, in the link Bob gave, Microsoft calls it an app. My bad that I ddn't understand you.

But still "disabling Internet Explorer" might be the cause. It's not clear (to me) how you disabled it, but why not see what happens if you enable it again? But even that might not help. For example, your security software could be blocking it.
Then - in the worst case - you need to go back to factory conditions (+ only Office 2013 and this app) to get it working.

Kees

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Maybe it's their new App.
Jan 13, 2015 11:58PM PST
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I see.
Jan 14, 2015 6:55AM PST

I don't have Office 2013, so no Wikipedia app. But one click deep your link lists what browsers it supports:
- At least Windows Internet Explorer 9
- At least Mozilla Firefox 12
- At least Apple Safari 5
- At least Google Chrome 18
So it seems your bet is wrong. Firefox and Chrome should work also. But with the OP they don't.

Kees

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Read it Kees_B
Jan 14, 2015 5:51PM PST

As I said Kees_B I am only a partial idiot I've read the list of which browsers are supported this is why I'm asking the question as to why I can't access Wikipedia in Word.
I disabled IE in Programs/Turn Windows features on or off I found it terrible to work with.
Knowledge of Windows should be essential on here.

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Re: Disable IE
Jan 14, 2015 6:11PM PST

Since that app seems to work elsewhere, it seems works in Windows out-of-the-box. But not with you. So there's something special with you that interferes. All you tell about your Windows is that you disabled IE. That might be that special thing. Or it could be your security software, or some Windows Update you didn't do. Or maybe you ran some registry cleaner or system optimizer.

The question why it doesn't work with you is very unlikely to be answered. In that case, you;ve got to research yourself. Suggestions for that:
1. Enable IE and see if it makes a differrence.
2. Run in Safe Mode and see what happens.
3. Go back to factory conditions if you can't find that special thing.

Kees

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Nice one
Jan 14, 2015 3:43PM PST

Great one this made me smile. It's not that it's a funny comment but it's a very wise one. Wink

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Okay, should have tried this in the first place.
Jan 14, 2015 8:44PM PST

So turned IE back on and guess what Wikipedia app in Word actually works.
So the messages about other compatible browsers seems false.
Microsoft has a lot to answer for, my fault for not considering this option before writing.

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Thanks for telling.
Jan 14, 2015 8:57PM PST

Luckily, you aren't required to use IE even when it's not disabled. You can continue to Firefox (and possibly only use IE to get windows updates and visit other sites that need ActiveX stuff on your PC).

Incomplete or wrong error messages are rather common, alas. And only Microsoft can change that. Did you already contact them? It seems they didn't test this app with IE disabled; you can't really expect they did.

Long ago (in 1977) a colleague of mine wrote a program that could go into some error condition on say 15 different places. And for these 15 things that were wrong, the program said "STOP. SOMETHING IS WRONG" (we used to program in all capitals then). And, as you see, it's still not perfect.

Kees

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Thanks for the report.
Jan 15, 2015 1:45AM PST

Microsoft has a penchant for things failing when IE is not the default. I've lost count of how many little issues I cleared up by re-enabling that plus the HTM HTML Doug Knox Association Fix.

Yup, same old, same old, thing that few would guess.

Plus one for asking in the CNET forums. While we may not use all these things, sometimes we can get it going.
Bob