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Apple resolves QuickTime, Explorer conflict

The computer maker fixes a compatibility problem that prevented users of the most recent version of Microsoft's Web browser from viewing movies in the QuickTime format.

Scott Ard Former Editor in Chief, CNET
CNET former Editor in Chief Scott Ard has been a journalist for more than 20 years and an early tech adopter for even longer. Those two passions led him to editing one of the first tech sections for a daily newspaper in the mid 1990s, and to joining CNET part-time in 1996 and full-time a few years later.
Scott Ard
Apple Computer has fixed a compatibility problem that prevented users of the most recent version of Microsoft's Web browser from viewing movies in the QuickTime format.

As previously reported, QuickTime failed to work with recent versions of the Internet Explorer browser running on the Windows operating system.

The incompatibility became apparent July 31 when Microsoft released an upgrade for Internet Explorer 5.5, dubbed SP2. Microsoft typically uses "service packs" to patch problems with its browser, but in this case consumers who installed it were unable to view QuickTime video.

According to information on Apple's Web site, consumers can download the software needed to correct the incompatibility. The site also provides information for Web developers to support the viewing of QuickTime content with Internet Explorer.

The QuickTime problem highlighted Microsoft's move away from "plug-ins," a technology pioneered by Netscape Communications to extend the function of Web browsers.

With IE 5.5, Microsoft discontinued support for plug-ins. Instead, the browser relies on technology developed by Microsoft known as ActiveX that links desktop applications to the Web. ActiveX is considered a challenger to Sun Microsystems' Java programming language, which Microsoft has said will no longer be supported by default in its pending Windows XP operating system and IE 6.

News.com's Evan Hansen contributed to this report.