Virtual Earth

Dwight Silverman blogged Microsoft quietly unveiled its Virtual Earth site on Saturday, with a formal announcement expected Monday. As Google did earlier by combining its Google Earth/Keyhole product with Google Maps, Virtual Earth overlays aerial and satellite photos onto street maps.

The site features an Active X plug-in that works with a computer's WiFi capabilities to pinpoint the user's location, which can be helpful if you're lost but have access to a wireless Internet connection. In a fit of politeness, the dialog that offers the Active X control allows you to click a "never again" box so you're not harassed again about it.

Early Sunday afternoon, the site was hammered and unreachable, probably thanks to a Slashdot link.

I wish I could test it, but I refuse to use Active X controls, because they are so dangerous (it is very easy to pass a virus in through Active X). Normally I use Firefox, which does not even support Active X, but I have my IE security set to disallow all Active X controls. Why does Microsoft insist on using this dangerous feature?