Jason Clark's Blog

Software, Hardware, whatever...

Want to use Mozilla/Firefox with the built-in Visual Studio webserver?

After installing Beta 2 yesterday,  I fired up our application and started working through some code.   After verifying some layout code in IE, I launched FireFox and pointed it at the URL to the built-in webserver within Visual Studio.  To my surprise, I was greeted with "HTTP Error 403 - Forbidden".  Ruh? 

Previous copies of Visual Studio didn't behave in this manner, so I dug a bit in the Website option within Visual Studio to find that Microsoft as now enabled NTLM authentication as a default for the built-in webserver.  Why? I'm developing on my local PC why would I want to lock my local webserver down by NTLM?  Granted, the option should be there, but disabled by default.   Anyway, for those wanting to disable this, just go under Website --> Start Options and uncheck NTLM Authentication

Posted: Apr 19 2005, 11:16 AM by jclarknet | with 9 comment(s)

Comments

Phil Scott said:

Hey Jason, thanks for the tip!

BTW, you can also enable NTLM in Firefox. It isn't obvious how to do it though. I found this page which has the steps on how to enable it: http://blogs.wdevs.com/shog9/archive/2005/03/09/2668.aspx
# April 19, 2005 11:26 AM

kaniz said:

Why would MS want to make you go though extra-steps to use a competing product?

geeze.. I'll never guess.
# April 19, 2005 12:25 PM

Alex Lowe said:

Perfect example of where folks will not always agree about what 'secure by default' means.
# April 19, 2005 12:57 PM

Jason Clark said:

kaniz, huh? Competing? Since when did IE make Microsoft any money? This is a security config issue, it has nothing to do with what browser you use.
# April 19, 2005 1:04 PM

Jason Clark said:

What might be a solution that works for everyone is below the security error message state how to disable it. Instead of making people dig through menus.
# April 19, 2005 1:08 PM

Jeff said:

Good to know. Saves me from banging my head into the wall when I get back to VS2005 next week!
# April 19, 2005 6:04 PM

Thanks said:

Hey thanks I was stumped for a minute then I found your blog on Google. Nice Post! :- )
# April 25, 2005 7:05 AM

Robert said:

Hey thanks I was stumped for a minute then I found your blog on Google. Nice Post! :- )
# April 25, 2005 7:06 AM
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