Back in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, Microsoft Internet Explorer ruled the web, and ActiveX Controls were its secret weapon—and headache. Launched with IE 3.0 in 1996, ActiveX let websites run small apps right in your browser—think streaming media, Flash-style animations, or even early online games. By IE 4 and IE 5, it powered everything from Windows Update to those wild 3D spinning ads. The catch? Security was basically “trust us,” so malware loved it as much as developers did. By the time IE 6 dropped in 2001, ActiveX was infamous for pop-ups, spyware, and drive‑by installs, which pushed Microsoft to lock it down in later updates. It was peak early-internet energy—part innovation, part chaos, and 100% nostalgic if you ever clicked “Yes” on that sketchy install prompt.