Tips on Technology

Welcome back. I hope all of the mothers had a GREAT Mother’s Day. For it is with Mothers and God that we are all here.

Last week we talked about the “Love Bug” virus / worm. As most of you know there many variations still proliferating the net. So we need to be careful, especially if you are running Windows flavor operating system.

This week we will talk about a possible security risk if you are using Netscape 4.72 or less. We are also going to begin a series talks about the “Secret” language included in the MacOS!

Remember, this article and all past articles are available online at: ( http://www.mespn.com/techarticles ) as well as the online version of the Saipan Tribune, which you can access by clicking the banner on that same page.

** Security Risk with Netscape 4.72 and earlier

It has come to my attention that there may be a possible security risk if you are using Netscape 4.72 or earlier. This can affect all platforms.

It seems there is a way to get so called secure information to be sent to a designated website. This means credit card info, passwords, and the like, even if it is protected by the SSL Protocol. When this protocol is in effect you see the little padlock icon in the lower left corner of the browser in a locked state. So just because you see this icon as a locked padlock it does not really mean your information is secure if you are using Netscape 4.72 or earlier!

** Get Netscape 4.73 or Higher

If you do online banking for example, I highly recommend you upgrade immediately. You can get the latest version as of this writing, 4.73, by going to http://www.mespn.com and clicking on the download link located in the bottom left corner of the main page. yes, I know it is a about a 13 megabyte download and it may take some time. How much is your private information worth?

For more info, there is a very long complete report at: http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2000-05.html

Don’t wait! Download it now while you are thinking about it. Don’t let someone steal your private information!!!

** The Secret Language in the MacOS
Some of you know what I am talking about. Actually the language is not actually secret in the real sense of the word, it is just well, not that well known about.

** Applescript

The language I am talking about is Applescript. It is a very English like language that is very powerful. I have heard that it is Applescript that is “Controlling” Apple’s website at apple.com. If you have been there you know this one of the largest websites on the Internet.

Of course Applescript can be used for more modest solutions as well. I will try in the next few weeks to provide some insight as well as some sample Applescripting for you using this powerful language.

** Did you ever want to do programming?

Those of you who are saying, “I don’t know how to write a program, I could never understand programming”. If this is you, fear not, I have a programming language for you. If you can understand English, then Applescript should be a walk in the park for you!

** What does an Apple script look like?

Here is a very simple Applescript: display dialog “You can program…”

The above line is an actual line of Applescript code. All it does is show a dialog window on the screen with what you type in the quotes, and provides a Cancel and a OK button.
There you have it, Applescript in its most simple form!

** Applescript Editor

Next time we will get into the Applescript editor so you can see that the line of sample code really works as well as some useful scripts. Did you know you can “attach” these Apple scripts to a folder so that when say an item is added to a folder you could be alerted, or some other action??

Until then the word counter says that is all the space we have for this week.