December 1999 Technology Updates1. Y2K - Final preparationsIn the final months before the year 2000 there has been a flurry of activity to correct and prepare for the year 2000 (Y2K) computer bug. Here are some of the recent preparations:
For the latest Y2K information, click on these links:
2. PC tips - Browser securityWith computer viruses and hackers lurking on the Internet, it is important to understand the steps you can take to protect yourself online. The major Internet browsers, Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape's Navigator, provide security features to assist you. This month we will examine Internet Explorer's (IE) security system. To access the IE (version 5 or higher) security system, follow these steps:
Now that you have accessed the security screen, you can set security features for four different types of Web sites:
The procedure for setting the security level for these types is very similar. Just follow these steps:
Your screen should look like this:
3. Women onlineRecent statistics show that women have now caught up with men in Internet use. Men still spend more time on the Internet (about 1.5 hours more per week) than women, but more women shop online than do men. Recognizing this trend, many Web sites have sprung up specifically geared toward women. Women.com is a Web portal with links to everything from computer and Internet guides to fashion and beauty tips. The site also contains links for shopping and online promotions. Oxygen.com is an online magazine/portal site that is launching a TV channel with programming specifically for women. Oxygen has also recently started a Web development site for women-owned small businesses. Ivillage.com labels itself "The Women's Network." It hosts online communities centered around women's issues. In addition, it contains shopping sites such as iBaby and iMaternity. For more information, click on these links:
4. AOL sued by the blindOn November 4, 1999, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) filed a lawsuit accusing AOL of violating the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA). The suit stems from AOL's refusal to adapt its software to run on screen access systems. These systems convert digital information into Braille or an electronic voice. Voice-recognition software maker Lernout & Hauspie responded by pointing out that their Kurzweil 1000 text-reader system works with AOL. In addition, an AOL spokesperson stated that the next release of its software will include a text-to-speech interface and better keyboard shortcuts. The issue of Web accessibility by the blind was partially resolved in May when the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) released its accessibility guidelines. Among other things, the guidelines call for the use of text alternatives to images, movies, and sound. Although the guidelines are voluntary, the W3C hopes that Web authoring software vendors will help implement them in the future. For more information, click on these links:
5. Bubbleboy attacks computers via E-mailA new computer virus has emerged that can be spread via E-mail. In the past, computer viruses could be spread only when a file attached to an E-mail message was opened. However, this new virus, called "Bubbleboy," can be spread simply when it is received by Microsoft's Outlook and Outlook Express E-mail package. In Outlook the virus is activated when a user opens the E-mail. In Outlook Express the virus is activated when the preview pane is enabled. The virus does not cause any damage to computer files. Instead the message displays pictures and sounds from the "Bubbleboy" episode of Seinfeld. When activated the virus sends itself to every person in the Outlook address book. The same technique could be used to delete files or steal computer passwords. Many virus-protection software makers have issued or are going to release updates that should detect this type of virus. Users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer (version 5 or higher) can protect themselves by setting their security options to high (see this month's PC Tips). Microsoft has also released a patch for Outlook and Outlook Express that eliminates the threat. For more information, click on these links:
6. Transmeta's secretBehind blacked-out windows in an office in Santa Clara, California, computer experts are working on a secret project named Crusoe. It sounds like a scene from a Cold War-style spy novel, but it is business as usual for Transmeta. Transmeta is the ultra-secretive computer-chip design company founded by David Ditzel, a former chip designer for Sun Microsystems and Bell Labs. The company is also home to Linux developer Linus Torvalds. The company posted a "secret" message on its Web site. You can read the message by viewing the page source (in Netscape just press CTRL and U at the same time; in Internet Explorer click View and then Source). The message states that the company will reveal all on January 19, 2000. It also states that "Crusoe will be cool hardware and software for mobile applications." For more information, click on these links:
7. WordPerfect for LinuxIn an effort to unseat Microsoft's Windows as the dominant operating system on personal computers (PCs), Corel released a new version of Linux aimed at the PC market. The new product was unveiled at the Comdex computer trade show on November 15, 1999. Linux is an open source version of the Unix operating system (see the April 1999 Technology Updates). Corel, a Canadian software company that makes the WordPerfect Office Suite, has improved Linux to make it easier to install and use. WordPerfect is already available for Linux, and Corel plans to port the entire suite to the new operating system shortly. Corel is using a program called Wine to help convert programs like Corel Draw and Quattro Pro to Linux. Wine is an implementation of Windows that works on top of Linux. The new version of Linux is available for free from the Corel Web site. The company is also selling a deluxe version that comes with WordPerfect, for $89.95. For more information, click on these links: 8. Solar storms may disrupt communicationsOur Sun is about to enter a period of intense sunspot activity, when solar flares may disrupt telecommunication satellites and even electrical power. The Sun has an eleven-year sunspot cycle during which the number of spots (which are actually solar storms) increases and decreases. The number of solar flares, huge eruptions of energy from the Sun, is closely linked with the sunspot cycle. Solar flares can cause disruptions in the Earth's magnetic field. The last sunspot maximum occurred in 1989. During that cycle power lines in Quebec were overloaded by a magnetic storm resulting from a solar flare. The entire Quebec area was blacked-out. The next sunspot maximum is expected in 2000. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has warned that it could lead to problems with communication and global positioning satellites, as well as with electrical power. NOAA has developed a scale to measure the intensity of solar storms and will be monitoring the situation. For more information, click on these links:
9. Microsoft anti-trust trial updateOn Friday, November 5, 1999, Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson released his findings of fact in the Microsoft anti-trust trial. Microsoft, the world's largest software company, is being sued by the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) for engaging in monopolistic business practices. In his findings of fact , Jackson sided heavily with the DOJ. He wrote, "Microsoft enjoys so much power in the market for Intel-compatible PC operating systems that if it wished to exercise this power solely in terms of price, it could charge a price for Windows substantially above that which could be charged in a competitive market. Moreover, it could do so for a significant period of time without losing an unacceptable amount of business to competitors. In other words, Microsoft enjoys monopoly power in the relevant market." The findings of fact are not a verdict in the case. That will come when Jackson releases his conclusions of law. However, that is not likely to occur until spring 2000. Both sides will present their conclusions of law to Jackson in the next month or two. The case may drag on for years, as most experts feel that any ruling will be appealed. Therefore, the case is likely to end with the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the judge has appointed a mediator to help both sides in settling the case. For more information, click on these links:
10. FileMaker the award-winning Web databaseAt the recent Comdex computer trade show, PC Computing announced its award for the best database software. The magazine skipped over the big names, like Oracle, and selected FileMaker Pro 5. The software is made by FileMaker, a subsidiary of Apple Computer. The award comes as no surprise to FileMaker Pro's many fans, who have been using the product to develop Web-based databases. The new version of FileMaker Pro includes the ability to quickly publish a database to the Web without coding in HTML. In addition, it supports the Extensible Markup Language (XML) (see July Technology Updates). However, the standard version of the software has caused some public relations problems as it allows only 10 computers to log onto a database in a 12-hour period. To allow unlimited logons a user must upgrade to FileMaker Pro Unlimited, which costs $999 versus $249 for the standard version. For more information, click on these links:
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