Monthly Technology Updates

FEBRUARY 1999

1. Social Security Administration is ready for the year 2000

On December 28, 1998, President Clinton announced that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is ready for the year 2000. Ensuring that Social Security benefits will continue after January 1, 2000, involved the cooperation of the Department of the Treasury (DOT) and the Federal Reserve System (FRS). The DOT is responsible for distributing benefits in the form of checks and direct deposits. The FRS receives direct deposits and sends them to the correct bank account via the national automated clearinghouse system.

To fix the Y2K problem the SSA had to review over 30 million lines of computer code. This effort has cost approximately $42 million. The SSA has also worked closely with State Disability Determination Services (DDSs) and various contractors to ensure that all systems supporting the Social Security System are year-2000 compliant.

For more information about the Social Security Administration's Year 2000 compliance, click on these links:

2. PC tips - Most recently used files

Many applications keep track of the most recently used files. The default number of files is typically four. However, some people who switch between files often may want to see a greater number of recently used files. Other people may be concerned about co-workers or other people viewing what they have been working on recently. These people might want to eliminate the most recently used files display.

The following procedure works for the Microsoft Office Suite:

  1. Open the application where you want to disable, enable, or change the most recently used files list
  2. Click on Tools, then on Options
  3. Click on the General tab
  4. Find the check box that says "Recently used file list:"
  5. To enable (default) this feature click on the box so an X appears
  6. To disable this feature click on the box so it is empty
  7. To display more or fewer recently used files, click on the box so an X appears, then enter the number of recently used files you want the application to display
  8. When finished click on OK

If you don't want others to see what files you have been working on, be sure to clear the most recently used file list in Windows 95/98. To view the most recently accessed files in Windows 95/98 simply click on the start button and then move the cursor over the Documents menu item. To clear this list use the following procedure:

  1. Click on the Start button
  2. Click on Settings, then on Taskbar
  3. Click on the Start Menu Programs tab

Click on Clear, and then on OK

3. File your taxes online

It's that time of the year again. All of your forms are sitting on your desk, and you have sorted through your receipts. Now you have to file your tax return. If you are due a refund (or even if you have to pay), you might want to consider filing your return electronically. Last year over 25 million Americans used the IRS's e-file system to electronically file their returns. If you are due a refund, e-filing can reduce the time you have to wait to receive your check or direct deposit.

There are three main ways to e-file your return. The first is to use a tax preparer who is connected to the IRS e-file system. The second is via the IRS TeleFile phone number. This number works only for those people filing the 1040EZ form. If you qualify, the IRS will send you a TeleFile package in the mail. The third method of e-filing is by using your personal computer and tax preparation software (see article in this month's technology updates).

If you use tax-preparation software, your return will be transmitted via modem to the IRS. However, you will still need to fill out and mail Form 8453-OL, U.S. Individual Income Tax Declaration for On-Line Filing. In addition, you will still have to mail the IRS your W-2 forms and other supporting documents.

If you have used tax preparation software for e-filing in the past you should have already received Form 8160-E, which contains your e-file Customer Number (ECN). This number will allow you to digitally sign your return, eliminating the need to mail additional paperwork to the IRS. This procedure is being pilot-tested this year and should become widely available in the future.

For more information, click on these links:

4. Software package is practicing law without a license

On January 22, 1999 a U.S. District Court in Dallas Texas ruled that Quicken Family Lawyer and Quicken Family Lawyer '99 could no longer be distributed in Texas. The judge ruled that use of the software constitutes practicing law without a license. Both software packages are made by Intuit, the maker of the popular Quicken personal finance software. However, the court ruling prohibits Parsons Technology from distributing the software packages. Parsons markets a wide variety of educational and reference software.

The ban is the first of its kind. Parsons has asked the judge to stay the ban while it appeals the ruling.

5. Microsoft Excel - Russian New Year Security Hole

In December 1998 a security loophole in Microsoft's Excel 95/97 spreadsheet software was discovered. Detected around the New Year’s Eve and first demonstrated in Russia, the loophole has been named "Russian New Year." This loophole is particularly problematic because Excel does not have to be running for Russian New Year to work.

The loophole exploits two commonly used functions. The first is a function of the hypertext markup language (HTML), which is the standard language for producing World Wide Web (WWW) pages. When a WWW user clicks on a link to a non-HTML document (such as a spreadsheet) many browsers automatically start the associated application and launch the document. For example, if you click on a link to an Excel spreadsheet, your browser might automatically start Excel and open the spreadsheet.

The other part of the loophole makes use of Excel's macro programming language. Using this language a person can write a program that causes Excel to execute malicious functions. For example, the code might copy or delete personal files from the user's hard drive.

Microsoft has issued a patch for Excel that should eliminate this risk. However, this patch will disable the Excel CALL function, an advanced function typically used only by programmers.

For more information, click on these links:

6. Trade in all of your credit cards for a smart card

There are over one billion smart cards in use around the world. So what are they, and why don't most Americans have one? A smart card is the same size and shape as a credit card. However, a smart card stores data on an integrated circuit chip (ICC) embedded into it. This ICC typically can store only a small amount of data, usually less than 64 kilobytes. Still, smart cards store larger amounts of data than credit cards and ATM cards do, and they are more secure than magnetic stripes. In fact some types of smart cards are actually miniature computers capable of processing data.

In many areas of the world smart cards are used to store monetary value. These cards can then be used to make purchases, make calls at a pay phone, pay tolls, and ride the local mass transit system.

Attempts have been made to introduce smart cards in the United States. The most recent efforts were during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and in a test in Manhattan during the past two years. Both attempts did not succeed. Competing standards and the wide use of credit and ATM cards in America are to blame.

Recently, some people have suggested that electronic commerce might be the application that allows smart cards to take hold in the U.S. In addition, recent standards from Europay, Mastercard, and Visa and the use of Java-based smart cards may stimulate interest in America.

For more information about smart cards, click on these links:

7. Lucent buys Ascend

On January 13, 1999, Lucent Technologies announced a $20 billion plan to purchase Ascend Communications. The deal is the largest telecommunications merger to date. The combined company will be a major supplier of telecommunications and networking hardware.

Lucent was spun off from AT&T in 1996. It is a major manufacturer of telecommunications equipment. Lucent took Bell Labs, a major research and development center, in the spin off. Ascend was founded in 1989. It is one of the top data network equipment companies in the world.

With the merger Lucent becomes a participant in the lucrative business of providing high-speed data connectivity. Of particular interest to Lucent is Ascend's asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) high-speed data networking switch. In addition, Ascend provides networking hardware for many Internet service providers. Through the merger Lucent will compete directly with Cisco Systems, the leading Internet network equipment provider.0

For more information on this merger, click on these links:

8. An accountant in your computer - tax preparation software

If you are planning to file all but the simplest tax return, you may need some assistance. You could hire an accountant, but if you have a good handle on your finances, you could save money by purchasing tax preparation software.

A tax preparation package will typically walk you through the process by asking questions and requesting data from your income forms (such as your W-2). The software typically costs less than $50. But be aware that many packages require an additional purchase for state returns. Be sure that any package you select supports the state you live in.

Certain packages have special features. For example, Intuit's TurboTax can import data directly from Quicken. Other packages provide various financial planning and tax estimation tools. If you are interested in filing your return electronically (see the article in this month's technology updates), be sure that the software you select supports this feature.

When you're finished with your return you can run TaxChecker (from Tax Defenders at http://www.taxchecker.com) on it. This program uses the same tests as IRS auditors do to determine the likelihood of an audit. It can also help in an audit defense.

For more information on tax preparation software, click on these links:

9. Wireless networks for your home

If you have ever tried to network a few computers together, you know that running cables through walls can be a real problem. Now you can have your network and not worry about the cable. Wireless networks transmit computer data using radio frequencies.

The wireless networking industry has been hampered by a lack of standards. As a result, products from one company are incompatible with products from other companies. In mid January 1999, a group of over 80 companies -- including Microsoft, Apple, and Sony -- interested in wireless networking came together as the HomeRF Working Group. This group has approved a standard for wireless networks, called the Shared Wireless Access Protocol (SWAP).

SWAP uses the Internet standard Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) for transmitting and receiving data. The standard allows data transmission at a rate of 1 to 2 megabits per second. This is significantly less than the typical local area network, which transmits at 10 megabits per second. To ensure that data transmitted over a SWAP-based network is secure, the standard calls for data encryption. The new standard will likely give a boost to those companies that make wireless networking products for the home user and small businesses.

For more information about wireless networks, click on this link:

10. Artificial life

It may sound like something from the new Star Wars movie, but for years researchers have been developing artificial life forms with computer software. Artificial life, or alife, attempts to simulate biological processes so they can be studied. One of the most interesting and fascinating examples of alife are cellular automata.

A cellular automata (CA) is a grid of cells. Each cell is in a certain state at any given time. For example, a cell may be either on or off. A set of rules, applied to each cell, determines any changes to the cells as time goes on. For example, a rule might say that if a certain cell is off and two of its surrounding cells are on, then in the next time interval that particular cell will be on.

When CAs are run on the computer, the changing of cell states produces the overall effect of small creatures coming alive and crawling across the screen. Some of them will merge with other creatures, and some will evolve on their own. Others will die.

John Conway's game of life is a famous example of a CA. There are many implementations of this popular program. To run it from your Web browser (which must be Java-enabled) just click on the link to Steve Li's implementation at http://gigaton.thoughtworks.com/~wmli/life.html. Another interesting CA appears at Christopher Osborn's site at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/cdosborn/. Try various starting patterns to see what happens.

For more information about cellular automata, click on these links:

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