Personal Computer TutorMarch 2013
Shutterfly Mobile Apps

In my January 2013 newsletter I talked about different ways you can share your holiday photos. One of the services I mentioned is www.shutterfly.com. As an added benefit to using their service they recently release a mobile app for iPads and iPhones which is one of the easiest ways to get your best photos on these devices to show your family and friends. Simply upload your favorite photos from Picasa or
iPhoto to Shutterfly, install the Shutterfly app and viola, your photos are on your iPad or iPhone. Search the app store on your iPad or iPhone and install the Shutterfly app (remember that there are often two different apps for iPads and iPhones so always install the correct one for your device). (Note: This does not replace Photo Stream which is Apple's way of getting new photos you take on your iPhone or iPad on to your computer. This is a way to get your favorite photos back on to your iPad or iPhone.) Click here to read more abut these apps: http://www.shutterfly.com/mobile/

Java Security
For years we have all had to install software updates on our computers. Sometimes these updates gave us new features but most of the time they were fixing security holes in the software that would let people with bad intent get into our computers or otherwise use our computers for no good. In days past when some "computer expert" found a security hole they would immediately tell the vendor who made the software about the issue and the vendor would release an update that would "patch" the problem. For example Microsoft often releases a number of updates on "Patch Tuesday", simply a Tuesday that they decided to release a number of updates all at once.

Nowadays we are hearing that security problems in our software may not be reported to the vendor anymore because our own security experts (the military) would like the problem to remain in place so they can exploit the security hole on our enemies computers. So it looks like we can no longer expect to routinely get security patches to fix vulnerabilities in our software.

Which brings me to Java which has been in the news a lot lately. Java is a programming language (made by Oracle) used by software developers to run all sorts of websites and devices all around the world. It is a behind the scenes software which means the user has no direct use with it. Instead a website that you visit might use Java and therefore if you want the website to display and work properly you would need to keep your Java up-to-date. And that is what we have done for years, routinely keep Java up-to-date.

Since we can no longer rely on timely security updates we might start taking a different approach with Java. One option is to completely remove Java from our computers and then we can find out if we will ever need it at all. If we remove it from our computer and then we visit a website that requires it the website will alert us that we must install Java to work properly. At that point we can decide if we want to take the risk with Java for that website or maybe we might decide that the website is not worth the risk of having Java on our computer and simply not visit that website anymore.

So we have two choices now:
  1. Continue to keep Java up-to-date (go to www.java.com) and hope we never get attacked (see my link to Updates/Upgrades below).

    or
  2. Remove Java completely and wait until a website we visit tells us that we must have Java installed. Then we can decide if we want to install it again or not and we will know that we do in fact use Java.
If you would like to uninstall Java completely to be on the safe side here are the instructions:
Windows:
  1. Click the Start button bottom left.

  2. Click Uninstall Program (you might need to type "Uninstall" for it to show up).
  3. Scroll the list to find Java.
  4. Click on a Java listing (there might be multiple "Java" in which case you must remove them all one-at-a-time).

  5. Click the Uninstall button above the list and follow the onscreen instructions.
Mac OS X:

I guess the days of Mac users not having to worry about security risks are over. To remove Java you need to go to this Apple website, download the file, then close your browsers and run the file from your Downloads folder.

  1. Go to http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1572

  2. Click the blue download button on the right. This will place a copy of the file in your Downloads folder.
     

  3. After the file finishes downloading close your browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, they all must be closed. And not just the red dot to close the window. You must Quit the program. From the program's menu click Quit.)

  4. Using Finder (first button on your Dock) go to your Downloads folder and look for JavaForOSX2013-001.dmg. Double click it.

  5. Another window opens. Double click JavaForOSX.pkg.

  6. This starts the installation. Follow the onscreen instructions to install the update.

Stay safe out there on the Internet. You do know what WWW stands for right? Wild, Wild, West!



Updates/Upgrades

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Personal Computer Tutor

Claude Kerno

202.630.5016

ckerno@pctutor.com - www.pctutor.com