Regarding Java Runtime

[John Corliss]

After replying to the post titled "what applications to install" by "the
guy upstairs", I may be close to reversing my refusal to install Java
runtime on my system. My major objection to installing it has always
been the additional security weaknesses via your browsers that are
introduced by installing it.

However, you can disable Java in Internet Explorer:

1. Tools/Internet Options/Security tab/Internet icon and "Custom Level"
button/scroll down to "Microsoft VM"/Disable Java AND down to "Scripting
of Java Applets/Disable

and do the same for "Trusted sites" and "Restricted sites" (latter
should already have it disabled). However, I don't know if doing this
would disable SM Java should you be using it instead of MS VM.

This whole area is a ball of confusion for me and always has been. Can
anybody clarify whether or not you can block SM JR in IE?

TIA

--
Regards from John Corliss
My current killfile: aafuss, Chrissy Cruiser, Slowhand Hussein, BEN
RITCHEY and others.
No adware, cdware, commercial software, crippleware, demoware, nagware,
PROmotionware, shareware, spyware, time-limited software, trialware,
viruses or warez please.

 

[CharlieDontSurf]

This whole area is a ball of confusion for me and always has been. Can
anybody clarify whether or not you can block SM JR in IE?

Disbling Sun Java is done in the same place (Internet Options), the same
way. There should be an extra checkbox group after you install it:

http://www.java.com/en/download/help/5000020100.xml

 

[John Corliss]

Disbling Sun Java is done in the same place (Internet Options), the same
way. There should be an extra checkbox group after you install it:

http://www.java.com/en/download/help/5000020100.xml

Wow. Thanks very much for your reply! Guess I do indeed have to rethink
my stand on Java. However, I do still maintain that surfing with Java
enabled is a real bad idea.

Thanks again!

--
Regards from John Corliss
My current killfile: aafuss, Chrissy Cruiser, Slowhand Hussein, BEN
RITCHEY and others.
No adware, cdware, commercial software, crippleware, demoware, nagware,
PROmotionware, shareware, spyware, time-limited software, trialware,
viruses or warez please.

 

[CharlieDontSurf]

Wow. Thanks very much for your reply! Guess I do indeed have to rethink
my stand on Java. However, I do still maintain that surfing with Java
enabled is a real bad idea.

You bet, John. I don't have Java enabled in my browsers either. Not for
security reasons though, I always kept it set to prompt so it wouldn't
run anything without my permission. I just couldn't abide the huge
runtime freezing my system while it loaded everything but the kitchen
sink to display a mere applet. Flash has managed to unseat Java as the
cross platform web app with its spritely and highly web-centric runtime,
so there's less and less I'm missing each day by eschewing Java.

 

[Derald]

However, I don't know if doing this
would disable SM Java should you be using it instead of MS VM

MS VM *is* Sun Java, licensed (after a fashion) until somewhen. At
any rate, I have long used the prefbar extension to Mozilla 1.7.?, which
allows one to enable/disable Java, javascript, popups and Flash at will
from a(nother) toolbar -- only a few of its uses. Quite convenient. More
info here:
http://prefbar.mozdev.org/

 

[Aaron]

You bet, John. I don't have Java enabled in my browsers either. Not for
security reasons though, I always kept it set to prompt so it wouldn't
run anything without my permission.

Java is not too bad these days with the sandboxing restrictions and
barring exploits around the sandbox.

You do have to watch out for the "new" style of Java applets that are
signed , those if you accept, are not bound by the sandbox and can be
dangerous. The irony is for old style applets that are not signed, they
are bound by the sandbox and are safer to run!

You can turn this off in the control panel-->Java--->advanced tab--->
security and uncheck those boxes.

A few firefox users got hit by this a while back.

 

[John Corliss]

Java is not too bad these days with the sandboxing restrictions and
barring exploits around the sandbox.

You do have to watch out for the "new" style of Java applets that are
signed , those if you accept, are not bound by the sandbox and can be
dangerous. The irony is for old style applets that are not signed, they
are bound by the sandbox and are safer to run!

You can turn this off in the control panel-->Java--->advanced tab--->
security and uncheck those boxes.

A few firefox users got hit by this a while back.

Well, since the only possible use I personally would have for Java would
be to fully enable the features of OpenOffice.org 2.0, I would simply
disable Java in both IE and Firefox. I don't think I have to worry about
the mail readers, since I don't have OE installed on my system and I
don't believe Java even plays a role in either it or Thunderbird. Please
correct me if I'm wrong. 80)>

--
Regards from John Corliss
My current killfile: aafuss, Chrissy Cruiser, Slowhand Hussein, BEN
RITCHEY and others.
No adware, cdware, commercial software, crippleware, demoware, nagware,
PROmotionware, shareware, spyware, time-limited software, trialware,
viruses or warez please.