On the Net

with Alex Clarke

Understanding Computers part 5

Internet banking

Internet banking is quickly becoming an essential service for business and home users. It's a brilliant time and energy saver, as important to me as email. No more bank queues just to pay bills, and it's open all hours.

There are a couple of issues that prevent people from using online banking. First is fear of the potential security implications. The good news is that (as long as your PC is free of nasties) the risks are minimal. The secure protocols that protect all your important information are tried and true technology.

You should, of course, take care to protect your access details - your user name and password - just as you would any sensitive asset such as your PIN or cash.

The other primary issue is compatibility, as the banks have been slow to support non-Windows computers and browsers other than Internet Explorer. (See HotSites).

Voice over IP

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is supposedly the next big thing in telecoms. It turns your broadband internet connection into a voice connection - eventually it will connect to telephone handsets as well. You can talk to anyone anywhere in the world (who has a similar setup) for the cost of a local call. At this point it is still early days for VoIP. I shudder to think of the potential for spam internet telephony ('spit') once it becomes widespread. (See HotSites).

Java

I am often asked "what's all this Java stuff in my computer?" Java is a language for writing programs that will run on any type of computer. It's very popular among internet programmers, as they can write their code once and have it run regardless of whether the target computer has Windows, Mac OS or Unix.

JavaScript is a simplified version of Java used to program web browsers, such as Internet Explorer or Netscape, to provide features that ordinary web pages can't.

If your computer or browser complains about the version of Java or JavaScript being too low, it might be time to update your software. See your OS support site: www.apple.com/support, or support.microsoft.com for PC users, and search for the error you are getting.

FireWire

I mentioned Universal Serial Bus a few weeks ago. FireWire is the same kind of thing, a high-speed serial bus. It has the more common moniker of IEEE 1394. To make things even more confusing, Sony calls it iLink.

If you own a MiniDV camcorder, chances are it has a 1394 DV connector for your computer - the video industry standardised on 1394 before USB was available. FireWire is also faster than USB and therefore more useful for video.

A serial bus allows information to flow back and forth between a peripheral and a computer - FireWire allows computers to download video and control a DV camcorder for editing, playback and re recording.

FireWire is also a popular external hard drive and CD writer interface.

HotNews

Mac OS X attacked! The big news this week is the emergence of a serious attack directed at Mac OS X. The attack is being called "the Opener Worm", which sounds nasty, right? So much for the sensationalism, now for the facts. This is not really a worm, virus or trojan. Calm down people.

Opener - dubbed Repeno (opener backwards) is a "rootkit", which allows a malicious user to take over a machine. It can be installed on any Mac OS X machine, but here's the rub: it requires the hacker to have physical access to the computer - they have to be able to sit in front of it and install it. It takes quite some effort and a good knowledge of Unix to use Opener to infect your Mac. At this point, it has no way of spreading itself. There are, at last count, five cases reported worldwide, so this is hardly an outbreak. It is not even the first rootkit found that attacks Mac OS. Still, it will give journalists and PC users something to talk about for a while yet. For details, see www.macintouch.com/opener03.html.

HotSites

www.summerland.com.au

The Summerland Credit Union has a pretty flash online presence, but more impressive by far is the excellent PC Access software which drives their online banking site. Widely compatible with PCs and Macs, PC Access is also available via other credit unions, but Summerland seem to have the most up-to-date version. Mac users who are dissatisfied with the online services of the major banks need look no further.

www.skype.com

Speaking of VoIP, Skype is a very nice voice chat program. If you and your friends or family have Skype installed (and also have a microphone and speakers) you can talk to one another and not pay for individual phone calls, just the cost of the Internet connection. Mac, Linux and PC.

www.ebay.com.au

Most people have heard of eBay by now. It is the world's largest garage sale after all. The Australian version of the site allows access to auctions both in Australia and worldwide. Trash, treasure and everything in between, using eBay is as addictive as it is fun (but lookout, it can become quite expensive). It is certainly the best way yet invented to find that rare antique, part or toy that you want.

• Alex Clarke can be contacted at PowerMax Computers on 6622 4996, or aclarke@nrg.com.au.

• Chris Goh is taking a holiday and Alex will be writing on the internet and computers over the coming weeks.