software language

There are two different web site-related computer languages with similar names.

One is called "Java." The other is called "Javascript." Despite the unfortunate, usimilar names, they have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

A Java compiler is something that must be installed in addition to your web browser in order to run a Java app. Java is not universally used, but a few websites still use it. Many photo websites used to use Java as a way to let you choose photos from your computer and upload them, but a lot of these websites have dumped Java for other methods. A big reason for the move away from Java is that the Java compiler most widely used, free from a company called Oracle, is known for its regular security flaws. Oracle regularly updates its Java compiler to fix each new flaw but hackers keep finding them - it's a losing race.

A few years ago, the US Department of Homeland Security took the unprecedented step of publishing a warning about Java because it was so insecure. Many people have old, insecure versions of Java on their computer because they ignore the regular message advising them to update to the latest version. If you don't have the latest version of Java and you land on some infected website by accident, your computer could easily get infected. I have cleaned more than one Windows computer that got infected this way.

If you aren't sure if you need Java, best to uninstall it on your computer. If you visit some website that requires Java, you'll get a message to tell you to install it. If you DO need Java, install the Java updates religiously each time you get a notification to do so, to avoid security risks.

JavaSCRIPT - as I said, completely unrelated to "Java" - is also used on websites but is almost universally used. Javascript is completely built into your web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc.) and there is nothing to install or update, just your web browser. Almost every website you visit uses Javascript. The Rick Steves Website does, too; this page uses some Javascript code to make sure the post I am submitting is not too long, etc. If you want to see what some Javascript code looks like, you could try to view the HTML source code of this very page. (No, I don't expect you to understand what the code does.) Look for references to "script" in the HTML code. Javascript code can be added directly with web page HTML code.

Although people used to worry about security risks with Javascript and a few still do (to the point where you can disable it if you prefer; you would then break most of the websites you visit that require Javascript to be enabled to do much), there really aren't security risks to worry about with Javascript, unlike Java which is risky to use.

Wow Andrew - Thanks for this summary. I had no idea Java and Javascript were different things!

When you install Java, the installation process now searches for old versions on your computer and strongly recommends you remove them, but it didn't used to do this. Thanks for your explanation of why this is so important.

Something else I HATE about Oracle's Java installer (at least on the Windows version): although Java is "free," the installer/updater likes to try to trick you into installing additional "free" software you probably don't want. One example is a simple version of the Mcafee anti-virus program. When you install/update Java, you will click Next/OK a few times before getting to the final install page, one page will have an "offer" to install some free software (like Mcafee). The box to agree to install it is CHECKED by default, so f you aren't paying attention, you'll just click Next and not realize what you are doing. Next you'll find you now have Mcafee's scanner installed, in addition to whatever anti-virus program you (should!) already have running. It may even want to run scans when you re-start the computer, greatly slowing it down if your main anti-virus program is also running.

If you pay attention, it's easy to UNcheck the box during Java update to avoid the unwanted "free" software. And if you install it by accident, it is fairly easy to un-install - but very annoying!!!!

Best to avoid installing Java at all if you can.