java

Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which I answer Mac-related questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week, readers wrote in asking about the potential drawbacks from using Little Snitch to block updates from XProtect, the media browser not properly handling Aperture libraries, the OS X Trash hanging when instructed to empty, and a problem with incoming network connection requests flashing too fast to make changes.

I welcome contributions from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Potential drawbacks from blocking XProtect updates MacFixIt reader Paul asks:… Read more

ORBX streaming tech could revolutionize computing

SAN FRANCISCO -- First-person shooter games don't appeal to Brendan Eich, Mozilla's chief technology guru and the guy who created JavaScript nearly two decades ago. He doesn't let his kids play them, either, he says. But he was so excited on Friday about showing off the potential of a new browser codec called ORBX.js at Autodesk's One Market Street offices here that he began playing Epic's Unreal Tournament 3 "Sanctuary" level in a room of 20 or so witnesses.

As Eich maneuvered somewhat awkwardly through the onslaught of opponents, Jules Urbach, CEO … Read more

Mozilla: Look ma, no plug-in for video, apps

A new codec from Mozilla and OTOY will let browsers run high-performance rendering apps like Autodesk and high-definition video without plug-ins, the companies unveiled Friday.

The new, open-source digital stream encoder and decoder, called ORBX.js, obviates the need for a plug-in like Flash, Sliverlight, or QuickTime to run HD video in the browser. Mozilla and OTOY expect live TV, watermarked video, and cloud gaming to all get a boost in HTML5-enabled browsers that support it. Currently, that list includes all five major browsers: IE 10, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Opera.

"Thanks to our ongoing efforts in making the … Read more

It's about time: RuneScape dumps Java for HTML5

RuneScape, a popular massive online swords-and-sorcery game, is at last dumping Java and becoming a Web app.

Jagex Games Studio released the first RuneScape 3 beta yesterday, embracing HTML5 and related Web standards that offer programmers a more modern option for writing software that runs on a variety of operating systems.

About time, I say. Java had some potential years ago, and it still has its place elsewhere in the computing world. But as a way to extend a browser's abilities, it's history. If the plague of Java security vulnerabilities weren't enough to convince you otherwise, the … Read more

Apple issues Java, printer, iPhoto, and Aperture updates

Apple has issued a few updates for OS X users, including a new version of its in-house Java runtime environment, updated printer drivers, and new versions of iPhoto and Aperture.

The updates improve reliability, security, and compatibility overall, but for iPhoto and Aperture users Apple has specifically addressed the following details:

Photos can now be deleted from My Photo Stream by dragging to the Trash Photos can now be exported from Photo Stream using the Export command in the File menu Raw images manually imported from My Photo Stream are now editable Fixes a bug that could cause manually rotated … Read more

Apple adds site-by-site Java support to Safari for OS X 10.6

Apple has released an update to Safari for OS X 10.6 users which, along with the latest Java updates, gives Snow Leopard users the ability to enable Java on a site-by-site basis.

This news is in response to the development of the Java runtime that has moved it past official support for Snow Leopard. While the latest version of Java Apple developed (Java SE 6) is supported in Snow Leopard, support for this version of OS X ended when Apple passed the baton to Oracle to maintain Java.

With Java SE 7 requiring OS X 10.7 or later, … Read more

Oracle preps 128 security patches; Java gets 42

Oracle will release today 128 fixes for security vulnerabilities that affect "hundreds" of its products.

The software giant and Java maker said in a pre-release announcement today that four of the patches include fixes for Oracle's flagship database product, which can be exploited remotely without the need for a username or password.

Also, 29 security fixes will arrive for Oracle Fusion Middleware, with 22 of these also for preventing attacks without the need for authentication.

Affected components include Oracle HTTP Server, JRockit, WebCenter, and WebLogic.

Both Oracle products have a common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) rating of … Read more

See which parts of the globe are currently lit with Sunlit Earth widget for Mac

When conversing with people from all around the globe, it is useful to know if it's day or night in their city. A simple glance at Sunlit Earth for Mac can help you with that.

Sunlit Earth for Mac offers a simple widget that displays the current position of sun and the sunlit portion of the globe. Knowing where the sun is currently can be useful when communicating with people worldwide, whether for business or simply when staying in contact with family or friends located in another time zone. This widget seems to be an easier solution in comparison … Read more

Google shows interest in ASM.js, Mozilla's plan for fast Web apps

At least some at Google want to embrace a Mozilla-backed project to speed up Web apps written with JavaScript -- even though it competes directly with Google's own Native Client and Dart programming technology.

Mozilla has been working for months on a technology called ASM.js, which it hopes will boost JavaScript performance, especially in combination with a related Mozilla-spawned technology called Emscripten. JavaScript powers Web apps such as Google Docs, and ASM.js is a special "extremely restricted" subset of the programming language that's designed to make it easier for developers to bring existing software … Read more