I hate to mention this subject again, but I think it needs to be
mentioned.  It was recently reported in the Boston Globe that America
On-Line has real security problems with _their_ email and web browsers.

It appears that AOL is using [ providing AOL customers with  -- Robbie ]
a hacked version of Internet Explorer 2.x for reading mail and browsing
the web.  This version has _every_ security bug that has been reported
recently, including _all_ the bugs that were recently fixed by Microsoft
- and there are no immediate plans to fix it, since Microsoft is no
longer responsible for that software, and AOL is not able to throw
emergency resources at it like Microsoft can.  They were given the
patches that Microsoft did for IE, but they don't know when they will be
able to retrofit it to their version.  According to the Globe AOL "chose
not to issue warnings to its customers" because its vice President, David
Gang, felt that "users knew AOL software contained the Microsoft browser,
so were aware of the problem."

What _is_ the problem?  The problem is that hypertext links found in
email or on the web could be set to trigger commands in your computer
that could cause your system to delete files or even reformat the hard
drive and make your entire computer un-bootable.

While there have been no reports of malicious web pages, there are now
several reports of malicious _email_, usually with lascivious-sounding
links that come from bogus remailers.  I regret to note that the anti-AOL
biases of much of the net world appears to be much in evidence here; they
are taking advantage of the generally lower level of technical knowledge
of AOLers and the slow response AOL has had so far to these bug reports.

If you are an AOL subscriber, you are at considerable risk for being hurt
by these bugs.  Be very circumspect about using links in documents mailed
to you, and above all, you must KEEP YOUR SYSTEM BACKED UP AT ALL TIMES!

And, although I suspect I will now be branded an AOL hater as well as
anti-Microsoft, I will note that anyone looking for a new ISP can check
at this URL for a local provider:

  http://www.thelist.com/

sadly,
Larry Smith

 [ Members with further questions or concerns about this subject are
 [ urged to write to Jody at rollreq@foxtail.com , and/or to Larry Smith
 [ at his address above.  -- Robbie