Written: February 12, 2013

Keep Safe, Install the Latest Java Updates

Computer safety is essential if you want to concentrate on running your business and keeping bad guys out of your computer. To that end I started up Quicken this morning to update my business records and then received an update for Java, so I accepted the prompt and kept my computer upgraded to the latest release. Here’s what the process looked like on a Windows 7 computer:

So they call this Java 6, Update 39 – not really a catchy phrase but hey, these are software engineers.

Next, we get a welcome dialog for politeness:

Then on the prompt to install Ask to my browser, I always choose to Unselect because I don’t want my browser toolbar cluttered:

We find out how many devices actually use Java, like Carl Sagan used to say, “Billions and Billions…”:

Finally, in less than a minute we have our latest Java release updated, and I can continue on with my Quicken.

Tags: Java

Why Allow Java Updates?

As you use a Windows or Mac computer there will be a time like this week where you are prompted to install an update for Java. Should you do it?

Yes, and here’s why. Java is a popular language created by Sun Microsystems (now owned by Oracle) to be “write once, run everywhere”, meaning that a developer can write an app just one time and then have that app run equally well on: Windows, Mac, Linux, HP, IBM, SmartPhone, etc.

Both of my Windows and Mac machines prompted me to update Java, so here’s what to expect on a Windows computer. The first dialog is about the Java 6 update 37 being available: