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I don't know if this thread is on the security of Lycos or the security and handling of scripting. So about lycos. They're just displaying links and desriptions so all scripting should be filtered out of there entries. They need to improve on there filtering methods.

Ok. There's been a lot of talk about all the bad in scripting. It's gotta have some good uses. I think it does.

For instance any type of use of dHTML needs some type of scripting involved. Forms that dynamically change content as it's being filled out are good as they save the user time and makes it easier for them to fill out. 90% of the users I support only want to focus on the task at hand and not have to figure ways around doing that task. The biggest request I get is Can it be made easier.

That's how the business and user world is. And it's those two worlds that most of the internet is geared towards.

I think Microsoft was on to something with the whole OS as Browser thing but when it about it wrong. It should be the Browser as an OS. Here's what I would like to see happen.

A browser that implements scripts to run srictly inside the browser in a protected sandbox. The browser starts with a main top level page and any subsequent windows opened inside of the browser open over the top level page. The browser should have a setting on how many child windows can be opened at a time. (Opera seems to be headed in that direction but the windows are either all maximized or not. Strictly MDI.) Scripts being abled to be compiled to byte code. The browsers should have an option that can be set as to whether or not it will start with a VM for scripts preinitialized for the byte code or not.

Kinda sounds like Java applets. But Java applets require to much overhead compared to scripts. A browser like I want will probably use more overhead too but it will all be initialized when it is opened. Java provides some of the functionality but there's one major problem I haven't overcome. I can't find out any documentation that allows for java to get access to the full DOM. I've seen some on Sun's site but it's very limited. If it had as much as scripting does then I think it would be used more. Then you get a little more security than you can get with scripts. If anyone knows about this please let me know.

.Net seems to be headed this way and provide this but I'm still checking and it's to early to tell yet. If so aside from the subscriptions it's a good thing.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why Hotmail is practically synonymous with Web-based email. First to market? Or first to popularize? While I have personally had no complaints or problems with Hotmail, I'd hardly place it in the upper tier of free Web-based email services. I think uReach and iName are superior if only because they don't divulge the originator's IP address. But Netaddress, Mail.com, Mailcity, OneBox, eMail, ExciteMail, GoMail, just about any portal or community site (Deja, Netscape, AltaVista), and any number of smalltime "boutique" services (like ApexMail, Flashmail or MyPad) will do the trick and often with better service or features. Or is MSN's Passport service really that compelling?

Besides uReach, Yahoo!Mail is the only one I use for "real" mail because I'm hooked by the rest of Yahoo's personalized services, esp. Yahoo!Companion. The rest are just "throwaway's", good for pseudononymous transactions. If you're placing a lot of trust in Hotmail not to lose your data, or keep it secure, or always be available...I think you're being foolish.