If I accessed the sites directly by running IE 5.5 or Netscape 4.7 without using AOL, no errors were observed. But then after careful study, I noted that parts of the Web site page were missing, leading me to believe that he was running some version of "ad blocker" software. I found that he was indeed running Norton Internet Security and one of the built-in features was to enable the blocking of ads on Web sites. When I turned off that feature and enabled the ads to appear, the Java Script errors in AOL disappeared! When I turned it back on and reloaded the same page by hitting the refresh button, <poof> here came the errors, one for each ad being blocked.

After much experimentation, I determined that AOL must use a different interface for their browser than what IE 5.5 or Netscape 4.7x did, and that Norton was editing the source to the Web page to prevent the ads from appearing, and thus causing invalid scripts in the page. I did contact Symantec using their on-line free help desk, and their answer was don't use AOL to view those pages. You would think that Symantec would have a vested interest in making AOL users happy, but perhaps this was an isolated incident that no other customers had reported to them yet.

I’ve been using a wonderful program called AdSubtract CE from interMUTE, Inc., which performed the same function as Norton did. This came free with my upgrade to Zone Alarm Pro last month. Just to test it, I went to the same pages above from within AOL and got the same errors. When I went direct to those pages without using AOL, I had no errors. Hmm. 

So perhaps the problem is not with Symantec's Norton Internet Security program or Ad Subtract, but with AOL's method of processing Web pages through their filtering software and proxy server. Since they offer the ability to filter pages for different age groups of viewers, I must assume that all pages pass through their filters and that perhaps this is causing the problem.

On another topic, have you ever purchased a new copy of a software program and later found out it was not the most current version? Unless you downloaded the software direct from their Web site, most likely what you just bought is already out of date, especially if it was an anti-virus program. Run the update option immediately upon installing, or visit their Web site and look for a support or update section to compare your version with the current release version. It often takes three to six months in the supply chain from the time the CD is made and boxed, to the time you pick it up off the retail shelf.  Do not make the mistake of assuming you just bought the most current software version available.

Just the other day, someone called to tell me they had the Hybris virus (also called the Snow White Virus) on their system. Nothing new about that, I usually get at least a dozen calls a month about virus problems. But this caller was reporting that she had purchased a name branded anti-virus program in a sealed retail box from a local major name brand store locally, installed it, but still had the infection. When I arrived on-site, I checked to see if it had been properly installed, which it was, but the date on the anti-virus data signature files was nearly a year old.  Once I got her computer connected to the Internet, I checked for updates and found we had to download 58 update patches to her software, then wait for them to be applied one after another (all automated process, but she had a sloooow 486-DX2/66 PC). After we finished and rebooted, the software promptly found the virus, cleaned it, and she was good to go. I showed her how to activate the auto update feature and how to request an update if needed.  Moral to this story is. . . don't assume that because you were the first to open the sealed box, that you won't need to check for a software update right away.