Q1. What is the "Virus Alert" button for?
Answer: Symantec Corporation, publishers of Norton Anti-Virus products offers free screening and removal tools for many current viruses. A link is provided for our visitors to download and run these tools from the Symantec site. Read the Symantec instructions carefully and use the tools at your own risk. The link is offered as a public service, and Vasa Order of America assumes no responsibility for their use.
Q2. What became of the red "pop-up" box that warned us about the Klez worm when we opened our directory of officers?
Answer: The alert box was installed at the height of the Klez worm outbreak more than a year ago. It warned about the worm in both English and Swedish, and offered more information about the worm from various sources as well as advice on making your email program more secure. Examples were given on configuring Outlook Express (one of the most common mail handlers). Although the Klez worm is still a nuisance, there are many more destructive and prolific worms on the loose, and more appear each day. The "Virus Alert" button replaces the former pop-up box that many found to be annoying, because the Symantec links will provide a reference and source of help that will always be up to date.
Q3. Why were the names or extensions of some of the web pages changed?
Answer: To achieve more uniformity in form and function, more "server-side" programming has been incorporated within the site. The extension changes were necessary in order to support the new code. This should only have an effect on external sites that link to our individual pages, rather that the main entry page. Also, visitors who have book marked the pages in question will need to update the bookmarks. Our link checking program identifies "broken links" both inbound and outbound, and where such external links are identified, the webmasters or administrators of the sites will be notified with the information necessary for them to change their code.
Q4. What about the new domain "vasaorder.net"?
Answer: vasaorder.net is a companion domain to vasaorder.com. It resides on a different web server at an ISP that provides support for Cold Fusion (a server-side web programming language). This allows us to provide a platform for district and local lodges to rapidly build a web presence using our standard templates without any web programming knowledge. The process is similar to many offerings from Internet Service Providers and "Free Site" hosts where standard page formats are presented, and restricted tools are offered to subscribers. The "free sites" usually earn revenue from commercial advertisers by adding pop-ups and banners to your site, and many also install adware, spyware or key loggers on your machine. Vasaorder.net is funded by Grand Lodge so no such intrusion is necessary to pay the bill. Visit vasaorder.net and explore some of the samples and live Vasa sites already on line. View the tutorials and contact webmaster Grand Lodge for an id and password to build a web presence for your local or district lodge. (approval of the lodge is required).
Q5. I have a question not answered here!
Answer: Send your question to webmaster Grand Lodge with subject line "new question". It will either be answered here, or by return email.