Serious security threats involving Java have been a recurring theme for Mac users in recent months. But what exactly is Java, and what’s the problem? What’s this Java Runtime you hear about from time to time? And is JavaScript the same thing? Grab a cup of coffee and join Joe Kissell for the story of Java in this installment of FlippedBITS.

A long-fixed bug in the TidBITS Commenting System associated an incorrect identity with a small number of commenters. If you’re experiencing this problem, which we repaired on the system side a while ago, delete your tidbits.com cookies. Here’s how.

One of the most popular methods for receiving email is also the source of numerous misunderstandings. Joe Kissell explains why IMAP may be a more effective and useful protocol than POP, and addresses common sources of confusion.

No one expects Word document corruption, but it can happen, particularly with long documents. Here are suggestions for avoiding corruption and for eliminating it if a document has succumbed.

Are your passwords strong enough to resist an automated attack? If you believe any of several common password myths, they may not be. In this installment of FlippedBITS, Joe Kissell examines a few of the most dangerous myths about password security and explains smarter and safer practices.

Google Reader is shutting down 1 July 2013, and developers are scrambling to make alternatives available. Josh Centers shows you some current entries that might make the switch less painful.

Apple has released OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3 Update to address a wide variety of specific bugs and security vulnerabilities. Also included is Safari 6.0.3, with performance improvements and bug fixes, plus plugs for various security holes.

Bootable duplicates are an important part of a complete backup strategy. But when you have to boot a Mac from such a disk — even if only temporarily — things may not always behave as you expect. Joe Kissell sheds light on some of the common points of pain and confusion when starting a Mac from a duplicate.

Joe’s new ongoing column, FlippedBITS, promises to set readers straight on a wide variety of confusing technical topics.

For those needing to track cellular data usage on the iPhone, DataMan Pro is back in the App Store, with an elegant new interface. The only problem? To satisfy Apple’s requirements, DataMan Pro can no longer track usage on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis — just monthly.

Most people don’t realize that Time Machine backs up their Dropbox folder by default. This is either a nice secondary backup of key information or a waste of precious hard drive space for files that are already being duplicated to the Dropbox Web site.

The latest version of iOS fixes a bug that caused excessive battery drain on iOS devices communicating with Exchange Server, but it doesn’t patch the recently discovered passcode security exploit.

If you are having problems with cellular connectivity on an iPhone 4S running iOS 6.1, consider updating to iOS 6.1.1. Otherwise, sit tight.

If you’re having trouble with iTunes 11, whether with its new and changed features or with managing large media libraries in general, Kirk McElhearn’s new “Take Control of iTunes 11: The FAQ” has the answers you need.

An update to the Bento personal database program changes how the app integrates with iPhoto and Calendar/iCal. Be careful to make sure you don’t lose necessary capabilities unexpectedly.

If you work in Markdown and miss having Quick Look previews of your Markdown files, try installing this free Quick Look generator.

If you’ve wondered what the proper way is to go about selling a Mac whose version of Mac OS X has been upgraded past what came with it, here’s the official word from Apple. And if the recipient of the Mac needs 10.7 Lion, it turns out that there’s still a way to get it legally.

Want to rip your DVD collection, but are held back by the daunting task of converting video and adding metadata for your entire collection? iFlicks makes the job a snap.

Seeing duplicate entries in the Open With submenu when you try to open a document with something other than its default application? There’s an easy fix.

Although reports are still anecdotal and we have no explanation as yet, we recommend holding off on the iOS 6.0.2 update to avoid potentially significant battery drains on the iPhone 5 and iPad mini.