Are you encountering problems using this website?

The website and software have been tested and work reliably on the vast majority of systems, any difficulties are likely to be something to do with the software configuration on your computer. The most common of these problems are:
* Your system doesn't accept cookies.
* Your system doesn't allow pop-ups.
* Your system doesn't allow Javascript to run.
* Norton (Symantec) Internet security is incorrectly blocking communications.

So what can I do about it?

* Your browser and/or security software needs to be configured to allow these.
* AOL internet software is known to present users with difficulties accessing some websites. The easiest solution is to use a (free) alternative web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) or Firefox.
* If you are using a PC within a business it may be that your employer’s security systems are intervening. Your technical support team will advise you of corporate internet access policy.
* If possible configure your software to permit popups, cookies and javascript, at least for this site. Alternatively you will need to use a different computer or contact us by Email, Post, FAX or Telephone.
* New PCs are often delivered with trial versions of Norton security products pre-loaded. A search for "norton security conflict" gets well over one million results in Google! You are advised to consider a better behaved alternative such as Steganos Internet Security.

If cookies, javascript etc are disabled for security reasons, does it mean enabling them will make my PC less secure?

* The better security software leaves the choice in your hands on a site by site basis so you can block unwanted content but still permit legitimate features, rather than barring the door to all.
* Popups are usually blocked just because some sites over-use them and they become a nuisance rather than the much less common potential security risks.
* Some Cookies and Javascript can pose security risks but using the best up-to-date security software is far better solution than crippling your internet usage with a blanket ban.
* Cookies, Javascript and Pop-ups are widely used throughout the Internet. If your software completely prohibits any of these your Intenet experience is going to be severly degraded and some websites will become unusable.
* You need to be realistic about internet security, the only way to be 100% secure is not to connect to the internet at all. Good security software and sensible user behaviour will deliver the best practical security.

How to enable Cookies, Javascript, Popups

* These instructions apply to Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) Version 6, the exact commands will differ slightly in other versions - for example MSIE 7 gives more control over which cookies to block/allow.
* If you are smart enough to have changed from MSIE to Firefox (free download) you will be smart enough to find the corresponding controls in Firefox.
* If you use a system other than MS Windows e.g. Linux or Apple you will find similar commands.
* To control what cookies are permitted. Go to Tools>Internet Options>Privacy> and adjust the settings slider.
* To delete existing cookies. Occasionally you might have problems with a cookie which has gone wrong. A website may report that cookies can't be accepted although you do have them enabled. In MSIE you can delete all cookies: Go to Tools>Internet Options>General>Temporary Internet Files>Delete Cookies
* To enable pop-ups. Go to Tools>Internet Options>Privacy> ensue that "block pop-ups" is not ticked.

MSIE has another control affecting Popups, you may need to change this too:
Tools>Internet Options>Security>Custom Level>Scroll through the list until you find Miscellaneous then "Use pop-up blocker">Click Disable>Click OK>Click Yes>Click OK again>Close your web browser and restart it.
* To enable Javascript. Tools>Internet Options>Security>Custom Level>Scroll through the list until you find Scripting then Active Scripting (near the end of the list)>Click Enabled>Click OK>Click Yes>Click OK again>Close your web browser and restart it.
* Some of the widely used add-in toolbars such as Google Toobar also have a pop-up blocker - just click on the appropriate place on the toolbar to enable pop-ups for the current site. That deals with the most common issues, less common problems are:
* You may be missing an add-in browser helper product that a website requires. Examples are Adobe PDF viewer, Adobe Flash viewer, SUN Java - all are free. You may have the relevant helper but need to download the latest version.
* If you reached this website through a link from another they may have displayed the page within an HTML frame. In this case the address bar will still be showing their web address, not ours.
* Very old web-browsers don't support important newer developments such as Style Sheets (CSS) and PNG graphics.
* Very old computers may limit the visible screen-width.
* You may have made changes to your browser security settings which are causing a problem. In MSIE look at Tools>Internet Options>Security>Custom Level> and consider resetting to default.