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This is the final edtion of SCUG Report, a computer/technology magazine for the Sarnia Computer Users' Group. I am resigning today as editor to move on to new and exciting things. Too often, computer user groups tend to keep themselves stuck at the comfortable basic level. That works for some, but not everyone. My time is overdue.
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SCU
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S a r n i a c o m p u t e r u s e r s ’ g r o u p J u n e 2 0 0 9 - V o l . 2 6 I s s u e 9
How to Join SCUG p 2Presidentʼs Perspective p 3Editorʼs Korner p 4Secretaryʼs Notes p 5Review: Auto Pr p 6Review: Dreamweaver CS3 p 7Review: Akvis Multibrush p 8Reinstalling Windows p 9FREE PC Utilities p 11
SIGS p 14Genealogy p 17Hidden Talent p 18Computer Tutor p 19Prize Winners p 21Classified Ads p 14Advertising Rates p 22Financial Report p 24Microsoftʼs Bing p 26
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Award Winning Computer
Magazine That Goes
‘Outside the Box’
Windows 7 - is available for you & itʼs FREE...Run it with 3 other operating systems FAST & FREE...Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have more than one operating system on your computer? Ever wondered what it would be like to run an operating system without worrying about getting a virus? How about about running four operating systems, and one of them being a MAC? “No way”, you say.
Microsoft lets YOU do it. A real first!!!
Microsoft is giving out their new Windows 7 operating system to EVERYONE and it is FREE to test drive until March of 2010. Also available FREE is Microsoftʼs Virtual PC 2007 (http://tinyurl.com/287fx8).
Microsoft is telling users “You don't need to rush to get the RC. The RC will be available at least through July 2009 and we're not limiting the number of product keys, so you have plenty of time” (http://tinyurl.com/crxlpq).
Windows 7 is very easy to load in the “virtual” mode. Ron Walters, Webmaster for Computer Operators of Marysvil le and Port Huron (COMP) (www.bwcomp.org), demonstrated this process a few weeks ago. Ron says
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Watch www.scug.ca for new meeting schedule coming soon
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FREE 3 MONTH TRIALCONTACT US TODAY...President:Dorothy [email protected]
Vice PresidentBill [email protected]
TreasurerEd [email protected]
Recording SecretaryTom [email protected]
Membership SecretaryJim [email protected]
Shareware LibrarianPierre [email protected]
EditorGregory [email protected]
Public RelationsIan [email protected]
Program CoordinatorNorm [email protected]
WebmasterDick [email protected]
HOW & WHY TO JOIN SCUG?
On the right side of this page is a complete listing of all the SCUG executive members. To join SCUG or to get complete details about the group, please contact our Membership Secretary, Jim Lapointe via email: [email protected]
WHAT DOES SCUG OFFER YOU?
Each month we have a general meeting wherein a tad of business is conducted, then we have guest presenters on a slew of computer-related topics.
Within SCUG there are sub-groups that include: Windows/Computer/Tech presentations. This is where a presentation is made on a computer topic and the best part is our Question & Answer session. Another sub-group is our most-popular Digital Photography group. This is where you learn all about this amazing technology, from how to turn your camera on, to editing video clips, to learning new editing software, or simply how to take better pictures.
These sub-groups are called SIGs, short for Special Interest Groups. These groups are included in the $35 yearly membership fee.
Along with that fee you also get a monthly copy of our infamous newsletter: SCUG Report - that is filled with reviews, articles, and lots of how-to.
Members get to place free “want ads” in SCUG Report and there is no limit.
At each monthly general meeting our Shareware Librarian demonstrates a new and FREE program that is available afterwards on the SCUG website: www.scug.ca
Contact Jim today as we offer much, much more for [email protected]
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Dorothy Alexander SCUG [email protected]
TIME FOR A CHANGE
This will be my last Presidentʼs Perspective. As I write this I reflect on the changes that I have seen happen in the past four years that I have been your president, as well as the five years before that when I was treasurer. Some happenings were good for the club. We celebrated the 25th Anniversary of SCUG, moved to a new location, more accessible for anyone with a disability, and received awards from APCUG for both the newsletter and the website. These are but a few.
This year, for the first time in many years, SCUG will be losing several executive members.…..all for a variety of reasons. It is indeed unfortunate that more members didnʼt step forward to run for an executive position. You gain valuable knowledge when you participate!
As I have stated in previous President Perspectives I feel it is time to get some new blood into the executive. It is my hope that our new executive will work as a team, weighing the merits of the old versus the new and then making informed decisions. While they explore new ideas they will also have the benefit of SCUGʼs Constitution (that was amended and approved February 28, 2007) to help them follow the policies, definitions and guidelines that are so important to keep SCUG moving in the right direction.
Speaking of changes have any of you tried BING, the new Microsoft search engine? This will replace MS Live Search. When you search with BING, for a camera as an example, it will bring prices, images, and reviews on a single screen and help you make decisions easier and faster than going from screen to screen. It no doubt will challenge GOOGLE, our old standby.
At our last General Meeting of this season we have as our guest STAPLES who will show you the new HP touch smart computer, a small mini net book, JVC Camcorder and some other new items of interest.
Hopefully all of you will have a great and safe summer.
Dorothy Alexander,President, SCUG.
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Final Frontier
Editor’s KornerGregory West
See You In Cyberspace...
After publishing nearly 60 issues of SCUG Report the time has come for me to pass the Editorʼs baton to someone new.
As I reflect back on my time as Editor, there are many memories such as those smiling memberʼs faces at meetings as they faced my ever-prodding camera for photos that may end up somewhere in the confines of SCUG Report.
Nobody could forget those many, many reviews and articles that were submitted that gave us so much information about new software products and the new stuff happening out there in CYBERSPACE.
SCUG now has worldwide recognition through the Association of Computer Usersʼ Groups (APCUG). Our articles and reviews are sent out to 250 other User Groups around the globe each month and then published in other User Groupsʼ Newsletters and posted online.
In this day of Instant Messaging (widely used by corporations now and individuals), live-streaming User Group meetings over the Internet and interactive presentations by major
tech company reps, and the use of Skype we now see a huge change in the way User Groups can and do hold some of their meetings.
Do you ever wonder what those other User Groups present at their meetings? Now you can watch online and for FREE. APCUG offers a Live Event calendar where you can check out other User Groupʼs LIVE meetings on the Internet:http://tinyurl.com/d6o2ez
You must get involved and ask the new executive to test drive some of the new stuff out there that Web 2.0 is offering. Get involved and help move SCUG into that future out there...That is what computing is all about: trying new and exciting things. The old saying: “If it aint broke donʼt fix it” does not apply anymore.
It is in this regard that I am leaving SCUG to test drive new areas and new adventures. It has been a great ten years with this amazing group and I wish everyone the best. But what is more important, I would like to thank all of you for helping make my time at SCUG a fun and meaningful experience - thank you.
See you in Cyberspace!
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E x e c u t i v e Meeting June 1, 2009
1. Approval of minutes for April executive meeting accepted as written.
2. Membership Input: Jim reported 53 people present, 1 new guest, 5 repeats, 1 renewal 62 members 29 associate members for a total of 91.
3. Vice-Presidentʼs Input: Ian reported that Pierre will lead the next Windows meeting. Names were suggested for possible people to run for elections and Ian will get in touch with people suggested.
4. Secretary absent – minutes taken by Helen Ginn.
5. Treasurerʼs report: Financial report for May end was accepted as written.
6. Software Librarianʼs Input: Pierre suggested we continue posting freeware on the web site as this eliminates the work of writing a CD when most everyone has broadband access.
7. Editorʼs Input: Thanks to Judy Taylor, the APCUG representative, SCUG has had free Local Advertising and World Wide Recognition from places as far away as Australia. Many of our reviews are also published at various paid websites on the Net, such as Amazon.com, and OʼReillyʼs websites. Greg stated that many of his articles that are published in both SCUG Report and First Monday magazine, are also pub l ished on the fo l low ing webs i tes : w w w . c o m p u t e r s i g h t . c o m - h t t p : / /wri t inghood.com - www.authspot.com - www.webupon.com - and other Internet connections which link back to SCUG.
8. Program Co-ordinatorʼs Input: Norm has 2 reviews due namely: Pro Show Producer by Bruce Ritchie, and Akvis Multibrush by Dorothy Alexander. Greg stated that his review of
Dreamweaver Book is complete. Suggestion made that a section on the web site be set aside to post reviews available for members who would like to review new software or books.
9. Public Relations Input: Ian Hunt 50-50 draw and a 8 gig USB Thumb Drive for the prizes for the June meeting. A second roll of tickets to be purchased for other donations of prizes should a presenter offer a prize in addition to one from the club.
10. Web Master Input: The new name of the ALC that Dick has used should be included.
11. Presentation for June by Staples.
12. Discussion regarding Internet connections for presentations – Ed Ginn to check with the school about correcting the problems we encountered at the last general meeting. The Computer Tutorʼs presentation was well received despite the glitches in connecting to the Internet. Hopefully that problem will be resolved before the next meeting.
13. New Business: Suggestion from Norm regarding a NING invitation – declined. Letter received from Loblaws regarding charging to use their meeting room – discussion to find a less expensive room for executive meetings, possibly the ALC. The sound system was looked into by Bill Colotelo who reported that the microphone had been damaged and could be repaired for $100. A new microphone would be $300 and a new two-speaker system would cost $1,000. Helen Ginn suggested that consideration be given to sending newsletters electronically in order to save the cost of printing and extra work involved. The Executive agreed to present this to the General Membership, for their views on receiving a hard printed copy of the newsletter or an electronic copy sent by email.
Time constraints put on us by Loblaws prevented us from fully reviewing a letter of concerns that was submitted by a SCUG member. This letter will be put on the agenda for review at the next Executive meeting
Secretaryʼs Report
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A SCUG Review - by Ian Hunt, Executive Member
Software Review: Auto Maintenance Pro Standard Edition Single User VersionVersion: 10.0.0 Build 11Software Developer: Innovative Maintenance SystemsAddress: 152C Freeport Road, PO Box 142, Lyndora, PA 16045Sales & Product Information: 1-888-449-2405Fax: 724-283-7450
System Requirements:
Pentium 600 Mhz or better processor - 16MB of RAM - 20MB of free disk space - VGA color monitor (800x600 screen resolution - Windows® 98, NT, ME, 2000, XPProduct Pricing: $34.95 USDDownload Size: 6.17 MB - Size on disk: 31.7 MB
Product Website: www.mtcpro.comWeb link for screen shots: http://www.mtcpro.com/automtc.htm
Installation
The program loaded easily and runs nicely with no ill effects on my Windows XP SP3 Home Edition PC with AMD Sempron 2800+ processor and 1 GB of RAM.
What It Does
Auto Maintenance Pro helps you stay on top of your vehicle maintenance by scheduling and then recording maintenance items. Up to 5 vehicles can be entered into the program. Once you have entered a vehicle into the program and save, you are asked if you want to enter the Preventive Maintenance information. The program has a set of over 80 default PM services with default intervals of both time and mileage. You can alter these using the maintenance schedule recommended by your vehicle manufacturer and you can add and delete items.
Features
* The program is downloadable from website with 30 day free trial.* You can add a photo of each vehicle (jpg format) to the main window.* Track in miles or kilometers.* 28 custom fields you can define on the vehicle information tabs. Tabs that contain the custom labels are "General" (4), "Specifications" (20), "Purchase" (2), and License (2).* Upon opening the program, the main window will display your vehicles in a list, the background colour will indicate whether service is due (pink), soon due (yellow) (less than 15 days,
www.mtcpro.com
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A SCUG Review - by Gregory West, SCUG Editor
DREAMWEAVER CS3 - The Missing Manual
Author: David Sawyer McFarlandPublished: 2007 OʼReilly Media, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-596--51043-5Pages: 995US $44.99 CAN $58.99
Anyone who has ever tackled the web creation software program Dreamweaver CS3 knows all-too-well of its massive complexity. From absolute divs to CSS, FLASH and other multimedia, HTML and XHTML, Java Script coding, to the all-new SPRY widgets by Adobe, you are taken on a real adventure of what Dreamweaver CS3 has to offer in this, the “missing manual”.
McFarland states that this book “should have been in the box” and this is so true. This book is an excellent, easy-to-follow guide that takes you from simple to way beyond in website design creation and tricks and tips. You get to test-drive the software with the help of this book. The author demonstrates this concept right at the beginning on page thirty-eight wherein he points out that “Many of this bookʼs chapters, therefore, conclude with hands-on training: step-by-step tutorials that take you through the creation of a real, working, professionally designed Web site” for a “fictional” magazine. This way you get a hands-on approach to web design.
Even if you are novice to web design, you can easily follow along with McFarlandʼs simple instructions after each chapter.
This book is a work book. You design websites by tutorials. However, if you happen to be already accustomed to Adobeʼs Dreamweaver software, this book will act as an amazing reference guide to ensure that you use this software to its best capabilities.
You are always kept abreast with the many screen shots throughout, and “Tip” boxes to keep you going in the right direction. There is nothing worse than getting off track with a website from the onset. This book definitely helps you steer a course for success in web design and creation.ʼ
At the back of the book you will find an invaluable section called: Menu by Menu. Here is where each part of the menus is described and the functionality of each is given in plain language for everyone to understand. The file, edit, view, insert, modify, commands, menus and so many more are hear for very easy reference.
At the very end of the book is an in-depth, 24 page, Index ensuring you will not get lost. McFarland makes searching so simple, as did he make the entire book, simple yet very complex.
It is an excellent companion to such an extensive and amazing web design program.
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AKVIS MULTIBRUSH v 4.1Standalone EditionSoftware Created by: AKVIS Software Inc.http://akvis.com
#101 - 1001 W. Broadway Suite 381 Vancouver, BC V6H 4E4 CANADAFAX: 206-984-3919 VOICE: 206-309-0821
Price: Home Deluxe - PlugIn+Standalone $65.00 USD
System Requirements:
Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista; Mac OS X 10.3.9-10.5
Minimal system requirements: Recommended system requirements: Windows Pentium III, 1 GB RAM, 100 Mb HDD; screen resolution 1024x768; video card Direct X8 compatible, 32 Mb, color depth 32 bits
Recommended system requirements: Core Duo, 2 GB RAM, 2 GB HDD; screen resolution 1280х1024; video card Direct X8 compatible, 128 Mb, color depth 32 bits
I opted to download the standalone version of this software. This program was formerly known as AKVIS Stamp but has been revised with many more features added. This program has healing and enhancement brushes, cloning and stamping tools that you can use to improve your photos. The Chameleon Brush allows you to remove wrinkles, scars and scratches on a portrait. They claim it is like the Adobe Healing brush but with more options. We all have some old family photos that could be recovered using this program. One photo in the tutorial appeared to be un-recoverable but I was amazed at the end results.
There is a unique feature called the Artistic Cloning mode. This allows you to clone parts of a picture in a really smart way. Sample, adjust and re-source parts you're about to multiply through the image, and create impressive collages with little effort.
If you want to remove a person from a photo you can do so with this program. You can even add a person or replicate the original person and place in the background. It appears that what you can do with this program is endless. I have only tried a few features but expect to have many hours of fun using this program.
Currently they offering a 10 days free trial of this program at: http://akvis.com/en/multibrush/index.php
Why not give it a try if you don't want to go and spend a lot of money on one of the more expensive photo editing programs?
A SCUG Review - by Dorothy Alexander, SCUG President
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Reinstalling WindowsWritten by Vinny La Bash, Member of the Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc., FL www.spcug.orgvlabash (at) comcast.net
T h i s a r t i c l e h a s b e e n obtained from APCUG with the author’s permission for p u b l i c a t i o n b y A P C U G member groups; all other uses require the permission of the author (see e-mail address above).
No matter how diligent you are at computer housecleaning and tuning your system, at some point you will need to reinstall Windows. One of the most infuriating things about the process occurs after the installation when you realize you have forgotten something important like exporting your Favorites folder. Several weeks ago I reinstalled Vista on my laptop and almost forgot to do something elementary. So perhaps it’s time to review the basics.
There are many reasons to reinstall windows. Perhaps the registry has gotten corrupted or it could be an accumulation of little things that are driving you nuts. Whatever is annoying you, a clean install is always the best option. Before doing anything, careful planning will keep you out of trouble.
The detailed procedures outlined here apply specifically to Vista, but the general concepts apply to any version of Windows and even other operating systems. There are three main areas to a reinstall. You need proper preparation, the install itself, and the aftermath to clean up any mess you may have inadvertently created. That means you don’t schedule a reinstall the night before any deadlines.
Start by documenting any critical login identifications and passwords. If you pay bills online, access financial information, eBay,
PayPal or anything else important to you., now is the time to write it all down. Some folks use a password protected spreadsheet file. Others use some kind of encrypted application to store the data. I prefer good old reliable pen and paper stored in a safe place, not taped to my monitor.
Do you have your Windows product key available? You need it to reinstall Vista. Are there any other applications you will reinstall that require product keys, like Microsoft Office? Gather them all, including any drivers you may need to reinstall hardware, like a printer or mobile smart phone.
A clean install requires that you backup your data files. This is especially important if you’re planning to reformat your hard drive. Backup email contacts, calendar entries, and anything you consider important. Don’t forget anything special you may have saved on your desktop. That’s an easy one to overlook.
Have you installed new hardware recently? Any new devices, except physical memory, require some kind of driver software to work properly. You can get the most up-to-date drivers by visiting the manufacturer’s web site and downloading them. Go to the Device Manager for a list of installed hardware or use Belarc Advisor for a more detailed description.
Do some housecleaning. Search your drive for files that are obsolete or otherwise unnecessary. It’s amazing how much digital detritus can accumulate over time. Perform a full deep virus scan so your new setup can get off to a clean start. Use Disk Cleanup if you want to reduce the number of unnecessary files on your hard disk to free up disk space and help your computer run faster. It removes temporary files, empties the Recycle Bin, and deletes a variety of system files and other items that you no longer need.
Back up the My Documents folder and any sub-folders that may exist. Backup Links if you use Internet Explorer; Bookmarks if you use Mozilla Firefox. If you’re not sure you’ve backed
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“I have used Virtual PC 2007 for over a year now. It is a very useful tool when providing customer support for an old operating system. It will run most version of windows and installs in a snap. It is available in both 32 bit or 64 bit. I am currently running Vista Ultimate 64 bit as my primary OS and running Windows XP Pro SP3, Windows 7 Release Candidate and Windows 98 all on Virtual PC 2007. It makes my job a lot easier,” says Ron Walters.
Many computer users are using virtualization as a way to surf the Internet without fears of getting a virus or malware etc. These virtual operating systems are used to test software and other data that you would be worried to do so on your host operating system. If there is any problem you simply delete the folder that the virtual operating system is residing in and delete the folder. Thatʼs all there is to removing it and all its files etc.
Debra Shinder of windowsecurity.com says that “Virtualization software makes it much easier to create a testbed for trying out new software in a safe environment without risking damage to your production network.”
So, when you load Windows 7 to test drive it give some serious thoughts to trying out a virtual PC mode to load into.
Windows 7 is stacking up some excellent reviews already. For instance, pcadviser.co.uk says itʼs good to go and “is ready for prime time”.
“With less of what you donʼt need, Windows 7 helps you do more. More work, more play, and more of everything in between. Making every task simpler and every day easier. See for yourself” (itpro.co.uk).
I downloaded Windows 7 from the Microsoft site (http://tinyurl.com/crxlpq) in about 3 hours. Full instructions are found on that website and are quite easy to follow.
Editor SCUG
up everything you need, back up the entire disk. If you’ve forgotten anything, your data can be recovered. By now you should have:
Documented all logins and passwords Backed up all important data including My
Documents and any sub-folders Have all product keys and activation codes
handy Backed up your email contact list, and
calendar entries Backed up Favorites, Links, Bookmarks,
etc. Collected Driver disks
Check everything at least twice to make sure you haven’t overlooked anything essential and you’re ready to go. Insert your Windows disk and reinstall the operating system.
After the process is complete, there is still work to do. Use Windows Update to retrieve and install the latest service packs, security updates, and any necessary patches. After bringing your operating system up-to-date, turn your attention to applications and device drivers.
If you reinstalled Vista from the manufacturer’s installation or system restore disks, drivers for the original software and hardware that came with the system are likely to be either no longer relevant or out-of-date. You may need to visit several manufacturers’ web sites to download and install the most recent drivers. This is part of proper preparation, but if you neglected this step it’s not a fatal mistake.
Restore any data you backed up earlier, reconfigure network settings if applicable, and tweak the system to suit your personal preferences. Create a system restore point, and do an image backup of your entire system in case you need to reinstall again.
Don’t fool yourself. Reinstalling the operating system, applications, drivers and such is never as simple or as easy as it should be. If you plan carefully however, it doesn’t need to be stressful.
Continued from page 9 - Reinstalling WindowsContinued from front cover - Windows 7
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Free PC Utilities from ComodoWritten by Ira WilskerAPCUG Director; Columnist, The Examiner, Beaumont, TX; Radio Talk Show HostIwilsker (at) apcug.net
This article has been obtained from APCUG with the authorʼs permission for publication by APCUG member groups; all other uses require the permission of the author (see e-mail address above).
WEBSITE:h t t p : / / w w w . c o m o d o . c o m / p r o d u c t s /free_products.html
Last year I wrote in this column about a free suite of excellent security products from a little k n o w n c o m p a n y c a l l e d C o m o d o (www.comodo.com). Comodo is one of those sleeper companies that quietly provides very good products and services, but just seems to dwell in the background while it adds paying customers and clients. Comodo is an international company with offices in the U.S., the U.K., the Ukraine, and in India. While not visible to the ordinary internet user, Comodo is the exclusive provider of digital security services to the top level internet domain name registrants. Comodo has over 200,000 commercial customers in over 100 countries, and protects over a half-million businesses and private individuals. As is common in the field, Comodo offers some excellent free products available to all users that Comodo hopes will spread its reputation and services, and eventually attract paying clients to its more sophisticated commercial products.
In my earlier column on Comodo, I discussed the individual free Comodo security products, including its antivirus, firewall, antispam, and other security products, all of which can still be downloaded individually, but work together as do many of the competitive commercial security suites. To ease the download process, and even better integrate the protective functions, Comodo has introduced its free Comodo Internet Security, a fully functional, but basic antivirus, firewall, and proactive security suite.
This free suite has been recognized by the media for its quality, by being awarded CNETʼs highest 5 star rating, and was selected by PC Magazine as its “Editorsʼ Choice”. Comodo hopes that users of the free security suite will want to eventually upgrade to its commercial big brother ($40) that offers additional and enhanced features along with free 24/7 online chat support.
Comodo offers a somewhat unique free product in its “Comodo Memory Firewall Version 2.0”. This is an unusual utility in that unlike a conventional firewall (which is also required to maximize security), this Memory Firewall monitors the memory of the computer and the running applications. It is on the lookout for attacks on running programs such as buffer-overflow attacks, a common and damaging threat to our computing security. Attacks such as these, which can be prevented with this Memory Firewall, can cause system crashes or steal confidential information from the targeted computer.
An extremely common threat faced by all web surfers is a form of identity theft through the use of “phishing” or otherwise fraudulent websites. Comodo offers its “Free Forever” Comodo Verification Engine, which notifies the user if a website is legitimate or fraudulent. If a website is known to be legitimate, simply placing the mouse over the website logo will display a green border. This is an excellent tool to prevent some of the more common online forms of identity theft.
Many thousands of computers are lost or stolen each year. It is a known fact that thousands of laptop or notebook computers are stolen in airports and other places annually. One major concern of the owner of a lost or stolen computer is the potential disclosure and abuse of the personal data on the hard drive. Comodo offers a solution to this vexing problem, its free Disk Encryption Software, which can be used to encode the data on a hard drive, preventing its use by unauthorized individuals. This provides continuous protection of the data on the drive, and includes two levels of data authentication. This protects sensitive data without disrupting
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the ability to legitimately utilize the data, but makes the same data use less to an unauthorized user, such as a thief.
You may have heard commercials on radio and TV about a “VPN” or Virtual Private Network, where selected computers can be connected together over the internet, just as if they would be connected over a wired in-house network. For those who may need to connect distant computers, Comodo offers its free “Comodo EasyVPN”. This VPN provides secure encrypted communications over the internet, and allows for the safe transmission and reception of sensitive communications. It also allows for remote access to connected computers, including a “remote desktop” feature that allows one user to access control over another distant computer. For family use, EasyVPN allows for the quick and easy internet exchange of music or photos, and even allows connected users to play multi-user games. This is like having a remote office, where the office computer can be securely accessed from anywhere there is an internet connection. This may be a very useful utility.
I hate spam, that unwanted junk email. Comodo offers a free anti-spam utility that can stop spam, phishing (identity theft), and other fraudulent email from getting into your inbox. The software can import the address book from most popular email clients to create a safe sendersʼ list, and provides for a challenge and response system to verify unknown senders, and adds verified senders to a safe “white list”. Using Comodoʼs Anti Spam utility can significantly reduce the unwanted mail in your inbox.
Sometimes we must send and receive sensitive information via email that we would not want others to be able to access or read. Comodo has a free solution to this problem, its SecureEmail utility. This utility encrypts and digitally signs email such that it cannot be read by anyone except the intended recipient. This utility seamlessly integrates with all major email clients, and has a wizard to help setup the program.
While Comodo offers many other utilities, it is best known for its security products. One such free product offered is its BoClean, which can detect and remove rootki ts, hi jackers, keyloggers, and Trojans, as it continuously monitors the system for attack. BoClean offers real time protection against online identity theft caused by malware, as well as protection from file damage caused by other varieties of malware.
Regular readers of this column have read the three most important words in computing, “Backup, Backup, and Backup!” Comodo offers a full featured and free backup utility that can automatically backup critical data files to almost any form of media or storage system. Backups my be scheduled automatically, or run at will, and allow for the easy recovery of files in the event of system crash, natural disaster, theft, or other loss of data. With software such as this, and a secure place to store the backed up data, there is no reason why any important data should ever be lost.
Comodo offers its System Cleaner utility to clean computers of useless and wasteful files and registry entries that can adversely impact computer performance, thus improving performance. Comodo System Cleaner is among the fastest and most efficient system cleaner tested, including several of the popular competitors. System Cleaner includes both disk cleaner and registry cleaner tools, as well as other powerful diagnostic tools. System Cleaner claims “100% Safe Cleaning” as it implements proprietary “Registry Protection” and “Safe Delete” features which can automatically restore any files that may have been deleted in error.
Comodo offers an impressive collection of free utilities, and should be commended for offering them. Comodo explicitly states that many of these utilities are free for both personal and business users, making them most cost effective at “free”.
For this price, they are most worthy of a try.
Continued from page 11 - FREE PC Utilities
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FREEBASIC LEVEL
COMPUTER & INTERNETSessions
WHERE: Central United ChurchAll sessions are free and open to the public.
For more info:www.centralunitedsarnia.ca/computer_group.htmlEmail Greg West: [email protected]
Back for a 3rd season this Fall.
Bring along all your questionsto our
FAMOUS Q&A session at each meeting!
“you do not need to pray for a computer miracle, just attend any of these FREE sessions next fall”
FALL PREVIEW all about Emailing learn more about MS WORD security basic digital photography FREE cloud computing software whatʼs NEW Online
E v e r W o n d e r W h y Newspapers Are Closing Up Shop? And Why Too Many TV Shows Are Less Than Good?
Craigslist.orgHave you checked the classifieds here yet? If not, you are missing out. It is very popular among buyers and sellers looking for deals. The Associated Press states that “ Many newspaper executives view Craigslist as a nemesis because it doesn't charge for most ads. As Craigslist and scores of other Web sites have offered free or less expensive alternatives, newspapers' total revenue from the classified advertising in print editions has waned from a peak of nearly $20-billion in 2000 to about $10-billion last year”.
This year alone we wi l l see more newspapers fold as the advertising money is moving. The Associated Press article also pointed out that “Craigslist has been raking in more revenue from the ad listings that it does charge for in major U.S. markets. Most of the money comes from help-wanted ads – another former cash cow for newspapers that has been drying up”.
Televis ion networks are in somewhat of a similar boat. TV advertising dollars streaming from the “boob-tube” to the Internet. There is no lack of news about this problem for what some call Television “dinosaur” technology.
“In the past five years, music companies, newspapers, and others have seen their revenues plunge as theyʼve lost control of their content. Now television broadcasters are fighting the same bloody, ugly and ultimately losing battle for control” (PRLog (Press Release) – Feb 28, 2009).
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* A SIG is a Special Interest Group within the Sarnia Computer Usersʼ Group
gimpa
PhotoShop Clone
Digital Photography Special Interest Group
S I G* Pierre Houle
At least 30 people attended the last Digital SIG of the season. Pierre led the session with a demonstration of the GIMP, Gnu Image Manipulation Program. This is a very powerful image editor. Like all these image programs the GIMP takes time and practice to be familiar with all of it's functions. Pierre demonstrated how to crop, clone, sharpen, adjust brightness and contrast, levels and layers among other features.
There are excellent tutorial for the GIMP. Here are some links:http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/
http://www.gimptalk.com/forum/beginning-with-gimp-starting-tutorial-for-new-users-t34772.html-sid=db94594e941b04525a4add0057615795
I would like to thank all who have attended throughout the year and made this SIG a success. I have agreed to lead the SIG for the next season.
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Members Await Pamela Tabakʼs (the Computer Tutor) LIVE Remote Control demonstration from her home in Toronto. Lots of work went into testing. The tests went well both at home and at the centre. We even tested it live at the centre during a Windows SIG months before this night. Skype was used for voice and Teamviewer for the remote computer ...conʼt. at bottom...
A Live Remote Demo with Internet Connection Problems
Greg handing out 5 prizes after his demo to happy members
computer hookups between Sarnia and Toronto. Everything went fine in most of the tests, although we did experience some problem with the Internet at the centre that afternoon during testing.
When the demonstration began we knew right at the start there was an Internet connection problem at the centre. Pierre lightly shook the ethernet box on the wall and that helped, but we had a VERY slow connection during the demo. Apparently we were not alone as other User Groups have experienced slow Internet connections at their meeting places as well.
Nature of the beast they say!
setting up takes time
SARNIA TORONTO
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Disc of the month
Window SIG
This month's freeware offering is a technician's dream come true. System Information for Windows will show you everything you want to know about your computer. It's more thorough than Belarc or Everest. It gives software and hardware information. It gives license information and passwords. The program is stand-alone which means it can be used simply by downloading and running, no install is required.This means that it can be run from a USB thumb drive.http://www.gtopala.com
MOBILE COMPUTING & SOCIAL MEDIA:They say once something gets on Oprah the general population gives it a try.“By now, you probably know that Oprah Winfrey loves Skype (not to mention Twitter). Oprah did a Skype video chat on her TV show with Virgin America's Mandalay Roberts.” As reported by James A. Martin, PC World. full article athttp://tinyurl.com/l8auen
From Google Gear Guidehttp://tinyurl.com/nmczql“95 great free sites and downloads youʼve probably never heard of...”
Wanna Farkle? I mean, do if you want to download YouTube videos?: farkle.com
Great for storing those YouTube training videos.
How to Download Youtube with Farkie?
1. Copy the full web address of the site you wish to download.2. Paste the web address into the box at the top of this page.3. Click "Download" and wait until it has fully loaded.4. Choose a format and it will then download and convert the video.5. Be patient, it can take up to 5 minutes depending on the size.6. You're done! Enjoy your newly converted YouTube video!
1,000,000th. WORDFrom Thursday's Globe and Mail, Thursday, Jun. 11, 2009 04:40PM EDT
“The one-millionth entry into the English language may be a sign of the times, but as words go it's a bit on the bland side - and, one could argue, not even a word.
“Quibbles aside, the Global Language Monitor announced on schedule early yesterday its choice for the milestone millionth word: Web 2.0.”
FACEBOOK- did you know the most number of new people using FACEBOOK today are the Baby Boomers who are connecting with their past from many years.
Sorry, report unavailable
Microsoftʼs CEO, Steve Ballmer, announces BingWatch the exciting video interview: http://tinyurl.com/lsguut and read the full article too. REMEMBER YOU HEARD IT FIRST IN SCUG REPORT: Bing is going to be HUGE!!!
also see page 26
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the crooked tree by Val Conway
SCUG Member
Iʼll finish out the year with a list of some of my Favorite Genealogy Web Sites.
Ontario Locator is the best site to use to locate counties and townships in Ontario. Over 11,000 place names are listed with short histories:http://www.geneofun.on.ca/ontariolocator/
US National Association of Counties works for the United States:http://www.naco.org/ - Select About Counties/Data and Demographics /City Search
Many ethnic church records are written in Latin. Here are two sites I have found helpful:
1. Church Record Translationshttp://www.bmi.net/jjaso/
2. Family Search Latin Genealogy Wordlist:http://tinyurl.com/b6fggo
Cyndiʼs List is a categorized & cross-referenced index with over 265,850 easy to find links for family history. There is everything from “Adoption” to “Writing Your Family History”:http://www.cyndislist.com/
JewishGenʼs Town Search is a must for searching all localities in Central and Eastern Europe whether you are Jewish or not. Historic
name translations, distances from other places, and maps are provided.http://www.jewishgen.org/Communities/LocTown.asp
Three Military sites that are worth surfing:
1. Commonwealth War Graves: http://www.cwgc.org/2. American Battle Monuments Commission War Dead: http://www.abmc.gov3. Canadian War Museum includes a WW II database of Newspaper Articles: http://tinyurl.com/eps2c
Rootsweb hosts many interesting pages including mail lists and message boards, and many special projects. Be sure to check out their index and dig deeper:http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
Rootsweb also hosts freepages for those who wish to share their research.http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
These pages cover more than personal family trees. Here is one about quarantine at Ellis Island that includes a database of those that died there:http://tinyurl.com/ccboyr
Enjoy your summer and hopefully we will meet
Some of my Favorite Genealogy Web Sites
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by Dorothy Alexander
This month I introduce you to Pierre Houle, a member of SCUG since 1996. Pierre was born and raised in Sarnia. He attended Sacred Heart School and participated in Church activities including Boy Scouts. He attended Northern High School and the University of Waterloo from which he has a bachelor's degree in Biology. His area interest was genetics. Pierre was not able to find employment in his chosen field so he decided to follow in his father and grandfather's footsteps and become an electrician. This was originally a temporary solution to pay down his university debt but discovered he enjoyed working with his hands. He has worked in the chemical valley for 30 years. Pierre is currently working at the expansion project at Bluewater Health, Norman Street site.
Pierre has taken many personal interest courses at Lambton College including Black and White Darkroom, Colour Darkroom including Cebachrome, Bird Watching, Taking Better Pictures, and Computer Programming in Q-Basic, Personal Computer Repair, P.C. Repair Technician, and Instrumentation. Pierre has two sons. The eldest, William, is attending Lambton College and taking Internet Application Development. The other is Robert who will be attending Sarnia Collegiate High School in his senior year. He plans to attend the University of Western Ontario to study music. The boys live with their mother, Heather. They have been separated for six years. Pierre has been a member of SCUG since 1996. When he joined he was immediately recruited to run the Windows SIG which he did for 10 years. A year later he was asked to be on the Executive and has been ever since, serving as Public Relations, Vice President, President, Past President and Shareware Librarian. In 2007 he became leader of the Digital Photography SIG. He has also been on the review committee since its inception. Under his presidency the club prospered and had a membership of over a hundred. Pierre is a very competent instructor, being able to simplify and explain computer related issues. In 2004 he was certified as a COMPTIA A+ certified computer repair technician and started a part-time business in computer repair and instruction. He has a knack for troubleshooting computer problems. Many members have used his services. In recent months he has taken on
Continued on page 25
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Email: [email protected]
Website: www.computertutorinc.net
Computer Tutor
Pamela Tabak
Pamela Tabak receives numerous computer-related questions via e-mail and during classroom presentations.
QUESTION: Is it possible to make the icons on the Quick Launch Bar Larger with the Vista Operating System?
ANSWER: Yes, with Windows Vista itʼs a few easy steps to enlarge the icons on your Quick Launch Bar:
1. Unlock the Taskbar by right clicking in an empty space on the Taskbar.2. Left click on “Lock the Taskbar” this will take out the check mark that should
be next to this option. If there is no check mark your taskbar is alreadyunlocked.
3. Once the Taskbar is unlocked you will notice that the Quick Launch icons have triple dotted lines placed before the first icon and after the last icon. You will find the Quick Launch Bar next to the Vista Orb at the left side of your taskbar.
4. RIGHT click in a space next to the last icon. If you click too close to an icon a different
menu will appear. If this happens click in a space to close the menu and try again
Did you know that Pamelaʼs column is published in 3 other User Groups:
Front Range User Group in Colorado http://frpcug.org/k-byte/current.pdf
Hilton Head Island User Group South Carolina http://hhiccbb.org/download/file.php?id=2003
Orange County IBM PC Usersʼ Group (California)http://www.orcopug.org/pdf/june2009.pdf
Q & A
Pamela thanks all of you who sent in all those ”excellent” questions. She hopes this continues on.
Continued on page 20
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5. A menu of choices will appear. Choose “VIEW” at the top of the list.
6. Then click on “Large Icons” and the icons will increase in size.7. LOCK your taskbar to prevent it moving.8. Your Quick Launch Icons will now remain larger and easier to see.
QUESTION: How do I email my photographs after I have transferred all my digital pictures from my camera onto a USB storage device?
ANSWER: To transfer digital photos from your USB device to emails you can save them to your hard drive first or you can transfer them directly from your external device.
To transfer them from your external device: PLUG YOUR USB DEVICE INTO YOUR COMPUTER:
* Open a new email * Click on ATTACH or INSERT depending on your email software. * Find (browse to find) the USB device. * Then click on the pictures that you want to email, one by one and it will attach to the email. * If you are using Microsoft Outlook, Windows Mail or Outlook Express you can insert all the pictures at once by holding down the CTRL key and clicking on selected pictures. Then hit the INSERT button. * If you have a “block” of pictures that you wish to select you just click on the first picture in the “Block” and then hold down the “SHIFT” key and click the last picture in the “block” (all the pictures will be highlighted.) Then click INSERT and all the pictures will be attached to your email.
NOTE: I would advise against inserting the “picture” in the email because most people who receive them would not know how to save them if they appear on the email. The best way to send them is to “attach” them as a “file” and then the recipient can right click on the file to save it to their hard drive.
how to do it...
Continued from page 19 - Computer Tutor
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Compuprize WinnersTonightʼs Winning Tickets R4:
Tickets $2 or
3 for $5.
50-50 draw and an 8 gig USB Thumb Drive
SCUG Executive extends a huge THANK YOU to Ian for al l his very hard work a t t e m p t i n g t o e n t i c e members to think about h e l p i n g o u t o n t h e execut ive . Ian worked extremely hard on this project.
Last Monthʼs Winners L-R
1) Cross-cut Shredder - Dick Wilson2) Labeler - Gloria Johnston
“Guess what
Ian?”“What’s that
Ed?”
“I’ve always
said,
you can’t win
without a
ticket.”
Donʼt forget to buy a ticket $2 each or 3 for $5
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SCUG Classifieds
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Slide & Film Scanning 35 mmHigh Resolution
Call Pierre for a free quote
Phone: 519-344-1379Email: [email protected]
SCUG Advertising Rates
Full page: 1 time = $30, 3 times = $25 ea...., 6 times or more = $20 ea. Half page: 1 time = $20, 3 times = $15 ea...., 6 times or more = $10 ea.Business card: $10 per year (9 issues)One year = 9 issues, September to June.Full and half page rates are per insertion.Example: 3 times $25 = $75 for 3 months
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This year, SCUG will be at Hobbyfest again, on Sunday July 26 from 10 am- 4 p.m..
This is a good time to come out from the dark corners of the room we hide in during our meetings and get some fresh air.
We have even got some new members by attending this free service brought by the City to Centennial Park.. Hope to see you there.
Any questions or if you wish to volunteer to help out YOUR group,
please contact Norm: [email protected]
hobby festa SCUG note
July 26
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
scug
Sorry
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less computer work so he could spend more time pursuing personal projects. Another interest of his is photography. Pierre has owned a camera since 1979. He has taken photography courses at night at Lambton College. He joined the Bluewater Camera Club in 1979 but soon lost interest. He took up the hobby again a few years later and joined the Sarnia Photochromatic Club which later became the Sarnia Photographic Club. He has served on the executive for many years as Public Relations, Program, Vice President and is currently the President. With Pierre's leadership the SPC grew from thirty five members to over one hundred. Most of this growth was due to a change from film to digital. P ierre has a keen interest in nature photography and is known for his interesting compositions. He has won several awards, has had photographs published and has even sold a few, in particular a panorama of downtown Sarnia.
Pierre had a life changing experience in 2007 when a young friend and fellow worker died in an auto accident on his way home from work. He left behind a wife and two small children. Pierre decided that there was more to life than work and started planning a trip to western Canada. To this point in his life he had never had any interest in travel so this was a change of philosophy for him. In 2008 he took a layoff from his construction job and hit the road with his camera and a mini van filled with camping equipment. Pierre was gone for seven weeks, increased his vehicle's mileage by 14000 kilometers and took 9000 pictures. Pierre has since cut back on club activities and computer repair to pursue personal projects which include publishing a photography book, a website, traveling and showing his photography. If you know someone in SCUG who has HIDDEN TALENTS?
Please contact me at [email protected].
Continued from page 18 - HIDDEN TALENTS
Larry MobbsPresident of COMP letting the us know what is going on in Michigan with COMP
Dick CarpaniSCUG Webmaster giving an update on the SCUG website
MS Windows Vista UltimatePhotodex Pro Show GoldAkvis SketchUniblue Registry BoosterAdobe Dreamweaver CS3Adobe In Design Book CS3Applian Technologies Replay ConverterInnovative Maintenance Systems - Auto ProO'reilly Windows Vista bookO'reilly Web 2.0 bookO'reilly Dreamweaver CS3O'Reilly Windows Vista: The Missing Manual
Photodex Pro Show ProducerAkvis MultibrushPeachpit Proshow bookStaples, Sarnia StoreRealAllusion - Crazy TalkCorel - Word PerfectMcLean & McLean Computer Serv.Dougʼs Computer CompleteSarnia Computer Centre Ltd.Coffee Lodge & Johnʼs RestaurantDatatek SystemsVerdon Computer SystemsSarnia InkspotSlide and Film Scanning - PierreOpen Source Products
A Huge Thanks To All The Companies
Who Supported SCUG This Season
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Now there is real competition online that will move many of us to Microsoftʼs amazing DECISION ENGINE when wanting to do s o m e p r e c i s i o n searches, to save time, and to save money.
The New York Post s a y s G o o g l e i s
running scared. “You'd think nothing would get under the skin of search giant Google. But co-founder Sergey Brin is so rattled by the launch of Microsoft's rival search engine that he has assembled a team of top engineers to work on urgent upgrades to his Web service”.
CNet.com says, “Although Microsoft has a long way to go before it makes a dent in Google's business, Bing may end up being the only true alternative to Google”.
INFORMATIONWEEK also has great praise for this new search engine, “Bing includes features that allow users to book travel and engage in other e-commerce transactions with just a few clicks.”
This VIDEO demonstrates the high quality search results that are more relevant that ever before: http://tinyurl.com/mrsjum
Donʼt forget to do your own test driving on BING: www.bing.com
DUELING SEARCH ENGINES - Bing & google side-by-side on one site.YOU MUST try out the new combined search engine of Bing and Google called: Bingle.
I cannot remember ever seeing two different search engines running side-by-side on one website, have you? Now we can.
This is simple.
Open Bingle, type in your topic of search, and the answer will be displayed in both Bing and Google side-by-side on the same webpage.
GOOGLESTAND ASIDE
YOU HAVESERIOUS
COMPETITION
MICROSOFTʼS NEW SEARCH ENGINE COMPETES WITH GOOGLE: bing
Check out page 27 for more...
A Decision Engine
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The latest new site combines both search engines in one site and allows you to use both at the same time to see what each search engine calls up for results to your query. This one is called: Bingle. Yep, Bing for bing and gle for Google. I know that sounds crazy, but it is for real. A double search engine: Bingle, now offers the best of both on one website. Microsoft is making headway, which is great for all of us. We need competition - It keeps companies watching their backs, thus the end result is better software for us to use.
Check out BINGLE at http://bingle.pwnij.com
PREDICTION: “As much as I am major fan of many of Googleʼs software programs, including itʼs search engine, I predict that Microsoftʼs new search engine “bing” will win out in the all-new search wars that are about to take place in Cyberspace,” greg west, editor SCUG Report.
cnet.com says, “Microsoft Bing: Much better than expected”.
SCUG Report
bing results to SCUG Report search Google results to SCUG Report search
Bingle gets answers in
both search engines at the same time on
the same webpage
never beendoneB 4
Continued from page 26 - bing
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SCUG Disclaimers1. The viewpoints found inside SCUG
Report are not necessarily the views of the SCUG Executive nor of the SCUG Membership, only that of the said authors of articles and reviews.
2. Disclaimer: (SCUG Report) "The SCUG accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions in the Newsletter. Advertisements are paid for and should not be considered as endorsements by SCUG ."
3. Advertising Guidelines” Advertising in the Newsletter is subject to the approval of the Executive and, if accepted, will be at the current published rate.
SCUG Members can advertise sale
items at no charge as part of their
membership perks.
Please check the website www.scug.ca
for the 2009 - 2010SCUG Schedule
***
not available @press time!
SCUG is a proud member of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups
ELECTION UPDATE...
"I would like to thank those who have agreed to take an executive position and all members who took the time to discuss being on the executive."
Ian Hunt, Acting VP, SCUG
Have a great summer
