Diablo Blue
The Newsletter of the Diablo Valley PC Users Group
Q&A Roundtable
Presented by Members of DVPC
At our May 2 DVPC meeting our Board members will lead a roundtable discussion on a number of current hot-button topics, including:<
- Google glass in public — what do we need to think about, how will/should a wearable device effect what we do? Is this too much tech?
- Apple fatigue — Apple is suffering a loss of its ‘cool factor’ — now that “adults” have adopted apple products, young people feel it ain’t hip anymore
- Has the current model of music/video purchase about to change again — i.e. moving to not owning but ‘renting’
- Is Adobe’s concept to move to subscription software a good thing? They are completely abandoning selling boxed software, but Microsoft has indicated they are not ready to move to a total subscription model just yet
- Are desktops obsolete? Can tablets, laptops, netbooks do the job?
- Is there an autonomous vehicle in your future?
We'll see you on Thursday June 6, 2013 in room H111 in the Humanities building at the Diablo Valley College campus in Pleasant Hill. Come and learn about some of the best free software on the internet.
The parking permit fee for all parking lots at Diablo Valley College is now $3.00. Click here to go to Parking Fees below for more information.
Where and When We Meet
DVPC monthly meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Diablo Valley College In Pleasant Hill, California, on the Main Campus located at 321 Golf Club Road. We meet in room H111 in the Humanities Building. See the maps, driving directions, and parking information and fees, below.
Our monthly meeting starts at 7 p.m. with Random Access; this is when you can ask questions about or report on technical problems. Our SIG leaders will provide news about upcoming SIG meetings. This is followed by a presentation by our guest speaker. We close our meetings with our raffle prize drawing.
We don't meet on holidays or when the Diablo Valley College campus is closed. The following is a list of dates when we won't hold meetings:
July 4, 2013: Independence Day Holiday
August 2, 2013: Campus closed, between semesters
January 2, 2014: New Year's Holiday
Maps and Driving Directions,
Parking Information
The Humanities Building marked with the red arrow is where DVPC monthly meetings are held in room H-111.
Driving Directions:
680 Northbound:
Exit at Willow Pass Road
At the end of the exit ramp turn left onto Willow Pass Road
Continue on Willow Pass Road to the second signal and
turn right onto Contra Costa Blvd.
680 Southbound:
Exit at Concord Ave.
At the end of the exit ramp turn left on Contra Costa Blvd.
Direction into the Campus:
Continue on Contra Costa Blvd. to the signal at Golf Club Road and turn into Golf Club Road. At the second entrance into the campus turn left then immediately right to parking lot 7. Turn left into lot 7. Park (but don't use parking spaces that are reserved for faculty and staff only), then purchase a parking permit (see Parking Fees below) and put it on your dashboard. Click on this link (www.dvpc.org/about.html) to see:
> a detailed DVC map showing parking and our meeting room
> a map for driving to DVC
> an aerial view of the DVC campus
Parking fees:
On the Pleasant Hill campus parking permits are $3.00 per day. You can purchase permits at the parking permit machines. Parking permit machines take dollar bills as well as nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar coins, and credit cards. Note that these parking permit dispensers do not make change. DVC parking permits are required Monday through Friday at all times that classes are in session. That includes the times that DVPC meetings are held! Do not park in metered or faculty/staff spaces. Handicapped spaces are available and require a current state-issued handicapped placard or license plate.
You need to purchase a parking permit and place it face up on your dashboard so it is clearly visible through the windshield. If you attend classes at DVC and have a campus parking permit, you can use it when you attend DVPC meetings.
Parking violations:
Be sure to purchase a parking permit! Fines range from $35 for parking in a regular space without a permit, to over $275 for illegally parking in a space reserved for the handicapped.
Parking alternatives:
Some members carpool and share the parking fee; they park at Sun Valley Mall, have dinner at one of the many restaurants in the mall, then take one car to the meeting. There's limited street parking in the area near the campus. Some members park in the lots in front of College Park High School, which is across Viking Drive from DVC. Remember: if you decide to use any of these parking alternatives, you do so at your own risk!
About DVPC
by Ron Ogg, DVPC
What is a PC User Group?
From Windows to databases to web site development, whether you've had formal computer training or not, whether you use computers at work for a small business or a huge corporation, whether you're a student who wants to learn more about computers, or whether you are just a user who wants to meet with friends for sharing and learning from each other, user group members all have one thing in common – we enjoy working with our computers. We have a desire not just to learn more about that "mysterious" box we call a computer, but we have the desire to meet to learn and to share the knowledge we have with others. A PC User Group provides a place to meet and learn and share.
DVPC is a PC User Group
DVPC, the Diablo Valley PC Users Group, is the place for doing just that. DVPC members represent a wide variety of users, with ages that range from teenagers to our many valued retirees. We range in experience from PC novices to consultants and computer industry leaders, from simple users to power users to hardware and software designers. Our members use equipment that runs the full gambit from legacy systems to the latest and hottest Intel Pentium and AMD systems. So whatever your needs, interest, skills, age, or PC experience, DVPC is right for you!
Membership in DVPC is Contra Costa County's best bargain for computer users today. For just $30.00 annually (about the price of a twenty minutes with a computer technician) you can become a member of DVPC. Full time students can join for $20.00 annually.
Bring along your questions to a meeting and challenge our collective experience, someone has already been there and done that, and are eager to share the solution.
We have interesting computer-related products for our raffle held at each meeting. So be sure to attend meetings on a regular basis. As a member you'll get your first raffle ticket free each time you attend a meeting.
Members receive a notification email message with a password so they can access the current month's issue of Diablo Blue, our monthly web-based newsletter. Each issue includes articles of general interest, tips and tricks, columns by DVPC members, articles by well-known columnists, and includes the latest Dilbert cartoon.
Our meetings are casual, and our members are a fun-loving lot that ask questions about their computer hardware and software and are happy to share tips, techniques, and ideas for spirited discussion.
DVPC has a number of SIGs, Special Interest Groups that meet regularly to share specialized areas of interest. See our SIG News section below.
We hold our main monthly meeting on the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. Meetings are open to the public – you don't have to be a DVPC member to attend. But we hope you will join DVPC so you can gain access to the current month's issue of the Diablo Blue newsletter, raffle tickets, and SIG meetings.
How to Join
DVPC annual dues are only $30/year with access to the current month's issue of our on-line web-based monthly newsletter, Diablo Blue, and only $20/year for full time students.
To join DVPC, print and fill out a Membership Application and mail it with your check to DVPC, or bring it to one of our monthly meetings that are held on the first Thursday of each month.
Watch for Updates!
by Ron Ogg, DVPC
With our method of producing and publishing the monthly Diablo Blue newsletter, we can easily add updates to each month's issue. If an article is updated,the word Updated will be added in red to its entry in the Table of Contents.
When we add a new article "mid-month" the entire entry will be shown in red in the Table of Contents.
Links to Interesting Online Articles
by Ron Ogg, DVPC
Here are links to some interesting items we've found online. Check them out!
SOPA and PIPA: Internet Blacklist Legislation
The "Stop Online Piracy Act"/"E-PARASITE Act" (SOPA) and "The PROTECT IP Act" (PIPA) are the latest in a series of bills which would create a procedure for creating (and censoring) a blacklist of websites... Although the bills are ostensibly aimed at reaching foreign websites dedicated to providing illegal content, their provisions would allow for removal of enormous amounts of non-infringing content including political and other speech from the Web...
Read More (2/2012)
Websites go dark in protest of proposed SOPA/PIPA legislation on 1/18
Wikipedia, Moveon.org, Craigslist, user-submitted news site Reddit, the blog Boing Boing, Firefox browser creator Mozilla and the Cheezburger network of comedy sites planned to participate in a blackout to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) bills...
Read More (2/2012)
Unable to print or view the print preview of a webpage in IE
When you try to print or view the print preview of a webpage in Internet Explorer the webpage may not print or print preview correctly...
Read more (2/2012)
FBI Megaupload Shutdown Blocks Users from Personal Files, Business Data
After law enforcement authorities shut down Megaupload, a popular file sharing service, for violating copyright laws, Internet users took to Twitter and online forums in protest, calling it a form of censorship...
Read more (2/2012)
Kohler Website — Introducing Numi, Kohler’s most advanced toilet.
The Numi toilet combines unmatched design,
technology and engineering to bring you the finest
in personal comfort and...
Read more (2/2012)
NASA — Amazing Images from the Space Station
We envy the International Space Station astronauts with their window on the world offering breathtaking views of the Earth and the universe...
(Found by Paul Mitchell on the ‘Love These Pics’ website)
Read more (12/2011)
IEEE Spectrum Tech Alert — Opinion: Should the U.S. Scuttle NASA?
G. Pascal Zachary, a science policy professor at Arizona State University, says that it's time for NASA to be transformed into a dispenser of funds for private space ventures...
Read more (12/2011)
Electronic Waste — Where to Dispose of It
by Peggy Johnson, DVPC
Here's a list of ewaste donation sites in Central Contra County County. We've included sites where you can recycle single-use and rechargeable batteries, and to dispose of unneeded pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter medications. Be sure to check the websites to determine what they will accept. If you know or learn of others, please let me know with the location, hours, and website URL.
Computers and Electronics
Hauling Pros Recycling Center
www.dumpmytv.com
73A South Buchanan Circle
(on the left behind S&S Roofing)
Pacheco, CA 94553
925-682-8987
Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rapid Recycle
www.rapidrecycle.net
110 Second Ave., South B-1
Pacheco, CA 94553
925-671-8008
Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Recycle for Breast Cancer
www.recycleforbreastcancer.org/dropoffanytime.htm
31 Beta Court, Suite C
San Ramon, CA 94583
800-315-9580
7 days a week excluding holidays 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
A completed donation form is requested at the time of donation; this form can be downloaded from their website
e-Recycle OnUs
www.erecycleonus.com
1271 Boulevard Way
(at back left corner past East Bay Art and CTA)
Walnut Creek, CA 94595
925-934-1515
Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Electronic Waste Management
www.noewaste.com
E-Waste recycling events at Diablo Valley College
321 Golf Club Road
(in DVC overflow parking lot across from north side of main campus)
Pleasant Hill, CA
866-335-3373
First Saturday of every month (except holidays)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where to recycle Batteries
Single-Use Household Batteries
CVS/Longs Drugs
www.longs.com
Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, Lafayette,
Moraga, Orinda, Walnut Creek, San Ramon
Right Aid Drugstores
www.rightaid.com
Orinda, Walnut Creek
Radio Shack
www.radioshack.com
Danville, Walnut Creek
Check websites for store hours
Rechargeable Batteries
Right Aid Drugstores
www.rightaid.com
Check website for store hours
Specialty Batteries
Call(2)Recycle
www.call2recycle.org/drop-off-your-old-batteries.php?c=1&d=213&e=85&f=142&w=9100&r=Y
Where to Dispose of Unneeded Pharmaceutical and Over-the-Counter Medications
Walnut Creek City Hall
www.walnut-creek.org
1666 North Main Street, Walnut Creek
Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Look for the green Pharmaceutical Disposal bin
Please don't flush your drugs!
How and Where to Recycle or Dispose of Other Household Waste Items
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
The CCCSD has a two-page Disposal Guide for Central Contra Costa County brochure that can be viewed online or printed. This handy guide tells how to dispose of common household waste in safe, simple, and environmentally healthy ways. Click on the link below to access the brochure.
www.centralsan.org/documents/Brochure_Disposal_Guide.pdf
This brochure requires Adobe Acrobat Reader; you can download and install the latest version of Acrobat Reader by clicking this icon.
SIG News
Adobe Elements SIG Meeting Program
by Peggy Johnson, DVPC
It's become necessary to cancel the May 23rd Elements SIG, as Barry and Peggy are unavailable. The next Elements SIG meeting will be held on Thursday, June 27 at Peggy's home.
We will have a summer recess for the months of July and August and resume SIG meetings in September.
If you have any questions or would like to be added to the Elements SIG mailing list, contact Peggy at pegszone(at)aol.com.
Windows SIG Meeting Program
by Walt Parsons, DVPC
The Windows SIG is on vacation for the summer. There won’t be any meetings in June, July, and August.
The next Windows SIG meeting will be on Monday, September 9, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.
The Windows SIG meetings are usually held in the Meeting Room at the Walnut Creek-Ygnacio Valley Branch Library. It's located at 2661 Oak Grove Road in Walnut Creek. Take Ygnacio Valley Road east to Oak Grove Road and go south approximately 3 blocks to the library entrance. It's the second driveway on the right past the stop sign.
