February 4, 2010
Internet Connections — Tools and Toys

There are a lot of different things that you can do with a computer. Alan and Ron will show some unique ways to connect to the internet and view videos, download data, read books, work on files, manage your collection of digital photos, and much more.
You'll see how you can connect to the internet using the G3 network, how to download and read dBooks online, how to watch how much data you're uploading and downloading, and new programs that will let you view and edit your digital photos.
This month's meeting will, as usual, be interesting and informative. We'll see you on February 4, 2010 in room H107 at Diablo Valley College.

Where and When We Meet
Our 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 H107 in the Humanities Building. See the campus map on the About DVPC page for driving directions, parking information, and how to get to room H107.
Remember: there's a $2.00 parking fee, payable at the ticket machines in each lot. Place the ticket face up on the driver's side of your dashboard.
NOTE: Diablo Valley College has replaced all of the old coin-only parking permit dispensers to new models that take dollar bills as well as nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar coins, and will at some time in the future take credit cards. No longer do you have to have a collection of eight quarters to buy your parking permit!
Members network prior to the start of our program from 6:30 to 7:00; if you have something to sell or trade, need technical help, or just want to exchange views, be sure to come early.
The regular monthly meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. with Random Access where you can ask questions or report on technical problems, followed by a presentation by our guest speaker. Also, as usual, we'll have SIG news and some of our usual great door prizes.

Diablo Blue Newsletter
Our monthly newsletter, Diablo Blue, is now 100% online, and published as a web document. What started as a printed newsletter, then converted to an online publication using pdf files and the Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing. Both of these publication methods had a disadvantage: The newsletter could not be updated once it was published. So, we switched to publishing Diablo Blue as a web page. It's easier to read than the pdf version, the newsletter files are significantly smaller and load faster, and, most importantly, we can update each month's issue of Diablo Blue when there's a change or new information for DVPC members. Updates are flagged on the Table of Contents in red so you know if there's something new to check out.
Let us know how you like this new way of publishing Diablo Blue, and if you like the update feature. To check it out now, click on Newsletter on the menu at the top of this and every page of the dvpc.org website.

DVPC News Items
News items, including new features on the DVPC web site and in the Diablo Blue newsletter, SIG meeting changes, and other information of interest to DVPC members can be found on our DVPC News page. You can click on the story links below, or on this DVPC News link or the ones on the menu bars that are at the top and bottom of each page.

Special Offers for DVPC Members
Take a look at the special offers on our Links page and purchase books and software from DVPC's sponsors.