Diablo Blue

The Newsletter of the Diablo Valley PC Users Group

NOVEMBER 1, 2007 MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

Top 10 Ways to Protect Your Computer
Presenter: Gene Barlow, User Group Relations

We use our computers today to do a wide variety of important tasks from communicating with family and friends to keeping track of our finances and many other purposes. If our computers stopped working today, most of us would miss their use in doing all of these things in our daily lives. There are certain things that all of us should be doing with our computers to protect them from damage and crashes. This preventive medicine is needed in order to keep our computers running smoothly without problems. We will identify in this presentation the 10 most important things that each of us needs to do to keep our computer healthy and running well. Knowing what these items are can help you to better maintain your computer in a good working condition. Take a few precautions ahead of time and avoid the pain of a major problem later. Don't miss this important presentation.

This month's meeting will be fun, interesting, and informative. Gene Barlow always provides an informative and entertaining presentation. And he offers excellent software applications at very attractive discounts. We'll see you on Thursday, November 1, at Diablo Valley College.

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Where Are DVPC Meetings Held?
by Ron Ogg, DVPC

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 H109 in the Humanities Building. See the campus map on the About DVPC page for driving directions, parking information, and how to get to room H109. Remember: there's a $2.00 parking fee, payable at the ticket machines in each lot. These ticket machines require quarters, so be sure to bring 8 quarters to buy your parking ticket. Place the ticket face up on the driver's side of your dashboard.

We have a Networking Table from 6:30 to 7:00; if you have something to sell or trade, need technical help, or just want to exchange views, visit the Networking Table. 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.

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 $2.00 per day for short-term parking. You can purchase permits at the parking permit machines marked with a red star on the maps above and below. Be sure to bring sufficient change! Parking permit machines only take quarters. DVC 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.

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.

Some members park (for free) in the College Park High School lot across Viking Drive from the DVC campus. Do so at your own risk!

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. 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!

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Diablo Blue Password Access
by Ron Ogg, DVPC

Starting with the December, 2007 issue of Diablo Blue, you will need the monthly login ID and password to access the current issue of the newsletter. If you are a paid-up member of DVPC you'll receive an email message, usually on the Weekend prior to the meeting, with the password.

As each month's issue is uploaded, it's placed in a password protected folder on dvpc.org. When you click on the link to go to the newsletter, a dialog box will be displayed asking for the login ID and password from the email message. The password is case-sensitive; either copy it from the email message or make sure you type it correctly.

As we add the current month's newsletter, the password on the prior month's newsletter will be removed so anyone coming to the DVPC website can access older issues of Diablo Blue.

If you have any problems accessing a password protected newsletter, please email webbie@dvpc.org.

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Watch for Updates!
by Ron Ogg, DVPC

With our new method of producing and publishing the monthly Diablo Blue newsletter, we can easily add updates to each month's issue. For example, we added an update to the October issue, a news article about Barry Brown demonstrating the new version 6 of Photoshop Elements at the PE SIG meeting.

When we add a new article "mid-month" it will be shown in red and will be at the bottom of the Table of Contents.

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President's Message
by Alan Mildwurm, DVPC

It is a pleasure to be writing this column again. Our new Web 2.0 newsletter is up and running as well as our archive of former issues.

This month we welcome back Gene and Linda Barlow who will show us the latest back up solutions from Acronis software. Having had a few computers decide to retire at times of their choosing, it is important to have AND FOLLOW a backup strategy. Gene’s theme will be “Top 10 Ways to Protect Your Computer”. Don't miss this important presentation.

In December we will have a presentation on making photo albums. Digital photography has taken the world of photography by storm. We now view our masterpieces on our flat screen TVs, digital photo frames, computers, iPods, PDA’s, and cell phones. Sometimes though it would be good to print your picture out on paper (what a concept!). Why stop there — why not publish your pictures in a hardcover book which you design and have in hand in just a day or so? Very easy, very cool.

In the meantime — enjoy Halloween!

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Where Was I When I Took That?
by Alan Mildwurm, DVPC

Ever happen to you? It is really more common than you think. What I am referring to is not being certain what your picture is of. In fairness I am speaking specifically about taking pictures while traveling and not remembering exactly which landmark is which. This last summer we went to Beijing. Trust me, the palaces all look alike. (If you have this problem in small family gatherings, your home, hometown or familiar circumstances (or what should be familiar circumstances), this review is not for you! — you need other help!)
                  
THE GISTEQ PHOTOTRACKR BT PRO
www.gisteq.com

The GiSTEQ™ PhotoTrackr™ will tell you exactly where you took each picture on your trip.  Utilizing the included mapping software and latest Geo-Mapping technology, the GiSTEQ™ PhotoTrackr™ allows you to record and review your trip knowing exactly where you have traveled. Furthermore, if you took pictures on your trip, it will even show you the exact location and time of your pictures.
Using the Gisteq is incredibly simple. There are 4 steps to follow.

  1. Use the provided software to synchronize your Digital Camera clock with GISTEQ™ PhotoTrackr™ unit. (One time only)

    Camera and GPS Logger clock synchronization screen
  2. Take the GISTEQ™ PhotoTrackr™ unit along with you when taking digital photos.

 

Phototrackr GPS Logger hardware

  1. Import photos and GPS log data into the provided software.

Phototrackr software screen


Clicking on an image brings this pop-up:

Phototrakr software showing large image and map

The selected image is pinpointed on the map with all EXIF data included:

Image on mape with EXIF data included

Image on map showing where picture was taken

  1. Share your photos on the included mapping software, Locr or Flickr™ online. (For free!)

Share your photos on Locr

GPS Datalogger: My model has a built in Bluetooth transmitter/receiver which allows it to double up as a GPS receiver for a PDA or laptop (non BT model can be used via USB.) My Ipaq running Streets and Trips recognized the unit immediately and plotted my location. What makes this logger unique is that it has a built-in sensor that wakes it up when it senses a movement and turns it off when it doesn't (the delay is user programmable). This is ideal for data logging as you don't use up memory or battery life to capture portions where you're not moving.

Another unique feature is that it “talks”, actually voice messages or sounds can be associated to certain actions. When it wakes it up it will say “searching for satellite signal”, “found GPS signal”, etc. It can be muted if need be. This can be a bit disconcerting when voices are heard coming from your pocket!

The memory capacity is rated at 250,000 points it can log with fast data transfers to the PC. Haven’t tested the full capacity — yet!

The battery life is rated at 22 hours of continuous usage and 2,000 hours of standby time. I have not had the unit long enough to test these claims — but battery life does not appear to be a problem.

The PhotoTrackr software: This is a full blown software suite that will handle everything from the GPS data downloading for multiple users to the GPS geocoding, Picture downloading, EXIF information display, the reverse geocoding to determine the address, geo-slideshow, picture sharing on flicker, logger settings, trip stats, etc.

Fast downloading: Connect the datalogger, hit the "download log" button, choose the users and the data transfers quickly with instant display on Google Maps.

Reverse address geocoding: Concurrent with the embedding of the GPS information (standard so it can be read with tools like www.locr.com), the software also does some reverse geocoding to show the address where the picture was taken.

Slideshow mode: This is probably the coolest feature since it lets you relive your trip by displaying the picture, top left, the reverse coded address, any comments you have added below and on the right a map showing where the picture was taken. Logs can be downloaded and converted into other formats.

MSRP: About $90 without Bluetooth and $110 for the Blue Tooth model. For $20 you can upgrade to Phototrackr Pro.

The GiSTEQ™ PhotoTrackr™ Pro version has enhanced support for RAW images. The pro version also works seamlessly with Adobe PhotoShop, Adobe Lightroom, and Adobe Bridge, which can be integrated into the RAW photo processing flow (GPS info will be written in XMP sidecar file). The PhotoTrackr Pro version is available as an upgrade to any version of PhotoTrackr™.

This is a very cool device that needs to be in every traveler’s camera bag.

The specifications are:

GPS Features Datum
Chipset NEMERIX low power chipset WGS-84
Frequency L1, 1575.42MHz
Dynamic Conditions
C/A Code 1.023MHz chip rate Altitude <18,000m (60,000feet)
Channels Supports 16 channels Velocity <515m/s (1000 knots)
Antenna (Internal) Built-in low noise patch antenna Acceleration <4G
Motional Jerk 20m/sec3 max.
Sensitivity Interface
To – 152dBm Tracking, Superior Urban Canyon Performance
GPS Protocol: Default: NMEA-0183 - RMC
Time to First Fix (TTFF) Data bit: 8, stop bit: 1 (Default)
Cold Start 45 sec, average
Environmental Characteristics
Warm Start 38 sec, average Operating Temperature - 10°C to + 60°C
Hot Start 6 sec, average Storage Temperature - 20°C to + 85°C
Reacquisition 1 sec
Device Size and Weight
Update Rate 1 Hz (max.) 77.4 (L) X 46.3 (W) X 22.5 (H) mm
Accuracy 3.05 (L) X 1.82 (W) X 0.89 (H) inch
Position 5m CEP (50%); 9m (90%) 68g (battery included)
Velocity 0.1m/sec, without SA 43g (without battery)
Time ±100ns synchronized to GPS time
Data Logger Power Store up to 250,000 records in flash memory (4MB)
Single Li-ion 1100mAh Rechargeable Battery, 5V
Log Data: NMEA format (Longitude, Latitude, Speed, UTC, Tag)
Operation Time Up to 25hrs, in continuous mode
Output Data Format: WGS84 2-degree transverse Mercator.
Standby Mode 2000 hrs
Log Interval: Time (1 sec ~ 30 mins) or Distance (2~65535 meters)
Charge Time 3 hrs Auto Power On in 3 Sec upon detecting vibration
Bluetooth Technology
Included in CD110BT Model

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Discounts on New Books from O'Reilly
by Marsee Henon, O'Reilly Media Inc.

Get 35% off from O'Reilly, No Starch, Paraglyph, PC Publishing, Pragmatic Bookshelf, Rocky Nook, SitePoint, or YoungJin books you purchase directly from O'Reilly. Just use code "DSUG" when ordering online or by phone 800-998-9938.

Free ground shipping on orders of $29.95 or more. See details.

Did you know you can request a free book or PDF to review for your group? Ask your group leader for more information. For book review writing tips and suggestions, go to: http://ug.oreilly.com/bookreviews.html

New Releases: Books, Short Cuts, and Rough Cuts:


For more information about each book, click on the title to link to the O'Reilly website page for that book.

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The Phenomenon of Facebook
by Courtney Jewett, Alamo PC Organization, Texas

What do Hillary Clinton, Tony the Tiger, and millions of college students have in common? They all have profiles on the contemporary social network known as Facebook.

As a college student, and avid Facebooker, I intend to share my knowledge and experiences with the site in order to uncover the reasons behind Facebook’s widespread success.

As Facebook.com explains, the purpose of this “social utility” is to keep friends connected and help people network in a safe online environment.

Mark Zuckerberg, an extremely intelligent student of Harvard University, created Facebook three years ago. At the age of 19, Mark and his college friends launched the site, which began as a place to connect Harvard students.

Today, Facebook has connections to universities across the globe, with over 25 million registered users. If you have a high school or college age child, chances are they’re very familiar with this popular site.

Once a fixation only among college students, Facebook is quickly expanding in the hope of connecting a diversity of users. Anyone with a valid e-mail address can register and create a free Facebook profile.

The site is successful because it is changing the ways in which the world can communicate.

Through Facebook, users create a profile where they can express their interests, activities, favorite movies, shows, books, quotes, and basic contact information. They can search for their friends and co-workers, and then click to add them as their ‘Facebook friend’.

There are countless ways to participate on Facebook, such as uploading pictures, ‘tagging’ or identifying ‘facebook friends’ that appear in your pics, sending messages, writing on friends’ walls, customizing your profile, writing notes to publish on Facebook, and updating your status to allow your friends to know exactly what you’re up to at any given time.

With all of these opportunities to connect, it’s no wonder people (especially students) are spending hours on this site, and visiting it repeatedly in order to stay updated with what’s happening in the lives of their Facebook friends.

Through Facebook, I am connected with 73 different networks, and hundreds of people, from the U.S. to Australia. I can see what my friends who are currently studying abroad are up to, and view pictures of their adventures.

Some of my favorite professors are now Facebook users. The site is an excellent tool for professors to get to know their students on a more personal level. It’s not uncommon for students to ask academic questions through Facebook messaging instead of e-mail, or to write friendly comments on their professor’s wall.

Employers are also discovering the benefits of Facebook, and can search for the profiles of potential employees. Therefore, it’s smart to keep a clean profile, and to be aware of who you are associating with through the site. Many sororities, fraternities, and campus organizations monitor the profiles of their members and discourage pictures of drinking, and inappropriate behavior.

Facebook’s privacy settings and methods of connectivity separate it from MySpace, and all other internet social networks. Myspace, which has similar features to Facebook, emphasizes individuality and expression through more personalized profiles. Facebook focuses on simple, safe connectivity.

Facebook corresponds more with real life than Myspace, as users typically add people they already know as their ‘Facebook friends’. Myspace, users are often contacted by random locals.

In upcoming articles, I’d like to further examine the role Facebook plays in the life of the student, as well as the advantages (and maybe one or two disadvantages) of the site. Lastly, we’ll uncover how Facebook is affecting the dating world, and improving the love lives of college students everywhere.

Courtney Jewett is a Senior English major at Baylor University, and is pursuing a career in Journalism. Courtney_Jewett(at)baylor.edu

This article has been provided to APCUG by the author solely for publication by APCUG member groups. All other uses require the permission of the author (see e-mail address above).

Obtained from APCUG with the author's permission for publication by APCUG member groups.

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DVPC Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
by Tom Krauss, DVPC

The meeting got off to a slow start. Sort of like a hundred and fifty car freight train. At first there’s more noise than actual activity. Then slowly it begins to move, building momentum little by little, accelerating ever faster, pulling out of the station with a purpose and direction…

Yes, our meetings generally begin like a freight train. Unfortunately, we never get more than five feet down the track before we slow again to a stop. I suppose you could say in the generally accepted sense of the word “meeting”, we never really start at all.

Barry brought an old camera that entertained us for a while. We took turns trying to open it and close it, and telling tales of the old cameras we had seen in our day. Some of those were pretty old. The cameras, I mean. I was going to impress everyone with my own anecdote, but when Charlie told of being Mathew Brady’s assistant during the Battle of Bull Run, I decided it would be hard to top that and folded.

Next Mel dazzled us with an impressive discussion of problems she encountered with a DVD player. She used words like “component” and “DMI”. I think she almost used “bandwidth” but hesitated out of politeness when she noticed I could not understand a word she was saying. I had no idea she was so technically inclined. If any members have problems or technical questions, you now have someone else to go to for the answers.

A lot more was said, but I can’t read my notes. I’ll try to write more legibly at the next meeting.

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This and That
by Elizabeth B. Wright, Computer Club of Oklahoma City

Have you accessed the Windows XP “Restore” option to reset your computer to an earlier time? We often need to do this when things go haywire after installing some new software. Fiddling around with old programs or offbeat wares can sometimes land you in hot water operating wise. I found myself in just such a mess not long ago. Fortunately I had made a restore point prior to installing the renegade software, so I was able to use it to get things back to normal. Well, almost.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT:
One of my oldest and most valued programs is Corel Paint. Suddenly, after going through the restore procedure, I began getting an error message plus having the program refuse to open when I double clicked on the desktop shortcut icon. This applied to Corel Draw as well. The error message said something about trying to install the program, then it would go through some strange digital machinations before rolling everything back and giving up. Strangely enough though, if I double clicked on a .jpg or .tif file in Explorer, the files would open the program with no difficulty. Several days were spent opening graphic files in this manner when it suddenly dawned on me that perhaps the programs might open from the executable files directly. Sure enough, when I went to them, again in Explorer, they both opened like clockwork. So why did it take me several more days to figure out that the icons on my desktop had some way become corrupted? I don’t want to know the answer to that one.

Anyway, after deleting the icons, new ones were put in place by right clicking on the executable files in Explorer and double clicking the “Send to desktop” option from the menu. Usually the names given icons made in this way are not the best, so they usually get changed to something more useful on my computer. Often part of the name is “shortcut”. Who needs that? It’s fairly simple to change the name. Just click once on the icon, wait long enough so that the computer doesn’t interpret the next click as a double click, then the icon text will be in “Edit” mode. You may have to experiment with the timing for this since not all “mice” are set for the same response time. The two clicks need to be fairly close together, but not close enough for a double click. Once in “Edit” mode you can type in whatever name that makes better sense to you.

Shortcut iconExecutable program icon

 

 

 

We should all know by now that if there is a curved arrow in the lower left corner of the icon then the icon is a shortcut to the executable file, not the program or file itself. Be very careful. Sometimes there actually are  icons for executable programs placed on your desktop when the programs are installed. Those icons will not have the curved arrow. Don’t delete them unless you want to get rid of the program itself. This applies also to other things you might have placed on the desktop yourself, such as graphic or document files. It might be wise to leave those names in their original form. It might also be a good idea to examine the icons on your computer to see how many, if any, DO NOT have the curved arrow. Chances are there won’t be many, possibly none. It is helpful to know if there are any that reflect actual programs or files, just to keep yourself informed about your own computer system.

It always pays to figure out what your computer is up to. Since it lives a life separate from yours it is often not possible to tell just what it has been doing in your absence. With the new powerful operating systems, many, many things go on in the background when the machine is powered on, whether you are there or not.  Supernerds probably have eliminated many of the automatic actions, but most of us just muddle on, thankful that the computer runs at all.

This article has been provided to APCUG by the author solely for publication by APCUG member groups. All other uses require the permission of the author (wright599new(at)sbcglobal.net).

Obtained from APCUG with the author's permission for publication by APCUG member groups.

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Portable Data
by Corinne Goeke, Computer Club of Green Valley, Arizona

Which of the following is an item for storing computer data?

A) Thumb Drive
B) Jump Drive
C) Flash Drive
D) Key Drive
D) Memory Stick
E) USB Stick
F) UFD
G) All of the above

If you guessed “G,” good for you. All of the above names refer to UFDs or “USB Flash Drives.” USB, of course, refers to those little rectangular ports you can find (although there never seems to be enough of them) on the back and front of most computers.

So what is a UFD? You see them connected to people's key chains, hanging around necks on a cord and stuck in pockets and purses! Simply put, a UFD is a really convenient data storage device. Think of a one-gigabyte UFD as being 694 floppy disks all packed into a two-inch long by 1/2-inch wide package.

UFDs are data storage devices that have replaced CDs, floppies and other methods of carrying data from computer to computer. Plug one into a USB port on any computer, and you can read and write files on it. It is now the method of choice for transporting data that you need often.

In fact, there is a special class of UFDs called U3 that can also store applications. Plug one of these UFDs into a computer, and you can run Mozilla Firefox, Open Office, or even utilize an operating system such Linux.

The cost of a UFD depends upon the number of bytes it can hold. A 64 megabyte UFD used to be considered more than enough storage. But as the size of data files has increased, so has the size of UFDs. Fortunately, the prices for large storage has dropped considerably. You can pick up a 1 Gigabyte UFD for around $15. A large UFD currently available is a 16 Gigabyte that sells for $133 at www.newegg.com.

UFD that looks like a twigFinally, your choice of UFD can reflect your individuality. You don't have to settle for the standard gray plastic housing. You can buy UFDs that look like twigs http://inhabitat.com/2006/02/08/oooms-twig-usb-drive/ or even animal characters http://lab.mimoco.com/.

So, if you find you need to transport data files from computer to computer, a UFD is an easy solution. They are available anywhere you can buy electronics.

A ward of caution. To avoid losing data, be sure to eject a UFD before removing it from the USB port. You can go to My Computer, right click on the UFD device and select eject. Or you can use the Safely Remove Icon on the lower right corner of your desktop.

This article has been provided to APCUG by the author solely for publication by APCUG member groups. All other uses require the permission of the author Cmgoeke(at)yahoo.com.

Obtained from APCUG with the author's permission for publication by APCUG member groups.

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Understanding Your Computer's BIOS
By Brian K. Lewis, Ph.D., Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Florida

The computer's basic input/output system (BIOS) is really a major key to its proper operation.

The BIOS differs from one computer to another depending on the make of the motherboard and the make of the computer itself. So let's look at what it does and why it is so important for the operation of your computer.

When you wake up your computer by turning on the power, the first component to be activated is the computer processor. The CPU is preprogramed to look for a location in the RAM memory, usually near the end of system memory. This location contains a jump instruction to the location in memory of the BIOS program. On activation the BIOS starts executing a series of diagnostic instructions to verify that the computer is functioning properly. One of the first tests is the power-on self test (POST). If there are any fatal errors the computer will shut down and not proceed further. Some computers have a series of "beep" codes that can help a technician in determining the cause of the failure.

On some computers one of the first indications that the boot process is proceeding normally is the graphics card display on the video screen. This is because the BIOS has found and loaded the video BIOS. Then you will see either a manufacturer's splash screen or the sequence of messages from the BIOS. The BIOS also looks for any other connected devices, such as SCSI or SATA drives, that have a BIOS Read only Memory (ROM) and those instructions will be loaded into memory. If the manufacturer's splash screen isn't hiding the start-up info, you will see the memory count, the floppy, hard drive and CD/DVD drive identification lines appearing on the screen.

The BIOS carries out a system inventory that includes determining the memory timing information, connection of the keyboard, hard drive parameters, plug & play settings, etc. Further it loads the interrupt handlers, initializes the registers and resets the power management. The BIOS also displays a text-based summary screen. This summary includes the CPU and its clock speed, the drives that have been identified, their size and type, system memory size and configuration, video, com ports and parallel ports. Finally the BIOS looks for a boot drive.

Most modern BIOSes can boot from a wide array of devices, not just hard drives. They can boot from CD/DVD, flash drives, or external drives. In every case the BIOS uses the boot sequence information that is stored in the CMOS ROM. This is information that can be changed by the user. The term CMOS stands for Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. Now you see why the name is abbreviated. Once the BIOS identifies the boot drive it searches for the master boot record and starts the operating system boot process on the drive. At that point control of the boot process is taken over by the operating system. Many functions relating to device drivers and plug & play devices handled by the BIOS are now handled directly by Windows.

All of the processes carried out by the BIOS are required to allow the hardware to interface with the operating system. Since the basic hardware in a computer can vary widely depending on the make and model, there must be a common interface for it to communicate with the operating system (OS). The OS cannot incorporate all the necessary low level routines for all the possible combinations of computer hardware. The BIOS provides this common interface.

The BIOS programming is usually contained in a chip on the motherboard referred to as an EEPROM chip. This is a programmable chip that can be altered by using software from the motherboard manufacturer. However, anytime you try to change the programming in this chip you can change it in such a way as to prevent your computer from booting. So great care should be taken anytime you need to upgrade your BIOS. It is always advisable to make a copy of the original BIOS on a removable disk so you can restore it if necessary. So when should you need to upgrade your BIOS? In some cases manufacturers will make BIOS upgrades available which will allow you to upgrade your CPU with a newer version. Or they make a change to allow the BIOS to recognize faster system memory or more memory. You must always ensure that the BIOS upgrade you plan on installing is specific for your motherboard. So you need to know the manufacturer and the motherboard model. Just remember, a mistake may make your computer unusable, requiring a major repair such as replacing the motherboard. Unless, of course, you made a backup of the original BIOS.

The CMOS portion of the BIOS is also very important to the proper function of your computer. The settings in the CMOS are retained by use of a low-voltage battery on the motherboard. In some few modern motherboards you can no longer find the battery. That's because it is integrated into another chip and is non-replaceable. Although the battery may have a long life span (more than five years), some computers are still going strong after ten years. Some motherboards may use nonvolatile RAM that doesn't require a battery to keep the information safe. In this case the battery, if one is present, is used only for the real-time clock. So when the battery fails, the computer can still boot.

In order to change any of the CMOS settings you have to use a key stoke, or series of key strokes, during the early part of the boot-up process. The most common keystroke is that of the AMI BIOS that uses just the DEL key to access the setup program. However, some manufacturers use other specific keystrokes and may even vary the combination from one model to another. So it is advisable that you check your owner's manual for specific instructions on how to access the setup program in your computer. This setup may be called the BIOS setup, the CMOS setup or some combination of these terms.

The setup program allows you to change some parameters related to the operation of your computer. Generally you can set the system time and date in the CMOS. As mentioned earlier, you can change the boot sequence in the CMOS to select the order in which the BIOS will look for a bootable drive. The CMOS setup allows you to specify how fast your computer reads from memory, whether or not your CPU's cache is enabled or disabled and how fast your PCI bus communicates with its adapter cards. In the advanced settings, you can modify other parameters such as power management, USB settings, and enable or disable I/O ports. You may also be able to set the computer to turn on in response to an incoming call on a modem or a request via a local network. In some motherboards the CMOS settings allow you to "overclock" your system. This means that you can set your CPU and/or system memory to operate at a frequency higher than the standard manufacturers' values. Unless used with great care, changing these values can destabilize the computer operation. The settings in the CMOS will vary depending on the computer manufacturer and the make of the BIOS. Some manufacturers make their own BIOS chips while others purchase them from companies such as AMI, Phoenix or WinBond. Reading your user manual or motherboard manual will give you a better idea of just what is included in your setup program.

The setup program uses a "CMOS checksum" as an error-detecting code. Each time you change the BIOS settings, the checksum is generated by adding all the bytes in the CMOS memory and then storing the lowest byte of the sum. Then, each time the system is booted, the system re-computes the checksum and compares it with the stored value. If they are different, then the system knows that the CMOS has been corrupted somehow and will warn you with an error, typically something like "CMOS Checksum Error". Then you need to enter the setup program and check the settings. Usually, once you save the settings and exit setup, the computer will boot normally.

Most of the preceding information applies when you first start the computer after it has been off for a time. This is called a "cold boot". If you restart your computer from Windows using the "restart" selection, or the "three-finger salute" (CTRL-ALT-Del), or the "reset" button, then this is a "warm boot". Then most of the POST is omitted and the BIOS reloads interrupts, device drivers, checks the CMOS and loads the peripheral BIOSes. Then the memory, drives and summary are displayed on the video screen.

As I hope you now realize, the BIOS and its associated CMOS are essential for the operation of your computer. Always be cautious in making changes in the setup or in updating your BIOS. That way you can ensure continued operation of your system.

There is another thing I should mention. Use of the BIOS originated with the IBM AT some twenty-five years ago. As computer technology has changed radically in this time span, there is a move afoot to replace the BIOS with what is referred to as "UEFI" or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface. The specifications for this interface were first published in October 2006 and revised in January 2007. The statement of purpose from the UEFI organization is as follows: "The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) specification defines a new model for the interface between operating systems and platform firmware. The interface consists of data tables that contain platform-related information, plus boot and runtime service calls that are available to the operating system and its loader. Together, these provide a standard environment for booting an operating system and running pre-boot applications."

Currently the companies involved are working on producing motherboards using the UEFI firmware in place of the BIOS. However, there is also some consideration that some users may need to have both a BIOS and the UEFI firmware. Since this process is still in flux, keep tuned for future developments.

Dr. Lewis is a former university & medical school professor. He has been working with personal computers for more than thirty years. He can be reached via e-mail at bwsail@yahoo.com.

This article has been provided to APCUG by the author solely for publication by APCUG member groups. All other uses require the permission of the author (see e-mail address above).

Obtained from APCUG with the author's permission for publication by APCUG member groups.

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Would You Sign This Contract?
by Rob Rice, Computer Club of Oklahoma City

Ok, here’s the deal; I offer you a big, 56-inch, shiny new Filch Plasma Screen TV and I will sell it to you if you will agree to have a camera installed in your home so I may watch you watching the new television. Sound fair? You also agree that should you disable or inhibit the free operation of the camera in any way, you forfeit the television and your money.  Neither am I responsible for any damages to your home from the equipment or its use nor do I guaranty privacy or even that the television will work.

Would you sign such a contract? Many of us, in a sense, have already agreed to something like the above scenario when we clicked on the End User License Agreement (EULA), the contract that accompanies most software these days.

It pretty much goes without saying that most of us do not read EULAs. They are often long, dry, and hard to understand documents written in a very small type face and crammed in a tiny window. Even if there is something bad in it, what are the chances it will have any real affect? After all “I’m one among millions”.

We may often think of ourselves as just one among many cattle feeding in the pasture, so “The chances of lightening striking me are remote”. But lightening did hit hundreds of folks in the form of a Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lawsuit. Hundreds of persons have been sued for allegedly downloading music illegally. For example, RIAA filed a lawsuit against 12-year-old Brianna LaHara, whose mom had paid a $29.99 service charge to KaZaA for the company's music service, said Brianna, "I got really scared. My stomach is all turning," "I thought it was OK to download music because my mom paid a service fee for it. Out of all people, why did they pick me?" (1)

But what we have learned since Brianna’s case came to light is that many intellectual property owners are using eavesdropping techniques to monitor end user compliance. Whether it’s intercepting data traffic over an Internet connection or placing spyware on your computer the name of the game seems to be intimidation through litigation. Of course heavy-handed tactics do tend to produce mistakes and bad public feeling, such as RIAA’s disastrous lawsuit where they sued a deceased great-grandmother who reportedly had never owned a computer. (2)

But what is interesting is that software that tends to operate in a dubious manner will typically tell you up front, or give you some hints in its EULA. Take for example this classic EULA that was analyzed by Benjamin Edelman back in 2004, he is an assistant professor at the Harvard Business School and a member of the Massachusetts Bar. It is Gator, an advertising pop-up software that often came embedded in weather monitors, organizers and clock synchronizers, (The company changed its name to Claria Corporation. GAIN stands for Gator Advertising Information Network) The EULA, with over 5,900 words of text, informed the user that:

“You agree that you will not use, or encourage others to use, any unauthorized means for the removal of the GAIN AdServer, or any GAIN-Supported Software from a computer.”

That includes removing it with AdAware or SpyBot, which listed it as spyware.

“Any use of a packet sniffer or other device to intercept or access communications between GP and the GAIN AdServer is strictly prohibited.”

Meaning you cannot monitor what it is doing while it is on your computer!

Mr. Edelman’s website is a very good resource for the wary and worth a look, (http://www.benedelman.org/news/112904-1.html).

Sony has faced some embarrassing headlines as of late with their music CD’s EULA and rightly so. Take for example these observations by the Electronic Frontier Foundation regarding the contents of the Sony EULA:

  • If you file for bankruptcy, you have to delete all the music on your computer.
  • The EULA says Sony-BMG will never be liable to you for more than $5.00.
  • If your house gets burgled, you have to delete all your music from your laptop when you get home. That's because the EULA says that your rights to any copies terminate as soon as you no longer possess the original CD.
  • You must install any and all updates, or else lose the music on your computer. The EULA immediately terminates if you fail to install any update. No more holding out on those hobble-ware downgrades masquerading as updates.
  • If you move out of the country, you have to delete all your music. The EULA specifically forbids "export" outside the country where you reside. (3)

Most EULAs that I have read place all of the burden and financial responsibility upon you. You pay the money, you take the risk, and you take the liability. The software company decides everything in its favor and takes no responsibility what-so-ever even for the software doing what it claims to do! It would seem that you in effect given up your legal rights in exchange to use a piece of software.

Ok, so you read the license agreement but the mind numbing experience had you re-reading the same sentence over and over and by the time you were done you felt like the first documented case of someone having actually died from boredom. What is worse, you still don’t know what it said! But cheer up, there is help available. For example, The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a helpful article titled, “Dangerous Terms a User's Guide to EULAs” by Annalee Newitz. (4) It describes some of the more dubious terms found in some EULAs and what to look out for. Such as:

  1. "Do not criticize this product publicly."
  2. "Using this product means you will be monitored."
  3. "Do not reverse-engineer this product."
  4. "Do not use this product with other vendor's products."
  5. "By signing this contract, you also agree to every change in future versions of it. Oh yes, and EULAs are subject to change without notice."
  6. "We are not responsible if this product messes up your computer."

You can also use some of the EULA analyzers that are available. While they are not a substitute for carefully reading a user agreement they can be very helpful by flagging suspect sentences, especially when you have an insanely long contract such as the over 32,000 words found at the Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum’s web site. Figuring this would bring any EULA analyzer to its knees, I put it through the Spyware Guide’s on-line EULA Analyzer. (5) It performed beautifully and flagged areas that the Analyzer thought suspicious, including:

You agree to pay us three thousand dollars per unsolicited e-mail sent, or prohibited comment posted to the CPRR Discussion Group, or telephone call and fifteen thousand dollars per e-mail address added to your commercial mailing list in violation of the foregoing, plus damages. The CPRR Museum participates in Project Honey Pot which allows us to track and help catch spammers who harvest e-mail addresses from our web pages.

One analyzer that I have been using for several months now is the EULAlyzer by Javacool Software LLC, who also publish SpywareBlaster. This is an application that is very simple to use, just click analyze and then drag the application’s pointer over the EULA and automatically copies it into the program. Click the “Analyze” button and it gives you its assessment almost instantaneously.

EULAlyzer Personal

The EULAlyzer personal is free for educational and personal use and a Pro version with added features is also available. (6)

If you are still not convinced of the importance of reading the EULA, you might consider this; the folks over at PC Pitstop (http://pcpitstop.com) decided to see just how many people read the agreement. In their EULA they actually offered monetary compensation for reading the document! It stated:

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION

A special consideration which may include financial compensation will be awarded to a limited number of authorize licensees to read this section of the license agreement and contact PC Pitstop at consideration@pcpitstop.com. This offer may be withdrawn at any time.

Unfortunately it took four months before anyone collected. Doug Heckman was the first person to email them in 3000 downloads! For his efforts PC Pitstop gave him $1,000. So there you have it, incentive to read the license agreement!

Reading EULAs can actually be quite an interesting experience. Read enough of them and you quickly learn how bold some companies have become in trying to thwart trade laws. But don’t take my word for it, take a look at some of the Microsoft, Google, or as the hardware industry attempts to apply the same yoke on its customers, Lexmark EULAs and see what they have to say, you may be amazed!

(1)       Fox News, “12-Year-Old Sued for Music Downloading” http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,96797,00.html
(2)       BetaNews, “RIAA Sues Deceased Grandmother” http://www.betanews.com/article/RIAA_Sues_Deceased_Grandmother/1107532260 (3)       Electronic Frontier Foundation,
          “Now the Legalese Rootkit: Sony-BMG's EULA”   http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004145.php
(4)      Electronic Frontier Foundation,
          “Dangerous Terms: A User's Guide to EULAs”
http://www.eff.org/wp/eula.php
(5)       Spyware Guide’s on-line EULA Analyzer, http://www.spywareguide.com/analyze/analyzer.php
(6)       EULAlyzer
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/index.html

This article’s reference to the Electronic Frontier Foundation should not be construed as an endorsement of the organization by the author. Rob Rice is a computer specialist living in Anchorage Alaska and a member of the Computer Club of Oklahoma City. Rob can be contacted at articles@isp.com.

http://www.spywareguide.com/analyze/analyzer.php
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/index.html

http://www.benedelman.org/news/112904-1.html
http://www.eff.org/wp/eula.php

Obtained from APCUG with the author's permission for publication by APCUG member groups.

This article has been provided to APCUG by the author solely for publication by APCUG member groups. All other uses require the permission of the author (see e-mail address above).

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CyberDefender Halloween Promotion
by Judy Taylour, APCUG

Dear User Group Member:

CyberDefender wanted to make sure that we let our friends in User Groups know about this very special promotion coming up this week. This Halloween (10/31) CyberDefender (www.cyberdefender.com) is giving away a free day of tech support to anyone who calls (877) 377-3765.

Support issues can include anything from repairing malware damage, speeding up system performance or even making sure that our competitor’s security solutions are working. As you know, most single tech support calls usually cost around $50.00 to $100 each. This promotion is being done to promote CyberDefender’s new Internet Security solutions that include Premium Tech Support 24/7/365. With our new solutions, we believe that it’s important for users to feel that their security software stands behind them whenever things go wrong. We are launching this promotion as a showcase for our new security suite solutions with premium support included. While CyberDefender works to create a first rate security suite, we also believe that protection does not stop at blocking threats but supporting users if something happens. Many software companies abandoned the customer at the sales counter or when it comes to support charge extreme one time only fee’s even when their software did not perform as promised. This new offering is our effort to come closer to our goal of worry free secure computing. We have added two levels of included support:

  • CyberDefenderComplete is our security software 2 GB of online backup and 24/7 365 premium phone, live chat, email and with permission – remote in support.
  • CyberDefenderUltimate is that plus support for anything you connect to your PC

Support is unlimited for one year from activation and costs in many cases far less than most companies charge for per incident fees.  In addition, we will even support the competition.

We stand by our product and we stand by our users – we think more companies should take care of their customers the same way. 

Please help us help you by taking this survey after the free call: www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=eQiJ_2fuU3XjpPN39lnI0U2A_3d_3d

Carolina Sanabria
CyberDefender
pr@cyberdefender.com

CYBERDEFENDER WILL EXORCIZE YOUR COMPUTER DEMONS
WITH FREE TECH SUPPORT THIS HALLOWEEN

Is Your Computer Possessed? Does It Seem Like Your Hard Drive’s Haunted? Reclaim Your Computer from Zombies, Botnets, Viruses and other Malware

Los Angeles, Calif. – October 18, 2007 – October 31st is known for the ghosts and goblins of All Hallows Eve, but this Halloween is different as security software developer CyberDefender Corporation (www.cyberdefender.com) (OTCBB:CYDE)  and leading tech support provider Quatrro are partnering to remove the zombies, spyware, botnets, adware and viruses that may have taken over your computers.

On Wednesday, October 31, 2007 any computer user can contact CyberDefender at (877) 377-3765 for free comprehensive technical support for their home or office computers. CyberDefender’s world-class technical resolution and support services are is available 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week.

“Computer users are constantly under attack from industrious viruses, spyware and other threats,” said Alan Wallace, senior vice president, CyberDefender Corporation. “This is why we are so deeply committed to being a solid frontline defense against such threats.

“We do our best to ensure that our customers achieve worry free computing. We firmly believe that real protection means standing by your product and providing additional safeguards should something penetrate virus defenses as well offering support for our competitor’s security solutions,” added Wallace.

CyberDefender’s recently released Complete and Ultimate security suites, already include free phone and remote support for a full year, in addition to providing hassle-free support for competitors security solutions. 

“This free day of tech support is designed to demonstrate to all computer users that world-class, hassle-free tech support is a reality one that users of CyberDefender’s new security suites are already familiar with 24/7/365,” Wallace concluded.

CyberDefender’s support program is powered by Quatrro.

CYBERDEFENDER DEBUTS NEW INTERNET SECURITY SUITES FEATURING 24/7/365 INCLUDED PHONE AND REMOTE TECH SUPPORT

CyberDefenderCOMPLETE and CyberDefenderULTIMATE Underscores Commitment to Making the Best and Most User-Friendly Security Software

Los Angeles, CA – September 27, 2007 - Security software developer, CyberDefender Corporation (www.cyberdefender.com) (OTC BB: CYDE), today announced the launch of its new enhanced security suites with 24/7 phone and/or remote support as well as 2 gigabytes of online backup - CyberDefenderCOMPLETE™ and CyberDefenderULTIMATE™. 

These new CyberDefender security offerings underscore the company’s commitment to developing the best and most user-friendly security solutions available. These new features to the CyberDefender product suite provide valuable support that typically comes only at an additional cost from other providers of security software.

CyberDefenderULTIMATE™ - $99.99 per year

  • CyberDefender Early Detection Center security suite
  • 2 gigabytes of CyberDefender’s Online Backup
  • CyberDefender’s new Support Option featuring year round support for any software or hardware you connect to your computer. 

CyberDefenderULTIMATE™ includes CyberDefender’s Early Detection Center 2.0 while also providing  unlimited tech support for one full year via phone (800 service), e-mail and remote connect and repair for your PC Peripherals and gadgets are also includes as is anything that you connect to your computer. This solution will help you resolve all PC related problems and errors, allowing you to get back to business. We will walk you through a step-by-step resolution for problems ranging from system startup, slow performance, anti-viruses and more. Our solutions engineers can also walk you through basic features of the various applications and devices that you may be using.  This option also provides technical support for security suites offered from our competitors.  Similar services can charge as much per incident and this offering is available for you for one year and as many times as needed.

CyberDefenderCOMPLETE™ ($59.99 per year)

  • CyberDefender Early Detection Center security
  • 2 gigabytes of CyberDefender’s Online Backup
  • CyberDefender’s new Support Option featuring year round support for malware attacks such as viruses or spyware. 

CyberDefenderCOMPLETE™ includes CyberDefender’s Early Detection Center 2.0 and provides unlimited anti-malware tech support for one full year via phone (800 service), e-mail and remote connect and repair for your PC. This includes complete support to eradicate and protect your PC from threats like viruses, adware, spyware and other malware, that may already infect your PC. This option also provides technical support for security suites offered from our competitors.  Similar services can charge as much per incident and this offering is available for you for one year and as many times as needed.

Both new security suites also include 2 gigabytes of CyberDefender Online Backup, powered by SOS Online Backup.  This is the same online backup solution awarded PC Magazine’s “Editor’s Choice” award; and designated the “Top Buy” award by PC User Magazine which called SOS a “must have” service. CyberDefender believes that SOS is truly a best-of-breed product and the power tool of choice.
 
“With these new offerings, CyberDefender is furthering our efforts to create a worry free computing environment.  Too many security software vendors charge for support when their products fail and when you need them the most.  At CyberDefender we don’t think you should pay $10 per incident phone call or $40 or more per incident for someone to remotely repair the damage caused when the protection you paid for fails you.  We stand by our product and we want to take the worry out of your computer experience.” said Alan Wallace CyberDefender’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications.

Each new suite is built on the patent-pending CyberDefender Early Detection Center platform. Early Alert Center™ is always on the lookout for suspicious behavior and reports such behavior instantly for analysis and, where a solution is determined to be necessary, rapidly distributes the solution to all Early Detection Center users.

Early Detection Center includes:

  • Spyware Removal - Defends against spyware, computer scams and Internet identity theft.
  • Early detection of, and protection against, viruses
  • Spam Killer - Works to keep criminal email out.
  • Email Protection - Ensures the safety of outgoing email.
  • Intrusion Controls - Internet security tools providing an early update alert tool for Windows Updates, a password vulnerability analyzer, and more.

CyberDefender’s Early Detection Center identifies infections catching spyware, viruses, phishing attempts and other malicious attacks early in the cycle while quickly providing security updates. Early Detection Center takes advantage of CyberDefender’s patent-pending earlyNETWORK™, a client-to-client distributed system for security updates, which achieves early detection and immunization of PCs, while also working in conjunction with other security software.

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Crack Open Your Digital Camera
by Ron Ogg, DVPC

Well, I don't mean that literally! But haven't you wondered, "What is really inside my digital camera?" I know that I have! But I've never trusted that if I did take one of my digital cameras, unscrew a bunch of screws, and open it up to my inquiring eyes, that I'd ever get it back together and working.

Fortunately, c|net's News.com decided to assuage their own curiosity, and not only took apart a compact digital camera, they took pictures of the entire process (using a different digital camera, of course). You can see what they did, how they did it, and exactly what they found inside at www.news.com/2300-11386_3-6216103.html?part=dht.

I recommend that you take a look. It's interesting! Just remember, don't try this at home. And am I glad I let them do it!

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Photoshop Elements SIG Meeting Program
by Barry Brown, DVPC

The November Photoshop Elements SIG meeting will continue with more retouching techniques. This month we will explore enhancing faces and removing blemishes. We will also have an update on Elements 6 and the new book “Elements 6, The Missing Manual.” Don’t forget to check out the Elements SIG pages at www.bkbrown.net for all the latest news, information and tutorials.

The Photoshop Elements SIG meets on the third Wednesday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 21, 2007, at Peggy Johnson's home in Concord.

Please email Peggy for further information and/or directions.

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