Diablo Blue

The Newsletter of the Diablo Valley PC Users Group

•        DVPC Website    |
• About DVPC    |
• Map and Directions    |
• Calendar    |
• SIG News

APRIL 2, 2009 MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

Tracking Vehicle Locations
Presenter: Charlie Crothers, DVPC

Charlie Crothers will demonstrate a system that tracks vehicle locations by means of data sent from GPS equipped Motorola MotoTrbo UHF radios. The vehicle/s locations are shown in near real time on a map. Does this sound a bit like Big Brother? Come to this month's meeting and find out!

Geo fencing and text messaging are also capabilities but he may not have time to set that up, or even if it will work with the antennas that he has going through the concrete walls of the building at DVC where we meet. Charlie will be testing the setup early next week and will need a volunteer to drive or walk around outside to show (or simulate) vehicle movement. If it doesn’t work, he may be his own mobile volunteer!

This month's meeting will be something very different, interesting, and will show some of the technology that's available. We'll see you on Thursday, April 2, 2009 at Diablo Valley College.

NOTE: Diablo Valley College has parking permit dispensers that take dollar bills as well as nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar coins, and will at some time in the future take credit cards. Note that these parking permit dispensers do not make change.

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 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 take dollar bills and quarters, but do not give change so be sure to bring correct bills and/or 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. You can purchase permits at the parking permit machines marked with a red star on the maps on the DVPC website. Parking permit machines take nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar coins. 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.

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!

Diablo Blue Password Access
by Ron Ogg, DVPC

You will need the monthly 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 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.

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. If an article is updated,the word Updated will be added in red

When we add a new article "mid-month" the entire entry will be shown in red in the Table of Contents.

DVPC Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
by Tom Krauss, DVPC

We began with a brief discussion about the sad fact that printed newspapers seem to be going the way of the Edsel. Someone cited them as being relatively unbiased. Someone who has not seen “Citizen Kane”. But when compared to what is replacing the printed word, namely the Internet, I would have to agree: newspapers are relatively unbiased. It frankly scares me to think that many people today rely on the Internet for their news, their analysis and their opinions.

The Internet has made character assassination quite an easy thing to accomplish. People today seem to think that if something derogatory is expressed with humor, preferably with an undertone of viciousness, and in moderately coherent English (not a firm requirement), it is probably true.

Of itself, this is not a new phenomenon. True, in the days of “Citizen Kane” bombastic self-righteousness was the more common tone. Today the use of that approach is pretty much restricted to Fox TV and right-wing phone-in radio shows. But people have always tried to prove they are right by belittling anyone who disagrees with them.

It has also made it very easy for anyone with a bit of hubris and nothing to say to say it to the world. But it is too much to hope for that we can teach our children to think for themselves when we can’t even teach them algebra and English.

So, back to the Board meeting.

Mel actually did some Board Member-type work. I would have to go back a couple of years in the minutes to find the last example of a Board Member (other than Alan and Ron, of course) doing such a thing. She contacted the Sentinel and discovered that we can indeed advertise our meetings there at no cost. Her initiative and dedication and selfless sacrifice to accomplish this brought a tear to my eye. She will go far on the Board. “Madam President”. Has a nice ring to it…

In the face of such commitment there was but one thing for the rest of us to do. We talked about spam, medical insurance, credit card fraud, and then went home to rest.

Links to Interesting Online Articles
by Ron Ogg, DVPC

Here are links to some interesting articles I've found online. Check them out! Updated!

Datamation — Peel-and-Stick Video Cameras Watching You
Personal and home surveillance takes a step forward, kind of...
Read more

PC World — Beware Sites Promising Big Government Stimulus Checks for a Fee
FTC, BBB officials say that sites promising a piece of the stimulus action are misleading at best, and may charge big bucks to provide information you could get for free...
Read more

InfoWorld — The Google OS is coming by year's end
Google will have its own contender for desktop operating system king: Android. OK, but that doesn't mean anyone is actually going to build and sell Android-powered computers, does it? Yes, that's exactly what it means...
Read more

EBMUD Customer Pipeline Newsletter — Stock Up on Emergency Supplies
A major earthquake will cause utility crews, fire and ambulance services and police to be over-committed, so you should prepare now for your family’s survival...
Read more

InfoWorld Online — 10 IE browser settings for safer surfing
Here are some security settings to make IE safer...
Read more

ZDNet — Study: IE8's SmartScreen leads in malware protection
A recently released NSS Labs study, claims that Internet Explorer 8 greatly outperforms competing browsers in terms of protecting users against web based malware...
Read more

SRI International — An Analysis of the Conficker Worm
Conficker is one of a new interesting breed of self-updating worms that has drawn much attention recently from those who track malware...
Read more

FoxNews.com — If You Can Raed Tihs, You Msut Be Raelly Smrat
(Forwarded by DVPC member Paul Mitchell)
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteers be at the rghit pclae...
Read more

Computer & Internet Tips and Tricks
by Gregory West, Sarnia Computer Users’ Group, Canada

As Editor for the Sarnia Computer Users’ Group, I do a lot of online research for interesting websites and also free software. I am also fortunate to have people who send me their online gems. Here I share some of these amazing finds with you.

Remember: The programs you are about to see are FREE and legal and for you to download and use. Try out programs, or simply take a sneak peek at what they can do for you; the choice is yours. So, happy clicking and email me with what you think about these programs: editor@scug.ca

Gimme Back Those Deleted or Lost Files - File Recovery Program
Website: www.recuva.com
Runs on Microsoft Windows 98, 2000, 2003, XP and Vista

We have all done it. You have too, come on, admit it. Yes when you accidently delete a file from your computer, the Recycle Bin, digital camera memory card, USB stick, or even songs from your MP3 player, this program will help you to recover those lost files. It is a good program to have on your computer for those times when you least expect it and you DELETE in error.

ATTENTION ALL eBay USERS – A Must Have eBay Desktop
Website: http://desktop.ebay.com
Runs on Windows XP/Vista or Mac OS X 10.4/10.5

This desktop application puts you in total control of your eBay bargaining with an eagle-eye live gatekeeper of your bid or bidders. Never miss an eBay bargain again.

This is WEB 3.0 at its best. “EBay's slick new app does more than simply recreate the auction site on the desktop -- it makes the whole experience thoroughly interactive and much more engaging” (wired.com).

Catch Thieves in the Act, Live and Recorded Video Security System Using Your Webcam
Website: www.yawcam.com
Works on Windows 2000/XP/Vista

This security webcam software for windows is simple and easy to use and includes most of the usual security camera features such as: Video streaming, Image snapshots, motion detection, and Online Web Forum for help.

The software program is very easy to work with and after a short time you can set your webcam to catch a thief stealing your stuff. The video or pictures are sent immediately to the Internet (where you designate for safe keeping). The program senses motion in a room. You can have the program set so that it will record a video of the thief in action, or email you a photo, or upload (FTP) the live video to a website.

Real nice to be able to hand over a full video of the thieves in your house. If you are away, say in Florida, you can easily email the Police the video or photo of the live crime scene with full video and photos of the bad guys.

Windows Live Family Safety
Website Download: http:://get.live.com
Website Information: http://tinyurl.com/24k8fo

We are all worried about young children using the Internet these days. This program puts you in control of your computer and Internet browsing experience. You are in charge of your children’s online Internet surfing habits. You can also monitor Windows Live Messenger contacts and block who they talk to online. As well, you can also block Internet websites too. This is a must have for any family with a computer connected to the Internet.

NOTE: “Windows Live Family Safety is a Web service that's free to people who use Microsoft Windows XP. If you use Windows Vista — the operating system installed on many new computers — you can use the built-in family safety tools.” (www.microsoft.com)

Connect to your Home Computer While Away with Logmein
Website: www.logmein.com

While away from home, wouldn’t it be nice to access files and programs from your home computer. Now you can. You can easily connect to your PC with a software program called Logmein. This program is also used by large corporations to connect to offsite PCs. This program will also allow a friend to fix your computer even though they are thousands of miles from your PC. It is easy to set up and easy to operate. Give it a test drive...You will love it.

NOTE: This article first appeared in First Monday magazine, Sarnia, Ontario Canada. A Huron Printing Publication www.huronweb.net/first_monday.php From the SCUG Report, February 2009 Issue, www.scug.ca, editor (at) scug.ca

Gregory West

This article has been obtained from APCUG with the author’s permission for publication by APCUG member groups; all other uses require the permission of the author (see e-mail address above).

Backup — The Ware Essential to Your Computer
by Larry Cohen, ICON PCUG, NY

As you are aware, drivers are small programs that associate your hardware with your operating system. It is particularly useful to have these programs if you have to re-install windows either from the manufacturer’s restore disk or a new install of windows. It avoids the hassle of having to go to each manufacturer’s website and download one-by-one drivers.

Driverback.bat

This is a batch file from PCWorld magazine to backup all device drivers. Here are the directions from PCWorld:

Once it’s on your system double click the file to create your backup.

The batch file copies the drivers (and a lot of extra files) to a folder called ‘driverback inside My Documents. Use your CD authoring software to copy the contents of this folder to a CD.

To reinstall the drivers, use either Device Manager or Control Panel’s Add Hardware applet to open Update Wizard. If the Wizard doesn’t automatically look for drivers on the CD, point to the CD drive when asked for a location.

It can be downloaded at: http://www.pcworld.com/49366

Figures 1, 2, and 3 show the program ‘doing its thing’.

DriverMax

This is a wonderful easy to use sophisticated backup tool that allows you to either set up a login account to retrieve drivers or export them to a zip file that you would copy to a CD for later installation. Here is a description from the DriverMax website:

“DriverMax is a new tool that allows you to download the latest driver updates for your computer. No more searching for rare drivers on discs or on the web or inserting one installation CD after the other. Just create a free account, log in, and start downloading the updates that you need.

You can also export all your current drivers (or just the ones that work ok) to a folder or a compressed file. After reinstalling Windows you will have everything in one place! [Underlining added] Most of the situations when Windows is running slower are caused by faulty driver installations. Windows stores all versions of older drivers just in case

you want to go back; sometimes it messes up older versions with more recent ones. The Export Wizard will only export the drivers you select by copying the needed files to a folder or a compressed ZIP file. After reinstalling Windows all drivers will be back in place in less than 5 minutes - sparing you of searching, inserting disc after disk and losing precious time. The Import Drivers wizard allows you to install all the drivers that you exported earlier. The entire operation might take up to 5-10 minutes.

Just one single computer restart will be required after all drivers are reinstalled!

Note: DriverMax only works on Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows 2003 (all service packs). Driver downloads are *only* available for Windows Vista and Windows XP users.”

Figure 4 illustrates the opening screen that is the gateway to every available  subprogram.

It can be found at: http://www.innovative-sol.com/drivermax/  Note: After starting the program, it does require free registration which is acquired from the above web site.

Figure 1 – The Opening Screen

Figure 2 – Scanning

Figure 3 – The Finish

 
Figure 4 – The DriverMax Main Window

Larry Cohen is a Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Nassau Community College and is a Member-At-Large of the ICON Executive Board.

This article has been obtained from APCUG for publication by APCUG member groups; all other uses require the permission of the author (www.iconpcug.org, president (at) iconpcug.org).

Dropbox
by Ed Richard, Cajun Clickers Computer Club, LA

Dropbox:
An awesomely simple and elegant online storage solution...
and so much more

So just exactly what is Dropbox, you might ask? Have you ever needed to sync files between two or more machines? Have you wanted to also have an off-site copy of those files? Have you needed to sync files between Windows, Linux and Macintosh machines?

Have you wanted to have a public photo album to share pictures with your friends and family? Have you needed a shared on-line file repository for collaborating with co-workers? Are you tired of carrying around a pocket full of thumb drives? Dropbox is all of these and even more. It is cross platform so it runs on Linux, Windows and Mac computers.

After installing the Dropbox application on one machine, you create an account and link that machine to the account. Then, any file that is placed in the My Dropbox folder (which in Windows lives inside the My Documents folder, and in Linux lives in your user

folder, the Linux equivalent of My Documents) gets automatically synced with your Dropbox folder on all other linked machines. This is what my Dropbox looks like on my Ubuntu Linux machine:

If you only have Dropbox installed on one machine, it becomes an off-site backup service. Dropbox uses Amazon's S3 service behind the scenes to house your data. So files placed in your Dropbox folder are automatically uploaded to the Dropbox servers. Should you delete them on your local machine or suffer data loss, they can easily be retrieved from the Dropbox servers by installing Dropbox on a replacement machine, or directly from the Dropbox website.

Dropbox also supports shared folders that allow anyone you invite to the folder to have access to the files in that folder. This is a great way to collaborate and share files with coworkers. There’s also a folder specifically configured to hold photos. Any images placed there are automatically turned into a photo album with a publicly accessible URL you can give out. Go here to see a photo album of pictures in my pictures folder: http://tinyurl.com/cafvvh

There is also a Public folder that is accessible to anyone and a web interface that allows you to access files on machines that don't have Dropbox installed. Here’s what my Dropbox homepage looks like:

You can also access previous versions of files from the web interface. So if you foul up that file and need to go back to last week's version, you can.

To learn more about Dropbox go to: https://www.getdropbox.com/screencast#screencast and watch the video.

Ed Richard

This article has been obtained from APCUG with the author’s permission for publication by APCUG member groups; all other uses require the permission of the author (www.clickers.org / http://cccclinuxsig.pbwiki.com, edslinusbox (at) cox.net).

The Kindle2 May Make Newspapers Obsolete
by Sandy Berger, CompuKISS

Every now and then a revolutionary new product comes along at a time when it is most needed. So it is with the just released Kindle2 wireless reading device, fondly called an e-book reader.

Up to now, electronic book readers have been very slow in taking off. Sony has had a book reading device for several years. Last year Amazon came out with the first version of the Kindle, which was impressive and fairly popular, but had a few drawbacks.

Now, however, the time for these devices may have finally come. At 8" x 5.3" the Kindle2 is about the size of a paperback. At about 1/3" thick, it thin but strong. In this second iteration, Amazon has corrected the design flaws of the original Kindle. It is now easy to use. The e-ink technology allows you to read the words on the Kindle just as you would read a book, with no eye strain or glare. You can adjust the size of the text to your liking. To turn the page you simply press a button. The reader even lets you read several books at once, always returning you to just where you left off. You can look up any word with the built-in dictionary. You can underline words and add your own notes to the pages. This Kindle will even read the text of most books to you. So if you are engrossed in a book on the Kindle and need to pick up the kids, you can take the Kindle along and have it read to you in the car.

The best part of the Kindle, however, is the reading material and how it is delivered. The Kindle2 can hold more than 1,500 books. You can choose from over 240,000 books in the Kindle's Amazon store. Most of the books are priced at $9.99. You can also subscribe to newspapers and magazines on the Kindle. The books, newspapers, and magazines are downloaded directly to the device over a free cellular network. I drove down a rural highway in North Carolina and downloaded a book and was reading it in less than five minutes. Better yet would be sitting on a beach and downloading a romance novel. In any case, the Kindle is ultimately useable. The biggest drawback for the Kindle right now is the price. At $359, the Kindle is pretty expensive.

But if you are you ready to watch the ebook market explode, stick around for awhile. The Kindle2 has appeared on the horizon just as the economy is slumping. There are many hard-hit business sectors, but the newspaper and magazine industry is already showing signs of cracking. CNN reports that many major newspapers are struggling including the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and the Miami Herald. Certainly online versions of newspapers and magazines are an alternative, but up to this point very few newspapers or magazines have been able to support themselves with online subscriptions and/or advertising.

As the print industry is looking for ways to cut costs, ebook readers may be an answer. If there were no print costs, perhaps large newspapers would be able to provide e-book readers to subscribers as part of the subscription costs or at least at a highly reduced rate. If the electronic device were done well enough, it could mimic the printed version and be filled with ads just like the print newspapers and magazines. Normally I would expect that this type of transition would take a few years, but the economic woes may put a rush on this type of move. The Hearst Corp., one of the largest publishers, is already planning to launch its own wireless e-book reader. Most are speculating that this would be a device with a larger screen that would more closely imitate the newspaper and magazine reading experience. Hearst, who is a mega-publisher, would be in a great position to create the liaisons needed to make this type of device and its content work. Fortune reports that the Hearst device will be available sometime this year.

There is no doubt that we live in a world that is changing because of technology and this type of technology may be in your hands sooner than you think.

This article has been obtained from APCUG with the author’s permission for publication by APCUG member groups; all other uses require the permission of the author (www.compukiss.com, sandy (at) compukiss.com).

Electronic Waste — Where to Dispose of It
by Peggy Johnson, DVPC

Here's a list of ewaste donation sites in Central Contra County County. If you know or learn of others, please let me know with the location, hours, and website URL. Be sure to check the websites to determine what they will accept. We've included sites where you can recycle single-use and rechargeable batteries

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
Longs Drugs
www.longs.com
Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, Lafayette,
Moraga, Orinda, Walnut Creek, San Ramon
Right Aid Drugstore
www.rightaid.com
Orinda, Walnut Creek
Radio Shack
www.radioshack.com
Danville, Walnut Creek
Check websites for store hours

Rechargeable Batteries
Right Aid Drugstore
www.rightaid.com
1997 Tice Valley Boulevard
Walnut Creek, CA 94595
925-932-0568
7 days a week
Check website for store hours

Photoshop Elements SIG Meeting Program
by Peggy Johnson, DVPC

The Adobe Photoshop Elements SIG meeting will be held on Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 7 p.m. at the home of Peggy Johnson in Concord, CA.

We cover and discuss the Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements software programs, along with other photo and video manipulation programs. As usual, 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 Thursday of each month.

Please email Peggy for further information and/or directions.

Windows SIG Meeting Program
by Walt Parsons, DVPC

The Windows SIG meeting will be held on Monday, April 6, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. Note: This is a new meeting time, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. This is a result of budget cutbacks impacting the City of Concord, resulting in the lobby at the Concord Police Station, and the Community Room, to change. The new lobby and Community Room closing time is 8:00 p.m.

At this Monday's meeting we will look at some new utility and productivity software.

The Windows SIG meetings are held in the Community Room at the Concord Police Station. See the detailed directions on the DVPC SIG News page.

The Daily Dilbert Cartoon
by Scott Adams