November 2011 The Outer Edge Page 1 | The Outer E

November 2011 Vol. 25, No. 4 d Whole No. 295 ISSN 1055-4399 g e

The Friendly Computer Club Helping Make Computers Friendly. On the Web at www.cipcug.org

COMMAND.COM

Attendance at the By Jim Brown, President October general meeting: 65 members and guests.

ello. everybody. To Contact CIPCUG As I write this, I am still out of the local area and will be so The Outer Edge...... 805-485-7121 until the end of November. I did not have these plans when I General Information………...805-289-3960 agreed to take this administrative position, but it is what it is. H Fortunately, our computer club is blessed to have a strong board of direc- Mailing Address...P.O. Box 51354, Oxnard, CA 93031-1354 tors, the members of which are very dedicated to the success On the Web: cipcug.org of this organization. I will be rejoining them in December. On Facebook: Facebook.com/groups/cipcug Meanwhile, I again thank you, the membership, for your ef- forts in inviting guests to our monthly meetings. This expo- sure to the timely computer information offered has beneficial ‘Secret Guide’ should results to everyone concerned. Art Lewis has ordered “The Secret Guide To Computers,” be at next meeting Brown along with some extra copies, so several will be available to Copies of “Secret Guide to Computers & those who did not sign up for them. This is a very useful Tricky Living” were scheduled to be shipped book. In fact, “EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT COM- Oct. 28 and should be available at the Novem- PUTERS IS IN THAT BOOK!!” ber meeting, Treasurer Art Lewis reports. The Your computer group is presenting a series of lessons at the Camarillo book retails for $25 but will be available to Library on Thursdays during November on Nov. 3, 10, 16, and, because of CIPCUG members for $20. Thanksgiving, Monday, Nov. 21. The series is entitled “Computer Security The board decided to order more books and Safety Series.” Each presentation will begin at 7 p.m. with a Q&A fol- than we have orders for, so those of you who lowing. This exposure to the community will be beneficial to all concerned. didn’t sign up for one or who decide they want I am sure you know, but just to remind you, in November and December one after seeing a copy should still be able to our meetings will be on the third Saturday of the month rather than the get one. fourth. For more information about the book, you May we all have a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday, when we will take can visit author Russ Walter’s website using some time to give thanks for all our blessings. any of these URLs: www.angelfire.com/nh/ Until next month, happy computing!! secret; SecretFun.com; TrickyLiving.com; TrickyLiving.org; SecretGuide.org; or Secret- GuideToComputers.com. Earlier versions may be ordered through the site at $3 each.

Page 2 The Outer Edge November 2011 Channel Islands Root Directory PC Users Group CIPCUG mailing address: CIPCUG NEWS P.O. Box 51354, Oxnard, CA Benefits ...... 19 93031-1354 Bits & Bytes...... 15 Board minutes ...... 3 Executive Committee Coming CIPCUG events...... 3 (Elected members of Board of Directors) CIPCUG is a member of APCUG, Contributors to TOE...... 16 President……..………………...Jim Brown The Association of PC Users Groups Command.com...... 1 .………….…………[email protected] Editor’s corner ...... 16 Vice President/Program Chairman The Outer Edge F1 — Your Help Key ...... 18 ………………..………………..Craig Ladd Editor……………………..John Weigle Map, schedule ...... 20 ………………[email protected] P.O. Box 6536, Ventura CA 93006 Membership report...... 17 Secretary……….………..Diane Mortensen Program: Mesh ...... 8 485-7121………[email protected] ……………………[email protected] The Outer Edge is published monthly by Channel Q&A session ...... 4 Treasurer…………..….……....…Art Lewis Islands PC Users Group (CIPCUG), P.O. Box 51354, Treasurer’s report...... 16 …………………...…[email protected] Oxnard, Calif. 93031-1354. an independent, nonprofit Immediate Past President corporation. Contents of The Outer Edge copyright  GENERAL …………………………...... …..Rick Curry 2001 by Channel Islands PC Users Group. ……...……………...... [email protected] Permission for reproduction in whole or in part is Droid wars...... 13 granted to other computer user groups for internal

Review: Eudora...... 14 nonprofit use provided credit is given to The Outer

Penguin’s Lair: Trinity Rescue Edge and the authors of the reproduced material. All (Appointed members other reproduction is prohibited without prior written Kit ...... 10 of Board of Directors) consent of Channel Islands PC Users Group. Review: Eudora...... 14 Technical Adviser…………..Toby Scott Opinions expressed in this journal are solely those of Rick’s rant: Sony frustrates the authors or contributors, and do not necessarily Web Page Editor….………..Helen Long techs, computer owner ...... 11 represent those of Channel Islands PC Users Group, ………………[email protected] Thailand floods cut supply its officers or membership as a whole. The TOE editor.…….………….John Weigle information provided is believed to be correct and of hard drives ...... 10 ……………………[email protected] useful; however, no warranty, express or implied, is Membership Chairman.…...Ken Church made by Channel Islands PC Users Group, its officers, editorial staff or contributors. This disclaimer extends ADVERTISEMENTS ………………[email protected] Creative Technology...... 14 to all losses, incidental or consequential, resulting from the use or application of the information provided. Members’ classified ads...... 14 Ex-officio members of Board of Directors Channel Islands PC Users Group does not endorse or O’Reilly ...... 14 CIPCUG ISP Signups………..Art Lewis recommend any specific hardware or products, Ventura County Computers...... 13 dealers, distributors or manufacturers. All trademarked Sound Equipment Technicians or registered trademarked names are acknowledged to ………… Jim Burke and David Minkin be the property of their respective owners, and are used Program Chairman………..…Craig Ladd for editorial purposes only. Publicity Chairman...……...…Rick Curry SIG coordinator…..……....Larry Hudson Advertising in The Outer Edge Advertising is accepted for computer-related Past Presidents materials, businesses and services only. Rates are Walt Yates………………………1987-1989 for Camera-Ready copy (clear, clean black and Lois Evans de Violini…………...1989-1991 white masters). Typesetting and graphics are Terry Lee………………………..1991-1993 available at an additional fee. Jerry McLoud…………………...1993-1995 Robert Provart…………………..1995-1997 SIZE Cost/Issue Toby Scott………………………1997-1999 FULL-PAGE (9½”H x 7¼”W)...... $50.00 George Lakes …………………...1999-2001 HALF-PAGE (4½”H x 7¼”W) Andy Toth……………………….2001-2003 or (9½”H x 3½”W )....…...... $30.00 David Harris…………………….2003-2005 THIRD-PAGE (3”H x 7¼” W)………….$25.00 Lois Evans de Violini ...... 2005-2007 QUARTER-PAGE (4½”H x 3½W)...... $20.00 Paul Westefer…………………….2007-2009 BUSINESS CARD ad...... $15.00 Rick Curry………………….…….2009-2011 Discounts for multiple issues (3, 6, 9 and 12 (With the exception of the immediate past months) president, past presidents are not board members.) Ad copy deadline is the 5th of the month of Life members publication. Frank Segesman* Make all checks payable to CIPCUG . Toby Scott Lois Evans de Violini Members’ classified ads are free but are limited to Art Lewis 105 characters, including spaces. 2006 Southwest User Group *Deceased Conference: second place in both the newsletter and Web site contests.

November 2011 The Outer Edge Page 3 Coming events Topaz Labs is scheduled for November

Programs Topaz Labs, which produces image Door prizes The club gets 10 percent of the sales and video enhancement software, is We have two types of raffle tickets: price. Sold items must be picked up at scheduled to make a presentation at the one for prizes offered by the presenter the end of the day’s meeting. Nov. 19 meeting (remember that we meet and one for club-provided prizes. The Any items not picked up will become on the third Saturday this month and next tickets for the presenter’s prizes are free the property of CIPCUG and will be subject to disposal at the club’s month). The meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. and limited to one per member. discretion. at the Camarillo Boys & Girls Club, The tickets for the club-provided CIPCUG is not responsible in any 1500 Temple Ave. (Ponderosa Drive and prizes are $1 each, $5 for six tickets, $10 for 13 tickets, $15 for 20 tickets and $20 way for items bought or sold at the table. Temple Avenue), Camarillo. (See the for 27 tickets and are available to Each item is sold as-is unless otherwise map on the last page.) anyone. Those who can’t stay until the stated. The doors open at 8 a.m. The Internet drawing may sign their tickets and give and Networking SIG and the Social Me- the person selling the tickets a list of the Meeting, SIG notices dia SIG will start at 8:45 a.m. prizes they would like in the order they’d If you would like e-mail notices of More information about Topaz Labs pick them. Winners’ prizes will be held regular meetings and SIGs, go to is available at its Web site at https:// until the next meeting. www.cipcug.org, where you’ll find a link www.topazlabs.com/company/ on the home page to sign up. The URL is Consignment table cipcug.org/listserv.cfm. index.html. A consignment table is set up at every You will need your membership On Dec. 17 (third Saturday) Staples meeting. Anyone can buy, but only number, which is on the back cover of is to show tablets. members can sell. TOE, to complete the sign-up. (Continued on page 4) Minutes of the October board meeting By Diane Mortensen Q&A sessions; and door prizes. brary. Toby has agreed to offer a series of CIPCUG Board of Directors held its John reminded members of the board talks on computer security at the library monthly meeting on Oct. 22, 2011. In that because CIPCUG will be meeting on during the winter. Because the library attendance were Rick Curry, Craig Ladd, Nov. 19, a week earlier than usual, the will be sponsoring the series, it will be Art Lewis, John Weigle, Helen Long, firm deadline for articles and items for responsible for all the marketing, cost of Ken Church, Toby Scott, and Diane TOE will be Sunday, Oct. 30. the room and setup. Mortensen. Absent: Jim Brown. Craig announced that he had spent The board agreed that it is very im- Art Lewis reviewed September’s only $80 on door prizes this month and portant to have a new, high-quality bro- treasurer’s report with board members the club took in approximately $130 in chure about CIPCUG club functions to showing a bank balance of raffle money. Craig asked for suggestions pass out at each of the series’ events to $5,958.14. A copy of the of items for door prizes. Toby stated that generate interest in the club and possible treasurer’s report appears he could pick up some headphones for membership. John had made a first draft elsewhere in TOE. Art use with Skype and Google Talk. Another of the brochure and e-mailed it to all informed the board that he suggestion was possibly purchasing board members for comments. He agreed now has 59 reservations for Dragon Naturally Speaking by Nuance, a to update and complete the brochure and the book “Secret Guide to voice-recognition program. then send it to Toby. Computers & Tricky Liv- Mortensen Craig thanked Toby and Michael for The subject of flash drives containing ing.” After some discus- stepping in, and presenting today’s pro- updated freeware was discussed. Toby sion, the board decided to gram because of the cancellation by the stated that it takes a lot of work in going put in an order for 100 books. With the Staples representative, who was sched- through the various programs and putting coming Christmas holiday, the book uled to speak on tablets. it all together to install on the flash would make great gifts, and others will be A TOPAZ presentation is planned for drives. Several board members volun- on hand to sell throughout the year. Art November’s meeting, and in December, teered to assist in this effort. Toby still passed out a draft of a meeting evaluation possibly someone from Staples will speak has not seen flash drives at the right price slip with the idea of passing them out to on tablets. for the project. attendees at meetings to attain feedback. Toby announced that he has met with There being no additional business to Topics to evaluate from 1-10, 10 being the individual in charge of setting up pub- discuss the board meeting adjourned at 1 the highest, are meeting programs/topics; lic programs for the Camarillo City Li- p.m.

Page 4 The Outer Edge November 2011

Social Media SIG, Q&A Discussion shifts to ins, outs of Google+

Reported by John Weigle go. I have a client who lost money imme- go to Control Panel > All Control Panel diately to a site in the Ukraine because Items > Backup and Restore. Backing up Social Media SIG she got a message on her machine that to a separate partition on the same drive is Jessica Scott and Michael Shalkey said it was infected with all kinds of mal- not really a backup because if the drive shared the job of answering questions this ware that could be removed with the pro- dies, you can not recover the information. month, with Michael handling most of the gram that put the message on the screen. questions on Google+, which he has Google+ She clicked on the message, ordered the moved to after abandoning Facebook. — Michael Shalkey: You might have software and provided a credit card num- Editor noticed a change in the Google search ber. Just as she clicked on the Send but- page in the past few months. There’s a Facebook email messages ton, she thought better of it and immedi- black bar at the top that lists, Web, Im- Q: When I get messages in Outlook ately called her credit card company, only ages, Videos, Maps, News, Gmail, More that say someone posted something on to be told that the money had already and, if you have a Google+ account, an my wall, the screen goes blank if I click been taken, and the credit card company item on the far left that says +You. Click- on the link. had no partners in the Ukraine to try to ing on that takes you to your Google+ A: Even in a case like this, it’s best recover it. login page. On that page, the contents of not to click on an email link, which might The fact that the window dims when the bar change to +You, Gmail, Calendar, be a fake link that will take you to a site you try to close it means you might al- Documents, Photos, Sites, Web and that will fill your computer with malware. ready be infected with something. Do a More. Go to Facebook and sign in as you nor- backup now. Google+ is free and similar to Face- mally would. You’ll be able to see what- Backups book but with a different user interface ever has been posted on your wall. Q: Doesn’t do backups and fewer games. It lets you establish Michael Shalkey: It’s fairly easy to automatically to protect you from losing circles for people, but they don’t know make a phony site look legitimate. Grab- your data in such cases? what circle they’re in. Typical circles bing the graphics, text and design of a A: Michael Shalkey: No. You have to might be friends, workers, business, Web site is not difficult. set it up. If you buy a computer from members of specific clubs, and so on. From the audience: Many recent Ventura County Computers, we might set You have complete freedom on what cir- emails look like they’ve come from an it up for you if you have two internal hard cles you establish and who is in them. office printer. drives, but otherwise you have to set up Users can also follow individuals and see A: Michael Shalkey: Whatever it the backup through Windows or some their posts. For instance, I follow some looks like, the goal of the senders is to get other program. To do that in Windows, (Continued on page 5) you to go somewhere you’d never want to More on coming events ...

(Continued from page 3) driveway. Unit 117 is the back, right pre-meeting Social Media and Internet, Vice President Craig Ladd is working corner of the building. The pre-meeting connectivity SIGs. on presentations by the FBI and Gene SIGs are at 8:45 a.m. at the Boys & Girls Tuesday, Nov. 22: Linux SIG. Up- Barlow for next year. Club. The after-meeting SIG is at loca- grade CIPCUG Linux PC to Ubuntu SIGs tions to be announced on the meeting day. 11.10, discuss the Trinity Rescue Kit and The Special Interest Groups (SIGs) The general schedule: take, ask, and answer questions. are sponsored by CIPCUG and led by Fourth Tuesday: Linux. December volunteer club members. They are free to Saturday, Dec. 17: Regular meeting, CIPCUG members. Fourth Saturday (or the regular meeting day): Social Media SIG (Jessica pre-meeting Social Media and Internet, Other than those presented during or Scott and Mark Maidel) and Internet and connectivity SIGs. just after the regular meeting, the SIGs connectivity SIG (Toby Scott), 8:45 a.m. run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Ventura Tuesday, Dec. 20: Linux SIG. Topic The location of Michael Shalkey’s after- County Computers, 2175 Goodyear Ave., TBA. Note date change because of the meeting SIG is announced at the meeting. Unit 117, Ventura; phone 289-3960. holidays. From the 101 Freeway, exit at Telephone, The November and December sched- take Telephone south to McGrath, turn ules: Be sure to check the calendar on left and go one block. Turn right on November cipcug.org for updates on event pro- Goodyear and right again into the second grams, dates and times. Saturday, Nov. 19: Regular meeting, November 2011 The Outer Edge Page 5

(Continued from page 4) ‘Someone is logged in’ message HR photographers, who put their cameras This month’s Q&A topics: Wireless mouse, keyboard issues on tripods, take three pictures — one at Social Media SIG Using computer as an alarm clock the normal f-stop, one at one stop above Facebook email messages JavaScript in Firefox that, and one at one stop below the nor- Backups Security Essentials mal f-stop — and then merge them to get Google+ Blue screen with SD cards effects that are almost three-dimensional. Google+, Facebook differences Laptop problems Google+, Facebook differences Regular Q&A Damaged .pst file Q: What’s the difference between VCC mail issues Facebook and Google+? Home network Liquid spilled on keyboard A: Michael Shalkey: Primarily the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 prob- Basic computer standards user interface. Many people moving from lems Facebook to Google+ are doing so be- cause they decided that they had really messed up Facebook after a certain period the computer duties. — Editor Windows 7 Service Pack 1 problems of time and wanted to start over. Windows Live Mail Q: I’m having trouble loading Service Facebook also said at the start that Q: How do I delete mail from the Pack 1 for Windows 7 Home edition. I’ve everything on Facebook would be private server in Windows Live Mail? added the hotfix. I’ve run a virus scan and and then kept revising the rules. Google+, A: Go to the email account in the a malware scan. I have a 64-bit computer. on the other hand, started out by saying email program. Open the Server Settings My laptop worked immediately with a everything is public, and people seemed tab and check or uncheck (depending on similar setup. more comfortable to expect that going in. what you want to do) the boxes for Leave A: It’s something in the computer, not For example, I post my pictures on messages on server … For at most xx related specifically to Windows 7. Have Google+ because I want everyone to see days … Until I delete them). The default you called Microsoft? They will work them. Google+ is more casual on purpose. is to delete messages after the server gets with you on it. Jessica Scott: If you sign up on a response that they’ve downloaded prop- Q: Years ago I gave Microsoft access Google+ you automatically get a Gmail erly. Leaving messages on the server can to my computer. They changed the regis- account. be useful for those who check them on try and messed up the computer. Michael Shalkey: Google+ also has more than one computer and want the A: When I’ve worked with Microsoft hangouts, which allow multiple connec- computers synchronized. on that they’ve always backed up the reg- tions for online meetings with sound and Comment: On my iPhone with an istry so it can be restored easily. video. A few weeks ago, Desmond Tutu AT&T account, if you don’t say “mark as Michael Shalkey: Try running check and the Dalai Lama had a hangout for unread” on the phone, when you look at disk: Open a command prompt (Start, anyone interested. If you search for the mail on your PC the messages won’t type cmd Enter), Run > Chkdsk / r. When Google+ hangouts and various iterations be in the Outlook inbox but they will be it asks if you want it to be run the next of that wording, you’ll find lists of hang- there in the “read messages” folder. time the computer starts, say yes and re- start the computer. It could take two to outs and help files on how to use them. Home network three hours to do that on a large hard After trying several hangouts that had Q: I live in a single-story house and drive. no occupants, Jessica found one with a my connections are fine in my home. I’d Toby Scott: All service packs can man in Spain who spoke limited English like to do something so I can walk to my have that problem if something has crept but carried on Spanish conversations with neighbor’s about 150 feet away and still in. It’s not just a Windows 7 issue. two CIPCUG members who spoke Span- be connected. What do you recommend? ish. A: The wireless routers come in three ‘Someone is logged in’ message Q: Does the number of people in a flavors — real cheap with one sending Q: In a network, I sometimes get a hangout affect the bandwidth I need? and receiving unit; medium with two; and message when I try to shut down one A: It affects the bandwidth used by more expensive with three. You want the computer that others are logged on to it. the Google servers, but not your individ- one with three antennas, which is more How can I find out who that is? ual bandwidth. The number of people on important and have a wider range and go A: You don’t need to. Just tell it to your own network will affect the speed through obstacles better. shut down. The computer can’t tell if you get, of course. You can get a range extender, but someone logged on is just looking at files Q: Are hangouts available on mobile you’d have to mount it on the outside of or running a program. In a small office phones? the house aimed at your neighbor’s. you just want to be sure someone isn’t A: I’m not sure. You’d have to run electricity and an inter- using one of the programs or a remote Regular Q&A net cable to it and weatherproof it. A win- printer, for instance. Unless otherwise noted, Toby Scott of dow sill is better than nothing, but glass Q: I want to shut down computer 3. Is Ventura County Computers answered the diminishes a signal more than you’d think the message talking about computers 1 questions and Michael Shalkey handled it would. (Continued on page 6)

Page 6 The Outer Edge November 2011

(Continued from page 5) able. Don’t get Norton 360 or Norton and 2 or 3? Internet Security because they run lots of A: It’s referring to 1 and 2. The only things that do slow your computer down time you’d get it on 3 would be if some- and often make home networking diffi- one logged off and logged back in with a cult. different user name, leaving the other It’s still a good idea to use Malware- user name semi-logged on. That’s fairly bytes. Anti-virus programs are pretty . good at checking programs — that is, Wireless mouse, keyboard issues .exe files — but much of today’s malware Q: I have a wireless mouse and key- comes in the form of scripts that run on board. Occasionally one or the other top of , and its .exe file locks up. Is that a sign the receiver is dy- is clean. Even if you don’t use IE as your ing? The screen shots show two possible Web browser, it’s the core engine for A: Michael Shalkey: Check the batter- locations for a NoScript notice in Windows Update, Microsoft Messenger ies first. Even new ones can be bad, and Firefox. The top one shows the no- and five or six other programs you never cheap ones can fail earlier than expected. tice at the bottom of the browser. heard of. It’s always running in the back- Toby: Sometimes the sending unit can The one above shows the notice (the ground. The Internet Options in the Con- fall behind the computer and not be mak- S with a slash mark in a circle) to the trol Panel is the same thing you find in ing a good connection. Maybe it’s time left of the address bar. You might Internet Explorer > Tools > Options. The for a new one. have to add this one yourself at View applet covers IE and all the other things Wireless keyboards and mice are rela- > Toolbars > Customize. that use the Active X scripts. Anti-virus tively fragile. I got rid of a wireless programs get a C grade in finding these mouse and will probably get rid of the helpful: http:// problems. Malwarebytes does push its keyboard. www.lytebyte.com/2009/07/07/how-to- paid version, so be sure you’re declining set-windows-media-player-to-start- that offer and getting the free version if Using computer as an alarm clock playing-music-automatically-at-a-certain- it’s for your home use. Q: If I’m listening to music and go to time. It looks as if you can turn your mu- Q: I bought a computer from you that bed, how can I program it to turn off and sic off and on using these settings. has a solid state drive and lots of mem- possibly to turn on in the morning so I ory, and Norton 360 doesn’t slow it down can wake up to music? JavaScript in Firefox at all. A: There are some scripts to shut Q: I’m using Firefox, and some finan- A: You bought a great machine, but I down the computer, but I hesitate to rec- cial sites want JavaScript. I can’t find a still think you’d be better off with just the ommend going out to look for them. You place to turn it on. NoScript is on the Norton AV. If you have other computers can go into the scheduler to schedule a computer. at home that don’t run Norton 360 or shutdown, but I don’t know of any way to A: The option to allow it should be in Internet Security, you’ll probably have make it wake up. It will be a little clumsy. Options in the lower right corner of Fire- problems if you try to create a home net- Michael Shalkey: What about shutting fox or through an icon on the upper left work. The two don’t play nice with other off the Internet, similar to a parental con- when NoScript blocks a script. Use firewalls. trol program? “temporarily allow all on this page.” The other anti-virus that many techni- Toby Scott: Most routers will let you Microsoft Security Essentials cal people like is Kaspersky. It gets high limit connection times. You could go to Q: How effective is Microsoft Secu- marks and has been a good anti-virus security tools in routers and set the time rity Essentials compared to other security longer than Norton has. you can use and not use the Internet. That programs, and is it still necessary to run Michael Shalkey: Whatever you use, could shut off your music and turn it back Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware? still don’t click on links in email or visit on again if you’re listening to music on A: All the reviews indicate that Secu- porn sites or illegal web sites. Be very the Internet and not on the hard drive. I’m rity Essentials is the best of the free AV wary of any Web site with “free” in the not sure. You can turn the music on and programs and certainly better than the title. off in the router. free AVG. Toby Scott: If you’re going to visit From the audience: How about put- Norton AV generally ranks first or those sites, use a boot CD or Portable ting the computer to sleep? second for removal of viruses, and it has Apps. Toby Scott: I don’t know if it will go been completely rewritten in the past few From audience: Malwarebytes doesn’t to sleep with a process running. You years to fix things that slowed computers run all the time. might have to shut the process down first. to a crawl. It runs only two processes in (Continued on page 7) Michael Shalkey: This site might be the background. It’s now hardly notice-

November 2011 The Outer Edge Page 7

(Continued from page 6) trol Panel > Programs and then click on there is no puddle of moisture on the Toby Scott: That’s true. The paid ver- . At the top of the panel motherboard by opening it up and care- sion runs all the time in the background, it will show Uninstall and then next to it fully cleaning all residue. Usually, a com- but the result is that you’ll be slow and either Change or Repair. Click Change puter is not wrecked at the time of the safe. Running it once a week is fine for (or Repair) and let Windows repair your spill but after. most of you, but if you’re visiting warez setup. Basic computer standards sites and similar sites, you should have a Q: I have an XP laptop and the file is Q: A friend is looking to buy a desk- version that runs all the time. working there. Can I just copy it? top. It’s not for gaming, video or pictures. Blue screen with SD cards A: Is it Office 2007? Don’t run the What do you recommend for modest Web Q: I have and periodi- wrong version or you’ll blow the .pst file surfing and so on? cally get a blue screen when I insert an up. The key is which version of Outlook A: Right now, a computer SD or camera card. It asks for a video you have. If both are Office 2007, make a would be an I-3 processor, probably 64- driver update, but when I go to Microsoft, copy of the .pst file and try it on that. bit but 32-bit would suffice, and Win- it says I have the current driver. This Don’t run it on the original .pst file, just dows 7. doesn’t happen every time I use a card. in case it doesn’t work. Michael and Rick disagree with me on A: Michael Shalkey: Is it an internal VCC mail issues 64-bit, and it will cause you more trouble card reader or USB adapter for a card Toby Scott: I have a written question, today, but the transition to 64-bit is will reader? which leads to an apology from us. Ven- under way. If you don’t go to 64-bit, Q: It’s external. The same thing hap- tura County Computers had mail prob- you’ll be locked out of a lot of software. pened once with my printer. lems last Thursday because we had a cli- Michael and Rick don’t care because they A: Michael Shalkey: I’d experiment ent spewing out some 10,000 messages burn their machines down regularly any- with a different USB port and different an hour, which killed the mail server and way. card readers, but I’d probably be in the took up so much bandwidth that we Michael Shalkey: I disagree because market to upgrade to Windows 7. couldn’t get online while working on Windows 8 is aiming at smaller because Toby Scott: Windows 7 is better for customer’s computers. We have sus- of smartphones. I think there will be a multimedia than both Vista and XP. pended the account until the problem is shift to smaller. Laptop problems fixed. We had a whole bunch of issues Toby Scott: It’s going the other way. Q: I have a Compaq laptop, and when Thursday night. Michael and Rick were There will be 64-bit chips for laptops I bring it out of hibernate, I get a black thrilled with me. soon. For desktop users, I still think screen with a warning. The date and time Liquid spilled on keyboard you’re better off going to 64-bit and be- stamps are wrong when it does start. It’s Q: I have a laptop and was drinking a ing prepared for the future. The maxi- 4 to 5 years old. It has frozen up on me a cup of Diet Pepsi. A little bit dripped off mum RAM you can put in a 32-bit com- couple of times, too. my lower lip onto the keyboard. I ran to puter is 4 Gig, and the most you’ll really A: Toby Scott: Try running Chkdsk. the bathroom with the computer and used get is about 3.3 Gig because the computer At a command prompt, type Chkdsk and the hair dryer to prevent the liquid from must reserve some for video. let it run (see question above on Service going any further. When I talked to Toby Intel has a new program. For their Pack 1 installation problems for details). the next morning, he said I should have Gold Partners, they offer 3-year, no- I’d do a backup quickly because it could unplugged the power cord AND removed questions-asked replacement warrantees be a sign of a failing hard drive. the battery so no power is getting to the on all their components. They pay for next-day air for failed parts. Intel makes Damaged .pst file motherboard. The hair dryer melted the this available only to qualified dealers Q: I have a .pst file (Outlook mail) four keys that the liquid touched. They who can also support their server busi- that won’t open because, according to the still function, but they have an ergonomic ness, leaving out all the big box stores. message that pops up, it’s corrupted. I look to them now. The keyboard can be You can buy a top-of-the-line, all-Intel have Outlook 2007, which asks me to run replaced. I share that so others have the computer with a 3-year warrantee for scanpst.exe, which I couldn’t find on my information that I didn’t. I used high heat. very little more than you’d pay at a big computer. I copied it from an XP com- Toby Scott: Any time you spill liquid box store for cheaper components with puter, and it didn’t work. Should I have on a laptop keyboard, unplug it and pull one-year warrantee. If I were out of the copied the .pst file and moved it to the XP the battery out. If the liquid gets on the business, I’d buy from an Intel Gold Part- computer? motherboard while the electricity is on, it ner (VCC is one). A: No. The scanpst.exe file is on your shorts the motherboard. People usually computer, but the search function does shut the computer down, let it sit and then not generally look in the program files turn it back on a few days later and blow it up. If it was a Coke or similar drink you Q&A reminder: Please wait for the folder. Go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft microphone to ask, answer or com- Office\Office12. spilled, even after the liquid has dried, a tiny amount of atmospheric humidity can ment on a question so the informa- Q: I did that, and found tion can be recorded for use in scanpst.exe.0002, rather than .exe. short your motherboard if the sugar resi- due is still there. You want to be sure TOE. A: Do an Office repair. Start > Con- Page 8 The Outer Edge November 2011

This is the Microsoft Web page for .

Program: Windows Live Mesh Microsoft provides way to sync computers

By John Weigle on Microsoft’s SkyDrive. Users need a the first one can take some time depend- [email protected] Hotmail or Windows Live account to use ing on the number of files you’re backing taples backed out of its sched- the program. up. After that, files are backed up as they uled presentation on tablets just It’s difficult to show the program in are changed, which takes little time. a few days before the meeting, action, Scott said, because once it’s in- Microsoft’s Mesh help site — http:// S and Toby Scott filled in with a stalled and set up, it works invisibly in explore.live.com/windows-live-mesh- presentation on Windows Live Mesh, a the background. sync-p2p-using — describes the storage free Microsoft program that lets users Users determine what files they want limits this way: synchronize files among computers and to synchronize with other computers and “If you have two or more computers connect to those computers through the tell Mesh to back them up on SkyDrive, a with Windows Live Mesh installed, you Internet. Staples officials assured Vice Microsoft cloud project. Scott synchro- can sync folders between them (peer-to- President Craig Ladd that they would nizes certain files on his home and work peer). With Windows Live Mesh, you can make the promised presentation on tables computers and laptop but is judicious sync up to 200 folders, each up to 50 GB in December. about doing so because he doesn’t want in size and containing up to 100,000 files. Windows Live Mesh works on both certain files on the laptop, which is more When you sync folders between com- Windows and Macintosh machines and subject to theft than the desktop com- puters, any changes you make on one provides password-protected file storage puters. As is typical of backup programs, (Continued on page 9)

November 2011 The Outer Edge Page 9

(Continued from page 8) Online storage computer will be made on the other How to get Live Mesh The SkyDrive can be used for online whenever the computers are online at the To download Windows Live Mesh, storage and file sharing without the syn- same time. The contents of the synced go to http://explore.live.com/ chronization feature if a user wants to, but folders are saved on all of the computers, windows-live-mesh?os=other click Microsoft notes in its online help that it’s so you can still work on them even when on Download Now and then follow not an FTP (File Transfer Protocol site). you’re not connected to the Internet.” the prompts. You will need a Hotmail SkyDrive can be used without Windows Certain types of files can not be or Live.com email address. If you Live Mesh. backed up with Mesh. A list of those can don’t have one already, there is a Users can establish Public and Shared be found at http://explore.live.com/ link in the setup prompting you to get folders in SkyDrive, he said, adding, windows-live-mesh-sync-file-types-ui. one. “You can get quite a bit of storage space Windows Live Mesh can be pinned to this way.” Public folders are available to the Start Menu and toolbar, Scott said. Microsoft Office settings, syncing your everyone, while Shared folders are avail- Users can work on documents in the templates and other user-specific files. able only to people you invite, Scott said. SkyDrive with trimmed down online ver- Remote connections “This is highly more secure than sions of Microsoft Word, Excel, Power- Mesh allows users to sign on to one Dropbox,” he said in answer to a question Point and OneNote, Scott said, or with computer from another one, assuming and pointed listeners to “Why I switched full versions on a computer’s hard drive. that both are on and connected to the from Dropbox to Windows Live Mesh” at That means they can work on any docu- Internet. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/why-i- ment in the SkyDrive from any computer, Scott logged on to his home com- switched-from-dropbox-to-windows-live- whether or not it contains the Office pro- puter, where he had access to everything mesh/3512 for more information. One grams. on it. This is similar to Remote Desktop difference between Mesh and Dropbox, Here are some of the ways to use the Connection, GoToMyPC, PCAnywhere Scott said, is that files are automatically program. and other remote control programs. Hav- updated on Mesh, but users must drag and Synchronizing ing the remote connection available drop, or save as, new versions of files to A user might want to work on files through Mesh makes it easier and more Dropbox. from one computer on two others — for secure than other ways of remote con- Mesh runs on Android and Apple example, a home computer, a work com- necting, Scott said, because of the secure phones in addition to computers, he said. puter and a laptop. Files from any or all tunnel to Mesh. Here’s how Microsoft explains what of the computers can be placed on the The remote connection feature can be happens when files are deleted or moved SkyDrive, where they can be accessed by especially useful for those traveling with (http://explore.live.com/windows-live- all the computers. Say that a writer pre- a laptop, Scott said. The laptop connects mesh-devices-move-delete-synced-folder- pares a report at work but wants it avail- securely to Windows Live Mesh, which, faq): able to the home and laptop computers when asked for remote connection, estab- “Moving and deleting synced folders too. To do that, the worker would add the lishes a separate secure connection from works differently than moving or deleting file to the list of those to be synchronized the cloud to the home computer. That their contents. When you move contents by Mesh. When the user logs on to the way, the user can safely do online bank- around in a synced folder, they’re moved home or laptop computer, assuming it has ing and other financial activity without on all the devices where the folder syncs. an Internet connection, the computers fear that a hacker can see login names or When you delete contents from a synced would be synched with the Mesh folder. passwords, Scott said. folder, they’re moved to the Recycle Bin If the worker changed the file at home or To use Mesh on several computers, on all the computers where the folder on the road, the newer file would be install it on the computers and log in from syncs. If the folder syncs on a Mac, placed on the work computer when it was each one with the same login name and they’re moved to the Trash. But if you next connected to the Internet. password, he said. You can have multi- move or delete a synced folder itself, it Microsoft also allows synchronization ple accounts, but it makes finding infor- isn’t moved or deleted on your other de- of favorites in Internet Explorer and your mation more difficult, Scott said. vices.”

Back up, back up, back up … and then test the backup to be sure it worked.

Page 10 The Outer Edge November 2011 Floods in Thailand slash supply of hard drives

By Toby Scott them, but distributors are pretty much out double the price of two weeks ago (I’m [email protected] of all models, and here at VCC we can’t writing this on Oct. 26). If the weather uick question. When does 30 get any high-end drives. Our distributors forecasters are correct and the flooding percent mean 100 percent? are completely out. We have found a cou- continues for another six weeks, prices Q When there’s a land-grab. ple of vendors on eBay and Amazon that are certain to go even higher. The flooding in Thailand over we have never done business with before. The funny thing about this is that be- the past month has flooded a large per- But their prices are quite high, and they cause solid state drives (SSDs) aren’t centage of the world’s production of hard will sell only one drive per customer. manufactured in any quantity in Thailand, drives. There are pictures out on the Inter- That’s nice until you try to build a server they are still in plentiful supply. Two net of whole factories under water. with RAID, which requires multiple iden- weeks ago, you’d have to pay double or All of Western Digital’s Thai plants tical drives. Oops. triple the price for a smaller SSD drive. are shut, and Seagate’s are running What’s going on here? How is it that a Now, they are about the same price. slowly. But even manufacturers outside 30 percent shortage completely dries up Soon, they may be more expensive. Thailand are saying they may be facing supply? Because as soon as the major Rick has been telling everyone he can shortages of some parts that go inside vendors heard about the problems, they get to listen to him that all anyone needs hard drives. Thailand is the world’s sec- bought up all the drives they could find. in a computer is an SSD and a comfort- ond largest manufacturer of hard disks. Then speculators started the second round able chair. Experts expect the supply of hard drives of feeding frenzy. So an event that should While the price of SSDs hasn’t come worldwide will shrink by about 30 per- have caused minor disruptions has caused down, the relative price certainly has. If cent. the world’s supply of hard drives to virtu- you suddenly find that you need a new That doesn’t sound too bad. But try to ally disappear. The only way to purchase hard drive, treating yourself to a super- buy a hard drive. Some stores still have hard drives now is from the speculators at fast SSD just became a no-brainer. Open source Trinity Rescue Kit works on Windows

By Bill Wayson cuss the free Trinity Rescue Kit, a live This will load TRK completely into mem- [email protected] Linux distribution aimed specifically at ory and run it from there, greatly speed- indows sometimes just recovery and repair operations on Win- ing up its operations. refuses to work or works dows PCs, which is equally usable for Startup is fairly quick, so you will incorrectly. Users may Linux recovery issues. soon see another text menu of the most W have to deal with a PC Trinity Rescue Kit, or TRK, is freely common operations a user will perform. that will not boot or is suspected of hav- available as a 151 MB ISO image or a The arrow keys move you up and down in ing malware running that defies eradica- self-burning Windows executable at trin- the menu, and the Enter key selects the tion. Maybe the user did something — ityhome.org. Normally, the file would be item. As you move within the menu, the played around with hard drive partition- burned directly to a CD, but it can also be screen displays a short explanation of ing or deleted “unnecessary” files — that used to create a bootable USB key or to what will be performed and the command left the PC useless. You boot from a network. The TRK website and options to be run. Most users will Penguin’s need the administrator provides extensive documentation in only never leave the menu, but should you Lair password but cannot slightly broken English that makes TRK become more proficient using TRK and remember it. And who simple to use for anyone. No matter how the commands, there are a couple of sim- hasn’t experienced the TRK is booted, you are quickly presented ple ways to get to a command line which debilitating effects of with an extensive text menu of 20-plus are explained in the opening Welcome the accumulation of start options. Don’t let this list intimidate screen. Windows cruft — temp you as the default option will work in TRK will perform several functions files, restore points, and almost all situations. The other items are that are useful to home users of Windows. the like — that reduce primarily for those with less common TRK can quickly save you from a bad performance to the level hardware, such as SCSI storage or un- situation. Forgotten and unknown pass- Wayson of lethargy. Utilities are common network cards, and can be used words for any local user account can be available for purchase when the default startup does not detect a quickly reset or deleted. Systems ren- which can help in all of these situations. network, hard drive, or the like. One other dered hopelessly slow by the accumula- There are also open source solutions to option is for PCs with at least 256 MB of tion of Windows cruft, junk, and ballast these problems. This month we will dis- RAM (the option recommends 512 MB). (Continued on page 11)

November 2011 The Outer Edge Page 11 Sony leaves frustrated owner, techs in lurch

By Rick Smith know right from wrong sometimes on the acronym of Video Audio Integrated Op- [email protected] issues we face in life, but one thing I eration , this was amended to Visual Au- saw two signs driving around Ven- know. If I borrow something I have to dio Intelligent Organizer in 2008 to cele- tura County this past month. One of eventually pay it back. During the hous- brate the brand’s 10th anniversary. The them was a person trying to save her ing run-up I got offers every week offer- branding was created by Timothy Hanley home from foreclosure with a sign ing me $300,000. All I had to do was sign to distinguish items that integrate con- thatI said “Save Blue Hill Farms” with a on the dotted line. I threw every one of sumer audio and video with conventional banner across the top saying “OCCUPY.” them in the trash. So when my home computing products, such as the Sony I actually met this person when she found value fell I was right back where I started VAIO W Series personal computer, which my Dachshund dog Roxy with excellent credit and was able to re-fi functioned as a regular computer and a Rick’s wandering the streets near when banks were denying everybody. miniature entertainment center. Although rant my office looking for a The other sign I saw had a banner across Sony made computers in the 1980s exclu- handout. She took her the top saying “Fortify.” Get ready, buy sively for the Japan toy market, the com- home and put her up for lots of ammo, because somebody wants pany withdrew from the computer busi- the night, and I found her your stuff. You can probably figure out ness around the turn of the decade. the next day and picked where I land in regards to my preferred Sony’s re-entry to the global computer my beloved girl up no sign. Now on to something about com- market under the new VAIO brand began worse for wear. The puters. in 1996 with the PCV series of desktops. Smith woman was featured on Sony VIAO — have you ever won- The VAIO logo also represents the inte- the cover of the Ventura dered what that name meant? Well to- gration of analog and digital technology County Star this week. day’s your lucky day. Here’s what with the ‘VA’ representing an analog Her husband died, and she was trying to Wikipedia has to say; wave and the ‘O’ representing a digital save her property and her lifestyle from VAIO is a sub-brand used for many of binary code. the villains at Wells Fargo. It’s hard to Sony’s computer products. Originally an (Continued on page 12)

More on Penguin’s Lair ...

(Continued from page 10) ity is included that can create and restore lation and reconfiguration of Windows. can be rejuvenated by selecting the images of entire drives or partitions. Because it is actively maintained, TRK “Windows junkfile cleaning” option. Midnight Commander, a text-based file will remain up-to-date and support the Deleted files can be quickly recovered manager inspired by Norton Commander, latest hardware. Due to the good docu- using TRK. Note that as with all file- makes it simple to find and copy files. mentation and active online user forum, recovery products, the probability of suc- You can use TRK to run a Windows file help can be easily obtained from the cess decreases as more time elapses be- or Secure Shell server (or both) on the maintainer as well as other TRK users. tween deleting the file and attempting to PC, which can simplify moving files to There is little reason not to download recover it. TRK even includes utilities and from a remote machine. TRK today and burn it to disc so it is that can recover “lost” drive partitions. TRK utilities that are useful in more available when needed. TRK helps when you suspect that complex situations include the ability to If you have questions or would like to vermin have infiltrated your PC. All hard clone computers over a network, set up a learn more about Linux and FOSS, come drive partitions can be quickly mounted boot server, and examine the data travers- to the Linux SIG meeting on Tuesday, (made available for use) and unmounted. ing a network. If you would like assis- Nov. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Ventura County Even NTFS partitions are fully writable tance with using TRK, you can contact Computers in Ventura. The October up- by TRK. Any or all drives and partitions the maintainer from the TRK website for grade of the CIPCUG Linux PC to Ub- can be scanned for malware using five remote support. TRK will set up your PC untu 11.10 was interrupted by a hiccup, different scanning tools, which are dy- to allow them access to it so that they can so we will most likely install it from namically updated when this item is se- help you in your rescue efforts. scratch. This will give us plenty of time lected (thus, an Internet connection is TRK is another example of open to discuss the Trinity Rescue Kit and required). Two rootkit utilities can be run source goodness that provides Windows take, ask, and answer questions. See the to detect and eradicate these pernicious users with a free alternative to proprie- CIPCUG website for more information. If and dangerous pests. tary, closed, and costly commercial soft- you have a question or topic you would TRK can help rescue your precious ware. It can be used to resolve many dif- like the Lair or Linux SIG to cover, send files and data from hardware that is dead ficult problems that otherwise would re- it to me at [email protected]. or being decommissioned. A backup util- quire a good recent backup and a reinstal- Until next month, happy computing. Page 12 The Outer Edge November 2011

(Continued from page 11) We tried each one and as it failed we had for it. What a surprise. I finally had to go It’s well known I’m not a big fan of to start the process over again and choose to drivers guide and get the driver. It some of the big-name PC manufacturers, the next one. Of course the one that would not install and froze up the PC and Sony just about tops my list. I had a worked was the final choice. It saw the when I tried. You who know me can only client come in this month with a Sony hard disk and gave us the choice to repair imagine how depleted my patience meter VAIO VGC series multimedia PC. This the existing installation, which is essen- was at this point so I resorted to the thing thing had a TV tuner and all the bells and tially an upgrade of XP with XP. As it I hate the most in tech support … whistles you’d expect from Sony to entice chugged away, imagine our surprise when ONLINE CHAT. There has never been you to buy this PC. He got infected with it asked a second time for the hard disk more time wasted in my life, except “CLOUD SECURITY” malware. We drivers. OK, fine, we put this floppy disk maybe at the DMV, than doing online were able to partially remove the active in, and the computer then said unable to chat with some slightly educated tech in a infection, but the Web browser was still find floppy disk to load drivers. What! It foreign country. I tried five times in a redirecting to alternate sites. This gener- is a Sony USB floppy drive and it doesn’t period of three day to get a person online ally means there’s a rootkit hidden or a work. Nothing we could do would get us and gave up after more than half an hour very sneaky .DLL hiding and doing the past this Sony roadblock. Eventually, we on each attempt. Finally on the third day I dirty work. I handed this project over to found some info suggesting a Teac drive got a phone call and went into the other our partner emeritus, Toby Scott, who might work but no guarantees. So after a room, and when I came back the tech had was sleeping in his chair. In the interest day or two messing with this we called got my request and dropped me because of the common good, he decided he’d do Sony and ordered a restore disk for $25 as of MY non-responsiveness. Every man battle with this new variation of a com- the PC did not come with one. After more has his breaking point, and I had finally mon malware plaguing the populace re- than two weeks and three calls to Sony, met mine. I called the client and said cently. After working on it for the after- which took more than 10 days just to get please come get your PC. Too bad he noon, he proceeded to render the com- the item into a box, we received the prod- didn’t know I would have paid him to rid puter unbootable. He was trying various uct. Now, remember people who order my life of this monster instead of him fixes recommended by unknown people this stuff usually have a dead PC and paying me. After we went through every- on Internet blogs. So now we had to get need it fixed as soon as possible. There is thing, I found out he did not use the TV XP working again on this PC. We tried a huge disconnect between corporate tuner and had no idea what the device the usual standard XP repair of the oper- thinking and what end users want and manager was so I let it go out with the job ating system. When it came time to start need. Now we are about three weeks into partially completed. copying the software, everything halted what should have been a one- or two-day Did I take the coward’s way out not because XP could not detect the hard fix. Thank you, Toby. So we used the telling him about the missing device disk. This means you are either using the disks provided by Sony and the install driver? Probably. Did I lower my stan- wrong version of XP or there is some sort works. Now, granted we had to wipe out dards to relive myself? Yes. Would I al- of RAID controller driver that needs to be the whole PC because restore disk doesn’t low myself to be put in this compromis- installed. So off to Sony’s website we go, allow the repair option. Once everything ing position again? No! I am putting a and sure enough there is a list of about six finished, imagine our surprise when none sign on the door that says we have the hard disk controller drivers to try. Won- of the drivers were installed. Every other right to refuse service to anyone, espe- derful, we thought; now we’re going to be manufacturer who supplies system restore cially Sony! So if you are reading this and here all day. If you’ve ever installed Mi- disks does it with the necessary drivers own a SONY VAIO and need to have crosoft Windows XP or other Microsoft included, except — you guessed it — some service done, you might consider operating systems you may have noticed Sony! So we now had to download every asking someone else to help you. “hit F6 to load additional drivers” near driver from Sony’s website, and there See you next month, hopefully. I am the beginning of the software install. Of were about 25 of them. After the com- on my way to buy some bullets and bot- course, if you miss the couple of seconds puter installed every driver it had, there tled water right now. the screen is displayed you have to start was still one exclamation point in the XP —- over again. We had to install a USB device manager. It was the TV tuner card. (Rick, you shouldn’t slam Toby and floppy device to load the drivers as this Nothing was listed on Sony’s site so I had then ask him to proofread your musings. PC had no floppy drive controller. We to remove the card, write down the part The bullets are blanks and the water is dutifully hit the F6 and noticed that six number and begin searching. Sony’s site tainted. You won’t read this soon enough choices of drivers presented themselves. had no information at all when I searched to save you.)

Find us on the Web at http://www.cipcug.org and at our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/groups/cipcug.

November 2011 The Outer Edge Page 13 The Droid wars: Apple, Microsoft see a threat By Rick Curry does not want the product to be sold at More often, the threat is real and the legal [email protected] all. wrangling proceeds. Sometimes the point he Android class of mobile Microsoft, for its part, seems OK with of the lawsuit is to delay the release of a phone (or Droid) has become a the prospect of Android devices so long product. Sometimes the idea is to charge significant threat to the Apple as the industry allows Microsoft to tax a nuisance fee; if the cost is low enough, products iPhone and iPad as and regulate the market through the as- it might be more cost-effective for a busi- wellT as to Microsoft’s Windows 8 Mobile sessment of licensing fees for Microsoft ness to just pay the fee. It may not seem Phone. An attorney for Apple recently patents. very moral, but it turns out to be legal. told a judge that Apple’s customers Does Microsoft have patent rights Charging fees to anyone using An- would be lost forever should the customer against Android devices? That is hard to droid seems to be the Microsoft strategy. purchase any Android apps. The attorney say. Some years ago, the federal govern- It just completed a deal with Samsung was probably exaggerating, but clearly ment adopted a more laissez-faire attitude and has previously settled with HTC, Apple and Microsoft view the device as a towards patents, preferring to let patent Acer, General Dynamics Itronix, Onkyo, threat. And with reason: a good price for owners fight for the patents in court Velocity Micro, ViewSonic and Wistron. an iPhone with a 2-year plan is around rather then paying government experts to The deals are all secret, so each company $200, while a good price for an Android see if the patent makes sense. One of the might pay a different fee. This way, Mi- with a plan is zero. Also, Android apps side effects of this policy is that many crosoft can control and tax its competi- can potentially be used on devices other more patents are filed now that there is tors. than phones: Google TV for instance. less oversight. Corporations build up war One Android peddler has held out and Apple has been attempting to prevent chests filled with patents that they can use refuses to pay this Microsoft tax. The sales of the Samsung “Galaxy” knock-off to legally harass other corporations. Often parent company for Motorola Mobile has of the iPad worldwide. Samsung has re- there is a mock threat of legal action decided to go up against the Microsoft solved a number of the issues in Apple’s based on patents where two companies legal department. And who would be so complaints, and it should be no surprise will wave their patents at each other like bold? Why, none other than Google! that such lawsuits will continue. Apple gorillas throwing palm fronds into the air. (Continued on page 14)

Page 14 The Outer Edge November 2011

Review: Eudora Members’ For sale

classified ads Wanted Email program meets Classified ads are free to members. Each ad is limited Other categories to 105 characters, including as needed most people’s needs spaces and to one ad per member per month. Copy has By Jim Thornton to be to John Weigle, editor of [email protected] TOE ([email protected]), ’m a longtime user of Eudora email. It’s a popular elec- within the week after the tronic mail (email) software program used both by indi- regular meeting. Otherwise, viduals, businesses, and college students (for example, the ad is held to the following month. University of Michigan) that accesses your Internet and/or yourI home or work network to receive and send your email Free messages. Another example of Eudora popularity is that there are at least 10 groups on the Yahoo! Groups website on the Internet. Here are descriptions of Eudora’s basic features: Email Service — If you use more than one email service, The Outer Edge is printed and prepared for mailing by: Eudora will send and receive mail to and from your multiple accounts. For example, I use both Verizon and G-mail. Address Book — Your favorite e-mail addresses are stored in your Eudora address book. Each address listing has five tabs: Personal, Home, Work, Other, and Notes. Personal contains first and last names, and email address. Work contains title, organization, street address, city, state/province, country, postal code, telephone, fax, mobile, and Web. Home contains street address, city, state/province, country, postal code, phone, fax, mobile, and Web. Other contains other email addresses, other telephone numbers, and one Web page. And Notes contain a large space for your notes, which I frequently use to store birth- days, etc. You can easily copy your Outlook Express or similar email program’s address book into the Eudora address book. Fonts — There are 200 choices, and there are seven sizes to choose from — very small, small, medium, large, very large, and humongous. Other features include bold, italics, underline, color, typewriter align left, center, right, indent in and out, bulleted list, and hyperlink. Spell Checker — As you are preparing your message, Eu- (Continued on page 15) More on Droid wars ...

(Continued from page 13) Google created Android in the first place and apparently does not welcome Microsoft as its new corporate overlord. Microsoft does not tolerate competitors in its markets, which seems to include anything vaguely computer-ish that is highly profitable. A small company that was partially financed by Microsoft used these tricks to fight against Linux. At the time, IBM was willing to champion the cause of Linux and won the day. It is not obvious how things would have turned out if IBM had not taken up that standard. In the great Droid wars of 2011, it is Be sure to keep your anti-malware Google vs. Apple and Microsoft. There is good money to be made in predicting the outcome of that fight. programs up to date and run regular Happy computing (and investing?). scans.

November 2011 The Outer Edge Page 15 ‘Secret Guide’ expected in November

rt Lewis has turned in the want one of the extras. any last-minute changes. Bits & Bytes order for The 31st edition of He will be collecting Last month, we had another computer the “Secret Guide to Com- money at the November auctioned off. It was a 2 dual core XP puters and ‘Tricky Living.’ ” meeting and if the books with Office 2003 and the latest version of AThis updated version has 703 pages in 52 have arrived we will Nero, which sold for the fantastic price of chapters grouped into 10 sections. It has have them available to $110. Pretty good price for a computer more than 40,000 improvements over the pick up. these days, even if it was only XP. Sorry previous edition and covers Windows 7, The Nov. 19 program you missed out! modern browsers, websites, email sys- Long will be Topaz Labs, I need someone to take over the up- tems, MS Office 2010, modern program- which has promised to dating of CIPCUG’s Web page. It is be- ming languages and much more. The re- come with its video and image enhance- coming more than I can handle and I hate tail cost for this book is $25, and CIP- ment products, which use the most ad- to see the quality of the site go down. I CUG will sell copies for $20. They make vanced technology currently available. have done it for 15 years, and it is time wonderful Christmas presents. Art has Keep your fingers crossed; they had an for me to step down. Anyone interested ordered about 10 more books than he had emergency the last time they were sched- please contact me or Toby Scott. orders for, so if you didn’t order one you uled so we hope they make it this time. HAVE YOU RUN YOUR ANTI- can let me know at the meeting if you Always have a peek at the Web page for SPYWARE PROGRAMS LATELY? More on Eudora ... (Continued from page 14) Tip of the Day — A new tip of the all incoming messages and will move all dora is checking spelling, and all mis- day will appear every time you open Eu- unread messages containing junk into the spelled words are underlined. Move your dora. Junk mailbox and remain there for about cursor to and right click on the misspelled Checking Mail — You can specify 30 days. Unread messages in the Junk word and a list will appear for you to how frequently you want Eudora to check mailbox are indicated by the name of the choose from. You can add words to the for new mail. The choices are in minutes. mailbox being bold. spelling list. I use every five minutes. Backup — I periodically move my Attachments — You can write and Mailboxes — There are individual sent and received e-mails from Eudora to send your messages with custom station- mailboxes on the left side of your Eudora a separate folder on my hard drive, and ary and signatures. You can send both screen and these mailboxes are In, Out, whenever I need to reread any of those text and graphic files attached to your Trash, Junk, and all of the individual emails, all I have to do is the left click on message. Attachments are stored in a mailboxes that you have created for the the file in the separate folder and all of separate folder on your hard drive. storage of your sent and received mes- the e-mails are temporary copied back Priority — You can designate the sages. For example, when I send a mes- into my Eudora program, where I can priority of your message to send as high- sage to a person, whom I have created a easily read the e-mails. When I close Eu- est, high, normal, low, or lowest. mailbox for, the sent message automati- dora, all of those temporary e-mails are Auto-Reply — You can create an cally is moved from the Out mailbox and removed but still remain in my separate email message that will be sent to people into the individual mailbox that I have backup folder. automatically upon receiving their mes- previously created. You can search for a Software Versions — There are two sage when you are on vacation or away particular message by using the Eudora software versions — 7.1 for all versions from your computer. search feature. of Windows and 6.2.4 for Mac. I’m using Return Receipt — You can receive a Trash and Junk — When you delete a version 7.1.0.9 with Window 7. Eudora is receipt email message acknowledging message, it will be moved into the Trash available at www.eudora.com and many when your sent message has been re- mailbox and remain there for about three other websites easily found by using ceived and is being read. months. Eudora automatically evaluates Google. The program is free.

November and December changes Don’t forget that, because of conflicts with holidays, our November and December meetings move from the fourth Saturday of the month to the third Saturday of the month.

Page 16 The Outer Edge November 2011 Early wishes for a series Treasurer’s of happy holidays report for

ith any luck at all, you should get this issue of September 2011 TOE long enough before the regular meeting to By Art Lewis Lewis be reminded that, because of the holidays, it will [email protected] be on the third — not the fourth — Saturday of 9-1-2011 through W 9-30-2011 the month in both November and December. I join President James Brown and wish all our members a Happy Thanksgiving Category Description and the best of whatever you celebrate in Decem- INFLOWS Editor’s ber, be it Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid or Festivus. If Coffee income -5.00 corner none of those fits your lifestyle, have a happy De- Membership Income cember. New Members $160.00 The holiday season is also a logical time to plug Renewals 540.00 the availability of “Secret Guide to Computers & TOTAL MEMBERSHIP 700.00 Tricky Living,” which is also mentioned elsewhere Raffle 99.00 in this issue. Author Russ Walter jams lots of in- formation about computing, and life in general, TOTAL INFLOWS 794.00 Weigle into more than 700 pages in the 31st edition of the book. It’s a good gift for anyone among your OUTFLOWS friends and family who need an easy guide to computing. Cop- Raffle prizes 94.69 ies are expected be available at the November meeting. Rent Paid 150.00 This issue contains a nice variety of information, ranging TOE 347.12 from the usual coverage of the regular meeting to a report on the effects of floods in Thailand on the availability of hard drives in TOTAL OUTFLOWS 591.81 the entire world to a review of Eudora, a popular email program. My thanks to all the members who make my job easier by pro- OVERALL TOTAL 202.19 viding articles for TOE. All authors like feedback on their material, so if you find Unrestricted Funds 5,958.14 something you particularly like, please send the author or me a Restricted Funds 0.00 note saying so. Pro and con comments on articles are welcome Bank Balance 8-31-11 5,958.14 for publication in TOE, of course. Letters to the editor are al- Year to Date Income 1,886.25 ways among the most popular parts of any publication, and I’d Year to Date Expense 1,715.44 love to have a monthly letters section. All I ask is that letters Net Year to Date 170.81 avoid personal attacks. Comment on the article, not the writer, please. Also, please let me or our writers know what topics you’d like to see covered in TOE or take pen in hand (or put hands on keyboard) and write your own article. I can edit it and send a 2011 contributors to The Outer Edge copy back for your approval if you’d like, but please don’t just Your name can appear here, too. SANS Institute jot down a bunch of unconnected thoughts and ask me to make Share your knowledge with other Sharon Parq Associates Inc. sense of them for you. members by sending an article, letter Toby Scott or computer tip to Michael Shalkey Along the same line, if you have program ideas, please pass [email protected]. Rick Smith them along to Craig Ladd, our vice president and program chair- Ken Church Smart Computing magazine man. As you’ve no doubt noticed by now, it’s getting harder and Rick Curry Jim Thornton harder to get companies from outside the county to visit us to Bob de Violini Les Townsing A0CUG) Bill Kenworthy US-CERT promote their products, so if you know of local folks who are Jeff Levy Bill Wayson doing interesting things with their computers, please let us Art Lewis John Weigle know. Or if you have a collection of electronic gadgets you’d Brian K. Lewis (APCUG) Jonathan Wylie like to share with us, please offer to do so. You don’t have to be Helen Long Worldstart computer tips, Warner Mach (APCUG) www.worldstart.com the most accomplished speaker in the world, but you have to be Dick Maybach (APCUG) a step or two above the level of being frozen into silence if Diane Mortensen you’re standing in front of a group. Sr. Dorothy Robinson (APCUG) — John Weigle, editor

November 2011 The Outer Edge Page 17

Membership report: September 2011 renewals payment due: First Is it time to renew? Mbr# Last Name Pd to Dt Name By Ken Church 0006 Burnett Bob 201109 email address: [email protected] T 0613 Green Gunnar 201109 0773 Welcome – CHURCH Lang Nita 201109 New Members: Wanted T 1235 Shaw Wayne 201109 1208 Sheffield Craig 201109 Attendance at the October, 2011, general meeting: 65 members and guests

Total membership: 195 October 2011 renewals payment due: First Mbr# Last Name Pd to Dt MEMBER RENEWAL INFORMATION Name $30 for single membership, 1224 Alexander Doug 201110 $35 for two or more family membership. 0034 Campbell Gordon 201110 1107 Carlson Gordy 201110 NEW MEMBER INFORMATION T $40 first year for single membership, 0990 Mehr Steve 201110 $55 first year for two or more family member- 0942 Mickey Barbara 201110 ship in same household. 0901 Shelton Charles 201110 0158 Volpi Ralph 201110

Please send your payment to:

CIPCUG MEMBERSHIP November 2011 renewals payment due: First P.O. BOX 51354 Mbr# Last Name Pd to Dt OXNARD, CA 93031-1354 Name 0388 Armstrong Bob 201111 Or bring your payment to the sign in table for 1074 Chaison Doris 201111 the Nov. 19, 2011, meeting. 1061 Churchyard Martha 201111 0915 Clayton Phil 201111 1215 Cobb Charles 201111 0944 Coon Donn 201111 0635 Godwin John 201111

0945 Gorelik Donn 201111

1212 Hollander Gary 201111

0789 Knauer Wolfgang 201111

0145 Lee Bill 201111 0542 Salisbury Wayne 201111 1194 Tsutsui - Trujillo Sandy 201111 0863 Zapf, D.P.M. Michael 201111

Page 18 The Outer Edge November 2011

Initials Name (805) BDV Bob de Violini [email protected]

BR Bill Robinson 389-2997 (b) [email protected]

DM David Minkin 469-6970 (cell); 484-2974 (home); [email protected]

MS Michael Shalkey [email protected]

RP Robert Provart 498-8477 (b)

Phone: (d) = days; (e) = evenings; (b) = both

If you would like to volunteer to help others, please send F1—Your Help Key your contact information and programs you’re willing to (Revised Sept. 7, 2008) help on to [email protected].

COMMUNICATIONS/INTERNET (GENERAL) ...... World Wide Web DM

DATABASES WEB HELP SITES (Updated 4-5-11) Access BR Annoyances Central blog (from authors of the O’Reilly Annoyances series, including Steve Bass): DOS RP www.annoyancescentral.com Steve Bass TechBite Newsletter registration page: E-MAIL www.techbite.com Outlook MS DSL reports: www.dslreports.com Outlook Express BR, DM Steve Gibson: www.grc.com Thunderbird MS Kim Komando: www.komando.com Leo Laporte: www.leoville.com GRAHICS PROGRAMS Jeff Levy: www.jefflevy.com IrfanView MS Linux distributions: www.DistroWatch.com Paint Shop Pro DM Microsoft: www.microsoft.com Photo Shop Elements BR OnGuard Online: http://www.onguardonline.gov Print Shop BR Online safety tips: www.OnGuardOnline.gov PC Pitstop: www.pcpitstop.com SPREADSHEETS PC World: www.pcworld.com Microsoft Excel DM Recalled products: www.recalls.gov SANS Institute — Computer Security Education and WORD PROCESSING Information Security Training: www.sans.org Microsoft Word DM Smart Computing: www.smartcomputing.com WordPerfect DM Spyware Warrior: www.spywarewarrior.com User Group Relations (Gene Barlow): www.ugr.com WINDOWS Ventura County Computers (Rick and Toby’s shop): Windows 98, 95 DM, MS (98) www.vccomputers.com BDV Virus Bulletin: www.virusbtn.com/index Windows XP DM Windows Secrets: www.windowssecrets.com Windows The Official Magazine (UK): www.officialwindowsmagazine.com/

If you have a favorite help site on the Web, please forward it, so we can expand the section. If you find a link that doesn’t work, please tell us that, too.

November 2011 The Outer Edge Page 19

Why join Channel Islands PC Users Group (CIPCUG)?

♦ A flash drive containing many Every month, members of the Channel useful freeware programs. Dues for new members Islands PC Users Group have access to: ♦ A chance to make friends with Individual member, $40. ♦ The Outer Edge newsletter, which people who have similar interests. Family membership (same address), includes a list of members willing to help ♦ The ability to put your knowledge $55. other members. to good use by helping other members. Renewals are $30 and $35 per year ♦ The general meeting, featuring a The whole concept of user groups is respectively. question-and-answer session and program members helping members. TOE subscription only (in the U.S.), on new software or hardware. $20. ♦ Special Interest Groups — special Please clip the coupon below and meetings held several times a month. send with payment to CIPCUG- CIPCUG E-MAIL ADDRESS ♦ Door prizes at the regular meeting. Membership, P.O. Box 51354, Oxnard, Members who would like to have an Other benefits include: CA 93031-1354. e-mail address through CIPCUG in the ♦ Special user group discounts on Please make checks payable to form of [email protected] may ob- books and software. CIPCUG. tain one for $20 per year.

CIPCUG MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION User level: Novice ____; Intermediate _____;

Advanced _____ Amount enclosed: ______

Please Print the following information: Can you help the club as a volunteer? If so, what would you be interested in working on?

Name: ______

Address: ______

City: ______, State:______

Date ______Member # ______ZIP Code: ______

Phone (Home): ______(Work): ______

E-mail address: ______

Page 20 The Outer Edge NON-PROFIT November 2011 Channel Islands PC Users U.S. POSTAGE PAID Group Inc. OXNARD. CA P.O.Box 51354 PERMIT NO. 1785 Oxnard, CA: 93031

DATED MATERIAL Please Do Not Delay

DUES REMINDER

If the number above your name is 2011NOVEM- BER, your membership dues are payable in No- vember 2011.

November 2011 meeting Of the Channel Islands PC Users Group

The map shows Saturday morning, Nov. 19, at the Boys the easiest route & Girls Club, 1500 Temple Ave. to the Boys & (Ponderosa Drive and Temple Avenue), Girls Club, but if Camarillo. you prefer, you can take the Meeting Schedule: Carmen Drive 8:30 a.m. Doors open offramp to 8:45-9:30 Internet and networking SIG, Social Media SIG Ponderosa Drive, 9:30-10:30 Business meeting, Q&A which leads to 10:30-11:00 Break — Please contribute requested Temple Avenue. amounts for coffee and doughnuts 11:00-12:00 Program — Topaz Labs Drawing