This month in Features PCUG News & Services 10Genealogy and Family History 7 Membership Notes Michael Pahlow gives us the promised references Mike Burke with information for new members 12MSICE 8 Misson Statement Terry Bibo tells URLs are nice on ice! What we do for you 14Goose Bumps 19TIP News Luke Elliott takes on a new game Allan Mikkelsen keeps us up to date 15 Caption Competition 36 Internet Project Application What can you say? Get connected with TIP 16 Mechatronics 37Member Services Ockham’s Razor transcript Details of services available to members only 20 Book Review 38Special Interest Groups Glenn Pure reviews the latest Where the real action i3 22 Committee Profiles 39 Training News A glimpse into the future Low cost training for members 26 Bits and Bytes 40 Vendor Discounts Have a laugh with Andrew Clayton Membership has its privileges 27 Puzzle Corner 42 Exercise the old grey cells with Vic Bushell Members’ Ads Check here first for bargains 28 Software Library News Phil Trudinger reviews a selection of software 42PCUG Membership The official membership form 34What’s News? Malcolm Morrison keeps up with the latest 43Help Directory Stuck? Call the experts 44Calendar What’s on next month Profile 2Editorial Information How to contribute to Sixteen Bits Advertiser & Product Information 3Contact Information How to contact us 6 L& S Associates 4Editorial 13 Dynamite Internet Anne Greiner 19 Context 4President’s Letter Anne Greiner fills in 21 Bettowynd 5Letters 40 Vendor Discount Scheme From our readers... SIXTEEN BITS September 1998 1 SIXTEEN BITS (ISSN 0817-0991) Managing Editor is published monthly by the Anne Greiner PC Users Group (ACT) Inc [email protected] PO Box 42 [email protected] Belconnen ACT 2616 Deadlines For Australia Online Editor October 1998 Issue Tamsin Sowden We welcome submissions of articles from members of the Group. If you are interested in [email protected] Articles and Member Ads writing please contact the Managing Editor and ask for a copy of our ‘SIXTEEN BITS - Editorial Team Friday 28 August 1998 Guidelines for Authors’ (also available on the Mike Burke, Tamsin Sowden, Commercial Ads Sixteen Bits Web site at Andrew Clayton, Malcolm Morrison, http://www.pcug.org.au/pcug/16bits/ Ann Byrne, Ivan Kramer, Vic Bushell, Friday 4 September 1998 16guide.htm). Brian Thomason Correspondence and material for review or publication should be forwarded, preferably as a Cover Design plain text file with separate PCX/BMP graphic Russell Kerrison files, by the deadline specified, to the Editor as Technical Editor follows: Advertising in • By email to [email protected] Michael Phillip • By fax to (02) 6253 4922 Photographer SIXTEEN BITS • By mail to the Centre’s address above. Brad Van Wely Anonymous contributions will not be published, SIXTEEN BITS is a unique and powerful though name and address can be withheld from Commercial Advertising Manager medium for reaching the thoughtful decision publication on request. Disks are not returned Brian Thomason makers in the ACT area. Our circulation exceeds unless requested by the author. [email protected] 3500 copies each month, with multiple © Copyright 1998, by the PC Users Group (ACT) readership exceeding 4800. Many copies are Inc. All rights reserved. Permission for Production retained by members for future reference. The reproduction in whole or in part must be obtained Petra Dwyer and the Stuffing Team advertising deadline is normally the first Friday from the Managing Editor and is generally given, provided the author also agrees and credit is of the month of publication. given to SIXTEEN BITS and the author(s) of Contributors for this issue Advertising options include the reproduced material. All other reproduction Mike Burke, Anne Greiner, • Cover ads without prior permission of the PC Users Group Andrew Clayton, Malcolm Morrison, • (ACT) Inc is prohibited. Display ads Phil Trudinger, Terry Bibo, Victor Bushell, • Special inserts Members of the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc Tamsin Sowden, Peter Elliott, Luke Elliott, receive SIXTEEN BITS each month. Registered • One-off mailing lists Michael Pahlow, Ted Macarthur, by Australia Post, Print Post Publication No. Regular advertisers receive discount vouchers PP226480/00009. Allan Mikkelsen , Glenn Pure to pay for any future advertising with SIXTEEN Disclaimer: BITS (subject to account being in order). Every Although it is editorial policy to check all material in SIXTEEN BITS for accuracy, usefulness and 12th consecutive ad placed is free. Please contact suitability, no warranty either express or implied is Authors and Advertisers please note the Advertising Manager, Brian Thomason, on offered for any losses due to the use of the material (02) 6295 2423 for further information. in the journal. Unless specifically stated otherwise, Articles from SIXTEEN BITS are also published the experiences and opinions expressed in any on the Internet as Sixteen Bits Online at http:/ column or article are those of the author and do not /www.pcug.org.au/pcug/16bits/ and extracts are represent an official position of, or endorsement read on Radio 1RPH (1125AM) Thursdays Sixteen Bits by, the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc. The PC Users 10.45am & 9.45pm. is produced with the Group (ACT) Inc is not liable for inaccuracy in any products and support of advertisement and does not accept responsibility Material published on the Web and broadcast for any claims made by advertisers. It is the buyer’s on radio is subject to copyright law and responsibility to investigate the claims made by advertisers. Any material considered misleading or reproduction in any form without permission Adobe inappropriate will be withheld at editorial discretion. of the editor and the author is prohibited. If Names of hardware, software and other products however you, as an author, object to publication offered on a commercial basis may be registered of your material on the Internet or on radio for names and trademarks of the vendors concerned. any reason, you must contact the Editor to Corel SIXTEEN BITS uses such names only in an editorial request that your articles be omitted from the Corporation fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owners, with no intent of infringement of the trademark. online version. 2 SIXTEEN BITS September 1998 PCUG Committee How To Make Contact *Postal address Vice President Anne Greiner 6288 2810 PO Box 42 (Acting President) [email protected] Belconnen ACT 2616 Secretary Rod Farr 6286 1597 & Public Officer [email protected] (For ALL correspondence) Treasurer Basil Chupin 6285 2353 J PC Users Group Centre [email protected] General Committee Allan Mikkelsen 6278 3164 Northpoint Plaza, Belconnen [email protected] Open Mon, Wed and Fri 10am-2pm General Committee David Schwabe 6254 9086 Saturdays and Sundays 9am-5pm [email protected] (closed long weekends) General Committee Wolf Lieske 6258 5250 [email protected] The PCUG Centre is the venue for PCUG training, some Special Interest Group meetings and other activities. There is no charge for using the General Committee Peter Watney 6254 1914 Centre for PCUG activities. Contact Petra Dwyer at the PCUG Centre on [email protected] (02) 6253 4911for bookings. General Committee Peter Elliott 6258 9806 [email protected] (PCUG Main Phone number General Committee Ian Johnston 6258 3409 (02) 6253 4911 [email protected] (Answering machine when Centre unattended) General Committee John Hambley 6248 9527 [email protected] 2 Fax number General Committee David Voss 6258 2178 (02) 6253 4922 [email protected] Youth Coordinator Kim Saunders 6247 9992 ,Email [email protected] [email protected] (or use addresses at left) Immediate Ann Byrne 6282 2536 Past President [email protected] ,The INTERNET Project PCUG Committee email to: [email protected] (02) 6206 6200 [email protected] Other Contacts World Wide Web page Executive Secretary Petra Dwyer http://www.pcug.org.au/pcug/ [email protected] Membership Mike Burke : Bulletin Board Service (BBS) Secretary [email protected] (02) 6253 4933 (5 lines 33.6k bps) Novell Network Michael Phillips 6253 4966 Fidonet address 3:620/243 Administrator NT Network David Schwabe 6254 9086 (BBS Sysop voice number Administrator [email protected] (02) 6253 4966 (6.00pm - 9.00pm) BBS Sysop Michael Phillips 6253 4966 [email protected] Centre Manager Wolf Lieske 6258 5250 Main Meeting [email protected] Main meetings are held 7.00pm for 7.30pm, usually on the last Monday Training Rm Mngr David Voss 6258 2178 [email protected] of every month at Manning Clark Theatre 1, Crisp Building Australian National University. The phone numbers listed above are home numbers unless otherwise specified. Please restrict calls to between 7.30pm and 9.00pm. New Members Information Night 7.30pm first Monday of the month PC Users Group Centre, Northpoint Plaza Belconnen. SIXTEEN BITS September 1998 3 EditorsEditors DeskDesk TopTop Anne Greiner, Managing Editor his month I would like to welcome us a column this month, but will be back next In the letters to the Editor this month there Brian Thomason to the Editorial team. month. He has been missed, as the editorial is one from Neville Anderson which was first TBrian joins us as Advertising Manager, email shows. Robert Dakin will also join us published in the newsgroups, but I have a position that has been vacant for quite some again soon, with the continuation of his series included it here so that people not connected time. He has made great strides in the short of articles labeled ‘Soft Options’. He has a list to the Internet will also have access to it. Neville time he has been with us, both to pick up new of reasons he couldn’t manage this month, has made some very good points here, worthy clients, and to re-establish some old ones.