October 2019 The Outer Edge Page 1 The Outer Edge Next meeting: Saturday, Oct.. 26 (fourth Saturday) October 2019 Vol. 33, No. 2 Whole No. 3732 ISSN 1055-4399 Newsletter of the Channel Islands PC Users Group The Friendly Computer Club Helping Make Computers Friendly COMMAND.COM By Ed Lynch, president Attendance at the Septem- he holiday season is approaching quickly. Michael’s program on “Windows Tips and Tricks,” demonstrated again that there are nu- ber 2019 meeting was 32 merous ways to accomplish the same task in Windows. The photo members and guests. T series renaming should save time identifying all those photos, allow- ing more time with family and friends. Those tips and tricks are very power- ful. I maybe should learn the new ways. I will admit that I am not a strong WINDOWS supporter. I do not have the option to not use it. Windows 10 appears to me to be the most secure yet. That eliminates my first complaint. Windows 10 is supposed to be the last How to contact us operating system. I thought that would eliminate the obsolescence of the soft- ware. I find features in programs that ran in the initial The Outer Edge ……………[email protected] release are now failing. I guess software and hardware General Info (Ventura County will now have to reference Windows build xxxx and Computers)..............805-289-3960 above. The hardware support has immensely improved. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 51354, It is hard to find a device, be it PCIe, eSATA, USB and Oxnard, CA 93031-1354 maNy others that are not supported and function as Email addresses for board members are expected right out of the box without loading drivers. I on page 2 am sure there are many who spend hours trying to get a On the Web: cipcug.org modem card to function properly. Good thing they are On Facebook: Facebook.com/groups/cipcug obsolete. I learned early that there is an interdependency be- tween hardware and OS software. I think my laptop is Inside approaching a barrier. It was originally a Windows 7 Lynch and was upgraded to Windows 10. It is six years old, Program: Rick Smith tells us how — has plenty of processing power, but freezes when powered on but not used for and why — he decided to make his house 3-4 hours. It is a hard power off to shutdown and restart. I believe this is due smart. If you’re thinking of doing the to the fact that the hardware was optimized for Win 7. Maybe it is time for a same, read about his experiences first. new computer since I reinstall Windows 2-3 times a year. Most of the re- — Page 6 builds are due to installed software that I want to make sure is not running How many browsers do you need? anywhere. They’re free and writer John Fair explains This year I reached the milestone where I have used a WINDOWS OS what browsers do and why you might more years than a UNIX OS. I am not sure where I am going with this, but for want more than one. me this is the time to stop screaming, a little kicking allowed, but embrace — Page 8 WINDOWS as a useful tool. Be wary about using people you don’t know to “fix” your computer. — Page 11 Page 2 The Outer Edge October 2019 Channel Islands Root Directory PC Users Group CIPCUG mailing address: CIPCUG NEWS P.O. Box 51354, Oxnard, CA Benefits…………………..…….....19 93031-1354 2019 Contributors to TOE…………3 CIPCUG sponsors………………...14 Executive Committee Coming CIPCUG Events….……….3 (Elected members of Board of Directors) Command.com……..………….....,,.1 President….......................................Ed Lynch Consignment table………………....3 .………………………[email protected] Death notice………………………..3 Vice President/Program Chairman Editor’s corner……………...….......3 ………………..…………………..Craig Ladd …………………[email protected] Map to meeting place………..…...20 Secretary……………..….…….Bob Dinsmore Membership report………..….......14 ………………………[email protected] Program: Tips on converting your Treasurer…….…….…….……...…Andy Toth house to a smart one……….…....6 ………………………[email protected] The Outer Edge Q&A sessions………………..….....4 Immediate Past President Editor……………………..John Weigle Recent activity on our ………………….............................Andy Toth P.O. Box 6536, Ventura CA 93006 Facebook page……………..…..18 (Appointed members 485-7121………[email protected] Treasurer’s report……...…….…….9 of Board of Directors) Technical Adviser……….………..Toby Scott The Outer Edge is published monthly by Channel GENERAL Web Page Editor….……………....Andy Toth Islands PC Users Group (CIPCUG), P.O. Box 51354, ……………………[email protected] Oxnard, Calif. 93031-1354. an independent, nonprofit Is the CPU the PC Shopping TOE editor.…….………….…….John Weigle corporation. Contents of The Outer Edge copyright Key?............................................15 …………………………[email protected] 2001 by Channel Islands PC Users Group. Jere’s tech tips……………...……..12 Membership Chairman.………....Ken Church Permission for reproduction in whole or in part is granted to other computer user groups for internal Safe computing reminders………..18 …………….………[email protected] nonprofit use provided credit is given to The Outer Unpleasant experiences: Reviews chairman………………Bart Koslow Edge and the authors of the reproduced material. All Who ya gonna call?………..….11 ……….….…………………[email protected] other reproduction is prohibited without prior written Web help sites…………………....18 Ex-officio members of Board of Directors consent of Channel Islands PC Users Group. CIPCUG ISP Signups……..……..Andy Toth Opinions expressed in this journal are solely those of What happens n the downloading the authors or contributors, and do not necessarily Sound Equipment Technician process vs. the saving process represent those of Channel Islands PC Users Group, ...………….…………………...Curt Davison its officers or membership as a whole. The on a computer?..........................10 Publicity Chairman..………..…Bart Koslow information provided is believed to be correct and useful; however, no warranty, express or implied, is ADVERTISEMENTS Past Presidents made by Channel Islands PC Users Group, its officers, Creative Technology……………...17 Walt Yates…………………………….…1987-1989 editorial staff or contributors. This disclaimer extends Lois Evans de Violini…………………...1989-1991 to all losses, incidental or consequential, resulting from Members’ classified ads…...…......17 Terry Lee…………………………….…..1991-1993 the use or application of the information provided. Mercury Broadcasting…...……….11 Jerry McLoud…………………….……...1993-1995 Channel Islands PC Users Group does not endorse or recommend any specific hardware or software products, Ventura County Computers…...….13 Robert Provart………………….………..1995-1997 dealers, distributors or manufacturers. All trademarked Toby Scott…………………………….…1997-1999 or registered trademarked names are acknowledged to George Lakes …………………………...1999-2001 be the property of their respective owners, and are used Andy Toth……………………………….2001-2003 for editorial purposes only. David Harris………………….………….2003-2005 Lois Evans de Violini………..………….2005-2007 Paul Westefer…………………………...2007-2009 Advertising in The Outer Edge Rick Curry……………………………….2009-2011 Advertising is accepted for computer-related James Brown………………………….…2011-2013 materials, businesses and services only. Rates are Sandy Tsutsui-Trujillo.………………….2013-2015 for Camera-Ready copy (clear, clean black and Lisa Toth…………….………………….2015-2017 white masters). Typesetting and graphics are available at an additional fee. Dennis Biesman………....…….July-October, 2017 (With the exception of the immediate past president, past presidents are not board members.) SIZE Cost/Issue FULL-PAGE (9½”H x 7¼”W)................$50.00 HALF-PAGE (4½”H x 7¼”W) Life members Frank Segesman* or (9½”H x 3½”W )....….........................$30.00 THIRD-PAGE (3”H x 7¼” W)………….$25.00 Toby Scott Lois Evans de Violini QUARTER-PAGE (4½”H x 3½W)..........$20.00 Art Lewis* BUSINESS CARD ad...............................$15.00 Discounts for multiple issues (3, 6, 9 and 12 Helen Long* *Deceased months) Ad copy deadline is the 5th of the month of publication. Make all checks payable to CIPCUG. Members’ classified ads are free but are limited to 105 characters, including spaces. October 2019 The Outer Edge Page 3 CIPCUG news and events Yes, TOE is late, late, Coming CIPCUG events late. Here’s why No program topic set at oo many events at the same time of year and my mistakes sending the wrong versions of the Q&A TOE’s deadline report for Toby and Michael to edit kept pushing T me further and further behind in getting this issue No program topic was set when TOE was sent to the printer. of TOE to you. I apologize for the delay. The next meeting will be on Oct. 26 at the Boys & Girls Club Here is a summary of what was going on. of Camarillo, 1500 Temple Ave. (Ponderosa Drive and Temple I had to be in Ontario (California, not Canada) for four Avenue), Camarillo. days for SESCAL, the Stamp Exhibition of Southern Cali- The meeting starts at 8:45 a.m. with the first Q&A session, fornia, because I was president of the Federated Philatelic followed by a business meeting, the second Q&A session, a cof- Clubs of Southern California, which sponsors the show, fee and doughnuts break and the program. and was chairman of the show. Don’t ask: I should have Dates of other coming meetings: said no more often. Nov. 16 (third Saturday) Editor’s My stamp club put on its annual Youth Dec. 21 (third Saturday) corner Stamp Fair on Oct. 19, and I’m the chair- There have been some questions about SIGs (Special Interest man of that. Groups). It could be difficult to have them during the meeting, The usual weekend of SESCAL was but if anyone has ideas about how to have some — and help pre- changed because the Ontario Convention sent them — please tell anyone on the board. Center let another group take our usual date. Certainly, the committee, including me, didn’t make some decisions as soon as we should have. For the past few years, we Weigle have had a consistent critic who kept saying that the federation’s president (me) and the Federation/SESCAL treasurer were violating the bylaws for years and suggesting, although he didn’t use the word, that we were crooks.