C C C C N E W S L E T T E R
CENTRAL COAST COMPUTER CLUB
Santa Maria, California
VOLUME XXI: NUMBER 6 JUNE, 2006
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month at the Knollwood
Village Clubhouse 4012 S. Bradley Dr., Santa Maria.
General meeting at 7:00 PM. System Special Interest Group session is at
5:45pm. Guests are welcome.
Check out our web site: http//member.apcug.org/fourseas for the latest
program schedule information.
Membership is $15 for twelve months for individuals, $20 for families.
For this you receive: Monthly newsletters, EXTRA4C E-mail Messages,
Help-line support, Monthly presentations, Valuable door prizes, Question
and answer sessions.
NEXT MEETING: June 20, 2006 KNOLLWOOD VILLAGE 4012 S. BRADLEY
PRESENTATION: The June meeting presentation will be: Support From
ComputerWorks.
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******** JUNE COOKIE PROVIDER IS MILES DENNIS *********
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| CONTENTS |
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(1) OFFICERS, HELPLINES, S.I.G.S
(2) PRESIDENT'S CORNER Ray Isenson
(3) EDITOR'S COMMENTS Dick Trissel
(4) WEB WANDERINGS
(5) SYSTEMS S.I.G. Dick Trissel
(6) OUTLOOK EXPRESS DELETED MESSAGES Dick Trissel
(7) MS'S LATEST VERSION OF FREE BASIC Gerald Miller
(8) SET YOUR SYSTEMS FOR VISTA Ina Fried
(9) REVIEW: MICROSOFT PUBLISHER Ray Isenson
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OFFICERS HELPLINES
President Juno
Ray Isenson 937-6938 Dick Trissel 937-7572
risenson@juno.com rtrissel@juno.com
Vice President Windows 95/98/ME/XP & VoiceControl
Spence Stimler 938-0217 Amy Malicki 925-5780
SPENCE923@msn.com savvyforseniors@juno.com
Secretary Hardware and Windows XP
Barbara Godwin 934-9885 Ray Isenson 937-6938
yung.bag@verizon.net risenson@juno.com
Treasurer AOL
Gerry Miller 934-1396 Frank Maciel 922-2318
2741 Banyan Way frm8198@aol.com
Santa Maria CA 93455
gandamiller@verizon.net
Publicity Visual Basic and Genealogy
Bill Corning 934-0775 Gerald Miller 934-1396
foster95@juno.com gandamiller@verizon.net
Newsletter Editor Help With Any Problem
Dick Trissel 937-7572 Ray Isenson 937-6938
rtrissel@juno.com risenson@juno.com
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (S.I.G.)
Systems (5:45pm)
Dick Trissel
rtrissel@juno.com
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CCCC Page 2 June 2006
PRESIDENT'S CORNER by Ray Isenson
I, for one, have a lot more respect for Microsoft's MS Publisher 2003 than I
did before hearing Sharon's presentation. My use of it in the past was very
limited and I never took the time to explore its possibilities. Thank you,
Sharon, for the education.
And to those members who missed the presentation, you did yourselves a
tremendous disservice. Whether used as a tool to prepare a newsletter or a
bulletin or any of the myriad of products within the noted coverage of the
wizard built into MS Publisher, this could be a real assist. Read the
Microsoft Publisher review article in the following pages. (By the way,
answering a question from some of the members as to the retail cost of the
program; as a stand alone, disassociated from MS Office Pro, the list price
is $169 for a new user and $99 for an upgrade.)
Remember, we have an open offer from Microsoft to furnish free copies of
their software in exchange for a published review. If there's a Microsoft
program of interest to you and you're willing to review and present it to
the members at a general meeting, let me know. I'll take action to get it
for you.
Pat Keith, from ComputerWorks, is scheduled to visit with us at the June
meeting. It's been several months since we've heard from him. I look
forward to hearing about the activities of their operation. If you have one
of those "intractable" problems with your computer, Pat may be the one with
the solution. Bring it along, the problem that is, not the computer!
Some of the more senior of our members haven't been getting to the meetings
because of their concern about driving during darkness hours. Although this
should be less of a problem with longer daylight hours, if you know of
anyone who has that concern, you might offer to furnish them the
transportation.
Looking forward to seeing you at the June meeting. And don't forget to sign
your ticket at each meeting for the Christmas prize!
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CCCC Page 3 June 2006
EDITOR'S COMMENTS by Dick Trissel
This issue of the newsletter includes a discussion on the computer
configuration requirements for the new Microsoft operating system Vista.
These requirements are referred to as "Vista-capable", and "Premium Ready".
As you may recall, a short time ago there was a list of the seven versions
of Vista that will be available. What is not clear to me yet, is which of
the seven versions of Vista require which level of requirements.
Many computer users got confused by the four versions of Windows XP--Home
upgrade, Home full, Pro upgrade and Pro full, OEM (installed in a new
computer), or after market installation--and the computer requirements for
each version. Of course, most users solved the problem by just buying a new
computer and taking what came with it. That's probably what they will do
for Vista--UGH!
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CCCC Page 4 June 2006
WEB WANDERINGS
THE WHOLE FREE GOOGLE PACKAGE
It seems like not a day goes by that we don't hear about something new from
Google.com. Let's see. There's Google Earth to get satellite views of just
about anywhere on the globe. Desktop allows you to find anything in your PC
quickly. And Google offers even more add-ons.
There' the Google Screensaver. It's slick. Also the Google Toolbar. And
let's not forget Picasa, the company's photo organizer and editor.
Finding all these free programs at Google is tough.
To make things easy on you, Komando has links for you to download the free
Google programs. Just visit and bookmark this page.
www.komando.com/google
A WORLD OF SOUND
If your dream is to take a year off and travel the world. There's much to
see.
If this isn't going to happen anytime soon, you can do most of your
traveling virtually. Fortunately, mapping sites and satellite images make
the experience more believable.
But things just got a little better with the freesound project. Visitors
from all over the world have tagged a map with audio files. Just click on a
tag, and you can play a quick sound clip.
For example, there are birds singing in a South American rainforest or
street sounds in Italy. Click Satellite and zoom in to get a glimpse of the
local landscape. Okay, it doesn't beat being there in person. But it may
keep you satisfied - for now!
freesound.iua.upf.edu/geotagsView.php
TEST YOUR SPEED
Don't believe everything you read. This is especially true for advertisers'
claims.
So test your broadband speed to make sure it lives up to your ISP's claims.
Broadband Reports has a free speed test. It only takes a few seconds to run.
And there's one for uploads and downloads.
Okay, evidence shows that broadband speeds do meet ISPs' advertised
connection speeds. So if the results you get are slower than they should be,
the problem is likely with your setup.
In that case, you can use some of the other tools on the site. The Tweak
Test will help you make sure your computer is optimized for broadband.
You'll need the Java plug-in to run these tests. If you don't have it, there
is a download link to get it.
www.dslreports.com/stest
EXPLORE THE OCEAN
The ocean has always fascinated me. There are so many strange and beautiful
animals that live in the sea.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a great Web site. There are online exhibits to
explore. You can learn about the animals and even watch videos.
Be sure to check out the sea otters. These playful little pups are the
clowns of the ocean. They're sure to bring a smile to your face!
www.mbayaq.org/efc
AWWW, CUTE!
There's something irresistible about puppies, kittens and other furry little
animals. Who can look at them and not say, "awwwww?"
Well, Cute Overload has your daily dose of cuteness. There are puppies and
kittens galore, not to mention bunnies and hamsters.
You'll also see dogs that have adopted squirrels, ducklings and even a fawn!
There's even a series of entries that explain the rules of cuteness. They're
right on the money.
But be forewarned: You'll probably overload on the cuteness. After all, it
is called Cute Overload for a reason...
cuteoverload.com
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CCCC Page 5 June 2006
SYSTEMS S.I.G. by Dick Trissel
The question came up at the May S.I.G. on how to completely delete messages
in Outlook Express. The procedure is slightly different depending on the
version of Outlook Express. See the next article OUTLOOK EXPRESS DELETED
MESSAGES. It is in two parts because Outlook Express 6 (Windows XP) is so
much different than Outlook Express 5 (Windows 98).
Basically, when you delete a message, it goes into the Deleted Folder where
it can still be read with Outlook Express. When you delete a message in the
Deleted Folder, it can no longer be read with Outlook Express, but it is
still readable if you know how and where, and it still takes up disk space.
If you Compact the Deleted Folder (or any Outlook Express folder), that
space is now available to the operating system and will eventually get
written over.
I had a few USB extension cables for sale at $1.00 each at the meeting and
they were sold. If anyone wants one, they are sometimes available at the
99cent store. And I will have a dozen more available at the June meeting.
Even if you have a broadband Internet connection, it is sometimes nice to
have dial-up access to the 'Net. BestBuy has free Netzero CDs. It looks
like they are for the $9.95 installation, but you can use it to install the
free version--I did it--works fine.
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CCCC Page 6 June 2006
OUTLOOK EXPRESS DELETED MESSAGES by Dick Trissel
The following is a quote from the book Windows XP Inside/Out.
MAINTAINING OUTLOOK EXPRESS IN WINDOWS XP
If you use Outlook Express regularly for a period of months or years, you
will undoubtedly accumulate a large store of messages. Eventually, the size
of your message store will begin to slow the program down. To keep it
performing nimbly, you need to clean out your folders periodically.
When you delete messages, Outlook Express moves them to the Deleted Items
folder. This folder functions like the Windows Recycle Bin. It holds items
in case you want to see them again. To delete items permanently, you need to
take the separate step of deleting them from the Deleted Items folder.
Outlook Express does this for you automatically when you quit-provided you
have told it to do so. To set up this behavior, choose Tools, Options. On
the Maintenance tab, select Empty Messages From The 'Deleted Items' Folder
On Exit.
Simply deleting messages will not significantly reduce the size of your
message store, however! When you delete a message, Outlook Express marks the
item as deleted but does not remove it from the disk file in which the
folder is stored. Thus, over time, you can accumulate a significant amount
of wasted disk space. Under these circumstances, Outlook Express's
performance will suffer, even though the apparent contents of your folders
is relatively small.
To reclaim the wasted disk space, you have to take a second step, called
compacting. You can set Outlook Express to do this for you automatically
when the wasted space reaches some specified percentage of your overall
message store. To do this, choose Tools, Options. On the Maintenance tab,
select Compact Messages In The Background. Then specify a value in the box
next to Percent Wasted Space.
If you prefer to compact on demand, rather than having the program do it for
you, click Clean Up Now on the Maintenance tab of the Options dialog box. To
compact all of your folders, specify Outlook Express in the Local File(s)
For list in the Local File Clean Up dialog box. To compact a particular
folder, click Browse and then select the folder.
Editor's Note: You can also compact individual or selected folders by
clicking on File, Folders, and choose Compact or Compact All.
The following is a quote from the Windows 98 Secrets book.
UNDELETING DELETED MESSAGES IN WINDOWS 98
If you delete an Outlook Express message, it goes to the Deleted Items
folder. It's not exactly deleted--more like moved.
if you delete the message from the Deleted Items folder, you'll no longer be
able to find its header in any of your Outlook Express folders. This
doesn't mean it's gone though. It's still there, somewhat intact in the
Deleted Items folder. Specifically, it's still in the mailbox file called
Deleted Items.mbx (.mbx for MailBoX).
If you compact the Deleted Items folder, it's history. If you have marked
the Empty Messages from the 'Deleted Items' Folder on Exit check box in the
General tab of the Tools, Options dialog box, Outlook Express compacts this
folder and permanently deletes messages when you exit the program. You'll
want to clear this check box if you want to be able to undelete deleted
messages.
If you haven't compacted the deleted Items folder, you can quickly retrieve
missing messages. Here's how:
1. Quit Outlook Express. But before you do, be sure to clear the Empty
Messages from the 'Deleted Items' folder on Exit check box in the General
tab of the Tools, Options dialog box, if you haven't already.
2. Delete the Deleted Items.idx (.idx for InDeX) file in \Program
Files\Outlook Express\yourusername\Mail (or \Windows\Application
Data\Outlook Express\yourusername\Mail.)
3. Restart Outlook Express. Click Deleted Items in the Folder List pane.
You'll get an error message stating that the folder has been damaged and
that it will now be repaired. Click OK. Outlook Express rebuilds the index
from the mailbox file.
Your Deleted Items folder has been restored with the missing items back in
it. Now you can delete again those messages that you really want to delete.
Deleted Items.mbx is for the most part a text file. (This is also true of
the other mailbox files.) You can easily read it with Notepad or Wordpad.
If you want to retrieve a piece of text from any of these files, just open
it with either text editor.
You can use a manual method to compact the Deleted Items folder in addition
to automatically compacting it with the Empty Messages from the 'Deleted
Items' Folder on Exit option. Highlight the Deleted Items folder and choose
File Folder, Compact.
CORRUPTED FOLDERS
It appears to be quite easy to corrupt one of your Outlook Express folders.
If you get an error message complaining about your Outbox, Inbox, Deleted
Items, or Sent Items folder, you're going to have to delete at least the
folder (.mbx) and its accompanying index (.idx). Outlook Express will
construct a new, clean, empty folder for you i it is one of the standard
folders. (If the folder is one you created, you will have to create it
again.)
First, exit Outlook Express. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to \Program
Files\Outlook Express\yourusername\Mail (or \Windows\Application
Data\Outlook Express\yourusername\Mail.) Delete the index file, which is
the .idx file associated with the corrupted folder--for example, Outbox.idx.
Restart Outlook Express.
If that doesn't work, delete the .mbx file--for example, Outbox.mbx. This
will delete all the text of messages in your Outbox, so you'll have to
recreate the messages as described in UNDELETING DELETED MESSAGES.
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CCCC Page 7 June 2006
MICROSOFT'S LATEST VERSION OF FREE BASIC
by Gerald Miller
Many computer owners (like me) lament the fact that some form of BASIC
language is not standard with a normal operating system. BASIC allowed
us to write simple programs to solve engineering problems, provide
entertainment or any number of specialized computer tasks. Well, the
good news is that Microsoft has come up with yet another version of
BASIC and is providing it free at:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vb/20
I would suggest downloading both VB 2005 Express and the Web Developer
express.
This program is new to me but I wanted to let the group know while
Microsoft is still offering the program. This is not a trivial program
and there is a lot to learn to make it useful. Bill Dennis recommends
the MS Press book Visual Basic .NET 2005 Step by Step.( It's about $40.)
My understanding of the sequence of BASIC from Microsoft is in general:
MS BASIC and BASICA came with DOS.
QBASIC also with DOS
Visual Basic (to do Windows applications.)
Visual Basic versions 3, 4, 5, and 6
Visual Basic.NET
And now VB 2005
There is a lot of information on this program if you google "MSDN
Introduction to Visual Basic 2005". There is a Microsoft website with
information on VB 2005. I have downloaded both VB 2005 Express and the
Web Developer express I am presently trying to follow the sample
programs to get a feel for VB 2005. I will let you know if I develop any
proficiency. I have the impression that while VB.NET was a substantial
departure from VB6 that VB 2005 is more of a follow-on program for VB6
programmers.
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CCCC Page 8 June 2006
SET YOUR SYSTEMS FOR VISTA
Excerpts from an article by Ina Fried
Microsoft is still working to finish Windows Vista, but the company wants
consumers to "Get Ready" now.
On Thursday, May 18, the company kicked off a campaign aimed at helping
customers prepare for the new operating system, which is set for a
mainstream launch in January.
As expected, Microsoft gave details of two programs. The "Vista-capable"
program allows machines that meet a minimum set of requirements to tout
themselves as able to run the new Windows.
Computer makers who meet higher requirements will be able to tout their
machines as "Premium Ready," indicating the PCs are able to take advantage
of higher-end features, such as Vista's Aero graphics.
"There's really no reason to wait until the launch of Windows Vista to start
shopping for a PC that can deliver a great Windows Vista experience or to
start thinking about upgrading your current PC to windows Vista," product
manager Greg Amrofell said in a telephone interview.
Microsoft also launched on Thursday a "Get Ready" Web site, which includes
an Upgrade Advisor tool to help people determine just how Vista-ready an
existing PC is.
The downloadable program is designed to tell people which features and
versions of Vista their PC is able to run, thereby abstracting some of the
complex requirements of Vista. For example, Aero graphics require a certain
amount of memory bandwidth--a measurement of PC performance that few people
are likely to know about in their machine. The advisor tool will simply say
whether a PC will work out or not, rather than focus on specific
requirements.
That way, customers "don't have to spend time in the footnotes of complex
system requirements," said Mike Burk, the PR Manager, Windows Client.
What's needed?
New PCs must meet these requirements to be tagged as able to run Windows
Vista at either of two levels.
Vista-capable Premium Ready
Processor Modern chip 1GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit(x64)
(at least 800MHz)
System memory 512MB 1GB
GPU SVGA (800x600) Runs Windows Aero (WDDM support
DirectX9 capable recommended)
Graphics memory (none specified) 128MB
HDD 20 GB 40GB
HDD free space 15 GB 15GB
Optical drive CD-ROM drive DVD-ROM drive
Note: Processor speed is the nominal operational chip frequency for the PC.
The DVD-ROM for Premium Ready can be external.
Source: Microsoft
That said, Microsoft did publish official minimum requirements for Vista on
Thursday, largely matching the Vista-capable specifications. Systems need an
800 MHz processor, 512MB of memory, a 20GB hard drive with 15GB of free
space and a CD-ROM drive. That guarantees access to Vista's core features,
but not Aero and other premium features.
While Microsoft has provided some clarity on checking a PC for Vista, it's
not a straightforward process, said Michael Cherry, an analyst at market
research firm Directions on Microsoft.
"I don't understand why it has to be this complex," he said. "Why can't this
be written up on a one-page piece of paper in a manner that you don't have
to be an electrical engineer to understand?"
Most shipping PCs should be Vista-capable, Microsoft said. For example, all
systems introduced by Dell this year are Vista-capable. The majority of
Dell's Vista-capable machines will support Aero graphics and more than
three-fourths of its models can be configured to run the fancier graphics.
Dell is also offering 17 custom-configured systems that are designed to
support Aero.
"Our sense is that the vast majority of PCs do meet the requirements for the
Vista-capable logo," Amrofell said. As for Premium Ready, he said that "a
good number of PCs do meet the bar, and that's going to grow over the next
few months."
Microsoft said in March that Vista would not arrive on store shelves until
January. Kevin Johnson, head of the business unit that includes Windows,
said that Microsoft is likely to have some kind of discount or upgrade
program to help those who buy a PC this holiday season upgrade to Vista.
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CCCC Page 9 June 2006
REVIEW: MICROSOFT PUBLISHER
by Ray Isenson
For those to whom Microsoft Publisher is an unknown, let me describe it as a
general purpose document preparing program. One cannot find a type of
document, an e-mail, a newsletter, an advertising flyer, a greeting card or
most any piece of paper upon which a print is imposed, that Publisher cannot
handle.
As a very long time user of Microsoft Publisher and having gone through a
number of generations I expected some changes, perhaps improvements; perhaps
not, when I opened my new installation of Publisher 2003. I wasn't
disappointed. The templates and automated features such as color and font
schemes that normally are handled through task panes had been replaced by a
Start panel offering mouse click access to project types. The project types
are conveniently divided into print, web and themed sets. Accessing the
desired function couldn't be made easier.
Clicking on a Publisher 2003 icon on the desktop or opening the program
through "Start-All Programs-Microsoft Office - Microsoft Publisher 2003"
gives the user access. Once done the user sees a panel occupying the left
side of the window from which the desired project type is selected. Note,
the first time the program is accessed the new user is encouraged to
activate and, if desired, register the program. The activation can be done
immediately via the Internet or telephone or deferred for a number of uses.
Further delay in activation will impair some program functions.
For the first time user, or even someone who has used an earlier version of
Publisher, pressing the F1 key opens a comprehensive "help" window
overlaying the task selection panel. As to other aspects: Publisher 2003
offers a number of new features inspired by MS Word. Some of the changes,
such as the rationalization of former dialogs into the more familiar "Format
> Paragraph and Bullets and Numbering" commands are purely cosmetic.
However, others give the user more control; such as over line and paragraph
breaks. Publisher 2003's new Find and Replace command, based in the task-
pane, has also been enhanced to search an entire product rather than a
single article or page.
In addition to adopting features from MS Word, Publisher 2003 adds some
advancements of its own. Baseline guides can be set so that text aligns
across columns. Empty picture frames can be added.
There are now several new project types of which one, personal stationery
sets, should be a popular addition. Another enhancement to this improved
program, the number of greetings cards and invitations templates, has been
increased to offer many thousands of possible combinations of different
verses, layouts, colors and designs.
Publisher 2003 also moves into two entirely new areas of design. The first
is data-driven publications. Using the new Catalog Merge command one can
combine pictures and text from a data source to a separate document. The
second is e-mail publications. Publisher 2003 offers six different HTML-
based e-mail publication types.
Publisher 2003 opens a new front with its e-mail capabilities. Once having
prepared a document it can be sent directly through your e-mail facility
without bothering to "copy. Paste and review". This is accomplished by
selecting a command from the drop down menu under "File".
From my point of view, selecting one or more of this myriad of old and new
capabilities as being the "best" or the "poorest" is impossible. Microsoft
Publisher has been a powerful tool and an outstanding program for anyone who
uses a computer to prepare anything more than a simple note or letter. The
program is not the easiest application to learn to use nor is it beyond the
capabilities of most personal computer users. It has a very adequate help
file accessible through the F1 key and offers clear explanations.
This "old friend" is made even more useful and more broadly applicable by
the enhancements in Publisher 2003.
[Editor's note: For pricing, requirements, and rebate eligibility, go to:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/publisher/prodinfo/default.mspx
Currently, STAPLES has the upgrade version for $80 after $70 rebate.]
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