C C C C N E W S L E T T E R
CENTRAL COAST COMPUTER CLUB
Santa Maria, California
VOLUME XXII: NUMBER 11 NOVEMBER, 2007
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month at the Knollwood
Village Clubhouse 4012 S. Bradley Dr., Santa Maria.
General meeting at 7:00PM. 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: November 20, 2007 KNOLLWOOD VILLAGE 4012 S. BRADLEY
PRESENTATION: Franczeska Angel on Computer Sketching, Artwork and
Photo Enhancement.
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******* NOVEMBER COOKIE PROVIDERS: THE WILEY FAMILY *******
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| CONTENTS |
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(1) OFFICERS, HELPLINES, S.I.G.S
(2) PRESIDENT'S CORNER Vic McLaughlin
(3) EDITOR'S COMMENTS Dick Trissel
(4) BEGINNERS? - NON-NERDS? S.I.G. Spence Stimler
(5) WEB WANDERINGS
(6) SYSTEMS S.I.G. Dick Trissel
(7) XP RESTORE CHECKPOINT LIMIT Dick Trissel
(8) DVD FORMATS Komando
(9) PC DECRAPIFIER Dick Trissel
(10) TURNING VIDEOS RIGHT SIDE UP Komando
(11) SCRAP FILES Dick Trissel
(12) WINDOWS XP LOGO TESTING Ken Colburn
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OFFICERS HELPLINES
President Juno
Vic McLaughlin 937-8326 Dick Trissel 937-7572
vnmclaughlin2448@msn.com rtrissel@juno.com
Secretary Hardware, Windows XP, Vista
John McCurdy 925-1825 Ray Isenson 937-6938
jmccurdy.1@verizon.net risenson@juno.com
Treasurer Custom Computer Design and Assembly
Gerry Miller 934-1396 Digital Imagery and Video
2741 Banyan Way Command Line Operations and Batch Files
Santa Maria CA 93455 Jim Tonge 937-0187
gandamiller@verizon.net jtonge1@msn.com
Publicity Help With Any Problem
Bill Corning 934-0775 Ray Isenson 937-6938
foster95@impulse.net risenson@juno.com
Newsletter Editor Visual Basic and Genealogy
Dick Trissel 937-7572 Gerald Miller 934-1396
rtrissel@juno.com gandamiller@verizon.net
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (S.I.G.) Windows 95/98/ME/XP & VoiceControl
Beginners (6:00pm) Amy Malicki 925-5780
Spence Stimler msamym5@verizon.net
SPENCE932@msn.com
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (S.I.G.) AOL
Systems (5:45pm) Frank Maciel 922-2318
Dick Trissel frm8198@aol.com
rtrissel@juno.com
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CCCC Page 2 November 2007
PRESIDENT'S CORNER by Vic McLaughlin
Our October meeting was attended by 34 members. We had one new member, Mr.
Arthur Cullati. We had one guest, Ms. Franczeska Angel.
Dick Trissel conducted a Special Interest Group on computer operation. It
was well received, with good participation by the group.
A Non-nerds Special Interest Group was conducted by Spence Stimler and Gerry
Miller in the pool room.
The main speaker was Mr. Al Montabando. His subject was Computer Assisted
Design (CAD). He gave several demonstrations showing how engineering
designs are developed using this fascinating program. Using a simple line,
he developed a complete urn with color and shading to make it a very
attractive subject. He then presented a utility trailer and showed
different views by rotating the drawing and adding a new planking deck and a
new axle and wheels. Numerous questions were asked and answers were
provided.
Mr. Montabando has agreed to return to give us another presentation sometime
next year. We are looking forward to welcoming him again.
Our guest, Ms. Franczeska Angel, who is a commercial artist, has agreed to
give us a presentation at our November meeting. Her subject will be Photo
Shop as an art tool. We are looking forward to an interesting presentation.
Our November meeting will include election of officers for the next year.
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CCCC Page 3 November 2007
EDITOR'S COMMENTS by Dick Trissel
The 2008 CCCC officer elections will be held this month by the attending
members at the regular meeting. The nominated candidates are:
President: Vic McLaughlin
Vice-president: Ray Shafer
Secretary: John McCurdy
Treasurer: Gerry Miller
Here are the results of the informal CCCC Vista use survey of the 68
members. The members currently using the Vista OS is seven. The members
planning to acquire Vista next year is five.
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CCCC Page 4 November 2007
BEGINNERS? - NON-NERDS? by Spence Stimler and Gerry Miller
WHATEVERYOUWANNACALLIT S.I.G.
or WEYWCI Special Interest Group
What's in a name? Seems like it really doesn't matter. The "Other SIG",
"Non-Nerd SIG", "Beginners SIG", or call it what you will. It's still the
same SIG and it meets at 6:00pm in the pool room. The purpose of having
another SIG is to supplement the one Dick Trissel has in the main room.
Often times we have heard complaints, "The Computer Club is way over my
head." This second SIG is for those of you who feel a need to get back to
basics. We have been discussing the usage of Picasa and some of nuances of
file allocation for photos. We are not limited to just that topic. We have
installed MS Office 2003 on the club's laptop and can expand our discussions
to such things as using Word, Excel and Publisher. Plus we can delve into
the usage of Windows Explorer. Actually we are willing to tackle almost
anything as long is it is the basics. For high-level discussions, there is
the System SIG, which Dick hosts beginning at 5:45pm.
We hope those of you who feel a need to get back somewhere close to square-
one will help us make the WHATEVERYOUWANNACALLIT SIG into something useful.
Perhaps our thoughts of what some members need are in error and this
additional SIG is irrelevant and unnecessary. Time and attendance together
with participation will tell.
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CCCC Page 5 November 2007
WEB WANDERINGS
NEWS GETS CHATTY
The Internet has changed our lives in so many ways. For example, we can get
news from around the world almost instantaneously. And it is possible to
connect to people we've never met.
So, people have become more informed about current events.
One of the most exciting things to happen on the Internet lately is social
news. Sites like NowPublic let visitors post stories from around the
Internet. Other visitors can comment on the stories.
Visitors to NowPublic can vote on stories. Popular stories are placed more
prominently on the site.
You may like NowPublic because it lets users post photos, videos and audio
alongside comments. So there's no shortage of interesting content.
Best of all, NowPublic helps you discover stories you might otherwise miss.
www.nowpublic.com
NO TALKING
The American movie industry is a big business. It generates billions of
dollars each year. And new movies open every weekend.
So, when you think of movies, you probably think of current blockbusters.
But what about older movies?
No, I don't mean movies from the 1980s. I'm not even talking about movies
from the '40s. I'm referring to movies before the age of "talkies." You know
what I'm talking about: the silent era!
Movies debuted more than 100 years ago. And, despite their lack of sound,
they were cutting-edge for their time.
So visit today's Cool Site and look back at the silent films. You can learn
about the movies and stars.
But there's so much more to explore. You can read reviews of movies and
books on the silent era. Or help identify forgotten films.
www.silentera.com
SIMPLE WEATHER
Web sites are becoming increasingly advanced. Video and interactive features
are the norm on many sites.
But sometimes you just want to keep things simple. After all, isn't
simplicity one of the best features of Google.com?
As you might guess, Simple Weather is all about simplicity. Forget maps.
Don't even think about radar views. Want to know monthly highs and lows?
You're out of luck.
So, what do you get at Simple Weather? You get the relevant information
about the weather right now. You'll also get an hour-by-hour forecast for
the rest of the day. And you can see a brief five-day forecast.
www.simpleweather.com
LIFE EXPECTANCY TEST
This is a different method of determining your 'real age'. You'll find it
very interesting as you move from question to question. But you have to be
honest for it to be accurate. Also a good way to see health changes we need
to make or improve upon.
http://www.poodwaddle.com/realage.swf
AN EXPANSIVE VIEW
Photographers love the Internet. There are so many places to post
photographs and get feedback.
But if you are tired of the photos on many sharing sites. They're small and
cramped, and want to see panoramic photographs from all over the world,
visit today's Cool Site.
You'll be impressed by the quality of these panoramas. I sure was. They're
also fun to explore. Tools let you scroll around photographs and zoom in for
close-ups.
A map shows you where photographs were taken. And you can find information
on the photographers' tools and techniques. That's helpful if you aspire to
take photos like these.
www.viewat.org
SACRED TEXTS
These days, it is easy to add pictures and illustrations to paper documents.
Even budget word processors have the ability to incorporate images.
Many of us forget that, at one time, manuscripts were written by hand.
Illustrations were also painstakingly added by hand.
You're probably wondering what this has to do with technology. There's a
video of a scribe creating a manuscript. It is nothing short of amazing. But
it's just one of the things you'll see at the British Library's Sacred site.
You can peruse Jewish, Christian and Muslim sacred texts. In some cases, you
can even flip through the full texts.
Think books are boring? Then watch some of the videos or listen to the
podcasts. I'm sure you'll find this site interesting and informative.
www.bl.uk
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CCCC Page 6 November 2007
SYSTEMS S.I.G. by Dick Trissel
There were many advice suggestions presented at the October Systems S.I.G.--
for example:
The version 1 of the excellent free Ccleaner program only works on Windows
9X and XP. There's a new free Ccleaner program (version 2) that also works
with Vista.
There is a free program that will remove the unwanted applications that come
with new computers. It is named PCdecrapifier.
These programs can be found by searching Google.
There is an alternative to the expensive inkjet printer cartridges.
Walgreens will refill your old cartridges--$10 for black, $15 for color.
They can do HP cartridges. Check with them if you have a Lexmark, Epson or
Canon printer.
A warning has been published advising to NOT click the Yes or NO when you
receive a pop-up. Even the NO can be dangerous. Just click the red X to
close the pop-up.
A demonstration was made on how to use the CCCC Web site.
There was a brief discussion on the evolution of the computer operating
system.
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CCCC Page 7 November 2007
XP RESTORE CHECKPOINT LIMIT by Dick Trissel
Windows XP will create a restore checkpoint every 24 hours if certain
criteria are met. Those criteria are: 24 hours must have passed since the
last checkpoint and the computer must be on and idle--no mouse or keyboard
activity for a certain length of time (I don't know what that time period
is). Supposedly, this is limited to no more than a few months worth of
files. However, I've seen computers with several gigabytes of disk files
containing restore checkpoints--one for everyday for several months.
The size of each checkpoint folder is a function of the size of the registry
and other system files that get backed up. The smallest (after a new system
installation) is around 25 to 30 megabytes per checkpoint. I've seen
systems where each checkpoint was several hundred megabytes.
I doubt that many people want or need more than a few checkpoints. So,
there is a way to limit the amount of space used for restore checkpoints.
To adjust this space size, right click My Computer, click on Properties,
click on the System Restore tab. Select the C: drive and click on settings.
You'll notice a slider that is probably set to Max., 12% of the C: partition
size. You can slide the slider to Min., which is 200 megabytes. When this
area gets full of checkpoints, it will discard the oldest to make room the
new one.
Before you do that, you should probably clean up the checkpoints using the
system disk CleanUp tool. This will remove all but the last checkpoint.
Then, create a new checkpoint. You will now have two checkpoints--the last
old one, and a new one.
To remove all but the last checkpoint, go to Windows Explorer, right click
the C: drive, click on Properties, and click on the Disk Cleanup button.
Uncheck all the items listed and click on the More Options tab. In the
System Restore section click the Clean Up button and press OK. Completing
the clean up will remove all but the last checkpoint.
To create a new checkpoint, go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, System
Tools, System Restore. On this window you will have the option to Create a
Restore Point. Just follow the instructions.
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CCCC Page 8 November 2007
DVD FORMATS
from Komando newsletter
Q. On the show you discussed DVD+R/-R and the fact that one needs to know
which version one's equipment plays so one would know which burner to buy.
What format is used by the videos we buy--i.e., Pirates of the Caribbean? R+
or R-?
A. I hope you weren't expecting a simple answer. Things are never simple
when we discuss DVD formats.
The short answer is neither. The R formats, + and -, are only used when you
make a DVD. These DVDs are made with a laser built into the unit. The heat
from the laser makes the 0s and 1s; hence, the term "burner."
Commercial DVDs are molded. They have a different structure from the R's,
with two layers on a single side. Their format is called DVD-9. These discs
hold 7.9 gigabytes of data, more than enough for a movie.
DVD-9s are just one part of a really confusing format mishmash. On one site
that purports to explain DVDs, I counted 14 formats. The companies that make
DVDs were never able to get together on a standard.
This also happened with video recorders. Makers split over VHS and Beta. But
buyers went for VHS and forced a de facto standard on the industry. That has
not happened with DVDs.
There are new DVD standards coming. These DVDs will be much more capacious
than today's equipment. And guess what? The manufacturers can't agree on
standards for the new ones, either!
Copyright C 2007 WestStar TalkRadio Network. Reprinted with permission. No
further republication or redistribution is permitted without the written
consent of WestStar TalkRadio Network. Visit Kim Komando and sign up for
her free e-mail newsletters at: www.komando.com
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CCCC Page 9 November 2007
PC DECRAPIFIER by Dick Trissel
The free PC Decrapifier will uninstall many of the common trialware and
annoyances found on many of the PCs from big name OEMs with Windows XP and
Vista.
Simply download the 519KB file at: http://www.pcdecrapifier.com
Open up the zip file and run the EXE. There is no installer necessary. If
you have anti-virus software installed, it may complain about this program
because it is written with a scripting language. These warnings can be
safely ignored.
You may then pick and choose what you want to remove. It will not begin
removing anything without prompting you first!
Below is the current list of software and items that the PC Decrapifier can
detect and remove. You get to see the list of items it detects and then
choose what will be removed automatically.
AOL Install, AOL UK, AOL US, Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI, Corel
Photo Album 6, Corel Snapfire Plus SE, Corel WordPerfect, Dell Search
Assistant, Dell URL Assistant, Desktop Icons, Digital Content Portal,
Earthlink Setup Files, ESPN Motion, Get High Speed Internet!, Google
Desktop, Google Toolbar, HP Rhapsody, Internet Service Offers
Launcher, McAffee, Microsoft Office Activation Assistant 2007,
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007, Microsoft Office Standard Edition
2003, MS Plus Digital Media Installer, MS Plus Photo Story 2LE,
MusicMatch Jukebox, MusicMatch Music Services, muvee autoProducer 5.0,
NetZero Installers, Norton AntiSpam, Norton AntiVirus 2005, Norton
Ghost 10.0, Norton Internet Security, Norton Internet Security, Norton
Protection Center, Norton Security Center, Norton Symantec Live Update,
Office 2003 Trial Assistant, Orange Internet, PC-cillin Internet
Security 12, QuickBooks Trial, Quicken 2006, Reset IE Home and Search
Pages, Roxio Express Labeler, Roxio MyDVD LE, Roxio RecordNow, Run
Registry Entries, Sonic DLA, Sonic RecordNow Audio, Sonic RecordNow
Copy, Sonic Update Manager, Startup Menu Items, Tiscali Internet,
Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 14, Vongo, Wanadoo Europe
Installer, Wild Tangent Games (Dell/HP Game Console), Yahoo! Music
Jukebox, Yahoo! Toolbar for Internet Explorer,
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CCCC Page 10 November 2007
TURNING VIDEOS RIGHT SIDE UP
from Komando newsletter
Q. I took my wife on a vacation to Switzerland. I used my digital camera to
take a few short videos. I had to turn the camera sideways while taking some
of them. When we watch the videos, they are sideways on the screen. Help!
How can I rotate them?
A. There is a simple solution to your problem. Turn the computer monitor on
its side. That way, you can watch the videos without tilting your head. You
may even be able to find a wall mount to facilitate this.
Gotcha! That would be a rather poor solution to the problem.
Actually, I have a better answer. Use Windows Movie Maker to edit the video.
Movie Maker is part of Windows. If you don't have it for some reason, you
can download it. It can rotate your video clips easily.
Open the program and drag your video clip into the clips area. Next, drag
the clip onto the storyboard. You may need to split the video so you can
rotate only parts of it. If so, click Storyboard and select Timeline.
Click the Play button to view the video. Use the Pause button to stop the
video where you'd like to split it. Click the Split button. You can split
the video into more clips, if needed. When you're done, click Timeline and
select Storyboard. You'll see your clips arranged in the storyboard on the
bottom of the screen.
Click Effects. Find Rotate 90 or Rotate 270; the one you need will depend
upon how you were holding the camera. Drag the effect onto the clips that
you'd like to rotate. (There's even a Rotate 180 button, in case you had the
camera upside down!) If you apply the effect to the wrong clip, that's easy
enough to fix. Simply right-click on the clip and select Remove Effects.
When you're ready, click File>>Publish Movie. Follow the prompts to save
your movie. Now you'll be able to view the videos without straining your
neck!
Windows Movie Maker won't create DVDs that work in standalone players. I
have a tip that explains why
href="http://www.komando.com/tips/index.aspx?id=2116
It also suggests some programs that will create DVDs for standalone players.
Copyright C 2007 WestStar TalkRadio Network. Reprinted with permission.
No further republication or redistribution is permitted without the written
consent of WestStar TalkRadio Network. Visit Kim Komando and sign up for
her free e-mail newsletters at: www.komando.com
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CCCC Page 11 November 2007
SCRAP FILES by Dick Trissel
A Scrap File (hidden .shs extension) is created when you drag part of a
document from Word, Excel, or Wordpad to the desktop or a folder. This only
applies to Windows XP (and maybe Vista).
Here's how to demonstrate this operation by putting part of a file on the
desktop or a folder. In your file, select the text or graphic you want to
copy. Position the file window so you can see the desktop or folder. Drag
the text or graphic to the desktop or folder.
If you drag with the right mouse button, you will get a window with the
options to "Create Scrap File", "Move Scrap File", or "Create Shortcut".
If you drag with the left mouse button, you will create a Scrap file.
Notes: Once on the desktop or folder, the text or graphic becomes a scrap,
which you can drag to other documents or programs.
You can use this feature if the program you are using supports OLE drag-and-
drop functions. For example, Notepad and Editpad do not support OLE.
For example, if you do this from a Word document, the created scrap's
properties says it uses "Shell scrap object handler" to open. It actually
opens with Word. You can go into the folder and rename the file with some
other extension such as .txt or .htm, but it will not change the way the
file opens. If you open the file with a text editor, and although the file
appears to have a .txt or .htm extension, it still has a 'hidden' extension
of .shs, and is basically not humanly readable.
The Shell Scrap Object is part of the Microsoft embeded objects inside
objects philosophy. Basically, what happens is that the shell script is
wrapped around an object and the .SHS extension (which normally can't be
seen even with extensions turned on) is added to the file. The Windows XP
utility that opens a scrap file is:
rundll32 %SystemRoot%\system32\shscrap.dll,OpenScrap_RunDLL %1
An .SHS file is really potentially quite dangerous because it can have
anything executable in it along with a vast collection of dangerous script
code in the wrapper. At least one worm uses the Shell Script object. This
file type can become infected and should be carefully scanned if someone
sends you a file with this extension.
For another explanation of a scrap file, go to www.microsoft.com and search
for knowledge base file KB138275. It describes putting a scrap on the
desktop, but applies to folders as well.
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CCCC Page 12 November 2007
WINDOWS XP LOGO TESTING
by Ken Colburn of Data Doctors
Q. What does it mean when I get an error message that tells me that
software that I am installing for hardware has not passed Windows logo
testing in Windows XP?
A. One of the biggest problems that plagued the Windows operating system in
the past was the installation of a software 'driver' that was not compatible
with the version of Windows that was being used.
A 'driver' is a small software program that instructs Windows on how to use
a hardware component, such as a video card, sound card, or printer. The
compatibility issue comes into play when you attempt to install a driver
that is not designed for the version of Windows that is being used. In the
past, if you inserted a CD with an installation program that was older than
your version of Windows, it would allow it to install without any warnings.
This was a very common ailment that many of our customers suffered because
they assumed that any 'Windows' CD was compatible with any version of
Windows. The problem is that a CD that was created for Windows 98 (well
before the release of Windows XP) has no way of properly working with an
operating system that did not even exist when it was written. The
difference between Windows XP and any previous versions of Windows is that
it will warn you when you are about to potentially destabilize the entire
system with what is referred to as an 'unsigned driver.' An unsigned driver
is one that has not been specifically certified by Microsoft to work with
Windows XP. This does not mean that unsigned drivers will always cause a
problem, but it does mean that you could be taking a chance by installing
it.
Microsoft has often been blamed for creating an unstable operation system,
but much of the blame should be laid at the feet of the user who installs a
program that is mismatched for the version of Windows that is in use. As a
general rule of thumb, always check any software program to see which
versions of Windows it supports before attempting to install it. If you are
running Windows XP and the CD that you are about to install does not
specifically mention support for Windows XP, you should check with the
software manufacturer's Web site for an updated version.
Another tip that will help you to avoid problems is to always check the
manufacturer's Web site for the very latest version of any driver or
installation program to ensure the highest level of compatibility, even if
you have a Windows XP certified CD. This will likely be the first thing
that a tech support person will tell you to do in the event of a problem, so
doing it before calling for help will reduce the amount of time that you
will spend on the phone with 'cauliflower ear.'
If your system seems to be very unstable, you can also check to see how many
unsigned drivers are currently installed to see if a recent installation
coincides with the instability. To check File Signature Verification, click
on Start, Run, then type 'sigverif' and follow the instructions on the
screen.
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