C C C C N E W S L E T T E R
CENTRAL COAST COMPUTER CLUB
Santa Maria, California
VOLUME XVII: NUMBER 9 September, 2002
NEXT MEETING: September 17, 2002 7:00PM KNOLLWOOD VILLAGE 4012 S. BRADLEY
PRESENTATION: Sharon Allen on: "Using the Disk-Of-The-Month"
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| CONTENTS |
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(1) Officers, Helplines, S.I.G.s
(2) President's Corner/Book Library Charles Barney
(3) Editor's Comments Dick Trissel
(4) August System S.I.G. Dick Trissel
(5) Web Wanderings Gil Smith
(6) Member Survey Summary Dick Trissel
(7) Review: Click 'N Burn Ray Isenson
(8) Review: Veritas Simple Backup Dick Trissel
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OFFICERS HELPLINES
President Juno
Charles Barney 937-1240 Gilbert Smith 925-3743
cbarney@lightspeed.net Gs5081@aol.com
Vice President Windows 95/98/ME/XP & VoiceControl
Amy Malicki 925-5780 Amy Malicki 925-5780
amymal@juno.com amymal@juno.com
Secretary and Book Librarian Hardware & DOS
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
Gmiller@pronet.net
Disk Librarian Help With Any Problem
Sharon Allen 928-2209 Dick Savage 928-4932
sallen4060@aol.com rsavage65@hotmail.com
Publicity Help With Any Problem
Bill Corning 934-0775 Fred Adams 934-1128
foster95@juno.com wd64acj@netzero.net
Newsletter Editor Visual Basic
Dick Trissel 937-7572 Gerald Miller 934-1396
rtrissel@juno.com Gmiller@pronet.net
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (S.I.G.s)
Windows 95/98/ME/XP (6:00pm) Systems (5:45pm)
Amy Malicki Dick Trissel
amymal@juno.com rtrissel@juno.com
CCCC Membership is $15 for twelve months ($20 family). For this you
receive:
Monthly newsletter
EXTRA4C E-mail Messages
Access to the clubs software library
Disk of the month (usually for $1)
Helpline support
Monthly presentation
Valuable door prizes
Question and answer sessions
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CCCC Page 2 September 2002
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
by Charles Barney
Addressing the 54 persons in attendance at our August 20th meeting was
Robert Thompson from the Central Coast Assistive Technologies Center, or
CCATC for short. Robert is a specialist in computer hardware and software
designed to help those with low vision (either partially-sighted or totally
blind) to be active participants in a world that is heavily favored toward
those with good eyesight. The various products that he demonstrated served
either to magnify the computer screen in selectable degrees, alter the
colors to a more readable style, actually read aloud the text of a
document, or "speak" the navigation points of the interface.
The CCATC (a nonprofit, government funded organization) serves community
members of the San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. Their
services include providing personal evaluations, recommendations, training,
and follow-up for individuals with disabilities. The Center's office is in
San Luis, but they will also gladly come to you as part of their Mobile
Outreach program. Professional evaluation at the actual location where it
will be used allows for a better person/technology match, be it in the home
or in the workplace. For more information - Phone: (805) 549-7420; Address:
1150 Laurel Lane #132, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401; Email: egccatc@aol.com.
Surveys, surveys, surveys! Do you ever feel like you are merely a reluctant
participant being pulled along, kicking and screaming, into the
"Information Age?" Our user group is, of course, no exception when it comes
to the gathering of personal information. This is because of the simple
fact that information, and information about You in particular, is a
powerful thing.
The Member Profile Surveys that you were recently asked to complete
provided invaluable information about the computer usage of our membership
and will help us, the Executive Board, to better steer the club in the
direction which greater serves the interests and needs of our members. The
individual personal data will not be shared with anyone else.
The online survey for Microsoft that 50 of you were invited to participate
in is another case. Normally, I turn down any offers that include the
solicitation of personal information out of respect for the privacy of our
members. This one, after some deliberation, was accepted on the basis of
its outweighing merits. It was conducted anonymously and was totally
voluntary for the participants. As of this writing (Labor Day weekend) we
have not yet received the promised software for successful completion of
the survey, but hopefully it will be here in time for the giveaway drawing
at the September meeting.
The winners of our ever-popular door prize drawing included Robert Davis -
3M Precise Mousing Surface, Ted Tucker - Logitech Cordless Wheel Mouse, Ray
Shafer - Mindshare T-shirt, Don Kreymer - Broderbund 250,000 Image ClickArt
Pack, and Robert Carmichael - PrintShop CD Label Creator. The members who
missed out on the opportunity for a prize were the no-show trio of Robert
Walton, Enid Gilham, and Gary Aston.
The November elections are just around the corner (once again!) so now is
the time to be thinking about club officers. If you think you might like to
serve as an officer or have someone in mind who might just need a little
"encouragement" to give it a try, please let myself or another staff member
know about it. I won't pull your leg and try to tell you that it's an easy
job being a club officer, but I can tell you this: It can be one of the
most rewarding experiences you'll ever have! I will soon be appointing a
Nomination Committee to assist in our annual elections process.
Well folks, Fall is in the air and what a great time to come out and attend
the September 17th meeting! An even better reason is because our very own
Sharon Allen will be there to give us her previously-postponed
presentation. Sharon told me that she plans to talk about using the Disk-
of-the Month and understanding various file types. Coming from a
professional background of computer instruction, I'm sure you'll agree that
her talks are very informative without being at all intimidating. Hope to
see you all at the clubhouse. - Charles
__________________________________________________________________________
BOOK LIBRARY
The list of the 39 books currently available from the Book Librarian and
how to check them out is now available on the CCCC Web site:
http://member.apcug.org/fourseas/book.htm
__________________________________________________________________________
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CCCC Page 3 September 2002
EDITOR’S COMMENTS
By Dick Trissel
It may not be obvious to the average club member (don't you love to be
called average?), but there's a lot goes on behind the scenes in having an
organized club--especially a technically oriented club like a computer
club. We're coming up on officer election time again. Yep, the
nominations are in October, the elections in November.
So, I thought it might be appropriate to describe the duties and
responsibilities of the officers and the volunteers, along with the current
position holders.
President (elected) - Charles Barney - Preside over the monthly general
meetings and staff meetings, maintaining order and decorum. This means
seeing that the past month's minutes are read and approved, getting the
treasurer's report, making any pertinent announcements, introducing guest
speakers, maintaining the door prize list and drawings and the 50/50
drawing, and maintaining the club's laptop computer. Currently, he is also
acquiring the door prizes for the drawings.
Vice President (elected) - Amy Malicki - Be available in the absence of the
president and assist in obtaining guest speakers.
Secretary (elected) - Barbara Godwin - Take and read monthly meeting
minutes, maintain the book library, and send "get well" cards.
Treasurer (elected) - Gerald Miller - Collect membership dues and 50/50
drawing money, disburse expense funds (newsletter costs, door prize
reimbursement, equipment purchases), maintain the club's bank account, and
communicate new member information for the member roster.
Disk Librarian (volunteered) - Sharon Allen - Assemble and distribute the
Disk-of-the-Month.
Newsletter Editor (volunteered) - Dick Trissel - Collect and assemble
articles for the monthly newsletter, maintain the mailing list (member
list), reproduce and mail newsletters.
Publicity (volunteered) - Bill Corning - Distribute monthly club
announcement notices to periodicals.
Web Site Maintenance (volunteered) - Dick Trissel and Ray Isenson - Edit
and FTP updates to the club's Web site.
EXTRA4C E-mail Bulletin (volunteered) - Dick Trissel - Assemble and e-mail
articles and announcements to subscribed members.
Windows S.I.G. (volunteered) - Amy Malicki - Moderate the monthly Windows
operating system Special Interest Group using the club's laptop computer.
Systems S.I.G. (volunteered) - Dick Trissel - Moderate the monthly computer
Systems Special Interest Group and maintain the club's desktop computer.
Helplines (volunteered) - Be available or on call to assist in computer
problems - in addition to the above personnel; Ray Isenson, Gil Smith, Fred
Adams, Frank Maciel, Dick Savage.
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CCCC Page 4 September 2002
AUGUST SYSTEMS S.I.G.
by Dick Trissel
Many of the discussions in the August Systems S.I.G. were about e-mail--
everything from how to get a Web access ISP account without having to
subscribe to e-mail, to how to save and edit incoming e-mail. Someone did
have a reference to an ISP that was Web only.
As for editing received e-mail, I recommended saving the message to a
folder and then editing in a text editor (Notepad, Wordpad, Word, etc.).
Another method is to use the Forward option (but don't send it), edit it,
and then save it to a folder or a floppy with the Save As function. It was
also suggested that the save could be done as a Send To if the e-mail
program has that option.
As a consequence of a person narrating their experience of possibly getting
a virus by clicking on a Web "popup" window, it was emphasized to be
careful clicking on any advertising, and don't open or respond to spam e-
mail. If no one responded to e-mail spam, there eventually would not be
any more spam. A PCWorld magazine article quoted a spammer as saying that
out of one million spam messages sent (which costs the spammer very
little), if 0.1% (1000) recipients responded it would be profitable (the
advertisers pay the spammers a few cents per response).
One member had a CD burning failure as a consequence of shutting down his
computer after burning a packet writing CD with DirectCD and not ejecting
the CD before shutdown. He thought all was OK because he could eject the
CD at the Windows "OK to shutdown" window while power was still on to the
computer. However, this left the CD not properly "Finished" because
DirectCD had not been allowed to close the CD.
The advantage to having an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) was again
addressed. It was pointed out that a surge protecting power strip is not
nearly as advantageous as an UPS. The cost of a small UPS (350 to 650 VA)
has come down to just a little more than a surge power strip. Where a
surge strip only protects against power spikes and electrical noise, an UPS
does all that and will maintain a nearly constant power level during power
fluctuations, which a surge strip will not. Some UPS even provide a serial
port connection and software that will detect a power loss and shutdown the
computer automatically with out loss of data.
A scanner purchase recommendation was requested. A recommendation was
given by a knowledgeable member and most in attendance agreed the Best Buy,
Circuit City and Office Depot (in that order) were places to shop, and to
watch their ads for rebate discounts.
__________________________________________________________________________
SEPTEMBER COOKIES
Thanks in advance to the SEPTEMBER "Cookies" volunteers:
Howard Williams and Barbara Flood,
And "Soft Drinks" from Eldean Voris
__________________________________________________________________________
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CCCC Page 5 September 2002
WEB WANDERINGS
by Gil Smith
PLANNING TO TRAVEL?
Click on the Travel Tips section for information on all countries. Here
you can find information on everything including etiquette and world
cuisine. Although the index is all-inclusive, you will find that several
items are listed as "coming soon". The ones which have information will
help prepare you for travel to countries outside the United States. Note:
If you are unable to connect using the web address, go to Google and type
the web address for a search and you will be taken right to it.
http://www.a-zoftourism.com/home.htm
CIVIC GUIDE
An excellent gateway to a host of useful government and civic sites. Check
your Social Security benefits, find out how much your neighbor paid for
that house five years ago. Learn how to change your name (I don't know why
anyone would want to do that). Also to remove yourself from junk mail
lists and to E-file your taxes among other things.
http://www.govspot.com
EPINIONS
Magazine reviews are fine, but sometimes it's helpful to read the opinions
of everyday people who have dealt with the products every day. Epinions'
buyer reviews offer you just that - from the mouths of complete strangers.
http://www.epinions.com
DOING GOOD
Finding a way to be of service can be a full-time job, but thanks to this
site's Volunteer Search, you can easily connect with a nonprofit that's
near you and needs your skills. A special section highlights timely
crisis-relief efforts.
http://www.networkforgood.org
FIRSTGOV FOR KIDS
Most of us are past the age of needing some of the information which this
site provides but I'll bet that we have some grandkids that can use it. In
a world where kids' sites are dominated by entertainment, FirstGov for Kids
is refreshingly educational. A portal to kid-tailored government and other
sites, including the perennial fascinating ones of the FBI, CIA and White
House, FirstGov for Kids also links to the Smithsonian Institution, NASA
space photos and special collections at the Library of Congress (including
rough drafts of the Declaration of Independence). And there's lots of
information for kids and parents on how to protect kids' privacy online.
http://www.kids.gov
TYPING TEST
Do you "touch type" or do you "hunt and peck"? If you can type without
looking at the keyboard (touch type) you may want to see how fast you can
type with this online typing test. It clocks your typing speed while
measuring your accuracy. There are lots of Typing Tutor programs available
and if you have to look at the keyboard, learn the touch system. It will
speed up your typing and make use of the computer more enjoyable and
productive.
http://www.typingmaster.com/index.asp?go=TypeTest_start
WEB CAMS FROM EVERYWHERE
Travel around the world with this site. It randomly cycles through
hundreds of Web Cameras all over the globe.
http://www.webcamgo.com
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CCCC Page 6 September 2002
MEMBER SURVEY SUMMARY by Dick Trissel
As of this writing we have received 37 survey forms. And, I'm very pleased
with the results. I think it served the intended purposes of motivating
people to investigate what they have for a computer system, and it
certainly helps the club staff to better understand the members' computer
usage. I hope the rest of the members fill out their forms (hint, hint!).
The forms ranged from yes/no answers (not exactly what was hoped for) to
attached shipping list inventories or Belarc Advisor printouts (more than I
expected).
I was also impressed by the indications that most members haven't felt the
need to "upgrade" their 2 to 5 year old computers--memory and hard drive
upgrades seemed to fill the needs. New computer CPUs are faster, but that
gets offset by the usual accompanying slower operating system.
Here is a rough tabulation of some of the survey items. The total numbers
for any one category may not equal the 37 forms as there were omissions and
duplications of equipment. Where several computers were listed, I chose
the most modern. I think many reported Windows98 when they meant 98SE--
there is a difference.
* Computer Make: Generic(11), HP(9), Dell(7), Compaq(3), Gateway(3),
Micron(2),
E-machine(2)
* CPU Speed (MHz): 1800, 1600, 1500, 1400(3), 1100, 1000, 900(2), 700,
500(4), 450(3), 333(3), 330, 233, 200(2), 166, 133(2), ?(10)
* Memory Size (Mbytes): 512(3), 384(2), 256(10), 196(2), 128(9), 96(3),
64(5), 32(3)
* Operating System (Windows): ME(11), 98SE(9), 98(8), XP(9), 95(2)
* Hard Drive Size (Gbytes): 80, 60(2), 40(12), 30(4), 20(7), 16, 15, 12,
10(2), 8(5), 6.4, 4, 3.2
* Zip Drive Size (Mbytes): 100(8), 120, 250(4)
* USB Ports: 29, IEEE1394
* DVD Drives: 9
* Monitor Size (inches): 19(3), 17(22), 15(4), 14(3), LCD(2), ?(3)
* Modem (56Kbps): Modem(34), DSL(5)
* Printer: HP(19), Epson(8), Lexmark(6), Canon(3), Apollo
* Scanner: HP(11), Epson(6), Visioneer(5), Mustek(2), Lexmark, Canon(2),
Microtek, Prima
* Digital Camera: Sony(5), Olympus(4), Ricoh, Kodak, Toshiba, Canon,
Antek, Mavia, Creative, Fujifilm
* CD Burners: Sony(4), HP(3), Philips(3), Samsung(2), Liteonit(2), NEC,
Mitsumi, LG, Memorex, Compaq, Pacific Digital, ?(7)
* CD Burner Software: ECDC5Plat(8), ECDC5(5), ECDC4(4), ECDC?(2), NTI, HP,
(?)(2)
* TVview99 card: (1)
* Web Browser Program: IE5(6), IE6(6), IE(?)(13), Netscape(7), AOL(3),
MSN(1),
Earthlink (1), ?(1)
* E-mail Program: Juno(13), OE(8), Eudora(4, AOL(7), CS(3), Netscape(3),
MSN
* Word Processing Program: WORD97(21), Word2000(9), Works(9), WP(4)
* Spreadsheet Program: Excel2000(10), Works10), Excel(10), Quatro(2),
Quicken(1), Lotus(2)
* Database Program: Access(5), Access2000(3), Works(5), Quicken(2),
Ashtontate (1), DBIII(1), Alpha(1)
* Graphics Program: Adobe(11), Paint(5), PictureIt(4), Printmaster(3),
Kodak(2), Photosuite(2), PaintshopPro(2), PrintArtist(1), PhotoPlus(1),
MSPublisher(1), ?(2)
* Computer Activities: E-mail(30), Web(27), Word Processing(27),
Photo/Graphics(18), Games(17), Finances(15), CDs(7),
Database/Spreadsheets(5), Music(4), Chat(1),
Ham Radio(1), Instant Messaging(1), Ebay(1)
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CCCC Page 7 September 2002
REVIEW: CLICK 'N BURN
by Ray Isenson & Dick Trissel
"Click 'N Burn Pro 2.0" by Stomp, Inc., is a collection of programs and
utilities to enhance the use of the CD-R/RW burner in most modern
computers. Required by the programs is Windows 95 or later operating
system, a Pentium 166 or faster (or equivalent) CPU, 32 MB RAM, at least
50Mb of free hard disk space and, obviously, a supported CD recorder. A
list of supported CD recorders is at www.clicknburn.com.
Easily run, well documented and supported by extensive help files, the
suite was selected by PC World Magazine as the best CD burning software for
2002. Included in the suite are programs necessary to duplicate data CDs,
to save data to CD disks either by drag and drop (packets) or by the Multi-
session mode, to edit and record sound, to backup your hard drive files to
a CD and to restore to the drive from that disk. As a final bonus a copy
of Click .N Design 3D is included to design and print custom CD and jewel
case labels.
Click 'N Burn can be used to make a CD to CD copy from a CD-ROM drive to
the CD recorder or from the CD recorder to itself. It can be used to
create a new CD-ROM disk or, using a Multi-session mode, add more
information to an existing disk. It will allow you to assemble a playable
CD from MP3 files, or WMA or WAV CD tracks.
Packet (drag and drop) adding of data files to a CD-R or CD R/W is done
using the Veritas DLA (Drive Letter Access) program included in the suite.
This feature allows the use of the CD recorder just as one would use a
floppy or hard drive to save data. The CD can be read in any other multi-
read CD equipped computer. However, if the second computer does not also
have the Veritas software it is necessary to use another feature of DLA to
make it readable; unfortunately making the disk (if a CD-R disc) unsuitable
for any further recording.
The second Veritas program., Simple Backup, is the most easily used backup
to a medium other than the hard drive itself that has been seen. The
instructions are clear and simple. The user has a choice of backing up an
entire hard drive or custom selecting that portion to be backed up. If the
backed up files, even after compression, are more than can be fitted on a
single CD-R or R/W disk, the user is so advised.
While doing the backup, the user is required to prepare two floppy disks;
the first of which calls for the original Windows installation CD. It is
used to boot the computer during the restore process. This could pose a
problem if the computer was acquired without the installation CD and
doesn't have a copy of the CD on the hard drive; a fairly common
circumstance for some recent purchases. Assuming that the floppies can be
prepared, they and the CD are used to restore the backed up files to the
original CD or, if it had become unusable, to a replacement. In the event
the floppies cannot be prepared, if the computer can be booted using a
normal startup or with an emergency boot disk and the CD Drive can be
accessed, the CD can be used to restore files as necessary.
As with the other features, Click 'N Design, used to make custom CD labels,
is a case of bringing up the program and following simple instructions.
All in all, this package available at most computer stores or on the WEB at
the URL noted below, is a great bargain at $49.95.
Click 'N Burn Pro 2.0; Stomp, Inc. 230 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA 92606.
www.stompinc.com
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CCCC Page 8 September 2002
REVIEW: VERITAS SIMPLE BACKUP
by Dick Trissel
Elsewhere in this newsletter you will read of the Stomp Inc. Click 'N Burn
CD burning software suite. One of the modules in that suite is the program
Veritas Simple Backup (VSB). I feel compelled to report on it in more
detail. There aren't many programs I get enthusiastic about, but this is
one that not only performs a very important function, it does it well.
If you've ever had a system refuse to boot, or started acting peculiarly,
or got a virus, then being able to restore to an earlier good system
configuration without losing data or program installations is invaluable.
I know. With six systems, I do a recovery at least once a year. The only
way to have this capability is to make full or partial system backups of
your hard drive content.
VSB has the options to do Full System Backup, Complete System Restore,
Disaster Recovery. Custom backup and Custom Restore where you can
selectively backup and recover files and folders. Full System means
EVERYTHING on the computer drives--ALL drives and partitions at once. You
can not backup to a hard drive. All my backups were to CD-RW discs. Some
other removable media are supported. If you use a CD burner, you don't
need to have any burner software installed. In fact, VSB does not
interfere with Easy CD Creator or Click 'N Burn programs.
There are other backup programs available, but not all provide the disaster
recovery capability. To be able to do this, VSB lets you make two bootable
disaster recovery floppy disks.
Here's an example. I just did a complete disaster recovery using a VSB
full system backup CD. I actually recovered to a different hard drive that
already had a working system on it. In fact, it was a previously repaired
system where I had installed Windows in the Window folder (not Windows).
The disaster recovery put a working system in a Windows folder and left the
Window folder intact. I did this to prove that you can not only recover to
the backed up drive, but also transfer from one hard drive to another with
VSB. And, if you are recovering from an old backup to the same drive, it
will leave any new files intact.
I did system backups on four Windows98 and SE systems with FAT 16 and FAT
32 file systems. The disaster recovery retained the system version and the
FAT system. If the size of the backup is greater than one CD, VSB will
span across multiple CDs. Even though the instructions say the floppies
and the CDs must be preformatted, I successfully used prewritten disks and
VSB formatted them during the backup. And, the backup CDs are compressed.
I found the system files were compressed about 8 to 5 (1.6 compression).
There are complete instructions as part of the installation package (which
uses about 15Mbytes). However, except for the system requirements, it is
so simple no instructions are necessary.
Speaking of system requirements:
166Mhz or equivalent processor, Windows98/SE, WindowsME, WindowsXP Home and
Professional (Disaster Recovery feature is not currently available under
WindowsXP), Windows2000 Workstation (up to SP2), WindowsNT4 Workstation
with SP4, 64MB RAM, 50MB hard disk space, 16 bit color, 800x600 or better
resolution.
VSB is available from www.stompinc.com for $29 downloaded or $39 for a CD.
If you want to go for VSB's more fully featured big brother (BackupMyPC),
it is $69 downloaded and $79 for a CD. However, if you don't already have
a satisfactory CD burning program, for $49.95 you can have the Click 'N
Burn suite CD which includes VSB.
For more information, go to
http://www.stompinc.com.
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