|
|
Bay Bytes newsletters are available on-line in Adobe Acrobat format. ![]()
To download a free copy
of Adobe Acrobat reader, click here.
General: The index below is presented in the following format specifically to allow visitors to this page to quickly search for articles of particular interest.
Search: To locate a specific word or topic in the listings below, in Internet Explorer press Ctrl+F, and then enter your search word or term. Terms do not require quotes.Links: Web sites sometimes discontinue or change the location of their pages. As a result, the links provided below, in blue, and within each newsletter issue, are for your convenience, but you may find that some, especially in older issues of the newsletter, are no longer valid.
July 2008 (286KBytes)
- Index to this issue
- Protect - link to club's Web page for utilities to protect one's computer
- Reminder - our meeting room, and Brandon High School, will be closed all of July. Therefore no meetings during July. Meetings resume on Tuesday, August 5, 2008
- 2008 Officers and SIG Leaders, with photos
- Links to members' Web sites
- Quick links to APCUG newsletters and FACUG Web sites
- Advice from Snopes - do not add your name, and forward, mass emails
- Free MP3 Music - discussion of, and links to, Web sites offering free MP3 music, lyrics and interesting sounds, by Patrick Courtney
- 2008 Hurricane Season Resource - guidance and links to prepare for and cope with the coming hurricane season, provided in part by FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency)
- Photoshop Elements 6: The Missing Manual - review of O'Reilly/Pogue Press publication that explains and illustrates how to use this excellent graphics editing program
February to June, 2008: due to illness, issues of our group's monthly newsletter were temporarily suspended during these months.
January 2008 (293KBytes)
- Index to this issue
- Viewers - Listing of and links to various document viewers
- 2008 Officers and SIG Leaders
- Links to members' Web sites
- Quick links to APCUG newsletters and FACUG Web sites
- Hot Topics - our new way to explore computers: in small, informal groups
- TV's Consume More Energy - discussion of the cost of running plasma and LCD tv's, by Darry D Eggleston
- Photos from our recent Christmas Party
- Minutes of Officers Meeting on Dec. 3, 2007
December 2007 (409KBytes)
- Index to this issue
- Viewers - Listing of and links to various document viewers
- 2007 Officers and SIG Leaders
- Links to members' Web sites
- Quick links to APCUG newsletters and FACUG Web sites
- Windows Vista links - numerous URL's with helpful information on Vista - upgrade advisor, new features, demo's, Vista's Sidebar, Tips & Tricks, Help, ReadyBoost, drivers, and books
- SequoiaView 1.3 - tutorial on a handy utility which visualizes what is taking up space on one's computer, by Darry D Eggleston
- Web Sites 1- list of useful Web sites, such as Belarc Advisor, PrintFolder, TreeSize, how the BIOS and hard disks work, TinyURL, O'Reilly news for user groups, Windows Live, LearnOutLoud, NPR Music, Text-to-Speech, and EveryScape
- Web Sites 2 - more useful Web sites, such as Internet Fixes, Answers.com, TopTenReviews, 450+ common problems solved, SportsKnowHow, what makes up an ISP's new Data Center, Encyclopedia Mythica, SharkBreak, Einstein Archives Online, Theme Park Insider and MojoPac Freedom
- Minutes of November 13, 2007 General Meeting
November 2007 (239KBytes)
- Index to this issue
- Viewers - Listing of and links to various document viewers
- 2007 Officers and SIG Leaders
- Links to members' Web sites
- Quick links to APCUG newsletters and FACUG Web sites
- Links 1 - listing of useful Web sites, including computer newsletters and books, backup and free software
- Links 2 - lighter Web sites, including gigapixel panoramas, puzzles, optical illusions, Open Office, other open source software, and paper toys
- Links 3 - Weatherbug, IE7 tour, IE7 Pro, Internet movie database, National Football League, census data by ZIP code
- Request for a newsletter editor for 2008
- More on Open Office - related resources and tutorials
- Links to The Internet Archive, an online humor collection, and MojoPac Freedom (free desktop virtualization software)
- Digital Cameras and Photography - numerous links to useful Web sites devoted to cameras, photography, software, and online classes, by Phil Sheffield
October 2007 (177KBytes)
- Viewers - Listing of and links to various document viewers
- 2007 Officers and SIG Leaders
- Links to members' Web sites
- Notice re nominations for 2008 Officers
- Officer Positions - Brief summary of the duties of each officer position
- Miscellaneous 1 - Recent computer news, including links to O'Reilly book discount, Roboform, Windows Live, USB 3.0, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects, and other items
- Miscellaneous 2 - More useful links
- Miscellaneous 3 - More news and computer links, including Darry D's ExcelNet News, Kim Komando's newsletters, Microsoft Office under fire, and Windows Live Search
- E-Books and Text to Speech - Resources and links for electronic books and text-to-speech tools, including how to have Adobe PDF files read out loud
- Dave Gerber Tips - WinXP's taskbar address bar, killing a window, rename a series of files, and protect your primary e-mail address
- Meeting Minutes - Summary of the Sept. 18, 2007 presentation on software and hardware to enlarge and/or listen to text, from Magnifying America, by John Palmer
September 2007 (641 KBytes)
- Viewers - Listing of and links to various document viewers
- 2007 Officers and SIG Leaders
- CompUSA Discount Card - How to use your discount card
- Minutes of August Officers' Meeting
- Weather Links - Number of useful links to Web sites focusing on the weather, by Phil Sheffield
- Windows Vista for Starters - Review of book by David Pogue, prepared by Darry D Eggleston
- Solving Vista's Common Problems
- Trouble in Paradise - Tips for solving 20 Vista problems, from Smart Computing magazine
- The Wizards to Work - Listing of useful wizards in Vista
- Windows Vista ReadyBoost Explained - Link to details on how to boost Vista's performance
- Zombies, Botnets and BCC - Explanations of these terms, and how to properly send/forward emails to multiple addressees, by DarryD Eggleston
- Rogue Software - Definitions of, and help for, these online threats, by DarryD Eggleston
- Dubious Scanner Ads - Warning re online ad's on Google, Live, and Yahoo Web sites, that offer free scans of one's pc, by Scott Dunn, Windows Secrets newsletter
- OpenOffice - Review of this free suite of office applications, and how they compare to Microsoft's Office suite
- Miscellaneous - Links to a variety of useful and interesting Web sites
- Safe Computing - Comments on a current Consumer Reports article that discusses online security, and rates the effectiveness of a number of utilities designed to protect users, by Ira Wilsker, APCUG
- Dumb Things to Avoid - List of six "dumb" mistakes no one should make while using their computer, by Vinny La Bash
- Add-ons Can Cause Problems - How to manage special programs that work inside Internet Explorer and other browsers
(August 2007 - no issue was published this month)
July 2007 (321 KBytes)
- 2007 Officers and SIG Leaders
- Internet - Numerous links to useful sites on the Internet, including Visualizing the Internet, Traffic Report, Internet Explorer 7 Pro, CrossLoop, LinkScanner Lite, Internet fixes, is your SSN or credit card number safe, and 3D maps live
- Windows Vista - Nearly a dozen links to Web sites about various aspects of the latest release of Windows
- Portable Apps - Links to two Web sites with free programs for your USB flash drive
- u3 Flash Drives - Where to buy, and info on, USB flash drives, by editor Don Miller
- Weather Links - With the hurricane season already underway, a listing of useful sites, by Phil Sheffield
- Darry D Eggleston's Web site - Brief summary of various sections of Darry D's user-friendly Web site
- WXPNews Tips - Articles on spam, and assigning a program to just one processor in dual processor pc's
- Kim Komando - Info on networks, digital cameras, Office 2007, Google, privacy, Results Prefetching, and AT&T's $10/month DSL service
- Miscellaneous - Links to articles on Photosynth, hardware secrets, Microsoft Virtual PC 2007, CamStudio, Microsoft's Compatibility Pack for Office 2007 files, National Wildlife Federation, a British opera singer, BrainBashers (puzzles), run Windows alongside Mac OS X, Everyday Mysteries, and Science Daily
- VoIP Made Easy with Skype - Illustrated article on using Skype for local and international phone calls, at nominal cost, by Sharon Walbran
- Tiger Direct - Special discount offer, for members of user groups, on computer and related items from this distributor; made available through the APCUG
- Meeting Minutes - Brief summaries of meetings during June, featuring Jose Barriga, who introduced his new spam-free email service, and demo'd VMWare, and Microsoft's Blain Barton, who explored Virtual PC 2007. Both VMWare and Virtual PC allow a pc user to run two or more operating systems on one pc
- Meeting Schedule for 2007-2008 - Summary of dates our meeting location will be open or closed through next summer
June 2007 (195KBytes)
B.O.O.K. - New Technology - humorous piece on learning how to use a Book, submitted by Al Miller E-Mail - Be Cautious - sensible guidelines to follow when receiving petitions via email "Its All Geek to Me" - notice re new TV series by New York Times columnist David Pogue, as announced by O'Reilly Press O'Reilly School of Technology - information about certificates and courses being offered Kim Komando - list of useful tips offered by the popular Kim Komando's Web site Darry D Eggleston - Brief articles on a variety of current computer and Internet topics Internet - Links to a number of informative and useful Web sites Help - Another listing of 14 Internet sites where one can get computer help Miscellaneous - 10 Web sites for free downloads, demos, and useful articles Vista - Consequences of attempting to use a pirated version of Microsoft's new operating system WebCams Around the World - View what various "Web Cameras" are currently seeing Meeting Minutes - Brief summary of our May 1st General Meeting, featuring Kelly Delaney of CompUSA - Brandon
May 2007 (330 KBytes)
- 2007 Officers and SIG Leaders
- 40 Digital Photography Techniques - review by Dick Evans of book by Y., published by O'Reilly Press
- O"Reilly School of Technology - announcement that the virtual doors of this educational facility are now open, with a discount for user groups
- SanDisk u3 Smart Drive - brief article on some of the features of a u3, 4gig smart/thumb/flash drive, by Parker Monroe
- Portable Program Applications - links to programs designed for, and that will run on, u3 smart drives, and additional information
- Firefox and Thunderbird E-mail - collection of links for add-ons, helpers, and related
- Widgets and Gadgets - useful single-purpose apps from Yahoo and Google
- Miscellaneous links to a variety of useful and informative Web sites
- Internet Fraud - Government - 17 links to Federal and state Web sites dealing with Internet fraud and scams
- April Meetings Minutes - brief summaries of two of our four meetings during April, including a listing of Brandon High School's closings through April, 2008
April 2007 (205KBytes)
2007 Officers and SIG Leaders
Learning for the Fun of It, by DarryD Eggleston
Museum Sites - links to a number of major museums in the U.S., plus the Louvre.
Travel - links to a wide range of travel services and popular destinations
Photo Programs - links to useful photo programs, tutorials, and utilities, and examples of members' photos
When Did You Last Back Up Your Data? - lessons learned the hard way, by Les Kizer
Tips on backing up your files and drive(s) - by Kim Komando, Gene Barlow and Marshall Brain
Tips and Tricks - useful items re Online Searches, Scanner Lights, Screen Flicker, and Recycling, from Smart Computing
More Tips and Tricks - re Cookies, Active-X, Renaming, Leave PC on/off, Google and traffic, and IE 7, by Kim Komando
PowerPoint tutorial on Internet Explorer 7's ToolBar, by editor Don Miller
Links to Windows Secrets newsletter, and DarryD Eggleston's Web sites, for more tips, lessons, and tutorials, on Windows XP, Vista, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Windows Update, and ExcelNet News
System Information - links to helpful utilities
Windows Vista - links to videos, demo's, and related information
Humor & Puzzles - links to lots of ways to relax and chuckle
Meeting Minutes, March, 2007 - for the Greater Tampa Bay PC User Group
- 2007 Officers and SIG Leaders
- Photoshop Elements 4 - The Missing Manual, book review by Dick Evans
- Photoshop Elements 5 - The Missing Manual, book review by DarryD Eggleston
- Windows Vista - links for more information
on Microsoft's latest operating system- Microsoft Office Suite 2007 - information on Microsoft's latest suite of office applications
- Security Tips - Phishing - how to avoid becoming a victim
- Burning Pictures to a CD, by Dave Gerber
- Tips and Tricks - from Smart Computing magazine, and other sources
- Odds and Ends - links to interesting and useful Web sites, re RSS feeds, speed test, color, IE 7, etc.
- Your Browser has been Hijacked - how to avoid it, and undo the damage, by Microsoft
- Maps - links to a variety of Web sites offering maps
- Local Retailers - links to seven local stores, plus the Public Library
- Radio and TV - links to Web sites for radio and tv stations, and to police and fire calls
February 2007 (249 KBytes)
- 2007 Officers and SIG Leaders
- “Open With...” and File Extensions, by Charlie Vanderford
- Photoshop Elements 5: The Missing Manual, review by Barbara Brundage
- Smart Computing: Windows tips and links from this popular magazine
- Kim Komando: two articles on Web Addresses, and A Safer Way to Access Web Sites
- Various useful computer tips and links
- Safe Sites for Kids & Top TV Networks, collected by editor Don Miller
- More Windows Tips and Tricks, by Dave Gerber and others
January 2007 (664 KBytes) - Editor Don Miller's first issue
- New officers and SIG Leaders for 2007
- History of the Greater Tampa Bay PC User Group, by Al Miller
- Links to Web sites about Digital Cameras and Photography
- Photos of the Grand Canyon, by Dick and Emi Evans
- Tips regarding Wireless Networking, Surfing, and Backing up one's pc
- Internet help
- Links and tips for Internet Explorer 7
- Links for information and demo of Microsoft's Windows OneCare and Spyware Defender
- Music and Radio, and More Stuff - links to a number of resources
- Outlook Express - tips
- Search the Web - screen shots and links for 20 different search engines, created by Don Miller
- Links to many of Google's features and services
- Useful weather Links, by Phil Sheffield
- Smart Computing Tips and more
- About Wiki and Blogs
- Tips for Windows Explorer
December 2006 (1.5 MBytes) - Editor Dick Evans' final issue!
- Nominations for 2007 GTBPCUG Officers are listed.
- Taking full-liberty throughout, Dick begins with a politically-incorrect wish for a Merry Christmas.
- A reminder about the Christmas Party, scheduled for December 10th at Strawberry Ridge.
- The final rendition of the 2006 Officers and SIG Leaders.
- “Dick’s Swan Song” (you’ll understand)
- “Editor Dick’s Final Column” pays tribute to the “team” effort which supported our BayBytes publications for the past two years. A fourth head is added to Mt. Blushmore.
- Jim Jeup’s “Computer Corner” discusses personalizing Windows XP to match the user’s style.
- “Change the Default Folder in Windows Explorer,” by Susan Daffron.
- Review of the book EddieTapp on Digital Photography: Photoshop Workflow Setups, by Doris Barrilleaux, GTBPCUG.
- Review of the book Stephen Johnson on Digital Photography, by Dick Evans, “temporary” Editor GTBPCUG.
- “OEM’s Offering Low-cost Vista Upgrades,” by Parker Monroe, Webmaster GTBPCUG.
- “Digital Photo Goodies in Vista,” by Dave Johnson in PCWorld.
- Unsolicited praise for both http://darryd.com and http://dmiller900.com .
- “PGP To Be Surely Secure: How Pretty Good Privacy Protects Your Data,” by Christian Perry, General Computing.
- “Microsoft tip: expand the right-click menu,“ by Parker Monroe.
- “Swissbit – Victorinox Do Everything USB, MP3 Swiss Army Knife” (what every Dad would love for Christmas) and “Current Hoaxes and Urban Legends,” by Ira Wilsker, APCUG Director.
- Book review for Windows XP Hacks, 2nd ed., by Chuck Kinsley, P*PcompAS.
- “Are You A Zombie? How About Your Computer?” by S. Jack Lewtschuk, MBUG-PC.
- Warning: you may encounter some “thoughtful” humor throughout. Paul Fix said, “The only reason some people get lost in thought is because it’s unfamiliar territory.” Remember the “liberty” mentioned earlier? Humor is utmost.
- Dick endorses “Windows Secrets.”
- Darrell Manns’ is pictured with a pretty presenter Jen Clause (of Smart Computing and Sandhills Publishing), and with a not-so-pretty President for one-more-month, Bill McMullen, as Darrell wins the October Contest. Didn’t Darrell win last month too? Will the new editor continue the contests? Does Lamont Cranston even know?
- “My Spyware” by Sandy Berger, Compu-KISS.
- “Turning Off Autoplay”
- “BlueCoat’s K9 Web Protection,” by Mike Mitchell.
- “Digitally Enhanced Photos May Be Too Good”
- “Don’t Forget System Restore,” by Charlie Paschal.
- Tip: “Windows XP Click Lock”
- “Internet Fraud,” by Bob Schneider (Florida).
- “How do I make audio CD’s from MP3s?” from WXP News.
- “Legal Bytes: Do Shield Laws Extend to Bloggers?” and “Legal Bytes: Fair Use – Wherefore Art Thou Going?” by John Brewer (Oklahoma).
- A Christmas Song Quiz suggested by DarryD Eggleston, GTBPCUG New Users SIG Leader.
Second section
- Tip: “Use Two or Three Browsers for Concurrent Logins,” by the P*PCompAS.
- “Protect and purge your personal files: Eliminate private documents from your hard drive,” by Alyson Munroe, Microsoft Windows.
- Some tips from Charlie Vanderford (now a member of The Villages Computer Club): “Print only selected text” and “What is ClearType?”
- "Verizon FiOS and Cable TV,” by Les Kizer, GTBPCUG.
- “Traveling with a video camcorder,” by Joseph Asling (California).
- “To Quote or Not to Quote,” a parody mostly by Peter Ellis, with apologies to Shakespeare. (As a bonus for you observant readers, I offer an authorial anagram: William Shakespeare: I am a weakish speller)
- Several pages of articles from “The New, The Best, and the Worst” series and a book review of Learn to Program by Chris Pine, by Pim Borman (Indiana).
- Several articles by Kim Komando addressing: “Test your telephone; Getting a grip on flash drives; Organize IE favorites; digital camera accessories; Removing a hard drive partition; Write on Web pages; XP toys and tools; Silencing a loud computer; SIW: System information from your thumb drive; Block specific Web sites; Grisoft isn’t pulling its free AVG antivirus program; What size memory card should you buy; Google as an all-around reference tool; How to use the Clipboard or Bookmarks/Favorites; if links don’t work in OE; Saving a slide show video in AVI format; Keeping track of Intel’s chips; Remove your personal details from online databases; Smilies and spyware.”
- “Erasing Hard Drives: a guide to surplusing computers and electronic storage devices,” compiled by Napa Valley PCUG.
- “Google as a Calculator,” by Marc Liron, Microsoft MVP.
- “Murphy’s Laws of Technology,” from the Internet.
- “Letters to LateNite (2006),” by Marty Shinko, Capital PCUG, deals with questions about spam.
- “Surprising New Search Engine,” by Sandy Berger, Compu-KISS, offers several reasons to use Ixquick, as a leader on privacy issues.
- A violent video from PC Pit Stop, “Notebook PC explodes under simulated conditions,” submitted by Don Miller, recently nominated 2007 Editor of BayBytes. Quite extraordinary…both the video and Don, that is.
- “Tech News” articles by Sue Crane, Big Bear Computer Club.
- “Downloading a File” and “The Mystery of File Extensions Explained,” by Dave Gerber, APCUG Advisor.
- “Clear Reading with Cleartype,” by Vinny La Bash (Sarasota)
- A recommendation for “Gizmo Richards’ Tech Support Alert,” by Your Editor through December.
- “Old US Mail Scams Updated for the Internet,” by Don Edrington, Chautauqua Cyber Club, Inc.
- “XP or Visa?” by Elaine Drain (Delaware)
- Windows lesson: “Rename a File,” by DarryD, who has so many titles, this editor is going to run out of ink.
- “Backing up Your Computer,” by Parker Monroe.
- “Distinguishing Forests from Trees in Search Engine Results,” by Gabe Goldberg, APCUG Advisor.
- “U3 Drives,” by Diane George (California).
- “Vista changes lock out virus makers,” by Ryan Russell, Editor, Windows Secrets Newsletter.
- “Safeguarding Your Data,” by Mindi McDowell, US Dept of Homeland Security.
- “Web 2.0 and the Evolution of the Small Office/Home Office (soho)” and “Web 2.0 and Portable Computing,” by John Abbott (Texas).
- “Computing Q&A Board,” by Michael Hanst (Florida).
- “Fun with Troubleshooting,” by Steve Bass (borrowed from a California newsletter).
- Don’t worry about the length of the issue. You’ll have two years to read the articles before they’re erased from the archives. …again, Merry Christmas. See you at the party on December 10th!
November 2006 (1.7 MBytes) - Thanksgiving issue
- “The Shadow Knows”: Mike Morris offers websites compiling old-time radio favorites.
- “Dell DeCrapifier” by Pim Borman offers detection and removal of unwanted software and spyware from new Dell computers.
- “Authentium” by Charlie Vanderford. Where have I heard that name before…?
- Our Member-of-the-Month is Doris Barrilleaux, and her biography will amaze you. How can this self-admitted “tachyon” be so modest?
- “Quality Freeware” by Brian K. Lewis, Ph.D.
- “Hints from Don Miller”
- Kim Komando articles: “A better way to share files: GigaSize; Hate those video images played by Windows Media Player?; Making sense of music sales; advice for buying photo printers and digital cameras; an easy way to share photos; tips to make Windows shiny new; How long will your thumb drives last?; Blocking ghostly senders; Lock down the family computer; Keeping a file viable; Aggravating computer sounds; Hackers attack AT&T’s online store; Alphabetize favorites in Internet Explorer; External drive could be infected; Expand your Windows clipboard; Creating a photo slide show screen saver; Worm targets MySpace profiles.
- “Truth about Email petitions” submitted by J.B. Hickey.
- “DVD burning – safely”
- “Is the internet insecure because of you?” by Dave Gerber.
- Doris Barrileaux shares an article which benefits her family in “Thanks, BayBytes…”
- “Heading towards faster and smaller” by John C. Dvorak.
- “From The DealsGuy” by Bob Click.
- Road Runner offers the complete EZArmor security suite.
- “Digital resolution made confusing” by Dave Chrestenson.
- An upgrade advisor for running Vista, by Microsoft.
- “Getting back disk space” by Les J. Kizer (illustrious GTBPCUG award-winning editor)
- CATCHA: (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) by Sandy Berger; explains how use of a graphic image can defeat and kick hackers’ bots. [Sorry, Editor couldn’t resist]
- Our September Monthly Contest winner announced (hint: Darrell Manns) and the November question posed.
- “A history of the vote,” submitted by DarryD Eggleston.
- Opera, a free Web browser.
- Voting methods are evaluated.
Second section
- PLEASE READ: “First Impressions – Office 2007 (Beta) by Ann Moore.
- "411 for free”
- “International Characters” by Parker Monroe, and “Shortcuts” from Doris Barrilleaux.
- “RSS Explained” by Phil Shapiro.
- “Attention spans and websites”
- “The latest Microsoft power toys for Windows” by Bettie Cummings Cook.
- “Identity Theft Phishing Scams Abound” by Ira Wilsker.
- “Stat of the day” submitted by Charlie Vanderford. [That name again?]
- “Microsoft tests Wi-Fi management service” by Elizabeth Montalbano.
- “Enticing Attachments spell trouble” by Mike Musgrove.
- From Smart Computing: “The World Wide Web is 15 years old”
- “Nybbles and Bits” by John Pearce.
- A Reuters article: “Belgium Orders Google to Stop Linking News”
- “FBI begins attack on computer crime” submitted by DarryD Eggleston.
- “How to know what’s in a file or folder before you open it” by Linda Gonse.
- “How to protect your laptop and lap from heat build-up” by Jose Calero. Read this article and avoid groin burns!
- Suggested by Charlie Vanderford (hmmmm…) “The Best broadband ISP’s in America by Jeff Bertolucci appeared in PC World’s August 24, 2006 (9 pages).
- “The Future of Broadband Access” by Bob Hewitt.
- “It’s not final ‘til it’s…well, finalized” by Rachel Derowitsch (Smart Computing) discusses finishing your CD/DVD burn.
- Darry D Eggleston offers a WordPerfect 9-13 lesson “Printing files list.”
- “New Web browser won’t leave user footprints.” China Martins introduces Browzar; item was suggested by Charlie Vanderford (getting redundant, eh?)
- “Microsoft Windows Vista” by Mike Moore.
- “More spam please!” by Shane Hicks.
- Editor Dick offers some Thanksgiving thoughts.
- Our November meetings are posted, with special presentations from Smart Computing and CompUSA.
- “The New, the Best, and the Worst” by Pim Borman.
- From Smart Computing, “Microsoft Word 2002: put special characters to use” by Tom Hancock.
- The menu for our Christmas Dinner Party on December 10th will get you salivating. Your Editor is practicing eating until then.
October 2006 (1.0 MBytes)
- New members of GTBPCUG are encouraged to begin their journey with us by visiting Don Miller’s sites at http://dmiller900.com and http://dmiller900.com/editor.
- Charlie Vanderford informs how to send pictures/documents via email attachments, and offers other help in his “For the Newbies” column.
- “Control your computer cops: What to do when security programs aren’t secure” by Christian Perry, Smart Computing.
- Sandy Berger from AARP announces “New Web Browsers," “Understanding Bugs and Patches” and “Microsoft Brand Going Live.”
- 25 years ago - “The IBM PC’s Debut”
- “Accessing Family Accounts in cases of emergency” by Gabriel Goldberg.”
- Kim Komando offers “Is PayPal Secure” and “Medline Plus” as well as several digital photography articles: Selecting photo-editing software; "Calling all photo buffs," "Upgrading to a digital SLR camera," "Tips for preserving digital images."
- “Essential Processes, how can you tell,” by Vinny La Bash.
- “Some ways to reclaim hard drive space in your computer,” by Frank Lavallee.
- “Basic Word Processing in WordPerfect,” by DarryD Eggleston.
- “Adobe Photoshop Elements: Text Basics,” by DarryD Eggleston.
- DarryD also offers some websites worth visiting.
- “Who Woulda Thunk,” by Al Miller, shows that sometimes what we think our stupid actions can sometimes be “a very smart thing.”
- Instructions for making a custom bootable CD, from Fred Langa.
Second section
- “Consumer Watch: New-PC Gunk” by Yardena Arar, PC Magazine.
- Parker Monroe offers quotes from Steve Bass’s column regarding photography.
- “Web Wanderings,” by Gil Smith, includes topics: "Time Warp," "Get Google’s Gmail," and "G is for Google."
- “What is Spyware,” by Anton Chuvakin, a security strategist with a major information security company.
- “Windows Vista: a Preview,” by Brian K. Lewis.
- “Ram and Reason: A Virus and Incident Checklist,” by Rob Rice.
- “Computer Corner,” by Jim Jeup, investigates “Windows XP Troubleshooting Tips," and "When your computer is running slowly.”
- “Where did all those photos go? File Management,” by Jack Wilfore.
- “Send text messages from your computer,” by David Pogue, NY Times.
- “Printing Better Pictures,” by Robert Sherwood.
- “How and why to get Microsoft’s free Image Resizer."
- Digital Photography: the Missing Manual (by Chris Glover & Barbara Brundage), released by O'Reilly Press, and reviewed by Dick Evans.
- “How to shop online more safely,” published by Microsoft and submitted by Parker Monroe.
- “Email: Use the Bcc: to protect others’ privacy.”
- “Where to store a backup image,” by Smart Computing.
- Charlotte Howard won the September monthly contest. Who will win the October contest?
- Announcement for our GTBPCUG 2006 Christmas Dinner Party, on December 10th, at the Strawberry Ridge Club House. See what you’ll be eating.
- Highlights and tips from PegEgg Eggleston’s “Lights, Camera, Capture: Buying and Really Using a Digital Camera” presentation on September 5th.
- October's Meetings schedule.
- “Leave Them Laughing,” submitted by Mary Ann Clark, offering excerpts from an Irish newsletter.
September 2006 (1.0 MBytes)
Note: this month's issue focuses on the inclusion of many new names from several newsletters/newspapers around the country, as well as expert advice from our own GTBPCUG gurus.
- Parker Monroe, winner of the July/August monthly contest, discusses the benefits of reviewing O’Reilly products.
- A chapter from Google:The Missing Manual , which was reviewed by Your Editor in last month’s August issue, is offered for preview.
- A fun site www.humanclock.com is offered from a newsletter in California.
- DarryD Eggleston offers “FastFacts” including “Connecting on the Road; Driveby Downloading Scumware; Browser vs. Server; A Change in China’s Realities”
- “Care and Feeding of CD’s” by Lynn L. Kauer.
- “Remove Scratches from CD or DVD Compact Disc” by Bill Sheff.
- “Protect and Purge Your Personal Files…” by Alison Munroe.
- Parker Monroe’s photo, which he submitted for last month’s contest, is displayed. But he couldn’t have won without his wife’s “influence.”
- A humorous update, “Abbott and Costello Take on Personal Computing in the Digital Age.”
- From an article by Chicago Tribune columnist James Coates, we find how to purge temporary Internet files causing “Computer SlowDown.”
- Kim Komando's topics include: Getting around a broken back button; Search better; Prevent access to MySpace; Optimizing photos for email the easy way; Save money on ink; Making sense of mirrors; Compress files to save space.
- Linda Gonse from Orange County, CA, offers “How to Know What’s in a File or Folder Before You Open It.”
- An example of FastStone's Screen Capture capabilities.
- From Microsoft, “Protect Your Privacy with Online Payment Services”
- From Parker Monroe, an incident with Symantec/Norton…and David, er, Parker won!
- “Nuggets from Nuvo” from Colorado.
- Scot Finnie excerpt “Windows Genuine Advantage: What It Is and How to Remove It”
- A review by Pim Borman, from SW Indiana, for Excel for Starters: The Missing Manual by Matthew MacDonald.
- Also by Pim Borman, “Camera Fingerprints,” discusses a technique to extract a characteristic “fingerprint” pattern from pictures taken by a digital camera.
- “FolderShare” free software.
Second section
- Ira Wilsker, APCUG, offers “Hard Drive Class Action Settlement and HP Recalls.”
- Brian Livingston, Windows Secrets Newsletter, offers “Get a Disposable Email Address.”
- Kim Komando offers tips about digital photography: Taking pictures of coins; four free photo programs; “Save your photos!”; and making sense of zoom
- numbers.
- Parker Monroe offers excerpts from Steve Bass’ listserv about what to do if camera and memory card end up in water.
- Sample articles from Mr. Modem, including one about making a screen saver slide show.
- Donald Cummins, APCUG, offers “What Comes After You Have Your Pictures in Tip Top Shape?”
- Dave Gerber, APCUG, offers tips on “Burning Pictures on a CD.”
- From Smart Computing, Stephen J. Bigelow’s “Security: Scrubbing a Hard Drive”; Rachel Derowitsch’s “What to do When….You Receive an Email Attachment You Can’t Open”; and “Browsers:Internet Explorer Beta Adds Tabs to Interface.”
- Dick Maybach, from New Jersey, offers “Windows XP Housecleaning.”
- Excerpts from past few months’ “TechNews” articles by Sue Crane, from California.
- Our September Monthly Contest involves a play by a famous American writer.
- A humorous poem, “Remember When?” from the Internet.
- Jim Jeup offers part 3 of “Receiving Email from Multiple Accounts: Windows XP and OE” in this month’s “Computer Corner.”
- A notice to Dell notebook owners involving a battery recall.
- Phil Sheffield and DarryD Eggleston (both more than just members of GTBPCUG) submitted “Photo Doctored and Exposed,” by Liz Marlantes, ABC News.
- Our September meetings will headline PegEgg Eggleston’s “Lights, Camera, Capture: How to Buy and really Use a Digital Camera” (Sept 5th), and Brian McNeal of Florida Crime Prevention, providing ways citizens can protect themselves, their homes, and property from criminal activity (Sept 12th).
- “Secret Lover” by Kathy Otto should make you curious.
- Don Miller requests that members please submit personal photo favorites to the group’s website.
August 2006 (737 KBytes) - Secure/protect your PC
Gene Barlow offers advice about backing up our main drives.
Vic Laurie’s website for computer-related articles is recommended.
“Registry Backup/Restore” by Dick Trissel.
Parker Monroe offers a place to go for advice if your Registry becomes corrupted.
“Why do you get so much spam?” by Vinny La Bash.
“Cleanup Email to be sent to others” by Charlie Vanderford.
“Bringing data back from the dead” by Daniel Greenberg.
Your Editor makes readers work in our August monthly contest.
DarryD Eggleston offers “ExcelNet News” articles about the worst tech products of all time, and Verizon, FastStone, and UpShot.
DarryD also includes a book review about Window Seat: The Art of Digital Photography.
DarryD’s “Fast Facts” articles include “Email sounds but no Email; Drop Earthlink?; What is a plug-in?; AOL and BayBytes; Installing a Second Virus.”
“AntiSpyware Basics” by Dave Gerber.
An offer for a discount if you plan to attend the O’Reilly Brussels convention in September.
Advice on getting your computer back up to speed by Gerry Gerstenberg.
Are you getting Microsoft updates?
Windows Genuine Advantage Lawsuit information by DarryD Eggleston and Parker Monroe.
“Why Settle, Do It Your Way” by Lee Alexander, offers tips about icons, Acrobat Reader, Adobe PhotoShop, Word toolbars, digital photography, Windows Picture and Fax Viewer, Harrys Filters 3.0, LCD usage with a digital camera, and auto-reducing photo file sizes.
“AMD’s Visionary Gamble” by Jim Hinwood.
Second Section
Advice from Kim Komando: Can a virus damage hardware; backing up favorites; cripple spyware with the HOSTS file; what can happen if you remove cookies often; getting Firefox to accept cookies; recovering songs from your iPod; using backups to complement virus protection; warnings about responding to spam; running programs automatically; could an external drive be infected; “Goodbye, 98 and ME”; how to avoid credit card offers; how Al Qaeda gets away with web postings; and problems with Hewlett-Packard; remote possibilities for destroying stolen data; a virus posing as WGA; and malware hiding in system restore points.
“Consumers shun Backups, Study Says” by John P. Mello, Jr.
“Figuring Out How Spammers Get E-Mail Addresses” by Dave Gerber.
“New Federal Website Provides Users with Internet Safety and Security Information” by Ira Wilsker.
“Do I Have to Overwrite My Hard Drive Multiple Times?” by Steven Elderkin.
“What do icons do when the computer’s asleep?” - humor by Ted Wirtz.
Tips from Smart Computing include getting rid of adware and spyware; phishing; “Sidestep Spyware: Tactics that Help You Avoid Becoming a Victim,” including a very special list of attachments to avoid.
“Internet Fraud” by Bob Schneider.
Jim Jeup: offers the first two of three segments about “Receiving Email from multiple accounts, Windows XP, and OE” in his “Computer Corner.”
Photos by members of our group including Pat LaTerza, Mary Ann Clark, and Alma Ace.
Don’t forget to read about the exciting/informative presentations coming in August.
July 2006 (1.1 Mbytes)
- Announcement that there will be NO MEETINGS during July at Brandon High School, as the school will be closed.
- Excerpts from two works, Infamous Scribblers and The World is Flat, in Dick’s “Editor’s Corner.”
- Articles by Kim Komando on several topics: “Games Galore”; “Spybot Warns of Changes to Windows Security Center”; “Download the Whole Free Google Package”; “Can Hibernate Harm Your Hard drive?”
- “Computer Corner” by Jim Jeup: “One-Click Shutdown for Windows XP”
- Several articles promoting Google: “Google ToolBar 2 for FireFox Makes Browsing Safer”; Google Toolbar; Google Desktop
- Several articles promoting Smart Computing and articles/reprints from that publication: “Back Up Outlook Express Data”
- "29 Useful Bookmarks” by Richard Johnson, TUGNET, offering useful, free, non-specialized services on the World Wide Web.
- June is “Backup Awareness Month” by Ira Wilsker, APCUG Advisor.
- Announcement that Dick Stevens won the June Monthly Contest.
- Review by DarryD Eggleston of Robbyn Walters’ presentation on June 6th, representing the Deaf and Hearing Connection for Tampa Bay.
- “Your Photo is Online - Maybe” and “Excellent Health Begins Within” by DarryD Eggleston.
- “AMD’s Visionary Gamble” by Jim Hinwood, MBUG-PC, examines the competition between Intel and Advanced Micro Devices.
- Book review for Google: The Missing Manual (Sarah Milstein et al) by Editor Dick; examines the many aspects/opportunities of this global phenomenon.
- “Computer Hysteria: The Sentence” by Berry F. Phillips, CCOKC for a smile.
- “To defrag, or not to defrag? If you’re looking for ways to speed up WinXP machines, then the answer is Not.” by Carey Holzman.
- “Google Earth” by Joe Schmitt, Tampa Bay Computer Society, examines extensively the many opportunities offered with this great innovative tool.
- “New Hard Drives and XP Hard Drive Management Utility” by Ira Wilsker, APCUG Director.
- “Improving PC Performance Without Upgrading Your Hardware” by Kevin J. Vella offers a step-by-step guide to boosting the performance of your PC inexpensively and without too much difficulty.
- “Smart Computing Q&A Board” by Michael Hanst, LSCS, offers notes from a presentation offered by a Smart Computing representative.
- A list of GTBPCUG winners of Smart Computing subscriptions.
- From Smart Computing, “Don’t Let Windows XP Harass You” by Mark Scapicchio.
- “First Battle of Bull Run: Preview of Wars to Come” by DarryD Eggleston describes our first experience with the glory and gore of modern warfare.
- Editor Dick reminds us how hard things became after July 4, 1776 , with an excerpt from "His Excellency: George Washington" (Joseph J. Ellis).
- “How big is a 300 GB hard disk” by Jim Sanders, NOCCC.
- A special bio of our GTBPCUG Vice-President, Jo Ann Brawner.
- The July Monthly Contest, whose winner won’t be awarded until August 1st...allowing lots of time for entries, with a deadline of July 28th.
- Wishes for a safe and joyous July 4th. [Methinks Your Editor will be removing his hearing aids that evening!]
- Meetings resume on August 1st. Check the GTBPCUG website for info about upcoming presentations and meeting topics.
June 2006 (1.9 MBytes)
- Kim Komando articles include advice about rootkits; buying a new computer; a class action lawsuit over Epson inkjet printers; Autopano.com, a program to make panoramic pictures; lightening the Windows start-up load; stopping addresses from appearing in OE’s “to” field; backing up the external hard drive; dangers when using public computers; a spammer’s cracking of a do-not spam list.
- “Legal Bytes: What is CALEA and Will It Affect My Life?” by John Brewer.
- How to set a password for WinXP.
- $100 Laptop – Coming to a school (or business) near you. Ed. Paul Quinn.
- Getting the Most Viewing Space in the IE Window, by Glenn Richards.
- How phishers use the phone system to seal information.
- Burning Pictures on a CD, by Dave Gerber.
- The Recordable vs Rewriteable Conundrum, from Smart Computing.
- Send Text Messages from Your Computer, by David Pogue.
- Back to the Future with System Restore, by Marjorie Tucker.
- Some words of wisdom collected by Your Editor.
- Ask.com May Be David to Google’s Goliath, by Walter S. Mossberg.
- Configuring a Basic User’s PC, by Gabriel Goldberg.
- DarryD Eggleston presents us with some pictures remembering our fallen heroes and D-Day.
- Ben Christopher is recognized as The May Contest Winner.
- The June Contest is announced.
- Parker Monroe reviews where further information can be found about the remarkable, and free, FastStone Screen Capture program, which was demonstrated at our May 2nd meeting.
- Some excerpts from DarryD Eggleston’s “Fast Facts” and “ExcelNet News” items include topics such as “Connecting on the Road;” “Drive-by Downloading;" "Scumware;” “Browser vs Server;” “Scan 35MM to TV Resolution;” “Sound Muted;” “Hoax de Jour – Mulch Termites;" “Minimize Internet Threats;" the “Now My Florida” website; and “Wireless Saves the Day.”
- “Do a Clean Sweep of Your Computer: How to safely remove software and files from your PC” by Marc Saltzman.
- Initial information about a digital photo contest sponsored by APCUG.
- How Fast is Your Internet Connection, by Al Miller, analyzes differences in download speeds among members of GTBPCUG.
- Registry Backup/Restore, by Dick Trissel.
- Jim Jeup’s Computer Corner article is titled “Dual Layer DVD Recording.”
- A flaw in Hewlett-Packard printer software can lead to trouble.
- Our June calendar.
- “Installing a Wired Router So You Can Share a High-speed Connection with Multiple Computers” by Frank Lavallee.
- Internet Explorer 7 Has No Soul - an article from Scot Finnie’s May 06 Newsletter, offers Scot’s personal observations.
- Some offerings from O'Reilly Press.
- And a picture of the new projection screen, which our user group has donated to Brandon High in appreciation of the hospitality the staff has shown our group.
- Officers and SIG Leaders, listed on p2.
- Editor’s column features thoughtful quotes.
- Several pictures from March and April meetings.
- Kim Komando columns include info about: checking status of tax refunds; games for iPods; Active X Controls; three Florida banks attacked by hackers; rootkits; whether computers can become infected by streaming; optimizing photos for email; and finding online support groups.
- Advantages for a Smart Computing subscriber.
- Allen Wyatt discusses http://wordtips.vitalnews.com/ and 1,600 tips and tricks which can help with “Problems with Microsoft Word.”
- How to write a cent symbol.
- “Avoiding Security Risks” by Kraig Lane from Symantec Corp. emphasizes hackers’ motives, phishing, spyware, and best consumer practices.
- Excel Hacks book review by Jim Butts.
- “Don Edrington’s PC Chat” includes items about Google’s Gmail, multi-language spell checking, and other language translation features.
- Jim Jeup (GTBPCUG) offers “Help and Support in Windows XP.” Find out how “It’s just two clicks away.”
- Andy Marken, President of Marken Communications Inc., offers do’s and don’ts for appropriate emailing.
- John Powell offers “Fun in Retirement,” which should bring a smile or three.
- “Tips for Your Tired Eyes” by Judy Taylour (Chair of the APCUG Board of Advisors) offers several suggestions.
- Articles from DarryD Eggleston's ExcelNet News site, which can be found at http://darryd.com Those featured cover an Al-Jazeera TV telecast; the AC-130U flying gunship in Iraq; MS Office 2007; and Microsoft’s Vista.
- The May Contest question. April’s contest was won by Darrell Manns, but who will know the May answer?
- “Paper-Like Electronic Displays Near Market,” by Tracy Staedter and submitted by JB Hickey (GTBPCUG), discusses what may replace the present-day monitors in only three years.
- Kathy Fry, from Arizona, offers care for inkjet printers and CRT and flat-screen monitors. In the same article, Larry Smith, from California, offers tips about using the Magnifier and StickyKeys, how to avoid “repeated letterssss” and how to access the start menu without a mouse (XP).
- Randy Esdon, from Canada, offers “How to Speed up Windows XP.”
- BayBytes will offer each month some answers to questions submitted by GTBPCUG members which DarryD Eggleston has posted in his “Fast Facts” section of his website http://darryd.com. Visit his archives. This month Your Editor selected subjects like a lost E: drive, quality of DVD vs CD, firewalls, and “screen too big?” (that last topic sounds complicated)
- Parker Monroe (GTBPCUG Webmaster) offers how to type “International Characters” (XP).
- Some book opportunities from O'Reilly Press: Wireless Hacks, 2nd ed.; PhotoShop Elements 4 One-on-One; and What is Spyware?
- May meetings listed. Visit our website for up-to-date information: http://gtbpcug.org
- “Where to Find and Delete Useless Files in Windows XP” by Frank Lavallee, (GTBPCUG).
April 2006 (1.6 Mbytes)
- Special April Fool’s Issue
Officers and Special Interest Group (SIG) Leaders posted on p2.- Thoughtful humor in Editor’s Corner
Addresses for information about opportunities at USF.- Information about Smart Computing Magazine