Past Meetings

• Feb 2004
• Jan 2004
• Dec 2003
• Nov 2003
• Sept 2003
• August 2003
• July 2003
• June 2003
• May 2003
• Apr 2003
• Mar 2003
• Feb 2003
• Dec 2002
• Nov 2002
• Oct 2002
• Sep 2002
• Aug 2002
• Jul 2002
• Jun 2002
• May 2002
• Apr 2002
• Mar 2002
• Feb 2002
• Jan 2002
• Dec 2001
• Nov 2001
• Oct 2001
• Sep 2001
• Aug 2001
• July 2001
• June 2001
• May 2001
• April 2001
• March 2001
• Feb 2001
• Jan 2001
• Dec 2000
• Nov 2000
• Oct 2000
• Sep 2000
• Aug 2000
• Jul 2000
• Jun 2000
• May 2000
• previous

1. Introduction
   1. 12 members present
   2. Minutes from last meeting: posted on web page. No matters arising
   3. Response forms:
      1. Please complete the response forms on the bottom half of the agenda. We welcome feedback on the meetings and suggestions for future topics.
      2. Returned forms will be entered in a draw at the next meeting. The winner must be present to collect the prize.
2. Financial report:
   1. Mutual fund: $1024.94
   2. Bank: $182.33 (ie. 282.33 - $100 cheque to Lions' Club)
   3. Cash: $72
   4. Collection (Feb 12): $12
   
   
   
3. 'Round the Table
   1. Garth: Windows 98 is still being supported
      
      
   2. Bob: Browser (Internet Explorer) won't dial in automatically
      Possible causes
      • File/Work Offline is checked
      • Home page is set to blank
      
      
      
   3. Don: was using a digital camera with a 3.5 diskette. One picture which was visible on the camera couldn't be copied to the computer.
      • Diskette could be faulty (bad sectors).
      • PC Drive could be faulty, or just more sensitive than the camera drive. Some drives are "fussier" than others.
      
      
      
   4. Bill : valid emails are being "quarantined" by Spambuster.
      • Log in to the Spambuster area of Nexicom and add these users to your "accept" list.
      
      
      
   5. Mike demonstrated the Spambuster settings. Wild cards are allowed (eg. *.nexicom.net will allow all emails from Nexicom users to be accepted).
      
      • Mike gave a good explanation of the problems ISPs have dealing with spam and viruses, and the technology being used to combat it.
        • Almost ²/₃ of the email they receive is spam.
        • Spam writers are constantly inventing new techniques. For example, spam filters rely on recognizing specific text, so spammers now put wording in graphics (.jpg, .gif) rather than text files.
        • Viruses which trigger mass emails have a "domino" effect: ISP's recognize unusual volumes, and quickly "blacklist" the sending ISP until the problem is corrected. The mass emails can also trigger mass "Address not found" messages, or automatic receipt confirmations
          
      
      
      
   6. Norm: sent an email with an attachment. Some recipients said that when it arrived they saw a message that it could have a virus.
      • The message is coming from the recipient's Outlook Express. By default it sets the security option
        Security / Options [] Do not allow attachments to be opened
      • If that box is checked, they will get the warning message for all attachments.
      
      
      
   7. Garth, Paul, Mike: Techniques for avoiding spam
      • use 2 emails, one for outgoing, one for incoming mail
      • add a filter that allows only mail with a specific word in the subject. Tell all your correspondents to use that "password"
      • Have all your mail delivered to your "deleted" folder. Un-delete the ones you want to read. (If you do this, first un-check the "empty trash on exit" feature.)
      
      
      
   8. Harold: All the icons have disappeared off the task bar. How do I get them back.
      • Right click on the task bar.
      • Choose Toolbars from the pop-up menu
      • Check Quick Launch
      
      
      
   9. Paul: www.dealnews.com : bargains & information on current prices
      
      
   10. Norm:
       1. SpyBot is not longer free ($29.95 / year). Updates to data files are still available free.
       2. How do you change a file name?
          • Highlight the file, right-click and choose Rename from the pop-up menu
            (or highlight and hit F2, or clik twice on the file)
          • Type in the new name
          • you must use a valid file name (some characters such as &, /, are now allowed)
          • if you change the extension you will be warned that the file may become unusable
       
       
       
   11. Larry: How to use in Outlook Express use an address book which was backed up in Netscape
       • File / Import /Other Address Book
       • Choose appropriate expension
       
       
       
   12. Alvin: How to back up an address book
       • File / Export (Choose .csv)
       • or.. just copy (drag & copy) the actual file onto a floppy
       • (eg. c:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\Alvin.wab)
       
       
       
   13. Evelyn: How to copy addresses from one user's address book to another user's
       • Go to first User
       • File / Export
       • Choose .csv (Remember where you put the file!)
       • Open second user's address book
       • File / Import (find the file)
       
       
       
   14. Larry: Problems opening some video files
       • Download the latest version of Windows media player. It will have the necessary codec files
       • Alternatively, download Irfanview (including plug-ins)
       • If the file is attached to an email, save it and see what the extension is
       
       
       
   15. Mike: "message not delivered"
       • Because ISP's may no longer be able to send "mail not delivered" messages, another service is being offered which will track emails and notify senders of email status (ie. if and when a message was delivered)
       
       
       
   16. Mike: downloading music
       • www.puretracks.com - buy music, 99 cents a track $Can and available in Canada. Files are licenced and protected: you can burn only a limited number of copies.
       • Windows Media Player 9. keeps track of licence and won't let you burn more than the licenced number of copies.
       
       
       
   17. Evelyn: Is Norton compatable with XP?
       • Yes, but you may need to upgrade to a leter version
   
   
   
4. Demonstration:
   1. Remote mail checking via PopTray
   2. Click here for notes.