KawarthaNet User Group: March 2005

Attendance:
Norm Bailey, Don Jardine, Bernie Fobert, Bob Stevenson, Bob Stokes, Mike Ricks, Joe Groenendyk, Niesje Groenendyk, Beth Steinbeck, June Johnston, Evelyn Finlay, Bev Newman, Don Jackson, Larry Muter, Anne Panter
Minutes of last meeting:
online
Financial report
(not included in online minutes)
Anne noted that the last cheque for Settlers' Village will clear on May 8.
New Business:
1. Future of the Internet Group
  The group discussed whether to continue the group, and how to increase attendance. Some comments:
  - Perhaps omit winter meetings. Arguments in favour: these are poorly attended. Arguments against: loss of continuity might lose more members.
  - Ask for RSVP on meeting notice Arguments in favour: this would give an idea of the numbers who will attend. Arguments against: Might discourage those who forget to RSVP; additional work for secretary.
  - Expand focus from internet to computers in general.
  - Change format to be more informal - eg. omit demos and minutes. Arguments for: less work for steering committee. Arguments against: demos increase attendance, minutes are useful to document answers to members' questions.
  - Meet only in Bobcaygeon. Arguments for: Fenelon meetigns are poorly attended. Fewer members there, and the longer drive for Bobcaygeon members discourages attendance in the winter. Arguments against: The Fenelon location could draw more people from that area, the facilities at Compu-Dynamix allow for hands-on experience.
  - Send out an online survey to get feedback about the future and focus of the group. (See also "Feedback Forms" below)
  - "Round the Table" is the most valuable part of the meeting (this comment made in the midst of the round-table discussions)
2. Settlers' Village
  Motion to give Settlers' Village $200 for the next year: passed. Anne will write 4 cheques for $50, to be signed at the next Steering Committee meeting (Bill VanKuik or Garth Scarborough). Funds in the investment account must be transferred to the chequing account to cover these.
  Bob. S. reminded people to join Settlers' Village (Cost is $20 per year). Anne will get membership forms for the next meeting.
3. Nexicom equipment
  Thanks again to Nexicom for loaning us the laptop and projector, and to Beth for bringing the equipment from Milbrook.
4. Internet News:
  Thanks again to Don Jardine for providing copies of the Internet News. Evelyn offered to take remaining copies to the Bobcaygeon library.
'Round the Table
1. www.evite.com
  A web site to automate invitations: sends notices and tracks RSVPs.
2. Microsoft PowerPoint
  This is the Microsoft Office programme for creating and viewing slide shows. If someone sends you a file with extension .ppt you need either Power Point or the (free) PowerPoint Viewer to view it. Download the PowerPoint Viewer from Microsoft.
3. Sorting email
  Q:The messages in my in-box are all mixed up. How do I get them back in order of date-received?
  A: Clicking on an item in the title bar at the top of a column causes the mail to be sorted in that order. Click again on that item, and the sort order is reversed. Eg. Click on "Received" and the messages will be sorted by date (oldest to most recent). Click again, and the most recent are at the top and the oldest at the bottom.
4. AntiVirus Software
     Q: My anti-virus program is about to expire. Should I spend the money to renew it, as my ISP also has an anti-virus programme?
     A: If you're using the internet at all (or getting programmes or files from any other source) it's important to have up-to-date anti-virus software. Your ISP can only filter out viruses that come by email, and some web sites. There are other ways to get infected.
     There are cheap but effective anti-virus programs. eg. Norton Antivirus was offered as a free "incentive" with QuickTax. AVG Antivirus is free.
5. Norton SystemWorks 05
  Q: This seemed to be causing problems, so I uninstalled it. Now it won't re-install.
  A: Contact their online support. If you are just using it for virus-checking, see the suggestions above.
6. WebMail
  Webmail is a programme offered by many ISPs which allows you to check your email online (eg, while travelling). It was upgraded this year, causing some problems (lock-outs) but now seems to be stable.
7. CDs vs DVDs
  Discussion of the difference (DVDs hold more data), and the life span of these media (originally said to be 25 years, but proving to be much shorter). There is a need to keep copying archive data from one medium to another as technology changes.
8. OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
     Q: How can you scan a form to send it "as a regular email".
     A: When you scan any document (even a letter or form), it is saved as a graphic - ie. just a picture. To translate it to text you need to use an OCR programme (eg. Textbridge), which recognizes each character and translates it to a text file. Most scanners come with OCR software.
     If this is too complicated, or time-consuming - consider sending the document by fax. (If you have a modem - eg. if you have email - you can also use it as a fax)
9. Email attachments
  Q: Why won't some email attachments open?
  A: Check your security settings. You may have attachments blocked (that's the default setting in Outlook Express!)
10. Firewall Settings
  Q: When I use Limewire, it syas I need to "unblock" my firewall. Will this afect just Limewire, or all web sites?
  A: Just the ones you specify (eg. Limewire)
11. MSN Messenger
  Q: Because I hadn't used MSN Messenger for some time, I had to download the new version. Now it won't run: it pops up the "invitation to register", but won't let me register.
  A: No-one had encountered this. Suggested searching the Microsoft web site (FAQs)
Demonstration (Line-in recording) was cancelled, as the files couldn't be un-zipped on the laptop. (Note: after the meeting, I downloaded Filzip a freeware un-archive programme which handles many formats, including .zip and .rar )
Feedback forms:
Suggestions for future meetings:
- Simpler beginner stuff, as many I have spoken to say most of what we talk about goes over their heads.
- Keep everything as we are doing
- Continue to use the round table to solve problems
- Send out a notice before meetngs about suggestions for presentations, as you did this time
- Get everyone to bring out someone new to next meeting
- Try to line up a few people to do computer-related demos
- Continue round-table discussions
- Get notices regularly re meetings in local papers ie. Kawartha This Week, Gazette, etc.
Questions for future meetings:
- Photo software uses and demos
- How to paste, move, etc.

Next Meeting
Tuesday, May 10, 2005, 7:00 pm
Compu-Dynamix, Fenelon Falls