BENTSEN GROVE COMPUTER CLUB BULLETIN

Week of February 2nd 2004

 

MEETINGS

MONDAY

 

ROOM 3 & 3R

BEGINNERS

PRESENTATION

9:30 AM

 

GENERAL

MEETING

10:30 AM

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS:

If you would like to meet in a small group to discuss one of the following subjects, contact the following people.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY

WEB PAGE

INVESTMENT CLUB

 

Bill Wiese

Harold Buechly

Corinne Higbee

 

580-3184

581-3180

585-5664

If you would like to lead a SIG, discuss it with Val.

Our bulletin is also available on line by visiting http://www.bgrcc.com/ and clicking on bulletin. You may also select bulletins by its subject

NEED SOME HELP

TRY http://www.bgrcc.com/

Click on HELP

 

EMERGENCY

RESPONSE

TEAM

John Abbott…...424-0537

Val Barron…..….519-2319

Harold Buechly..581-3180

Claude Westfall 580-4042

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Monday February 2nd 2004, 9:30 AM New user lesson, By Corinne Higbee

Discussion! Tips on cleaning up and proper use of e-mail

Monday February 2nd 2004, 10:30 AM General meeting By Val Barron

Click here to get next week’s tutorial, print it and bring to meeting.

Monday February 9th 2004, Noon Pizza SIG

 

Barron’s Bytes

By Val Barron 

MyDoom.B

No sooner had we protected our computers for the MyDoom.A virus on Tuesday than the much worse MyDoom.B virus was unleashed. All of the Anti-Virus companies released updates Monday night then had to do it again on Tuesday night. So, get your updates NOW. Yes! That means NOW. Read no further until your updates have been downloaded and installed. Then tell yourself “I will open no e-mail attachments today”. And repeat that to yourself every morning…I will open no e-mail attachments today. Or as was reported in the Chicago Tribune Wednesday: “The computer expert’s best nugget of advice is: If your mother sends you an e-mail with an attachment that says she loves you, don't open it.”

( http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-0401290210jan29,1,6715472.story )

 

Last Week

To go along with my How Drives Store Files presentation last week I showed a chart of the ASCI codes which is available at:

http://www.cdrummond.qc.ca/cegep/informat/Professeurs/Alain/files/ascii.htm

Also briefly mentioned was an interesting tech news site called Daily Rotation:

http://www.dailyrotation.com/

Additionally I showed a site called The Cool Tricks and Trinkets Newsletter:

http://www.tricksandtrinkets.com/

 

Just In Time For the Superbowl

HARMONY REMOTE CONTROL SST-659 — Intrigue Technologies. The Harmony Remote Control is a universal remote with a few twists. The big one is that you set it up using the Internet and your computer's USB port. You log onto Harmony's Web site and begin answering a series of questions that begin with the definition of all of your system's components.

Harmony has collected an impressive database of almost everything out there. After identifying what you have, along with the makes and model numbers, the Web site asks what you want to do, such as record a show or watch a DVD.

With each question, additional questions are posed, such as what input settings must be selected on the TV and what video mode must be selected on the receiver when you want to watch your VCR. Other questions, for example, ask what device you must adjust in order to hear the sound.

Once done, you connect the remote to the computer and the Harmony site downloads all of the necessary codes, macros and commands that will be needed to perform all of the operations. This is done through both the Web site and the included software on the CD that comes with the Harmony remote control. From there, you should be able to do things such as "Watch a Movie" or "Watch TV" or "Listen to Music" because that's exactly what the label on the remote buttons say. Pushing the "Watch a Movie" button for example, might power up the DVD player, the AV Receiver, turn on the TV and select the proper audio and video modes. Then all you have to do is pop in the DVD you want to watch. The built-in screen prompts you if you need help.

For example, if one of the devices has been turned on and is out of sequence, the Harmony will ask you if it is on or off. Answering the question will cause the Harmony to take the proper actions. The Harmony Remote SST-659 works with Windows and Macintosh computers.

Wow, it’s so cool I’m sure you won’t mind the price---$199.00.

 

Happy Computing

valbarron@att.net

 

 


HERE is an excellent article on the current Spam and Worm issues.  It’s a long read, but it is a clear summation of the problems and some proposed solutions.  In the event you haven't picked up on it yet - anti virus and anti spam are my current hot buttons.

John Abbott

 

Dear Friends & Family,

I am, therefore I rant!  I've been studying the processes for virus and spamming propagation.  I've concluded that some of the worlds smartest people become brainless bodies when they sit down at a computer. Almost
100% of this could be stopped if folks would just think a bit.

The number one method of spreading virus and worms is via attachments. The new worms are exceedingly clever (or at least more clever than the person who receives them) and can forge returns that appear to be
friendly.  Despite all the news and email warning folks about attachments containing problems, folks who would normally think – just pop them open and infect their computer - and make their address book
available to the worm.

I have established a rule for my network that is effective immediately and you might want to consider doing the same and passing along a note to those you care about.  Absolutely, unequivocally no attachment will
be opened that I receive, unless it is fully explained in the body of the text.

While I'm ranting: I am negatively impressed by those who forward email with all the headers attached.  First of all IF/WHEN that computer is infected - ALL of those addresses are available to the worm. It only
takes a second to highlight those headers and erase them.  Second and probably more importantly USE BCC for those lists!!  You will note that when I forward mail it is clean - that is because I care! 

So - no unexplained attachments,  Multiple headers will be deleted not read -please learn to use blind lists (if you need to know how drop me a note) and for goodness sake - be careful what you open.

EHUGS
John

 

 

Free anti virus program. Be sure to remove your old anti virus before downloading this. Go to Google and put in “AVG” It will take you to the site for downloading the anti-virus program. It will do the updates for you just as your other anti-virus did. 

Free firewall is ZoneAlarm. It is found at www.zonelab.com. It should be installed and running in the background on your computer.

This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from:
http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm

Corinne

The above programs as well as Disk Investigator is listed in TOP DOWNLOADS on BGRCC.COM.

 

Submit Your article; deadline for next bulletin is wed. evening of each week.

Share your computer experiences with other members. We need articles to publish in the BGRCC Bulletin each week. Simply click here EDITOR AT BGRCC and paste your write-up to submit it.

 

UPDATE YOUR MEMBERSHIP Change your e-mail address, unsubscribe to this bulletin, etc. Use link below.

UPDATE YOUR MEMBERSHIP