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NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. JANUARY 2005<br />

<strong>From</strong> <strong>Maxi</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Mini</strong><br />

By Don Dickey,<br />

CMC president<br />

Last year’s rage was G5s. Big ones!<br />

Whether you were looking at a G5 <strong>to</strong>wer<br />

or a G5 iMac with 20" integrated display,<br />

you were looking at some very<br />

large hardware.<br />

For 2005, Apple introduced the “Mac<br />

mini.” What is it? Imagine a stack of five<br />

audio CDs. The <strong>Mini</strong> is a skosh bigger than<br />

that, but not much. What’s it got? A G4<br />

processor with most of the ports you’d get<br />

in an iMac, eMac, or iBook. What’s it<br />

missing? Well, a keyboard and mouse, <strong>to</strong><br />

mention a couple! Yes, you do need them,<br />

but they’re “optional” and add $58 if you<br />

don’t already have a set.<br />

More importantly, who’s it for? A couple of<br />

different groups fall in<strong>to</strong> the target market.<br />

The obvious candidate is someone who<br />

already has an OK moni<strong>to</strong>r, keyboard, and<br />

mouse, and just wants an easy upgrade.<br />

You just swap CPUs and you’re up and<br />

running in no time.<br />

The less-than-obvious candidate is somebody<br />

who found the iMac ($1,299), iBook<br />

($999), and eMac ($799) just <strong>to</strong>o darn<br />

expensive. Translate: Too darn expensive <strong>to</strong><br />

switch from a (cheap) Windows PC.<br />

They’re really trying <strong>to</strong> attract more<br />

“switchers.” At least that’s my humble<br />

opinion.<br />

Is it a good value? That’s not easy <strong>to</strong><br />

answer. It really depends on your needs. If<br />

you’re a graphic artist or video edi<strong>to</strong>r, I’d<br />

point you <strong>to</strong> a G5, since the software you’re<br />

using is probably optimized for that new<br />

chip. You might also miss the speeds of<br />

FireWire 800 and gigabyte ethernet. The<br />

low end Macs never made sense for professional<br />

users anyway.<br />

If you’re a current Mac user looking for an<br />

easy upgrade, the <strong>Mini</strong> represents a very<br />

good value. This is especially true if you<br />

already have a decent moni<strong>to</strong>r which<br />

would “go <strong>to</strong> waste” if you bought an iMac<br />

or eMac. Got a blue and white G3 <strong>to</strong>wer?<br />

This machine is just right for you! You’ll<br />

even get some desk or floor real estate back<br />

in the bargain.<br />

If you don’t have a Mac, but are interested<br />

in getting started, things get a little dicey. If<br />

you buy the mini, add a keyboard, mouse,<br />

good 17" flat panel display, pair of amplified<br />

speakers, and a USB microphone (for<br />

iChat AV conferencing), you’d definitely<br />

spend more than you would have for an<br />

eMac. And, for a little more you could have<br />

had the new iMac G5 with it’s better<br />

chipset and the beautiful integration of an<br />

all-in-one. The G5 has better longevity:<br />

you’ll be happier using it longer as OSX<br />

matures in<strong>to</strong> Tiger <strong>this</strong> year and beyond.<br />

I wrote <strong>this</strong> article because many of you are<br />

going <strong>to</strong> ask “Is the mini a good machine<br />

for me?” I hope I answered some of your<br />

questions, or at least focused your attention<br />

on what questions you need <strong>to</strong> ask yourself.<br />

Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous<br />

2005! apple<br />

1<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

January 26 - 7 pm<br />

iDVD<br />

Learn how <strong>to</strong> use <strong>this</strong><br />

revolutionary program.<br />

at UConn Medical Center<br />

“Back To Basics” - 6 pm<br />

(see info on page 11)<br />

Macworld SF 2005<br />

Macworld San Francisco<br />

Apple CEO Steve Jobs<br />

delivered a keynote<br />

presentation Tuesday,<br />

Jan 11, at 9 AM PT,<br />

introducing the latest<br />

hardware and software<br />

products from Apple,<br />

including iPod shuffle,<br />

Mac mini, iLife ’05,<br />

iWork ’05 and<br />

Final Cut Express<br />

HD and more.<br />

You can watch Apple’s Steve<br />

Jobs deliver the Macworld<br />

Expo keynote address. See the<br />

video-on-demand webcast<br />

exclusively in QuickTime and<br />

MPEG-4 at the following:<br />

http://www.apple.com/<br />

quicktime/qtv/mwsf05/<br />

<strong>Inside</strong> <strong>this</strong> <strong>Issue</strong><br />

<strong>From</strong> <strong>Maxi</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Mini</strong> .............................. 1<br />

Member of the Month.......................... 2<br />

Review: Eye TV ....................................3<br />

Review: Firefox ....................................4<br />

Download of the Month .......................5<br />

Phishing 101.........................................6<br />

MUG Special Offers.............................8<br />

Review: Airport Express ......................9<br />

Meetings and Club News ...................11


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Content Contribu<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Don Dickey<br />

Contributing Author<br />

Rich Lenoce<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

John Scott<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions<br />

from members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

Member of the Month<br />

by David Gerstein<br />

CMC Treasurer<br />

This month’s Member of the Month<br />

is Dan Arnold, a retired actuarial<br />

accountant.<br />

Q How long have you been a member<br />

of CMC?<br />

A Since 1991.<br />

Q Does <strong>this</strong> make you almost a<br />

founding member?<br />

A Not quite. The organization was<br />

well in<strong>to</strong> existence when I joined.<br />

Q And what do you use your Mac for?<br />

A Like a lot of people, mainly<br />

for email and web surfing.<br />

Q In your time you have seen changes<br />

in the organization. What strikes<br />

you about the differences between<br />

the club <strong>to</strong>day and when you joined<br />

in the nineties?<br />

A No differences really, just different<br />

personalities on the board. They<br />

evolve over time. Actually the club<br />

Classified Advertising<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using<br />

or upgrading. This is a FREE<br />

service provided <strong>to</strong> our members.<br />

Send submissions via email <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org.<br />

A D V E R T I S E M E N T<br />

2<br />

has evolved, so that there are many<br />

more activities <strong>to</strong>day than when I<br />

first joined.<br />

Q Does the makeup of the club, that is<br />

the division between the experts<br />

and the novices, provide any problems<br />

for the club?<br />

A This has always been true. We<br />

always had the “geeks” who really<br />

understand the system and the<br />

users just learning about the Mac.<br />

But we learn from each other.<br />

Display Advertising<br />

Any business items or services can be<br />

advertised at the low monthly rates listed.<br />

Business Card ......................$10<br />

Quarter Page ........................$20<br />

Half Page ..............................$30<br />

Full Page or insert* ..............$50<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a<br />

disk with nothing else on it or e-mail it<br />

for insertion in the following issue.<br />

Display ads must be submitted cameraready<br />

in .eps or .pdf format with<br />

all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

For Sale: Powerbook G3, 14.1", 233 MHz, 160 Mb Ram, running OS 9.2.<br />

Lots of software on drive. No startup discs. Inc. CD, Zip & floppy drives.<br />

Also 3 working batteries, USB adapter and Targus bag. $175 OBO. email:<br />

jerryesposi<strong>to</strong>@sbcglobal.net


Review: Eye TV<br />

Elga<strong>to</strong> EyeTV 200 FireWire<br />

from Elga<strong>to</strong> Systems<br />

By Maria O. Arguello<br />

MSRP: $329, User Group Price $279<br />

(This offer is available <strong>to</strong> groups in the<br />

U.S. and is valid until February 28.<br />

http://www.elga<strong>to</strong>.com/shop/apple_<br />

UG/discounts.HTML)<br />

Does your Mac<br />

TiVo? Well, it almost<br />

can with Elga<strong>to</strong>’s<br />

EyeTV 200 (FireWire).<br />

You’ll be able <strong>to</strong><br />

w atch excellent<br />

quality TV on your Mac’s screen, as<br />

well as schedule and record your<br />

favorite shows and pause, replay, and<br />

search that TV. Its high quality<br />

MPEG-2 encoder not only allows<br />

your shows <strong>to</strong> look good, but also<br />

makes them ready <strong>to</strong> archive <strong>to</strong> DVD<br />

using Roxio’s Toast.<br />

In the box you will find the following<br />

items: EyeTV 200 hardware, EyeTV<br />

software and PDF documentation on<br />

CD-ROM, FireWire cable, Remote<br />

control, two AAA batteries and a<br />

Quick Start Guide.<br />

The latest software is EyeTV 1.6.3<br />

and it requires a G4 with a speed of at<br />

least 500 MHz or a G5 Power<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh, and Mac OS X v. 10.2.8<br />

Jaguar or later. Elga<strong>to</strong> recommends<br />

Mac OS X v. 10.3.5 Panther.<br />

The installation is simple, easy, and<br />

very intuitive. The Quick Start Guide<br />

is very clear and useful. The Setup<br />

Assistant will guide you and when<br />

you finish, you’re ready <strong>to</strong> watch TV.<br />

It’s that simple.<br />

EyeTV digitally records your favorite<br />

TV shows on your Mac’s hard drive<br />

for immediate or later viewing. You<br />

can program your favorite shows<br />

once, daily, or weekly. Or you can use<br />

EyeTV’s optional free Electronic<br />

Program Guide from TitanTV <strong>to</strong><br />

ensure recording all the shows that<br />

interest you.<br />

With the built-in edi<strong>to</strong>r, you can edit<br />

unwanted parts. It’s like having an<br />

iMovie <strong>to</strong> help you edit your programs.<br />

Isn’t it wonderful <strong>to</strong> be able <strong>to</strong><br />

remove the commercials, finally?<br />

The TiVo model I have pales in comparison<br />

<strong>to</strong> what I can do with the<br />

EyeTV 200 on my Mac. I can take my<br />

shows with me by creating DVDs or<br />

Video CDs <strong>to</strong> play anywhere I like on<br />

most standard DVD players. Or I can<br />

update my VHS tapes <strong>to</strong> digital by<br />

capturing the VCR content through<br />

EyeTV <strong>to</strong> record a digital copy on the<br />

Mac, and then burn it <strong>to</strong> a DVD or<br />

Video CD.<br />

The included remote control enables<br />

me <strong>to</strong> record a show that I want immediately<br />

from my TV viewing couch. I<br />

don’t have <strong>to</strong> move <strong>to</strong> lower the volume,<br />

raise the volume, or mute it<br />

when the phone rings.<br />

It’s no wonder that EyeTV 200 won<br />

the Macworld Edi<strong>to</strong>r’s Choice Award<br />

for the Hardware of the Year. It is the<br />

best way <strong>to</strong> watch TV on a Mac.<br />

I will add a comment about the cus<strong>to</strong>mer<br />

support department being very<br />

friendly, efficient, and timely. The first<br />

unit I tested was defective and needed<br />

<strong>to</strong> be replaced. I was impressed with<br />

the attention I was given. It is further<br />

testimony <strong>to</strong> the care and attention<br />

they give <strong>to</strong> cus<strong>to</strong>mer satisfaction. apple<br />

Copyright 2004 Maria O. Arguello,<br />

MLMUG. Maria O. Arguello is a native of<br />

Nicaragua and a naturalized American<br />

citizen. She received her Bachelor of<br />

Science degree from Loyola University of<br />

New Orleans and her Master of Science<br />

degree from West Chester University in<br />

Pennsylvania. Since retiring from the<br />

Philadelphia School System as a science<br />

3<br />

teacher and science department head, her<br />

newfound time has allowed her <strong>to</strong> become<br />

more involved with her Mac and the User<br />

Group Community. Maria is president and<br />

vendor liaison of the Main Line<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh Users Group, where she has<br />

also served as member-at-large and as<br />

special events coordina<strong>to</strong>r. She is the<br />

Apple Regional Liaison for the Northeast<br />

United States and online groups.<br />

<strong>Mini</strong>mum<br />

System<br />

Requirements:<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh computer with<br />

minimum PowerPC® G4<br />

500MHz or G5 processor.<br />

A built-in FireWire port or<br />

independently powered<br />

FireWire hub<br />

Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later, with<br />

256 MB RAM (512 MB<br />

recommended)<br />

<strong>Mini</strong>mum 20 MB free hard<br />

disk space<br />

Approximately 2 GB of free<br />

hard disk space for each<br />

hour of video <strong>to</strong> be recorded<br />

QuickTime 6.4<br />

An Internet connection <strong>to</strong> use<br />

EyeTV?s Electronic<br />

Program Guide (EPG)<br />

(Optional)<br />

A CD or DVD burner and<br />

Roxio’s Toast 6 Titanium<br />

CD recording software <strong>to</strong><br />

create Video CDs, Super<br />

Video Cds, or DVDs<br />

(Optional)<br />

Test System: G5 Dual 2.5-<br />

GHz, 2 GB DDR SDRAM,<br />

250-GB SATA hard drive.<br />

Overall Rating: appleappleappleappleapple<br />

5 out of 5 Apples


Firefox: The Best<br />

Browser for Mac or PC?<br />

By Rich Lenoce<br />

CMC Vice President<br />

What free software has been downloaded<br />

15 million times? Why would<br />

11,000 people contribute thousands of<br />

dollars <strong>to</strong> run a two-page advertisement<br />

in the NY Times <strong>to</strong> advertise <strong>this</strong><br />

free software? What Mac browser<br />

may be the safest, most compatible<br />

and fastest browser for the<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh? What software has<br />

Microsoft very scared? The answer is:<br />

Mozilla FireFox.<br />

His<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

Firefox has a long and interesting his<strong>to</strong>ry.<br />

Firefox is an outgrowth of the<br />

Mozilla project. Conceived by<br />

Netscape in mid-1994, Mozilla was<br />

seen as a new method <strong>to</strong> improve<br />

development of the Netscape browser<br />

by releasing its source code <strong>to</strong> the<br />

public. Being a free product, open<br />

sourcing Netscape would cause no<br />

financial harm and there would be no<br />

development cost <strong>to</strong> Netscape, yet it<br />

was believed a better browser would<br />

emerge. It wasn’t until late 1998 that<br />

Netscape released the code. Netscape<br />

oversaw the first preview release of<br />

Netscape Mozilla. They named it<br />

Gecko and let the open source community<br />

go <strong>to</strong> it.<br />

At least 25 browsers were under<br />

development based on the Netscape<br />

Mozilla browser. On the Mac side<br />

there were numerous Mozilla<br />

browsers such as the original OS 8<br />

Mozilla application and the carbon<br />

based OS 9/X-ready version called<br />

Fizzilla. (It’s a joke on “carbonization.”<br />

Get it? Fizzilla?) The OS X<br />

Cocoa version was called Chimera,<br />

and later, Camino.<br />

Meanwhile in the PC World,<br />

Microsoft had been accused by the<br />

U.S. Justice Department of being a<br />

monopoly and part of the government’s<br />

case was that Microsoft<br />

Internet Explorer couldn’t be removed<br />

from PCs and that Microsoft excluded<br />

other browsers from shipping with it’s<br />

OS.<br />

Microsoft defended<br />

<strong>this</strong> stance saying Explorer was not a<br />

separate application, but embedded<br />

in<strong>to</strong> Windows as part of the OS. This<br />

advantage–from Microsoft’s perspective–proved<br />

<strong>to</strong> be a huge vulnerability,<br />

since hackers could use the browser as<br />

a gateway <strong>to</strong> deliver viruses and spyware<br />

directly in<strong>to</strong> systems and in<strong>to</strong> the<br />

heart of the OS. Since <strong>this</strong> OS integration<br />

in Explorer and the mail program<br />

Outlook was key <strong>to</strong> Microsoft’s development<br />

strategy, the public wasn’t<br />

going <strong>to</strong> get a fix from Microsoft.<br />

Users needed <strong>to</strong> purchase expensive<br />

anti-virus and spyware software <strong>to</strong><br />

secure their machines. Users clamored<br />

for a better and free option.<br />

The easy answer for users <strong>to</strong> better<br />

secure their PCs was <strong>to</strong> install another<br />

browser. Mozilla seemed like the best<br />

alternative, but Mozilla was slower<br />

than MSIE and it’s email, news reader<br />

and web composer components<br />

offered features most people didn’t<br />

need. Also, with 25+ versions of<br />

Mozilla under separate development,<br />

developers were splintered among<br />

various projects and not focused on<br />

creating one solid browser. One<br />

Mozilla project showed an advantage<br />

as a browser-only application making<br />

it more speedy and efficient and was<br />

being designed for multiple platforms.<br />

That browser is now Firefox. The call<br />

went out <strong>to</strong> other Mozilla project<br />

4<br />

developers and two years later we<br />

have possibly the fastest, most cus<strong>to</strong>mizable<br />

and most secure browser<br />

available.<br />

Firefox for Mac OS X: Review<br />

Having a secure browser for the Mac<br />

is nothing new; we have Apple’s own<br />

Safari browser. Relative <strong>to</strong> the now<br />

defunct MSIE for Mac, Safari seems<br />

fast but it pales in comparison <strong>to</strong><br />

MSIE for Windows. It also has very<br />

limited cus<strong>to</strong>mization and few plugins.<br />

Safari upgrades are also few and<br />

far between, usually timed with a new<br />

release of OS X. There are many<br />

advantages <strong>to</strong> using Firefox over<br />

Safari, specifically security, speed,<br />

advanced features and cus<strong>to</strong>mization.<br />

Downloading and installing Firefox<br />

was as easy as it gets. Firefox, available<br />

from Mozilla.org, comes in at a<br />

svelte 8 mb download. Once downloaded,<br />

simply copy the application<br />

from the unstuffed disk image in<strong>to</strong><br />

either your system or user application<br />

folder and launch. There is no<br />

“installer,” and you won’t be asked for<br />

an administra<strong>to</strong>r password. Firefox<br />

doesn’t need it because it doesn’t put<br />

anything in your system folder.<br />

Getting my Safari bookmarks in<strong>to</strong><br />

Firefox was simple, using a free application<br />

called Safari Bookmarks<br />

Export available from Versiontracker<br />

.com. Bookmark folders and menu<br />

items imported flawlessly. If you use<br />

MSIE, you can directly import your<br />

IE Favorites from within Firefox.<br />

Firefox takes security a couple of<br />

steps farther than the already secure<br />

Safari. When downloading an application,<br />

Safari will open StuffIt Expander<br />

or Disk Copy <strong>to</strong> unstuff or mount the<br />

downloaded file. Hackers could use<br />

these applications <strong>to</strong> deliver a virus,<br />

but it’s unlikely given the other security<br />

measures Apple has placed in OS X<br />

and Safari. Firefox by default doesn’t<br />

au<strong>to</strong>matically open other applications<br />

after downloading a file, making it<br />

inherently more secure.<br />

continued on page 5


continued from page 4<br />

Firefox has the potential <strong>to</strong> be faster,<br />

depending on the version you download.<br />

I ran several tests between<br />

Firefox 1.0 and Safari and found that<br />

they displayed pages equally well and<br />

equally fast, until I discovered from<br />

CMC member Kyle Demilo that there<br />

are separate versions of Firefox optimized<br />

for the G4 and G5 processors.<br />

When I installed these versions on my<br />

G4 eMac and G5 desk<strong>to</strong>p machines,<br />

and ran the same tests, Firefox displayed<br />

pages in half the time–across<br />

the board! To download these G4 or<br />

G5 optimized builds, you’ll need <strong>to</strong> do<br />

a Google search for “G4 optimized<br />

Firefox” or “G5 optimized Firefox”<br />

since they aren’t official releases, but<br />

are merely optimizations of the code.<br />

I have found both work very well with<br />

the exception of a couple of known<br />

issues listed at their web sites. Most<br />

issues should be fixed by the time you<br />

read <strong>this</strong> <strong>to</strong> bring them in line with the<br />

official Firefox release.<br />

Download of the Month<br />

submitted by Debi Foss<br />

Firefox’s real strength is its cus<strong>to</strong>mization.<br />

Since Netscape and Mozilla have<br />

been around since the dawn of the<br />

World Wide Web, there are hundreds of<br />

plug-ins, enhancements and widgets<br />

available <strong>to</strong> enhance the browsing<br />

experience and cus<strong>to</strong>mize the look and<br />

feel of the browser. With MSIE and<br />

Safari, you either do things Microsoft’s<br />

way or Apple’s way. If you don’t like<br />

the look of Firefox, there are themes <strong>to</strong><br />

change it. Want more menu but<strong>to</strong>ns <strong>to</strong><br />

control more features? Firefox has<br />

them. The browser can truly be “yours”<br />

and operate the way you do.<br />

My favorite feature is that Firefox supports<br />

multiple search engines from the<br />

search window in the but<strong>to</strong>n bar–not<br />

just Google. There are over 100 search<br />

engines that can be added <strong>to</strong> your list.<br />

And switching between them is as easy<br />

as a pointing and clicking in the search<br />

window. I teach film his<strong>to</strong>ry and I have<br />

four movie database search engines at<br />

my fingertips! I can even do my<br />

Amazon searching right from the<br />

search window. Also, RSS news inte-<br />

Hallon 0.8.2<br />

http://homepage.mac.com/pgw3/hallon/download/Hallon.dmg<br />

This is the neatest thing: I have a red raspberry<br />

in my menu bar that allows me <strong>to</strong> play Clay<br />

Aiken without going <strong>to</strong> hunt for his songs, or<br />

even opening iTunes! I am listening <strong>to</strong> Bridge<br />

over Trouble Water right now, with no fuss. So<br />

easy …Bookmarks in the finder! Yes!<br />

Hallon can create bookmarks in many applications<br />

(like iTunes) that usually can’t create<br />

bookmarks and they are always accessible from<br />

a menu whatever you are doing. You can bookmark<br />

your favorite songs, an email that you have<br />

<strong>to</strong> reply <strong>to</strong> later that day, some documents that<br />

you are working on or the contact information of<br />

a friend whom you need <strong>to</strong> call before the end of<br />

the week. And you play the song, open the<br />

email, the document or the contact information<br />

just by choosing the bookmark in the Hallon<br />

menu. You create a bookmark<br />

by selecting what you<br />

want <strong>to</strong> bookmark and then<br />

press a user-definable hotkey<br />

or by choosing “Add...”<br />

in the Hallon menu. If you want, you can write<br />

notes and set a due date with alarm for each of<br />

the bookmarks. Hallon<br />

comes with support for<br />

Address Book, Finder,<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> 4, iTunes, Mail<br />

and Safari but you can<br />

yourself add support for<br />

many other applications<br />

by downloading from the<br />

site or creating your own.<br />

Requirements: Mac OS<br />

X Panther (10.3)<br />

5<br />

gration is built in; you won’t have <strong>to</strong><br />

wait for Tiger.<br />

One feature I really like is that Firefox<br />

remembers web site IDs and passwords<br />

and will ask you if you’d like <strong>to</strong> au<strong>to</strong>matically<br />

log in the next time you visit<br />

the site. This is great for people like me<br />

who are constantly logging in<strong>to</strong> work<br />

web-based email accounts or other<br />

secure sites. For security reasons, you<br />

could choose not <strong>to</strong> use <strong>this</strong> feature,<br />

and in fact some web sites don’t support<br />

it, but I find it makes my daily web<br />

use more enjoyable.<br />

Firefox is under constant development<br />

by thousands of developers around the<br />

globe. New plug-ins are released daily<br />

and upgrade releases of Firefox for<br />

Mac should be common. In fact, there<br />

is a program called FireFix that will<br />

au<strong>to</strong>matically download nightly builds.<br />

I wholeheartedly recommend Firefox<br />

for your daily web browsing, as it is an<br />

excellent browser that works the way<br />

you want it <strong>to</strong>! apple


Phishing 101<br />

By Bill Davies, MacNexus<br />

Sacramen<strong>to</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh User Group<br />

This is a semi-technical explanation of a<br />

very common exploit of your personal<br />

information that was taking place at an<br />

exponential rate in 2004. The technique<br />

is called “phishing” and for that reason, I<br />

have entitled <strong>this</strong> article “Phishing 101.”<br />

According <strong>to</strong> VISA’s web site,<br />

“Phishing” is an email scam that<br />

attempts <strong>to</strong> trick consumers in<strong>to</strong> revealing<br />

personal information—such as their<br />

credit or debit account numbers, checking<br />

account information, Social Security<br />

numbers, or banking account passwords—through<br />

fake Web sites or in a<br />

reply email. Typically, the emails and<br />

Web sites use familiar logos and slick<br />

graphics <strong>to</strong> deceive consumers in<strong>to</strong><br />

thinking the sender or Web site owner is<br />

a government agency or a company they<br />

know. Sometimes the phisher urges<br />

intended victims <strong>to</strong> “confirm” account<br />

information that has been “s<strong>to</strong>len” or<br />

“lost.” Other times the phisher entices<br />

victims <strong>to</strong> reveal personal information<br />

by telling them they have won a special<br />

prize or earned an exciting reward.<br />

Phishing scams are among the fastest<br />

growing forms of fraud on the Internet.<br />

According <strong>to</strong> the Anti-Phishing Working<br />

Group, phishing scams grew by 52 percent<br />

from December 2003 <strong>to</strong> January<br />

2004.” My goal with <strong>this</strong> article is <strong>to</strong> give<br />

you some basic knowledge as <strong>to</strong> what<br />

you can do <strong>to</strong> see if an email you receive<br />

is really from the sender that it says it is<br />

from.<br />

Let’s start with an innocent-looking<br />

email message. (See “Phishing1.”) As<br />

you can see from <strong>this</strong> graphic, we are in<br />

Apple’s Mail program, and it appears<br />

that we have received an email from<br />

PayPal. The<br />

message<br />

tells me that<br />

PayPal has<br />

noted an<br />

attempt <strong>to</strong><br />

log in <strong>to</strong> my<br />

P ayPal<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong> :Phishing1<br />

account from a “foreign IP” address and<br />

asks me <strong>to</strong> log in <strong>to</strong> verify that my<br />

account had not been hijacked (i.e.<br />

someone other than myself logged in <strong>to</strong><br />

the account, and perhaps changed the<br />

password or contact information.)<br />

Sounds good. Why would I be suspicious?<br />

Well, for one thing, I don’t think I<br />

have a PayPal account. (And I’ve<br />

received similar messages for FirstBank<br />

and Citibank, and I don’t have accounts<br />

there, either!) Distressingly, if you’re not<br />

on the ball, <strong>this</strong> message looks very legitimate.<br />

Notice in the middle of the email<br />

they give you a link <strong>to</strong> click on that<br />

shows a PayPal URL.<br />

LESSON ONE:<br />

Frequently spam and phishing emails<br />

purport <strong>to</strong> show you a link <strong>to</strong> click on,<br />

but when you click on that link, they<br />

actually take you <strong>to</strong> a different place.<br />

How on earth would you ever know <strong>this</strong>?<br />

That’s the ugly part.<br />

What I had <strong>to</strong> do in Apple’s Mail program<br />

was go <strong>to</strong> the Message Menu and<br />

choose “Raw Source” <strong>to</strong> see what was<br />

actually going <strong>to</strong> happen if I clicked on<br />

that link. (See “Phishing2.”)<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong> :Phishing2<br />

LESSON TWO:<br />

Learn enough<br />

about HTML so<br />

that you can look at<br />

raw source without<br />

getting seasick. You<br />

want <strong>to</strong> see that raw<br />

source, don’t you?<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong> :Phishing3<br />

Then take a look<br />

the graphic at “Phishing3.” The way the<br />

scam artists do <strong>this</strong> is really very interesting.<br />

First of all, any time you see<br />

6<br />

that is an<br />

image tag. What they do is download<br />

real, corporate images from the actual<br />

server that they are trying <strong>to</strong> imitate.<br />

Therefore, if you review the source of<br />

<strong>this</strong> message, you’ll see that it downloads<br />

ALL the “official” PayPal graphics<br />

from the PayPal web site. Normally a<br />

person might say that <strong>this</strong> email came<br />

from PayPal since it uses graphics from<br />

their server. Except <strong>this</strong> is legal. Huh?<br />

LESSON THREE:<br />

HTML email can download images<br />

from any server, including a different<br />

one than the product or service advertised<br />

in the message. So MacNexus<br />

might send out a message advertising a<br />

raffle, and include an image of the new<br />

iPod using an embedded URL <br />

<strong>to</strong> Apple’s web site <strong>to</strong> obtain the graphic.<br />

When you get the email, it shows a picture<br />

of an iPod. There’s nothing illegal<br />

about doing <strong>this</strong>, at least so far.<br />

OK, so if HTML email can legally<br />

include images from here, there, and<br />

everywhere, how would you know that<br />

<strong>this</strong> PayPal email is a scam? Well, the<br />

critical part of the message is what I have<br />

highlighted in yellow in “Phishing3.”<br />

This is the part of the message where<br />

they tell you <strong>to</strong> “click here” <strong>to</strong> log in <strong>to</strong><br />

your account. In the “visual” part of the<br />

email that the reader sees, they show <strong>this</strong><br />

link as https://www.paypal.com/cgibin/webscr?cmd=_login-run<br />

but as you<br />

can see when you view the raw source, if<br />

you click on that, it is really going <strong>to</strong> go<br />

<strong>to</strong> http://217.112.229.216/ which ain’t<br />

PayPal, my friend. It<br />

is some computer<br />

running somewhere<br />

with a login form<br />

and when you put in<br />

your login and password,<br />

the thieves<br />

will then possess<br />

your PayPal login<br />

information! Then<br />

they can login <strong>to</strong><br />

your PayPal account<br />

and transfer money, presumably <strong>to</strong><br />

themselves.<br />

continued on page 7


continued from page 6<br />

LESSON FOUR:<br />

If an HTML email asks you <strong>to</strong> click a<br />

link <strong>to</strong> verify information, view the<br />

source <strong>to</strong> see what is actually going <strong>to</strong><br />

happen when you click that link!<br />

Want <strong>to</strong> see another example? Then<br />

please review the graphics “Ebay1” and<br />

“Ebay2.” You will see that I received an<br />

HTML email message telling me they<br />

were unable <strong>to</strong> process “my most<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong> :Ebay1<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong> :Ebay2<br />

recent payment.” Only problem here is<br />

that I haven’t bought anything on eBay<br />

for roughly three years. It seemed suspicious<br />

<strong>to</strong> me, even though the<br />

criminals who wrote <strong>this</strong> had the<br />

audacity <strong>to</strong> include eBay logos and the<br />

‘trust•e” logo <strong>to</strong> make me think that it<br />

was official. I decided <strong>to</strong> view the<br />

source of <strong>this</strong> message. As you can see<br />

in the second graphic, all the graphics<br />

come from eBay, but the login screen<br />

goes <strong>to</strong> http://67.19.186.3. Where the<br />

hell is that? I don’t know, but one<br />

would think that if all the graphics<br />

came from eBay, then the link <strong>to</strong> the<br />

login page would also start with something<br />

like https://www.ebay.com<br />

instead of directing <strong>to</strong> a raw IP address.<br />

This is an overview of the current epidemic<br />

of phishing. It may seem<br />

technical, but all users should attempt<br />

<strong>to</strong> master these skills <strong>to</strong> protect their<br />

personal information.<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>s from the December 15th CMC Pizza Party<br />

7<br />

If you<br />

feed them<br />

...they<br />

will come!<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>s by<br />

John Scott<br />

What can you do <strong>to</strong> combat phishing? If<br />

you can identify and document phishing<br />

attempts, most major web sites have<br />

links or departments where you can<br />

report security breaches. I have reported<br />

phishing attempts <strong>to</strong> Citibank, PayPal,<br />

and eBay. eBay was the most cumbersome,<br />

as I had <strong>to</strong> find my eBay login and<br />

login <strong>to</strong> their site before I could file a<br />

report. The others just let me reveal the<br />

raw source of the offending message and<br />

paste it in<strong>to</strong> a form.<br />

Categorically, if you get a message that<br />

just doesn’t seem quite right <strong>to</strong> you,<br />

either investigate it and report the criminal<br />

<strong>to</strong> the appropriate authorities, or take<br />

no action and give out no information. If<br />

<strong>this</strong> keeps up, many of us may just<br />

decide <strong>to</strong> conduct our banking by phone<br />

or in person, and never type any information<br />

in<strong>to</strong> a web site because of the<br />

number of scams that are out there. apple<br />

© 2004 Bill Davies, MacNexus, the Sacramen<strong>to</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh User Group. May be reprinted<br />

by any Mac user group with proper attribution. To view larger copies of the graphics in <strong>this</strong><br />

article, go <strong>to</strong> http://www.hmaus.com/signal/<strong>to</strong>ps<strong>to</strong>ries/documents/phishing101.html


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Review:<br />

Airport Express<br />

By Rich Lenoce<br />

CMC Vice President<br />

Apple’s new Airport<br />

device, Airport Express, is<br />

a mini marvel. You can<br />

use Airport Express as a<br />

10-user base station <strong>to</strong><br />

create a wireless “WiFi”<br />

network, <strong>to</strong> extend an<br />

existing wireless network,<br />

<strong>to</strong> act as a print server <strong>to</strong> share a USB<br />

printer wirelessly on a network, or <strong>to</strong><br />

stream iTunes music wirelessly <strong>to</strong> a<br />

stereo far from the computer (which<br />

Apple calls AirTunes). You can also<br />

do all of the above at the same time!<br />

I found Airport Express easy <strong>to</strong> set-up.<br />

Not much larger than a typical “Power<br />

Plug”, you just plug it in the wall and,<br />

using the install disk, run the set-up<br />

wizard and it will walk you through<br />

the steps. Or, if you are an Airport<br />

expert, install the software and manually<br />

configure the product.<br />

At $129, Airport Express is pricey and<br />

isn't for everyone. For example,<br />

Airport cards and wireless routers are<br />

far cheaper than Airport Express–in<br />

fact, one Airport Extreme card and an<br />

inexpensive wireless router costs<br />

about as much as one Airport Express.<br />

If you don't need AirTunes, USB<br />

printing, etc, you are best <strong>to</strong> go that<br />

route. I had a problem more difficult<br />

than that. i have a wired network in<br />

my office using a wired Netgear cable<br />

modem/router combo unit feeding my<br />

G5 and my wife's G3 iMac, and a<br />

USB printer shared off my Mac. My<br />

wife decided that in our new house<br />

she wanted <strong>to</strong> have her own office but<br />

still wanted <strong>to</strong> be on the network,<br />

access her Internet and print <strong>to</strong> my<br />

USB printer. I could have gone hog<br />

wild and bought an Airport Base<br />

Station, put Airport cards in her iMac<br />

and my G5 and spent almost $350<br />

doing so. Airport Express seemed like<br />

a perfect solution–less expensive and<br />

since my G5 and I sit right next <strong>to</strong><br />

the router and printer, I have no<br />

need for radio waves<br />

piercing my flesh at<br />

close range – I’ll<br />

stick with wired,<br />

thank you.<br />

I decided <strong>to</strong> instead<br />

buy her an Airport<br />

card for her computer<br />

and one Airport<br />

Express that would<br />

sit in my office. One<br />

of the Ethernet outputs<br />

of the Netgear router would<br />

go <strong>to</strong> the Airport Express.<br />

Her Airport card would<br />

then see it and be given its<br />

own IP address on the network<br />

<strong>to</strong> receive Internet<br />

wirelessly. I would then<br />

plug my USB printer in<strong>to</strong><br />

the Airport Express and I would be<br />

able <strong>to</strong> see it on my wired network<br />

because the router is running <strong>to</strong> the<br />

Airport Express. She’d also be able <strong>to</strong><br />

see it wirelessly as a printer on the<br />

network when she opens the Printer<br />

Preference Pane. Theoretically, it<br />

should all be pretty transparent.<br />

Connecting <strong>this</strong> system was easier<br />

than I thought. I plugged the Airport<br />

Express, wired Ethernet and printer<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the Airport Express and then<br />

plugged the whole thing in<strong>to</strong> the wall.<br />

I then ran the set-up wizard on her<br />

computer and magically it received an<br />

IP address. I opened her printer preferences<br />

and there was the USB<br />

printer. It was as easy as that. Well,<br />

not quite. It had some glitches. The<br />

Airport Express needed <strong>to</strong> be reset<br />

every time something was changed<br />

–<strong>this</strong> just requires unplugging it from<br />

power and plugging it in again. Each<br />

time I did <strong>this</strong> Airport Express and her<br />

iMac connected <strong>to</strong> the network with<br />

the new changes taking effect.<br />

This worked so well, I decided <strong>to</strong> get<br />

glut<strong>to</strong>nous. In our new house, my<br />

stereo sits one floor down at the exact<br />

opposite side of the house. In our old<br />

9<br />

house the stereo was outside my office<br />

and I’d feed iTunes from my Mac's<br />

speaker output <strong>to</strong> my stereo's RCA<br />

input using a $5.00 Radio Shack<br />

adapter cable run under the carpet.<br />

Now the stereo is so far away, how can<br />

I listen <strong>to</strong> my iTunes Music throughout<br />

the rest of the house? The answer<br />

was Airport Express AirTunes. I<br />

bought a second Airport Express, connected<br />

it <strong>to</strong> my stereo and ran the<br />

Airport Express Wizard. Voila! First, a<br />

new “AirTunes” but<strong>to</strong>n showed up in<br />

iTunes and then the software saw the<br />

second Airport Express and beamed<br />

the music from one Airport Express <strong>to</strong><br />

another.<br />

The bad news is that there is no<br />

remote control for AirTunes! If I want<br />

<strong>to</strong> change a song or playlist I have <strong>to</strong><br />

walk from the living room, up the<br />

stairs <strong>to</strong> the computer, manually make<br />

the change and go downstairs again.<br />

This is just plain dumb! It's a wireless<br />

world and an optional remote should<br />

have been provided <strong>to</strong> do just <strong>this</strong>.<br />

Airport's WiFi technology is perfectly<br />

capable of doing <strong>this</strong> and in fact there<br />

are WiFi products that have remote<br />

controls that can control iTunes via<br />

WiFI–however, they won’t play back<br />

Apple’s iTunes purchased music<br />

because Apple refuses <strong>to</strong> license the<br />

FairPlay digital rights management<br />

technology <strong>to</strong> them. It can be done<br />

and Apple could have done it. At $129<br />

for an Airport Express, <strong>this</strong> is clearly a<br />

case of Apple dropping the ball.<br />

So Airport Express isn’t perfect. But it<br />

works flawlessly and if you need its<br />

functionality is worth the price. If you<br />

don't need its functionality, you may<br />

want <strong>to</strong> look elsewhere. And, if you<br />

don’t mind a long walk <strong>to</strong> change a<br />

song occasionally, Airport Express<br />

and AirTunes might serve as a new<br />

exercise machine – compared <strong>to</strong> a<br />

NordicTrak, it’s cheaper! apple


President Don Dickey<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

PR Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r/Auction Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org 860-678-8622<br />

Download of the Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org 860-583-1165<br />

2004-2005 CMC Officers and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

Vice President Rich Lenoce<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

Past President/Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org 860-485-1547<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org (860) 668-8728<br />

Special Events Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

Caricatures by Bill Dougal of Lebanon, (860) 456-9041. Available for illustration assignments and event caricatures.<br />

10<br />

Secretary Chris Hart<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Treasurer David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Newsletter Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org 860-561-0319<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org 860-677-7787<br />

Parlimentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian Connie Scott<br />

parlimentarian@ctmac.org 860-584-9573


CMC Monthly Meeting Discounted Books! FREE Raffle!<br />

January 26, 2005<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

6 pm – Back To Basics<br />

Having trouble mastering mailing lists and<br />

the printing of envelopes or labels on your<br />

Mac? Back To Basics is here <strong>to</strong> help. This<br />

month’s session will explore using<br />

AppleWorks <strong>to</strong> create and manage your mailing<br />

lists. Whether you’re running a small<br />

business or just trying <strong>to</strong> send out greeting<br />

cards, we’ll walk you through the steps.<br />

7 pm – iDVD<br />

presented by Rich Lenoce<br />

iDVD is Apple’s powerful DVD creation<br />

<strong>to</strong>ol. With cus<strong>to</strong>mizable themes and sophisticated<br />

navigation, anyone can simply create<br />

highly stylized DVDs <strong>to</strong> distribute and<br />

archive their videos, pho<strong>to</strong>s and music.<br />

Learn how <strong>to</strong> use <strong>this</strong> revolutionary program.<br />

Upcoming Meetings!<br />

February 23, 2005<br />

Maintaining Your Mac<br />

Presenter: Chris Hart<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

G3s, G4s and G5s coupled with MacOSX<br />

brings a whole new level of sophistication<br />

<strong>to</strong> computing but with it comes the<br />

responsibility <strong>to</strong> perform routine maintenance<br />

and <strong>to</strong> resolve problems as they<br />

occur. Chris Hart demonstrates the <strong>to</strong>ols<br />

and techniques <strong>to</strong> keep your Mac running<br />

in tip-<strong>to</strong>p shape and how <strong>to</strong> identify and<br />

address common Macin<strong>to</strong>sh problems.<br />

March 30, 2005<br />

The Macin<strong>to</strong>sh in Astronomy<br />

Presenter: John Pellino<br />

Location: TALCOTT MOUNTAIN<br />

SCIENCE CENTER<br />

We all know Macs are used for creating digital<br />

media and in business but did you know<br />

Macs play a leading role in Astronomy? The<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh’s imaging power and sophistication<br />

are used by thousands of backyard and<br />

professional astronomers. The people at the<br />

Talcott Mountain Science Center will walk<br />

us through connecting and using<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh computers <strong>to</strong> home telescopes<br />

and all of the things you can do with it.<br />

Hopefully the night will be clear!<br />

CMC continues <strong>to</strong> offer our current<br />

members the opportunity <strong>to</strong><br />

purchase any published book for<br />

either Mac or Windows at a 20%<br />

discount. All major publishers are<br />

carried by our source.<br />

Contact a Board Member or send<br />

an email <strong>to</strong> booksales@ctmac.org.<br />

Provide the book title, the publisher<br />

and the ISBN number, if<br />

possible, and he will check on its<br />

availability. Normally, the wait is<br />

not <strong>to</strong>o long.<br />

SPECIAL<br />

NOTICE!<br />

Changes regarding<br />

access <strong>to</strong> the<br />

CMC website:<br />

www.ctmac.org<br />

• Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number<br />

(for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

• CMC Web site username<br />

and password<br />

...are now located on your<br />

newsletter mailing label.<br />

Please make a<br />

note of it NOW!<br />

Are you receiving<br />

our CMC emails?<br />

We always send out advance<br />

notice of the meetings, and sometimes<br />

for big news or special<br />

events (like our bus trip <strong>to</strong><br />

Macworld). If you’re not getting<br />

them, please email us at<br />

president@ctmac.org with your<br />

current email address and a subject<br />

line of: ADD TO CMC EMAIL LIST<br />

11<br />

Every CMC member who attends our<br />

monthly meetings gets a raffle ticket.<br />

This will give you a chance for one of<br />

our free prizes every month! You<br />

could win…t-shirts, <strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs,<br />

software …there’s always something<br />

we’re giving away! And don’t forget<br />

the Free table at the back of the room<br />

where everything is...FREE!<br />

Treasurer’s Report<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members! Have your<br />

friends and co-workers join us for fun and<br />

learning about OSX and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 126<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance ..............$2338.88<br />

Savings Balance ................$3964.06<br />

Balances as of January 5, 2005<br />

Take Note of This!<br />

You can get your own Apple logo<br />

notepad and pen, as our thank you,<br />

when you complete a<br />

CMC survey! Plus,<br />

you'll get a chance at<br />

free music from the<br />

iTunes Music S<strong>to</strong>re.<br />

We always want <strong>to</strong> hear what you need<br />

and want from the group. Right now<br />

we're making that even easier by giving<br />

you a way <strong>to</strong> share your opinions.<br />

During December and January, CMC<br />

is conducting a survey of all its members.<br />

You can tell us – anonymously –<br />

what you really think of the group.<br />

Your participation is essential <strong>to</strong> the<br />

future of CMC. In addition <strong>to</strong> receiving<br />

a thank you gift when you<br />

complete the survey, you'll also be<br />

entered in<strong>to</strong> our raffle for a $75 gift<br />

certificate <strong>to</strong> the iTunes Music S<strong>to</strong>re!<br />

What better gift for yourself, or the<br />

iPod-lover in your family?<br />

Watch your email and check our web<br />

site for details on how <strong>to</strong> participate.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

January 26 - 7 pm<br />

iDVD<br />

Learn how <strong>to</strong> use <strong>this</strong><br />

revolutionary program.<br />

UConn Medical Center<br />

Back <strong>to</strong> Basics – 6 pm<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

a PDF document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center is<br />

available on our website: www.ctmac.org. Print and take it with you <strong>to</strong> find us easily!<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on programs<br />

require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College in Middle<strong>to</strong>wn.<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UCHC, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West,<br />

Exit 39 is after 39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong><br />

Route 4 East (Farming<strong>to</strong>n Avenue). At third traffic light, turn<br />

right <strong>to</strong> enter the Health Center campus. Go around the main<br />

building <strong>to</strong> the right (at a Y in road), then take a left when<br />

you get <strong>to</strong> the Academic Entrance. The road becomes twoway<br />

there so you should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn. (Do<br />

not go on straight <strong>to</strong> the two-way part). Then take the second<br />

right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go<br />

past the police station entrance on your left (small sign). You<br />

will see a continuation of the building with its own entrance<br />

area. This is the new research building. Enter on the ground<br />

floor, turn right and enter room EG-013 on your right. This<br />

is the first room on your right. The rest rooms are on your<br />

left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> Middlesex C.C.<br />

<strong>From</strong> the Hartford area, take Route 9 South. A few<br />

miles south of down<strong>to</strong>wn Middle<strong>to</strong>wn on Route 9, take<br />

Exit 11 (Rt. 155, Randolph Road). At the end of the<br />

ramp (for both N. & S. bound), turn right on<strong>to</strong><br />

Randolph Road. Continue <strong>to</strong> the traffic light at the <strong>to</strong>p<br />

of the hill and turn left on<strong>to</strong> Saybrook Road. Go a quarter<br />

of a mile and turn right on<strong>to</strong> Reservoir Road. Travel<br />

past the s<strong>to</strong>p sign, then take the first right on<strong>to</strong> Training<br />

Hill Road. Your first left will lead in<strong>to</strong> the Middlesex<br />

Community College Campus parking area. When you<br />

arrive on campus, take a right on<strong>to</strong> Training Hill Road.<br />

Go <strong>to</strong> the second parking lot entrance and take a left<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the upper lot. Directly in front of you will be Snow<br />

Hall. Enter Snow Hall and go up the stairs <strong>to</strong> the 2nd<br />

floor and go <strong>to</strong> the last room on the right, Room 509.


NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. FEBRUARY 2005<br />

Camcorder + Mac =<br />

Recording Studio<br />

By Don Dickey,<br />

CMC president<br />

Not long ago, if you wanted <strong>to</strong><br />

make a concert recording, you’d<br />

buy a reel-<strong>to</strong>-reel or cassette<br />

recorder, plug in a couple of<br />

microphones, and press<br />

“Record.” What you got was<br />

fine for simple archival purposes,<br />

but you had <strong>to</strong> put up<br />

with tape hiss, low frequency<br />

hum, and other<br />

distracting noises. The equipment <strong>to</strong><br />

make noise-free digital recordings<br />

was beyond the pocketbooks of most<br />

amateurs and hobbyists.<br />

I recently learned through experimentation<br />

that you can use a camcorder<br />

(on a tripod) and a Mac <strong>to</strong> create a<br />

decent recording. You could record<br />

the concert with the camcorder, capture<br />

the footage on your Mac with<br />

iMovie, and then extract the audio.<br />

This process involves three steps.<br />

Plus, you’re recording time would be<br />

limited <strong>to</strong> the length of your tape, usually<br />

only an hour. That’s simply not<br />

enough <strong>to</strong> record a typical concert<br />

without having <strong>to</strong> change tapes. This<br />

method’s only advantage is that you<br />

don’t have <strong>to</strong> bring your computer <strong>to</strong><br />

the concert...which might be very useful<br />

if that computer is a big G5.<br />

Fortunately, there is a better way if<br />

you’ve got a lap<strong>to</strong>p. Connect the camcorder<br />

<strong>to</strong> your Mac and record the<br />

sound directly on the hard drive. You<br />

can do <strong>this</strong> digitally using a FireWire<br />

cable or in analog mode using the<br />

cable that came with your camcorder<br />

plus a small adapter <strong>to</strong> go from the<br />

cable’s RCA plugs <strong>to</strong> the Mac’s<br />

3.5mm sound input jack. If you have<br />

an iBook or other Mac without sound<br />

input, try the FireWire method. If you<br />

have a sound input jack, the analog<br />

method is useful if you want <strong>to</strong> position<br />

the camcorder further from your<br />

computer than the 12 foot limit of a<br />

FireWire connection. You can easily<br />

extend the RCA type cable by 20 or<br />

more feet.<br />

The sound quality is very good using<br />

either method, and is largely dependent<br />

on the microphone in the<br />

camcorder. A modest investment of<br />

about $100 for a good external camcorder<br />

microphone will dramatically<br />

improve your recordings. External<br />

mics typically have better frequency<br />

response and stereo separation, and<br />

they’re also removed from any noises<br />

generated by the camcorder’s mo<strong>to</strong>rs.<br />

This is particularly important if you’re<br />

recording video <strong>to</strong> tape simultaneously.<br />

By the way, your movies will also<br />

sound better!<br />

The one additional requirement for<br />

recording on the hard drive is software.<br />

What you use depends on the<br />

connection employed. Analog audio<br />

can be recorded by just about any<br />

audio software. Garage Band ships on<br />

1<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

February 23 - 7 pm<br />

Maintaining Your Mac<br />

Presenter: Chris Hart<br />

at UConn Medical Center<br />

“Back To Basics” - 6 pm<br />

(see more info on page 11)<br />

all current Macs and would be worth a<br />

try. But I like Sound Studio from Felt<br />

Tip Software (www.felttip.com). This<br />

great program used <strong>to</strong> ship on many<br />

Mac models, but is available as shareware<br />

for $49.99 and runs on OS 9 and<br />

OS X.<br />

If you’re recording<br />

audio over FireWire,<br />

your choices are more<br />

limited. You need a program<br />

that supports OS X<br />

audio, called HAL, such<br />

as AudioX ($19.95) from<br />

RealMacSoftware.com or Peak from<br />

Bias-Inc.com<br />

Once the audio is on your hard drive,<br />

you can use Apple’s free iTunes software<br />

<strong>to</strong> convert the files <strong>to</strong> MP3<br />

format for the web, or burn them <strong>to</strong> a<br />

CD <strong>to</strong> play in your car or home stereo.<br />

Record the surf at your favorite beach<br />

<strong>to</strong> make good “sleeping music.” Make<br />

your kid or grandchild a CD of their<br />

school concert or neighborhood band<br />

and you’ll be a hero. Or, record a concert<br />

at church for shut-ins who can’t<br />

attend, and you might be praised by a<br />

higher authority! apple<br />

<strong>Inside</strong> <strong>this</strong> <strong>Issue</strong><br />

Camcorder+Mac=Recording Studio.... 1<br />

MacOSaiX Freeware............................ 2<br />

Download of the Month .......................3<br />

Review: DiskWarrior............................4<br />

Open Source Software..........................5<br />

Review: iWorks.....................................6<br />

Under the OSX Hood ...........................8<br />

MUG Special Offers.............................9<br />

CMC Officers & Direc<strong>to</strong>rs .................10<br />

Meetings and Club News ...................11


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Content Contribu<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Don Dickey<br />

Contributing Author<br />

Rich Lenoce<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

John Scott<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions<br />

from members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

MacOSaiX<br />

Freeware<br />

By John Hershey<br />

NCMUG Member<br />

Freeware – a word<br />

that conjures up<br />

memories of frequent<br />

crashes, non-intuitive<br />

interfaces, one-trick-pony software<br />

and basically, not a whole<br />

lot of positive scenarios. Of<br />

course, one might say, it’s free,<br />

so “you takes your chances.”<br />

And take a chance I did. I saw a<br />

brief blurb in MacAddict about<br />

freeware that was included on<br />

their December 2004 disk called<br />

MacOSaiX. The name is a combination<br />

of Mac, OS, and a <strong>to</strong>ngue-in-cheek<br />

spelling of Mosaic.<br />

MacOSaiX<br />

After installing MacOSaiX, my freeware<br />

fears disappeared. This is one fun<br />

little application that makes pho<strong>to</strong>mosaics–of<br />

the type seen in high-priced<br />

advertising and magazine edi<strong>to</strong>rial illustrations–available<br />

<strong>to</strong> users with OS X<br />

10.2 and above. Once <strong>this</strong> process was<br />

the exclusive domain of what I can only<br />

speculate <strong>to</strong> be mainframe computers<br />

running gazillions of bytes and calculating<br />

light, dark, and color <strong>to</strong> build a<br />

single picture made up of thousands of<br />

little pho<strong>to</strong>s.<br />

Mosaic set up<br />

Here’s how MacOSaiX works: You<br />

assign an image from which <strong>to</strong> make a<br />

mosaic. The devil is in the details, as it<br />

says in MacOSaiX’s Web page FAQs at<br />

http://homepage.mac.com/knarf/MacO<br />

SaiX. Images with less detail require<br />

fewer tiles and thus fewer images <strong>to</strong><br />

make the mosaic.<br />

You chose the shape of the tiles, and<br />

number of tiles across and down, from a<br />

default of 20 x 20 and on up. Your<br />

source of images that will comprise the<br />

mosaic can be (by default) your User ><br />

Pictures folder and/or any other folder<br />

2<br />

you designate, including iPho<strong>to</strong>. A<br />

Preview window displays the full<br />

image, with tile grid superimposed<br />

if desired.<br />

Glyphs and Googles<br />

For those with not enough images,<br />

other options of source imagery <strong>to</strong><br />

be used as tiles are<br />

provided as choices<br />

in the interface.<br />

You can choose<br />

Random Glyphs,<br />

for example. This<br />

image source picks<br />

a random letter<br />

(known as a glyph)<br />

from a random font<br />

on your computer<br />

and draws it in a<br />

random color over a background of a<br />

random color.<br />

Another choice is Google Image Terms.<br />

You put in the terms and a Google<br />

search comes up with the images. You<br />

can also choose multiple sources, such<br />

as Glyphs and Googles.<br />

Let the Magic Begin<br />

What happens in a second window displayed<br />

<strong>to</strong> the left of the first is pure<br />

magic. Caution: You can use up a lot of<br />

your productive time playing with <strong>this</strong><br />

application. It’s that impressive and that<br />

much fun. Sort of like that commercial:<br />

“Your friends will think you spent hours<br />

preparing...” when all you do is set it up<br />

properly and go away for a few hours.<br />

How long depends on how many tiles<br />

you are asking the software <strong>to</strong> create in<br />

order <strong>to</strong> make a picture.<br />

Stunning Results<br />

The software may complete an image<br />

and still be searching for better matches<br />

for tiles. Therefore, the longer it runs,<br />

the closer the detail gets <strong>to</strong> replicating<br />

the big image. You can click on a tile<br />

and choose a different image than the<br />

one selected if you desire, although <strong>this</strong><br />

is a sluggish process. Once done, you<br />

can export the image as a tiff or jpeg.<br />

Continued on page 3


Continued from page 2<br />

The tiff I exported in my test using two<br />

friends’ portrait was 124 Megs and at<br />

300 ppi was 21 x 28 inches. The detail<br />

was excellent. When I zoomed in on<br />

screen I was able <strong>to</strong> see sharp renditions<br />

of my source pho<strong>to</strong>s in their tile positions.<br />

Check out some of the examples<br />

on the MacOSaiX Website noted above<br />

<strong>to</strong> see some impressive resolution.<br />

Caveats and Tips<br />

Sometimes you may have <strong>to</strong> create an<br />

artificially full-ranged selection of pho<strong>to</strong>s<br />

in order <strong>to</strong> give the software enough<br />

images <strong>to</strong> fill in appropriate areas. A<br />

folder of normally exposed shots may<br />

lack these extreme levels.<br />

When the lighter areas in my pho<strong>to</strong><br />

were slow <strong>to</strong> fill in with tiles, I <strong>to</strong>ok half<br />

of my 1,000 original digital shots and<br />

duplicated them, creating an action in<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop <strong>to</strong> batch process them with<br />

BareBones software, maker of<br />

BBEdit, has just released version 2<br />

of their “lite” version known as<br />

TextWrangler. Best of all, it is now<br />

<strong>to</strong>tally free. This is one of the best<br />

text edi<strong>to</strong>rs for the Mac (not counting<br />

BBEdit, of course).<br />

<strong>From</strong> the BareBones web site:<br />

TextWrangler 2 is the powerful general<br />

purpose text edi<strong>to</strong>r, and Unix<br />

and server administra<strong>to</strong>r’s <strong>to</strong>ol.<br />

What is a text edi<strong>to</strong>r?<br />

At its most basic, a text edi<strong>to</strong>r is a<br />

<strong>to</strong>ol for simply editing text. You can<br />

use a text edi<strong>to</strong>r for a wide variety of<br />

tasks from cleaning up data, <strong>to</strong> editing<br />

configuration files on your Mac<br />

or server, <strong>to</strong> writing HTML or coding<br />

“whited-out” brightness levels. I did not<br />

need additional dark-biased pho<strong>to</strong>s<br />

since I had a lot of night shots. Only<br />

after adding the lightened shots was<br />

there a full range of light and dark <strong>to</strong><br />

make a convincing mosaic. Don’t close<br />

the application before exporting the<br />

resulting mosaic or you will have <strong>to</strong><br />

start all over again. It does not save the<br />

mosaic composite done <strong>to</strong> date, only the<br />

setup parameters. I suggest exporting<br />

as a tiff and then down sampling <strong>to</strong><br />

your needs. That way you still have the<br />

highest resolution original in the tiff.<br />

Final Comments<br />

You can get Version 1 from<br />

the MacAddict disk or<br />

download it from the<br />

Website. It’s free, so no<br />

frivolous spending is<br />

required. Version 2 is in<br />

beta. MacOSaiX has managed<br />

<strong>to</strong> disprove all of my<br />

cliché opinions about free-<br />

Download of the Month<br />

submitted by Debi Foss<br />

TextWrangler 2.0<br />

http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/download.shtml<br />

TextWrangler is a...<br />

• General Purpose Text Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

• Programmer’s Text Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

• Unix and Server Administra<strong>to</strong>r’s<br />

Tool<br />

•Powerful Text Transformer and<br />

Manipula<strong>to</strong>r<br />

• Good Mac OS Citizen<br />

•Powerfully Useful Tool<br />

•TextWrangler was<br />

developed in the best<br />

traditions of Bare<br />

Bones Software, with<br />

high performance, ease<br />

of use, a rich feature<br />

set, and the ability <strong>to</strong><br />

read its own release<br />

notes<br />

3<br />

ware. Who knows? You might just<br />

come up with a practical application or<br />

project <strong>to</strong> justify all that fun. apple<br />

MacOSaiX Freeware download:<br />

http://homepage.mac.com/knarf/<br />

MacOSaiX<br />

System Requirements: Mac OS X 10.2<br />

or above, 128 MB Memory (RAM),<br />

256 MB recommended.<br />

See a few examples from the Mosaic<br />

community at: http://homepage.mac.<br />

com/knarf/MacOSaiX/Community/<br />

Note: If you are not using OS X yet,<br />

go <strong>to</strong> http://www.versiontracker.com/<br />

<strong>to</strong> download BBEdit Lite 6.1.2.This<br />

is their pre-OS X version. They do<br />

not support it anymore and do not<br />

have it on their site, but<br />

VersionTracker still has it available,<br />

for now. Grab it while it is available.


DiskWarrior:<br />

Fixing the<br />

Unthinkable<br />

By Rich Lenoce<br />

CMC Vice<br />

President<br />

For those of us<br />

who rely on our<br />

computers for our income, a computer<br />

crash can be devastating–so we tend<br />

not <strong>to</strong> think about them. My wife is a<br />

teacher and her Snow iMac holds her<br />

syllabi, lesson plans, grades, and communications<br />

with students. She also<br />

teaches a distance-learning course, so<br />

her computer is essential <strong>to</strong> her job.<br />

The computer never gets turned off,<br />

but also never gets backed up or maintained.<br />

One evening I needed <strong>to</strong> access her<br />

OS 9 applications <strong>to</strong> translate a file<br />

and <strong>to</strong> do so, I needed <strong>to</strong> reboot the<br />

computer in<strong>to</strong> OS 9. Upon restart the<br />

computer failed <strong>to</strong> boot in<strong>to</strong> either OS<br />

9 or X, giving me a very dangerous<br />

looking white screen that said “Open<br />

Firmware.” I did the appropriate thing<br />

and booted from the OS X CD and<br />

ran the Disk Utilities Disk Repair<br />

application. It found several errors<br />

that it claimed were repaired but upon<br />

running Disk Repair a second time, I<br />

got the same errors and when rebooted,<br />

I again got the Open Firmware<br />

screen.<br />

I then tried the AppleCare TechTool<br />

CD that came with the iMac. TechTool<br />

found the drive but said it was not<br />

mounted on the desk<strong>to</strong>p and attempted<br />

<strong>to</strong> repair the drive. TechTool<br />

s<strong>to</strong>pped mid-way through the repair,<br />

saying it could no longer continue as<br />

the drive was “beyond repair and you<br />

should back-up all data.” A backup is<br />

impossible from an un-mounted disk<br />

so it appeared <strong>this</strong> hard drive was<br />

damaged beyond repair.<br />

Finally, I remembered several years<br />

ago a CMC member who is a Mac<br />

Tech, and who shall remain anonymous,<br />

<strong>to</strong>ld me there was one repair<br />

application in his arsenal of repair<br />

applications that he takes out when all<br />

else seems lost and it magically<br />

repairs seemingly dead drives:<br />

DiskWarrior. On his advice I purchased<br />

a copy on sale and it has<br />

remained in the box.<br />

I put the DiskWarrior CD in the drive<br />

and booted holding the “C” key down.<br />

It launched and found the disk.<br />

DiskWarrior is a ten-step process of<br />

finding drive direc<strong>to</strong>ry information<br />

and rebuilding the direc<strong>to</strong>ry. Before it<br />

rebuilds the direc<strong>to</strong>ry it tells you<br />

everything that is wrong with the<br />

drive, what it repaired and what it will<br />

do. It found 187 things wrong with my<br />

wife’s hard drive. Everything including<br />

folders having gone invisible, <strong>to</strong><br />

system files in the incorrect location<br />

that no longer allow the system <strong>to</strong><br />

boot, or a system that is no longer<br />

“blessed.” It asked if we wanted <strong>to</strong><br />

repair and replace the direc<strong>to</strong>ry and<br />

“re-bless” the system folder. We<br />

clicked OK and in about 10 minutes<br />

we were prompted <strong>to</strong> restart.<br />

Amazingly the iMac booted and ran as<br />

good as new.<br />

What happened <strong>to</strong> the drive?<br />

I asked several Mac experts the questions<br />

how could the drive get so bad<br />

that it wouldn’t mount or start, and<br />

4<br />

what had actually happened? Hard<br />

drives have hundreds of thousands–and<br />

in some cases millions–of files. You<br />

can’t always see these files as they are<br />

either invisible (hidden from view on<br />

purpose so you won’t mess with them)<br />

or are part of a package. Applications,<br />

for example, are really packages–they<br />

appear as a single file but may be made<br />

up of hundreds of little component files<br />

each doing their part in making a program<br />

run. So the few hundred files you<br />

may see when exploring your hard<br />

drive may really be made up of thousands<br />

or millions of hidden files. There<br />

is a master catalog and series of smaller<br />

catalogs that keeps track of all these<br />

files.<br />

The best way <strong>to</strong> describe a hard drive<br />

is by comparing it <strong>to</strong> a phone book.<br />

Phone books consist of tens of thousands<br />

of pieces of data. Let’s say each<br />

entry is a file. When you first get the<br />

phone book, everything is in neat<br />

order. The pages are in order and have<br />

no tears or creases, the sections are<br />

whole (white, blue, yellow) and the<br />

table of contents is where it’s supposed<br />

<strong>to</strong> be and helps guide you so<br />

that when you need a “sewage excava<strong>to</strong>r”<br />

you look under “plumber,” not<br />

excava<strong>to</strong>r for example. If you use the<br />

phone book every day, over time<br />

pages will crease, rip, get smudged<br />

and sometimes even fall out–so you<br />

stick the fallen pages anywhere in the<br />

book. The information isn’t lost, it just<br />

gets out of place and may become difficult<br />

<strong>to</strong> find or read. A hard drive is<br />

like that. It has catalog entries that act<br />

as a table of contents <strong>to</strong> let the drive<br />

know where all the files are. The more<br />

that files are moved, copied, or deleted,<br />

or that power hits occur, the<br />

greater the chance there will be some<br />

corruption <strong>to</strong> these catalogs, or the<br />

files themselves. One day an important<br />

file that is supposed <strong>to</strong> be in one<br />

place on the drive now can’t be found,<br />

and the drive won’t start because the<br />

computer can’t find that all-important<br />

file. It’s still there, just not where it’s<br />

supposed <strong>to</strong> be, or it got flagged as a<br />

continued on page 5


continued from page 4<br />

different type of file because it’s now<br />

in the wrong place. Or somehow<br />

maybe it got damaged and the catalog<br />

thinks it’s a folder not a file.<br />

If <strong>this</strong> catalog and file corruption<br />

occurs <strong>to</strong> any of the thousands of files<br />

responsible for starting the computer,<br />

you’re in trouble. When the computer<br />

asks the drive <strong>to</strong> load the files in the<br />

specific order it needs <strong>to</strong> boot, it can’t<br />

because it can’t find all the files or is<br />

in the wrong place in the sequence or<br />

is masquerading as another file.<br />

It takes a program like DiskWarrior <strong>to</strong><br />

examine the hard drive and ask and<br />

answer some important questions:<br />

What files did <strong>this</strong> computer have?<br />

Where are they? Can I correct problems<br />

with them? Can I again put them<br />

where they belong and rebuild the<br />

hard drives direc<strong>to</strong>ry and catalog<br />

structure <strong>to</strong> find them again? It then<br />

rebuilds the direc<strong>to</strong>ry information and<br />

replaces the bad one with the reconstructed<br />

one.<br />

Important lesson: backup your files<br />

regularly. I have a FireWire drive and<br />

DejaVu software ($24.95) <strong>to</strong> backup<br />

my home folder au<strong>to</strong>matically each<br />

night. I like DejaVu because it repairs<br />

Disk Permissions before each backup<br />

<strong>to</strong> further protect the drive. You should<br />

also have your Mac on a regular quarterly<br />

or monthly maintenance plan,<br />

using programs like TechTool and/or<br />

DiskWarrior <strong>to</strong> resolve any issues<br />

before the problems become visible–or<br />

down right dangerous. apple<br />

?<br />

Member of the Month<br />

by David Gerstein<br />

CMC Treasurer<br />

Since there was no January meeting<br />

and hence no opportunity <strong>to</strong> interview<br />

a member for “Member of the<br />

Month,” we regret <strong>this</strong> new feature<br />

will not appear in <strong>this</strong> issue. Look for<br />

it <strong>to</strong> return in the next issue of of the<br />

CMC Chronicle.<br />

Open Source:<br />

The Best in Free Apps<br />

By Rich Lenoce<br />

CMC Vice President<br />

Recently, I wanted <strong>to</strong> purchase a<br />

pho<strong>to</strong> printer, but was <strong>to</strong>ld by the<br />

manufacturer it was Windows only.<br />

What’s a Mac OS X user <strong>to</strong> do?<br />

Look <strong>to</strong> the Open Source community<br />

<strong>to</strong> write it for you.<br />

“Open Source” is a philosophy that<br />

flies in the face of the profitcentered<br />

model of software<br />

development, where consumers<br />

purchase software and pay for<br />

updates. Open Source is similar <strong>to</strong><br />

community barn-building, where a<br />

community of developers and users<br />

collaborate on development and<br />

testing with the user obtaining software,<br />

upgrades and enhancements<br />

free of charge. Presumably <strong>this</strong><br />

promotes a higher standard of quality<br />

and helps <strong>to</strong> ensure the<br />

long-term viability of the applications.<br />

There is no company <strong>to</strong> go<br />

out of business and the software<br />

can’t be dropped because it doesn’t<br />

sell. For a minority computer group<br />

like the Mac, <strong>this</strong> means we get<br />

terrific software that would not be<br />

profitable for a business <strong>to</strong> develop.<br />

Today, there are over 2,000 Open<br />

Source OS X applications available<br />

and nearly 500 for OS 9.<br />

It sounds almost <strong>to</strong>o good <strong>to</strong> be<br />

true; there are downsides. Since<br />

open source software development<br />

is a collaboration between developers<br />

and end users, projects are often<br />

under various stages of development.<br />

Some are highly developed,<br />

very stable and as good or better<br />

than similar commercial products,<br />

while others are merely in the<br />

alpha stage and are unreliable. In<br />

between, there are the many projects<br />

in the beta stage that may still<br />

have some bugs. These applications<br />

5<br />

“The www.sourceforge.net<br />

web site<br />

provides a way for<br />

developers <strong>to</strong> control<br />

and manage projects<br />

as well as make<br />

contact<br />

with<br />

users.”<br />

are often quite<br />

usable; the user is expected <strong>to</strong> send<br />

bug reports. Since no one is being<br />

paid and there are no deadlines,<br />

software may stay in beta for a long<br />

time without a full release.<br />

SourceForge is a community of<br />

application developers who donate<br />

their time coordinates most Open<br />

Source efforts. The www.sourceforge.net<br />

web site provides a way<br />

for developers <strong>to</strong> control and manage<br />

projects as well as make<br />

contact with users. A search of their<br />

website reveals every type of application<br />

known <strong>to</strong> man. If you can’t<br />

find an application <strong>to</strong> meet a need,<br />

then you can request a project be<br />

started. I requested the driver mentioned<br />

above and it got assigned <strong>to</strong><br />

the GIMP printing group.<br />

One example of a rock solid OS X<br />

Open Source application is Fire, an<br />

instant messaging client that<br />

includes AIM (AOL), Yahoo, MSN,<br />

Jabber, ICQ and IRC in one application.<br />

NeoOffice is a Cocoa (Mac<br />

OS X) version of Open Office, a<br />

compatible replacement for<br />

Microsoft Office that is still in beta<br />

testing but very usable. Larger projects<br />

like Mozilla and Firefox<br />

(www.mozilla.org), have their own<br />

coordinated communities and web<br />

sites. The status and stability of<br />

each application is ranked at<br />

SourceForge <strong>to</strong> warn users of<br />

issues. apple


Review:<br />

iWorks Pages<br />

By Rich Lenoce<br />

CMC Vice President<br />

I am writing <strong>this</strong><br />

review on Apple’s new<br />

and powerful “Word<br />

Processor with Style,”<br />

iWorks Pages. iWorks<br />

is being billed as a<br />

replacement for Appleworks. I don’t<br />

know if I’d go that far since<br />

Appleworks comes with spreadsheet,<br />

database and many other smaller applications,<br />

while iWorks only comes with<br />

Pages and Keynote, Apple’s presentation<br />

software. Nevertheless, iWorks two<br />

programs are incredibly comprehensive,<br />

stylish and elegant. For $79, is <strong>this</strong><br />

a Microsoft Office deal-breaker? Well,<br />

we will get <strong>to</strong> that later.<br />

Installation<br />

To install iWorks, you’ll need OS X and<br />

at least a 500 mhz G3 with a G4 or G5<br />

recommended. My installation disk<br />

came on a DVD rather than a CD. (I am<br />

registered with Apple and they may<br />

know that I had a DVD drive and therefore<br />

sent that media. The instructions<br />

do indicate <strong>to</strong> begin installation “insert<br />

the DVD or first CD,” so clearly CDs<br />

are available.) Installation was fast and<br />

easy. The included serial number is<br />

required. It should be noted that Apple<br />

includes two comprehensive manuals<br />

so there will be no need for a “Missing<br />

Manual for iWorks.” Take that David<br />

Pogue!<br />

The minute you open Pages you immediately<br />

notice you are not in MS Word<br />

terri<strong>to</strong>ry. At start-up, you are asked <strong>to</strong><br />

choose from 40 gorgeous templates, or<br />

a blank page. There are syllabi for<br />

teachers, resumes for job hunters,<br />

newsletters for desk<strong>to</strong>p publishers; the<br />

list goes on. Like Keynote, these templates<br />

are professional looking and<br />

fully cus<strong>to</strong>mizable. That is the great<br />

thing about Pages: if you like the templates<br />

the way they are you can just<br />

jump right in and begin adding content.<br />

If you want <strong>to</strong> make a document<br />

your own, Apple made it so easy<br />

<strong>to</strong> cus<strong>to</strong>mize a document that<br />

you’ll impress anyone you show<br />

it <strong>to</strong>. They’ll think you created<br />

it in Indesign, Quark or<br />

Pagemaker.<br />

Style choices such as paragraph,<br />

text, objects (charts, graphs,<br />

tables), borders etc. offer an infinite<br />

selection of cus<strong>to</strong>mization.<br />

With Pages, you don’t have <strong>to</strong> be a<br />

graphic designer <strong>to</strong> make terrific looking<br />

documents. In fact, the manual<br />

gives pointers on how <strong>to</strong> approach document<br />

design <strong>to</strong> create styles across an<br />

entire document. Styles (Body, Bullet,<br />

Caption, Heading, Sub-Heading, etc.)<br />

reside in a style drawer placing all<br />

styles at your fingertips; unlike Word,<br />

no hunting is involved. There is a media<br />

browser that let’s you add media from<br />

your iLife library or you can drag and<br />

drop media right in<strong>to</strong> s document from<br />

any iLife application as well as Safari or<br />

the Finder. Merging documents is as<br />

easy as dragging one document <strong>to</strong><br />

another’s document window. Internal<br />

and external hypertext and hyperlinks<br />

can also be easily added.<br />

Editing features are truly as<strong>to</strong>unding.<br />

Want <strong>to</strong> change the style of every heading<br />

in a 75 page document? Simply<br />

select one heading in the document and<br />

in the Style Drawer click on heading<br />

and choose “Select All Headings” and a<br />

new style dialog box will appear and<br />

ask you what new style you want all<br />

headings <strong>to</strong> be! Inserting text boxes and<br />

sidebars in<strong>to</strong> existing documents is<br />

even easier and all text will align properly.<br />

Alignment <strong>to</strong>ols are simple <strong>to</strong> use<br />

and spacing is dead-on!<br />

Are you catching my drift yet? This is a<br />

very powerful program! It is so easy <strong>to</strong><br />

use a child could create professional<br />

looking documents. Pages bridges the<br />

gap between a word processor and a<br />

desk<strong>to</strong>p publishing application like<br />

InDesign. In fact, PDFs were nothing<br />

short of gorgeous and printed beautifully<br />

from Preview and Acrobat. I’ve<br />

6<br />

always found desk<strong>to</strong>p publishing programs<br />

cumbersome and complex <strong>to</strong> the<br />

point where they are best left <strong>to</strong> the<br />

graphic design experts. Pages changes<br />

all that with its ease of use and PDF<br />

exporting option.<br />

Rough Spots<br />

My main criticism is with Pages’ disjointed<br />

interface. If you are like me and<br />

like <strong>to</strong> have your editing <strong>to</strong>ols at your<br />

fingertips, you’ll need <strong>to</strong> open Pages<br />

various drawers, inspec<strong>to</strong>rs and<br />

browsers, leaving you with a scattered<br />

mess on your desk<strong>to</strong>p. These palettes<br />

are all different sizes and don’t stack,<br />

minimize, tile or collapse. Microsoft<br />

uses <strong>to</strong>olbars that neatly stack and<br />

Adobe uses perfectly sized and aligned<br />

palettes by default. Why can’t Apple<br />

create a neat stackable interface similar<br />

<strong>to</strong> Microsoft, Adobe or their own Final<br />

Cut and DVD Studio Pro products?<br />

Also, frequently used formatting styles<br />

(bold, italic, size) are not available from<br />

the <strong>to</strong>olbar at the <strong>to</strong>p of the document<br />

Another criticism I have is that Pages,<br />

though integrated with iLife, is not integrated<br />

with other Mac OS X<br />

applications or .Mac. I can’t choose <strong>to</strong><br />

send a file directly <strong>to</strong> someone from<br />

within Pages using Mail and there is no<br />

ability <strong>to</strong> mail merge with Address<br />

Book. These are features even Word<br />

has! I can’t preview PDF and HTML<br />

documents in Preview and Safari. I<br />

opened a template and was <strong>to</strong>ld certain<br />

fonts weren’t loaded. Instead, Pages<br />

should ask me if I want <strong>to</strong> turn them on<br />

through FontBook. Finally, there is no<br />

intuitive way <strong>to</strong> publish documents <strong>to</strong><br />

.Mac Home Pages. Speaking of Web<br />

pages, Pages HTML exporting feature<br />

is nothing short of horrendous. Pages’<br />

pre-made templates completely fall<br />

apart in<strong>to</strong> an unorganized jumble of text<br />

and images losing all structure and formatting<br />

when displayed in a web<br />

browser. This makes creating web sites<br />

and newsletters impossible–a feature<br />

Apple has been <strong>to</strong>uting in advertisements<br />

for Pages.<br />

continued on page 7


continued from page 6<br />

There are some minor bugs with the<br />

program. I can’t place the cursor within<br />

line breaks made with the Return key.<br />

This is because Pages doesn’t have<br />

“Line Breaks” as such but uses vertical<br />

character spacing instead <strong>to</strong> fill in gaps<br />

between lines. Weird. Even weirder,<br />

Spell Checking always started at the<br />

beginning of the document, not at the<br />

cursor placement point and Mac products<br />

are not listed in the spelling<br />

dictionary showing up as mistakes in<br />

Pages documents.<br />

Word Compatibility<br />

How compatible is Pages with Word<br />

documents? The answer varies. When I<br />

opened simple Word documents the<br />

conversion was flawless, however with<br />

complex Word documents, Pages<br />

changed the formatting, tables, media<br />

alignment and font sizes. Documents<br />

even get renamed <strong>to</strong> “Untitled.” I<br />

believe these changes are because when<br />

Pages converts the document, Pages<br />

applies the current Pages settings, not<br />

the saved Word settings. Similarly, there<br />

were problems with exporting Pages<br />

iLife ‘05 upgrade:<br />

A Cautionary note<br />

by Chris Hart<br />

CMC Secretary<br />

If you have purchased or<br />

will purchase Apple’s new<br />

digital media suite known<br />

as iLife ‘05, you should be<br />

aware of a potential glitch. This is especially<br />

important information for those<br />

of you who have a valuable collection<br />

of pho<strong>to</strong>s s<strong>to</strong>red in iPho<strong>to</strong>. Specifically,<br />

many Mac users have been finding that<br />

their pho<strong>to</strong>s have become jumbled, or<br />

even disappeared upon upgrading <strong>to</strong><br />

the newest iPho<strong>to</strong> (version 5, part of<br />

iLife ‘05). There are some steps you<br />

can take <strong>to</strong> reduce the chances of <strong>this</strong><br />

happening <strong>to</strong> you.<br />

First of all, I want <strong>to</strong> remind you that<br />

you should create a backup of your<br />

documents <strong>to</strong> the Word .doc file format.<br />

With simple documents, the export <strong>to</strong><br />

Word was excellent but with complex<br />

templates that included lots of cus<strong>to</strong>mization,<br />

Word could not display<br />

elements properly.<br />

Pages needs <strong>to</strong> do a much better job<br />

maintaining Word formatting and style<br />

settings upon import and export. Sadly,<br />

Pages does not work natively in the<br />

Word Doc file format like OpenOffice,<br />

Free Office and Neo Office. If these free<br />

programs can work in Word file formats<br />

without exporting, and do a good job of<br />

maintaining compatibility even with<br />

complex documents, why can’t Pages?<br />

It may be that Apple is fearful of treading<br />

<strong>to</strong>o much on Microsoft’s turf. If<br />

Pages is <strong>to</strong>o much like Word, fully compatible<br />

and truly a competi<strong>to</strong>r,<br />

Microsoft might drop their Office product<br />

and that would be devastating <strong>to</strong><br />

Apple. They’d be known again as a<br />

niche computer company forcing<br />

schools, businesses and consumers that<br />

rely on Windows PCs and MS Office <strong>to</strong><br />

drop Apple like a hot pota<strong>to</strong>. Apple<br />

worked hard at accentuating the differ-<br />

data before installing any<br />

software updates. Be it an<br />

OS X update, or something<br />

like migrating from iLife ‘04<br />

<strong>to</strong> ‘05, such an installation is<br />

a major change for your system.<br />

Always make backups<br />

before making changes <strong>to</strong><br />

your Mac!<br />

Now, what you need <strong>to</strong> do before<br />

installing iLife ‘05 is <strong>to</strong> rebuild your<br />

pho<strong>to</strong> library in your current iPho<strong>to</strong><br />

version 4 (part of iLife ‘04). You do that<br />

by holding down the COMMAND-<br />

OPTION-SHIFT keys on your<br />

keyboard simultaneously while launching<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong>. You will be asked if you<br />

want <strong>to</strong> rebuild your library. You can<br />

then let go of the keys on the keyboard.<br />

On your screen, confirm that you want<br />

<strong>to</strong> rebuild your pho<strong>to</strong> library and allow<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> 4 <strong>to</strong> complete the rebuilding<br />

7<br />

ences between the products, and hiding<br />

or eliminating the similarities. Pages is<br />

just similar and compatible enough but<br />

not <strong>to</strong>o compatible.<br />

Can Pages replace Word for most people?<br />

It’s ease of use, the quality of the<br />

documents and price certainly could<br />

replace Word for many consumers.<br />

However, Pages seems <strong>to</strong> be directed at<br />

people who use AppleWorks daily and<br />

those who want <strong>to</strong> dabble or become<br />

proficient at desk<strong>to</strong>p publishing. It is<br />

not directed at heavy Word users. For<br />

those of us who need true Word compatibility<br />

and higher end business<br />

features such as mail merge, spread<br />

sheet integration, macros, etc., Pages<br />

doesn’t cut it. For most people, consumers,<br />

businesses, designers, media<br />

junkies and myself included, Pages is<br />

another <strong>to</strong>ol in a broader arsenal of<br />

<strong>to</strong>ols <strong>to</strong> quickly and easily create high<br />

end looking documents without paying<br />

a high end price. For that it is worth<br />

$79. Oh, and did, I mention the buffed<br />

up Keynote 2 comes with iWorks? I’ll<br />

save that review for another day. apple<br />

process. Once that process is complete,<br />

quit all programs on your computer,<br />

and then install iLife ‘05.<br />

As we go <strong>to</strong> press, Apple has issued a<br />

version 5.0.1 update for iPho<strong>to</strong>, which<br />

is intended <strong>to</strong> address <strong>this</strong> pho<strong>to</strong> library<br />

issue. But as I’ve said above, if you<br />

have a highly prized collection of pictures<br />

in your iPho<strong>to</strong> library, your safest<br />

course of action is <strong>to</strong> (1) make a backup<br />

of your library and (2) rebuild the<br />

library before installing any upgrades.<br />

If you’ve already installed iLife ‘05 and<br />

had problems occur with your iPho<strong>to</strong><br />

library, you may still be able <strong>to</strong> recover<br />

from the situation. First, try installing<br />

the 5.0.1 update. Second, use the keyboard<br />

commands listed above <strong>to</strong> get<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong> rebuild your library. Good<br />

luck and I hope you enjoy all the great<br />

new features in iPho<strong>to</strong> 5! apple


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Membership - $25.00<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC and<br />

mail <strong>to</strong>:<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza, PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

...or<br />

pay online with PayPal at<br />

www.ctmac.org<br />

Under the OSX Hood:<br />

Spoofing User Agents<br />

By Joe Arcuri,<br />

CMC Ambassador<br />

Recently I had a client using OS<br />

X that complained that his bank<br />

was requiring him <strong>to</strong> use Internet<br />

Explorer 5.5 or above <strong>to</strong> access his<br />

online portfolio. Since Microsoft<br />

decided <strong>to</strong> s<strong>to</strong>p supporting the Mac<br />

last year, we’re now stuck with<br />

Internet Explorer 5.2. Whoops. What<br />

<strong>to</strong> do now? Well, the issue isn’t necessarily<br />

that the banks or websites<br />

require some specific feature of IE 5.5<br />

for them <strong>to</strong> work, it’s that they’ve only<br />

tested their website using that browser.<br />

As long as the site has been designed<br />

<strong>to</strong> standards, any modern browser will<br />

work on it. The dilemma comes in<br />

how <strong>to</strong> convince the website that<br />

you’re legitimate.<br />

Browsers use a feature called “User<br />

Agents” <strong>to</strong> identify themselves <strong>to</strong> the<br />

server, each browser has a unique User<br />

Agent that tells the browser, the version<br />

and the Operating System used.<br />

For example, Safari identifies itself<br />

with the User Agent of: Mozilla/5.0<br />

(Macin<strong>to</strong>sh; U; PPC Mac OS X)<br />

AppleWebKit/124 (KHTML, like<br />

Gecko) Safari/125.1 whereas the latest<br />

version of Internet Explorer on<br />

Windows identifies itself as:<br />

Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0;<br />

Windows NT 5.1).<br />

For a complete and updated list of<br />

User Agent strings, check out<br />

http://www.pgts.com.au/pgtsj/pgtsj02<br />

08c.html<br />

If you could only get your browser <strong>to</strong><br />

tell the server a lie, you’d be all set and<br />

could use Safari <strong>to</strong> do your online<br />

banking! You can. Like a kid in front<br />

of an ice cream parlor, your browser is<br />

willing <strong>to</strong> do anything you want as<br />

long as you know how <strong>to</strong> ask.<br />

For Safari the easiest way is <strong>to</strong> download<br />

a small program called “Safari Enhancer,”<br />

8<br />

available at www.lordofthecows.com.<br />

You’ll<br />

need <strong>to</strong> run Safari<br />

Enhancer and choose<br />

the checkbox for<br />

“debugging menu.”<br />

After applying the settings,<br />

Safari will have<br />

a new menu item when you launch it.<br />

This menu item is “Debug” and within<br />

it you’ll find a “User Agent”<br />

submenu from which you can easily<br />

choose which browser <strong>to</strong> spoof.<br />

If you use Firefox or Camino, it’s also<br />

simple <strong>to</strong> modify your User Agent.<br />

One of the beauties of Firefox is the<br />

large amount of extensions and<br />

themes which people have come up<br />

with for modifying it. One of these<br />

extensions is “User Agent Switcher”<br />

available from the Firefox extensions<br />

page at mozilla.org. After installing<br />

User Agent Switcher, you’ll find a<br />

new item under your Tools menu titled<br />

User Agent Switcher. <strong>From</strong> there you<br />

can choose <strong>to</strong> use one of the supplied<br />

User Agents or even add new ones.<br />

Camino is the <strong>to</strong>ughest one <strong>to</strong> modify<br />

because you actually need <strong>to</strong> edit the<br />

user.js file located in your Users/User<br />

Name/Library/Application Support/<br />

Camino/ folder. If there isn’t a user.js<br />

file there, you can create it using<br />

TextEdit. In the user.js file simply add<br />

<strong>this</strong> line: user_pref(“general.user<br />

agent.override”, “[User Agent]”); and<br />

where it says “User Agent,” add the<br />

UA of your desired browser. If you<br />

later want <strong>to</strong> go back <strong>to</strong> having Camino<br />

be itself simply eliminate that line.<br />

These tricks won’t change the way<br />

your browser actually works; it only<br />

changes how it’s perceived by the web<br />

server. If a site is really designed <strong>to</strong><br />

only work with Internet Explorer<br />

under Windows, you won’t be able <strong>to</strong><br />

get around that but in most cases the<br />

issue stems from a lazy IT department<br />

not being interested in testing their site<br />

under multiple browsers.<br />

Enjoy your newly named browsing!


Special MUG Offers from the Apple User Group<br />

These User Group discounts are<br />

brought <strong>to</strong> you by the Apple User<br />

Group Advisory Board. You must be a<br />

current Apple user group member <strong>to</strong><br />

qualify for these savings. member?<br />

Join CMC <strong>to</strong>day <strong>to</strong> take advantage of<br />

these special offers. Get a complete list<br />

of all current deals at: www.mugcenter.com/vendornews/vendornews.html<br />

Macworld on Tour<br />

Macworld is great fun for folks who<br />

can make it. Now, even more people<br />

can enjoy Macworld because<br />

Macworld is going on <strong>to</strong>ur starting<br />

with Orlando, Florida on March 9 and<br />

10. Network. Find solutions. See new<br />

products and resources. Meet with<br />

user group folks and vendors. Learn at<br />

sessions specifically prepared for the<br />

enthusiast or pro.<br />

Better yet, user group members<br />

receive 15 percent off <strong>this</strong> first-time<br />

event. Learn about the <strong>to</strong>ur.<br />

http://macworldon<strong>to</strong>ur.com This offer<br />

is valid until Feb. 4, 2005.<br />

JHL Technologies:<br />

quikDVD Templates<br />

quikDVD is a collection of pre-made<br />

DVD menu templates designed<br />

specifically for Apple's DVD Studio<br />

Pro 2 and newer. quikDVD provides<br />

consumers with the ability <strong>to</strong> create<br />

their own professional looking DVDs<br />

for less. <strong>From</strong> equestrian events <strong>to</strong><br />

your special wedding day, quikDVD<br />

makes certain that every template<br />

allows for that personal <strong>to</strong>uch <strong>to</strong> make<br />

it your own.<br />

Regularly $92.98, user group members<br />

can receive quickDVD plus a<br />

bonus seasonal package for $59.99.<br />

User name: mac62284<br />

Password: jk3798<br />

http://www.quiktemplates.net/order.htm<br />

Offer is valid until April 30, 2005.<br />

MacAddict: Subscription Offer<br />

Special MacAddict Subscription and<br />

Renewal Offer for MUG members. Get<br />

MacAddict for only $20.95. That’s 78<br />

percent off the basic rate and $3.05 off<br />

of the lowest published rate.<br />

Award-winning MacAddict magazine<br />

launched in 1996 as the ultimate<br />

hands-on guide <strong>to</strong> anything and everything<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh. Its mission is <strong>to</strong><br />

provide readers with the most comprehensive<br />

range of Mac product and<br />

how-<strong>to</strong> information possible.<br />

MacAddict packs each issue with indepth<br />

how-<strong>to</strong> articles, fact-filled<br />

features, expert reviews, and up-<strong>to</strong>the-minute<br />

news and analysis.<br />

https://w1.buysub.com/servlet/Orders<br />

Gateway?cds_mag_code=MCD&cds<br />

_page_ id=13588<br />

Offer is valid until June 30, 2005.<br />

Dynamic Graphics:<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop Fix Newsletter<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop Fix, a new monthly<br />

newsletter devoted entirely <strong>to</strong><br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop, is the smart, cutting-edge<br />

publication designed with the<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop junkie in mind. Each issue<br />

of Pho<strong>to</strong>shop Fix gives you 16 pages<br />

of picture-packed tu<strong>to</strong>rials and tips by<br />

industry experts who break down the<br />

essentials of Pho<strong>to</strong>shop, with easy,<br />

step-by-step instruction and exciting<br />

full-color images.<br />

Members of Apple User Groups can<br />

get a 12-month subscription for only<br />

$55 (US). That's over 50 percent off<br />

the single copy price and $4 (US) off<br />

the regular one-year. Plus, you'll<br />

receive a FREE Bonus Pix CD with<br />

75 exclusive, high-resolution pho<strong>to</strong>s<br />

with your paid subscription.<br />

http://www.dynamicgraphics.com/PU<br />

BS/PSF/launch/macUsers.aspx<br />

Offer is valid until May 30, 2005.<br />

See all current deals at:<br />

www.mugcenter.com/vendornews/vendornews.html<br />

9<br />

Mariner Software:<br />

Desk<strong>to</strong>p Poet 1.0<br />

Ok, let's be honest. How often have<br />

you seen magnetic poetry on someone's<br />

refrigera<strong>to</strong>r and just had <strong>to</strong> s<strong>to</strong>p<br />

and compose a quirky, little quip?<br />

Now, with Desk<strong>to</strong>p Poet 1.0, you can<br />

prove you do have a "creative" side,<br />

all from the comfort of your Mac.<br />

And, with our introduc<strong>to</strong>ry Apple user<br />

group offer, you can free that inner<br />

poet for less than $15.00 (US). That's<br />

25 percent off.<br />

Learn more.<br />

http://marinersoftware.com/<br />

sitepage.php?page=74<br />

Order. Promotional Code: poem<br />

http://www.marinersoftware.com/sho<br />

pproduct.php<br />

Offer is valid until April 30, 2005.<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

Great deals for CMC<br />

members. Aggressive<br />

new prices on all the<br />

latest Macs. Add <strong>to</strong><br />

that Free freight, RAM rebates,<br />

aggressive pricing on new (and<br />

reconditioned) Macs and the<br />

largest selection of pre-owned<br />

Macs on the planet, 1% merchandise<br />

credit back <strong>to</strong> CMC, huge<br />

blowout and specials section,<br />

including great deals on Bose<br />

speakers, Apple software, and<br />

more...and you have a deal that<br />

can’t be beat.<br />

Visit <strong>this</strong> exclusive user group site.<br />

http://www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

User ID and Password<br />

12/1/2004 - 3/30/2005<br />

User ID: xxxxx (lowercase)<br />

Password: xxxx (lowercase)


President Don Dickey<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

PR Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r/Auction Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org 860-678-8622<br />

Download of the Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org 860-583-1165<br />

2004-2005 CMC Officers and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

Vice President Rich Lenoce<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

Past President/Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org 860-485-1547<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org (860) 668-8728<br />

Special Events Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

Caricatures by Bill Dougal of Lebanon, (860) 456-9041. Available for illustration assignments and event caricatures.<br />

10<br />

Secretary Chris Hart<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Treasurer David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Newsletter Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org 860-561-0319<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org 860-677-7787<br />

Parlimentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian Connie Scott<br />

parlimentarian@ctmac.org 860-584-9573


CMC Monthly Meeting Discounted Books! FREE Raffle!<br />

February 23, 2005<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

7 pm – Maintaining Your Mac<br />

Presenter: Chris Hart<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

G3s, G4s and G5s coupled with MacOSX<br />

brings a whole new level of sophistication<br />

<strong>to</strong> computing but with it comes the<br />

responsibility <strong>to</strong> perform routine maintenance<br />

and <strong>to</strong> resolve problems as they<br />

occur. Chris Hart demonstrates the <strong>to</strong>ols<br />

and techniques <strong>to</strong> keep your Mac running<br />

in tip-<strong>to</strong>p shape and how <strong>to</strong> identify and<br />

address common Macin<strong>to</strong>sh problems.<br />

6 pm – Back To Basics: iChat<br />

Have you wanted <strong>to</strong> get involved in chatting<br />

online with your friends or relatives?<br />

Thought about conversing with distant<br />

family members over the internet, instead<br />

of paying long distance rates? iChat A/V,<br />

that Apple includes with OSX, includes<br />

what you need <strong>to</strong> get started.<br />

Upcoming Meetings<br />

March 30, 2005 • 7:00 PM<br />

The Macin<strong>to</strong>sh in Astronomy<br />

Presenter: John Pellino<br />

Special Location: TALCOTT<br />

MOUNTAIN SCIENCE CENTER<br />

We all know Macs are used for creating digital<br />

media and in business but did you know<br />

Macs play a leading role in Astronomy? The<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh’s imaging power and sophistication<br />

are used by thousands of backyard and<br />

professional astronomers. The people at the<br />

Talcott Mountain Science Center will walk<br />

us through connecting and using<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh computers <strong>to</strong> home telescopes<br />

and all of the things you can do with it.<br />

Hopefully the night will be clear!<br />

April 27, 2005 • 7:00 PM • iDVD<br />

Presenter: Rich Lenoce<br />

iDVD is Apple’s powerful DVD creation<br />

<strong>to</strong>ol. With cus<strong>to</strong>mizable themes and sophisticated<br />

navigation, anyone can simply create<br />

highly stylized DVDs <strong>to</strong> distribute and<br />

archive their videos, pho<strong>to</strong>s and music.<br />

Learn how <strong>to</strong> use <strong>this</strong> revolutionary program.<br />

CMC continues <strong>to</strong> offer our current<br />

members the opportunity <strong>to</strong><br />

purchase any published book for<br />

either Mac or Windows at a 20%<br />

discount. All major publishers are<br />

carried by our source.<br />

Contact a Board Member or send<br />

an email <strong>to</strong> booksales@ctmac.org.<br />

Provide the book title, the publisher<br />

and the ISBN number, if<br />

possible, and he will check on its<br />

availability. Normally, the wait is<br />

not <strong>to</strong>o long.<br />

SPECIAL<br />

NOTICE!<br />

Changes regarding<br />

access <strong>to</strong> the<br />

CMC website:<br />

www.ctmac.org<br />

• Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number<br />

(for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

• CMC Web site username<br />

and password<br />

...are now located on your<br />

newsletter mailing label.<br />

Please make a<br />

note of it NOW!<br />

Are you receiving<br />

our CMC emails?<br />

We always send out advance<br />

notice of the meetings, and sometimes<br />

for big news or special<br />

events (like our bus trip <strong>to</strong><br />

Macworld). If you’re not getting<br />

them, please email us at<br />

president@ctmac.org with your<br />

current email address and a subject<br />

line of: ADD TO CMC EMAIL LIST<br />

11<br />

Every CMC member who attends our<br />

monthly meetings gets a raffle ticket.<br />

This will give you a chance for one of<br />

our free prizes every month! You<br />

could win…t-shirts, <strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs,<br />

software …there’s always something<br />

we’re giving away! And don’t forget<br />

the Free table at the back of the room<br />

where everything is...FREE!<br />

Treasurer’s Report<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members! Have your<br />

friends and co-workers join us for fun and<br />

learning about OSX and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 127<br />

❦❦❦❦❦❦❦❦<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance ..............$1928.13<br />

Savings Balance ................$3956.94<br />

Balances as of February 2, 2005<br />

FREE Classified Ads<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using<br />

or upgrading. This is a FREE<br />

service provided <strong>to</strong> our members.<br />

Send submissions via email <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

Display Ad Rates<br />

Any business items or services can<br />

be advertised at the low monthly rates<br />

listed below.<br />

Business Card ...................$10.00<br />

Quarter Page.....................$20.00<br />

Half Page.........................$30.00<br />

Full Page (or insert) ............$50.00<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a disk<br />

(with nothing else on it) or e-mail it <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org for insertion in the<br />

following issue. Display ads must be<br />

submitted camera-ready in eps or pdf format<br />

with all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

February 23 - 7 pm<br />

Maintaining Your Mac<br />

Presenter: Chris Hart<br />

at UConn Medical Center<br />

Back <strong>to</strong> Basics – 6 pm<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

a PDF document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center is<br />

available on our website: www.ctmac.org. Print and take it with you <strong>to</strong> find us easily!<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on programs<br />

require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College in Middle<strong>to</strong>wn.<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UCHC, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West,<br />

Exit 39 is after 39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong><br />

Route 4 East (Farming<strong>to</strong>n Avenue). At third traffic light, turn<br />

right <strong>to</strong> enter the Health Center campus. Go around the main<br />

building <strong>to</strong> the right (at a Y in road), then take a left when<br />

you get <strong>to</strong> the Academic Entrance. The road becomes twoway<br />

there so you should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn. (Do<br />

not go on straight <strong>to</strong> the two-way part). Then take the second<br />

right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go<br />

past the police station entrance on your left (small sign). You<br />

will see a continuation of the building with its own entrance<br />

area. This is the new research building. Enter on the ground<br />

floor, turn right and enter room EG-013 on your right. This<br />

is the first room on your right. The rest rooms are on your<br />

left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> Middlesex C.C.<br />

<strong>From</strong> the Hartford area, take Route 9 South. A few<br />

miles south of down<strong>to</strong>wn Middle<strong>to</strong>wn on Route 9, take<br />

Exit 11 (Rt. 155, Randolph Road). At the end of the<br />

ramp (for both N. & S. bound), turn right on<strong>to</strong><br />

Randolph Road. Continue <strong>to</strong> the traffic light at the <strong>to</strong>p<br />

of the hill and turn left on<strong>to</strong> Saybrook Road. Go a quarter<br />

of a mile and turn right on<strong>to</strong> Reservoir Road. Travel<br />

past the s<strong>to</strong>p sign, then take the first right on<strong>to</strong> Training<br />

Hill Road. Your first left will lead in<strong>to</strong> the Middlesex<br />

Community College Campus parking area. When you<br />

arrive on campus, take a right on<strong>to</strong> Training Hill Road.<br />

Go <strong>to</strong> the second parking lot entrance and take a left<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the upper lot. Directly in front of you will be Snow<br />

Hall. Enter Snow Hall and go up the stairs <strong>to</strong> the 2nd<br />

floor and go <strong>to</strong> the last room on the right, Room 509.


NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. MARCH 2005<br />

Mac Media Server<br />

By Don Dickey,<br />

CMC president<br />

Media servers are where it’s at... at<br />

least in the Windoze PC world, that is.<br />

If you’re “up” on <strong>this</strong> technology, you<br />

may already be planning <strong>to</strong> make one<br />

for yourself. If you’re not, you’re<br />

probably wondering what a media<br />

server is. Let’s get started!<br />

Media servers are computers that act<br />

as reposi<strong>to</strong>ries for all your digital<br />

stuff: pictures, music, and video. They<br />

must have the necessary connections<br />

<strong>to</strong> both receive such data and serve it.<br />

These connections are not usually the<br />

same!<br />

To receive digital stuff, a media server<br />

must be able <strong>to</strong> grab your pho<strong>to</strong>s (usually<br />

from your camera or Pho<strong>to</strong> CDs),<br />

grab your music (usually from CDs<br />

you own or from files you’ve bought<br />

and downloaded) and grab your<br />

movies (usually from your camcorder<br />

or from DVDs you’ve purchased). So,<br />

hardware requirements will obviously<br />

include a USB port for your camera,<br />

an optical drive (either CD or<br />

CD/DVD combo), plus a FireWire<br />

port if a digital camcorder is involved.<br />

You also need space on your hard<br />

drive <strong>to</strong> s<strong>to</strong>re the media files. This can<br />

be a modest 60 gb drive for pho<strong>to</strong>s and<br />

music, but can balloon <strong>to</strong> 250 mb or<br />

more when lots of video is involved,<br />

since a typical DVD takes 5 <strong>to</strong> 7 gb<br />

each!<br />

The media server also needs <strong>to</strong> connect<br />

<strong>to</strong> output devices. For audio, <strong>this</strong><br />

would be your stereo or amplified<br />

speakers. For pho<strong>to</strong>s and/or video, <strong>this</strong><br />

would typically include your TV or<br />

even a digital projec<strong>to</strong>r.<br />

You can connect any Mac <strong>to</strong> most<br />

audio systems using a cable that has a<br />

stereo 3.5 mm plug on one end and a<br />

pair of RCA plugs on the other end.<br />

Video is a little more complex. Many<br />

Macs, particularly portables, have S or<br />

composite video outputs that can drive<br />

most modern TVs. This is fine for normal<br />

resolutions.<br />

If you want <strong>to</strong> go “all the way” <strong>to</strong> HD<br />

(high definition), you’ll need a Mac<br />

that has DVI video. Most G4-based<br />

<strong>to</strong>wers and PowerBooks and the new<br />

<strong>Mini</strong> have these jacks, as do all<br />

PowerMac G5 <strong>to</strong>wers. You should be<br />

able <strong>to</strong> connect <strong>this</strong> jack <strong>to</strong> the DVI<br />

input of an “HD ready” moni<strong>to</strong>r.<br />

You don’t need DVI or HD, though.<br />

These technologies represent the<br />

“high end” right now. I’m using 800 x<br />

600 pixel output in my home with satisfac<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

results.<br />

What kind of Mac makes a good<br />

media server? Answer: Any Mac that<br />

has all the connections you need. You<br />

can easily add hard drive capacity<br />

with either a replacement internal<br />

drive or an external FireWire drive.<br />

Many see the new <strong>Mini</strong> as an ideal<br />

media server, and it’s relatively<br />

affordable as such. It’s even ready for<br />

HD with the requisite DVI connec<strong>to</strong>r.<br />

1<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

March 30 • 7 PM<br />

The Macin<strong>to</strong>sh in Astronomy<br />

Presenter: John Pellino<br />

Special Location:<br />

TALCOTT MOUNTAIN<br />

SCIENCE CENTER<br />

(carpool info and directions on page 11)<br />

Right now, I’m using an old<br />

SuperMac (not even a G3) <strong>to</strong> serve<br />

audio in my home. It has over 7,500<br />

songs on it! I often use my<br />

PowerBook as a portable pho<strong>to</strong> and<br />

video server. I recently bought a video<br />

projec<strong>to</strong>r, and it’s a great way <strong>to</strong> do<br />

family slide shows or watch a movie<br />

on “the big screen.”<br />

The other piece of the puzzle is the<br />

software. Apple makes <strong>this</strong> easy with<br />

iLife! You can use iTunes <strong>to</strong> organize<br />

and play your music. iTunes can “rip”<br />

the songs from your CDs <strong>to</strong> your hard<br />

drive. iPho<strong>to</strong> can organize all your<br />

digital pho<strong>to</strong>s and prepare slide shows<br />

complete with musical accompaniment.<br />

iMove can capture your video <strong>to</strong><br />

the hard drive and then “present it”<br />

full screen. Finally, QuickTime can<br />

show or play almost any file you<br />

might receive from somebody else.<br />

Other programs can help with some of<br />

the more advanced tasks (like dealing<br />

with your DVDs), but these are<br />

outside the scope of <strong>this</strong> introduction.<br />

Continued on page 2<br />

<strong>Inside</strong> <strong>this</strong> <strong>Issue</strong><br />

Mac Media Server ............................... 1<br />

Member of the Month.......................... 2<br />

Mac 911 Help Desk..............................3<br />

iLife ‘05 - Sloppy Software..................4<br />

Download of the Month .......................5<br />

GarageBand ebooks..............................6<br />

Calibrating Your Moni<strong>to</strong>r .....................7<br />

Skype’s The Limit ................................8<br />

MUG Special Offers.............................9<br />

CMC Officers and Direc<strong>to</strong>rs ..............10<br />

Meetings and Club News ...................11


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Content Contribu<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Don Dickey<br />

Contributing Author<br />

Rich Lenoce<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

John Scott<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions<br />

from members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

Continued from page 1 Member of the Month<br />

Closed track, professional drivers,<br />

your mileage may vary, etc.<br />

So, the first step is often <strong>to</strong> try it with<br />

what you have. Take your Mac and get<br />

it hooked up <strong>to</strong> your stereo. Go one<br />

step further and get it hooked up <strong>to</strong><br />

your TV. Next, get some media on it.<br />

Start with a hundred pho<strong>to</strong>s you want<br />

<strong>to</strong> show. Add a few CDs of audio you<br />

want <strong>to</strong> listen <strong>to</strong> (and also use as background<br />

for slide shows). Finally, if<br />

you have a digital camcorder, add a<br />

movie or two that are worth sharing<br />

with friends and family.<br />

Connecting your server <strong>to</strong> the Internet<br />

and your home network will expand<br />

its role in several ways. This can be<br />

done wired via Ethernet, or wirelessly<br />

using an Airport card. Either way,<br />

you’ll gain the ability <strong>to</strong> play music<br />

on Internet radio and download new<br />

tunes from Apple’s online s<strong>to</strong>re. With<br />

the sharing features of OS X and those<br />

built in<strong>to</strong> iTunes and iPho<strong>to</strong> software,<br />

you’ll also be able <strong>to</strong> see and hear<br />

your media on other Macs connected<br />

<strong>to</strong> your network.<br />

If you want <strong>to</strong> go “whole hog” you<br />

can even use screen sharing such as<br />

Apple’s Remote Desk<strong>to</strong>p or freeware<br />

called VNC (virtual network computing)<br />

<strong>to</strong> see and control your server<br />

from anywhere in your house. That’s<br />

how I control what’s playing on my<br />

server in the basement when I’m sitting<br />

in the living room with my<br />

PowerBook.<br />

The last step is <strong>to</strong> have fun with your<br />

new <strong>to</strong>y! I enjoy being able <strong>to</strong> find a<br />

music album with a few keystrokes in<br />

iTunes instead of thumbing through<br />

stacks of CDs. The pho<strong>to</strong>s and videos<br />

are just icing on the cake! apple<br />

2<br />

by David Gerstein<br />

CMC Treasurer<br />

CMC Member<br />

of the Month is<br />

Philip Handler, who<br />

describes himself as<br />

“a videographer/<br />

digital pho<strong>to</strong>grapher/<br />

architect.”<br />

Q How long have you been a member<br />

of CMC?<br />

A 13 or 14 years.<br />

Q How long have you been using a<br />

Mac?<br />

A Since 1991. My son bought one in<br />

college. I liked it and have been<br />

using them ever since.<br />

Q How do you use it?<br />

A Mostly in conjunction with digital<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>graphy. Even though I use<br />

videography, I take stills from the<br />

video. A digital camera and a Mac<br />

is like having a darkroom without<br />

a darkroom.<br />

Q I assume <strong>this</strong> is all for a commercial<br />

enterprise.<br />

A Yes, my company is Fly on the<br />

Wall Productions.<br />

[Inquirer’s clarification: Fly on the Wall<br />

Productions uses videography and<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>graphy <strong>to</strong> capture visual and aural<br />

information for clients during the<br />

process of building construction.]<br />

Q What changes in CMC have you<br />

seen over the years?<br />

A More impotant than the changes is<br />

the constant, members helping<br />

members. Although there have<br />

been many transitions, <strong>this</strong> constant<br />

remains.<br />

Q What improvements for the group<br />

can you suggest?<br />

A Since most people don’t have that<br />

much time, I would like <strong>to</strong> see<br />

more reviews of products.


Mac 911 – Help Desk<br />

By Chris<strong>to</strong>pher Breen<br />

Windows Media Conversion<br />

Is there a way <strong>to</strong> convert Windows Media<br />

videos <strong>to</strong> a QuickTime format so I can import<br />

them in<strong>to</strong> iMovie? – William E. Johnson<br />

It depends on the kind of Windows<br />

Media movie files you want <strong>to</strong> import.<br />

A <strong>to</strong>ol such as Ronin no Sakurakai<br />

Softronics’ $15 Forty-Two DVD-VX<br />

Plus can convert some Windows<br />

movies <strong>to</strong> a form of AVI file acceptable<br />

<strong>to</strong> QuickTime and iMovie, but it won't<br />

work with movies generated by<br />

Windows Media 9. Discreet's Cleaner 6<br />

can also convert some Windows Media<br />

files <strong>to</strong> QuickTime, but the product’s<br />

$549 price tag is a lot <strong>to</strong> swallow for<br />

<strong>this</strong> seemingly simple operation.<br />

And as much as I hate <strong>to</strong> suggest such a<br />

thing in a magazine called Macworld, if<br />

you can get <strong>to</strong> a Windows PC, try<br />

Mystik Media’s $50 Blaze Media Pro.<br />

It can convert Windows Media Video<br />

(WMV) files <strong>to</strong> MPEG-1 format, which<br />

you can play with QuickTime (as well<br />

as export <strong>to</strong> QuickTime's native format<br />

using Apple's $29 QuickTime Player<br />

Pro, and then import in<strong>to</strong> iMovie).<br />

Sleepy Mouse<br />

When my computer falls asleep, my<br />

Apple Wireless Mouse disconnects. Do<br />

you know how <strong>to</strong> fix <strong>this</strong> problem?<br />

– Andre Bonk<br />

Have patience. No, I’m not being facetious.<br />

After a period of inactivity, the<br />

mouse goes <strong>to</strong> sleep <strong>to</strong> save the battery's<br />

charge. After you click on a sleeping<br />

mouse, it can take 30 seconds or more<br />

<strong>to</strong> reestablish contact with the Mac.<br />

Many people assume that the mouse<br />

isn’t working properly because Apple’s<br />

wireless keyboard connects far more<br />

quickly. If the mouse refuses <strong>to</strong> rouse,<br />

install the latest Blue<strong>to</strong>oth software. If<br />

that doesn't wake the rodent, give Apple<br />

a call. You may have a defective input<br />

device.<br />

Avoiding the Browser Two-Step<br />

Lately, Safari has been displaying <strong>this</strong><br />

message: “Safari can’t open the page<br />

‘www.example.com/’ because it can't find<br />

the server ‘www.example.com/’.” I know<br />

<strong>this</strong> is a bad error message because when I<br />

press return, the site always loads the second<br />

time. – Mike Schell<br />

This problem appears <strong>to</strong> have been<br />

introduced by an Apple security update.<br />

Although there’s no surefire fix, many<br />

people have been able <strong>to</strong> eliminate the<br />

glitch by opening the Network preference<br />

pane, clicking on the TCP/IP tab,<br />

and entering their ISP’s DNS server<br />

address in the appropriately named<br />

DNSServers field.<br />

Regrettably, not all ISPs like <strong>to</strong> share<br />

their DNS server addresses. If yours<br />

won’t cough it up, launch Network<br />

Utility (found inside the Utilities folder),<br />

click on the Lookup tab, enter your<br />

ISP's domain name in the Lookup field,<br />

choose Name Server from the window's<br />

pop-up menu, and click on Lookup.<br />

The DNS server address should appear<br />

after the SERVER entry. If you use a<br />

router, be sure that the DNS information<br />

on your Mac and router match.<br />

Other people have found that installing<br />

Java Update 1.4.2 Update 2 fixes the<br />

problem.<br />

Send Print Preview Packing<br />

When I try <strong>to</strong> print my Microsoft En<strong>to</strong>urage<br />

v. X e-mail, I have <strong>to</strong> go through two dialog<br />

boxes–En<strong>to</strong>urage's Print Preview and, once<br />

I click on OK, the regular Print dialog box.<br />

Is there some way <strong>to</strong> keep En<strong>to</strong>urage from<br />

displaying the preview?–Jack Stephens<br />

Peer in<strong>to</strong> En<strong>to</strong>urage’s File menu, and<br />

you'll see the Print One Copy command<br />

(Command-option-P). This is the key <strong>to</strong><br />

avoiding both the program's Print<br />

Preview and the Mac OS Print dialog<br />

box. The command does exactly what it<br />

suggests–prints one copy of the chosen<br />

message without further interruption.<br />

En<strong>to</strong>urage 2004 kindly does away with<br />

the extra step by placing Print Preview<br />

within Mac OS’s Print dialog box.<br />

[Contributing Edi<strong>to</strong>r Chris<strong>to</strong>pher Breen is also Playlistmag.com’s edi<strong>to</strong>r in chief author of Macworld’s<br />

tips and troubleshooting column, “Mac 911,” as well as Secrets of the iPod: Fifth Edition and Mac 911<br />

(Peachpit Press). Find Chris’ books at www.amazon.com and www.peachpit.com/ Get special user<br />

group pricing on Macworld Magazine! Subscribe <strong>to</strong>day at http://www.macworld.com/useroffer.]<br />

3<br />

There and Back Again<br />

I bought Mac OS X 10.3 <strong>to</strong> upgrade from<br />

Mac OS X 10.2.8 on my PowerBook. I want<br />

<strong>to</strong> remove unwanted partitions, so it must be<br />

a clean installation. But I want <strong>to</strong> preserve<br />

my Mail files, account settings, and junkmail<br />

filters; archive old En<strong>to</strong>urage<br />

messages; and maintain my Network preference<br />

settings. I can s<strong>to</strong>re <strong>this</strong> data on an<br />

expansion hard drive attached <strong>to</strong> my Pismo<br />

PowerBook. What's the best way <strong>to</strong> proceed?<br />

– Clark Peddicord<br />

This kind of installation cries out for<br />

Archive And Install, but you’ll have <strong>to</strong><br />

find another option because you need <strong>to</strong><br />

wipe the drive <strong>to</strong> remove the partitions.<br />

Rather than try <strong>to</strong> back up and res<strong>to</strong>re<br />

these files (and likely run in<strong>to</strong> permission<br />

problems later), do <strong>this</strong>:<br />

Download Mike Bombich’s $5 Carbon<br />

Copy Cloner and clone your current<br />

system <strong>to</strong> the Pismo's expansion drive.<br />

Open the Startup Disk preference pane<br />

and choose that expansion drive as the<br />

startup disk. Once you’ve booted from<br />

the expansion drive, run Disk Utility<br />

and format the internal drive (thus wiping<br />

out its data). Install Panther on the<br />

expansion drive and use the Archive<br />

And Install option. Once you’ve configured<br />

things the way you want them, use<br />

Carbon Copy Cloner <strong>to</strong> clone the<br />

expansion drive <strong>to</strong> the PowerBook’s<br />

freshly scrubbed internal drive.<br />

Tip of the Month: Quiet Down, iPod!<br />

I’ve read descriptions of the mysterious<br />

noise anomalies in some of the new<br />

iPods. The only mystery <strong>to</strong> me is why<br />

Apple claims that it has no clue as <strong>to</strong> the<br />

cause of the problem. The noise is the<br />

result of a simple ground loop that<br />

occurs when the exposed base of some<br />

earphones’ 1/8-inch stereo jacks makes<br />

contact with the metal chassis surrounding<br />

the headphone receptacle on<br />

the <strong>to</strong>p of the iPod.<br />

You can easily–and completely–remedy<br />

the problem by insulating the base of<br />

the earphone jack (that is, wrapping a<br />

small amount of Teflon tape around the<br />

base of the jack) or by purchasing an<br />

inexpensive Radio Shack headphonevolume<br />

controller (its 1/8-inch phono<br />

jack is fully insulated at the base).<br />

– Peter E. Simson


iLife ‘05:<br />

Sloppy Software<br />

By Rich Lenoce<br />

CMC Vice President<br />

Last month I reviewed<br />

what I would call “sloppy<br />

software” from<br />

Apple: iWorks Pages.<br />

This month Apple continues<br />

<strong>to</strong> follow suit with<br />

what should be a stable, bug free and<br />

advanced feature product, iLife ‘05. For<br />

$30 more, that iLife ‘04, we get few<br />

feature additions and plenty of bugs.<br />

Luckily, as I’ve done in the past, before<br />

installing a new version of iLife, I backup<br />

my media libraries and move my<br />

previous version of iLife’s applications,<br />

in <strong>this</strong> case iLife ‘04, in<strong>to</strong> a separate<br />

folder so the old applications don’t get<br />

deleted when the new iLife is installed.<br />

For the first time, I was thankful I <strong>to</strong>ok<br />

these precautions. When you open an<br />

iLife ‘05 application, the newer application<br />

says it will change the iLife ‘04<br />

Library such as the iPho<strong>to</strong> Picture<br />

Library or your iMovie or iDVD project.<br />

You are warned that the library or<br />

project will be updated and will no<br />

longer work with older iLife applications.<br />

This is problematic because if<br />

there are bugs in iLife ‘05 software you<br />

would have no way of recovering old<br />

files or being able <strong>to</strong> run them using the<br />

older applications. Loosing five years<br />

worth of digital pho<strong>to</strong>s and home<br />

movies would be nothing short of devastating<br />

<strong>to</strong> me which is why I take such<br />

precautions. Though iLife ‘05 didn’t<br />

corrupt my media, enough people have<br />

been reporting problems <strong>to</strong> make backing<br />

up your iLife ‘04 libraries and<br />

projects a must. Since the release of<br />

iLife ‘05, Apple has been releasing<br />

updates <strong>to</strong> correct the problems, but<br />

given <strong>this</strong> knowledge, is iLife ‘05 worth<br />

the $79 upgrade price?<br />

iLife and iPho<strong>to</strong><br />

As in the past, Apple focused on one<br />

application in the package <strong>to</strong> introduce<br />

or improve. Last year it was the intro-<br />

duction of Garage Band; <strong>this</strong><br />

year it’s a significant upgrade<br />

<strong>to</strong> iPho<strong>to</strong>. For people who<br />

take lots of digital pho<strong>to</strong>s,<br />

Apple has done an excellent<br />

job in improving sorting,<br />

organizing and editing of digital<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>s.<br />

With iPho<strong>to</strong>, it is now much<br />

easier <strong>to</strong> sort pictures.<br />

Albums can now be grouped<br />

in folders and keywords can be<br />

assigned <strong>to</strong> pictures. There are also new<br />

ways of viewing pho<strong>to</strong>s such as the calendar<br />

view that arranges pictures in a<br />

variety of ways.<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> 5 has taken a whole new<br />

approach <strong>to</strong> image editing, wisely<br />

moving away from au<strong>to</strong>-fixes like<br />

“enhanc,” and instead has added <strong>to</strong>ols<br />

<strong>to</strong> correct common pho<strong>to</strong> problems<br />

such as exposure, color temperature<br />

(white balance), saturation, skewing,<br />

tint and sharpness. Like Pho<strong>to</strong>shop,<br />

Apple includes a His<strong>to</strong>gram for evaluating<br />

and adjusting images. The only<br />

fault is that with the his<strong>to</strong>gram, there is<br />

no way <strong>to</strong> adjust mid-<strong>to</strong>nes, a definite<br />

shortcoming <strong>to</strong> an otherwise excellent<br />

<strong>to</strong>ol set.<br />

Finally, Apple has enhanced its pho<strong>to</strong>finishing<br />

choices with new album<br />

designs including new album sizes and<br />

more economical softcover books.<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong> creation is still buggy and can be<br />

sluggish. Album creation works best<br />

when you use one of the templates, but<br />

the minute you do any cus<strong>to</strong>mization<br />

such as changing a typeface, designs<br />

become misaligned and iPho<strong>to</strong> slows <strong>to</strong><br />

a crawl. The best addition <strong>to</strong> iPho<strong>to</strong><br />

pho<strong>to</strong>finishing is that prices are now<br />

more in-line with other pho<strong>to</strong>finishing<br />

services, starting at just 19 cents for a 4<br />

x 6 print.<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> slide show creation introduces<br />

new transitions and other improvements.<br />

Slide show length can be<br />

matched <strong>to</strong> that of a soundtrack. Finally,<br />

one click of the mouse will send an<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> slide show <strong>to</strong> iDVD for burning.<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> still lacks some important fea-<br />

4<br />

tures. Web publishing is limited <strong>to</strong> the<br />

.Mac service and not <strong>to</strong> other FTP and<br />

WebDAV publishing services.<br />

The Rest of iLife<br />

iMovie and iDVD are the least<br />

improved in iLife ‘05. Unless you have<br />

a $4,000 high definition camcorder,<br />

you’ll have no way of taking advantage<br />

of their most advertised addition: high<br />

definition compatibility. I had some<br />

HDV footage and was able <strong>to</strong> play with<br />

<strong>this</strong> feature and it worked very well, but<br />

its use is very limited considering there<br />

is no high definition DVD standard yet.<br />

Even though you can edit HD, there is<br />

no way <strong>to</strong> output or play DVD footage<br />

except <strong>to</strong> send it back out <strong>to</strong> the camera<br />

and play it back via analog HD <strong>to</strong> a TV.<br />

When HD footage is brought in<strong>to</strong><br />

iDVD, it is down-converted <strong>to</strong> standard<br />

definition.<br />

iDVD offers some new themes that are<br />

both beautiful and more professional<br />

then past themes. Apple is moving<br />

away from the cheesy amateur looks<br />

and going for more useful themes.<br />

DVD cus<strong>to</strong>mization is enhanced by the<br />

addition of a menu play-head that<br />

allows you <strong>to</strong> add menu content at various<br />

points in time.<br />

Apple fixed its most glaring omission <strong>to</strong><br />

past versions of iDVD by adding status<br />

information <strong>to</strong> the encoding and burning<br />

process. You can now see how far<br />

along the DVD creation process is at<br />

any time.<br />

Garage Band has several limited<br />

enhancements including the ability <strong>to</strong><br />

record multiple tracks at once, but<br />

you’ll need an expensive external box<br />

<strong>to</strong> take advantage of <strong>this</strong> feature.<br />

GarageBand can also produce beautiful<br />

musical notations of Midi notes.<br />

Bugs and Annoyances<br />

iLife ‘05 exhibits numerous bugs. Upon<br />

its release, the Apple iLife support<br />

forums were filled with complaints of<br />

destroyed iPho<strong>to</strong> libraries and iMovie<br />

projects. Apple immediately released<br />

fixes but these types of mistakes should<br />

continued on page 5


continued from page 4<br />

never happen, especially with a fifth<br />

generation product. Though iPho<strong>to</strong> 5<br />

now seems solid, I find iMovie 5 quits<br />

often, forcing me <strong>to</strong> re-do project<br />

changes. Apple definitely needs <strong>to</strong> do a<br />

better job of beta testing its software<br />

even if it means releasing the product<br />

less than once a year. For these reasons,<br />

I am for now sticking with iLife ’04, at<br />

least until the Apple Support Forums<br />

show that the major bugs have been<br />

thoroughly eliminated.<br />

One annoying iLife interface issue is<br />

that many of the enhanced features and<br />

interface additions are taking place<br />

through contextual menus otherwise<br />

known as command-clicking. Hidden<br />

features have been added through<br />

option-clicking. Apple is moving<br />

<strong>to</strong>wards <strong>this</strong> interface design strategy in<br />

all of its professional products, such as<br />

Motion and DVD Studio Pro, but fails<br />

<strong>to</strong> mention <strong>this</strong> for iLife and particularly<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong>. Most users therefore miss<br />

some very nice additions <strong>to</strong> the program.<br />

Apple should include better<br />

documentation explaining added features<br />

and where they can be found.<br />

Again, <strong>this</strong> lack of documentation is<br />

just plain sloppy.<br />

Is iLife ‘05 worth $79? Is it worth $30<br />

more than iLife ‘04? The answer is an<br />

unequivocal no! This is the first time I<br />

am not recommending Apple software.<br />

With iLife ‘04, Apple introduced<br />

GarageBand, which alone was worth<br />

$49, and the other iLife apps had very<br />

few bugs. With iLife ’05, it feels like<br />

Apple is using my digital life <strong>to</strong> beta test<br />

their products, and that just isn’t right.<br />

However, for $79, I recommend people<br />

buy the very stable and much improved<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop Elements 3. In fact, iPho<strong>to</strong> 4<br />

will allow you <strong>to</strong> set up a preference<br />

where PS Elements becomes the external<br />

pho<strong>to</strong> edi<strong>to</strong>r for iPho<strong>to</strong>. Apple needs<br />

<strong>to</strong> realize that our commitment and passion<br />

for their products only extends <strong>to</strong><br />

them when they are making good solid,<br />

well-tested products that offer expanded<br />

features and value. As you can tell, I<br />

found iLife ‘05 a big disappointment. apple<br />

Download of the Month: NeoOffice/J<br />

submitted by Debi Foss<br />

http://www.planamesa.com/neojava/en/download.php#download/<br />

You don’t like Microsoft? You can’t<br />

afford Office? Well if you can run OS<br />

X, you are in luck!<br />

NeoOffice/J (J for java, not japanese)<br />

is a full-featured set of office applications<br />

(including word processing,<br />

spreadsheet, presentation, and drawing<br />

programs) for Mac OS X. Based<br />

on the OpenOffice.org office suite,<br />

NeoOffice/J has integrated dozens of<br />

native Mac features and can import,<br />

edit, and exchange files with other<br />

popular office programs such as<br />

MicrosoftTM Office.<br />

Released as free, open-source software<br />

under the GNU General Public<br />

License (GPL), NeoOffice/J is fully<br />

functional and stable enough for<br />

everyday use. The software is actively<br />

developed, so improvements and<br />

5<br />

small updates are made available on a<br />

regular basis, as patches.<br />

It is available for free from the<br />

NeoOffice/J download page.<br />

http://www.planamesa.com/neojava/e<br />

n/download.php#download<br />

To install and run NeoOffice/J 1.1<br />

Beta, you must have the following:<br />

* Mac OS X 10.2 or higher<br />

* 256 MB of memory<br />

* 400 MB of free disk space<br />

Note: Because <strong>this</strong> download is relatively<br />

large, we are<br />

making available a<br />

limited number of<br />

copies on CD. The<br />

cost is $1.00 each.<br />

See Deb Foss at the<br />

meeting <strong>to</strong> obtain one.<br />

Lap<strong>to</strong>p<br />

Batteries<br />

By Chris Hart<br />

CMC Secretary<br />

Due <strong>to</strong> the number<br />

of questions<br />

and complaints<br />

about batteries,<br />

Apple has established a part of their site specifically for addressing questions<br />

and concerns on the <strong>to</strong>pic. Find it at: http://www.apple.com/batteries/<br />

AND THE WINNER IS...<br />

Nancy Zadroga’s name was drawn at<br />

the February meeting, as the winner<br />

of the CMC Member Survey Raffle.<br />

As her prize, Nancy chose $75 worth<br />

of downloadable music from the<br />

iTunes Music S<strong>to</strong>re. Congratulations,<br />

Nancy!<br />

We’re grateful <strong>to</strong> everyone who<br />

participated in the survey!


GarageBand 2.0 Ebooks<br />

Available from TidBITS/Take Control<br />

Submitted by Bob Sawyer<br />

CMC Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Take Control edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

in chief Tonya Engst<br />

describes the first ebook,<br />

“Take Control of Making<br />

Music with GarageBand,”<br />

as follows, “I’ve never been<br />

musically inclined, and Apple’s introduction<br />

of GarageBand made me feel<br />

old and terminally uncool. So when<br />

Seattle musician Jeff Tolbert proposed<br />

writing a Take Control ebook about<br />

GarageBand, I figured that if he could<br />

hook me in<strong>to</strong> using GarageBand, he<br />

could help anyone learn the program.<br />

Amazingly enough, his step-by-step<br />

instructions and linked audio examples<br />

(try that in a paper book!)<br />

allowed even me <strong>to</strong> create a tune that<br />

sounded reminiscent of Pink Floyd<br />

(the height of cool for at least for<br />

some of us who graduated high school<br />

in 1985). Jeff doesn’t s<strong>to</strong>p at helping<br />

beginners, though, and his mix of<br />

music theory and GarageBand knowhow<br />

will also help those with musical<br />

talent and GarageBand experience<br />

make even better songs. Usage tips<br />

and tricks abound, and there’s a nice<br />

section on improving GarageBand’s<br />

performance on older Macs or with<br />

complex songs.”<br />

The second ebook “Take Control of<br />

Recording with GarageBand” (also<br />

Use TV <strong>to</strong> Learn Digital<br />

Camera Menus<br />

Learning <strong>to</strong> use the menu system<br />

on a digital camera can be<br />

difficult because its display is so<br />

small. If your camera has a<br />

video-out port that lets you connect<br />

the camera <strong>to</strong> a TV, you<br />

can use your TV’s much larger<br />

display <strong>to</strong> show your camera’s<br />

menus while you learn how <strong>to</strong><br />

use them. – Brian Rabin<br />

by Jeff Tolbert) picks up where the<br />

first ebook ends, looking at how <strong>to</strong> use<br />

GarageBand <strong>to</strong> create musical compositions<br />

with vocals, drums,<br />

guitars, MIDI keyboards, and even<br />

the kitchen sink! Jeff<br />

shares his GarageBand<br />

know-how and years of<br />

recording experience<br />

<strong>to</strong> help you get the<br />

most out of your existing<br />

gear or purchase<br />

new equipment that<br />

fits your budget and style.<br />

You’ll find real-world recording studio<br />

techniques, learn how <strong>to</strong> use a<br />

microphone effectively, and discover<br />

how <strong>to</strong> apply effects like a pro. Clear<br />

steps and plenty of practical advice<br />

help you plan a recording session,<br />

record multiple tracks at once, and fix<br />

mistakes easily. Two example songs<br />

demonstrate many of the techniques<br />

discussed. Bonus! Linked-in audio<br />

lets you listen <strong>to</strong> examples while you<br />

read about them. Remember us when<br />

you’re famous! Both ebooks have<br />

been comprehensively updated <strong>to</strong><br />

cover GarageBand 2.0, making them<br />

the first books about GarageBand 2.0<br />

available!<br />

Although the usual MUG discount of<br />

10% can be applied <strong>to</strong> the purchase of<br />

these ebooks, anyone wishing <strong>to</strong> buy<br />

both at once should instead use the<br />

Buy Both! but<strong>to</strong>n on either book’s<br />

Web page (URLs below) in order <strong>to</strong><br />

pay only $17.50 ($2.50 savings).<br />

Free PEI Articles Online<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong> Electronic Imaging magazine,<br />

a valuable resource for<br />

people using digital pho<strong>to</strong>graphy,<br />

has ceased publication, so<br />

for a limited time they have<br />

made all of their tu<strong>to</strong>rials and<br />

articles available online for free<br />

at www.peimag.com.<br />

Use DVI with Mac <strong>Mini</strong><br />

The Mac <strong>Mini</strong>’s analog video<br />

signal is <strong>to</strong>o weak for many<br />

low-cost VGA displays, resulting<br />

in a dull or washed-out look<br />

6<br />

on screen. A high-quality display<br />

may compensate for <strong>this</strong>,<br />

but we recommend using a display<br />

with a DVI (Digital Video<br />

Interface) input instead. The<br />

Mac <strong>Mini</strong>’s DVI signal is much<br />

stronger than its analog signal,<br />

resulting in a sharper, brighter<br />

image.<br />

PowerBook Battery Tip<br />

If you always or almost always<br />

plug your PowerBook in<strong>to</strong> an<br />

AC outlet while you work, the<br />

battery doesn’t discharge, re-<br />

“Take Control of Making Music with<br />

GarageBand” version 2.0<br />

by Jeff Tolbert<br />

http://www.tidbits.com/takecontrol/<br />

garageband-music.html/<br />

PDF format, 85 pages, free 27-page<br />

sample available Publication date:<br />

February 24, 2005 Price: $10.00<br />

“Take Control of Recording Music<br />

with GarageBand” version 2.0<br />

by Jeff Tolbert<br />

http://www.tidbits.com/takecontrol/<br />

garageband-recording.html/<br />

PDF format, 109 pages, free 37-page<br />

sample available Publication date:<br />

February 24, 2005 Price: $10.00 apple<br />

Here’s a sample of what is available:<br />

• Mac OS X Backups • Your AirPort Network<br />

• Sharing Files in Panther • Cus<strong>to</strong>mizing Panther<br />

• Users/Accounts in Panther • Upgrading <strong>to</strong> Panther<br />

• Email with Apple Mail • Spam with Apple Mail<br />

• What's New in Word 2004 • Buying a Mac<br />

• Buying a Digital Camera • And Many More Titles!<br />

ducing the battery’s lifespan.<br />

To avoid <strong>this</strong>, about once a<br />

month unplug your Power<br />

Book from the AC outlet and<br />

work from your PowerBook’s<br />

battery. Let it drain until your<br />

Mac puts itself <strong>to</strong> sleep<br />

because of a drained battery,<br />

and then plug it back in<strong>to</strong> the<br />

wall <strong>to</strong> recharge the battery<br />

again. Macworld 11/04.<br />

Reprinted with permission<br />

from Design Tools Monthly,<br />

March 2005 issue #150<br />

www.design-<strong>to</strong>ols.com


MacBasics 5:<br />

Calibrating your moni<strong>to</strong>r<br />

<strong>From</strong> Web Watch - 1/23/05,<br />

compiled by The MUG Center<br />

http://www.mugcenter.com<br />

By Don Foy<br />

Know how <strong>to</strong> calibrate<br />

your moni<strong>to</strong>r? Know why<br />

you should? First the why,<br />

then the how.<br />

You should calibrate your<br />

moni<strong>to</strong>r because every<br />

moni<strong>to</strong>r is different, even<br />

those from the same manufacturer.<br />

Using the<br />

built-in <strong>to</strong>ols in Mac OS<br />

X, you can help your display<br />

render color more<br />

accurately and may be<br />

able <strong>to</strong> extend the life of<br />

your CRT (tube), or your<br />

LCD screen.<br />

This is because most displays<br />

are shipped from the<br />

fac<strong>to</strong>ry tuned <strong>to</strong> their<br />

brightest setting. This may<br />

look great when you<br />

power it up, but it if you<br />

use your Mac in low light<br />

situations, it could make it<br />

hard on your eyes. There<br />

are some who say that displays<br />

last longer when<br />

they are not turned up the<br />

their brightest settings.<br />

And it makes it hard for<br />

you <strong>to</strong> see your work similar<br />

<strong>to</strong> what it will look<br />

like when printed.<br />

Back in the olden days<br />

(you know, 1993), display<br />

calibration was next <strong>to</strong> impossible<br />

without spending a whole lot of money<br />

and buying professional equipment.<br />

Even <strong>to</strong>day professional calibration<br />

equipment is available, but is really<br />

only needed by imaging professionals.<br />

But Apple has provided built-in <strong>to</strong>ols<br />

in OS X that will help you get your<br />

display in calibration. It’s not perfect,<br />

in fact, it is very subjective, but you<br />

can’t beat the price.<br />

Now, the how. Go <strong>to</strong> the Apple Menu<br />

and pull down <strong>to</strong> System Preferences.<br />

When the window opens, look for the<br />

Displays panel. In the<br />

displays panel, there<br />

are two tabs, Display<br />

and Color if you have<br />

a portable. A desk<strong>to</strong>p<br />

adds Geometry. If<br />

your image on your<br />

CRT is crooked or a<br />

little small for the<br />

window or tilted<br />

funny, Go <strong>to</strong><br />

Geometry and adjust<br />

that. You can always<br />

go back <strong>to</strong> the fac<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

default if you mess it<br />

up <strong>to</strong>o badly.<br />

To calibrate the display,<br />

click on Color.<br />

The Color tab shows<br />

the display profile<br />

options available for<br />

your display. I’m<br />

writing <strong>this</strong> on a<br />

PowerBook G4, so<br />

the profile options are<br />

LCD display, sRGB<br />

and Generic RGB. I<br />

chose LCD display.<br />

This way, the system<br />

knows what kind of<br />

display you have. If<br />

you have a Samsung<br />

flat-panel display or a<br />

Sony Trinitron CRT<br />

or whatever, look for<br />

your display in the<br />

list. If it is not there,<br />

select Generic RGB.<br />

Next, click the calibrate but<strong>to</strong>n. At <strong>this</strong><br />

point, you should see the Display<br />

Calibra<strong>to</strong>r Assistant. The procedure is<br />

self-explana<strong>to</strong>ry from <strong>this</strong> point. There<br />

is a check box <strong>to</strong> turn on expert<br />

options. I usually check it. You can try<br />

it without checking the box, or with<br />

the box checked. Either way, if you<br />

7<br />

don’t like the results, you can just run<br />

the Assistant again.<br />

Do the adjustments it asks you <strong>to</strong> do.<br />

Just do your best. There really is no<br />

correct answer. When you get <strong>to</strong> the<br />

Target White Point panel, <strong>this</strong> is where<br />

you can really make a difference. I<br />

work at a newspaper, using Pho<strong>to</strong>shop<br />

<strong>to</strong> adjust pho<strong>to</strong>graphs sometimes. So I<br />

set my target white point very warm,<br />

which is <strong>to</strong> the left side, somewhere<br />

around 5,000. Most CRTs will have <strong>to</strong><br />

be set manually because the native<br />

white point will be 9,300. For LCDs,<br />

the native white point will be about<br />

6,500. I keep my general use CRTs set<br />

about 6,500 as well. You may like<br />

yours set at 9,300. Hey, it’s your CRT;<br />

you can leave it that way if you like it<br />

that way. I find it <strong>to</strong>o bright for my<br />

taste.<br />

In the next panel, check the box next <strong>to</strong><br />

“Allow other users <strong>to</strong> use <strong>this</strong> calibration.”<br />

In the next panel, give your<br />

calibration a name. The default name<br />

usually works.<br />

Once you have saved the calibration,<br />

that name now appears in the Display<br />

Profile Options window in the Color<br />

panel of the Displays pref panel. You<br />

can select it <strong>to</strong> see the difference<br />

between the fac<strong>to</strong>ry setting and your<br />

new calibration. If you have multiple<br />

users on the machine, each one can<br />

have his own display prefs and his own<br />

calibration.<br />

Ultimately, it’s up <strong>to</strong> you <strong>to</strong> decide<br />

whether you like the calibration better<br />

or if you like the default settings. You<br />

are the one who has <strong>to</strong> look at the display.<br />

apple<br />

Don Foy is a past president and current<br />

Apple ambassador for the Upper<br />

Cumberland Macin<strong>to</strong>sh User Group in<br />

Cookeville, Tennessee. He is also a<br />

former newspaper reporter who has<br />

been fixing Macs for 13 years. His first<br />

Mac was a Mac Plus maxed out with<br />

4MB of RAM and a 17MB hard drive.


Yes, I want <strong>to</strong> join CMC<br />

Benefits:<br />

Monthly meetings, monthly newsletter, special<br />

events, discounted books, assistance with computer<br />

problem, network with other Mac users,<br />

User Group S<strong>to</strong>re discounts, and more.<br />

Date ______________________________<br />

Name _____________________________<br />

Address ___________________________<br />

City ______________________________<br />

State________ Zip __________________<br />

Phone (Home) ______________________<br />

Phone (Office) ______________________<br />

Phone (Fax) ________________________<br />

Business___________________________<br />

Occupation_________________________<br />

Email:_____________________________<br />

Referred by:________________________<br />

Areas of special interest: ______________<br />

__________________________________<br />

__________________________________<br />

__________________________________<br />

Annual CMC Family<br />

Membership - $25.00<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC and<br />

mail <strong>to</strong>:<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza, PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

...or<br />

pay online with PayPal at<br />

www.ctmac.org<br />

The Skype’s the Limit<br />

By Charles Wu, NCMUG<br />

Voice over IP, VOIP,<br />

Internet telephony.<br />

These are a few of<br />

the words describing<br />

the latest and greatest<br />

application of the Internet, talking on the<br />

phone. Phone companies such as AT&T,<br />

Vonage and Packet 8 have products that let<br />

you use your regular phone over the<br />

Internet with hardware that connects <strong>to</strong><br />

your broadband. There are many ways<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh users can make phone calls<br />

over the Internet with software alone.<br />

Before we get <strong>to</strong> how <strong>to</strong> make Internet<br />

phone calls, we’ll answer the question<br />

why would I want <strong>to</strong> use my Mac <strong>to</strong> make<br />

phone calls? The first answer is that it can<br />

save you money, especially if you make a<br />

lot of international long distance calls. But<br />

a more interesting answer is that there are<br />

a lot of new features that come with<br />

Internet phone calling.<br />

The first Internet phone application is<br />

iChat, included on every new Mac, it<br />

allows you <strong>to</strong> text, voice or video chat with<br />

other Macin<strong>to</strong>sh users. It is an excellent<br />

way <strong>to</strong> see how the Internet can improve<br />

how people communicate with each other.<br />

The problem is that it only works with<br />

other Mac users, and we have <strong>to</strong> get better<br />

at playing well with others. There is a free<br />

program called Skype that does just that.<br />

Skype is an Internet telephony program<br />

from the crea<strong>to</strong>rs of the peer <strong>to</strong> peer program<br />

Kazaa that is available for Windows,<br />

Linux and Mac. It does everything that<br />

iChat does but it also allows you <strong>to</strong> make<br />

computer <strong>to</strong> computer voice calls whether<br />

they use a Mac or not. It also does something<br />

else, it can make calls <strong>to</strong> almost any<br />

phone in the world through a pay service<br />

they offer called SkypeOut.To get started,<br />

download Skype from their website at<br />

www.skype.com. Installation is very simple,<br />

simply dragging it <strong>to</strong> your applications<br />

program and you’re done. Skype is continually<br />

improving so it is a good idea <strong>to</strong> visit<br />

back every so often <strong>to</strong> download the latest<br />

version. Launch Skype and create an<br />

account, <strong>this</strong> is the same process as any<br />

8<br />

other IM service, and you can use Skype<br />

for IM if you want. Install a microphone<br />

and speakers and you are ready<br />

<strong>to</strong> chat with others. If<br />

you want <strong>to</strong> make calls<br />

from your computer <strong>to</strong><br />

a regular phone, visit<br />

the Skype web site and<br />

purchase SkypeOut credits in 10 Euro<br />

increments using your credit card. Skype<br />

doesn’t support US Dollars, and while the<br />

Euro is very strong their rate is still very<br />

good. Once you have done <strong>this</strong>, you can<br />

call almost anywhere by typing in the<br />

phone number using the country code +<br />

city code + number <strong>to</strong> make a phone call.<br />

You’ll be talking in<strong>to</strong> your computer. The<br />

cost is usually 0.02 - 0.03 Euros per<br />

minute depending on where in the world<br />

you are calling.<br />

Now in addition <strong>to</strong> making “phone” calls,<br />

Skype has very good conference call capabilities.<br />

Allowing you <strong>to</strong> be able <strong>to</strong> have up<br />

<strong>to</strong> four lines <strong>to</strong> talk simultaneously. Even<br />

with multiple SkypeOut calls it is much<br />

cheaper and easier than using commercial<br />

conference bridge services for small<br />

groups. If you want <strong>to</strong> take advantage of<br />

your home’s phone extensions, you can<br />

create a conference call between your<br />

house phone and the number you want <strong>to</strong><br />

dial. Another neat application with Skype<br />

is for people who work collaboratively on<br />

extended projects, it’s possible <strong>to</strong> keep a<br />

computer <strong>to</strong> computer “phone” line up for<br />

multiple hours without charge and be able<br />

<strong>to</strong> ask, informal questions without the<br />

necessity <strong>to</strong> make a phone call. A virtual<br />

officemate.<br />

Skype is not without its limitations. Much<br />

of the quality of the call is a function of<br />

your microphone; my tests reveal that my<br />

Powerbook’s internal microphone is sufficient<br />

for computer calls, but when using<br />

SkypeOut an external microphone<br />

improves clarity considerably. Lastly,<br />

Skype calls seem <strong>to</strong> be inconsistent using<br />

WiFi; for best results it’s best <strong>to</strong> be wired<br />

directly in<strong>to</strong> your broadband connection.Despite<br />

these limitations, Skype’s<br />

quality of calls and its flexibility means it’s<br />

easier than ever <strong>to</strong> “reach out and <strong>to</strong>uch<br />

someone” with your Mac. apple


Special Offers – Apple User Group Bulletin<br />

These User Group discounts are<br />

brought <strong>to</strong> you by the Apple User<br />

Group Advisory Board. You must be a<br />

current Apple user group member <strong>to</strong><br />

qualify for these savings. Not a member?<br />

Join CMC <strong>to</strong>day <strong>to</strong> take<br />

advantage of these special offers. Get<br />

a complete list of all current deals at:<br />

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Bored with the traditional pho<strong>to</strong>-bypho<strong>to</strong><br />

slideshow? With Pho<strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong><br />

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turn a digital pho<strong>to</strong> collection of one<br />

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Savings at Roxio.com<br />

Save 20 <strong>to</strong> 30 percent on Roxio downloadable<br />

software only at Roxio.com.<br />

Download Toast 6 Titanium, Toast<br />

with Jam 6, Jam 6 Upgrade and<br />

Popcorn, winner of Best of Show<br />

Macworld SF 2005. Download and<br />

save. http://www.roxio.com/macusergroup/<br />

This U.S. only offer is valid<br />

until April 30, 2005.<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re is a benefit for you<br />

AND CMC. Your user group gets one<br />

percent back on everything you purchase<br />

from the MUG S<strong>to</strong>re – which<br />

means that if you and your fellow members<br />

buy from the MUG S<strong>to</strong>re, your<br />

user group can get everything from software<br />

<strong>to</strong> new computers for FREE!<br />

The MUG s<strong>to</strong>re has free freight, RAM<br />

rebates, aggressive pricing on new<br />

and pre-owned Macs and great closeout<br />

deals.<br />

http://www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

This offer is available <strong>to</strong> members of<br />

U.S. user groups. For information<br />

about vendor offers and more visit:<br />

http://homepage.mac.com/ugab/offers.<br />

html<br />

www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

User ID and Password<br />

12/1/2004 - 3/30/2005<br />

User ID: xxxx (lowercase)<br />

Password: xxx (lowercase)<br />

See all current deals at:<br />

www.mugcenter.com/<br />

vendornews/vendornews.html


President Don Dickey<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

PR Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r/Auction Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org 860-678-8622<br />

Download of the Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org 860-583-1165<br />

2004-2005 CMC Officers and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

Vice President Rich Lenoce<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

Past President/Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org 860-485-1547<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org (860) 668-8728<br />

Special Events Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

Caricatures by Bill Dougal of Lebanon, (860) 456-9041. Available for illustration assignments and event caricatures.<br />

10<br />

Secretary Chris Hart<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Treasurer David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Newsletter Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org 860-561-0319<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org 860-677-7787<br />

Parlimentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian Connie Scott<br />

parlimentarian@ctmac.org 860-584-9573


CMC Monthly Meeting Discounted Books! FREE Raffle!<br />

March 30 • 7:00 PM<br />

The Macin<strong>to</strong>sh in Astronomy<br />

Presenter: John Pellino<br />

Special Location: TALCOTT<br />

MOUNTAIN SCIENCE CENTER<br />

We all know Macs are used for creating digital<br />

media and in business but did you know<br />

Macs play a leading role in Astronomy? The<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh’s imaging power and sophistication<br />

are used by thousands of backyard and<br />

professional astronomers. The people at the<br />

Talcott Mountain Science Center will walk<br />

us through connecting and using<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh computers <strong>to</strong> home telescopes<br />

and all of the things you can do with it.<br />

Hopefully the night will be clear!<br />

DIRECTIONS FROM I-84 EAST<br />

Take Exit 43 “West Harford Center” and<br />

turn left on<strong>to</strong> Park Road. Park becomes<br />

Sedgwick, and sweeps right and becomes<br />

Mountain Road. Follow Mountain Road<br />

<strong>to</strong> the intersection with Rt 44 (4.5 miles<br />

from the exit). Take a left on<strong>to</strong> Rt 44. Go 2<br />

miles, and take a right on<strong>to</strong> Montevideo<br />

Road. Go in 1.5 miles. The entrance is on<br />

the right and the administration building<br />

is the first building on your left.<br />

DIRECTIONS FROM I-84 WEST<br />

Take Exit 39 “Rt 4 Farming<strong>to</strong>n” and stay<br />

on the connec<strong>to</strong>r <strong>to</strong> the center of<br />

Farming<strong>to</strong>n. Take a right on<strong>to</strong> Rt 10<br />

North. Follow Rt 10 North for approx. 6<br />

miles and take a right on<strong>to</strong> Rt 44 East. Go<br />

1 mile, take a left on<strong>to</strong> Montevideo Road.<br />

Go 1.5 miles. The entrance is on the right<br />

and the administration building is the first<br />

building on your left.<br />

CARPOOLING: We will meet in the parking<br />

lot at Crossroads Plaza (directly<br />

opposite the Bishops Corner Branch<br />

Library lot) and will leave at 6:30 pm.<br />

Back To Basics<br />

There is no session <strong>this</strong> month.<br />

Look forward <strong>to</strong> its return in April.<br />

April 27 • 7:00 PM – iDVD<br />

Presenter: Rich Lenoce<br />

CMC continues <strong>to</strong> offer our current<br />

members the opportunity <strong>to</strong><br />

purchase any published book for<br />

either Mac or Windows at a 20%<br />

discount. All major publishers are<br />

carried by our source.<br />

Contact a Board Member or send<br />

an email <strong>to</strong> booksales@ctmac.org.<br />

Provide the book title, the publisher<br />

and the ISBN number, if<br />

possible, and he will check on its<br />

availability. Normally, the wait is<br />

not <strong>to</strong>o long.<br />

SPECIAL<br />

NOTICE!<br />

Changes regarding<br />

access <strong>to</strong> the<br />

CMC website:<br />

www.ctmac.org<br />

• Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number<br />

(for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

• CMC Web site username<br />

and password<br />

...are now located on your<br />

newsletter mailing label.<br />

Please make a<br />

note of it NOW!<br />

CMC Elections<br />

The members of the 2005<br />

Nominating Committee are<br />

Connie Scott and Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong>.<br />

President, Vice President,<br />

Secretary and Treasurer positions<br />

will be voted on at the May general<br />

meeting. Anyone interested in<br />

running for any of these positions<br />

should contact Connie Scott<br />

parliamentarian@ctmac.org or<br />

Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong> pr@ctmac.org, or<br />

speak with either Connie or Jerry<br />

at any general meeting.<br />

11<br />

Every CMC member who attends our<br />

monthly meetings gets a raffle ticket.<br />

This will give you a chance for one of<br />

our free prizes every month! You<br />

could win…t-shirts, <strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs,<br />

software …there’s always something<br />

we’re giving away! And don’t forget<br />

the Free table at the back of the room<br />

where everything is...FREE!<br />

Treasurer’s Report<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members! Have your<br />

friends and co-workers join us for fun and<br />

learning about OSX and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 128<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance ..............$1541.76<br />

Savings Balance ................$3967.61<br />

Balances as of March 3, 2005<br />

FREE Classified Ads<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using<br />

or upgrading. This is a FREE<br />

service provided <strong>to</strong> our members.<br />

Send submissions via email <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

Display Ad Rates<br />

Any business items or services can<br />

be advertised at the low monthly rates<br />

listed below.<br />

Business Card ...................$10.00<br />

Quarter Page.....................$20.00<br />

Half Page.........................$30.00<br />

Full Page (or insert) ............$50.00<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a disk<br />

(with nothing else on it) or e-mail it <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org for insertion in the<br />

following issue. Display ads must be<br />

submitted camera-ready in eps or pdf format<br />

with all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

March 30 • 7 PM<br />

The Macin<strong>to</strong>sh in Astronomy<br />

Presenter: John Pellino<br />

Special Location:<br />

TALCOTT MOUNTAIN<br />

SCIENCE CENTER<br />

(carpool info and directions on page 11)<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

a PDF document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center is<br />

available on our website: www.ctmac.org. Print and take it with you <strong>to</strong> find us easily!<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on programs<br />

require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College in Middle<strong>to</strong>wn.<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UCHC, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West,<br />

Exit 39 is after 39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong><br />

Route 4 East (Farming<strong>to</strong>n Avenue). At third traffic light, turn<br />

right <strong>to</strong> enter the Health Center campus. Go around the main<br />

building <strong>to</strong> the right (at a Y in road), then take a left when<br />

you get <strong>to</strong> the Academic Entrance. The road becomes twoway<br />

there so you should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn. (Do<br />

not go on straight <strong>to</strong> the two-way part). Then take the second<br />

right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go<br />

past the police station entrance on your left (small sign). You<br />

will see a continuation of the building with its own entrance<br />

area. This is the new research building. Enter on the ground<br />

floor, turn right and enter room EG-013 on your right. This<br />

is the first room on your right. The rest rooms are on your<br />

left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> Middlesex C.C.<br />

<strong>From</strong> the Hartford area, take Route 9 South. A few<br />

miles south of down<strong>to</strong>wn Middle<strong>to</strong>wn on Route 9, take<br />

Exit 11 (Rt. 155, Randolph Road). At the end of the<br />

ramp (for both N. & S. bound), turn right on<strong>to</strong><br />

Randolph Road. Continue <strong>to</strong> the traffic light at the <strong>to</strong>p<br />

of the hill and turn left on<strong>to</strong> Saybrook Road. Go a quarter<br />

of a mile and turn right on<strong>to</strong> Reservoir Road. Travel<br />

past the s<strong>to</strong>p sign, then take the first right on<strong>to</strong> Training<br />

Hill Road. Your first left will lead in<strong>to</strong> the Middlesex<br />

Community College Campus parking area. When you<br />

arrive on campus, take a right on<strong>to</strong> Training Hill Road.<br />

Go <strong>to</strong> the second parking lot entrance and take a left<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the upper lot. Directly in front of you will be Snow<br />

Hall. Enter Snow Hall and go up the stairs <strong>to</strong> the 2nd<br />

floor and go <strong>to</strong> the last room on the right, Room 509.


NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. APRIL 2005<br />

Just Out Of The Box<br />

By Don Dickey,<br />

CMC president<br />

You just arrived home with<br />

a brand new Mac. What’s<br />

next? Read on <strong>to</strong> find out<br />

where you should start and<br />

what you should do.<br />

The first step must be completed<br />

before you break the<br />

seal on the box! Call at least one trusted<br />

Mac friend, hopefully a “guru,” <strong>to</strong><br />

share the info of your recent purchase.<br />

Questions you should ask include “Did<br />

I get a good deal?” and “Did I purchase<br />

the right machine for my needs?” Once<br />

you break the seal, a healthy res<strong>to</strong>cking<br />

fee applies <strong>to</strong> most returns <strong>to</strong> the Apple<br />

S<strong>to</strong>re. You can usually avoid <strong>this</strong> fee by<br />

returning unopened computers within<br />

the allowable time frame (usually two<br />

weeks).<br />

Too many times I’ve learned about<br />

friends and family who bought a Mac<br />

and later learned they could have gotten<br />

an educational discount, should have<br />

cus<strong>to</strong>m ordered their machine with more<br />

RAM, or should have bought a completely<br />

different model for their needs.<br />

Now that you’ve confirmed you got the<br />

right machine at a fair price, go ahead<br />

and open the box. Be careful <strong>to</strong> save<br />

everything, including the box and packing<br />

materials, just in case your machine<br />

is DOA (dead on arrival) or fails during<br />

the first two weeks. I’ve seen hard<br />

drives die on brand new computers.<br />

They seem <strong>to</strong> last either a few days or a<br />

few years, and in most cases, fortunately,<br />

the latter is true.<br />

Once you’ve plugged in your keyboard,<br />

mouse, moni<strong>to</strong>r (if not built<br />

in), and power cord, it’s time <strong>to</strong> fire<br />

it up. When it asks you <strong>to</strong> create<br />

an Apple ID choose <strong>to</strong><br />

skip <strong>this</strong> step. Similarly,<br />

when you get <strong>to</strong> the screen<br />

when it asks you for your<br />

name, address, and other<br />

contact info, you should type<br />

in your first name only. Then,<br />

hold down the Command<br />

(Apple) key and press Q (for<br />

Quit). Choose Skip from the dialog box<br />

that pops up. Do not enter a password<br />

when asked; just leave that field blank<br />

for now.<br />

The next step involves a brief “kicking<br />

of the tires.” Just poke around and see<br />

what’s installed on the hard drive. Try a<br />

few programs and experiment with<br />

your new Mac <strong>to</strong> become familiar with<br />

it. Don’t go <strong>to</strong>o far, however, as the next<br />

step erases everything you’ve done!<br />

That’s right, the next step is <strong>to</strong> erase the<br />

hard drive and reinstall everything!<br />

Why? Because default installations of<br />

OS X that Apple ships include <strong>to</strong>ns of<br />

stuff you don’t need. They’ve thrown in<br />

drivers for all makes and models of<br />

printers, fonts for Asian languages, and<br />

lots of other stuff you’ll never use. This<br />

excess baggage can be easily eliminated<br />

on Day One by doing a cus<strong>to</strong>m<br />

reinstall of OS X.<br />

To proceed, insert the OS X Install DVD<br />

(or first Install CD) and double-click the<br />

installer. This will reboot your new Mac<br />

off the disc and start the installer. Click<br />

the lower left Options but<strong>to</strong>n <strong>to</strong> choose<br />

an installation type <strong>to</strong> “Erase the Hard<br />

Drive Before Installing.” Be sure <strong>to</strong><br />

1<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

April 27 • 7 PM<br />

iDVD<br />

Presenter: Rich Lenoce<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

Room EG-013<br />

Back To Basics – 6 PM<br />

(See info on page 11)<br />

select a disk format type of Mac OS<br />

Extended and not Unix.<br />

At the next screen, click the Cus<strong>to</strong>mize<br />

but<strong>to</strong>n. You can safely uncheck Extra<br />

Speech Voices, Asian fonts, foreign languages,<br />

and printer drivers for brands<br />

other than the printer(s) you have. My<br />

choice is <strong>to</strong> turn off all the printer drivers.<br />

Once OS X is installed, you can<br />

download and install the latest driver<br />

for the printer(s) you have (instead of<br />

letting Apple install drivers for all<br />

Epson’s printers, for instance).<br />

You can also uncheck applications you<br />

don’t want or need. Programs like<br />

iDVD and GarageBand take up gigabytes<br />

of space and you can skip either<br />

or both of them if you don’t plan on<br />

using them on <strong>this</strong> computer.<br />

You should install the BSD subsystem,<br />

however. Turning <strong>this</strong> off can prevent<br />

other programs from running correctly<br />

later on. I found out when I skipped it<br />

on my PowerBook and later had trouble<br />

with Acrobat. Installing the BSD subsystem<br />

fixed my Acrobat problem!<br />

Some models such as the new <strong>Mini</strong><br />

include AppleWorks as part of the system<br />

install DVD. I was surprised <strong>to</strong> find<br />

Continued on page 2<br />

Just Out of the Box.............................. 1<br />

Review: Magic Bullet Edi<strong>to</strong>r ............... 3<br />

Mac 911 Help Desk..............................4<br />

Recycle That Computer........................5<br />

Selecting Safe Passwords .....................6<br />

Review: Akvis Re<strong>to</strong>ucher..................... 8<br />

MUG Special Offers.............................9<br />

Meetings and Club News ...................11


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Content Contribu<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Don Dickey<br />

Contributing Author<br />

Rich Lenoce<br />

Chris Hart<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

John Scott<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions<br />

from members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

Continued from page 1<br />

it was not selected by default, so if you<br />

want AppleWorks you’ll need <strong>to</strong> check<br />

it’s box yourself<br />

Once the installer is running, go have a<br />

coffee and relax for a few minutes.<br />

There’s nothing <strong>to</strong> worry about. If you<br />

forgot something, you can rerun the<br />

installer or manually install most components<br />

later.<br />

After the installer completes and your<br />

computer boots back up in OS X,<br />

you’re probably almost back <strong>to</strong> where<br />

you were when you powered up the<br />

first time. This time you can create the<br />

Apple ID if you want or skip it.<br />

Similarly, you can fill out your personal<br />

info or skip it as before. The choice is<br />

yours as <strong>to</strong> how much info you want <strong>to</strong><br />

share with the mothership.<br />

Likewise, the choice is yours whether<br />

you protect your Mac with a password.<br />

Just remember that if you do, you’ll<br />

have <strong>to</strong> type it in every time you log on<br />

or run an installer.<br />

With your OS installed, you should use<br />

the Res<strong>to</strong>re Disc <strong>to</strong> reinstall optional<br />

components you might want such as<br />

Classic Mode (OS9).<br />

If you have another Mac, current releases<br />

of OS X installed on new Macs<br />

include a feature that can transfer your<br />

old data and applications au<strong>to</strong>matically.<br />

You’ll need a FireWire cable between<br />

the two machines <strong>to</strong> use <strong>this</strong> feature. If<br />

you don’t have one, you should buy or<br />

borrow one before going <strong>to</strong>o far with<br />

the setup process as it could save you<br />

some time and steps.<br />

If you have broadband Internet access,<br />

you should set up your network next.<br />

This may be au<strong>to</strong>matic with some systems<br />

such as cable modems. If you<br />

have a cable modem connected directly<br />

<strong>to</strong> your computer via Ethernet, you<br />

should power cycle the modem for it <strong>to</strong><br />

“handshake” with your new machine. If<br />

it doesn’t have a switch just unplug it’s<br />

power cord and plug it back in.<br />

2<br />

AOL members will have <strong>to</strong> install that<br />

software from a CD as Apple no longer<br />

pre-installs AOL. If you don’t have an<br />

AOL CD, I’ve seen them at local post<br />

offices, supermarkets, and books<strong>to</strong>res.<br />

Verify your Internet access is working<br />

by launching Apple’s Safari web<br />

browser from the Dock at the bot<strong>to</strong>m of<br />

your screen. If you’re online, the next<br />

step is <strong>to</strong> update your software. <strong>From</strong><br />

the Apple Menu choose Software<br />

Update. Any updates that were released<br />

since your OS X discs were created will<br />

show up here. TIP: A call <strong>to</strong> your<br />

favorite “guru” might save you from<br />

installing an update you don’t need or<br />

shouldn’t run. It is very important that<br />

any update process be allowed <strong>to</strong> complete<br />

before powering down your<br />

computer! Pulling the plug during an<br />

update might leave you with an unstable<br />

or unbootable computer.<br />

Finally, once you’re online and updated,<br />

you can configure Apple’s Mail (or<br />

your favorite email program) with your<br />

address and server info. Earthlink<br />

members can use their TotalAccess<br />

software <strong>to</strong> help with <strong>this</strong> step.<br />

You can also run through the various<br />

Control Panels in System Preferences<br />

and change the settings <strong>to</strong> suit your<br />

needs. If your system goes <strong>to</strong> sleep<br />

every time you answer the phone or<br />

your mouse isn’t responsive enough,<br />

<strong>this</strong> is where you adjust such things.<br />

Lastly, install applications and hardware<br />

drivers. You should check<br />

manufacturers’ web sites for updates or<br />

current versions of software and drivers.<br />

Examples include scanners and<br />

printers that shipped with drivers for<br />

Jaguar (OS X version 10.2.x) and need<br />

new drivers for Panther (10.3.x).<br />

Fortunately, your digital camera will<br />

probably work with Apple’s iPho<strong>to</strong><br />

without even needing <strong>to</strong> install a driver!<br />

I hope <strong>this</strong> article helped maximize your<br />

“out of the box” experience. Now it’s<br />

time <strong>to</strong> have fun with your new Mac! apple


Software Review:<br />

Magic Bullet Edi<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

from Red Giant Software<br />

By Rich Lenoce<br />

CMC Vice President<br />

There are very few pieces of<br />

software that I give a WOW<br />

award <strong>to</strong>. Let’s face it, there’s<br />

lots of good freeware and shareware<br />

out there, so <strong>to</strong> me, laying out<br />

big cash for expensive software<br />

means it not only needs <strong>to</strong> be good, it<br />

needs <strong>to</strong> make me say WOW! Magic<br />

Bullet for Edi<strong>to</strong>rs (List $299) is one<br />

that I’d call WOW software.<br />

Magic Bullet Edi<strong>to</strong>rs is a Final Cut<br />

Pro plug-in that gives videos a film<br />

look. There are many parameters you<br />

can adjust <strong>to</strong> give your video the look<br />

of new or old film. Not only does<br />

Magic Bullet add film-like qualities <strong>to</strong><br />

video such as grain, soft edges and a<br />

more film-like gamma, its true power<br />

comes from the 50 presets that can<br />

make clips within your video or your<br />

entire video look like a specific film.<br />

Remember the bright yellow desert<br />

scenes in Traffic? Or the beautiful<br />

greens and reds from Amalie? The<br />

washed look of The Matrix? The silver<br />

sheen of Gladia<strong>to</strong>r? There are<br />

presets <strong>to</strong> make your video have the<br />

same look as these and 45 other films.<br />

You can adjust these presets <strong>to</strong> your<br />

liking using dozens of parameters.<br />

Magic Bullet truly duplicates the look<br />

of a Hollywood film setting it apart<br />

from any other software.<br />

The software is easy <strong>to</strong> install and use.<br />

Run the installer, type in the serial<br />

number and files are placed in FCP<br />

plug-ins folder.<br />

A Final Cut file comes with the<br />

installer that provides the Magic<br />

Bullet “Looks” Presets. When you are<br />

ready <strong>to</strong> add your Magic Bullet clips<br />

<strong>to</strong> your project, simply double click<br />

the file while your FCP project is<br />

open and the Magic Bullet “Looks”<br />

preset palette will open. Drag your fil-<br />

ter selection <strong>to</strong> the clip<br />

that you’d like <strong>to</strong> add<br />

the preset <strong>to</strong> and render.<br />

You’re done. It’s<br />

that easy. If you don’t<br />

like the look, you can<br />

Undo or adjust the<br />

many parameters. I<br />

found some of the<br />

looks a little overdone<br />

for what I needed, but<br />

by adjusting a few of the filter parameters<br />

I was able <strong>to</strong> give my clips a<br />

more subtle but still effective “look.”<br />

Magic Bullet can also make video<br />

look like old film. Many companies<br />

offer <strong>to</strong>ols that add random grain and<br />

scratches <strong>to</strong> video. Magic Bullet’s is<br />

the first product that looks convincing<br />

because it makes the entire frame look<br />

like film, not video, and applies the<br />

scratches and dust <strong>to</strong> that look. Magic<br />

Bullet also does an excellent job of<br />

converting color video <strong>to</strong> a black and<br />

white film look.<br />

The downside of Magic Bullet Edi<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

is its slow render times. To apply<br />

these complex filters Magic Bullet<br />

needs <strong>to</strong> render each pixel of each<br />

frame with these very extensive<br />

parameters <strong>to</strong> give the appearance of<br />

film. Depending on the look needed,<br />

clips were taking hours <strong>to</strong> render on<br />

my dual 2.0 ghz G5. You can preview<br />

the Magic Bullet look prior <strong>to</strong> output,<br />

but expect long wait times <strong>to</strong> see the<br />

final results.<br />

So, s<strong>to</strong>p complaining about the garish<br />

look of digital video. If you are in no<br />

hurry, Magic Bullet is the <strong>to</strong>ol <strong>to</strong><br />

make any video look like processed<br />

film. WOW! apple<br />

3<br />

Thank Your<br />

Lucky Stars<br />

CMC’s Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs extends<br />

it’s sincere gratitude <strong>to</strong> the Talcott<br />

Mountain Science Center for hosting<br />

our March meeting.<br />

In particular, we’d like <strong>to</strong> thank<br />

TMSC’s Assistant Direc<strong>to</strong>r John<br />

Pellino for organizing the evening<br />

and demonstrating some cool Mac<br />

astronomy software, and TMSC<br />

Astronomer Mark Meredith for a<br />

wonderful planetarium show and<br />

view of the night sky from “the<br />

ridge.”<br />

Besides learning about TMSC’s origins<br />

and facilities, we were treated <strong>to</strong><br />

great views of the night sky including<br />

Jupiter, with several of it’s moons<br />

visible, and Saturn, complete with it’s<br />

colorful rings. Fortunately, Mother<br />

Nature cooperated with the TMSC<br />

team <strong>to</strong> make <strong>this</strong> a meeting everyone<br />

attending enjoyed.<br />

If you couldn’t be with us you’ll have<br />

<strong>to</strong> make do with a virtual <strong>to</strong>ur!<br />

Visit: g3.tmsc.org/astronomy/ for a<br />

look-see at what you missed.<br />

Tip of the Month<br />

from Jack Bass<br />

You should be aware of the danger of destroying a CD or DVD disc by<br />

bending and snapping it in half. DON’T DO IT! I did it and had many<br />

pieces of the disc fly all over the room in all directions. This could<br />

very possibly injure your eyes. Plus, you find pieces of all shapes and<br />

sizes of it days later, and even the silver foil delaminates from the<br />

surface in small pieces <strong>to</strong>o.


Mac 911<br />

Help Desk<br />

By Chris<strong>to</strong>pher Breen<br />

Subpar Service<br />

I want <strong>to</strong> highlight text in an application,<br />

choose Send Selection from that program’s<br />

Services menu, and watch as a new message<br />

opens in Apple’s Mail with the<br />

selected text ready <strong>to</strong> send. Instead, the<br />

Mail application window comes <strong>to</strong> the fore,<br />

but the message with the selected text does<br />

not. Is there a solution for <strong>this</strong> problem?<br />

—Larry Singer<br />

Look at the goal rather than the <strong>to</strong>ol.<br />

The Send Selection service is an inadequate<br />

<strong>to</strong>ol not only because it doesn’t<br />

bring a new e-mail message <strong>to</strong> the<br />

fore, but also because it works only<br />

with Apple’s Mail. When I want <strong>to</strong><br />

mail a chunk of text au<strong>to</strong>matically, I<br />

use Script Software’s $30 macroutility,<br />

iKey. It gets the job (and any<br />

number of other jobs) done, and it<br />

does so with any e-mail client you<br />

want <strong>to</strong> use.<br />

Incredible as it may seem, clicking on<br />

Sherlock’s Movie Information for a<br />

link may be the only way <strong>to</strong> view<br />

movie trailers in Sherlock.<br />

With iKey, I created a macro for copying<br />

text <strong>to</strong> an e-mail message; the<br />

macro copies the selected text,<br />

launches my e-mail program, hides<br />

other applications <strong>to</strong> ensure that the email<br />

client is the foremost app, creates<br />

a new message, and pastes the copied<br />

text in<strong>to</strong> the message body.<br />

Finding Sherlock’s Movies<br />

Sherlock’s Movies channel has s<strong>to</strong>pped<br />

downloading trailers. I’ve trashed the<br />

com.apple.Sherlock.plist file in the hope<br />

that <strong>this</strong> would help. It didn’t. Do you<br />

have a hint? —Paul Miller<br />

Yours is a two-part problem. Sometimes<br />

movie previews don’t load<br />

because of a failure on Apple’s end. In<br />

such cases, you can wait until Apple<br />

fixes it, or you can simply click on<br />

Sherlock’s Movie Information For<br />

link, which will whisk you <strong>to</strong> the<br />

Moviefone site, where you can view<br />

the trailer (See screenshot). If Apple<br />

has managed <strong>to</strong> get the feature working<br />

again, vaporize not only that .plist<br />

file (found at your user folder/<br />

Library/Preferences), but also<br />

Sherlock’s cache folder (your user<br />

folder/Library/Caches/ Sherlock). If<br />

that doesn’t work, create a new useraccount,<br />

switch <strong>to</strong> that account, copy<br />

its com.apple.Sherlock.plist file and<br />

Sherlock cache folder <strong>to</strong> the root level<br />

of your hard drive, switchback <strong>to</strong> your<br />

primary account, and replace that<br />

user’s files with the ones from the<br />

account you just created.<br />

Quite a Character<br />

I just upgraded <strong>to</strong> Microsoft PowerPoint<br />

2004, and now when I launch the program<br />

I see an alert that displays what appear <strong>to</strong><br />

be Asian characters and a message that<br />

claims <strong>this</strong> font is unavailable on my computer.<br />

My presentations don’t use <strong>this</strong> font,<br />

so why the substitution? —Ken Chupp<br />

PowerPoint 2004 displays <strong>this</strong> error<br />

message when it’s missing an Asian<br />

font that’s installed with OS X or a font<br />

that Microsoft Office installs when it<br />

first runs. The missing Apple font is<br />

likely <strong>to</strong> be Hiragino KakuGothic Pro,<br />

and the Microsoft font is MS PMincho.<br />

At <strong>this</strong> point, you have a couple of<br />

options. You can enable the fonts (or<br />

install them if they’re missing), or you<br />

can tell PowerPoint <strong>to</strong> live without them.<br />

To instruct PowerPoint <strong>to</strong> proceed without<br />

certain fonts, open your PowerPoint<br />

presentation and choose Format:<br />

Replace Fonts. Select the Asian font in<br />

the Replace pop-up menu, choose something<br />

more appropriate in the With field<br />

(Times, for example), and click on<br />

Replace. The new font you’ve selected<br />

will replace all instances of the old one.<br />

With luck, these fonts may still be on<br />

your Mac. To find out, launch Panther’s<br />

Font Book, select All Fonts from the<br />

Collection column, and peer in<strong>to</strong> the<br />

Font column. If one or both fonts are disabled,<br />

select them and click on Enable.<br />

4<br />

If the Hiragino font is missing, you<br />

could get it back by reinstalling OSX,<br />

but there’s an easier way. Download<br />

Charles Srstka’s $20 share-ware utility<br />

Pacifist, and use it <strong>to</strong> extract the font<br />

from the Panther installer disc(s). You’ll<br />

find the font by following <strong>this</strong> path:<br />

ContentsofOSInstall.mkpkg/Contents of<br />

EssentialSystemSoftware.mkpkg/ Contents<br />

ofEssentials.pkg/System/Library/Fonts.<br />

Note that the font’s name includes a<br />

series of Japanese characters that you<br />

might not be able <strong>to</strong> read. The font you<br />

want has a name that ends with Pro<br />

W4.otf, and it weighs in at 9.6MB. It<br />

normally lives in theFonts folder within<br />

the System folder—a folder for which<br />

you lack permissions. If you’d rather<br />

not change those permissions, simply<br />

add the font <strong>to</strong> your user account’s Font<br />

folder (your user folder/Library/Fonts).<br />

If the Microsoft font is missing, insert<br />

your Office 2004 disc, open the<br />

Microsoft Office 2004 folder, the<br />

Office folder therein, and then the Fonts<br />

folder inside that folder. Copy the MS<br />

PMincho font <strong>to</strong> your user account’s<br />

Fonts folder.<br />

Unsolicited Advice: Fix Font Book<br />

While testing my advice <strong>to</strong> Ken Chupp,<br />

in “Quite a Character,” I used FontBook<br />

<strong>to</strong> disable both the Hiragino Kaku<br />

Gothic Pro and the MS PMinchofonts.<br />

On completion of that testing, I<br />

attempted <strong>to</strong> reenable the fonts by<br />

selecting them and clicking on Font<br />

Book’s Enable but<strong>to</strong>n. All went according<br />

<strong>to</strong> plan when I selected the<br />

grayed-out Hiragino font, butimagine<br />

my consternation when I discovered<br />

that the MS PMincho font had disappeared<br />

from Font Book. Repeated<br />

attempts <strong>to</strong> bring it back by employing<br />

the program’s Add Fonts command and<br />

navigating <strong>to</strong> the location of the font did<br />

no good.<br />

It was then that I recalled the existence<br />

of the com.apple.ATS.plist file (in your<br />

userfolder/Library/Preferences), which<br />

tracks the fonts you’ve disabled in Font<br />

continued on page 5


continued from page 4<br />

Book and bars those fonts from loading<br />

when you log in. I located and trashed<br />

<strong>this</strong> file and then logged out and back in<br />

again. When I next launched Font<br />

Book, the MS PMincho font appeared<br />

in the Font list.<br />

Tip of the Month:<br />

Old-School Cursors<br />

In versions of Microsoft Word prior <strong>to</strong><br />

Word 2004, Command-right arrow or<br />

option-right arrow moved the cursor one<br />

word forward, and Command-left arrow<br />

or option-left arrow moved the cursor<br />

one word back. Adding the shift key<br />

highlighted either the previous word<br />

(left arrow) or next word(right arrow).<br />

The latest version has changed <strong>this</strong> so<br />

that only option-arrow moves the cursor<br />

from word <strong>to</strong> word; press Command-left<br />

arrow or Command-right arrow, and the<br />

cursor now jumps <strong>to</strong> the beginning or<br />

the end of a line, respectively.<br />

After searching Word’s Tools:<br />

Cus<strong>to</strong>mize: Cus<strong>to</strong>mize Keyboard: All<br />

Commandslist, I found WordLeft,<br />

WordRight, WordLeftExtend, and<br />

WordRightExtend(the latter two highlight<br />

individual words). I changed<br />

these commands <strong>to</strong> the familiar<br />

Command-left arrow, Command-right<br />

arrow, Command-shift-leftarrow, and<br />

Command-shift-right arrow <strong>to</strong> mimic<br />

earlier Word keyboard navigation. If<br />

you’re worried about losing the<br />

StartOfLine, EndOfLine, StartOfLine<br />

Extend, and EndOfLineExtend shortcuts,<br />

you can use the option key in<br />

combination with an arrow key and<br />

the shift key for selecting lines.<br />

—Joe Kewekordes apple<br />

[Contributing Edi<strong>to</strong>r Chris<strong>to</strong>pher Breen is<br />

also Playlistmag.com’s edi<strong>to</strong>rin chief<br />

author of Macworld’s tips and troubleshooting<br />

column, “Mac911,” as well as<br />

Secrets of the iPod: Fifth Edition and Mac<br />

911 (Peachpit Press). Find Chris’books at<br />

www.amazon.com and www.peachpit.com.<br />

Get special user group pricing on<br />

Macworld Magazine! Subscribe <strong>to</strong>day at<br />

http://www.macworld.com/useroffer/.]<br />

Recycle That<br />

Computer<br />

by Chris Hart,<br />

CMC Secretary<br />

During my presentation at the February<br />

meeting, on the <strong>to</strong>pic of Caring For Your<br />

Mac, some members asked about getting<br />

rid of old computers. I’m very glad<br />

<strong>to</strong> see that so many of you would like <strong>to</strong><br />

see computers properly disposed of, and<br />

not just thrown in<strong>to</strong> the trash can.<br />

Computers and related electronic equipment<br />

contain materials and compounds<br />

that are harmful <strong>to</strong> the environment.<br />

Going out of your way <strong>to</strong> properly get<br />

rid of old computers and related accessories<br />

will help us all <strong>to</strong> breathe easier.<br />

Out of a sense of social responsibility,<br />

many of the prominent computer manufacturers<br />

have started offering computer<br />

recycling services in recent years.<br />

There are also independent computer<br />

recyclers around the nation.<br />

But before you pursue recycling, you<br />

should consider donating that old computer.<br />

If it’s still functional, it may be<br />

suitable for donation <strong>to</strong> a not-for-profit<br />

organization that refurbishes and distributes<br />

used computers <strong>to</strong> those in<br />

need. These programs make computers<br />

available <strong>to</strong> those who can’t afford <strong>to</strong><br />

buy one for themselves.<br />

Another great option for computer<br />

donation is your local school system.<br />

You’ll need <strong>to</strong> check with them as <strong>to</strong><br />

what their requirements are for donations,<br />

as many schools will no longer<br />

accept any and all computers offered.<br />

Because the demands of the software<br />

they need <strong>to</strong> run is continuously<br />

increasing, they may not be able <strong>to</strong><br />

accept the computer you’re offering.<br />

However, there is a Hartford-area<br />

school that is interested in a wide variety<br />

of computers. In fact, it’s where our<br />

March meeting was held – Talcott<br />

Mountain Science Center in Avon.<br />

Those members who joined us on <strong>to</strong>p of<br />

the mountain can attest <strong>to</strong> the fact that<br />

<strong>this</strong> facility gets the maximum mileage<br />

out of their computers! Their resourcefulness<br />

allows them <strong>to</strong> take advantage<br />

of older models that other school<br />

5<br />

systems might refuse. I would urge you<br />

<strong>to</strong> put <strong>this</strong> special school at the <strong>to</strong>p of<br />

your list for computer donations.<br />

If your old equipment is so far gone that<br />

no one wants it, then recycling is your<br />

smartest option. If you happen <strong>to</strong> live in<br />

an area that has an electronics recycling<br />

program operated by a <strong>to</strong>wn or utility,<br />

you may be able <strong>to</strong> dispose of your<br />

computer hardware for free. For example,<br />

a friend of mine who lives in<br />

Orange, CT, has informed me that his<br />

<strong>to</strong>wn offers a yearly electronics recycling<br />

day for its residents. You may<br />

want <strong>to</strong> contact your <strong>to</strong>wn hall or local<br />

municipal recycling center about any<br />

such programs offered in your area.<br />

Your last option is a national computer<br />

recycling service, which accepts boxed<br />

shipments of computers and electronics.<br />

Unfortunately, protecting the environment<br />

is not free and these services<br />

charge a fee, which varies according <strong>to</strong><br />

the nature of the item(s) and the quantity.<br />

Yes, social responsibility has a price.<br />

Below are some links <strong>to</strong> programs and<br />

services that either recycle or re-use<br />

computers. I hope you’ll find them useful<br />

and you’ll go out of your way <strong>to</strong> keep<br />

your old computer out of the landfill.<br />

Recycling by computer manufacturers:<br />

http://www.apple.com/environment/<br />

recycling/nationalservices/us.html<br />

https://warp1.external.hp.com/recycle/<br />

http://www-1.ibm.com/financing/<br />

dispose/recycling.html<br />

http://www.dell.com<br />

Trade-Up Program <strong>From</strong> Gateway (PC):<br />

https://www.gateway.tradeups.com<br />

Donating your computer for re-use:<br />

Talcott Mountain Science Center<br />

John Pellino, Assistant Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />

email: jpellino@g3.tmsc.org<br />

http://www.cristina.org/dsf/<br />

http://www.c4k.org/pcdonations.php<br />

http://www.sharetechnology.org<br />

An example of a for-profit computer<br />

recycler:<br />

http://www.thegreenpc.com


Selecting<br />

Safe Passwords<br />

by Chris Hart, CMC Secretary<br />

�<br />

As our personal and business lives<br />

become more and more connected<br />

with the world of the Internet, our<br />

choice of passwords becomes more<br />

and more critical. The pass phrases<br />

you choose <strong>to</strong> protect your online<br />

accounts and information are essential<br />

<strong>to</strong> keeping hackers out of your business.<br />

If you’re careless with your<br />

password selections, access <strong>to</strong> your<br />

accounts could be easily compromised<br />

by a resourceful hacker. You<br />

could even find yourself the victim of<br />

identity theft – where another person<br />

assumes your identity in financial<br />

transactions and purchases – which<br />

could leave you responsible for the<br />

debts accrued in your name.<br />

Thwarting The Hacker<br />

Your goal in choosing a password is <strong>to</strong><br />

make a hacker’s life difficult. His first<br />

attempts at accessing your accounts<br />

will utilize common words and phrases.<br />

He’ll also try educated guesses<br />

based on public information about<br />

you. Finally, he may employ au<strong>to</strong>mated<br />

software that attempts <strong>to</strong> gain<br />

access by trying common combinations<br />

of letters, words, numbers, etc.<br />

The good news is, while hackers are<br />

determined folks, they can still be<br />

thwarted. A thoughtful effort on your<br />

part <strong>to</strong> choose an effective password<br />

will make the unlocking of your<br />

accounts require more effort and time<br />

than the average hacker wants <strong>to</strong> be<br />

bothered with. He’ll move on <strong>to</strong><br />

cracking the accounts of someone<br />

who has been less smart than you in<br />

the selection of their passwords.<br />

Password Advice<br />

The number one piece of password<br />

advice I would give you is <strong>to</strong> never use<br />

the same password for all your<br />

accounts. Regardless of how easy <strong>this</strong><br />

may make your life, it also makes the<br />

hacker’s life easy! Ideally, you would<br />

have a different password for every<br />

single user ID, account, company, etc.<br />

that you do business with. However, I<br />

realize you may find that unreasonably<br />

inconvenient.<br />

At a minimum, you should attempt <strong>to</strong><br />

use some variety in your passwords.<br />

For instance, use different passwords<br />

for different purposes. For instance,<br />

use one password for your personal<br />

email, a second one for your logins at<br />

work, a third for your your online purchases,<br />

etc.. Aligning your passwords<br />

with their uses in <strong>this</strong> way will help<br />

you in remembering what password<br />

applies <strong>to</strong> the account you’re trying <strong>to</strong><br />

access (helpful if you momentarily<br />

forget the password). Further, when it<br />

comes time <strong>to</strong> change a particular<br />

password, you know what accounts<br />

you have <strong>to</strong> update with the new one.<br />

If you do employ a thematic approach<br />

<strong>to</strong> your passwords, I would strongly<br />

recommend that you not use it for<br />

your financial accounts. These critical<br />

areas, related <strong>to</strong> your ability <strong>to</strong> pay<br />

bills and conduct business, require the<br />

most careful of password selections.<br />

Your online banking pass phrases<br />

should be as long, convoluted and<br />

hard <strong>to</strong> guess as you can bear <strong>to</strong> live<br />

with.<br />

If you use “public” computers<br />

(library, internet cafe, conference<br />

room), realize that it is very easy for<br />

your activity <strong>to</strong> be recorded (including<br />

every single key that you press). With<br />

<strong>this</strong> in mind, you should have a password<br />

for the accounts you access in<br />

these venues. Change that password<br />

frequently and keep it unique.<br />

Password Guidelines<br />

Now that I’ve shared some password<br />

advice, let me give you some specific<br />

guidelines that will be useful in choosing<br />

actual passwords:<br />

6<br />

What To Use For A Password<br />

�Aim for at least six characters –<br />

the longer the better<br />

�Do use a password with mixedcase<br />

alphabetic characters<br />

�Do use a password with nonalphabetic<br />

characters (digits and<br />

punctuation)<br />

�Do use a password that you won’t<br />

forget<br />

�Do use a password that you can<br />

type without having <strong>to</strong> look at the<br />

keyboard (which means it will<br />

harder for those around you <strong>to</strong><br />

observe the keys you type)<br />

What Not <strong>to</strong> Use For A Password<br />

�Don’t repeat your login name in<br />

any form (even reversed, capitalized,<br />

etc.)<br />

�Don’t use any of your names,<br />

nicknames, or those of your immediate<br />

family – no children!<br />

�Don’t use common names, such as<br />

those from: religion, astrology,<br />

astronomy, car<strong>to</strong>ons, movies, TV,<br />

sports, and mythical s<strong>to</strong>ries<br />

�Don’t use information easily<br />

obtained about you – license plate<br />

numbers, telephone numbers,<br />

social security number, the car you<br />

drive, the name of the street you<br />

live on, etc.<br />

�Don’t use a password with only<br />

digits, or only letters<br />

�Don’t use a word contained in<br />

(English or foreign language) dictionaries<br />

or lists of common words<br />

and phrases<br />

�Don’t use birth dates!<br />

�Don’t use common abbreviations<br />

�Don’t use keyboard patterns, such<br />

as “qwerty” and “asdf”<br />

continued on page 7


continued from page 6<br />

Making Passwords Memorable<br />

�Choose a line from a favorite<br />

movie, song or poem, and use the<br />

first letter of each word. For example,<br />

the lyric “I’m as free as a bird<br />

now’’ could be used as “iAfAAbn”<br />

�Consider using the same number<br />

of characters in all your passwords,<br />

so that you’ll always know<br />

how many characters <strong>to</strong> type.<br />

�Use alternate, phonetic spellings<br />

of words – examples: “rootEEn’’,<br />

“eluhVate”, “deZZurt”<br />

�Combine words you personally<br />

find memorable with a punctuation<br />

character between them –<br />

e xamples: “snoW*Kats”,<br />

“coffEE+crEEm”, “biLLy%goots”<br />

Change Passwords Regularly<br />

Passwords should be changed on a<br />

regular basis – as frequently as you<br />

can <strong>to</strong>lerate.<br />

Saving Your Passwords<br />

While security experts advise that you<br />

never write down your passwords anywhere,<br />

I realize how impractical that<br />

advice is. So I must urge you <strong>to</strong> never<br />

leave your list of passwords out in the<br />

open, or in a place that is easily<br />

accessed in your absence. When listing<br />

your passwords, consider<br />

recording just a part of the actual<br />

sequence. For instance, using the<br />

above example “coffEE+crEEm”<br />

you could write down just “coffee+<br />

_____”. This will remind you of the<br />

password when you see it, but won’t<br />

give away the full code <strong>to</strong> anyone who<br />

may get their hands on your password<br />

list.<br />

If you s<strong>to</strong>re your passwords on your<br />

computer, don’t keep them in a document<br />

that anybody can access with<br />

just a double click. For instance,<br />

Stickies would be a bad place.<br />

Documents that are password-protected<br />

– such as using the document locking<br />

feature in Microsoft Word – offer the<br />

minimum level of protection that you<br />

should consider using.<br />

The safest place <strong>to</strong> s<strong>to</strong>re your private<br />

data is an encrypted document.<br />

Encryption actually scrambles the<br />

contents of a file, so that anyone unauthorized<br />

will not be able <strong>to</strong> determine<br />

what’s inside. The utilities listed at<br />

the end of <strong>this</strong> article encrypt the documents<br />

they create, which means that<br />

they are virtually unhackable. This<br />

kind of security is essential, for example,<br />

if you have a lap<strong>to</strong>p computer as a<br />

constant companion and you want <strong>to</strong><br />

use it for retaining valuable personal<br />

information.<br />

PiquantMenu 1.6.1 is a small menu that<br />

does five things well:<br />

Applications Menu for accessing applications.<br />

Menus divide Apple applications<br />

and non-Apple Applications, don’t add<br />

launched applications and don’t show<br />

folder for minimum items.<br />

Files browser for fast access from menu<br />

bar. Function proposes advanced options<br />

for display items of folder sub-folder on<br />

current folder level (same menu), <strong>this</strong> limit<br />

number of sub-menus <strong>to</strong> be displayed. A<br />

sub-menu control can be grafted for manager<br />

items with traditional operations<br />

(copy & past, get infos, delete...) without<br />

Finder.<br />

iTunes AS menu controls iTunes on your<br />

Mac or other Mac on the network (using<br />

7<br />

(Almost) No Worries<br />

With the proper precautions taken and<br />

some smart choices for passwords,<br />

you’ll be able <strong>to</strong> bank online and<br />

make those impulsive eBay purchases,<br />

with the confidence that your accounts<br />

are safe. Be careful out there!<br />

Safe Places For Passwords<br />

The following software provides<br />

encrypted information s<strong>to</strong>rage:<br />

Apple’s Keychain<br />

(included with OS9 and OSX)<br />

http://www.apple.com/support/<br />

Steel<br />

http://homepage.mac.com/<br />

gabrieledesimone/Steel/<br />

iNotePad<br />

http://www.vojousoftware.com<br />

Passwords Plus<br />

works on Mac, Palm and Windows<br />

http://www.dataviz.com<br />

SplashWallet<br />

works on Mac, Palm and Windows<br />

http://www.splashdata.com<br />

Password Master<br />

http://www.railheaddesign.com<br />

(click on Software link at <strong>to</strong>p)<br />

Vault<br />

www.geocities.com/dagronf/vault/<br />

Download of the Month: PiquantMenu 1.6.1<br />

submitted by Debi Foss<br />

eppc pro<strong>to</strong>col). Play list navigation is simple<br />

& fast. You can au<strong>to</strong>matically play a<br />

playlist, upon opening PiquantMenu, for<br />

use as alarm clock.<br />

Various options regroup “hidden”<br />

options for Dock, Finder, & Exposé © .<br />

Contains Password Genera<strong>to</strong>r and Page<br />

Updater module.<br />

And, PiquantMenu regroups utilities and<br />

small applications downloaded during<br />

your visits on the Net; they move <strong>to</strong> a<br />

“Modules” folder and are added <strong>to</strong> the<br />

general menu.<br />

Product Requirements: Mac OS X 10.3.<br />

http://www.versiontracker.com/php/dlpage.<br />

php?id=21635&db=mac&pid=45332&kind<br />

=&lnk=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mparrot.<br />

net%2Fdownloads%2Fpiquantmenu.dmg


Yes, I want <strong>to</strong> join CMC<br />

Benefits:<br />

Monthly meetings, monthly newsletter, special<br />

events, discounted books, assistance with computer<br />

problem, network with other Mac users,<br />

User Group S<strong>to</strong>re discounts, and more.<br />

Date ______________________________<br />

Name _____________________________<br />

Address ___________________________<br />

City ______________________________<br />

State________ Zip __________________<br />

Phone (Home) ______________________<br />

Phone (Office) ______________________<br />

Phone (Fax) ________________________<br />

Business___________________________<br />

Occupation_________________________<br />

Email:_____________________________<br />

Referred by:________________________<br />

Areas of special interest: ______________<br />

__________________________________<br />

__________________________________<br />

__________________________________<br />

Annual CMC Family<br />

Membership - $25.00<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC and<br />

mail <strong>to</strong>:<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza, PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

...or<br />

pay online with PayPal at<br />

www.ctmac.org<br />

Software Review:<br />

AKVIS Re<strong>to</strong>ucher<br />

By Rich Lenoce<br />

and Andres Nieves<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh power can best<br />

be demonstrated by the little<br />

things we need <strong>to</strong> do,<br />

not the big. Now that<br />

we can s<strong>to</strong>re thousands<br />

of pho<strong>to</strong>s on our Macs,<br />

we can also import slides and pho<strong>to</strong>graphs<br />

and make them new again<br />

thanks <strong>to</strong> products like Pho<strong>to</strong>shop,<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop Elements and Painter.<br />

Plug-in <strong>to</strong>ols extend the power of<br />

these applications and Akvis<br />

Re<strong>to</strong>ucher is no slouch in <strong>this</strong> category<br />

if you’re looking for a powerful<br />

assistant in your pho<strong>to</strong> re<strong>to</strong>uching<br />

efforts.<br />

The Akvis Re<strong>to</strong>ucher image processing<br />

plug-in claims <strong>to</strong> res<strong>to</strong>re damaged<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>graphs <strong>to</strong> optimal condition<br />

with minimal effort and amazing<br />

results. Surface defects such as<br />

scratches, water spots, flakes and<br />

stains can be removed au<strong>to</strong>matically<br />

without the time-consuming aspects<br />

of manual editing. Akvis claims even<br />

<strong>to</strong>rn pho<strong>to</strong>s can be repaired.<br />

Does it work, and<br />

if so, and how<br />

well? CMC member<br />

Andres Nieves<br />

put <strong>this</strong> plug-in <strong>to</strong><br />

the test with a<br />

badly damaged<br />

100 year-old pho<strong>to</strong>graph<br />

that<br />

contained dust,<br />

tears and stains<br />

that he has been<br />

working on manually<br />

for weeks.<br />

Andres installed<br />

the plug-in and<br />

selected the damaged<br />

area and<br />

selected the appropriate filters in<br />

the filters menu. Akvis Re<strong>to</strong>ucher<br />

is not a stand-alone <strong>to</strong>ol.<br />

8<br />

The Re<strong>to</strong>ucher filter<br />

removed scratches from the<br />

badly damaged test pho<strong>to</strong><br />

without making any alterations<br />

<strong>to</strong> the images. The<br />

Enhancer filter also worked<br />

really well bringing dark pictures<br />

back <strong>to</strong> life. Enhancer<br />

was found <strong>to</strong> be the most<br />

effective <strong>to</strong>ol in the package,<br />

working much better than<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> and Pho<strong>to</strong>shop’s au<strong>to</strong>mated<br />

enhancers. In timesavings alone, the<br />

enhancement and the Re<strong>to</strong>ucher<br />

dust/scratch removal <strong>to</strong>ols are worth<br />

the price of the plug-in.<br />

However, when it came <strong>to</strong> reconstructing<br />

a face in our test picture,<br />

manually making the repairs in<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop was still more effective.<br />

Overall we found Akvis Re<strong>to</strong>ucher a<br />

welcome addition <strong>to</strong> Pho<strong>to</strong>shop’s<br />

manual re<strong>to</strong>uching <strong>to</strong>ols. It can save<br />

many hours of work on all but the<br />

most badly damaged pho<strong>to</strong>s. Just<br />

don’t expect it <strong>to</strong> work miracles on<br />

parts of missing and badly damaged<br />

faces within pho<strong>to</strong>graphs.<br />

Akvis Re<strong>to</strong>ucher sells for $87.00<br />

USD. apple<br />

Screenshots available on the Akvis<br />

website http://akvis.com/en/re<strong>to</strong>ucher/<br />

screenshots-image-res<strong>to</strong>ration.php


Special Offers – Apple User Group Bulletin<br />

These User Group discounts are<br />

brought <strong>to</strong> you by the Apple User<br />

Group Advisory Board. You must be a<br />

current Apple user group member <strong>to</strong><br />

qualify for these savings. Not a member?<br />

Join CMC <strong>to</strong>day <strong>to</strong> take<br />

advantage of these special offers.<br />

Pressure Drop:<br />

PaperHub<br />

PaperHub is a<br />

USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 combo hub<br />

cleverly placed within an elegant aluminum<br />

paper tray. It features the latest<br />

technology for high-speed data transfers<br />

and provides the most ports<br />

available of any hub on the market<br />

<strong>to</strong>day. PaperHub is the first official<br />

product of the new Art-Techo movement,<br />

Pressure Drop’s crusade <strong>to</strong><br />

replace drab computer accessories<br />

with stylish, visionary peripherals that<br />

fuse technology with art. Regularly<br />

$150, PaperHub is available <strong>to</strong> User<br />

Group members for only $129.99.<br />

S<strong>to</strong>rage and Connectivity With Style.<br />

www.pdrop.com/buy/index-mug.html<br />

Offer is valid through June 30, 2005.<br />

Rayming Corp: GPS Receivers<br />

Rayming Corp is proud <strong>to</strong> support<br />

User Groups with a Promotional<br />

Discount for the Mac OSX supported<br />

TN-200 TN-200 USB GPS<br />

Receiver at price of<br />

$84.74 and the TN-206<br />

Blue<strong>to</strong>oth GPS Receiver<br />

at a price of $189.74.<br />

Regularly $112.99 and<br />

$252.99, you can receive<br />

25 percent off MSRP on their website<br />

orders.<br />

TN-206<br />

Rayming Corporation encourages<br />

Apple User Group members <strong>to</strong> take<br />

advantage of <strong>this</strong> special offer and<br />

then offer feedback about these GPS<br />

products at MacGPS@rayming.com.<br />

Offer code: MUG05<br />

http://www.rayming.com<br />

This offer is valid until June 30, 2005.<br />

XtraLean Software: Shutterbug<br />

Introducing ShutterBug,<br />

the content creation <strong>to</strong>ol<br />

that helps you easily<br />

and quickly create digital<br />

pho<strong>to</strong> albums and<br />

journals, and publish them<br />

<strong>to</strong> your .mac account or other web<br />

server. ShutterBug is fully WYSI-<br />

WYG and can update websites on the<br />

fly. Users can choose from more than<br />

50 free cus<strong>to</strong>mizable templates and<br />

easily create sites that render properly<br />

across all browsers on multiple platforms<br />

– even if they know nothing<br />

about HTML. Regularly $29,<br />

ShutterBug is available <strong>to</strong> user group<br />

members for only $20.<br />

www.xtralean.com/mugs/0305.html<br />

This offer is valid until July 31, 2005.<br />

TechWorks: Quality Memory<br />

Founded in 1986,<br />

TechWorks has<br />

emerged as the<br />

leader for Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

computer memory (RAM).<br />

TechWorks success can be attributed<br />

<strong>to</strong> quality, a money back guarantee,<br />

<strong>to</strong>ll-free technical support,<br />

lifetime warranty and a commitment<br />

<strong>to</strong> 100 percent cus<strong>to</strong>mer<br />

satisfaction. User group members can<br />

receive 30 percent off retail prices on<br />

the latest memory products.<br />

Username: Mugmember<br />

Password: mugmemory<br />

http://www.techworks.com/partners/<br />

mugmembers.html<br />

This offer is valid until June 30, 2005.<br />

Matterform Media: Spamfire<br />

You don’t have <strong>to</strong> put up with unwanted<br />

junk email. Spamfire from<br />

Matterform Media removes unwanted<br />

commercial and pornographic email<br />

from your in-box. It works with any<br />

POP3 or IMAP email account and any<br />

email program. Spamfire uses intelli-<br />

9<br />

gent, fuzzy-logic<br />

filtering <strong>to</strong> identify<br />

spam and protect<br />

messages you want<br />

<strong>to</strong> keep. Au<strong>to</strong>matic<br />

internet updates<br />

ensure you always have the most<br />

advanced spam protection available.<br />

Fun revenge options let you fight back<br />

at spammers. Spamfire works in OS 9<br />

and OS X.<br />

Apple user group members can purchase<br />

the CD or download Spamfire<br />

for just $24.95, nearly 40 percent off<br />

the regular price of $39.95.<br />

A fifteen-day demo lets you try before<br />

you buy. Enjoy email again.<br />

http://www.matterform.com/mugoffer<br />

This offer is valid until June 30, 2005.<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re is a benefit<br />

for you AND your group.<br />

Your user group gets one<br />

percent back on everything<br />

you purchase from the MUG S<strong>to</strong>re,<br />

which means that if you and your fellow<br />

members buy from the MUG S<strong>to</strong>re,<br />

your user group can get everything from<br />

software <strong>to</strong> new computers for FREE!<br />

The MUG s<strong>to</strong>re has free freight, RAM<br />

rebates, aggressive pricing on new<br />

and pre-owned Macs and great closeout<br />

deals.<br />

This offer is available <strong>to</strong> members of<br />

U.S. user groups. For information<br />

about vendor offers and more visit:<br />

http://homepage.mac.com/ugab/offers<br />

.html<br />

www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

User ID and Password<br />

3/31/2005 - 6/30/2005<br />

User ID: best (lowercase)<br />

Password: deals (lowercase)<br />

See a complete list of all current deals at: www.mugcenter.com/vendornews/vendornews.html


President Don Dickey<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

PR Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r/Auction Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org 860-678-8622<br />

Download of the Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org 860-583-1165<br />

2004-2005 CMC Officers and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

Vice President Rich Lenoce<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

Past President/Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org 860-485-1547<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org (860) 668-8728<br />

Special Events Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

Caricatures by Bill Dougal of Lebanon, (860) 456-9041. Available for illustration assignments and event caricatures.<br />

10<br />

Secretary Chris Hart<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Treasurer David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Newsletter Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org 860-561-0319<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org 860-677-7787<br />

Parlimentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian Connie Scott<br />

parlimentarian@ctmac.org 860-584-9573


CMC Monthly Meetings Discounted Books FREE Raffle!<br />

Monthly CMC Meetings are held on last<br />

Wednesday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00<br />

P.M. (except November and December<br />

when the meetings are held one week<br />

earlier due <strong>to</strong> the holidays). Location below.<br />

Board meetings are held on the first<br />

Thursday of the month. If you wish <strong>to</strong><br />

attend a Board meeting, contact an officer<br />

for time & location.<br />

Wednesday, April 27, 2005<br />

6:00 P.M. – Back <strong>to</strong> Basics<br />

This month’s session will explore using<br />

AppleWorks <strong>to</strong> create and print lists.<br />

Whether you’re running a small business<br />

or just trying <strong>to</strong> send out greeting cards,<br />

we’ll walk you through the steps.<br />

7:00 P.M. – iDVD<br />

Presenter: Rich Lenoce<br />

Location: UConn Health Center<br />

iDVD is Apple’s powerful DVD creation<br />

<strong>to</strong>ol. With cus<strong>to</strong>mizable themes and sophisticated<br />

navigation, anyone can simply create<br />

highly stylized DVDs <strong>to</strong> distribute and<br />

archive their videos, pho<strong>to</strong>s and music.<br />

Learn how <strong>to</strong> use <strong>this</strong> revolutionary program.<br />

Upcoming Meetings & Events<br />

May 25, 2005<br />

Tiger OSX<br />

Presenter: The Apple S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

Location: Apple S<strong>to</strong>re, WestFarms<br />

July 12 – 14, 2005<br />

MacWorld Expo Bos<strong>to</strong>n<br />

Location: Hynes Convention Center<br />

As in past years, CMC will offer a group daytrip<br />

<strong>to</strong> MacWorld Expo. Look for details on how <strong>to</strong><br />

secure your seat on the bus in upcoming issues<br />

of our newsletter! You can register for a free<br />

MacWorld Expo Exhibit Hall pass until June<br />

10th at: www.macworldexpo.com/ When filling<br />

out the order form, use priority code<br />

B0201 (zeroes, not the letter “O”).<br />

FOR SALE Accessories for a 2nd Gen.<br />

iPod. New, unused replacement battery<br />

(still wrapped), Griffin iTrip, Remote control.<br />

Email jerryesposi<strong>to</strong>@sbcglobal.net<br />

CMC continues <strong>to</strong> offer our current<br />

members the opportunity <strong>to</strong><br />

purchase any published book for<br />

either Mac or Windows at a 20%<br />

discount. All major publishers are<br />

carried by our source.<br />

Contact a Board Member or send<br />

an email <strong>to</strong> booksales@ctmac.org.<br />

Provide the book title, the publisher<br />

and the ISBN number, if<br />

possible, and he will check on its<br />

availability. Normally, the wait is<br />

not <strong>to</strong>o long.<br />

NOTICE!<br />

• Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number<br />

(for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

• CMC Web site username<br />

and password<br />

...are now located on your<br />

newsletter mailing label.<br />

Make a note of it NOW!<br />

CMC Elections<br />

The members of the 2005<br />

Nominating Committee are Connie<br />

Scott and Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong>. President,<br />

Vice President, Secretary and<br />

Treasurer positions will be voted on<br />

at the May general meeting. Anyone<br />

interested in running for any of these<br />

positions should contact Connie<br />

Scott parliamentarian@ctmac.org<br />

or Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong> pr@ctmac.org, or<br />

speak with either Connie or Jerry at<br />

any general meeting.<br />

Getting CMC emails?<br />

We always send out advance notice<br />

of the meetings, and sometimes for<br />

big news or special events (like our<br />

bus trip <strong>to</strong> Macworld). If you’re not<br />

getting them, please email us at<br />

president@ctmac.org with your<br />

current email address and a subject<br />

line of: ADD TO CMC EMAIL LIST<br />

11<br />

Every CMC member who attends our<br />

monthly meetings gets a raffle ticket.<br />

This will give you a chance for one of<br />

our free prizes every month! You<br />

could win…t-shirts, <strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs,<br />

software …there’s always something<br />

we’re giving away! And don’t forget<br />

the Free table at the back of the room<br />

where everything is...FREE!<br />

Treasurer’s Report<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members! Have your<br />

friends and co-workers join us for fun and<br />

learning about OSX and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 131<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance ..............$1300.55<br />

Savings Balance ................$3969.46<br />

Balances as of April 6, 2005<br />

FREE Classified Ads<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using<br />

or upgrading. This is a FREE<br />

service provided <strong>to</strong> our members.<br />

Send submissions via email <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

Display Ad Rates<br />

Any business items or services can<br />

be advertised at the low monthly rates<br />

listed below.<br />

Business Card ...................$10.00<br />

Quarter Page.....................$20.00<br />

Half Page.........................$30.00<br />

Full Page (or insert) ............$50.00<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a disk<br />

(with nothing else on it) or e-mail it <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org for insertion in the<br />

following issue. Display ads must be<br />

submitted camera-ready in eps or pdf format<br />

with all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

April 27 – 7 PM<br />

iDVD<br />

Presenter: Rich Lenoce<br />

at UConn Health Center<br />

Room EG-013<br />

Back To Basics – 6 PM<br />

(See info on page 11)<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

a PDF document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center is<br />

available on our website: www.ctmac.org. Print and take it with you <strong>to</strong> find us easily!<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on programs<br />

require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College in Middle<strong>to</strong>wn.<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UCHC, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West,<br />

Exit 39 is after 39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong><br />

Route 4 East (Farming<strong>to</strong>n Avenue). At third traffic light, turn<br />

right <strong>to</strong> enter the Health Center campus. Go around the main<br />

building <strong>to</strong> the right (at a Y in road), then take a left when<br />

you get <strong>to</strong> the Academic Entrance. The road becomes twoway<br />

there so you should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn. (Do<br />

not go on straight <strong>to</strong> the two-way part). Then take the second<br />

right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go<br />

past the police station entrance on your left (small sign). You<br />

will see a continuation of the building with its own entrance<br />

area. This is the new research building. Enter on the ground<br />

floor, turn right and enter room EG-013 on your right. This<br />

is the first room on your right. The rest rooms are on your<br />

left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> Middlesex C.C.<br />

<strong>From</strong> the Hartford area, take Route 9 South. A few<br />

miles south of down<strong>to</strong>wn Middle<strong>to</strong>wn on Route 9, take<br />

Exit 11 (Rt. 155, Randolph Road). At the end of the<br />

ramp (for both N. & S. bound), turn right on<strong>to</strong><br />

Randolph Road. Continue <strong>to</strong> the traffic light at the <strong>to</strong>p<br />

of the hill and turn left on<strong>to</strong> Saybrook Road. Go a quarter<br />

of a mile and turn right on<strong>to</strong> Reservoir Road. Travel<br />

past the s<strong>to</strong>p sign, then take the first right on<strong>to</strong> Training<br />

Hill Road. Your first left will lead in<strong>to</strong> the Middlesex<br />

Community College Campus parking area. When you<br />

arrive on campus, take a right on<strong>to</strong> Training Hill Road.<br />

Go <strong>to</strong> the second parking lot entrance and take a left<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the upper lot. Directly in front of you will be Snow<br />

Hall. Enter Snow Hall and go up the stairs <strong>to</strong> the 2nd<br />

floor and go <strong>to</strong> the last room on the right, Room 509.


NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. MAY 2005<br />

My Wish List<br />

By Don Dickey,<br />

CMC president<br />

Apple is regarded by<br />

many as one of the<br />

most innovative companies<br />

in its field.<br />

Using my experience<br />

in product<br />

development,<br />

I’ve given some<br />

thought <strong>to</strong><br />

their current product line and decided<br />

<strong>to</strong> offer some suggestions <strong>to</strong> “plug the<br />

holes.” The main rule I’ve followed is<br />

that every suggestion must be feasible,<br />

with a minor extension of <strong>to</strong>day’s<br />

technology. This would enable the<br />

“mothership” <strong>to</strong> capitalize on such<br />

ideas within a 12 month timeframe.<br />

PowerMac G5 Quattro<br />

Over a year ago Steve Jobs promised<br />

us the Dual 3 ghz PowerMac G5.<br />

Unfortunately, IBM has been unable<br />

<strong>to</strong> produce a steady stream of fast<br />

enough processors <strong>to</strong> make <strong>this</strong> a reality.<br />

I offer a solution <strong>to</strong> Apple for<br />

those power users out there who yearn<br />

for more juice: The PowerMac G5<br />

Quattro would leverage the present<br />

day 2 ghz G5 chip by implanting not<br />

two but four processors in its heart.<br />

Using 2 ghz chips instead of the overclocked<br />

and heat pumping 2.5 chips<br />

should be cooler, more reliable, and<br />

cheap enough <strong>to</strong> offer the new Quattro<br />

at a price point of $2,999, right where<br />

Apple usually positions its <strong>to</strong>p-of-the<br />

line <strong>to</strong>wer.<br />

PowerTab<br />

Tablet PCs have been around in the<br />

Windoze world for some time now.<br />

It’s amazing that Apple has never<br />

done <strong>this</strong>, but I’d be interested in seeing<br />

them implement a tablet running<br />

OS X. Here’s the concept in a nutshell:<br />

take a PowerBook, allow the lid<br />

<strong>to</strong> pivot horizontally and flip so the<br />

exposed <strong>to</strong>p surface when closed can<br />

either be the aluminum exterior or the<br />

exposed screen. Instead of the usual<br />

TFT display, use a cus<strong>to</strong>m version of<br />

Wacom’s Cintiq. You would navigate<br />

with a stylus (or your fingertip)<br />

instead of a mouse, and the OS X<br />

Inkwell technology would instantly<br />

recognize your printing for text input.<br />

With the screen opened conventionally,<br />

the PowerTab would use traditional<br />

keyboard and track pad inputs.<br />

Flipping the lid would au<strong>to</strong>matically<br />

put it in<strong>to</strong> tablet mode and make the<br />

Cintiq screen and Inkwell operational.<br />

Suggested retail pricing for the<br />

PowerTab would be $2999 (with a<br />

SuperDrive, of course).<br />

iMac G5 Modular System<br />

This system is really three components.<br />

The first is a G5 version of the <strong>Mini</strong> but<br />

with integrated DVI display and coaxial<br />

power connec<strong>to</strong>rs on its bot<strong>to</strong>m, and<br />

a pair of thumb screws on its <strong>to</strong>p. The<br />

second component is an updated<br />

Cinema display with integrated rearfacing<br />

DVI and power connec<strong>to</strong>rs. The<br />

third component is a single power brick<br />

capable of powering both the computer<br />

and display components and would be<br />

very similar <strong>to</strong> that supplied with the<br />

existing Mac <strong>Mini</strong>.<br />

1<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

May 25 • 7 PM<br />

Tiger OS X<br />

Apple S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

Westfarms Mall<br />

Directions: http://www.apple.com/<br />

retail/westfarms/map/<br />

You would purchase the <strong>Mini</strong> module<br />

with the optical and hard drive options<br />

desired, purchase the Cinema display<br />

size desired, and simply screw the<br />

CPU module <strong>to</strong> the back of the display.<br />

The mating connec<strong>to</strong>rs would<br />

supply video and power <strong>to</strong> the display,<br />

so you’d only have <strong>to</strong> connect the<br />

power brick <strong>to</strong> the computer module.<br />

Putting the power supply in a brick<br />

would make the desk<strong>to</strong>p equipment<br />

lighter, quieter, and cooler. You would<br />

be able <strong>to</strong> mix and match CPUs and<br />

displays, and you’d have a nice clean<br />

desk with no visible CPU box. The<br />

power supply would come with the<br />

display, not the CPU module. That<br />

way the displays would be universal<br />

and could also be used with<br />

PowerMac G5 <strong>to</strong>wers and Windoze<br />

PCs since the video connec<strong>to</strong>r is a<br />

standard DVI jack.<br />

PC manufacturers could even come up<br />

with a CPU module containing a<br />

Pentium chipset that could mate with<br />

Apple’s Universal Display. Apple<br />

would probably sell a lot more of their<br />

beautiful displays. I doubt they’d<br />

loose any CPU sales either because<br />

Continued on page 2<br />

My Wish List ....................................... 1<br />

Hidden Gems........................................4<br />

Digital Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy Websites ..............5<br />

Take Control Ebooks-Tiger OS X........6<br />

A PIM Comparison.............................. 8<br />

Upgrading a Linksys Router ................8<br />

MUG Special Offers.............................9<br />

Meetings and Club News ...................11


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>graphers<br />

John Scott<br />

Jack Bass<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions<br />

from members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

Continued from page 1<br />

“switchers” are actually fairly rare in<br />

both camps. They might even gain a<br />

few as people buying an Apple display<br />

and a Pentium module could easily<br />

purchase a Mac module later on.<br />

You could use an inexpensive <strong>Mini</strong><br />

(G4) with the new displays, but you’d<br />

have <strong>to</strong> shell out more $$$ <strong>to</strong> get a G5<br />

chip and have the integration that gets<br />

the CPU off your desk. With the DVI<br />

connec<strong>to</strong>r on the bot<strong>to</strong>m of the CPU<br />

and those ugly thumbscrews on <strong>to</strong>p,<br />

you’d be more likely <strong>to</strong> buy Apple’s<br />

display than a cheaper universal PCtype<br />

display. Besides, you’d have <strong>to</strong><br />

shell out another $99 <strong>to</strong> buy that<br />

optional power brick since it comes<br />

with Apple’s displays and not the<br />

CPU modules!<br />

PowerDrive<br />

Take a standard iPod, remove the<br />

screen and but<strong>to</strong>ns from the face, and<br />

voila: you’ve got a slick powered<br />

FireWire/USB portable hard drive. It’s<br />

embedded OS is smart enough <strong>to</strong> be<br />

taught how <strong>to</strong> provide au<strong>to</strong>matic<br />

backup and syncing of your OS X’s<br />

“Home” folder when connected. It<br />

could au<strong>to</strong>matically grab pho<strong>to</strong>s from<br />

your digital camera, and it could even<br />

“capture” video directly from a<br />

<strong>Mini</strong>DV camcorder over FireWire.<br />

Sure, other companies make external<br />

hard drives, but none would be as<br />

slick or have a built-in battery <strong>to</strong> work<br />

on the underpowered FireWire and<br />

USB ports especially common on<br />

Windoze lap<strong>to</strong>ps. What a great way <strong>to</strong><br />

recycle iPods that come in with damaged<br />

screens! Suggested retail prices<br />

for the PowerDrive: $199 for 20 gb,<br />

$249 for 40 gb, and $299 for 60 gb<br />

models.<br />

Airport Express A/V<br />

Take a standard Airport Express and<br />

add an S-video jack <strong>to</strong> it so you could<br />

stream not only sound <strong>to</strong> your stereo<br />

2<br />

but pho<strong>to</strong>s and movies <strong>to</strong> your TV<br />

wirelessly. What a boon <strong>to</strong> folks doing<br />

slide shows and making iMovies! Of<br />

course, it would come with the standard<br />

S-Video <strong>to</strong> composite adapter<br />

Apple ships with several products. It<br />

would sell for $149, with the older<br />

Express dropping <strong>to</strong> $99.<br />

AirPod<br />

Take a standard iPod and add a card<br />

slot. This slot could be used <strong>to</strong> read<br />

digital pho<strong>to</strong>s in<strong>to</strong> the AirPod from<br />

digital media, but more importantly, it<br />

could be used <strong>to</strong> hold a WiFi card.<br />

This could be used <strong>to</strong> stream audio<br />

and/or video directly from the AirPod<br />

<strong>to</strong> an Airport Express or the new<br />

Airport Express A/V. Look ma, no<br />

wires! AirPods would sell for $50<br />

more than standard iPod models, $100<br />

more in a kit including the WiFi card.<br />

Another option would be <strong>to</strong> simply<br />

integrate the WiFi functionality in<strong>to</strong><br />

the iPod <strong>to</strong> make the AirPod models.<br />

TalkPod<br />

License the iPod technology <strong>to</strong> Nokia,<br />

Siemens, Kyocera, and Mo<strong>to</strong>rola so<br />

they can implement it in their next<br />

generations of cell phones. Sure, some<br />

cell phones have built-in MP3 players,<br />

but none work seamlessly with iTunes<br />

and the Apple music s<strong>to</strong>re. You could<br />

use the phone’s broadband cell connection<br />

<strong>to</strong> download new songs<br />

directly without any wires. You could<br />

sync the phone <strong>to</strong> your Mac when you<br />

get home using Blue<strong>to</strong>oth, and <strong>this</strong><br />

could even happen au<strong>to</strong>matically if<br />

desired.<br />

In your eyes, <strong>this</strong> may be one of the<br />

most useless columns I’ve ever written.<br />

We’ll just have <strong>to</strong> wait and see. If<br />

any of these products come out during<br />

the next year or two, you’ll know<br />

whom <strong>to</strong> thank while you’re having<br />

fun with your new Apple gear! apple


CMC Pho<strong>to</strong> Gallery Pho<strong>to</strong>s by John Scott<br />

March – Talcott Mountain Science Center<br />

April – iDVD presented by Rich Lenoce<br />

Don isn’t the only one with an Apple wish list. So, in the spirit of<br />

“having fun with your Mac”, here are a few wish list pictures from<br />

the web. Anything is possible...but feasible?<br />

freewarerocks.com from www.geekculture.com (joyoftech.com) freewarerocks.com<br />

3<br />

Catch The Bus To<br />

Macworld Expo in Bos<strong>to</strong>n<br />

by Chris Hart, CMC Secretary<br />

CMC’s annual day trip <strong>to</strong> Macworld<br />

Expo in Bos<strong>to</strong>n is set for Wednesday,<br />

July 13th.<br />

CMC members enjoy a discounted<br />

ticket price of $20, while non-members<br />

are invited <strong>to</strong> join us at a<br />

still-reasonable $25. Do the math —<br />

taking fuel and a day’s worth of parking<br />

in<strong>to</strong> account — and you’ll see<br />

why there’s no question that the CMC<br />

Bus is the best way <strong>to</strong> get <strong>to</strong><br />

Macworld Expo!<br />

Plus, you’ll enjoy the day rubbing<br />

elbows (sometimes literally) with fellow<br />

Mac enthusiasts, while our bus<br />

driver chauffeurs you <strong>to</strong> the event! No<br />

traffic hassles, no parking hassles, and<br />

curbside service. How can you beat<br />

that?<br />

Tickets will go on sale soon, so watch<br />

<strong>this</strong> space for details!<br />

If you haven’t already reserved your<br />

free admission <strong>to</strong> MacWorld, you<br />

need <strong>to</strong> hurry! After June 10th you’ll<br />

have <strong>to</strong> pay <strong>to</strong> get in<strong>to</strong> the event. To<br />

order, direct your web browser <strong>to</strong> the<br />

official web site: http://www.macworldexpo.com<br />

Your ticket order will<br />

become free when you enter the priority<br />

code B0201 (those are zeroes, not<br />

the letter “O”)


Off the Beaten Path:<br />

Hidden Gems You Might<br />

Have Missed<br />

By Kyle DeMilo, CMC<br />

When you surf the web as much as I<br />

do, you sometimes come across the<br />

occasional diamond in the rough, so <strong>to</strong><br />

speak. This column points out those<br />

hard-<strong>to</strong>-find freeware and shareware<br />

items for your Mac that you might<br />

think you didn’t need, but prove <strong>to</strong> be<br />

really handy!<br />

Sidenote is <strong>this</strong> cool<br />

cross between a<br />

Notepad and a<br />

Sticky Note application.<br />

It’s a<br />

graceful drawer<br />

that slides from the<br />

left or right side of your<br />

screen that lets you drag clippings,<br />

text, you name it – and it hides itself<br />

when not in use, which is great for<br />

users with small screens. This is no<br />

lightweight scrapbook, either.<br />

Sidenote has support for OS X eye<br />

candy such as adjustable transparency,<br />

Services, and full printing support.<br />

<strong>From</strong> their web page, these are some<br />

of Sidenote’s features:<br />

• Note colors<br />

• User definable Hotkeys<br />

• Clean and unobtrusive interface<br />

• The screen edge border can be<br />

<strong>to</strong>tally hidden<br />

• Native RTF note format<br />

The best part about Sidenote (besides<br />

that fact that it’s Mac-only!) is that it’s<br />

free!<br />

➤ Get it from here:<br />

http://www.chatelp.org/?s=Sidenote<br />

Did you upgrade<br />

<strong>to</strong> Tiger and are<br />

you wondering<br />

what they were<br />

smoking when<br />

they designed the<br />

Mail 2.0 interface? Here’s a free app<br />

that will switch it back <strong>to</strong> the Classic<br />

Aqua look you know and love. It’s<br />

called CageFighter, and it’s a free<br />

program that will turn off the new<br />

<strong>to</strong>olbar but<strong>to</strong>ns and get back Mail’s<br />

beloved retro look.<br />

➤ Get it from here:<br />

http://otierney.net/cagefighter/<br />

Download of the Month submitted by Debi Foss<br />

Galerie v. 5.0.1<br />

Galerie generates galleries on web<br />

pages with pictures and QuickTime<br />

media files (VR panoramas, video,<br />

sounds). For each picture or media<br />

file, a separate page will be created<br />

with navigation <strong>to</strong> next and previous<br />

pages. One or more index<br />

pages will show thumbnail images<br />

of all pictures, each linked <strong>to</strong> the<br />

corresponding page in the gallery.<br />

Galerie will work with a selection<br />

in iPho<strong>to</strong>, with a selection in a<br />

browser window of Graphic<br />

Converter, with a selection<br />

in a iView MediaPro catalog,<br />

with a selection in<br />

Extensis Por<strong>to</strong>lio 7 catalog,<br />

or with files or folders<br />

dragged from the Finder.<br />

Collections of editable<br />

templates and many<br />

options enable creating a large variety<br />

of different galleries with<br />

different designs and different features.<br />

Galerie runs on Mac OS X<br />

(10.2 and later).<br />

4<br />

Finally, Mac<br />

OS 10.3 (or<br />

‘Panther’ as all<br />

the cool kids<br />

call it) added<br />

<strong>this</strong> cool new<br />

feature called fast user switching,<br />

which allows a shared Mac <strong>to</strong> have<br />

several users logged in<strong>to</strong> it simultaneously,<br />

without a noticeable hit in<br />

speed. It’s perfect for when your kids<br />

are playing a game while you’re<br />

expecting an important email. They<br />

can pause their game, and you are able<br />

<strong>to</strong> quickly switch <strong>to</strong> your account and<br />

check Mail for that message from<br />

your boss.<br />

The problem? The full user’s name<br />

appears in the Menu Bar, which isn’t<br />

bad if your name is, say, John Smith,<br />

but pretty lousy if your name is John<br />

Jacob Jinglheimerschmidt (yeah,<br />

yeah, his name is my name, <strong>to</strong>o). The<br />

answer? A freeware app called<br />

WinSwitch. Instead of the long name<br />

used by Apple, it uses the short name<br />

(John), a generic ‘user’ icon, or your<br />

user picture.<br />

➤ Get it from here:<br />

http://winswitch.wincent.com/<br />

Get it here:<br />

http//www.myriad-online.com/<br />

en/products/galerie.htm


As a fervent SLR “real film” bigot –<br />

I finally bought a digital camera – a<br />

Konica-Minolta Z5. Boy! – am I<br />

impressed! Today’s digital cameras<br />

offer almost all the creative controls<br />

I’ve been used <strong>to</strong>. My new camera is<br />

simply amazing! If you’re thinking<br />

about “Taking the digital plunge”,<br />

here are some GREAT…<br />

Digital Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy<br />

Websites<br />

By Peter P. Gladis<br />

reprinted with permission<br />

The Digital Camera Resource Page at<br />

DCresource.com is a very useful, honest<br />

site for current or future owners of<br />

Digital Cameras. Their mission is <strong>to</strong>:<br />

➤ Provide honest reviews of Digital<br />

Cameras, with no sugar coating. If<br />

they think a camera isn’t a good<br />

choice, they tell you!<br />

➤ Not shove ads down readers’<br />

throats – and no pop-ups.<br />

➤ Maintain a friendly atmosphere.<br />

Reviews are written with minimal<br />

technical jargon so both tech geeks<br />

and grandparents can understand it.<br />

If you are overwhelmed by all the choices<br />

in Digital Cameras – and the myriad<br />

of options and features, go <strong>to</strong> Digital<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy Review at DPreview.com.<br />

Here you’ll find all the latest in Digital<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy news; reviews of the latest<br />

Digital Cameras and accessories; active<br />

discussion forums; a large selection of<br />

sample images, a Digital Camera<br />

Buyers Guide; side-by-side comparisons;<br />

and the most comprehensive<br />

database of Digital Camera features and<br />

specifications.<br />

Another great resource for the Digital<br />

Camera buyer is Steves-Digicams.com.<br />

The site is very well-designed and easy<br />

<strong>to</strong> navigate – and is filled with loads of<br />

useful, easy <strong>to</strong> understand info about<br />

cameras & accessories. Its “Digicam<br />

Dictionary” helps you understand all the<br />

technical jargon, and provides links <strong>to</strong><br />

each of the Camera manufacturer’s<br />

websites. The site’s Forums are active<br />

and informative. This is a “Must Visit”<br />

site if you are thinking of buying a<br />

Digital Camera.<br />

MegaPixel.net calls itself the “Digital<br />

Camera Review Web Magazine”. It is<br />

comprehensively updated monthly and<br />

offers a wide selection of Reviews,<br />

Articles, News, Pho<strong>to</strong> Galleries,<br />

Member Forums, and links <strong>to</strong> other<br />

sites.<br />

As you see above, there are many terrific<br />

sites Digital Camera that help you<br />

select and buy – but at Pho<strong>to</strong>.net you’ll<br />

learn lots about Pho<strong>to</strong>graphic<br />

Technique: Composition, Lighting,<br />

Depth of Field, etc. The site is a<br />

“Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy Learning Community”,<br />

in which amateur & professional pho<strong>to</strong>graphers<br />

provide mutual support, and<br />

become resources for new pho<strong>to</strong>graphers.<br />

The site’s Forums and Galleries<br />

feature member-contributed pho<strong>to</strong>s. It<br />

also has a “Neighbor” section with<br />

member ratings and feedback on pho<strong>to</strong>graphy<br />

retailers. The “EZShop”<br />

features member-contributed equipment<br />

reviews and comparative shopping.<br />

There are over 3300 edited articles &<br />

reviews in the “Equipment,” “Learn.”<br />

and “Travel” sections.<br />

Another great site on how <strong>to</strong> take better<br />

Digital pictures is ShortCourses.com.<br />

Although the site actively markets<br />

“How-To” books and CDs, it offers a<br />

terrific FREE Tu<strong>to</strong>rial section. For<br />

example, their free “Short Course In<br />

Using Your Digital Camera” covers in<br />

depth the following important <strong>to</strong>pics:<br />

• Camera Controls and Creativity<br />

• Fine Tuning Sharpness<br />

• Fine Tuning Exposure<br />

• Capturing Light and Color<br />

• Understanding Lenses<br />

• Using Au<strong>to</strong>matic Flash<br />

• Seeing Creative Images<br />

• Exploring Close-up Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy<br />

A useful Digital Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy site is<br />

InternetBrothers.com/pho<strong>to</strong>tips.htm.<br />

These guys get right <strong>to</strong> the point: BUY-<br />

ING: If you are experienced in<br />

traditional 35mm pho<strong>to</strong>graphy, you’ll<br />

5<br />

discover some key differences with a<br />

Digital Camera. They discuss a few<br />

“gotchas” <strong>to</strong> watch out for. DIGITAL<br />

TECHNIQUES: How <strong>to</strong> incorporate the<br />

fine art of traditional pho<strong>to</strong>graphy in<strong>to</strong><br />

the Digital world. TOUCH UPs: Get rid<br />

of dust and specks, balance the colors,<br />

create a matte or mask/merge images.<br />

DIGITAL PHOTO STORAGE: Over<br />

time, s<strong>to</strong>ring Digital pho<strong>to</strong>graphs on<br />

your computer can become a hard disk<br />

resource constraint. You also want <strong>to</strong><br />

protect the future readability of your<br />

electronic pho<strong>to</strong> album. This section<br />

helps you, and your kids, enjoy your<br />

new hobby well in<strong>to</strong> the future.<br />

A great site on how <strong>to</strong> take better Digital<br />

Pictures is DCviews.com/tu<strong>to</strong>rs.htm.<br />

Here you can select from many tu<strong>to</strong>rials<br />

– just a few of which are:<br />

• 10 Common Digital Mistakes<br />

• 10 common Digital Myths<br />

• Fundamentals & Trends<br />

• Moni<strong>to</strong>r Color Calibration<br />

• Pho<strong>to</strong>shop Tu<strong>to</strong>rials<br />

• National Geographic Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy<br />

Guide<br />

• Nature Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy<br />

• Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy and the Art of<br />

“Seeing”<br />

• Secrets of Nature Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy<br />

• Techniques of Natural Light<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy<br />

Lastly, a shameless plug… Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy<br />

is a combination of both technique and<br />

technology. The book: “Faster Smarter<br />

Digital Pho<strong>to</strong>graphy” published by<br />

Microsoft Press, does a fantastic job of<br />

covering both of these important aspects<br />

– and you need <strong>to</strong> master BOTH <strong>to</strong><br />

make your Digital Pictures the best they<br />

can be. The book is inexpensive and<br />

available at all the major book websites.<br />

And oh yes – the Shameless Plug part:<br />

My Brother, Ron Gladis, is one of the<br />

authors – and I could not be prouder of<br />

what he accomplished with <strong>this</strong> fine<br />

book.<br />

Questions? Comments? Ideas?<br />

E-Mail me at Peterglad@aol.com apple


Take Control Ebooks<br />

The Help You Need with Tiger<br />

by Robert Sawyer, CMC Raffles<br />

The release of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger is<br />

undoubtedly the most anticipated<br />

event in the Macin<strong>to</strong>sh world so far<br />

<strong>this</strong> year, and we’ve been working hard<br />

for the last few months <strong>to</strong> create not<br />

one, not two, not three, but four ebooks<br />

about Tiger. The ebooks help<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh users upgrade <strong>to</strong> Tiger successfully,<br />

cus<strong>to</strong>mize the new operating<br />

system, work with user accounts, and<br />

share files among multiple networked<br />

computers. They are:<br />

“Take Control of Upgrading <strong>to</strong> Tiger”<br />

by Joe Kissell<br />

Thousands of Mac users upgraded <strong>to</strong><br />

Panther successfully with Joe Kissell’s<br />

previous best-selling ebook, “Take<br />

Control of Upgrading <strong>to</strong> Panther,” and<br />

Joe is back with detailed new advice<br />

for upgrading <strong>to</strong> Tiger. Joe’s expert<br />

guidance, developed over numerous<br />

test installations, thoroughly explains<br />

the seven steps necessary before<br />

upgrading, which of Tiger’s three<br />

installation options is right for you,<br />

how <strong>to</strong> perform the actual upgrade,<br />

and the four tasks you must perform<br />

after the upgrade finishes. Also included<br />

are instructions if you’re upgrading<br />

from Mac OS 9.<br />

Worried that something might go<br />

wrong? Joe provides practical troubleshooting<br />

tips for the most common<br />

problems, step-by-step instructions on<br />

how <strong>to</strong> downgrade <strong>to</strong> your previous<br />

system if necessary, and in-depth discussions<br />

of what exactly each<br />

installation option does (and does not<br />

do). Frankly, <strong>this</strong> ebook is a must-read<br />

for anyone upgrading <strong>to</strong> Tiger. $5<br />

<br />

PDF format, 87 pages, free 27-page<br />

sample available<br />

“Take Control of Cus<strong>to</strong>mizing Tiger”<br />

by Matt Neuburg<br />

It’s Day 2 of Tiger, and you’ve played<br />

with the new features. But you can<br />

become even more productive if you<br />

cus<strong>to</strong>mize Tiger for your needs. Turn <strong>to</strong><br />

Matt Neuburg for a road map on how <strong>to</strong><br />

start using new features in Tiger. Matt<br />

shows you how <strong>to</strong> configure and use<br />

Spotlight efficiently for finding files on<br />

your hard disk, and once you’ve found<br />

them, he helps you set up Smart Folders<br />

that au<strong>to</strong>matically organize your files.<br />

Matt also helps you make the most of<br />

Dashboard, which gives you instant<br />

access <strong>to</strong> mini-applications. In other<br />

parts of the ebook, you’ll learn how <strong>to</strong><br />

manage the status menus in your menu<br />

bar, how <strong>to</strong> cus<strong>to</strong>mize keyboard shortcuts<br />

(and even disable the Caps Lock<br />

key!), and how <strong>to</strong> get started with<br />

Au<strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>r. Matt has updated his advice<br />

about essential cus<strong>to</strong>mizations that<br />

Tiger brings up from Panther, including<br />

how <strong>to</strong> work with Exposé, the sidebar,<br />

the <strong>to</strong>olbar, Finder windows, Font<br />

Book, Unicode, and more. Additional<br />

help for those new <strong>to</strong> Mac OS X: 150<br />

basic ways <strong>to</strong> cus<strong>to</strong>mize your Mac! $5<br />

<br />

PDF format, 100 pages, free 27-page<br />

sample available<br />

6<br />

“Take Control of Users & Accounts in Tiger”<br />

by Kirk McElhearn<br />

Does dealing with user accounts in<br />

Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger make your head<br />

spin? In <strong>this</strong> ebook, Kirk McElhearn<br />

helps you take control of users and<br />

accounts! Kirk explains why you need<br />

at least two accounts, tells you everything<br />

you need <strong>to</strong> know about<br />

different types of accounts, and shows<br />

you how <strong>to</strong> create the right types of<br />

accounts for the different people who<br />

use your Mac. Learn how <strong>to</strong> use a<br />

troubleshooting account <strong>to</strong> solve maddening<br />

problems, make the best use of<br />

Fast User Switching, and share files<br />

between<br />

users. Special digital lifestyle advice<br />

for families! Kirk reveals undocumented<br />

tricks for sharing music and<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>s among multiple users on your<br />

Mac using iTunes and iPho<strong>to</strong>. Newly<br />

updated for Tiger, <strong>this</strong> ebook explains<br />

and uses Tiger terminology throughout,<br />

and it covers the new parental<br />

controls. $5<br />

<br />

PDF format, 73 pages, free 25-page<br />

sample available<br />

“Take Control of Sharing Files in Tiger”<br />

by Glenn Fleishman<br />

No Mac is an island when it comes <strong>to</strong><br />

sharing files. In <strong>this</strong> detail-packed<br />

ebook, networking expert Glenn<br />

Fleishman makes file sharing easy,<br />

whether it’s between two Macs on a<br />

local network, among a mixed-platform<br />

office workgroup, or between<br />

far-flung computers on the Internet.<br />

Learn how <strong>to</strong> set up Mac OS X 10.4<br />

Tiger <strong>to</strong> share files with Macs,<br />

Windows, and Unix machines using<br />

AppleShare, Samba, FTP, the Web,<br />

and WebDAV. Glenn shows you how<br />

<strong>to</strong> avoid the risks of sharing files<br />

continued on page 7


continued from page 6<br />

across the Internet, provides instructions<br />

for accessing shared files from<br />

common operating systems, and<br />

explains how <strong>to</strong> enhance Tiger’s file<br />

sharing with SharePoints. Building on<br />

the three free updates that kept the<br />

Panther edition of <strong>this</strong> ebook up <strong>to</strong><br />

date, <strong>this</strong> new release has been thoroughly<br />

revised for Tiger. Extra section<br />

- learn all the ways <strong>to</strong> share music and<br />

A PIM Comparison<br />

by Kyle DeMilo, CMC<br />

A PIM is an acronym for personal information<br />

manager. It’s an application that<br />

usually includes an address book and also<br />

organizes unrelated information, such as<br />

notes, appointments, and names, in a useful<br />

way. My dad uses his Filofax as his PIM. I<br />

have yet <strong>to</strong> settle on the right one for me.<br />

I have a challenge <strong>to</strong> all the Mac users out<br />

there. The next time you are<br />

at the house of a Windowsusing<br />

friend or family<br />

member, see what they use<br />

as a PIM. Chances are,<br />

they’re either using some form<br />

of Outlook (not Outlook Express, that’s<br />

just e-mail), or Palm Desk<strong>to</strong>p. That’s it.<br />

Oh sure, there are other programs out<br />

there. Mozilla’s Sunbird, and the calendar<br />

application in Microsoft Works come <strong>to</strong><br />

mind, but I will stick my neck out and say<br />

that the majority of Windows users use<br />

Outlook or Palm Desk<strong>to</strong>p. Have you seen<br />

some of the available choices for us Mac<br />

users?<br />

• Apple iCal<br />

• Palm Desk<strong>to</strong>p<br />

• Now Up-To-Date/Contact<br />

• Microsoft En<strong>to</strong>urage<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>s across a network with iTunes<br />

and iPho<strong>to</strong>! $10<br />

<br />

PDF format, 122 pages, free 34-page<br />

sample available<br />

Although the usual MUG discount of<br />

7<br />

10% can be applied <strong>to</strong> the purchase of<br />

these ebooks, anyone wishing <strong>to</strong> buy<br />

more than one should also check out<br />

the Two for Tiger bundle (Upgrading<br />

& Cus<strong>to</strong>mizing for 10% off) and Four<br />

for Tiger bundle (all four ebooks for<br />

20% off).<br />

The bundles are available from the<br />

relevant ebooks’ web pages. apple<br />

Apple iCal PalmOne Palm NowSoftware Now Up- Microsoft En<strong>to</strong>urage<br />

Desk<strong>to</strong>p<br />

To-Date/Contact<br />

Current Version 1.5.5 4.2.1 4.5.3 11.1.0<br />

Cost Free Free $159.90 $399 *<br />

Third-party add-ons? ✔ ✖ ✖ ✔<br />

Syncs with PDA? ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔<br />

Supports iCalendar<br />

format (.ics)<br />

✔ ✖ ✖ ✔<br />

Supports vCalendar<br />

format (.vcs)<br />

✖ ✔ ✖ ✔<br />

Supports vCard<br />

format<br />

✔ † ✔ ✖ ✔<br />

Is <strong>this</strong> updated<br />

regularly (ie: will<br />

there be future<br />

versions)?<br />

✔ ✖ ✔ ✔<br />

Built-in web<br />

sharing?<br />

✔ ‡ ✖ ✔ ✔<br />

Cross-platform<br />

sharing of data<br />

✔ ✔ § ✔ ✔<br />

Print <strong>to</strong> paper<br />

planner<br />

✖ ✔ ✔ ✔<br />

Links <strong>to</strong> files outside<br />

of application (ie:<br />

Word or<br />

AppleWorks<br />

documents)<br />

✖ ✔ ✔ ✔<br />

All-in-one ✖ ✔ ✖ ✔<br />

Runs under Classic? ✖ ✔ ✔ **<br />

✔ ††<br />

There are some other minor players on the Mac, such as<br />

DayLite, Organizer, and MeetingMaker, but they’re more<br />

niche products, in my opinion.<br />

I don’t have a lap<strong>to</strong>p, so all my data has <strong>to</strong> sync nicely<br />

with my PalmOne Treo 600. So, I have been comparing<br />

these four PIM applications <strong>to</strong> see which one would<br />

work best for me. Here is my comparison chart that I created.<br />

It’s helpful <strong>to</strong> me; perhaps it will be helpful <strong>to</strong> you<br />

as well.<br />

* Includes full versions of Word, Excel, and Powerpoint as well.<br />

† vCards supported in Address Book, a separate application.<br />

‡ Requires .Mac subscription ($99/year) or a WebDAV server.<br />

§ Requires manual vCalendar and vCard emailing.<br />

** Version 4.0.3 is an older version of NUDC, which is still supported.<br />

†† Version 2001 is an older version of En<strong>to</strong>urage, which is no longer<br />

being developed, except for secuity fixes.


Yes, I want <strong>to</strong> join CMC<br />

Benefits:<br />

Monthly meetings, monthly newsletter, special<br />

events, discounted books, assistance with computer<br />

problem, network with other Mac users,<br />

User Group S<strong>to</strong>re discounts, and more.<br />

Date ______________________________<br />

Name _____________________________<br />

Address ___________________________<br />

City ______________________________<br />

State________ Zip __________________<br />

Phone (Home) ______________________<br />

Phone (Office) ______________________<br />

Phone (Fax) ________________________<br />

Business___________________________<br />

Occupation_________________________<br />

Email:_____________________________<br />

Referred by:________________________<br />

Areas of special interest: ______________<br />

__________________________________<br />

__________________________________<br />

__________________________________<br />

Annual CMC Family<br />

Membership - $25.00<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC and<br />

mail <strong>to</strong>:<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza, PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

...or<br />

pay online with PayPal at<br />

www.ctmac.org<br />

Upgrading a Linksys<br />

Router with OS X<br />

by Joe Arcuri, CMC Ambassador<br />

I tend <strong>to</strong> use a variety of routers in my<br />

client network installs and most of<br />

them have a browser interface for doing<br />

upgrades <strong>to</strong> the firmware. One of the<br />

few that doesn’t have a browser<br />

upgrade path is also one of the most<br />

popular routers on the market, Linksys.<br />

For clarification purposes the firmware<br />

in a router is basically the mini operating<br />

system that runs the router and<br />

allows it <strong>to</strong> do its job. Firmware<br />

upgrades can add features and fix bugs<br />

so they are important <strong>to</strong> utilize.<br />

Typically when I’ve done Linksys<br />

firmware upgrades, I’ve had <strong>to</strong> use a<br />

PC and use the utility provided by<br />

Linksys, but I finally put my foot down<br />

and said “there has <strong>to</strong> be a way <strong>to</strong> do<br />

<strong>this</strong> with my Mac!” And there is.<br />

The method that Linksys uses <strong>to</strong> upload<br />

the file is a pro<strong>to</strong>col called TFTP,<br />

Trivial File Transfer Pro<strong>to</strong>col. TFTP is<br />

exactly what it sounds like: a simpler<br />

implementation of FTP. Fortunately,<br />

OS X has a TFTP client in it’s arsenal.<br />

One of the oddities of Linksys’ implementation<br />

of TFTP is that they use a<br />

password which TFTP normally doesn’t<br />

recognize, so you’ll have <strong>to</strong> disable<br />

the password on your router temporarily.<br />

To do <strong>this</strong>, login <strong>to</strong> your router and<br />

just delete the settings for the password;<br />

after we’re done you can go back<br />

and reset it. At the same time, remember<br />

the IP address of your router; you’re<br />

going <strong>to</strong> need it later. In our example<br />

we’ll use 192.168.0.1.<br />

To begin, you need <strong>to</strong> go <strong>to</strong> linksys.com<br />

and download the latest firmware for<br />

your router. Make sure that when<br />

you’re asked your operating system<br />

you specify “Other;” <strong>this</strong> allows you <strong>to</strong><br />

download the firmware without the<br />

associated Windows TFTP client. In<br />

the event you download the zipped<br />

Windows version, you can just extract<br />

the firmware out of the zip file. It will<br />

be a file called “code.bin”. Once you’ve<br />

8<br />

downloaded your firmware make sure<br />

it is named code.bin.<br />

Now comes the scary part. Start the terminal.<br />

Once in terminal mode you’ll<br />

need <strong>to</strong> change direc<strong>to</strong>ries <strong>to</strong> the folder<br />

where you downloaded code.bin. For<br />

example, if you downloaded it <strong>to</strong> your<br />

documents folder you’d type:<br />

cd/Users/jarcuri/Documents/<br />

(change the user name -jarcuri- <strong>to</strong> your<br />

username)<br />

Now just type the following (shown in<br />

bold text) in Terminal. Note that I’m<br />

also showing what you’ll see:<br />

/usr/bin/tftp<br />

$/usr/bin/tftp<br />

tftp> connect 192.168.0.1<br />

tftp> bin<br />

tftp> verbose<br />

Verbose mode on.<br />

tftp> put code.bin<br />

putting code.bin <strong>to</strong><br />

192.168.0.1:code.bin [octet]<br />

Sent 757760 bytes in 34.4 seconds<br />

[176223 bits/sec]<br />

tftp> quit<br />

That’s it! You’ve successfully upgraded<br />

the firmware. You can now go back and<br />

reset your password and at the same<br />

time confirm that the upgrade has taken<br />

place by checking the firmware rev on<br />

the status screen.<br />

For those who are curious, here’s a<br />

breakdown of what you’re doing in the<br />

above commands:<br />

/usr/bin/tftp<br />

(launch the tftp program)<br />

tftp> connect 192.168.0.1<br />

(connect <strong>to</strong> your router)<br />

tftp> bin<br />

(switch <strong>to</strong> binary mode for the upload)<br />

tftp> verbose<br />

(verbose mode outputs feedback <strong>to</strong> the<br />

screen)<br />

tftp> put code.bin<br />

(putting the file in<strong>to</strong> the router)<br />

tftp> quit<br />

(quit out of tftp)


Special Offers – Apple User Group Bulletin – April 15, 2005<br />

These User Group discounts are<br />

brought <strong>to</strong> you by the Apple User<br />

Group Advisory Board. You must be a<br />

current Apple user group member <strong>to</strong><br />

qualify for these savings. Not a member?<br />

Join CMC <strong>to</strong>day <strong>to</strong> take<br />

advantage of these special offers.<br />

IOGEAR: 35 Percent Discount<br />

IOGEAR, the leading name in connectivity<br />

products, delivers exclusive user group<br />

offerings <strong>to</strong> keep your Mac in whack. Our<br />

GCS632U KVM lets you simultaneously<br />

run two USB computers from a single<br />

keyboard, video moni<strong>to</strong>r and mouse. Our<br />

Blue<strong>to</strong>oth <strong>Mini</strong>Mouse (GME225B) is the<br />

alternative <strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong>uchpads.<br />

Need a hub? Check out our GFH610<br />

with six FireWire ports. Our GUH284R<br />

delivers six USB 2.0 ports and a 12-in-4<br />

card reader. IOGEAR’s GUH420 boasts<br />

four USB 2.0 and three FireWire ports.<br />

Our 250GB ION Tri-Select<br />

(GHD335C250) has both FireWire and<br />

USB 2.0 ports.<br />

IOGEAR offers 35 percent off of MSRP<br />

<strong>to</strong> Apple user group members when using<br />

the user group discount code.<br />

Offer code: M2796UG<br />

Check it out. http://www.iogear.com<br />

Valid through July 31, 2005.<br />

LoadPod: 10 Percent Discount<br />

LoadPod, the nation’s leader in iPod<br />

loading services, saves you the time and<br />

hassle of loading your existing CD collection<br />

in<strong>to</strong> your iPod. With nationwide<br />

local in-person service, there’s no shipping<br />

or traveling on your part. Within<br />

five days your iPod is returned <strong>to</strong> you<br />

loaded with your music for as little as<br />

$1.29 (US) per CD.<br />

Apple User Group members receive a<br />

10 percent discount on all LoadPod<br />

services by when using the user group<br />

discount code.<br />

Offer code: 108301111<br />

Order. http://www.LoadPod.com<br />

Call. 1-866-LOADPOD.<br />

Valid until August 30, 2005.<br />

macXware: 20 Percent Discount<br />

Get creative with macXware. Best<br />

sellers include:<br />

- MacFonts - 1,000 TrueType Fonts<br />

& FontManager<br />

- MacFonts 2 - 1,000 New Fonts in<br />

OpenType Format & FontManager<br />

- Commercial Use MacFonts<br />

Collections - Four Collections<br />

for Professional Use<br />

- MacBurn - CD & DVD<br />

Burning Software<br />

- MediaEdit Pro - Video, Audio<br />

& Image Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

- ScreenRecord - Capture On-<br />

Screen Actions for Tu<strong>to</strong>rials<br />

User groups receive an extra 20 percent<br />

discount on any macXware<br />

website order by using the user group<br />

discount code box during checkout.<br />

Code: MUG2005<br />

Find out more.<br />

http://www.macXware.com<br />

Valid until July 31, 2005.<br />

E2Sync: 25 Percent Discount<br />

e2Sync brings En<strong>to</strong>urage support <strong>to</strong><br />

iSync. A genuine iSync conduit,<br />

installation is simple. You then just<br />

run iSync as normal. Apple user group<br />

members receive a 25 percent discount<br />

off the regular price of $39 (US) when<br />

using the user group discount code at<br />

their online s<strong>to</strong>re.<br />

Code: MUG25OFF0503<br />

E2Sync S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

www.e2sync.com/purchase.html<br />

Valid until July 31, 2005.<br />

See a complete list<br />

of all current deals at:<br />

www.mugcenter.com/<br />

vendornews/vendornews.html<br />

9<br />

TextSoap 4: Sanitize Grubby Text<br />

Since 1998, TextSoap has served as the<br />

premier text processing <strong>to</strong>ol. TextSoap<br />

easily cleans your emails of garbage<br />

characters, extracts text from HTML,<br />

processes database text files, and much<br />

more. Cus<strong>to</strong>m Cleaners allow you <strong>to</strong><br />

design one-click actions for your specific<br />

needs. TextSoap supports both plain<br />

text and styled text manipulation.<br />

TextSoap offers advanced integration<br />

allowing you <strong>to</strong> use its features inside<br />

your favorite application.<br />

User group members receive 20 percent<br />

off retail price of TextSoap when using<br />

the user group discount code and the<br />

link below.<br />

Code: CPNMUG419<br />

Place your order.<br />

http://www.unmarked.com/partners/mugmembers.html<br />

Valid until June 30, 2005.<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

Is there something the MUG s<strong>to</strong>re can<br />

do <strong>to</strong> help your group? Just let us<br />

know! Get 1 percent back on everything<br />

your membership purchases...<br />

which means if you encourage your<br />

members <strong>to</strong> buy from the MUG S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

you can get everything from software<br />

<strong>to</strong> new computers for your operation<br />

for FREE!<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re has free freight <strong>to</strong><br />

members, RAM rebates and aggressive<br />

pricing on new and reconditioned<br />

Macs, and the largest selection of preowned<br />

Macs on the planet!<br />

http://www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

The passwords <strong>to</strong> get in<strong>to</strong> <strong>this</strong><br />

exclusive User Group site are:<br />

User ID and Password<br />

3/31/2005 - 6/30/2005<br />

User ID: xxxx (lowercase)<br />

Password: xxxxx (lowercase)


President Don Dickey<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

PR Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r/Auction Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org 860-678-8622<br />

Download of the Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org 860-583-1165<br />

2004-2005 CMC Officers and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

Vice President Rich Lenoce<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

Past President/Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org 860-485-1547<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org (860) 668-8728<br />

Special Events Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

Caricatures by Bill Dougal of Lebanon, (860) 456-9041. Available for illustration assignments and event caricatures.<br />

10<br />

Secretary Chris Hart<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Treasurer David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Newsletter Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org 860-561-0319<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org 860-677-7787<br />

Parlimentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian Connie Scott<br />

parlimentarian@ctmac.org 860-584-9573


CMC Monthly Meetings Discounted Books FREE Raffle!<br />

Monthly CMC Meetings are held on last<br />

Wednesday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00<br />

P.M. (except November and December<br />

when the meetings are held one week<br />

earlier due <strong>to</strong> the holidays). Location below.<br />

Board meetings are held on the first<br />

Thursday of the month. If you wish <strong>to</strong><br />

attend a Board meeting, contact an officer<br />

for time & location.<br />

Wednesday, May 25, 2005<br />

Apple S<strong>to</strong>re, Westfarms Mall<br />

7:00 P.M. – Tiger OS X<br />

Directions: www.apple.com/ retail/westfarms/map/<br />

Back To Basics<br />

Takes A Summer Break<br />

There will be no Back To Basics sessions<br />

in May, June, or July, due <strong>to</strong> the nature of<br />

the meetings and venues. Look for the<br />

return of these sessions later <strong>this</strong> year.<br />

Wednesday, June 29, 2005<br />

Middlesex Community College<br />

7:00 P.M. – Three Hands on<br />

Sessions (subjects TBD)<br />

Wednesday, July 13, 2005<br />

MacWorld Expo Bos<strong>to</strong>n<br />

Hynes Convention Center<br />

(See page 3 for details)<br />

Wednesday, July 27, 2005<br />

CMC Summer Picnic<br />

6:00 P.M. – followed by<br />

“Stump The Geeks” Q&A<br />

(Location TBD)<br />

CMC continues <strong>to</strong> offer our current<br />

members the opportunity <strong>to</strong><br />

purchase any published book for<br />

either Mac or Windows at a 20%<br />

discount. All major publishers are<br />

carried by our source.<br />

Contact a Board Member or send<br />

an email <strong>to</strong> booksales@ctmac.org.<br />

Provide the book title, the publisher<br />

and the ISBN number, if<br />

possible, and he will check on its<br />

availability. Normally, the wait is<br />

not <strong>to</strong>o long.<br />

NOTICE!<br />

• Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number<br />

(for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

• CMC Web site username<br />

and password<br />

...are now located on your<br />

newsletter mailing label.<br />

Make a note of it NOW!<br />

May Elections<br />

Four positions will be voted on at<br />

the May meeting. They are<br />

President, Vice President,<br />

Secretary, and Treasurer. We<br />

have candidates for President,<br />

Vice President, and Treasurer.<br />

We currently have no volunteers<br />

for the Secretary position. Please<br />

consider running for <strong>this</strong> position;<br />

contact Connie Scott at<br />

parlimentarian@ctmac.org.<br />

Getting CMC emails?<br />

We always send out advance notice<br />

of the meetings, and sometimes for<br />

big news or special events (like our<br />

bus trip <strong>to</strong> Macworld). If you’re not<br />

getting them, please email us at<br />

president@ctmac.org with your<br />

current email address and a subject<br />

line of: ADD TO CMC EMAIL LIST<br />

11<br />

Every CMC member who attends our<br />

monthly meetings gets a raffle ticket.<br />

This will give you a chance for one of<br />

our free prizes every month! You<br />

could win…t-shirts, <strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs,<br />

software …there’s always something<br />

we’re giving away! And don’t forget<br />

the Free table at the back of the room<br />

where everything is...FREE!<br />

Treasurer’s Report<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members! Have your<br />

friends and co-workers join us for fun and<br />

learning about OS X and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 131<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance ..............$1126.53<br />

Savings Balance ................$3971.52<br />

Balances as of May 11, 2005<br />

FREE Classified Ads<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using<br />

or upgrading. This is a FREE<br />

service provided <strong>to</strong> our members.<br />

Send submissions via email <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

Display Ad Rates<br />

Any business items or services can<br />

be advertised at the low monthly rates<br />

listed below.<br />

Business Card ...................$10.00<br />

Quarter Page.....................$20.00<br />

Half Page.........................$30.00<br />

Full Page (or insert) ............$50.00<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a disk<br />

(with nothing else on it) or e-mail it <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org for insertion in the<br />

following issue. Display ads must be<br />

submitted camera-ready in eps or pdf format<br />

with all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

May 25 • 7 PM<br />

Tiger OS X<br />

Apple S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

Westfarms Mall<br />

Directions: http://www.apple.com/<br />

retail/westfarms/map/<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

a PDF document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center is<br />

available on our website: www.ctmac.org. Print and take it with you <strong>to</strong> find us easily!<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on programs<br />

require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College in Middle<strong>to</strong>wn.<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UCHC, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West,<br />

Exit 39 is after 39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong><br />

Route 4 East (Farming<strong>to</strong>n Avenue). At third traffic light, turn<br />

right <strong>to</strong> enter the Health Center campus. Go around the main<br />

building <strong>to</strong> the right (at a Y in road), then take a left when<br />

you get <strong>to</strong> the Academic Entrance. The road becomes twoway<br />

there so you should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn. (Do<br />

not go on straight <strong>to</strong> the two-way part). Then take the second<br />

right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go<br />

past the police station entrance on your left (small sign). You<br />

will see a continuation of the building with its own entrance<br />

area. This is the new research building. Enter on the ground<br />

floor, turn right and enter room EG-013 on your right. This<br />

is the first room on your right. The rest rooms are on your<br />

left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> Middlesex C.C.<br />

<strong>From</strong> the Hartford area, take Route 9 South. A few<br />

miles south of down<strong>to</strong>wn Middle<strong>to</strong>wn on Route 9, take<br />

Exit 11 (Rt. 155, Randolph Road). At the end of the<br />

ramp (for both N. & S. bound), turn right on<strong>to</strong><br />

Randolph Road. Continue <strong>to</strong> the traffic light at the <strong>to</strong>p<br />

of the hill and turn left on<strong>to</strong> Saybrook Road. Go a quarter<br />

of a mile and turn right on<strong>to</strong> Reservoir Road. Travel<br />

past the s<strong>to</strong>p sign, then take the first right on<strong>to</strong> Training<br />

Hill Road. Your first left will lead in<strong>to</strong> the Middlesex<br />

Community College Campus parking area. When you<br />

arrive on campus, take a right on<strong>to</strong> Training Hill Road.<br />

Go <strong>to</strong> the second parking lot entrance and take a left<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the upper lot. Directly in front of you will be Snow<br />

Hall. Enter Snow Hall and go up the stairs <strong>to</strong> the 2nd<br />

floor and go <strong>to</strong> the last room on the right, Room 509.


NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. JUNE 2005<br />

Confessions<br />

and Clemency<br />

By Don Dickey,<br />

CMC Past President<br />

As I write my last cover<br />

page feature for the CMC<br />

newsletter, I am reflecting<br />

on events of the past that had<br />

a significant impact on my<br />

life. One such event was<br />

“the switch.” Yes, as I bare<br />

all before you, I am publicly<br />

admitting that I was once a<br />

staunch PC user.<br />

It’s not as bad as it sounds!<br />

This was over a decade ago<br />

(1993), and I was actually a<br />

power DOS user. Sure, it was<br />

“Gatesware,” but not the Windows flavor<br />

that many Mac users hold with<br />

disdain. My “killer app” at that time<br />

was Au<strong>to</strong>CAD r12, and it ran considerably<br />

better (and faster) under DOS<br />

than Windows. Au<strong>to</strong>Desk knew <strong>this</strong>,<br />

and Windows was not as pervasive<br />

then, so r12 was delivered as either a<br />

DOS or Windows installation.<br />

Until <strong>this</strong> time, I really didn’t understand<br />

the Mac. I saw no real difference<br />

between Windows and the Mac. Both<br />

were graphic, both used a mouse for<br />

navigation and data entry, and many<br />

apps ran on both, Au<strong>to</strong>CAD r12<br />

among them. I suggest that many present<br />

day Windows users see life through<br />

similar eyes and don’t perceive any<br />

real difference or advantage <strong>to</strong> switching<br />

<strong>to</strong> a Mac. In fact, they look at the<br />

acres of software for their PC at<br />

CompUSA and compare <strong>this</strong> <strong>to</strong> a half<br />

isle of Mac software and agree that the<br />

I MAKE FUN OF<br />

WINDOWS USERS ALL<br />

THE TIME, AND FEEL SO<br />

SUPERIOR, YET WHEN MY<br />

MAC DOES STUPID<br />

THINGS, I FEEL SO<br />

SHAMEFUL...<br />

Fortunately, <strong>this</strong> was covered under<br />

the extended AppleCare Plan.<br />

Mac must be a very small island, perhaps<br />

<strong>to</strong>o small. If it were any good,<br />

wouldn’t more people be using it?<br />

My next position was as manager of<br />

product development in a company<br />

selling products in the technology education<br />

market. When I reported <strong>to</strong> work,<br />

I soon found that all curricula was produced<br />

in software foreign <strong>to</strong> me called<br />

Quark XPress. My need <strong>to</strong> edit and<br />

write such curricula meant that for the<br />

first time my desk<strong>to</strong>p held two computers:<br />

my “main” Intel-based machine<br />

and a strange little pizza box called a<br />

Mac LC. I was then writing curricula<br />

for CNC (computer numeric control),<br />

which ran in DOS. With it I could<br />

design a part in Au<strong>to</strong>CAD and then use<br />

the CNC software <strong>to</strong> operate a desk<strong>to</strong>p<br />

lathe <strong>to</strong> “turn” the part, all in a matter of<br />

minutes.<br />

The software crashed often. The lathe<br />

went awry on more than half the operations.<br />

The PC was constantly being<br />

1<br />

WOULD YOU<br />

LIKE TO SEE<br />

ONE OF OUR<br />

COUNSELORS?<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

Wednesday, June 29<br />

Middlesex Community College<br />

7:00 P.M.<br />

Three Hands on Sessions:<br />

• Mastering iPho<strong>to</strong><br />

• Creating a Personal Website<br />

• Pho<strong>to</strong>shop - All About Layers<br />

restarted. The software was reinstalled<br />

almost daily. There had <strong>to</strong> be a better<br />

way! Then I noticed something: my little<br />

Mac LC was a happy little machine,<br />

by comparison. It was a faithful friend,<br />

needing little care, and even greeted me<br />

every day with a smiling face instead of<br />

a “C:/” prompt!<br />

The lathe was made by a company in<br />

England, and its software was created<br />

by a fellow in Germany. One day when<br />

I was speaking with him, he mentioned<br />

there was a Mac version of his lathe<br />

software, and that he would “Express”<br />

me a copy.<br />

Then, Addison-Wesley offered me a<br />

copy of Au<strong>to</strong>CAD r12 for Mac as long<br />

as I was willing <strong>to</strong> write a review of it<br />

for them. With the arrivals of Mac versions<br />

of Au<strong>to</strong>CAD and the CNC<br />

software <strong>to</strong> drive my lathe, I was in<br />

heaven! For the first time, I could “play<br />

engineer” on my Mac. I think <strong>this</strong> was<br />

the turning point in my life from which<br />

I’ve never seriously looked back.<br />

Because of <strong>this</strong> experience, and likewise<br />

for many Mac users with a similar<br />

past rooted in the PC world, I have a<br />

sound understanding of what it means<br />

<strong>to</strong> be a “switcher.” It also enabled and<br />

encouraged me <strong>to</strong> share my experiences<br />

with others in the PC world, which can<br />

lead <strong>to</strong> a sort of “family tree” of switchers!<br />

I count our most recent past<br />

president Joe Arcuri as a branch of my<br />

family tree, and I’m sure he has added<br />

cousins <strong>to</strong> our common tree as well.<br />

There’s a lesson in <strong>this</strong>, and that’s the<br />

point of my article. Some of us are so<br />

Continued on page 2


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

John Scott<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions<br />

from members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

Continued from page 1<br />

far in<strong>to</strong> Mac lore and religion that we<br />

actually repel members of the PC world<br />

and keep them from getting <strong>to</strong>o close.<br />

We may need <strong>to</strong> humble ourselves,<br />

offer the gentlest of encouragement, or<br />

perhaps even lend a friend a Mac when<br />

their PC is in the shop, along with<br />

enough hand-holding <strong>to</strong> help them<br />

along their way. If you’re on foreign<br />

turf here, ask a “switcher” for help!<br />

There are plenty of us around, and we<br />

can identify with those “on the edge” ...<br />

making that decision <strong>to</strong> replace an<br />

aging PC with either a new black Dell<br />

or a new white Mac.<br />

Do you think there’s a reason the iMac<br />

is white? You bet your single but<strong>to</strong>n<br />

mouse there is... <strong>to</strong> distinguish it from<br />

the sea of mostly black PeeSees out<br />

there. And be sure <strong>to</strong> encourage a<br />

switcher friend <strong>to</strong> trash his brand new<br />

Apple mouse! In fact, make it your job<br />

<strong>to</strong> outfit a switcher friend with a two<br />

but<strong>to</strong>n optical USB mouse complete<br />

with a scroll wheel. This will most cer-<br />

Member of the Month<br />

by David Gerstein<br />

CMC Treasurer<br />

CMC Member of the Month is<br />

middle-schooler Juli Woolard of<br />

Bris<strong>to</strong>l.<br />

Q Juli, where do you go <strong>to</strong> school?<br />

A I'm in the 8th grade at Memorial<br />

Boulevard.<br />

Q How long have you used the Mac?<br />

A Ever since the first grade, back<br />

in Colorado.<br />

Q And what do you use if for?<br />

A Oh, <strong>to</strong> download music, chat with<br />

friends and my cousins. My<br />

friend Ellie uses hers for her Sims.<br />

2<br />

tainly help him cross the divide and feel<br />

at least partially “at home” with a new<br />

machine.<br />

This leads me <strong>to</strong> my last act as your<br />

outgoing president: I am hereby declaring<br />

clemency for those among us who<br />

were former PC users! They made a<br />

hard choice, they paid their dues, and<br />

its time for us <strong>to</strong> forgive and embrace<br />

them as brothers and sisters in our fraternity.<br />

These folks are the ones who<br />

will most likely create branches on the<br />

family tree. They’ve “been there, done<br />

that,” and can lead the way <strong>to</strong> their PC<br />

friends as many of us already have.<br />

It has been my pleasure <strong>to</strong> serve as an<br />

elected officer on CMC’s board, and I<br />

look forward <strong>to</strong> the fresh ideas and<br />

great things the newly elected executive<br />

officers will bring <strong>to</strong> our organization.<br />

Best wishes,<br />

Don<br />

Q You’ve been <strong>to</strong> meetings. What<br />

do you find useful or interesting?<br />

A The Black Eyed Peas...<br />

Q Black Eyed Peas???<br />

A You know...the band. When you<br />

showed the pho<strong>to</strong>s and played<br />

the music. Garage Band. Cool.<br />

Q What would you like us <strong>to</strong> do<br />

better?<br />

A Sometimes things go wrong. The<br />

computer crashes. It’s nice <strong>to</strong><br />

find out the answer <strong>to</strong> things


Off the Beaten Path:<br />

Hidden Gems You<br />

Might Have Missed<br />

By Kyle DeMilo, CMC Secretary<br />

When you surf the web as much as I do,<br />

you sometimes come across the occasional<br />

diamond in the rough, so <strong>to</strong> speak.<br />

This column points out those hard-<strong>to</strong>find<br />

freeware and shareware items for<br />

your Mac that you might think you don’t<br />

need, but prove <strong>to</strong> be really handy!<br />

This month features a trio of apps that<br />

are all free, and really helpful. I personally<br />

use them on a daily basis.<br />

The first is from long-time NeXT<br />

developers Devon Technologies. Their<br />

DevonThink, DevonNote, and<br />

DevonAgent applications are three<br />

powerful (but not free) <strong>to</strong>ols for<br />

research. However, lurking on the freeware<br />

section of their site is a free app<br />

that blows away the built-in “Find”<br />

function in OS X. It’s called EasyFind<br />

and it can search for file names as well<br />

as content. How it works is a mystery <strong>to</strong><br />

me, but it’s fast!<br />

➤ Get it from here: www.devon-tech<br />

nologies.com/download/shareware.php<br />

Our next one is a module for your<br />

System Preferences called<br />

RCDefaultApp, which allows you <strong>to</strong><br />

set the default applications for URLs,<br />

documents, MIME types, etc.<br />

Normally <strong>this</strong> is done through several<br />

AOL Service<br />

Assistant<br />

By Kyle DeMilo,<br />

CMC Secretary<br />

Do you love being an AOL member,<br />

but you’re not crazy about the software?<br />

Have you just upgraded <strong>to</strong><br />

high-speed access and looking <strong>to</strong><br />

leave AOL? This new option might be<br />

just the thing for you.<br />

The AOL Service Assistant is from<br />

AOL and it allows you <strong>to</strong> gather all of<br />

your information from the files nor-<br />

separate functions (Get Info for files,<br />

Safari for URL’s, etc). This is ones<strong>to</strong>p<br />

shopping for your Mac.<br />

➤ Get it from here: http://www.rubi<br />

code.com/Software/RCDefaultApp/<br />

The third and final piece is a great<br />

donationware application called iSnip.<br />

What is donationware? It’s shareware<br />

without the nagging; it’s freeware with<br />

a tip jar. You can use it for free, but if<br />

you do use it, it’s suggested you kick<br />

in whatever you think it’s worth.<br />

What does it do? It’s a clipboard his<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

manager. Have you ever copied<br />

an item and then find yourself copying<br />

something else before you had a<br />

chance <strong>to</strong> paste the first item? It’s happened<br />

<strong>to</strong> me – and nothing is worse<br />

than the mad dash <strong>to</strong> run back and find<br />

that first item <strong>to</strong> edit once more. Not<br />

with iSnip: any time you copy items <strong>to</strong><br />

the Mac’s clipboard, it keeps a running<br />

his<strong>to</strong>ry of it. You can also specify<br />

recurring items called ‘snippets’,<br />

which can be sorted in<strong>to</strong> folders and<br />

subfolders.<br />

It’s great for web browsing, boilerplate<br />

text, anything where you would<br />

need <strong>to</strong> reference stuff you’ve placed<br />

on the Mac’s clipboard.<br />

➤ Get it from here: http://www.isnip.net<br />

Feedback? Something I missed? Email<br />

me at: ctmacbeatenpath@gmail.com<br />

mally kept on their service, and s<strong>to</strong>re<br />

it locally in the applications that Apple<br />

includes with every new Mac. Of<br />

course you have still have <strong>to</strong> an active<br />

AOL account in order <strong>to</strong> use <strong>this</strong>, but<br />

once you’re done migrating all your<br />

stuff, you can say goodbye forever–or<br />

just keep the account if you must, and<br />

ditch the client.<br />

<strong>From</strong> AOL’s site:<br />

Mail - Easily configure Mac OS X<br />

Mail <strong>to</strong> send and receive AOL mail.<br />

You can also import your incoming<br />

and outgoing messages from your<br />

3<br />

Download<br />

of the Month:<br />

iAlert 6.0<br />

Submitted by<br />

Debi Foss<br />

http://angeman.perso.cegetel.net/<br />

iAlert/?language=en<br />

Do your kids annoy you? Your dogs?<br />

The neighbors? Well then why not your<br />

software?<br />

iAlert is a preference pane which<br />

allows you <strong>to</strong> display an alert with a<br />

transparent floating window whenever<br />

a particular event occurs and lets you<br />

interact with the application that<br />

launched it.<br />

The built-in plugins show alerts when:<br />

• web sites are updated<br />

•a download is completed in Safari |<br />

or Firefox<br />

•new articles are fetched in Safari<br />

RSS<br />

• you receive new messages in Mail,<br />

En<strong>to</strong>urage or Thunderbird<br />

• you receive new messages or your<br />

friends get connected on iChat<br />

•a new song is played in iTunes<br />

You can also set up alarms and timers.<br />

The alerts are fully cus<strong>to</strong>mizable and<br />

you can control their size, their position<br />

on the screen, their opacity, their<br />

color and their background picture.<br />

iAlert is freeware and comes in a<br />

version for Panther or Tiger. apple<br />

Personal Filing Cabinet in<strong>to</strong> Mail.<br />

iChat - Easily set up iChat <strong>to</strong> work<br />

with your Screen Name.<br />

Address Book - Import your AOL<br />

Address Book contacts in<strong>to</strong> your Mac<br />

OS X Address Book without bringing<br />

in duplicate entries.<br />

Safari - Import your AOL Favorite<br />

Places in<strong>to</strong> a folder in the Safari<br />

Bookmarks Bar.<br />

Download AOL Service Assistant for free<br />

from here: www.aol.com/downloads/?


One Month<br />

with Tiger<br />

By Rich Lenoce,<br />

CMC President<br />

You can read about the 200<br />

enhancements Apple has put in OS<br />

X.4 Tiger on their website, but I<br />

think that what strikes me about<br />

<strong>this</strong> version of OS X is that it<br />

seems <strong>to</strong> be making a jump <strong>to</strong> the<br />

next level of OS. I always<br />

felt–from the original OS X<br />

through Jaguar and then<br />

Panther–that Apple was trying <strong>to</strong><br />

recreate the older Classic OS in a<br />

new form, and that it was poised <strong>to</strong><br />

use its UNIX routes <strong>to</strong> be a breakthrough<br />

OS. That time is here!<br />

With Tiger, Macin<strong>to</strong>sh OS X has<br />

finally come in<strong>to</strong> its own: breaking<br />

new ground offering powerful features,<br />

better Windows integration<br />

and adding a level of sophistication<br />

that puts the Mac OS ahead of<br />

any other OS on the market.<br />

Does that mean everyone should<br />

upgrade? If it sounds like you<br />

might need Tiger’s powerful features,<br />

you’d certainly be happy<br />

upgrading, however many people<br />

won’t need or may never use<br />

Tiger’s advanced features, and for<br />

them Panther will certainly remain<br />

good enough. So look at the features<br />

and decide for yourself if<br />

Tiger is worth the $129 <strong>to</strong> you.<br />

Spotlight/Smart Folders<br />

and Mailboxes<br />

One of the handiest and most powerful<br />

features in Tiger is Smart<br />

Folders and Smart Mailboxes.<br />

These two features are functionally<br />

similar, allowing you <strong>to</strong> set up<br />

folders in the Finder or mailboxes<br />

in Mail so that<br />

when files or<br />

emails meet a<br />

certain criteria,<br />

the file or email<br />

gets placed in the assigned Smart<br />

Folder or Smart Mailbox. For<br />

example, I have my work email<br />

forwarded <strong>to</strong> my SBC account but<br />

those emails are always getting<br />

mixed up with my personal emails.<br />

I set up a Smart Mailbox so that<br />

when Mail receives an email in my<br />

SBC Mailbox with the subject line<br />

that says “FWD from rlenoce@mxcc.<br />

commnet.edu,” that email gets sent<br />

<strong>to</strong> a special Smart Mailbox I created<br />

called Work Emails. I used <strong>to</strong><br />

perform <strong>this</strong> same task manually at<br />

the end of each day, moving all my<br />

work emails <strong>to</strong> a special mailbox.<br />

The difference between Smart<br />

Folders and Smart Mailboxes is<br />

that with Smart Folders the actual<br />

file is not placed in the folder, only<br />

an alias. The original file still<br />

resides in the original location.<br />

Email does get moved <strong>to</strong> the Smart<br />

Mailbox, eliminating clutter.<br />

Smart Mailboxes and Smart<br />

Folders save me several minutes<br />

each day. I set up Smart Folders<br />

for various projects I’m working<br />

on so that documents get properly<br />

filed. Again, you could manually<br />

do <strong>this</strong> or let a program like<br />

En<strong>to</strong>urage do it for you, but Tiger<br />

does <strong>this</strong> for you elegantly and easily.<br />

Can I live without Smart<br />

Folders and Smart Mailboxes?<br />

Certainly...but I like ‘em!<br />

The ability <strong>to</strong> perform these<br />

sophisticated functions comes<br />

from Apple’s Spotlight technology,<br />

the new search feature built in<strong>to</strong><br />

Tiger. Spotlight is similar <strong>to</strong> the<br />

4<br />

old Sherlock Indexing but is far<br />

more powerful and much faster.<br />

Spotlight not only catalogs all of<br />

your files but the contents of the<br />

file, the file attributes and metadata.<br />

Meta-data is additional data<br />

that further describes a file such as<br />

the date, time and exposure of a<br />

digital pho<strong>to</strong> written by the camera<br />

when the pho<strong>to</strong> was taken, or the<br />

name of the CD album hidden in<br />

the song file when you imported it<br />

<strong>to</strong> iTunes.<br />

Spotlight is nothing short of as<strong>to</strong>nishing.<br />

After you install Tiger,<br />

Spotlight indexes your drives<br />

examining every aspect of your<br />

files and catalogs the information.<br />

When you perform a search from a<br />

Finder window or from the new<br />

Spotlight Menu located all the way<br />

<strong>to</strong> the right on the menu bar, you<br />

will see a list of results. Type a<br />

word or phrase and Spotlight will<br />

instantly provide the results of all<br />

files containing the word or<br />

phrase. The downside is that if the<br />

word is common, you’ll receive<br />

thousands of results that you must<br />

wade through. But, like any good<br />

search engine, you can use keywords<br />

<strong>to</strong> narrow your search or<br />

place phrases or file names in<br />

quotes <strong>to</strong> get exact results. I keep<br />

everything on my computer very<br />

organized, so Spotlight isn’t essential<br />

for me. However, I could see<br />

where it would be useful for many<br />

people especially those who have<br />

multiple documents with similar<br />

information—such as a sales person<br />

who has multiple documents<br />

for an account (invoices, quotes,<br />

records, etc.). Spotlight coupled<br />

with Smart Folders/Mailboxes is<br />

continued on page 5


continued from page 4<br />

an extremely powerful pairing.<br />

Personally, I’d like a way <strong>to</strong> go<br />

back <strong>to</strong> Panther’s more basic<br />

search feature and call up Spotlight<br />

as needed.<br />

Dashboard<br />

Dashboard, Apple’s other well-publicized<br />

feature, has also gotten a lot<br />

of press. Dashboard consists of user<br />

installable mini-applications called<br />

Widgets that run in the background<br />

and are activated and brought <strong>to</strong> the<br />

screen forefront by pressing F12 or<br />

the Dashboard dock icon. I have<br />

widgets installed for 5-day weather<br />

forecasts and Doppler radar, TV<br />

program schedules, a Webcam of<br />

Venice Italy, air flights, and an<br />

Amazon search <strong>to</strong>ol. In the past,<br />

these were tasks that I would look<br />

up using Safari bookmarks or using<br />

the widget based application,<br />

Konfabula<strong>to</strong>r. Again, do I need<br />

Dashboard <strong>to</strong> do <strong>this</strong>? No, but it is<br />

an elegant way <strong>to</strong> reduce bookmark<br />

clutter…and it’s fun.<br />

Safari and .Mac<br />

For those people with a .Mac<br />

account, you’ll be happy <strong>to</strong> learn<br />

that iDisk synchronization finally<br />

works as advertised. It’s much<br />

faster and works seamlessly with<br />

the Finder. I was always annoyed<br />

by the sluggishness of iDisk and<br />

the slowness of the synchronization<br />

process, and Apple seems <strong>to</strong><br />

have addressed these issues. Sadly,<br />

I had <strong>to</strong> pay $129 for Tiger on <strong>to</strong>p<br />

of the $99 a year <strong>to</strong> get .Mac, just<br />

<strong>to</strong> have my iDisk <strong>to</strong> work it’s supposed<br />

<strong>to</strong>. Also, Safari has gotten<br />

faster and the DNS bug that has<br />

affected its ability <strong>to</strong> find web<br />

pages the first time you select a<br />

URL is finally fixed. Bug fixes and<br />

functional enhancements <strong>to</strong> Safari<br />

and .Mac should have been done as<br />

a Panther update. Apple has <strong>to</strong> s<strong>to</strong>p<br />

with the “we’ll fix these problems<br />

in the next release” attitude.<br />

There are <strong>to</strong>o many enhancements<br />

<strong>to</strong> each application that comes with<br />

Tiger <strong>to</strong> mention. Apple should<br />

begin including a manual, even a<br />

basic manual in PDF form, with all<br />

OS releases and applications. They<br />

supplied an excellent manual with<br />

iWork for Pages and Keynote and I<br />

thought <strong>this</strong> might be a trend. Much<br />

of the enhancements in Tiger and<br />

the latest release of iLife are hidden<br />

and a manual would help us wade<br />

through the changes rather than<br />

waiting months for a Missing<br />

Manual or Dummies book <strong>to</strong> appear.<br />

For example, there are many new<br />

features <strong>to</strong> the way Address Book,<br />

Calendar and Mail interact but<br />

without documentation most users<br />

will miss some of Tiger’s best features.<br />

Also, Spotlight is very<br />

complicated; there are many ways<br />

<strong>to</strong> perform a search but looking at a<br />

Spotlight dialog box you’d never be<br />

aware of that. The new Tiger application,<br />

Au<strong>to</strong>mater, similar<br />

<strong>to</strong> Applescript but easier <strong>to</strong><br />

use, looks interesting but darn<br />

if I can figure out how it works.<br />

There were some disappointments<br />

<strong>to</strong> Tiger. iChat’s new<br />

video conferencing features<br />

are highly over-rated since<br />

you need a G5 or dual 1ghz G4 <strong>to</strong><br />

host an H264 conference. Apple’s<br />

changes <strong>to</strong> Mail’s look and color<br />

scheme <strong>to</strong> me isn’t as attractive,<br />

and information such as mailbox<br />

sizes isn’t as accessible is in<br />

Panther.<br />

5<br />

There were also some areas of<br />

Tiger that didn’t get the makeover<br />

needed. Fontbook is still almost<br />

<strong>to</strong>o simplistic <strong>to</strong> be useful for<br />

power users, and burning a CD or<br />

DVD in the Finder still isn’t very<br />

flexible. I also wish there were<br />

additional maintenance utilities<br />

built in<strong>to</strong> Tiger. But, I’m just nitpicking<br />

here; there are many third<br />

party applications that can manage<br />

these OS functions.<br />

With Tiger, I found few “must have”<br />

new features but plenty of “wow<br />

that’s great” features. Overall, Tiger<br />

is another tremendous Apple innovation<br />

particularly for power users.<br />

Casual users may find the additions<br />

overkill, especially for $129.<br />

Beginners <strong>to</strong> the Mac OS should get<br />

a good manual, as there’s a lot of<br />

power under the hood.<br />

Tiger Migration Guide Available<br />

For users making the move <strong>to</strong><br />

Tiger, I strongly recommend Erik<br />

Vlietinck’s Tiger Migration Guide,<br />

an eBook for helping users migrate<br />

from earlier versions of Mac OS X<br />

<strong>to</strong> Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. The free<br />

version of the eBook<br />

is available in PDF<br />

form for on screen<br />

viewing. A high-resolution<br />

printable<br />

version is available<br />

for $5. Additionally,<br />

buyers will receive<br />

a bonus chapter<br />

containing the shortcuts<br />

of new and changed features<br />

in Tiger. apple<br />


Instructions from<br />

Outer Space:<br />

GPS Car Navigation<br />

by Adam C. Engst<br />

ace@tidbits.com<br />

reprinted from TidBITS#780/16-May-05<br />

Have you ever found yourself driving<br />

at high speed or in heavy traffic in an<br />

unfamiliar area while the person in the<br />

passenger seat frantically attempts <strong>to</strong><br />

read the map and tell you where <strong>to</strong><br />

turn next? If you’re like me, it’s stressful.<br />

And if you’re anything like Tonya,<br />

trying <strong>to</strong> figure out the current location<br />

on a map and give coherent<br />

directions, all while the car is moving<br />

is equally as stressful, plus a bit nausea-inducing.<br />

Our recent trip <strong>to</strong> New Mexico was<br />

made even more enjoyable by our<br />

decision <strong>to</strong> spring for the extra $10 per<br />

day <strong>to</strong> rent a GPS-enabled (global<br />

positioning system) cell phone from<br />

Alamo that spoke directions for each<br />

upcoming turn. It was brilliant,<br />

despite some notable design flaws.<br />

We’re not gadget freaks, but we’ve<br />

already decided <strong>to</strong> look in<strong>to</strong> buying a<br />

similar device for the next time we<br />

have <strong>to</strong> do any significant driving in<br />

unknown parts.<br />

Driving by Wireless<br />

Alamo wasn’t forthcoming about<br />

what the device actually was and how<br />

it worked, so my apologies in advance<br />

if my deduction and speculation prove<br />

somewhat incorrect. <strong>From</strong> what I<br />

could tell, the GPS device itself was a<br />

Mo<strong>to</strong>rola i58sr cell phone with Nextel<br />

service; the phone had a relatively<br />

small black & white screen, and<br />

Alamo provided a suction cup mount<br />

so it could attach <strong>to</strong> the windshield.<br />

When turned on, the phone ran some<br />

kind of specialized Java application<br />

that asked for your permission (presumably<br />

because you could have been<br />

tracked through the device) and then<br />

dumped you in<strong>to</strong> a predictably lousy<br />

interface for searching for an attrac-<br />

tion or entering an address. Once you<br />

entered the address, the phone used<br />

Nextel’s data network <strong>to</strong> download<br />

driving directions from your current<br />

location, determined by the GPS, and<br />

then both read them out loud <strong>to</strong> you<br />

via its speakerphone and displayed the<br />

next turn on the screen, with running<br />

countdowns of how far until your next<br />

turn and until you reached the eventual<br />

destination. It always started talking<br />

about half a mile away, and it repeated<br />

itself as you got closer, but never so<br />

much that it was annoying. As you<br />

came up on a turn, a progress bar<br />

showed you how many meters until<br />

the turn; that was great in situations<br />

where there were two turns quite close<br />

<strong>to</strong>gether.<br />

Although the interface was poor, and<br />

it <strong>to</strong>ok us longer <strong>to</strong> figure out than<br />

ideal (remember, we were driving; it’s<br />

not like you have time <strong>to</strong> sit down<br />

with the thing beforehand, and Alamo<br />

didn’t include any instructions at all),<br />

we quickly became addicted <strong>to</strong> the<br />

driving instructions. With one exception<br />

- where the GPS phone would<br />

have had us get off an arterial, cross a<br />

road, and get right back on - the<br />

instructions were extremely accurate.<br />

And interestingly, a second pass<br />

through the area where it gave the<br />

foolish instructions did not repeat<br />

them; it’s conceivable that we were in<br />

a different lane and thus triggered different<br />

instructions. If you missed a<br />

turn (the mistake was the only direction<br />

we ignored), it detects that you’re<br />

not on course and quickly downloads<br />

new directions <strong>to</strong> reroute you.<br />

More problematic, particularly in the<br />

rural parts of New Mexico, was that<br />

you had <strong>to</strong> enter a full address. We<br />

were staying with fellow authors<br />

6<br />

Robin Williams and John Tollett for a<br />

few nights, and although we had<br />

directions <strong>to</strong> their house, and thus had<br />

the final road name, we didn’t have<br />

their street address handy. We were<br />

able <strong>to</strong> fool the GPS phone in<strong>to</strong> giving<br />

us directions anyway by guessing that<br />

the house number was 1 instead of<br />

2745 or something, and we were<br />

lucky, since in some cities, that difference<br />

could have put us entirely across<br />

<strong>to</strong>wn. A bed and breakfast we stayed<br />

at in Chimayo had only a P.O. box for<br />

an address, and the device’s database<br />

had never heard of County Road 0100,<br />

so it wasn’t much help there.<br />

Although Tonya found a GPS menu in<br />

the phone’s interface somewhere, we<br />

never managed <strong>to</strong> see if it would give<br />

us a map view of the area (and my<br />

reading of the phone’s user’s guide<br />

afterwards would seem <strong>to</strong> indicate<br />

not). It would have been helpful <strong>to</strong> be<br />

able <strong>to</strong> point at a spot in the map and<br />

say “Go there!” It would also have<br />

been useful on at least one occasion <strong>to</strong><br />

see a map view and which direction<br />

we were traveling; luckily my normal<br />

handheld GPS device showed us that<br />

we were headed in entirely the wrong<br />

direction. That was before we’d quite<br />

realized how helpful the GPS phone<br />

would be, and we hadn’t planned on<br />

using it that trip, since our final destination<br />

in Los Alamos didn’t have an<br />

address (it was probably classified<br />

information, though we were again<br />

able <strong>to</strong> fool the phone in<strong>to</strong> taking a<br />

random address on the final street).<br />

According <strong>to</strong> the user’s guide, the<br />

phone can communicate with a computer<br />

<strong>to</strong> work with mapping software,<br />

though it was unclear if it would really<br />

work on the Mac or not.<br />

<br />

As you might expect, the reliance on<br />

Nextel’s data network for instructions<br />

proved problematic in several loca-<br />

continued on page 7


continued from page 6<br />

tions, since Nextel’s coverage where<br />

we were in Taos and Santa Fe was<br />

poor <strong>to</strong> non-existent. We were fine getting<br />

<strong>to</strong> those locations, since the phone<br />

downloaded all the instructions it<br />

needed initially, but it couldn’t access<br />

any new instructions until we were<br />

within range of a Nextel <strong>to</strong>wer again.<br />

Planning for the Next Trip<br />

Such voice-enabled GPS devices are<br />

not new; I’ve been hearing people talk<br />

about them for years. But they’re<br />

pricey ($400 <strong>to</strong> $1,000), and particularly<br />

in Ithaca, where we know the<br />

roads well, I couldn’t justify the<br />

expense of such a device. But <strong>this</strong><br />

GPS phone and associated service,<br />

thoroughly mediocre though it may<br />

have been, fell squarely in<strong>to</strong> the category<br />

of gadgets that improved our<br />

life. Particularly when I’m under time<br />

pressure <strong>to</strong> arrive somewhere, I’m not<br />

one of those people who is relaxed<br />

about potentially getting lost. I hate<br />

not knowing where I am, and I<br />

Two Gigabytes or Bust<br />

by Glenn Fleishman<br />

glenn@tidbits.com<br />

Reprinted from Tidbits<br />

#780/16-May-05<br />

It’s all about<br />

the Gmail.<br />

Google continues<br />

<strong>to</strong> control<br />

the vertical and horizontal for nearly everything they<br />

<strong>to</strong>uch, and Gmail’s upgraded capacity of 2 GB of free<br />

email s<strong>to</strong>rage has set the target for other companies that<br />

want some of that sweet, sweet ad revenue from people<br />

who use webmail instead of their ISP’s service. ISPs<br />

must be sweating a little, because unbundling email<br />

means that the pipe <strong>to</strong> the ISP is really just delivering<br />

water, not chicken soup, coffee, and bisque (<strong>to</strong> stretch a<br />

metaphor).<br />

<br />

AOL is the latest entrant, and a surprising one. They purchased<br />

Mailblocks almost a year ago, a provider that<br />

offers challenge-response based email so that only recipients<br />

with human characteristics wind up in your In box.<br />

Mailblocks charges modest fees for its modest s<strong>to</strong>rage<br />

service, but AOL used their technology <strong>to</strong> build their free,<br />

absolutely can’t stand the feeling that<br />

I’m going <strong>to</strong> be late because I <strong>to</strong>ok a<br />

wrong turn somewhere. And in turn,<br />

Tonya doesn’t enjoy reading maps<br />

and feeding me navigation instructions<br />

while we’re driving. So the<br />

clearly enunciated directions both<br />

increased my peace of mind while<br />

driving and Tonya’s relaxation level.<br />

I’ve started <strong>to</strong> look in<strong>to</strong> other devices<br />

that might work better than the<br />

Mo<strong>to</strong>rola GPS phone; it’s not acceptable<br />

<strong>to</strong> be without directions just<br />

because you can’t get cell service. It<br />

also sounds from <strong>this</strong> PC World article<br />

as though it would be fairly<br />

expensive: the cost of a Nextel data<br />

plan plus $11 per month for the GPS<br />

service.<br />

<br />

There are a number of dedicated GPS<br />

devices that promise features well<br />

beyond what the GPS phone provided,<br />

such as multiple map views, route<br />

7<br />

2 GB, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) connected webmail.<br />

An AIM account will link <strong>to</strong> a webmail account.<br />

AIM accounts are free and self-standing and can be used<br />

with iChat.<br />

<br />

<br />

Yahoo upped its mailbox <strong>to</strong> 1 GB a few months ago, and<br />

offers 2 GB for $20 per year. Apple’s .Mac service<br />

includes just 250 MB of s<strong>to</strong>rage for $100 per year, with<br />

1 GB <strong>to</strong>tal available for $50 extra per year. Hotmail<br />

includes 250 MB - with only 25 MB of that available in<br />

the first 30 days - with 2 GB costing $20 per year.<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

choices if you don’t want <strong>to</strong> take freeways<br />

(or if you want <strong>to</strong> take only<br />

freeways), and more. Voice instructions<br />

are key, since paying attention <strong>to</strong><br />

gadget interfaces in the car is dangerous.<br />

A few of the devices I’ve found<br />

and plan <strong>to</strong> look in<strong>to</strong> further include:<br />

• Magellan RoadMate 300/500/700<br />

<br />

• Garmin StreetPilot<br />

c320/c330/2610/2620<br />

<br />

• TomTom GO 300/700/Rider<br />

<br />

If you’ve used one of these devices, or<br />

another voice-enabled GPS system<br />

for providing navigation, let us know<br />

on TidBITS Talk <br />

what you think. apple<br />

Of course, Google is still tweaking their approach. When<br />

they lifted the limit on April Fool’s Day from 1 GB <strong>to</strong> 2<br />

GB, they said it was only the beginning. And it’s true. My<br />

mailbox keeps getting slightly larger. I have about 535 MB<br />

of s<strong>to</strong>red mail (it’s an au<strong>to</strong>matic CC’d backup for my main<br />

account) and every day the upper limit rises slightly.


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duckshooter_mac.sit<br />

Apple user group members can buy<br />

Bubble Shooter and Jet Ducks each<br />

for just $11.87, 30 percent off the regular<br />

price of $16.95. A 14-day demo<br />

lets you try before you buy. Get the<br />

promotional coupon. http://absolutist.com/mac/mugs_discount.html<br />

Offer valid until September 30, 2005.<br />

USGlobalSat Buys Rayming Corp,<br />

Updates User Group Offer<br />

USGlobalSat is proud <strong>to</strong> support user<br />

groups with a short-term promotional<br />

discount for the Mac OSX supported<br />

BU-303, BT-308 and BT-338 GPS<br />

Receivers (with Route66 USA 2004<br />

included).<br />

With the acquisition of Rayming<br />

Corporation, USGlobalSat encourages<br />

Apple user group members <strong>to</strong> take<br />

advantage of <strong>this</strong> special offer while it<br />

lasts. Offer feedback about the product(s)<br />

and your experience with the<br />

GPS products at:<br />

MacGPS@usglobalsat.com.<br />

BU-303: $112.99 (US) - 30 percent off<br />

$162.98 MSRP<br />

http://www.usglobalsat.com/item.<br />

asp?itemid=51<br />

BT-308: $184.99 (US) - 36 percent off<br />

$292.98 (US) MSRP<br />

http://www.usglobalsat.com/item.asp?it<br />

emid=52<br />

BT-338: $168.99 (US) - 35 percent off<br />

$259.99 (US) MSRP<br />

www.usglobalsat.com/item.asp?itemid=6<br />

See more MUG offers on page 9


MUG Deals, Deals and More Deals!<br />

Vendor Offer Watch<br />

June 2, 2005 Edition<br />

Exclusive MUG Center Discounts:<br />

BackJack - 3 free months of online backup<br />

service; available globally, expires 8/31/05 -<br />

Order URL:www.backjack.com/mugcenter.html<br />

East Bay Technologies<br />

Over 40% off iWire Broadcast;<br />

available globally, expires 7/31/05<br />

Coupon code: “MUGIWIRE”.<br />

KeynoteUser.com - 10% off all products;<br />

available globally, expires 12/31/05<br />

Order URL: www.keynoteuser.com/MUG/<br />

Peachpit Press - 35% off Three iLife ‘05<br />

books, available globally, expires 12/31/05<br />

Coupon code EE-S4AP-PPT at the checkout<br />

St. Clair Software - $10 off Default Folder,<br />

available globally, expires 7/31/05 - Order<br />

URL: www.digibuy.com/cgi-bin/order.html?<br />

stclairsoft+101379038763+108265373248<br />

Discount Code: DFXUG_1000<br />

Other offers in effect, including those<br />

from the Apple User Group Bulletin:<br />

Absolutist Games -(see page 8)<br />

Apple MUG S<strong>to</strong>re - Discounts on new and<br />

refurbished hardware and 1% back <strong>to</strong> your<br />

group; available in U.S./Canada; no expiration<br />

AppleWorks Users Group<br />

Discount on Macin<strong>to</strong>sh batteries;<br />

available globally, no expiration<br />

Audible.com - Free month of service plus<br />

free gifts; available in U.S. only; no expiration<br />

Curry K. Software - 30% discount on Agile<br />

10 Key; available globally. Expires 8/31/05<br />

e2Sync - 25% discount on e2Sync iSync<br />

Conduit; available globally, expires 7/31/05<br />

Future Sonics -<br />

(see page 8 for details)<br />

Guy Kawasaki - The Art of the Start & 128<br />

MB USB Flash Drive bundle; available<br />

globally, good while supplies last - Order URL:<br />

www.1800ceoread.com/pitchkit.asp<br />

IOGear - 35% discount on various<br />

connectivity products; available in U.S. only.<br />

Expires 7/31/05<br />

LoadPod - 10% off iPod loading service;<br />

available in U.S. only. Expires 8/30/05<br />

MacAddict magazine - Up <strong>to</strong> 78% off annual<br />

subscription; U.S. only. Expires 6/30/05<br />

macHOME magazine - $15 off annual<br />

subscription; U.S. only. No expiration<br />

MacWireless - Free Shipping in the U.S. only.<br />

Expires 6/30/05<br />

Macworld magazine - $13 off annual<br />

subscription; available in U.S. only;<br />

no expiration<br />

macXware - $20 off various software titles;<br />

available globally. Expires 7/31/05<br />

matterform Media - $15 off Spamfire;<br />

available globally. Expires 6/30/05<br />

Mucho Spanish - $15 off Mucho Spanish;<br />

available in the U.S./Canada only.<br />

Expires 6/30/05<br />

MYOB - $25 off First Edge & $100 off<br />

Account Edge; available globally. No expiration<br />

NewTek - (see page 8 for details)<br />

O’Reilly - 20% off all titles;<br />

available globally. No expiration<br />

O’Reilly/David Pogue - (see page 8)<br />

Oz Music Code - Free sample CD and<br />

t-shirt with purchase. Expires 6/30/05<br />

Peachpit Press - 25% off all titles by joining<br />

Peachpit Club; available globally. No expiration<br />

Pressure Drop - $20 off Paper Hub;<br />

available in the U.S. only. Expires 6/30/05<br />

Prosoft Engineering - 25% off Drive Genius,<br />

Picture Rescue, Data Rescue, Data Backup &<br />

Data Recycler; available globally. No expiration<br />

Steel Blue Sky - 1 year free user group web<br />

site hosting, available globally, good while<br />

supplies last - Order URL: https://www.steel<br />

bluesky.net/product_info.php?products_id=45<br />

TechWorks - 30% off RAM; available in<br />

the U.S./Canada. Expires 6/30/05<br />

TidBITS - 10% discount on Take Control<br />

eBooks; available globally. No expiration<br />

unmarked software - 20% off TextSoap 4;<br />

available globally. Expires 6/30/05<br />

XtraLean Software - $9 off Shutterbug;<br />

available globally. Expires 7/31/05<br />

Provided by The MUG Center<br />

http://www.mugcenter.com<br />

See a complete list<br />

of all current deals at:<br />

www.mugcenter.com/vendor<br />

news/vendornews.html<br />

www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

User ID and Password<br />

3/31/2005 - 6/30/2005<br />

User ID: best (lowercase)<br />

Password: deals (lowercase)<br />

9<br />

Yes, I want <strong>to</strong> join CMC<br />

Benefits:<br />

Monthly meetings, monthly newsletter, special<br />

events, discounted books, assistance with computer<br />

problem, network with other Mac users,<br />

User Group S<strong>to</strong>re discounts, and more.<br />

Date ______________________________<br />

Name _____________________________<br />

Address ___________________________<br />

City ______________________________<br />

State________ Zip __________________<br />

Phone (Home) ______________________<br />

Phone (Office) ______________________<br />

Phone (Fax) ________________________<br />

Business___________________________<br />

Occupation_________________________<br />

Email:_____________________________<br />

Referred by:________________________<br />

Areas of special interest: ______________<br />

__________________________________<br />

__________________________________<br />

__________________________________<br />

Annual CMC Family<br />

Membership - $25.00<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC and<br />

mail <strong>to</strong>:<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza, PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

...or<br />

pay online with PayPal at<br />

www.ctmac.org


2005-2006 CMC Officers and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

President Rich Lenoce<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

PR Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r/Auction Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org 860-678-8622<br />

Download of the Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org 860-583-1165<br />

Vice President Chris Hart<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Past President Don Dickey<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

Special Events Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

Caricatures by Bill Dougal of Lebanon, (860) 456-9041. Available for illustration assignments and event caricatures.<br />

10<br />

Treasurer David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

ambassador@ctmac.org<br />

860-485-1547<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org (860) 668-8728<br />

Congratulations!<br />

2005-2006<br />

CMC Officers!<br />

Secretary Kyle DeMilo<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org<br />

860-561-0319<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org 860-677-7787<br />

Parlimentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian Connie Scott<br />

parlimentarian@ctmac.org 860-584-9573


CMC Monthly Meetings<br />

Monthly CMC Meetings are held on last<br />

Wednesday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00<br />

P.M. (except November and December<br />

when the meetings are held one week<br />

earlier due <strong>to</strong> the holidays). Location below.<br />

Board meetings are held on the first<br />

Thursday of the month. If you wish <strong>to</strong><br />

attend a Board meeting, contact an officer<br />

for time & location.<br />

Wed., June 29 - 7:00 P.M.<br />

Middlesex Community College<br />

(Directions <strong>to</strong> Middlesex Community<br />

College are on the back page)<br />

Three Hands on Sessions<br />

• Mastering iPho<strong>to</strong><br />

Learn how <strong>to</strong> organize, tweak and share<br />

your pho<strong>to</strong>s with Apple’s iPho<strong>to</strong>.<br />

• Creating a Personal Website<br />

<strong>to</strong> share pho<strong>to</strong>s and s<strong>to</strong>ries with family<br />

and friends.<br />

• Pho<strong>to</strong>shop: All About Layers<br />

Learn <strong>to</strong> use layers <strong>to</strong> enhance your images.<br />

Back To Basics<br />

Takes A Summer Break<br />

Back <strong>to</strong> Basics is taking a break, but look<br />

for a new session in August!<br />

Wednesday, July 13<br />

MacWorld Expo Bos<strong>to</strong>n<br />

Hynes Convention Center<br />

The CMC Bus is the best way <strong>to</strong> get <strong>to</strong><br />

Macworld Expo! CMC Members enjoy a<br />

discounted ticket price of $20, while nonmembers<br />

are invited <strong>to</strong> join us for $25. Bus<br />

departs 8:00 AM and returns before sunset.<br />

Tickets on sale now - check our web site!<br />

Wednesday, July 27<br />

6:00 P.M.<br />

CMC Summer Picnic<br />

Great food and open forum Q&A!<br />

(Location TBD)<br />

FREE Raffle! Treasurer’s Report<br />

Every CMC member who attends<br />

our monthly meetings gets a raffle<br />

ticket. This will give you a chance<br />

for one of our free prizes every<br />

month! You could win…t-shirts,<br />

<strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs, software<br />

…there’s always something we’re<br />

giving away! And don’t forget the<br />

Free table at the back of the room<br />

where everything is...FREE!<br />

NOTICE!<br />

• Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number<br />

(for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

• CMC Web site username<br />

and password<br />

...are now located on your<br />

newsletter mailing label.<br />

Please, make a<br />

note of it NOW!<br />

Getting CMC emails?<br />

We always send out advance notice<br />

of the meetings, and sometimes for<br />

big news or special events (like our<br />

bus trip <strong>to</strong> Macworld). If you’re not<br />

getting them, please email us at<br />

president@ctmac.org with your<br />

current email address and a subject<br />

line of: ADD TO CMC EMAIL LIST<br />

Discounted Books<br />

CMC continues <strong>to</strong> offer our current<br />

members the opportunity <strong>to</strong><br />

purchase any published book for<br />

either Mac or Windows at a 20%<br />

discount. All major publishers are<br />

carried by our source.<br />

Contact a Board Member or send<br />

an email <strong>to</strong> booksales@ctmac.org.<br />

Provide the book title, the publisher<br />

and the ISBN number, if<br />

possible, and he will check on its<br />

availability. Normally, the wait is<br />

not <strong>to</strong>o long.<br />

11<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members! Have your<br />

friends and co-workers join us for fun and<br />

learning about OS X and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 131<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance ................$892.28<br />

Savings Balance ................$3973.71<br />

Balances as of June 9, 2005<br />

FREE Classified Ads<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using<br />

or upgrading. This is a FREE<br />

service provided <strong>to</strong> our members.<br />

Send submissions via email <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

FOR SALE<br />

Power Mac G4 (350 MHz)<br />

CPU with mouse, keyboard,<br />

SCSI card and DVD-ROM<br />

drive. 2 internal ATA hard<br />

drives (10GB/20GB). 576<br />

MB RAM. OS 9 and X. $250.<br />

Call/e-mail Amy with any<br />

questions. 860.526.2360 or<br />

adg.design@sbcglobal.net<br />

Display Ad Rates<br />

Any business items or services can<br />

be advertised at the low monthly rates<br />

listed below.<br />

Business Card ...................$10.00<br />

Quarter Page.....................$20.00<br />

Half Page.........................$30.00<br />

Full Page (or insert) ............$50.00<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a disk<br />

(with nothing else on it) or e-mail it <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org for insertion in the<br />

following issue. Display ads must be<br />

submitted camera-ready in eps or pdf format<br />

with all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

Wed., June 29 • 7:00 P.M.<br />

Middlesex Community College<br />

Three Hands on Sessions:<br />

• Mastering iPho<strong>to</strong><br />

• Creating a Personal Website<br />

• Pho<strong>to</strong>shop - All About Layers<br />

(driving directions below)<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

a PDF document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center is<br />

available on our website: www.ctmac.org. Print and take it with you <strong>to</strong> find us easily!<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on programs<br />

require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College in Middle<strong>to</strong>wn.<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UCHC, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West,<br />

Exit 39 is after 39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong><br />

Route 4 East (Farming<strong>to</strong>n Avenue). At third traffic light, turn<br />

right <strong>to</strong> enter the Health Center campus. Go around the main<br />

building <strong>to</strong> the right (at a Y in road), then take a left when<br />

you get <strong>to</strong> the Academic Entrance. The road becomes twoway<br />

there so you should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn. (Do<br />

not go on straight <strong>to</strong> the two-way part). Then take the second<br />

right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go<br />

past the police station entrance on your left (small sign). You<br />

will see a continuation of the building with its own entrance<br />

area. This is the new research building. Enter on the ground<br />

floor, turn right and enter room EG-013 on your right. This<br />

is the first room on your right. The rest rooms are on your<br />

left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> Middlesex C.C.<br />

<strong>From</strong> the Hartford area, take Route 9 South. A few<br />

miles south of down<strong>to</strong>wn Middle<strong>to</strong>wn on Route 9, take<br />

Exit 11 (Rt. 155, Randolph Road). At the end of the<br />

ramp (for both N. & S. bound), turn right on<strong>to</strong><br />

Randolph Road. Continue <strong>to</strong> the traffic light at the <strong>to</strong>p<br />

of the hill and turn left on<strong>to</strong> Saybrook Road. Go a quarter<br />

of a mile and turn right on<strong>to</strong> Reservoir Road. Travel<br />

past the s<strong>to</strong>p sign, then take the first right on<strong>to</strong> Training<br />

Hill Road. Your first left will lead in<strong>to</strong> the Middlesex<br />

Community College Campus parking area. When you<br />

arrive on campus, take a right on<strong>to</strong> Training Hill Road.<br />

Go <strong>to</strong> the second parking lot entrance and take a left<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the upper lot. Directly in front of you will be Snow<br />

Hall. Enter Snow Hall and go up the stairs <strong>to</strong> the 2nd<br />

floor and go <strong>to</strong> the last room on the right, Room 509.


NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. JULY 2005<br />

Apple and CMC<br />

in Good Health<br />

By Rich Lenoce,<br />

CMC President<br />

My grandfather taught<br />

me that the one thing we<br />

should all cherish is our<br />

health. When I first<br />

joined CMC, Apple was<br />

unhealthy and its future<br />

was unknown and rather bleak. Today<br />

it’s a completely different s<strong>to</strong>ry as Apple<br />

is one of the most successful and profitable<br />

computer and consumer<br />

electronic manufacturers.<br />

CMC is also healthy and as president,<br />

I’d like <strong>to</strong> continue our forward momentum.<br />

Like Apple, we have money in the<br />

bank <strong>to</strong> benefit our shareholders (you)<br />

allowing us <strong>to</strong> run education programs,<br />

hold events and programs, print a terrific<br />

newsletter, publish a website and<br />

provide information and tech support <strong>to</strong><br />

our membership. We also have a loyal<br />

following of 130+ members who are<br />

active and engaged. Our Board, like<br />

Apple’s, is dedicated <strong>to</strong> cus<strong>to</strong>mer satisfaction<br />

and being responsive <strong>to</strong><br />

members needs. I’m fortunate <strong>to</strong> have<br />

inherited such a healthy organization<br />

thanks <strong>to</strong> previous presidents who came<br />

before me. They continue <strong>to</strong> serve you,<br />

looking out for the health and well being<br />

of the organization.<br />

I recognize that <strong>to</strong> stay healthy and <strong>to</strong><br />

continue <strong>to</strong> meet the goals of our user<br />

group, like Apple, we need <strong>to</strong> continually<br />

evaluate the future and change with it.<br />

I’m in the process of working with the<br />

Board <strong>to</strong> set some goals for the club<br />

over the next two years.<br />

One thing that is abundantly<br />

clear is that while<br />

the Macin<strong>to</strong>sh’s market<br />

share has increased, our<br />

membership has<br />

remained steady. Not a<br />

bad thing until you go <strong>to</strong><br />

an Apple S<strong>to</strong>re event like<br />

the release of Tiger and<br />

hand out flyers <strong>to</strong> Mac<br />

owners who say “I didn’t<br />

know there was a<br />

Hartford area user group.” Clearly, we<br />

need <strong>to</strong> get the word out <strong>to</strong> Mac users<br />

through publicity and public relations.<br />

Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong>, new <strong>to</strong> the Board, has<br />

taken on <strong>this</strong> task and I plan on working<br />

with Jerry <strong>to</strong> set some PR goals for the<br />

club. Also, these Mac users who say<br />

they don’t know about our group are just<br />

the ones who would benefit most from<br />

membership. I’ll be spending the next<br />

two months developing a proposal for a<br />

membership drive <strong>to</strong> present <strong>to</strong> our<br />

board.<br />

I also believe <strong>to</strong> remain healthy we need<br />

<strong>to</strong> re-evaluate our mission and develop a<br />

strategic plan so we know better who we<br />

are collectively and where we want <strong>to</strong><br />

go <strong>to</strong> better serve you. The groundwork<br />

for that has already been laid thanks <strong>to</strong><br />

the member survey developed by Chris<br />

Hart. The results of that survey will be<br />

an excellent <strong>to</strong>ol <strong>to</strong> aid the Board in<br />

developing these plans.<br />

Another goal is <strong>to</strong> have more social<br />

events for our membership. Stronger<br />

bonds among our members helps make<br />

for a stronger club and allows each of us<br />

<strong>to</strong> draw more efficiently on the knowledge<br />

and diversity of our membership.<br />

This can aid many of you in job searches,<br />

knowledge for your work, information<br />

1<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

Wednesday, July 27<br />

CMC Summer Picnic<br />

Special Time & Location:<br />

Starts at 6:00 P.M.<br />

Wolcott Park, W. Hartford<br />

(see directions & info on page 11)<br />

for your hobbies and calling on a club<br />

friend for assistance when needed. And,<br />

let’s not forget, having fun is important<br />

<strong>to</strong> good health!<br />

Today, Apple is the epi<strong>to</strong>me of good<br />

health. The corporation is extremely<br />

profitable with billions in the bank and<br />

many analysts feel its s<strong>to</strong>ck is grossly<br />

undervalued. When Macs move <strong>to</strong> Intel<br />

processors there will be no excuse for<br />

people not <strong>to</strong> own a Mac. Comparisons<br />

of price and performance between<br />

Wintel and Macs will be obliterated.<br />

Phil Schiller has commented that Macs<br />

may be able <strong>to</strong> run Windows but not visa<br />

versa. Michael Dell, who always trivializes<br />

Apple and its innovations, recently<br />

said he’d like <strong>to</strong> distribute his PCs with<br />

OS X on them. Fat chance, Mike! If you<br />

want OS X, buy a Mac. I foresee Apple<br />

taking business away from the Dell’s of<br />

the world.<br />

For all of us, <strong>this</strong> move <strong>to</strong> Intel, though<br />

it poses some challenges, will mean<br />

Apple and CMC will continue <strong>to</strong> remain<br />

healthy. It looks like we will have much<br />

<strong>to</strong> look forward <strong>to</strong>o. My grandfather<br />

would tell us <strong>to</strong> cherish and nurture <strong>this</strong><br />

good health. I look forward <strong>to</strong> working<br />

with you in helping nurture the health<br />

and future of CMC and the Macin<strong>to</strong>sh.<br />

apple<br />

Apple and CMC in Good Health......... 1<br />

Review: Trying My Hand at iPoker......2<br />

Off The Beaten Path–Hidden Gems.....3<br />

A Change for the Better .......................4<br />

Live Free in the Land of MP3 ............. 6<br />

Download of the Month .......................7<br />

MUG Special Offers.............................8<br />

Review: You Type, It Typinates.............9<br />

Meetings and Club News ...................11


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

John Scott<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions<br />

from members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

Trying My Hand<br />

at Poker: iPoker<br />

by Jeff Carlson<br />

<br />

Reprinted from TidBITS#785/27-June-05<br />

If your knowledge of poker comes<br />

from watching television shows such as<br />

the World Series of Poker or Celebrity<br />

Poker Showdown, you might think that<br />

the only type of poker game is Texas<br />

Hold ‘Em.<br />

However, Hold ‘Em is just the current<br />

popular variation in the United States<br />

(and <strong>to</strong> my surprise, poker still seems<br />

<strong>to</strong> be primarily a U.S. game, as one of<br />

our Japanese transla<strong>to</strong>rs pointed out <strong>to</strong><br />

me). Variations were played as early as<br />

the Civil War, and spread across<br />

America as settlers moved west.<br />

If you’re looking for more than just<br />

Hold ‘Em on the Mac, you’re looking<br />

for Scenario Software’s iPoker. It features<br />

101 poker games that range from<br />

simple 5-Card Stud <strong>to</strong> some that entail<br />

a bewildering array of rules, wildcards,<br />

and antes. For example, take a look at<br />

the iPoker description for the poker<br />

game called Baseball: 7-Card Stud is<br />

played with all threes and nines wild.<br />

When a three is dealt face up, the player<br />

must either match the pot or drop.<br />

When a four is dealt face up, the dealer<br />

immediately gives that player an additional<br />

face-up card. With eight wild<br />

cards and the ability <strong>to</strong> have more than<br />

seven cards in your hand, you’ll need at<br />

least four-of-a-kind <strong>to</strong> win <strong>this</strong> game.<br />

If that weren’t enough, you can cus<strong>to</strong>mize<br />

the rules <strong>to</strong> each game <strong>to</strong> an<br />

extent that I didn’t realize was possible<br />

for a card game. Want <strong>to</strong> honor a threecard<br />

straight instead of the normal five<br />

cards? Use joker cards? Award chips <strong>to</strong><br />

a player for being dealt a specific card?<br />

All easily done.<br />

The Buy-In — With so many games <strong>to</strong><br />

manage, iPoker doesn’t try <strong>to</strong> mimic the<br />

layout of a real poker table, aside from<br />

the look of the cards, the table surface,<br />

and the chips - all of which can be cus<strong>to</strong>mized.<br />

Instead, players are listed <strong>to</strong>p<br />

<strong>to</strong> bot<strong>to</strong>m at the left of the program’s<br />

2<br />

single window. Cards are dealt in horizontal<br />

rows left <strong>to</strong> right, making it easy<br />

<strong>to</strong> see every player’s cards.<br />

iPoker also takes a more general<br />

approach <strong>to</strong> the game overall. It’s one<br />

long ongoing marathon poker session,<br />

which you happen <strong>to</strong> be able <strong>to</strong> jump<br />

in<strong>to</strong> and out of at will; when you quit<br />

the application, the current standings<br />

are saved, so that the next time you play<br />

every player has the same amount of<br />

money as before. This approach can be<br />

exhilarating if you’ve managed <strong>to</strong> hand<br />

out some bad beats <strong>to</strong> your opponents<br />

and s<strong>to</strong>red up a mountain of chips, but<br />

it’s depressing when you’re thousands<br />

of dollars in the hole and fighting <strong>to</strong> just<br />

break even. Unfortunately, in <strong>this</strong> case<br />

the only way <strong>to</strong> start fresh is <strong>to</strong> delete<br />

iPoker’s preferences file.<br />

Having a rolling session simulates<br />

what you’d likely be doing at a casino,<br />

carrying your winnings (hopefully)<br />

from table <strong>to</strong> table trying different<br />

games, or simply playing a home<br />

game. You can choose the game type<br />

yourself, or enable a preference so that<br />

the dealer chooses the game. Unless<br />

you’re familiar with all 101 games, or<br />

are comfortable losing a few hands <strong>to</strong><br />

see how it’s played, you can also limit<br />

the dealer’s choice <strong>to</strong> just recent games.<br />

The Rocks and the Fish — iPoker can<br />

pit you against as many as 10 other players,<br />

though your screen resolution and<br />

processor seem <strong>to</strong> determine just how<br />

many are possible. On my 15-inch, 1.25<br />

GHz PowerBook G4, I can play comfortably<br />

with five opponents using a<br />

Bigger Graphics setting, or eight opponents<br />

with a More Players setting but<br />

with slower performance. iPoker won’t<br />

even let me choose 10 or 11 players.<br />

Unlike the computer opponents in the<br />

current version of DD Tournament Poker,<br />

the players in iPoker retain their own skill<br />

characteristics. Claire Voyant (just one of<br />

several entertaining names) possesses the<br />

same playing traits each time you go up<br />

against her, making it easier <strong>to</strong> guess<br />

when she might be bluffing or holding a<br />

strong hand. You can tweak those traits,<br />

Continued on page 3


Continued from page 2<br />

<strong>to</strong>o, by double-clicking the player’s<br />

icon and moving sliders that determine<br />

the strength of skills such as Poker<br />

Mathematics, Psychological Deception,<br />

and Betting Courage.<br />

The players exhibit some personality<br />

as well. Each player is represented<br />

by a pho<strong>to</strong> of a real person, which is<br />

animated if you enable QuickTime<br />

player movies. Watching them furrow<br />

their brows in concentration,<br />

grumble when they lose, and smile<br />

when they win is a fun addition... for<br />

a while. But there are only so many<br />

little facial QuickTime movies<br />

included for each person, so their<br />

antics became a distraction and I<br />

turned off that feature.<br />

A clever, if unnecessary, feature is<br />

the capability <strong>to</strong> use an iSight or digital<br />

camera <strong>to</strong> project video of your<br />

own face on your player’s icon. After<br />

a few minutes, though, you realize<br />

that you’re looking at your cards and<br />

not yourself, and are likely <strong>to</strong> turn<br />

the feature off. If iPoker were a networked<br />

game, and I were playing<br />

against real people, it might be fun <strong>to</strong><br />

see video of my opponents, but that’s<br />

not the case.<br />

The Sound of Winning — One wellimplemented<br />

aspect of iPoker is its<br />

animation and sound. I’m not a fan of<br />

whizzing graphics just for the sake of<br />

whizziness, which is why I think<br />

Scenario Software has done a good<br />

job of spicing up the play of the game<br />

with minimal, but effective, effects.<br />

Cards spin as they’re dealt, with a subtle<br />

whiss sound of a card’s surface<br />

sliding against another card. The chips<br />

sound as if the developers recorded<br />

real chips clicking <strong>to</strong>gether<br />

(although larger chip values hit<br />

the table with a heavier thud,<br />

which doesn’t seem realistic<br />

but adds weight <strong>to</strong> the fact that<br />

you just <strong>to</strong>ssed in a $100 chip<br />

instead of a $5 one). There’s<br />

even some calculated whimsy:<br />

if it’s your turn and you’re taking<br />

<strong>to</strong>o long <strong>to</strong> act, the icon of<br />

the dealer’s hand snaps its fingers<br />

once, then twice, then three times <strong>to</strong><br />

make sure you’re paying attention.<br />

Best of all, you can control the speed<br />

of the animation via a slider, which<br />

by extension speeds up play overall.<br />

I don’t need <strong>to</strong> wait for Rhonda Voo<br />

<strong>to</strong> figure out which move <strong>to</strong> make<br />

(especially considering that the decision<br />

was probably made in a few<br />

nanoseconds).<br />

However, I quickly turned off the<br />

dealer’s narration of the action. And<br />

although I like the sound effects,<br />

there’s no in-game volume control.<br />

So, if I’m listening <strong>to</strong> music using<br />

iTunes at moderate volume, the<br />

sound of shuffling cards is louder<br />

than it needs <strong>to</strong> be. I’d like <strong>to</strong> see a<br />

simple volume control in an upcoming<br />

version, instead of having just<br />

the choice of enabling or disabling<br />

sound effects entirely.<br />

Shuffle Up — iPoker is a program<br />

that loves the game’s seemingly<br />

unlimited capacity for variety. It’s<br />

great for trying out different poker<br />

permutations, or just for those days<br />

when you have a few minutes <strong>to</strong><br />

spare and want <strong>to</strong> pick up a few<br />

hands without investing the time in<br />

playing a full <strong>to</strong>urnament-style<br />

game. iPoker 3.4.1 requires Mac OS<br />

X 10.2 or later and is a 36.2 MB<br />

download. The unlicensed version<br />

offers unlimited play, but only of 7-<br />

Card Stud; a license costs $30 and<br />

unlocks the full version of the game.<br />

apple<br />

Copyright 2005 TidBITS:<br />

Reuse governed by Creative Commons license<br />

<br />

Contact: <br />

iPoker: <br />

3<br />

Off the Beaten Path:<br />

Hidden Gems You<br />

Might Have Missed<br />

By Kyle DeMilo, CMC Secretary<br />

When you surf the web as much as I do, you<br />

sometimes come across the occasional diamond<br />

in the rough, so <strong>to</strong> speak. This column<br />

points out those hard-<strong>to</strong>-find freeware and<br />

shareware items for your Mac that you might<br />

think you don’t need, but prove <strong>to</strong> be really<br />

handy!<br />

I used <strong>to</strong> be a Firefox fanatic www.get<br />

firefox.com. I still am a champion for what<br />

they’re doing, which is giving web surfers a<br />

choice in web browsers. However, since Mac<br />

OS X 10.3.9 came out, Safari has gotten a<br />

whole lot better. I like the speed, the polished<br />

feel, and the bookmark syncing of .Mac, <strong>to</strong>o.<br />

One thing that Safari is missing that Firefox<br />

has is the ability <strong>to</strong> warn me when I do a dumb<br />

move like closing a window full of tabs when<br />

I meant <strong>to</strong> close just one. That has been corrected<br />

by a freeware add-on called Taboo.<br />

➤ Get it from here: http://www.ocdev.com/<br />

The next application is an open source DVD<strong>to</strong>-MPEG-4<br />

ripper. This allows you <strong>to</strong> make<br />

backup copies of your movies on<strong>to</strong> your hard<br />

drive. <strong>From</strong> there, you can use Toast <strong>to</strong> make<br />

a backup disc of them, or edit them in<br />

QuickTime Pro or a program like iMovie.<br />

➤ Get it from here:<br />

http://handbrake.m0k.org/<br />

Our final installment is from a new software<br />

development house from the original crea<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

of Now Utilities, now called You<br />

Software (by the way, Now Utilities is now<br />

owned by Power On Software – you can get<br />

it and its OS 8 replacement, Action Utilities<br />

at http://www.poweronsoftware.com/products/actionUtilities/default.asp).<br />

They have a<br />

great iTunes controller called You Control:<br />

Tunes<br />

➤ Get it from here: http://www.yousoftware.com/itunes/<br />

Feedback? Something I missed? Email me<br />

at: ctmacbeatenpath@gmail.com


A Change For The Better<br />

By Chris Hart,<br />

CMC Vice President<br />

Word has spread quickly throughout<br />

the Mac community of Apple’s<br />

announcement that they will transition<br />

their computer line <strong>to</strong> Intel<br />

processors in the near future. I know<br />

that many of you have questions (and<br />

worries) about what <strong>this</strong> change<br />

means. Perhaps you even fear <strong>this</strong> <strong>to</strong><br />

be a sign of Apple Computer becoming<br />

a maker of “Pcs.” Well, I’m here<br />

<strong>to</strong> put your worried mind at ease.<br />

I’ll say up front that I’m all for <strong>this</strong><br />

change. I feel a new optimism for<br />

the future of the Macin<strong>to</strong>sh platform<br />

and I look forward <strong>to</strong> the<br />

faster computers that are over the<br />

horizon. Best of all, <strong>this</strong> change<br />

will help <strong>to</strong> remove long-standing<br />

stigmas regarding Macs–that<br />

they use out-of-date processors<br />

and run slower than PCs.<br />

What’s the big deal about a<br />

processor? <strong>From</strong> a technical<br />

point of view, a processor is a<br />

very big deal because it’s the<br />

heart of the computer. Nearly<br />

every bit of data that courses<br />

through the computer will pass<br />

through the processor at some<br />

point. But from an “end user” perspective<br />

(meaning you, the person<br />

sitting at the keyboard), the processor<br />

should not be a big deal. The computer<br />

should just work, performing the<br />

tasks you ask of it as seamlessly and<br />

efficiently as is possible–without need<br />

for you <strong>to</strong> know about the inner workings.<br />

This has always been the forté of<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh. However, his<strong>to</strong>ry has<br />

shown that <strong>this</strong> isn’t enough <strong>to</strong> assure<br />

the success of Mac.<br />

What’s necessary is the ability <strong>to</strong><br />

compete with PCs–computers that<br />

wear badges <strong>to</strong>uting Ultra <strong>this</strong>,<br />

Gigahertz that, Centrino here,<br />

Pentium there. And the reason you<br />

recognize those words Centrino and<br />

Pentium is because of the Intel marketing<br />

machine. You’ll rarely see a PC<br />

advertisement that doesn’t end with<br />

the “Intel <strong>Inside</strong>” logo and accompanying<br />

theme music. This marketing<br />

approach has been very effective in<br />

boosting Intel’s brand identity and<br />

making the company and its products<br />

ubiqui<strong>to</strong>us. Simultaneously, <strong>this</strong><br />

unforgettable slogan has been the subject<br />

of mockery throughout the<br />

computer industry, especially<br />

amongst Macin<strong>to</strong>sh zealots.<br />

Indeed, some of the Mac users around<br />

the world are angry about <strong>this</strong> Intel<br />

processor announcement. They view<br />

<strong>this</strong> news as a sign of Apple joining<br />

“the dark side” of the computer world.<br />

However, these people are assigning<br />

<strong>to</strong>o much sentimentality <strong>to</strong> a computer<br />

company and <strong>to</strong>o much importance<br />

<strong>to</strong> the internal components of a computer.<br />

What it comes down <strong>to</strong> is Apple<br />

has <strong>to</strong> service their long-term interests<br />

and their shareholders. Based on all<br />

the information available <strong>to</strong> them, it<br />

has become clear that <strong>this</strong> course of<br />

action is the best path for boosting<br />

Mac competitiveness, Mac sales, and<br />

shareholder returns.<br />

While current Macs are far from slow,<br />

many models are operating at a speed<br />

deficit, when compared <strong>to</strong> PC products.<br />

For example, Apple is overdue<br />

for breaking the 3-gigahertz speed<br />

4<br />

barrier in their desk<strong>to</strong>p computers. In<br />

a keynote speech, Apple CEO Steve<br />

Jobs promised they would reach that<br />

level by a certain date. We are already<br />

a year past that date and the goal has<br />

not been achieved. Apple’s processor<br />

partners (IBM and Mo<strong>to</strong>rola, who<br />

actually manufacturer the processors<br />

that currently go inside Macs) reportedly<br />

have not been able <strong>to</strong> produce<br />

processors of <strong>this</strong> performance level<br />

in the quantities that Apple requires.<br />

Also overdue is an upgrade <strong>to</strong> the<br />

lineup of Apple lap<strong>to</strong>ps. A common<br />

question at CMC meetings over the<br />

last year has been “Any word on G5<br />

PowerBooks?” There has been no<br />

word on <strong>this</strong> expected evolution<br />

of the lap<strong>to</strong>p product line,<br />

because the development of these<br />

products has been hampered. The<br />

processors available <strong>to</strong> Apple use<br />

<strong>to</strong>o much power and produce <strong>to</strong>o<br />

much heat <strong>to</strong> be practical for lap<strong>to</strong>p<br />

applications. If a PowerBook<br />

G5 pro<strong>to</strong>type exists, and you<br />

were <strong>to</strong> have the chance <strong>to</strong> use it<br />

for an afternoon, you’d probably<br />

find that it would burn your<br />

thighs and run out of battery<br />

power quickly.<br />

I believe that these product<br />

development failures are through<br />

no fault of Apple. They have highly<br />

skilled and resourceful engineering<br />

teams and if these things were possible,<br />

they would make them happen.<br />

But one can only work with the <strong>to</strong>ols<br />

available, and <strong>this</strong> has been Apple’s<br />

hindrance.<br />

So, where’s a computer company <strong>to</strong><br />

turn? Apple, of course, gave a call <strong>to</strong><br />

the most recognized name in processors<br />

and asked if they might consider<br />

a partnership. By all indications, Intel<br />

brought Apple in<strong>to</strong> their secret rooms,<br />

showed them secret documents and<br />

had some secret discussions. Satisfied<br />

with what they saw, Apple returned <strong>to</strong><br />

their HQ and thought over what <strong>this</strong><br />

continued on page 5


continued from page 4<br />

changeover would entail. You can bet<br />

that all departments were in on these<br />

discussions and that the decision<br />

would not have been made unless it<br />

was appropriate and necessary.<br />

You may wonder how Apple knows<br />

what they’re in for with such a dramatic<br />

transition. How do they know<br />

that they can navigate their way<br />

through <strong>this</strong> change and safely come<br />

out the other side? To some degree<br />

there is still doubt lingering over <strong>this</strong><br />

endeavor; we won’t know the outcome<br />

until we truly do reach the other<br />

side. But at the same time, Apple has<br />

confidence based on experiments<br />

they’ve conducted in their labs. To the<br />

shock of many, Apple revealed that<br />

for five years they have been experimenting<br />

with the combination of Mac<br />

OS X and Intel processors. At the time<br />

of the public announcement, the<br />

changeover was already fully underway<br />

within the confines of the Apple<br />

compound in Cupertino.<br />

Those of you who have used the Mac<br />

for a while will recall that Apple<br />

already has a similar transition under<br />

its belt. In the 90s, they transitioned<br />

the Mac platform from what was<br />

known as the 680x0 processor <strong>to</strong> the<br />

current technology, known as<br />

PowerPC. While that change wasn’t<br />

without its share of bumps, for the<br />

most part it went quite nicely. The<br />

result was absolutely for the best and<br />

had that transition not been made,<br />

Apple Computer would probably have<br />

not lived <strong>to</strong> see the year 2005.<br />

So what does <strong>this</strong> Intel changeover<br />

mean for you, as an Apple cus<strong>to</strong>mer?<br />

Will Mac computers look more like<br />

PCs? Will they work more like PCs?<br />

Will Macs run Windows software?<br />

Will the new computers wear “Intel<br />

<strong>Inside</strong>” badges? The answer on all<br />

counts is “No.” Apple will continue <strong>to</strong><br />

innovate and make unique products,<br />

which work as simply and straightforward<br />

as possible. Some of the parts<br />

inside will change and some of the<br />

performance specifications will<br />

change, but the overall Mac experience<br />

will remain much as it is now.<br />

Mac OS X will stay as it is, aside from<br />

its natural evolution that would still<br />

have occurred without <strong>this</strong><br />

changeover.<br />

While the Mac operating system will<br />

never run Windows software “natively,”<br />

it is possible that future Macs will<br />

be able <strong>to</strong> simultaneously run Mac OS<br />

X and a version of the Windows operating<br />

system. You might be able <strong>to</strong><br />

switch back and forth between the two<br />

environments with a key press or<br />

click. This capability might also come<br />

with better Windows performance<br />

than is currently possible with emulation<br />

products like Virtual PC.<br />

So when does all <strong>this</strong> start <strong>to</strong> happen?<br />

Starting in early 2006, Apple will<br />

begin introducing computers that feature<br />

Intel processors. They’re<br />

expected <strong>to</strong> start with the low-end<br />

models (such as eMac and Mac <strong>Mini</strong>)<br />

and I imagine the lap<strong>to</strong>ps will follow<br />

next. Sometime in 2007, the entire<br />

Mac product line will become an all-<br />

Intel lineup. While Apple has done all<br />

of us a service by announcing <strong>this</strong><br />

coming change well in advance, I<br />

wouldn’t count on them being any<br />

more forthcoming in the future. For<br />

example, I don’t expect that we’ll<br />

know the technical details of the Intelbased<br />

computers until the day they’re<br />

actually available for sale.<br />

However, I will answer some common<br />

questions <strong>to</strong> the best of my knowledge,<br />

such as: “Will my current<br />

software work with these new computers?<br />

“Will my accessories still<br />

work? “ “What about the Classic environment?”<br />

“Will these new computers<br />

be less expensive?” The answer <strong>to</strong> the<br />

first question is that a good percentage<br />

of current software will work on the<br />

new computers, thanks <strong>to</strong> Apple’s<br />

advanced planning and a technology<br />

they’re calling Rosetta. I also expect<br />

that most accessories will continue <strong>to</strong><br />

5<br />

work (following some software<br />

updates from the manufacturers).<br />

These new computers will not run<br />

Classic, so if that’s an issue for you,<br />

I’d suggest you plan on holding on<strong>to</strong><br />

your current Mac for your OS<br />

9/Classic tasks. No one can yet say<br />

whether the forthcoming Intel-based<br />

computers will have a lower cost than<br />

current models, but <strong>this</strong> would certainly<br />

help lure more switchers from<br />

the land of Windows.<br />

Another common question is whether<br />

or not <strong>this</strong> announcement will have a<br />

near-term effect on sales of Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

computers. My belief is that, yes,<br />

there will be a negative impact.<br />

Because of cus<strong>to</strong>mers being unsure<br />

about what <strong>this</strong> transition means, they<br />

may hold off on making a purchase. I<br />

imagine some of you reading <strong>this</strong><br />

share that trepidation. My opinion is<br />

<strong>to</strong> not postpone the joy of having a<br />

faster and more capable computer. Of<br />

course a good used computer is<br />

always an alternative <strong>to</strong> consider as<br />

well–something that, while not the<br />

latest and greatest, is certainly better<br />

than what you’re working with now.<br />

Thanks <strong>to</strong> its strong financial assets,<br />

Apple has enough money <strong>to</strong> carry it<br />

through any drop in Macin<strong>to</strong>sh sales<br />

during <strong>this</strong> transition period. Once<br />

<strong>this</strong> s<strong>to</strong>rm passes, however, the forecast<br />

for the Mac platform is very<br />

sunny. In three <strong>to</strong> four years time, I<br />

envision us all enjoying faster Macs<br />

that compete <strong>to</strong>e-<strong>to</strong>-<strong>to</strong>e with their PC<br />

counterparts and more people than<br />

ever joining the Macin<strong>to</strong>sh community.<br />

Only time will tell if my vision<br />

comes true. apple


Live Free in<br />

the Land of MP3<br />

by Chris Hart<br />

CMC Vice President<br />

As I write <strong>this</strong> article, Apple has<br />

made a revision <strong>to</strong> their iPod lineup<br />

and added color screens <strong>to</strong> all the<br />

hard-disk models (in other words, all those<br />

$300 and above). While that’s great and I<br />

certainly enjoy an illuminated, color screen<br />

as much as the next guy, not everyone<br />

wants <strong>to</strong> plunk down that kind of cash.<br />

While many CMC members have an iPod,<br />

I know that probably just as many of you<br />

own a portable music player that isn’t made<br />

by Apple. Or perhaps you do have an iPod,<br />

but a member of your family who likes <strong>to</strong><br />

share your music library has chosen <strong>to</strong> use<br />

another type of music player. Or, maybe<br />

you’ve got a DVD player in your living<br />

room that can play MP3 files and you’d like<br />

<strong>to</strong> use it for entertaining your dinner guests.<br />

Some after-market car stereos even have the<br />

ability <strong>to</strong> play MP3 files, allowing you <strong>to</strong><br />

enjoy several hours of music on the road<br />

from one CD. Even more common are<br />

portable CD players that play both audio<br />

CDs and MP3 CDs, which can be had for as<br />

little as $40.<br />

If you’ve been trying <strong>to</strong> use iTunes <strong>to</strong> share<br />

your music with non-Apple devices such as<br />

these, you’ve likely found that it didn’t<br />

work. Why is that? Well, the first thing you<br />

have <strong>to</strong> know is that all modern music players<br />

work with music in a compressed form.<br />

The compression process removes some of<br />

the–shall I say “less important”–musical<br />

details in order <strong>to</strong> make your music fit in<strong>to</strong><br />

smaller files. The type of compression<br />

being used is what determines which<br />

players can play the resulting song<br />

files. While several compression<br />

types have been thrust in<strong>to</strong> the world<br />

of consumer electronics, MP3<br />

remains the most widely compatible<br />

format.<br />

iTunes started life as an MP3-only<br />

<strong>to</strong>ol, but when it came time <strong>to</strong> address<br />

the copyright infringement concerns<br />

of the recording industry, Apple introduced<br />

their own format called AAC.<br />

The unfortunate detail for those who<br />

want <strong>to</strong> enjoy music on something other<br />

than an iPod, is that iTunes defaults <strong>to</strong> s<strong>to</strong>ring<br />

your music in AAC files (these files<br />

typically have suffixes such as .m4a and<br />

.m4p, for example “Velvet Jones.m4a”).<br />

While AAC (a.k.a. MPEG4) is arguably<br />

superior <strong>to</strong> MP3, there are few playback<br />

devices (outside of Apple’s own iPods of<br />

course) that can recognize the resulting<br />

song files. MP3 simply has much greater<br />

versatility and it’s an open standard that has<br />

been widely adopted throughout the electronics<br />

industry.<br />

So, don’t despair about iTunes’ AAC habit<br />

my friend, because you can coerce <strong>this</strong> little<br />

app in<strong>to</strong> providing the MP3 files you need.<br />

Let me assuage any fear you may have of<br />

<strong>this</strong> change hampering compatibility with<br />

any iPods in your life. Apple’s player works<br />

fine with both MP3 and AAC files. So, as a<br />

result of making <strong>this</strong> change, your song<br />

files will work with nearly every portable<br />

music player on the planet. (The notable<br />

exception being models from Sony that<br />

were manufactured before spring 2005. I’ll<br />

spare you my soapbox rant on Sony and<br />

their insistence on doing things in a proprietary<br />

fashion).<br />

At <strong>this</strong> point I should warn you <strong>to</strong> expect<br />

slightly larger song files, because MP3 files<br />

are somewhat bigger than their AAC counterparts.<br />

But I doubt most of you will be<br />

troubled by <strong>this</strong>, as MP3 files are still<br />

small. Besides MP3 and AAC, other compression<br />

formats available in iTunes<br />

include AIFF, ALC (Apple Lossless<br />

Codec) and WAV. All three formats have<br />

superior sound quality, but they also create<br />

song files that are sometimes as much as 10<br />

times larger than MP3 or AAC. Plus, none<br />

6<br />

Figure 1<br />

of these formats has the wide compatibility<br />

of MP3, and cannot be played on a wide<br />

variety of devices.<br />

To make sure that your iTunes is creating<br />

MP3 files, you need <strong>to</strong> check the Import<br />

setting in preferences. To do <strong>this</strong>: Open<br />

iTunes; go <strong>to</strong> the iTunes menu; select<br />

Preferences; click on the icon named<br />

Importing. Make sure that the first selec<strong>to</strong>r<br />

“import using” is set <strong>to</strong> MP3 Encoder and<br />

below that choose the quality level that you<br />

desire (figure 1).<br />

Among those experienced with MP3 files,<br />

opinions vary widely on the preferred quality<br />

setting. I’ll not get in<strong>to</strong> a lengthy<br />

discussion on the matter, but suffice <strong>to</strong> say<br />

you are choosing the compromise that suits<br />

your needs. The higher the quality setting,<br />

the better your music will sound, but fewer<br />

songs will fit on your player. Going in the<br />

opposite direction, the lower the quality you<br />

use, the more songs you can squeeze in.<br />

However, I would urge you not <strong>to</strong> get carried<br />

away with a desire for more music and<br />

never set <strong>this</strong> selec<strong>to</strong>r below the “good” setting<br />

(128 kbps), or your music will suffer<br />

greatly.<br />

Once you have clicked OK in the<br />

Preferences window, the settings <strong>to</strong> import<br />

music in the MP3 format will take effect.<br />

<strong>From</strong> now on, when iTunes imports music<br />

from your CDs, it will create MP3 files<br />

instead of AAC files. If you haven’t yet<br />

imported music in<strong>to</strong> your iTunes library,<br />

then you’re all set <strong>to</strong> begin the process. But<br />

if you have already imported some music,<br />

then of course those songs defaulted <strong>to</strong><br />

being s<strong>to</strong>red as AAC files. If you haven’t<br />

already imported a hefty load of songs,<br />

then I feel that the best way <strong>to</strong> proceed<br />

would be <strong>to</strong> delete the AAC songs<br />

(which came from CDs that you own)<br />

from your iTunes library and re-import<br />

them from the original CDs.<br />

If you’re not sure which songs in your<br />

library are in AAC format, then follow<br />

these steps: Click once on the Library<br />

icon at the <strong>to</strong>p of the left column; go <strong>to</strong><br />

the Edit menu and select View<br />

Options; in the window that appears<br />

put a check mark next <strong>to</strong> Kind; click<br />

continued on page 7


continued from page 6<br />

OK. Your list of songs will now indicate<br />

whether the song is AAC, MP3 (MPEG) or<br />

some other format. (Note: Scroll <strong>to</strong> the<br />

right <strong>to</strong> see <strong>this</strong> new column.)<br />

If re-importing your songs is impractical<br />

due <strong>to</strong> their sheer number, then there are<br />

two utilities <strong>to</strong> choose from <strong>to</strong> perform a<br />

conversion from AAC <strong>to</strong> MP3–mac3dec<br />

and iTunes-LAME Encoder. The latter is<br />

the easier of the two <strong>to</strong> use, because it integrates<br />

with iTunes nicely, retains the song<br />

titles (a.k.a. tags), and can perform conversions<br />

in batches. After using iTunes-LAME<br />

Encoder, you will end up with duplicate<br />

songs in your iTunes library. Use the indica<strong>to</strong>r<br />

in the “kind” column <strong>to</strong> differentiate<br />

the MP3 (MPEG) files from the AAC files.<br />

Once you have confirmed the MP3 files<br />

work fine, you can trash the AAC files.<br />

If your AAC songs were purchased from<br />

the iTunes Music S<strong>to</strong>re, then your situation<br />

is more complex. All songs purchased<br />

from the iTunes Music S<strong>to</strong>re are protected<br />

from duplication and conversion by a<br />

DRM mechanism. A utility called JHymn<br />

can often strip the DRM protection from<br />

AAC files. However, there’s no guarantee<br />

it will work on all song files, as Apple is<br />

constantly revising their methods.<br />

Remember that if you are successful in<br />

stripping the DRM information from the<br />

song files, it is your duty <strong>to</strong> respect the<br />

copyrights in place and <strong>to</strong> not infringe<br />

them by engaging in abusive duplication<br />

and illegal sharing. (Note: It would be<br />

advisable <strong>to</strong> make a backup of the iTunes<br />

folder in your Home/User folder before<br />

trying <strong>to</strong> remove the DRM protection from<br />

your iTunes song files.)<br />

If JHymn cannot successfully strip the<br />

DRM from your AAC files, it is my sad<br />

duty <strong>to</strong> inform you that you will not be able<br />

<strong>to</strong> convert these particular song files directly<br />

in<strong>to</strong> MP3 files. Your only option at <strong>this</strong><br />

point is <strong>to</strong> create playlists of the protected<br />

AAC song files, burn those playlists <strong>to</strong><br />

CD-R discs, and them re-import the music<br />

in<strong>to</strong> iTunes from those discs (with iTunes<br />

set for MP3 importing).<br />

Once you have completed the process of converting<br />

your AAC song files <strong>to</strong> MP3, you will<br />

be able <strong>to</strong> enjoy your right <strong>to</strong> duplicate the<br />

music you own for personal and family enjoyment.<br />

But first, of course, you need <strong>to</strong> get the<br />

MP3 files out of iTunes and on<strong>to</strong> your musicplaying<br />

device. How you do <strong>this</strong> depends on<br />

the type of device you want <strong>to</strong> use.<br />

First, let’s deal with portable music players<br />

that connect <strong>to</strong> your computer via USB (or<br />

memory card). Once the player’s icon has<br />

appeared on the desk<strong>to</strong>p of your Mac’s<br />

screen, you can drag your MP3 tracks from<br />

the iTunes window on<strong>to</strong> your music player<br />

(you may wish <strong>to</strong> create folders first).<br />

Alternatively, while in iTunes go <strong>to</strong> the File<br />

menu, select Show Song File and you will<br />

be taken <strong>to</strong> the actual MP3 file(s) on your<br />

hard drive. You can then drag these folders<br />

(or individual files) <strong>to</strong> your music player’s<br />

icon and they will be copied over. (Note:<br />

You are inside the iTunes music library and<br />

it is absolutely essential that you do not<br />

modify files in here. Do not move, rename,<br />

reorganize, delete, or otherwise change<br />

these files. Doing so may cause significant<br />

problems in iTunes.)<br />

If you intend <strong>to</strong> listen <strong>to</strong> your song files in a<br />

CD or DVD player that plays MP3 files, then<br />

you will need <strong>to</strong> create what iTunes calls an<br />

“MP3 CD.” Your first step <strong>to</strong> create <strong>this</strong> type<br />

of disc is <strong>to</strong> go in<strong>to</strong> iTunes Preferences; click<br />

on the icon named Burning; under the category<br />

Disc Format click on the but<strong>to</strong>n next <strong>to</strong><br />

MP3 CD; click OK.<br />

Now, create a playlist in iTunes that contains<br />

the songs you want on the CD. (When<br />

naming the playlist, keep in mind that <strong>this</strong><br />

Download of the Month:<br />

CardBook<br />

Submitted by Debi Foss<br />

It is cookout time, and for the cook in<br />

all of us, we have CardBook for s<strong>to</strong>ring<br />

recipes, and everything else.<br />

CardBook is a card index application<br />

for Mac OS X. It is released under<br />

the FreeBSD License, which means<br />

without charge. Several sample cardbook<br />

files are included, as well as the<br />

full source code for CardBook. One<br />

7<br />

will also be the name of the MP3 CD and<br />

you should avoid strange characters and<br />

unnecessary punctuation.) As you add<br />

songs <strong>to</strong> the playlist, be aware of the <strong>to</strong>tal<br />

number of megabytes listed at the bot<strong>to</strong>m<br />

of the iTunes window. The maximum<br />

amount of data you can fit on a typical CD<br />

is 700 megabytes. Once you have built a<br />

playlist you like, click once on the name of<br />

the playlist, and then click on the Burn<br />

Disc icon in the upper right corner of the<br />

iTunes window. The result will be an MP3<br />

CD that should play in nearly any CD or<br />

DVD player that is capable of MP3 playback.<br />

(Note: You do not need <strong>to</strong> use an<br />

“Audio CD” for the MP3 CDs you make;<br />

standard CD-R discs will work fine. Also<br />

note that many CD and DVD players do<br />

not like CD-RW discs, and it would be best<br />

<strong>to</strong> use only CD-R media.)<br />

You are now able <strong>to</strong> enjoy the freedom that<br />

MP3 song files provide. Your music will<br />

play on any portable music player currently<br />

on s<strong>to</strong>re shelves and any that will come<br />

<strong>to</strong> market in the foreseeable future. Now,<br />

doesn’t that make you want <strong>to</strong> dance?<br />

Software Referenced:<br />

JHymn<br />

http://hymn-project.org<br />

iTunes-LAME Encoder<br />

http://www.blacktree.com<br />

(click on Apps)<br />

mac3dec<br />

http://sourceforge.net/<br />

projects/mac3dec/ apple<br />

of the included files is a recipe file.<br />

Take that one and start organizing<br />

your kitchen. Documentation of both<br />

the application and source are<br />

included in cardbook format.<br />

Typical applications for CardBook:<br />

• addresses<br />

• recipes<br />

• <strong>to</strong> do lists<br />

• note keeping<br />

http://www.paullynch.org/macosx/<br />

cardbook/CardBook.dmg


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You Type,<br />

It Typinates<br />

by Matt Neuburg<br />

<br />

Reprinted from TidBITS#785/27-June-05<br />

Ergonis software, whose PopChar and<br />

KeyCue utilities have been mentioned<br />

in TidBITS, now throws its hat in<strong>to</strong> the<br />

typing assistant ring with Typina<strong>to</strong>r.<br />

The idea is that you provide Typina<strong>to</strong>r<br />

with a set of abbreviations and expansions;<br />

when you’re working in any<br />

program, if you type an abbreviation,<br />

Typina<strong>to</strong>r substitutes the corresponding<br />

expansion. For example, I could type<br />

“tb” <strong>to</strong> generate “TidBITS”, or “AS” <strong>to</strong><br />

generate “AppleScript”, and so on for<br />

any boilerplate, short or long, that I<br />

expect <strong>to</strong> use. <br />

Typina<strong>to</strong>r’s primary competition is<br />

TypeIt4Me, which I’ve also mentioned<br />

in these pages. The approaches taken by<br />

the two utilities vary radically.<br />

TypeIt4Me is an input method; you<br />

switch <strong>to</strong> it using your Input menu (the<br />

status menu at the right end of the menu<br />

bar whose icon is usually some country’s<br />

flag), which means that you can’t<br />

use it in conjunction with any other input<br />

method or keyboard layout. Typina<strong>to</strong>r,<br />

on the other hand, is an ordinary application.<br />

It watches the characters you<br />

actually enter by typing – I don’t know<br />

how - and when you type an abbreviation,<br />

it uses GUI scripting <strong>to</strong> select it and<br />

<strong>to</strong> substitute the expansion. This is done<br />

by pasting, which means that Typina<strong>to</strong>r<br />

can enter images if an application allows<br />

<strong>this</strong>. It also means that entering a<br />

Typina<strong>to</strong>r expansion wipes out whatever<br />

was on the clipboard; I don’t quite see<br />

why <strong>this</strong> is necessary, since it ought <strong>to</strong> be<br />

possible for Typina<strong>to</strong>r <strong>to</strong> res<strong>to</strong>re the old<br />

clipboard contents afterwards, but in any<br />

case you can work around <strong>this</strong>, if you<br />

find it problematic, with a multiple clipboard<br />

utility such as CopyPaste or<br />

ClipBlock.<br />

Typina<strong>to</strong>r also doesn’t require you <strong>to</strong><br />

type any termina<strong>to</strong>r character <strong>to</strong> signal<br />

that what precedes is an abbreviation;<br />

instead, it watches <strong>to</strong> see whether<br />

you’ve typed an abbreviation at the start<br />

of a word, and if you have, it just<br />

expands it (and if that isn’t what you<br />

intended, Undo res<strong>to</strong>res the abbreviation<br />

in most applications). Typina<strong>to</strong>r<br />

also does some smart things such as letting<br />

you use the capitalisation of the<br />

abbreviation <strong>to</strong> dictate the capitalisation<br />

of the expansion (useful for ordinary<br />

words that should be capitalised at the<br />

start of a sentence but not elsewhere).<br />

And that, aside from letting an expansion<br />

enter current time and date<br />

information in a variety of formats, is<br />

about all Typina<strong>to</strong>r does; it doesn’t permit<br />

multiple abbreviation files, or<br />

application-specific abbreviation files,<br />

like TypeIt4Me.<br />

As usual with Ergonis’s products,<br />

simplicity and reliability are the watchwords.<br />

Like PopChar, Typina<strong>to</strong>r can<br />

enter characters from throughout the<br />

Unicode reper<strong>to</strong>ire; and like PopChar, it<br />

seems <strong>to</strong> work just about anywhere - I<br />

wasn’t able <strong>to</strong> find many applications<br />

that give Typina<strong>to</strong>r trouble (though I did<br />

quickly find one, Panorama). Typina<strong>to</strong>r<br />

requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later, and<br />

costs just $20; you can try it out for free<br />

(a 500K download), the only limitation<br />

being the number of abbreviations the<br />

trial version remembers.<br />

Copyright 2005 TidBITS: Reuse governed by<br />

Creative Commons license<br />

<br />

Contact: <br />

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★★★★ 2005-2006 CMC Officers and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs ★★★★<br />

President Rich Lenoce<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

PR Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r/Auction Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org 860-678-8622<br />

Download of the Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org 860-583-1165<br />

Vice President Chris Hart<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Past President Don Dickey<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

Special Events Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

Caricatures by Bill Dougal of Lebanon, (860) 456-9041. Available for illustration assignments and event caricatures.<br />

10<br />

Treasurer David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

ambassador@ctmac.org<br />

860-485-1547<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org (860) 668-8728<br />

Secretary Kyle DeMilo<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org<br />

860-561-0319<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org 860-677-7787<br />

Parlimentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian Connie Scott<br />

parlimentarian@ctmac.org 860-584-9573


CMC Monthly Meetings FREE Raffle!<br />

Monthly CMC Meetings are held on last<br />

Wednesday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00<br />

P.M. (except November and December<br />

when the meetings are held one week<br />

earlier due <strong>to</strong> the holidays). Location below.<br />

Board meetings are held on the first<br />

Thursday of the month. If you wish <strong>to</strong><br />

attend a Board meeting, contact an officer<br />

for time & location.<br />

Wednesday, July 27<br />

CMC Summer Picnic<br />

and Q&A Session<br />

Special Time: 6:00 P.M.<br />

Special Place:<br />

Wolcott Park, West Hartford<br />

Bring a blanket or chairs, an appetite and<br />

lot’s of your Mac questions for our<br />

experts. Our picnic will begin at 6pm at<br />

the picnic area adjacent <strong>to</strong> Chatfield<br />

Drive. Parking in the Chatfield Drive lot is<br />

limited so, if you can, car pool. Additional<br />

parking is available at the opposite end of<br />

the park or on side streets.<br />

Rain cancels so check your email or the<br />

CMC website for<br />

cancelation information. If cancelled we<br />

will hold the meeting in our regular<br />

UCONN Health Center location.<br />

Directions:<br />

<strong>From</strong> Route 9, follow <strong>to</strong> I-84 East.<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84 East, get off at New Britain<br />

Ave. exit. Left off ramp, go about 100<br />

yards, take next right on Chatfield Drive.<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84 West, at end of ramp, left on<br />

Ridgewood Rd for 50 yards <strong>to</strong> New<br />

Britain Ave. Left on New Britain Ave for<br />

1/4 mile. Right on<strong>to</strong> Chatfield Drive.<br />

Every CMC member who attends<br />

our monthly meetings gets a raffle<br />

ticket. This will give you a chance<br />

for one of our free prizes every<br />

month! You could win…t-shirts,<br />

<strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs, software<br />

…there’s always something we’re<br />

giving away! And don’t forget the<br />

Free table at the back of the room<br />

where everything is...FREE!<br />

NOTICE!<br />

• Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number<br />

(for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

• CMC Web site username<br />

and password<br />

...are now located on your<br />

newsletter mailing label.<br />

Please, make a<br />

note of it NOW!<br />

Getting CMC emails?<br />

We always send out advance notice<br />

of the meetings, and sometimes for<br />

big news or special events (like our<br />

bus trip <strong>to</strong> Macworld). If you’re not<br />

getting them, please email us at<br />

president@ctmac.org with your<br />

current email address and a subject<br />

line of: ADD TO CMC EMAIL LIST<br />

Treasurer’s Report Display Ad Rates<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members!<br />

Have your friends and co-workers<br />

join us for fun and learning about<br />

OS X and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 133<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance..........$1247.36<br />

Savings Balance ............$3975.83<br />

Balances as of July 7, 2005<br />

11<br />

FREE Classified Ads<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using or<br />

upgrading. This is a FREE service<br />

provided <strong>to</strong> our members. Send <strong>to</strong>:<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

FOR SALE<br />

Brooks<strong>to</strong>ne Mouse Pad and<br />

Calcula<strong>to</strong>r with Gel Wrist Pad<br />

$10.00 USB 2.0 8 in 1 card reader.<br />

Never used; $10.00. Call Shirley at<br />

860-747-8833.<br />

FOR SALE<br />

Inspiration 5.0, creative brains<strong>to</strong>rming<br />

software (great for teachers!).<br />

New, but older version for OS 9/<br />

Classic. Also Kensing<strong>to</strong>n TripleTreks<br />

Flapover Case for lap<strong>to</strong>ps. New,<br />

$20.00. Call 860-678-8622.<br />

FOR SALE<br />

One Palm m515 with 16mg SD disc<br />

– very good condition $100<br />

One practically new Canon PIXMA<br />

iP5000 bubble jet printer – I made<br />

about six 8x10 great prints, but I<br />

want a larger printer. List $199.<br />

For sale $100. Jack Bass email:<br />

w1fla@comcast.net or 324-4224<br />

cell phone<br />

Any business items or services can<br />

be advertised at the low monthly rates<br />

listed below.<br />

Business Card ...................$10.00<br />

Quarter Page.....................$20.00<br />

Half Page.........................$30.00<br />

Full Page (or insert) ............$50.00<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a disk<br />

(with nothing else on it) or e-mail it <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org for insertion in the<br />

following issue. Display ads must be<br />

submitted camera-ready in eps or pdf format<br />

with all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

Wednesday, July 27<br />

CMC Summer Picnic<br />

Special Time & Location:<br />

Starts at 6:00 P.M.<br />

Wolcott Park, W. Hartford<br />

(see directions & info on page 11)<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

a PDF document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center is<br />

available on our website: www.ctmac.org. Print and take it with you <strong>to</strong> find us easily!<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on programs<br />

require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College in Middle<strong>to</strong>wn.<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UCHC, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West,<br />

Exit 39 is after 39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong><br />

Route 4 East (Farming<strong>to</strong>n Avenue). At third traffic light, turn<br />

right <strong>to</strong> enter the Health Center campus. Go around the main<br />

building <strong>to</strong> the right (at a Y in road), then take a left when<br />

you get <strong>to</strong> the Academic Entrance. The road becomes twoway<br />

there so you should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn. (Do<br />

not go on straight <strong>to</strong> the two-way part). Then take the second<br />

right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go<br />

past the police station entrance on your left (small sign). You<br />

will see a continuation of the building with its own entrance<br />

area. This is the new research building. Enter on the ground<br />

floor, turn right and enter room EG-013 on your right. This<br />

is the first room on your right. The rest rooms are on your<br />

left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> Middlesex C.C.<br />

<strong>From</strong> the Hartford area, take Route 9 South. A few<br />

miles south of down<strong>to</strong>wn Middle<strong>to</strong>wn on Route 9, take<br />

Exit 11 (Rt. 155, Randolph Road). At the end of the<br />

ramp (for both N. & S. bound), turn right on<strong>to</strong><br />

Randolph Road. Continue <strong>to</strong> the traffic light at the <strong>to</strong>p<br />

of the hill and turn left on<strong>to</strong> Saybrook Road. Go a quarter<br />

of a mile and turn right on<strong>to</strong> Reservoir Road. Travel<br />

past the s<strong>to</strong>p sign, then take the first right on<strong>to</strong> Training<br />

Hill Road. Your first left will lead in<strong>to</strong> the Middlesex<br />

Community College Campus parking area. When you<br />

arrive on campus, take a right on<strong>to</strong> Training Hill Road.<br />

Go <strong>to</strong> the second parking lot entrance and take a left<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the upper lot. Directly in front of you will be Snow<br />

Hall. Enter Snow Hall and go up the stairs <strong>to</strong> the 2nd<br />

floor and go <strong>to</strong> the last room on the right, Room 509.


NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. AUGUST 2005<br />

If Classic means something<br />

that is timeless…<br />

When is Classic<br />

not Classic?<br />

By Rich Lenoce,<br />

CMC President<br />

?<br />

As you read in<br />

last month’s issue,<br />

we Mac users have<br />

nothing <strong>to</strong> fear with<br />

Apple’s switch <strong>to</strong><br />

Intel processor unless<br />

you need <strong>to</strong> run Classic applications<br />

not available for OS X. Though a program<br />

called Rosetta will enable Power<br />

PC OS X apps <strong>to</strong> run on Intel, apparently<br />

there will be no such emula<strong>to</strong>r for<br />

pre-OS X applications.<br />

I still use some applications in Classic<br />

daily. Inevitably, a student sends me a<br />

paper in Corel WordPerfect or<br />

Microsoft Works formats on Windows<br />

and I need the Mac Classic versions<br />

under OS X <strong>to</strong> open them. Or, I am<br />

working on a media project and need<br />

any number of <strong>to</strong>ols that never made it<br />

<strong>to</strong> OS X. I keep a PowerBook 1400<br />

and an iMac G3 for running those<br />

applications that won’t run under OS<br />

X or under OS X Classic.<br />

Here are some OS 7-9 apps that either<br />

have no OS X equivalent; or have an<br />

OS X equivalent but the OS 7-9 version<br />

was much better; or are<br />

applications that won’t run under OS<br />

X Classic at all, requiring a Mac that<br />

can boot in<strong>to</strong> OS 7-9.<br />

Apple Applications<br />

Apple has <strong>this</strong> nasty habit of offering<br />

some of the best and most forward<br />

thinking software, and then canceling<br />

them for no apparent reason. Take<br />

these four:<br />

Hypercard:<br />

Simple yet advanced multimedia<br />

authoring application. It was so<br />

simple, elementary school students<br />

could use it <strong>to</strong> create<br />

learning games yet multi-media<br />

developers could create sophisticated<br />

interactive documents and<br />

applications. Another revolutionary<br />

product from Apple that is now gone.<br />

Claris Home Page:<br />

A WYSWYG web page crea<strong>to</strong>r<br />

that was as easy <strong>to</strong> use as a word<br />

processor but used <strong>to</strong> create beautiful<br />

web pages.<br />

Cyberdog:<br />

The smallest (2 mb), fastest<br />

and simplest web browser ever.<br />

Probably, the shortest lived <strong>to</strong>o.<br />

Claris Emailer:<br />

A powerful, efficient and comprehensive<br />

email reader that could<br />

receive AOL mail. Had no support<br />

for many modern email pro<strong>to</strong>cols<br />

like SMTP authentication.<br />

Gone but Not Forgotten<br />

Here are some applications that never<br />

made the move <strong>to</strong> OS X and left the<br />

Mac al<strong>to</strong>gether.<br />

Corel Word Perfect:<br />

Fast, expandable and <strong>to</strong> <strong>this</strong> day<br />

still puts Microsoft Word “bloatware”<br />

<strong>to</strong> shame. Just goes <strong>to</strong> show<br />

you, the best application doesn’t<br />

always win. Now available for free.<br />

http://acmfiles.csusb.edu/corel/<br />

wpmac.html<br />

1<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

Wednesday, Aug. 31<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

Final Cut Express<br />

7:00 P.M.<br />

Back <strong>to</strong> Basics - iTunes<br />

6:00 P.M.<br />

Adobe Persuasion:<br />

A terrific presentation application<br />

but it couldn’t compete with<br />

Microsoft’s Powerpoint.<br />

Au<strong>to</strong>Cad:<br />

The standard in architectural and<br />

engineering software that never<br />

made the leap <strong>to</strong> OS X. No OS X<br />

equivalent available for <strong>this</strong><br />

industry standard.<br />

Digidesign ProTools LE/Free:<br />

The leader in pro audio software<br />

made a full featured audio application<br />

that could run separately<br />

from ProTool’s proprietary hardware<br />

and offered it for free. No<br />

similar OS X version. Still available<br />

from Digidesign<br />

http://www. digidesign.com/<br />

products/details.cfm?template<br />

=overview&product_id=2040<br />

Macromedia SoundEdit 16:<br />

Simple, inexpensive, fast and efficient<br />

audio recorder and edi<strong>to</strong>r.<br />

Casady & Greene’s Sound Jam:<br />

Yes, Apple bought <strong>this</strong> and turned<br />

it in<strong>to</strong> iTunes, but first they<br />

stripped its ability <strong>to</strong> record audio<br />

and broadcast Internet radio.<br />

Continued on page 2<br />

When is Classic not Classic................. 1<br />

Off The Beaten Path–Hidden Gems.....3<br />

iPod_Now Enviromentally Friendly.....3<br />

MacWorld Best of Show ......................4<br />

Free WiFi Security............................... 5<br />

Download of the Month .......................5<br />

MacWorld-An Intimate Affair..............6<br />

Special MUG Offers.............................8<br />

Meetings and Club News ...................11


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

John Scott<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions<br />

from members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

Continued from page 1<br />

VSE Be Found:<br />

Takes a web site, examines its<br />

content and registers the site with<br />

search engines saving hours or<br />

days of work. Nothing like it anywhere.<br />

VSE still offers monthly<br />

updates but no OS X version.<br />

Comet CG:<br />

A CG is a Character Genera<strong>to</strong>r, a<br />

hardware or software <strong>to</strong>ol that is<br />

used in video production and<br />

broadcasting <strong>to</strong> create graphics.<br />

This was an easy method <strong>to</strong> create<br />

broadcast level graphics on the<br />

Mac. Today, dozens of similar<br />

products are available for<br />

Windows PCs but none are available<br />

for Macin<strong>to</strong>sh.<br />

Macromedia Authorware:<br />

Hugely popular multimedia<br />

development software for teachers<br />

and instructional designers<br />

that uses a flowchart metaphor <strong>to</strong><br />

design applications and learning<br />

modules. No OS X version.<br />

Control Strip and Chooser:<br />

Since the Control Strip and<br />

Chooser are not part of OS X or<br />

Classic, these applications have<br />

no OS X equivalent and won’t run<br />

in OS X Classic. I keep an old<br />

Mac around just <strong>to</strong> use these very<br />

useful <strong>to</strong>ols.<br />

Adobe Distiller:<br />

Drag a file or folder containing<br />

any document type over the<br />

Distiller Desk<strong>to</strong>p Printer and<br />

they’ll instantly be converted <strong>to</strong><br />

PDF. Adobe offers Distiller for<br />

OS X but it’s painfully slow. A<br />

folder of 100 Word Docs <strong>to</strong>ok 5<br />

minutes <strong>to</strong> convert under OS 8<br />

while the same docs <strong>to</strong>ok one<br />

hour in OS X. That’s progress?<br />

Myrmidon:<br />

Like Distiller, drop any document<br />

type or an entire folder of documents<br />

on <strong>to</strong> <strong>this</strong> Chooser-based<br />

2<br />

Desk<strong>to</strong>p Printer and the documents<br />

will be converted in<strong>to</strong><br />

exact HTML replicas, complete<br />

with table layout! It’s so magical<br />

I don’t know how it works and<br />

can’t live without it. Last year, a<br />

client asked me <strong>to</strong> convert a 500page<br />

catalog created in Adobe<br />

PageMaker <strong>to</strong> a web site. If I did<br />

<strong>this</strong> manually it would have taken<br />

weeks. Myrmidon turned the<br />

multi-page document in an entire<br />

website in 90 minutes complete<br />

with but<strong>to</strong>ns and links. It <strong>to</strong>ok me<br />

two hours <strong>to</strong> clean it up and make<br />

a table of contents. I was home by<br />

lunch! Available now for free as<br />

wel as the low-end Go-Click software<br />

at www.terrymorse.com/<br />

StripCam:<br />

A control strip module that when<br />

activated, takes any camera connected<br />

<strong>to</strong> the Mac and turns it in<strong>to</strong><br />

a WebCam. Activate the Mac file<br />

sharing control strip and it will<br />

serve the camera <strong>to</strong> the Internet.<br />

Great for security.<br />

There you have my round-up of<br />

favorite OS 7-9 applications that are<br />

no longer available or won’t run in<br />

Classic. I’ll bet you have your own<br />

software you can’t live without that<br />

only runs in Classic or on an OS 7-9<br />

only machine.<br />

Email me at president@ctmac.org<br />

and I’ll print the results next month.


Off The Beaten Path:<br />

Hidden Gems For Your Mac You Might Have Missed<br />

By Kyle DeMilo, CMC Secretary<br />

When you surf the web as much as I do, you sometimes come across the<br />

occasional diamond in the rough, so <strong>to</strong> speak. This column points out those<br />

hard-<strong>to</strong>-find freeware and shareware items for your Mac that you might<br />

think you don’t need, but prove <strong>to</strong> be really handy!<br />

One of the best things about the Mac is choice. You’re not limited <strong>to</strong> using<br />

one service, or one program. You have choices. It’s <strong>this</strong> line of thinking that<br />

brings us <strong>to</strong> our trio of items for your Mac.<br />

You may or may not know that<br />

there is a feature in the Address<br />

Book <strong>to</strong> bring up a map of a contact’s<br />

location via Mapquest by<br />

clicking on the address label<br />

(“home” or “work”). The cool part<br />

is that <strong>this</strong> plugin allows you <strong>to</strong> use<br />

Google Maps instead. Choice is<br />

cool, no? It requires: Apple Address Book, and Mac OS X 10.3 or higher.<br />

➤ Get it from: www.brian<strong>to</strong>th.com/addressbook/<br />

The second item is a program for OS X that <strong>to</strong>uts itself as “The only<br />

good PC feature, now on the Mac.” It’s called “Show Desk<strong>to</strong>p,” and it’s<br />

based on the Windows feature of the same name. What it allows you <strong>to</strong><br />

do is click on an icon in either the Menu Bar or in your Dock and<br />

instantly hide all of your open windows and applications.<br />

While you can do <strong>this</strong> with Panther and Tiger’s Exposé, what’s neat about<br />

<strong>this</strong> implementation is that you<br />

can configure certain applications<br />

<strong>to</strong> remain visible (think<br />

iChat AV buddy lists) after you<br />

hide the other applications. The<br />

best part? It’s free! It requires:<br />

Mac OS X 10.1 or higher.<br />

➤ Get it from: www.everydaysoftware.net/showdesk<strong>to</strong>p/index.html<br />

Finally, here’s something for all of you Tiger users out there that<br />

might find the Terminal a little daunting. It’s called “Shellac”–a collection<br />

of Au<strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>r actions that run such UNIX power <strong>to</strong>ols as cat,<br />

cut, grep, head, paste, sort, tail, uniq, wc and more in a more userfriendly<br />

graphical interface.<br />

They’ve thought of everything – even<br />

Tooltips! They’re not free, but only<br />

99¢ an action, and you only pay for<br />

what you want <strong>to</strong> use. Shellac is a steal<br />

for folks who want <strong>to</strong> use the power of<br />

Tiger’s UNIX core, but don’t want <strong>to</strong><br />

learn how <strong>to</strong> use the command line.<br />

➤ Get them from: www.pixelglow.com/shellac/<br />

Feedback? Something I missed?<br />

Email me at: ctmacbeatenpath@gmail.com<br />

3<br />

iPod – Now<br />

Environmentally Friendly<br />

By Chris Hart, CMC Vice President<br />

Despite the cost of iPod portable music players,<br />

they are sometimes considered disposable items.<br />

Because the cost of servicing an iPod is sometimes<br />

nearly as much as the cost of a new one, many people<br />

choose <strong>to</strong> cut their losses and <strong>to</strong>ss their old iPod.<br />

Considering the millions of units being sold in a<br />

year, <strong>this</strong> kind of approach could quickly result in<br />

lots of units ending up in landfills or other waste<br />

processing facilities. The problem with that is the<br />

presence of numerous environmentally harmful<br />

chemicals inside an iPod (as with any computer).<br />

Many cus<strong>to</strong>mers and environmental protection action<br />

groups have been pushing Apple <strong>to</strong> respond <strong>to</strong> <strong>this</strong><br />

issue and provide a responsible method for dealing<br />

with dead equipment. In early June, Apple announced<br />

that they will now accept iPods for recycling, free of<br />

charge <strong>to</strong> the cus<strong>to</strong>mer. Further, they will offer a 10%<br />

discount on the purchase of a replacement iPod during<br />

that same visit <strong>to</strong> an Apple S<strong>to</strong>re.<br />

I certainly applaud <strong>this</strong> announcement. You may<br />

recall that I’ve written in these pages about the<br />

issue of computer recycling and the fact that<br />

Apple accepts old computers for processing for a<br />

fee of $30. Unfortunately <strong>this</strong> new announcement<br />

has no impact on the computer recycling<br />

program, and recycling your old computer will<br />

still cost you money.<br />

I urge Apple <strong>to</strong> lower consumer costs across their<br />

entire recycling program. Obviously shipping a<br />

computer for recycling costs considerably more<br />

than shipping an iPod, but that cost should be<br />

covered by the profit of selling a consumer a new<br />

computer at an Apple S<strong>to</strong>re. Considering the<br />

industry-leading position that Apple strives for in<br />

the design of their products, they now need <strong>to</strong><br />

lead by example with a CPU recycling program<br />

that is equally noteworthy.<br />

More info: www.apple.com/environment


Macworld Bos<strong>to</strong>n<br />

2005 Best of Show Awards<br />

Reprinted from TidBITS#788/18-Jul-05<br />

by Geoff Duncan geoff@tidbits.com<br />

Our friends at Macworld magazine<br />

and Mac Publishing announced five<br />

Best of Show winners at the IDG<br />

Macworld Conference and Expo 2005<br />

in Bos<strong>to</strong>n. To be eligible, products had<br />

<strong>to</strong> be introduced at the show itself (or<br />

recently enough that they generated<br />

excitement amongst attendees) and be<br />

available for hands-on evaluation by<br />

the Macworld edi<strong>to</strong>rial staff. Not surprisingly<br />

given the success of Apple’s<br />

iPod, winners included products<br />

aimed at the digital music market.<br />

The winners are:<br />

Harman Kardon’s Drive + Play,<br />

scheduled <strong>to</strong> be<br />

available in<br />

September for<br />

$200 (plus several<br />

hours of<br />

installation time<br />

if you want <strong>to</strong><br />

hide the cables,<br />

or an estimated<br />

$100 <strong>to</strong> $150 in<br />

installation<br />

costs), is an incar<br />

iPod music<br />

system featuring a backlit LED<br />

display which lets users see the<br />

contents of their iPod and control<br />

the “Brain,” the interface which<br />

connects <strong>to</strong> the iPod (and charges<br />

it while driving). Most interesting<br />

is the LED-illuminated controller,<br />

whose rotating wheel and four<br />

but<strong>to</strong>ns mimic the iPod’s clickwheel.<br />

A 3.5 mm output jack<br />

plugs in<strong>to</strong> a car stereo, although<br />

the Drive + Play can also broadcast<br />

<strong>to</strong> any unused FM frequency<br />

as well as route audio from other<br />

devices such as a satellite radio. It<br />

demoed well in a fancy BMW,<br />

though many people were also<br />

quite taken by the car’s color LCD<br />

navigation screen.<br />

http://www.harmankardon.com/drive<br />

Parliant’s PhoneValet combined<br />

hardware/software product turns a<br />

Mac in<strong>to</strong> a call<br />

center, with<br />

features like<br />

voicemail and<br />

call his<strong>to</strong>ry (see<br />

“PhoneValet,<br />

Can You Get<br />

That?” in TidBITS-699 for a review<br />

of the initial release). Two new<br />

enhancements take PhoneValet two<br />

steps further. The PhoneValet<br />

Anywhere server software enables<br />

PhoneValet Message Center 3.0<br />

users <strong>to</strong> access voicemail messages,<br />

reports, logs, and phone books from<br />

anywhere via the Internet.<br />

PhoneValet Podcast is an extension<br />

<strong>to</strong> PhoneValet Message Center 3.0<br />

which includes <strong>to</strong>ols for recording<br />

phone conversations and later editing<br />

them via VST-enabled editions<br />

of BIAS’s Peak Express and<br />

SoundSoap 2, creating a powerful<br />

solution for podcasters and others<br />

who conduct phone interviews or<br />

record events via phone for later<br />

broadcast or publication.<br />

http://www.parliant.com/<br />

http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?<br />

tbart=07380<br />

http://www.bias-inc.com/<br />

The Print Shop for Mac 2.0,<br />

This inexpensive software from<br />

MacKiev will<br />

be shipping <strong>this</strong><br />

August, and it<br />

starts <strong>to</strong> take on<br />

the big boys of<br />

page layout by<br />

introducing new <strong>to</strong>ols like gridlines,<br />

rules, and snap functionality,<br />

plus a new project window which<br />

enables users <strong>to</strong> group items in<strong>to</strong><br />

four predefined categories. The<br />

Print Shop also gains drag & drop<br />

functionality with Apple’s iPho<strong>to</strong>,<br />

Mail, and other programs, and<br />

draws on the capabilities of Mac<br />

OS X 10.4 Tiger’s Spotlight and<br />

Core Image technologies.<br />

www.mackiev.com/print_shop.html<br />

4<br />

SketchUp 5.0, from Last Software,<br />

is an architectural<br />

design <strong>to</strong>ol<br />

for Mac<br />

OS X. The<br />

new version<br />

e xpands<br />

libraries,<br />

offers augmented sketching <strong>to</strong>ols,<br />

improves file import/export, and<br />

adds a collection of “sandbox”<br />

<strong>to</strong>ols for landscape designers.<br />

http://www.sketchup.com/<br />

Transpod for iPod shuffle is an FM<br />

transmitter for Apple’s<br />

iPod shuffle portable<br />

music player which<br />

can tune <strong>to</strong> any available<br />

FM frequency. It<br />

plugs in<strong>to</strong> a car’s<br />

cigarette lighter or<br />

accessory jack,<br />

simultaneously<br />

plays music and<br />

charges an iPod shuffle via USB,<br />

and offers a 3.5 mm stereo output.<br />

The small size of the iPod shuffle<br />

may make the Transpod for iPod<br />

shuffle more successful than the<br />

previous Transpod, which was<br />

awkwardly designed and clumsy<br />

<strong>to</strong> use.<br />

http://www.dlodirect.com/<br />

See the complete article at<br />

http://www.macworld.com/news/<br />

2005/07/13/bes<strong>to</strong>fshow/


continued from page 4<br />

Free Corporate-Grade<br />

Wi-Fi Security from WiTopia<br />

Reprinted from TidBITS#788/18-Jul-05<br />

by Glenn Fleishman<br />

<br />

The folks at WiTopia, a<br />

group that sells personal<br />

and small-office<br />

scale network security<br />

<strong>to</strong>ols, are offering their<br />

WPA Enterprise service for Wi-Fi<br />

networks of up <strong>to</strong> five users and a single<br />

base station at no cost for a year.<br />

This is a boon <strong>to</strong> small networks<br />

because it allows you <strong>to</strong> have highlevel<br />

security for each user - even if<br />

it’s just you - without having <strong>to</strong> create<br />

and enter encryption keys.<br />

http://wi<strong>to</strong>pia.net/aboutsecuremy.html<br />

WiTopia uses WPA Enterprise, which<br />

combines the strong encryption found<br />

in the algorithm used in WPA (Wi-Fi<br />

Protected Access) with individual<br />

usernames and passwords. Mac OS X<br />

10.4 supports WPA Enterprise; Mac<br />

OS X 10.3 works <strong>to</strong>o, with the latest<br />

AirPort firmware and software. When<br />

you connect <strong>to</strong> a Wi-Fi network that<br />

uses WPA Enterprise, Mac OS X<br />

prompts you for your username and<br />

password. If you enter your credentials<br />

correctly, the access point assigns<br />

you a unique encryption key - no one<br />

on the network shares that key with<br />

anyone else on the network. This<br />

effectively gives you a secure wireless<br />

link that can’t be sniffed. (Someone<br />

can sniff at the Ethernet port if they<br />

have physical access, of course.)<br />

WiTopia maintains your information<br />

on their servers, which you access in<br />

two different ways. To add, change,<br />

and remove users, you access their<br />

secure Web site and use a simple<br />

interface. Your access point also<br />

directly access a separate, secure<br />

authentication server using a separate<br />

password they provide (a shared<br />

secret) <strong>to</strong> confirm a user’s login<br />

details when they connect <strong>to</strong> the wireless<br />

network. (A WiTopia staffer<br />

pointed out that an AirPort Express<br />

can become a portable secure WPA<br />

Enterprise network: if it’s configured<br />

<strong>to</strong> point <strong>to</strong> their<br />

servers, all it needs is <strong>to</strong> plug<br />

in<strong>to</strong> an Internet-connected<br />

Ethernet network that assigns it a<br />

valid local address, and it’s<br />

secured.)<br />

The one drawback <strong>to</strong> their service is<br />

that a bug in how AirPort Admin<br />

Utility works with the latest few<br />

releases of the firmware for the<br />

AirPort Extreme Base Station prevents<br />

easy entry of the shared secret.<br />

It’s Apple’s bug, and I alerted Apple<br />

months ago with no results. WiTopia<br />

has a workaround involving Apple’s<br />

free AirPort Management Utility<br />

that’s not <strong>to</strong>o inconvenient, and you<br />

enter the shared secret only once during<br />

setup. They document the<br />

workaround on their support forums.<br />

http://forums.wi<strong>to</strong>pia.net/view<strong>to</strong>pic.<br />

php?t=11<br />

This $29 per year starter package<br />

comes with a $29-off coupon, making<br />

it free for the first year for up <strong>to</strong> five<br />

users and a single base station. Base<br />

stations cost $10 per year extra each,<br />

and additional blocks of five users are<br />

$5 per year each.<br />

http://www.wi<strong>to</strong>pia.net/cart/cgi-bin/<br />

cp-app.cgi?pg=prod&ref=smwf<br />

Download of the Month:<br />

jBidWatcher - v.0.9.8<br />

Submitted by Debi Foss<br />

Java-based eBay auction bid management.<br />

Tired of people winning<br />

auctions you are bidding on, at the last<br />

minute? Snipe them, with a free<br />

snipe <strong>to</strong>ol.<br />

A Java-based application allowing you<br />

<strong>to</strong> moni<strong>to</strong>r auctions you’re not part of,<br />

submit bids, snipe (bid at the last<br />

moment), regularly search for auctions,<br />

and otherwise track your auction-site<br />

experience. It includes adult-auction<br />

management (that is, the relevant cookies<br />

are supported), several currencies<br />

5<br />

Firefox Tip<br />

<strong>From</strong> Lifehacker.com<br />

I love Firefox for many<br />

reasons, including popup blocking.<br />

So over the last few weeks I’ve been<br />

surprised <strong>to</strong> see occasional popups.<br />

It turns out that some clever people<br />

figured out that you could launch<br />

popups from Flash, getting around the<br />

Firefox default settings. Fortunately,<br />

you can get around it:<br />

Type about:config in<strong>to</strong> the Firefox<br />

location bar.<br />

Right-click on the page and select<br />

New and then Integer.<br />

Name it privacy.popups.disable_<br />

from_plugins<br />

Set the value <strong>to</strong> 2.<br />

The possible values are:<br />

0: Allow all popups from plugins.<br />

1: Allow popups, but limit them <strong>to</strong><br />

dom.popup_maximum.<br />

2: Block popups from plugins.<br />

3: Block popups from plugins,<br />

even on white listed sites.<br />

To download Firefox, got <strong>to</strong><br />

www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/<br />

(yen, euro, pound,<br />

dollar (US, Canadian,<br />

& Australian), and<br />

Swiss francs presently),<br />

drag-and-drop of auction<br />

URL’s, a unique<br />

‘multisniping’ feature, a<br />

nice UI, and is known <strong>to</strong><br />

work cleanly under Linux,<br />

Solaris, Windows, and Mac<br />

OS X from the same binary.<br />

Mac OS X 10.2 or higher Java runtime<br />

installed . Tiger Compatible<br />

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/<br />

jbidwatcher/JBidWatcher-0.9.8. app.<br />

tar.gz?download


Macworld Bos<strong>to</strong>n 2005:<br />

An Intimate Affair<br />

Reprinted from TidBITS#788/18-Jul-05<br />

by Adam C. Engst<br />

<br />

Apologies in advance if my title either<br />

had you hoping for a hot and steamy<br />

tale of nookie behind the trade show<br />

floor curtains or caused you <strong>to</strong> think<br />

of an awful made-for-TV movie starring<br />

out-of-practice celebrities. No,<br />

the joke is merely that whenever<br />

someone came up <strong>to</strong> me at Macworld<br />

Expo last week in Bos<strong>to</strong>n and said, “I<br />

can’t believe how small the show is!”<br />

I’d always reply, “It’s not small, it’s<br />

just an intimate gathering of a few of<br />

our closest friends.”<br />

Seriously, Macworld Expo again<br />

shrank <strong>to</strong> new lows in terms of the<br />

number of exhibi<strong>to</strong>rs and attendees.<br />

I’d put the number of exhibi<strong>to</strong>rs at<br />

under 60 and the rumblings I heard<br />

place the attendance figures slightly<br />

lower than last year, when 8,000 <strong>to</strong><br />

10,000 people were expected. (In contrast,<br />

January 2005’s Macworld Expo<br />

in San Francisco saw nearly 36,000<br />

attendees). As always, IDG World<br />

Expo did a good job managing the<br />

perceived size, so the aisles on the<br />

first day felt crowded and busy, and<br />

the session rooms were small enough<br />

<strong>to</strong> seem full, even with fewer people<br />

in the seats.<br />

The choice of Bos<strong>to</strong>n’s Hynes<br />

Convention Center was an inspired<br />

move, since it’s far more appropriate<br />

for a show the size of Macworld Expo<br />

than last year’s site: the cavernous<br />

Bos<strong>to</strong>n Convention and Exposition<br />

Center (BCEC). Navigating the Hynes<br />

Convention Center never <strong>to</strong>ok more<br />

than a few minutes compared <strong>to</strong> some<br />

of the hikes necessary in the BCEC,<br />

during which you started wondering if<br />

you should have brought provisions.<br />

But even more enjoyable was the fact<br />

that the Hynes Convention Center is<br />

on Boyls<strong>to</strong>n Street in the heart of<br />

Bos<strong>to</strong>n, one block from the shops and<br />

restaurants on the trendy Newbury<br />

Street and within walking distances of<br />

numerous hotels. It’s all <strong>to</strong>o common<br />

<strong>to</strong> go <strong>to</strong> a trade show and see no more<br />

of the host city than the streets <strong>to</strong> and<br />

from the airport.<br />

Also successful were the special productions:<br />

Andy Ihnatko’s keynote was<br />

hilarious as always, and it was<br />

enhanced by the guys who signed his<br />

talk for anyone in the audience who<br />

was deaf; even though I don’t know<br />

American Sign Language, I was at<br />

times <strong>to</strong>rn between watching Andy<br />

and watching how the guys doing the<br />

signing translated his jokes in<strong>to</strong> an<br />

uproarious combination of facial<br />

expressions and body language. The<br />

Mac Brainiac Challenge was once<br />

again a hoot, even if my team lost in<br />

the end (though I was pleased that my<br />

Classics degree came in handy for<br />

answering the question of the source<br />

of Lorem Ipsum, the dummy text that<br />

designers use <strong>to</strong> test the look of new<br />

layouts: it’s from Cicero). The Geeks<br />

& Gadgets stage on the show floor<br />

was popular <strong>to</strong>o, particularly for the<br />

iPod sessions, all of which were<br />

mobbed.<br />

http://www.lipsum.com/<br />

On the downside, the changed hours<br />

enjoyed mixed reviews at best; starting<br />

at 11 AM on Tuesday and<br />

Wednesday worked well for letting<br />

people sleep off the previous night’s<br />

events, but keeping the show floor<br />

open until 7 PM was awful. It ran<br />

through dinner time for many people,<br />

the floor was nearly bereft of attendees,<br />

and the people working the<br />

booths were even more exhausted<br />

than normal. On Wednesday, when I<br />

spoke <strong>to</strong> the Bos<strong>to</strong>n Macin<strong>to</strong>sh Users<br />

Group after the show ended, I talked<br />

straight through until nearly 9 PM.<br />

Despite the small size, most people I<br />

talked with weren’t unhappy, unless<br />

they were expecting a show more<br />

along the size of Macworld San<br />

6<br />

Francisco. The cost of exhibiting was<br />

on par with Macworld San Francisco,<br />

so at least some vendors selling products<br />

at booths found the reduced<br />

number of attendees problematic,<br />

even if the people present were buying<br />

at the usual rate. Similarly, attendees<br />

were disappointed mostly if they had<br />

anticipated spending a lot of time<br />

browsing through booths of products<br />

they hadn’t seen before. With only<br />

five or six aisles (there were six, but<br />

some weren’t full) of booths, it didn’t<br />

take long <strong>to</strong> work the floor, and relatively<br />

little was new <strong>to</strong> anyone who<br />

has been paying attention <strong>to</strong> the world<br />

of the Macin<strong>to</strong>sh of late. As with other<br />

recent shows, a number of the vendors<br />

were showing iPod accessories.<br />

Expo Notables — This will be the<br />

first time in ages that we’re not doing<br />

a superlatives article calling out the<br />

most notable products and happenings<br />

at the show. Put bluntly, there just<br />

wasn’t much that warranted mention,<br />

and our friends at Mac Publishing<br />

pretty much pegged it with their Best<br />

of Show awards (see Geoff’s<br />

“Macworld Bos<strong>to</strong>n Best of Show<br />

Awards” elsewhere in <strong>this</strong> issue),<br />

although a few other booths and products<br />

caught my attention.<br />

Rimage had guys outside the Hynes<br />

Convention Center handing out entry<br />

forms <strong>to</strong> win their Rimage 360i (a<br />

CD/DVD recording/printing device);<br />

the cool bit was that they were wearing<br />

35-pound (16 kg) backpacks<br />

containing lap<strong>to</strong>ps and LCD screens<br />

on arms that projected over their<br />

heads advertising the company’s products.<br />

We may one day see cloth that<br />

can display moving images, but it<br />

won’t be nearly as eye-catching as a<br />

guy with a moni<strong>to</strong>r suspended over his<br />

head.<br />

http://www.rimage.com/<br />

Tonya and I were also impressed by<br />

the stylish iPod-holding purses and<br />

continued on page 7


continued from page 6<br />

backpacks from the amiable wifeand-husband<br />

team of Joallyn and<br />

Dave Cartwright (Delarew Designs).<br />

Joallyn put a lot of thought in<strong>to</strong><br />

designing bags that protect the iPod<br />

while allowing the user <strong>to</strong> see and<br />

control it through a clear plastic window<br />

that faces inward <strong>to</strong> avoid<br />

advertising the iPod’s presence; the<br />

earbud cable feeds through another<br />

opening. Then there was Cableyoyo,<br />

with a slim plastic device that you use<br />

<strong>to</strong> wind up your cords; it’s elegant, but<br />

essentially a fancy twist-tie. Lastly,<br />

Quark was once again present, and I<br />

couldn’t resist chuckling at the sign<br />

they had posted with their presentation<br />

schedule, which laid out, in great<br />

detail, in case you were confused, just<br />

<strong>to</strong> be absolutely clear, that they would<br />

be discussing QuarkXPress 6.5 every<br />

hour on the half-hour.<br />

www.delapod.com/<br />

www.cableyoyo.com/<br />

www.tidbits.com/resources/788/<br />

quark-sign.jpg<br />

The booth that most surprised me,<br />

though, was the Apple Specialists<br />

Pavilion, co-produced with HP, so it<br />

featured lots of current Macs along<br />

with HP printers that use a new inkbased<br />

printing technology. I’ve been<br />

hearing the Apple Specialist term for<br />

years, and I knew that TidBITS sponsor<br />

Small Dog Electronics was an<br />

Apple Specialist, but I’d never internalized<br />

what is special about them. It<br />

turns out that the Apple Specialist<br />

program collects over 160 independent<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh dealers and service<br />

centers like San Diego’s Crywolf and<br />

New York’s Tekserve, all of which<br />

have survived by earning the undying<br />

loyalty of their cus<strong>to</strong>mers over the<br />

years. About 50 Apple Specialists<br />

were represented in the largest booth<br />

on the show floor, and the technical<br />

know-how was amazing. But even<br />

more interesting is that the Apple<br />

Specialists have banded <strong>to</strong>gether <strong>to</strong><br />

form the Apple Specialists Marketing<br />

Co-op (ASMC), which has negotiated<br />

(and in some cases helped design)<br />

exclusive products like the miniG<br />

series of hard drives from Transintl,<br />

the iListen MX voice-recognition and<br />

headset/microphone bundle, and<br />

more. The ASMC also held a one-day<br />

“best practices” meeting on 11-Jul-05<br />

that included presentations, roundtable<br />

discussions, a table-<strong>to</strong>p vendor<br />

fair, and a “vendor speed dating”<br />

event that must have been hilarious<br />

(“You have 3 minutes <strong>to</strong> introduce<br />

yourselves and generate the rough<br />

outline of a reseller agreement. Got<br />

your business cards ready? Go!”).<br />

www.applespecialists.com/<br />

www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/<br />

press/2005/050711a.html<br />

www.transintl.com/s<strong>to</strong>re/minig.cfm<br />

www.macspeech.com/news/<br />

pr.html?id=105<br />

More Like a Soiree — The fact is,<br />

Macworld Bos<strong>to</strong>n 2005 simply wasn’t<br />

a news event. Few new products were<br />

introduced at the show, and nothing<br />

that happened really qualified as<br />

news. The small press room was never<br />

full when I happened <strong>to</strong> s<strong>to</strong>p by, and I<br />

saw almost no mainstream press in<br />

attendance.<br />

All that said, it was a fine show, even<br />

if it has become more of a limited<br />

regional event aimed at networking<br />

7<br />

local vendors and attendees. Given the<br />

shrinking size, the question of<br />

whether it will happen again comes<br />

down <strong>to</strong> whether IDG World Expo<br />

earned enough money <strong>to</strong> make it<br />

worthwhile. IDG World Expo has said<br />

that it is committed <strong>to</strong> future shows in<br />

Bos<strong>to</strong>n at the Hynes Convention<br />

Center, though at press time no<br />

announcements of dates for next year<br />

have been made.<br />

www.macworld.com/news/<br />

2005/07/15/idg/index.php<br />

Assuming it was profitable enough <strong>to</strong><br />

continue, or could be further refined<br />

<strong>to</strong> be profitable, I’d encourage IDG<br />

World Expo <strong>to</strong> consider replicating<br />

the concept of a small regional show<br />

in a variety of cities. With the expectation<br />

that such a show wouldn’t have<br />

tens of thousands of attendees, the big<br />

name exhibi<strong>to</strong>rs wouldn’t feel the<br />

need <strong>to</strong> attend every show (or have<br />

their presence missed, as was the case<br />

at Macworld Bos<strong>to</strong>n), and a lot of<br />

people who would be unlikely <strong>to</strong> travel<br />

<strong>to</strong> either San Francisco or Bos<strong>to</strong>n<br />

could still take advantage of the training<br />

sessions and the opportunity <strong>to</strong><br />

see and talk with vendors. Such an<br />

approach would also acknowledge the<br />

reality of Macworld San Francisco as<br />

the most important event in the mainstream<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh world, rather than<br />

pretending that Macworld Bos<strong>to</strong>n will<br />

ever regain the equal status it held in<br />

the glory days of yesteryear.


Vendor Offer Watch<br />

August 16, 2005 Edition<br />

Provided by The MUG Center http://www.mugcenter.com<br />

For an up-<strong>to</strong>-date list of all available user group offers,<br />

visit: <br />

Exclusive Discounts from The MUG Center:<br />

BackJack<br />

3 free months of online backup service; expires 8/31/05<br />

www.mugcenter.com/vendoroffers/backjack.html<br />

Order URL: www.backjack.com/mugcenter.html<br />

Centurion Technologies<br />

20% off MacShield Enhanced Edition<br />

hard drive configuration protection software; expires 9/30/05<br />

http://www.mugcenter.com/vendoroffers/centurion.html<br />

Order: Call 800-224-7977, and reference code “MUGS05”<br />

KeynoteUser.com<br />

10% off all products; expires 12/31/05<br />

http://www.mugcenter.com/vendoroffers/keynoteuser.html><br />

Order URL: http://www.keynoteuser.com/MUG/<br />

Peachpit Press<br />

35% off Three iLife ‘05 books, expires 12/31/05<br />

http://www.mugcenter.com/vendoroffers/peachpit.html<br />

Enter coupon code EE-S4AP-PPT at the checkout page<br />

Other offers including those from the Apple User<br />

Group Bulletin: For details, including code acquisition,<br />

go <strong>to</strong> <br />

Absolutist Games<br />

30% discount on Bubble Shooter & JetDucks; exp. 9/30/05<br />

AppleWorks Users Group<br />

Discount on Macin<strong>to</strong>sh batteries; no expiration<br />

Apple MUG S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

Discounts on new and refurbished hardware and 1% back <strong>to</strong><br />

your group; no expiration. www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

7/01/2005 - 10/31/2005 User ID: xxx Password: xxx<br />

ATAcom.com<br />

$200 off RAID-5 network attached s<strong>to</strong>rage solutions;<br />

expires 9/30/05<br />

Audible.com<br />

Free month of service plus free gifts; no expiration<br />

Brigadoon Software<br />

33% off MacPhoneHome Mac theft recovery software;<br />

expires 9/30/05<br />

Curry K. Software<br />

30% discount on Agile 10 Key; expires 8/31/05<br />

FastMac<br />

15% - 20% discount on processor upgrades; expires 9/30/05<br />

Guy Kawasaki<br />

The Art of the Start & 128 MB USB Flash Drive bundle;<br />

While supplies last. www.1800ceoread.com/pitchkit.asp<br />

8<br />

Intriguing Development<br />

15% discount on iRemember; Expires 9/30/05<br />

liquidlibrary<br />

15 month membership for the price of 12 months; Expires<br />

12/1/05<br />

LoadPod<br />

10% off iPod loading service; Expires 8/30/05<br />

MacAddict magazine<br />

Up <strong>to</strong> 78% off annual subscription; Expires 6/30/06<br />

macHOME magazine<br />

$15 off annual subscription; No expiration<br />

Macworld magazine<br />

$13 off annual subscription; no expiration<br />

Magnet Media<br />

15% off Digital Media Training Series; Expires 10/31/05<br />

MYOB<br />

$25 off First Edge & $100 off Account Edge; No expiration<br />

O’Reilly<br />

30% off all titles; No expiration<br />

O’Reilly<br />

35% discount on David Pogue’s “Mac OS X: The Missing<br />

Manual, Tiger Edition” - Expires 8/31/05<br />

Peachpit Press<br />

25% off all titles by joining the Peachpit Club; No expiration<br />

Prosoft Engineering<br />

25% off Drive Genius, Picture Rescue, Data Rescue, Data<br />

Backup & Data Recycler; No expiration<br />

Recosoft<br />

$10 discount on PDF2Office Personal; Expires 9/30/05<br />

Sams Publishing<br />

35% of all books; available globally. Expires 12/1/05<br />

SpyMac<br />

40% discount on Club Services; Expires 12/1/05<br />

Steel Blue Sky<br />

1 year free user group web site hosting, while supplies last<br />

www.steelbluesky.net/product_info.php?products_id=45<br />

Tekkeon<br />

Free FM transmitter with purchase of myPower for iPod;<br />

Expires 12/1/05<br />

TidBITS<br />

10% discount on Take Control eBooks; No expiration<br />

Total Training<br />

25% off training videos; available globally. Expires 12/1/05<br />

Copyright ©2005 The MUG Center.<br />

See a complete list of all current deals at:<br />

www.mugcenter.com/vendor news/vendornews.html


Special Thanks <strong>to</strong> our<br />

Presenters<br />

May:<br />

The Apple S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

CMC would like <strong>to</strong> thank the Apple<br />

S<strong>to</strong>re, Manager Brian Connelly and<br />

presenter Katherine MacCall,<br />

Business Consultant, for holding the<br />

May General Meeting. We’d also<br />

like <strong>to</strong> thank Donna for her assistance<br />

and refreshments. It was a<br />

highly informative presentation<br />

and demonstration on OSX Tiger.<br />

We also appreciate the discounts<br />

Apple offered. Several members<br />

were seen leaving with their shiny<br />

new purchases! Thanks <strong>to</strong> the Apple<br />

S<strong>to</strong>re for allowing us <strong>to</strong> hold our<br />

meeting there and for the presentation,<br />

discount, refreshment and<br />

hospitality!<br />

June:<br />

Middlesex Community College<br />

Special thanks goes <strong>to</strong> Middlesex<br />

Community College for hosting<br />

our June hands-on meeting and<br />

MxCC Mac IT support specialist,<br />

Chris Grande, for providing support<br />

<strong>to</strong> our group. Thanks <strong>to</strong> Rich<br />

Lenoce for the iPho<strong>to</strong> presentation<br />

and <strong>to</strong> Kyle Demillo for his<br />

presentation on Web Design and<br />

Blogging. The membership<br />

would like <strong>to</strong> extend its gratitude<br />

<strong>to</strong> CMC Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher, John<br />

Scott, for stepping in and doing a<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop presentation at the last<br />

minute. Even with bad weather<br />

we had 45 members attending<br />

these hands-on sessions making<br />

it a very successful event.<br />

9<br />

Yes, I want <strong>to</strong> join CMC<br />

Benefits:<br />

Monthly meetings, monthly newsletter, special<br />

events, discounted books, assistance with<br />

computer problem, network with other Mac<br />

users, User Group S<strong>to</strong>re discounts, and more.<br />

Date _____________________________<br />

Name ____________________________<br />

Address __________________________<br />

City _____________________________<br />

State________ Zip__________________<br />

Phone (Home) _____________________<br />

Phone (Office) _____________________<br />

Phone (Fax) _______________________<br />

Business __________________________<br />

Occupation________________________<br />

Email:____________________________<br />

Referred by: _______________________<br />

Areas of special interest: _____________<br />

_________________________________<br />

_________________________________<br />

Annual CMC Family<br />

Membership<br />

$25.00<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC<br />

and mail <strong>to</strong>:<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza, PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

...or<br />

pay online with PayPal at<br />

www.ctmac.org


★★★★ 2005-2006 CMC Officers and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs ★★★★<br />

President Rich Lenoce<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

PR Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r/Auction Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org 860-678-8622<br />

Download of the Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org 860-583-1165<br />

Vice President Chris Hart<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Past President Don Dickey<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

Special Events Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

Caricatures by Bill Dougal of Lebanon, (860) 456-9041. Available for illustration assignments and event caricatures.<br />

10<br />

Treasurer David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

ambassador@ctmac.org<br />

860-485-1547<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org (860) 668-8728<br />

Secretary Kyle DeMilo<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org<br />

860-561-0319<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org 860-677-7787<br />

Parlimentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian Connie Scott<br />

parlimentarian@ctmac.org 860-584-9573


CMC Monthly Meetings FREE Raffle!<br />

Monthly CMC Meetings are held on last<br />

Wednesday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00<br />

P.M. (except November and December<br />

when the meetings are held one week<br />

earlier due <strong>to</strong> the holidays). Location below.<br />

Board meetings are held on the first<br />

Thursday of the month. If you wish <strong>to</strong><br />

attend a Board meeting, contact an officer<br />

for time & location.<br />

Wednesday, August 31<br />

UConn Medical Center<br />

Back To Basics - iTunes, 6:00 PM<br />

Tune in<strong>to</strong> iTunes and learn how <strong>to</strong> work<br />

with Apple’s excellent program for playing,<br />

organizing and even sharing music.<br />

We’ll show you the basics and then some.<br />

Soon you’ll be the master of your music<br />

collection! Bring a PC-using friend! This<br />

session can help those using Windows just<br />

as much as us Mac users.<br />

Final Cut Express, 7:00 PM<br />

Guest presenter Keith Larsen will demonstrate<br />

how <strong>to</strong> get started with Apple’s<br />

Final Cut Express software. If you’ve outgrown<br />

iMovie, <strong>this</strong> is the video editing<br />

program for you. Keith is a professional<br />

video edi<strong>to</strong>r and founder of the<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Final Cut Pro Users Group.<br />

Come benefit from his experience and<br />

hear how a pro gets video projects looking<br />

great!<br />

Discounted Books<br />

CMC continues <strong>to</strong> offer our current<br />

members the opportunity <strong>to</strong> purchase any<br />

published book for either Mac or<br />

Windows at a 20% discount. All major<br />

publishers are carried by our source.<br />

Contact a Board Member or send an email<br />

<strong>to</strong> booksales@ctmac.org.<br />

Provide the book title, the publisher and<br />

the ISBN number, if possible, and he will<br />

check on its availability. Normally, the<br />

wait is not <strong>to</strong>o long.<br />

Every CMC member who attends<br />

our monthly meetings gets a raffle<br />

ticket. This will give you a chance<br />

for one of our free prizes every<br />

month! You could win…t-shirts,<br />

<strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs, software<br />

…there’s always something we’re<br />

giving away! And don’t forget the<br />

Free table at the back of the room<br />

where everything is...FREE!<br />

NOTICE!<br />

• Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number<br />

(for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

• CMC Web site username<br />

and password<br />

are now located on your<br />

newsletter mailing label.<br />

Please, make a<br />

note of it NOW!<br />

Getting CMC emails?<br />

We always send out advance notice<br />

of the meetings, and sometimes for<br />

big news or special events (like our<br />

bus trip <strong>to</strong> Macworld). If you’re not<br />

getting them, please email us at<br />

president@ctmac.org with your<br />

current email address and a subject<br />

line of: ADD TO CMC EMAIL LIST<br />

Treasurer’s Report Display Ad Rates<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members!<br />

Have your friends and co-workers<br />

join us for fun and learning about<br />

OS X and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 135<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance............$900.05<br />

Savings Balance ............$3977.95<br />

Balances as of August 3, 2005<br />

11<br />

FREE Classified Ads<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using or<br />

upgrading. This is a FREE service<br />

provided <strong>to</strong> our members. Send <strong>to</strong>:<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

FOR SALE<br />

Powerbook (Pismo): G4 (FastMac<br />

upgrade from G3), 550mghz, 20gb<br />

hard disk, 512mb RAM, very good<br />

condition. The screen has signs of<br />

some pinkish tinting. Battery needs <strong>to</strong><br />

be replaced. Will deliver <strong>this</strong> in its<br />

original box with all paperwork and<br />

disks. Runs OS X.3.9 perfectly.<br />

Asking $550. Contact Seshu<br />

Badrinath, 617-821-7993.<br />

seshu@pipalproductions.com,<br />

WANTED<br />

Capable InDesign/Illustra<strong>to</strong>r/Pho<strong>to</strong><br />

Shop opera<strong>to</strong>r wanted for occasional<br />

(or semi-regular if we’re a fit) overflow<br />

work from small marketing<br />

communications shop on subcontrac<strong>to</strong>r<br />

basis. Publication layout, logo<br />

design, image preparation, etc.<br />

PageMaker skills a plus. Please contact<br />

Jeff at (860) 742-7234 or<br />

jmills@appleisp.net.<br />

Any business items or services can<br />

be advertised at the low monthly rates<br />

listed below.<br />

Business Card ...................$10.00<br />

Quarter Page.....................$20.00<br />

Half Page.........................$30.00<br />

Full Page (or insert) ............$50.00<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a disk<br />

(with nothing else on it) or e-mail it <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org for insertion in the<br />

following issue. Display ads must be<br />

submitted camera-ready in eps or pdf format<br />

with all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

Wednesday, Aug. 31<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

Final Cut Express<br />

7:00 P.M.<br />

Back <strong>to</strong> Basics - iTunes<br />

6:00 P.M.<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

a PDF document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center is<br />

available on our website: www.ctmac.org. Print and take it with you <strong>to</strong> find us easily!<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on programs<br />

require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College in Middle<strong>to</strong>wn.<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UCHC, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West,<br />

Exit 39 is after 39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong><br />

Route 4 East (Farming<strong>to</strong>n Avenue). At third traffic light, turn<br />

right <strong>to</strong> enter the Health Center campus. Go around the main<br />

building <strong>to</strong> the right (at a Y in road), then take a left when<br />

you get <strong>to</strong> the Academic Entrance. The road becomes twoway<br />

there so you should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn. (Do<br />

not go on straight <strong>to</strong> the two-way part). Then take the second<br />

right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go<br />

past the police station entrance on your left (small sign). You<br />

will see a continuation of the building with its own entrance<br />

area. This is the new research building. Enter on the ground<br />

floor, turn right and enter room EG-013 on your right. This<br />

is the first room on your right. The rest rooms are on your<br />

left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> Middlesex C.C.<br />

<strong>From</strong> the Hartford area, take Route 9 South. A few<br />

miles south of down<strong>to</strong>wn Middle<strong>to</strong>wn on Route 9, take<br />

Exit 11 (Rt. 155, Randolph Road). At the end of the<br />

ramp (for both N. & S. bound), turn right on<strong>to</strong><br />

Randolph Road. Continue <strong>to</strong> the traffic light at the <strong>to</strong>p<br />

of the hill and turn left on<strong>to</strong> Saybrook Road. Go a quarter<br />

of a mile and turn right on<strong>to</strong> Reservoir Road. Travel<br />

past the s<strong>to</strong>p sign, then take the first right on<strong>to</strong> Training<br />

Hill Road. Your first left will lead in<strong>to</strong> the Middlesex<br />

Community College Campus parking area. When you<br />

arrive on campus, take a right on<strong>to</strong> Training Hill Road.<br />

Go <strong>to</strong> the second parking lot entrance and take a left<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the upper lot. Directly in front of you will be Snow<br />

Hall. Enter Snow Hall and go up the stairs <strong>to</strong> the 2nd<br />

floor and go <strong>to</strong> the last room on the right, Room 509.


NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. SEPTEMBER 2005<br />

Of Tiger, Smart Folders<br />

& Spotlight and a 22<br />

Year Old Computer<br />

By Rich Lenoce,<br />

CMC President<br />

My first computer was a<br />

1983 Coleco ADAM, made<br />

right here in West Hartford,<br />

CT. It had an operating system<br />

with a GUI, a word processor,<br />

spreadsheet, database software, and<br />

Coleco smart Basic (really Apple Soft<br />

Basic). It had a modem (300 baud) for<br />

Internet, email, BBS, Telnet and Prodigy,<br />

RS232 serial and parallel ports, color<br />

graphics, dual tape drives, three expansion<br />

slots and one bay, an optional 5.25” floppy<br />

disk drive and later, a hard drive adap<strong>to</strong>r. It<br />

used the same processor as an Apple II<br />

(z80) and could play arcade, Colecovision<br />

and Atari 2600 video games.<br />

I bought ADAM while searching for my<br />

first post-college job. At the time, I was<br />

going broke paying a woman $5 <strong>to</strong> wordprocess<br />

each cover letter I needed.<br />

ADAM saved me money because I could<br />

write cover letters and resumes and print<br />

them myself with the included printquality<br />

daisy wheel printer. Like <strong>to</strong>day’s<br />

word processors, I was able <strong>to</strong> keep a<br />

database of possible employers and mail<br />

merge the data in<strong>to</strong> my letters.<br />

I mailed 175 cover letters and resumes<br />

and received three job offers from people<br />

who didn’t know me from… ADAM. All<br />

commented how professional my letters<br />

and resumes looked compared <strong>to</strong> those<br />

they received from other applicants.<br />

All of <strong>this</strong> hardware and software power<br />

cost $599 at Zayre.<br />

For <strong>this</strong> article, I dug my 1983 ADAM out<br />

of the basement. It started right up and<br />

I spent hours playing with these<br />

fun and still useful applications.<br />

I can honestly say it is still that<br />

same great <strong>to</strong>ol I remembered.<br />

Rummaging through the box,<br />

I found an electronic planner,<br />

finance and graphics software,<br />

CP/M software (capable of talking<br />

<strong>to</strong> an IBM server), and a simple<br />

multimedia development program for<br />

kids called LOGO. ADAM worked as<br />

advertised, albeit slowly with its 64k of<br />

memory. What I found in playing with<br />

ADAM 22 years later is that the computer<br />

experience hasn’t really changed much.<br />

Today, most people still use computers <strong>to</strong><br />

word process documents, create spreadsheets,<br />

send email, enter information in<strong>to</strong><br />

databases and surf the ‘net. Though we<br />

do it more elegantly <strong>to</strong>day, ADAM had a<br />

GUI (Graphical User Interface) that<br />

made all these operations intuitive two<br />

years before the introduction of the<br />

Mac–and in color. Granted, <strong>to</strong>day we<br />

have fantastic audio, video and multimedia<br />

capabilities that are far beyond<br />

ADAM, but that doesn’t make computers<br />

any “smarter” than a computer like<br />

ADAM–until Tiger. In fact, until Tiger,<br />

we’ve had <strong>to</strong> use our computers the way<br />

the programmers who designed the software<br />

and hardware wanted us <strong>to</strong>.<br />

Take word processors. The word processor<br />

in my ADAM isn’t any better or<br />

worse than Microsoft Word. What’s<br />

more, after 22 years, Word adds nothing<br />

that helps me write better–the only difference<br />

is how the software’s features are<br />

organized, and that seems more a matter<br />

of the programmers taste than of purpose.<br />

1<br />

Continued on page 2<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

Wednesday, Sept. 28<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

Celebrity Night:<br />

Andy Ihnatko<br />

Special Time<br />

6:30 p.m.<br />

NOTE: “Back To Basics”<br />

To allow time for our guest, there<br />

will be no session <strong>this</strong> month.<br />

Special Thanks <strong>to</strong><br />

our Presenter<br />

At our August meeting,<br />

we enjoyed a<br />

presentation from<br />

video production professional and<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Final Cut Pro Users<br />

Group founder, Keith Larsen.<br />

(see pho<strong>to</strong>s page 7)<br />

CMC would like <strong>to</strong> thank Keith<br />

for his detailed presentation of<br />

Apple’s Final Cut Express video<br />

editing application. For those who<br />

have outgrown the capabilities of<br />

iMovie, Final Cut Express is the<br />

next step in creative control,<br />

allowing you <strong>to</strong> make professional<br />

looking videos and DVDs. We<br />

appreciate Keith sharing his<br />

insight and experience with us and<br />

encourage you <strong>to</strong> visit the group’s<br />

web site at www.ctfcpug.org<br />

For a comparison of the features and<br />

capabilities of Apple’s iMovie and<br />

Final Cut video editing software products,<br />

see the comparison table at:<br />

www.apple.com/finalcut/<br />

Of Tiger, Smart Folder & Spotlight ............ 1<br />

Off The Beaten Path ...................................3<br />

CMC Member Observations .......................3<br />

Review: DEVONthink...................................4<br />

Review: Mac OS X Tiger Killer Tips .........5<br />

Download of the Month..............................5<br />

Mac 911 by Chris Breen.............................6<br />

Vendor Offers for MUGs .............................8<br />

Meetings and Club News .........................11


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

John Scott<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions<br />

from members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

Continued from page 1<br />

Whether it’s ADAM or Microsoft<br />

Word, the word processor is only a <strong>to</strong>ol,<br />

not a collabora<strong>to</strong>r.<br />

Tiger and its associated applications<br />

including iLife, add “smarts” <strong>to</strong> computing.<br />

For the first time I can tell my<br />

OS, my email and my iLife applications<br />

<strong>to</strong> do things the way I want them<br />

done using features such as Smart<br />

Folders, Smart Mailboxes, Smart<br />

Albums, Spotlight, Magic iMovie<br />

(which au<strong>to</strong>mates movie-making) and<br />

One-Step DVD in iDVD.<br />

Tiger Mail’s Smart Mailboxes au<strong>to</strong>sorts<br />

the 100 emails that I receive each<br />

day by importance–as defined by me,<br />

rather than the more programmer-centric<br />

subject/sender/date method I had<br />

previously been forced <strong>to</strong> use. This<br />

saves me at least an hour a day going<br />

through these communications because<br />

Smart Mailboxes acts as my personal<br />

assistant, telling me what emails need<br />

immediate attention, what emails I can<br />

wait on and which ones deserve <strong>to</strong> be<br />

trashed. (The <strong>to</strong>-be-trashed emails outnumber<br />

the others 2 <strong>to</strong>1.)<br />

iMovie 5’s Magic iMovie feature is<br />

another <strong>to</strong>ol where the computer is my<br />

editing collabora<strong>to</strong>r. Magic iMovie is a<br />

simple <strong>to</strong>ol <strong>to</strong> use. Just plug in your DV<br />

camera, set some parameters and<br />

iMovie will import and edit your movie<br />

unattended. If the information is entered<br />

correctly, a few tweaks may be all that is<br />

needed <strong>to</strong> finish the movie. It’s like having<br />

an assistant edi<strong>to</strong>r there <strong>to</strong> pre-cut<br />

your movie. Magic iMovie’s results are<br />

startling when you see them for the first<br />

time. Best of all, the movie is still your<br />

movie, as the parameters were defined<br />

by you, not some programmer in<br />

Cupertino, Redmond or West Hartford.<br />

Like Smart Mailboxes, Smart Folders<br />

sets parameters <strong>to</strong> au<strong>to</strong>-organize documents<br />

based on user-defined criteria.<br />

This is great for handling documents<br />

according <strong>to</strong> project or purpose.<br />

Spotlight is the power behind these<br />

2<br />

technologies, tracking more than file<br />

names but content and meta-data.<br />

Can smart software that helps me in<br />

other important ways be far behind?<br />

Applying the principles introduced in<br />

Tiger, we may see some fantastic software<br />

coming our way. For example,<br />

I’ve often complained that though MS<br />

Word is a fine word processor, it’s still<br />

really no better or worse than the one<br />

that came with ADAM because it doesn’t<br />

help me write. Based on technology<br />

like Magic iMovie and Spotlight, I can<br />

see a day when word processors will<br />

understand the subject of my document<br />

and can therefore make smart spelling<br />

and grammatical decisions, au<strong>to</strong>-format<br />

paragraphs, au<strong>to</strong>matically apply<br />

styles, scour the Internet for quotes,<br />

create footnotes and citations on-thefly<br />

and examine my writing for<br />

unintentional plagiarism. The word<br />

processor could one day be not just a<br />

glorified non-linear typewriter, but a<br />

true writing collabora<strong>to</strong>r.<br />

The same intelligent computing can be<br />

applied in other areas. Smart computers<br />

may be able <strong>to</strong> organize and design page<br />

layouts from a folder of text documents,<br />

design architectural structures based on<br />

the computer owners’ needs and tastes,<br />

and buy and sell s<strong>to</strong>cks unattended<br />

based the owners financial criteria.<br />

If all of <strong>this</strong> sounds like science fiction,<br />

thanks <strong>to</strong> Apple innovation it isn’t. As I<br />

mentioned in my initial review of Tiger<br />

back in May, with Tiger Apple is finally<br />

going beyond the Classic OS and all<br />

other existing operating systems from<br />

the 70s, 80s and 90s and in<strong>to</strong> a new age<br />

of smart computing. Until you really<br />

explore it, you may not realize it’s more<br />

than just another pretty OS. User<br />

groups like ours can help you better<br />

understand these innovations by networking<br />

with others on how they best<br />

use their computers and Tiger. It’s a<br />

great time <strong>to</strong> be a Mac owner!<br />

By the way, if you know of anyone who<br />

wants <strong>to</strong> get rid of old ADAM stuff drop<br />

me an email – being subservient <strong>to</strong> an<br />

old computer can still be fun.


Off The Beaten Path:<br />

Hidden Gems For Your Mac You<br />

Might Have Missed<br />

By Kyle DeMilo, CMC Secretary<br />

When you surf the web as much as I<br />

do, you sometimes come across the<br />

occasional diamond in the rough, so <strong>to</strong><br />

speak. This column points out those<br />

hard-<strong>to</strong>-find freeware and shareware<br />

items for your Mac that you might<br />

think you don’t need, but prove <strong>to</strong> be<br />

really handy!<br />

Our first item<br />

<strong>this</strong> month is<br />

from Mac<br />

Shareware<br />

guru David<br />

W atanabe,<br />

author of NewsFire (a RSS reader for<br />

Mac), and Acquisition (a LimeWirebased<br />

Cocoa app for downloading<br />

files). It’s a plug-in for Safari 2.0<br />

called Inquisi<strong>to</strong>r that does predictive<br />

text entry in your Google search box.<br />

Huh?<br />

After installing it, start typing in the<br />

Google search box, and it will try <strong>to</strong><br />

predict what you are looking for, by<br />

attempting <strong>to</strong> complete the entry. As<br />

an example, if you were <strong>to</strong> type<br />

“amer” in<strong>to</strong> the search field, Inquisi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

will provide the suggestions “american<br />

idol”, “american airlines”,<br />

“american express”, etc., as these are<br />

the most probable completions <strong>to</strong> your<br />

input, as based on the search his<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

of others. It saves me many, many<br />

keystrokes (and many minutes) in the<br />

process. Best part? You guessed it<br />

–it’s free! Mac OS 10.4 is required.<br />

➣ Get it from here:<br />

http://www.inquisi<strong>to</strong>rx.com/<br />

Our second application comes from a<br />

one-person Macin<strong>to</strong>sh software development<br />

company, Dejal Systems, LLC,<br />

owned and run full-time by David<br />

Sinclair. It’s called Time Out, and it’s a<br />

simple application designed <strong>to</strong> keep you<br />

from working <strong>to</strong>o long at the computer.<br />

In David’s words:<br />

“It is very easy <strong>to</strong><br />

fall in<strong>to</strong> bad habits<br />

when using a computer<br />

for hours on end. You<br />

care about what you<br />

are doing, so can<br />

sometimes push yourself <strong>to</strong>o far, or<br />

over-strain yourself. The human body<br />

isn't built <strong>to</strong> sit in one position for endless<br />

hours, gripping a mouse or typing<br />

on the keyboard. Dejal Time Out! is<br />

here <strong>to</strong> help. It will gently remind you<br />

<strong>to</strong> take a break on a regular basis.”<br />

Time Out requires Mac OS X 10.3.9<br />

or later. It is Tiger and Intel compatible.<br />

It’s free, <strong>to</strong>o!<br />

➣ Get it from here:<br />

http://www.dejal.com/timeout/<br />

Our final application is from BeLight<br />

software, a Ukrainian company who<br />

focuses solely on Macs. Their newest<br />

application is called Image Tricks,<br />

and it’s an image manipulation application<br />

in the genre of Kai’s Power<br />

Goo. It uses the power of Tiger’s Core<br />

Image technology <strong>to</strong> transform your<br />

digital pho<strong>to</strong>s and other images by<br />

applying different effects <strong>to</strong> them.<br />

Although the<br />

requirements<br />

can seem kind<br />

of hefty, it will<br />

work on almost<br />

any modern Mac.<br />

Requires Mac OS<br />

X v.10.4 (Tiger) and later. Image<br />

Tricks can work with wide range of<br />

graphics cards. It is recommended <strong>to</strong><br />

use cards that support the Core Image<br />

technology, like:<br />

• ATI Mobility Radeon 9700<br />

• ATI Radeon 9550, 9650, 9600,<br />

9600 XT, 9800 XT, X800 XT<br />

• nVidia GeForce FX Go 5200<br />

• nVidia GeForce FX 5200 Ultra<br />

• nVidia GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL,<br />

6800 GT DDL<br />

➣ Get it from here:<br />

http://www.belightsoft.com/<br />

products/imagetricks/overview.php<br />

3<br />

IMAGE IMAGE<br />

TRICKS<br />

TRICKS<br />

TIME<br />

OUT<br />

Some CMC Member’s<br />

Observations –<br />

Macworld Bos<strong>to</strong>n, 2005<br />

By David Gerstein, CMC Treasurer<br />

Greg Allen: I remember when they started<br />

in Bos<strong>to</strong>n and then went <strong>to</strong> New York.<br />

Now they’re back in Bos<strong>to</strong>n. I preferred it<br />

in Bos<strong>to</strong>n when they were huge.<br />

Compared <strong>to</strong> the previous ones in Bos<strong>to</strong>n<br />

and in New York, <strong>this</strong> one does not measure<br />

up. Usually when I go <strong>to</strong> a Macworld<br />

conference, I never get <strong>to</strong> see everything.<br />

There were two or three competing vendors<br />

competing with each other. Now all<br />

the big ones, Apple, Epson, Lexmark,<br />

Adobe, were missing. But I’m not giving<br />

up. I’ll be back.<br />

David Litchfield (a new member at his<br />

first Macworld Conference): I thought it<br />

was fine. It was enjoyable and not overwhelming.<br />

I didn’t find any one thing<br />

outstanding. I was disappointed by the<br />

absence of Apple. But there were plenty of<br />

typical vendors that I’ll probably see at the<br />

DV East conference. Some things were<br />

over my head. I’m not at <strong>this</strong> professionally,<br />

not a knowledgeable user of Apple<br />

products. But [being there] helped gel<br />

some things. By the way, the best part of<br />

the whole thing was the bus trip.<br />

Al Boyer (a member not only in good<br />

standing, but in long standing): Since<br />

Apple was not there, I thought it was<br />

miniscule. I noticed that most vendors<br />

were involved in the iPod which is a big<br />

product. I think one could walk around<br />

that show at leisure in about an hour and a<br />

half. It was fun <strong>to</strong> be with old friends and<br />

we had a good time <strong>to</strong>gether.<br />

Joseph Greene: I think that the sponsoring<br />

of the trip by the club is super great. I<br />

enjoy going, seeing the new equipment,<br />

the new software, but was disappointed<br />

that the major manufacturers and software<br />

people boycotted the meeting. I came <strong>to</strong><br />

look at a couple of specific items, but none<br />

of them were available at the show. I was<br />

interested in cameras but there were none<br />

on the floor. Also, a lot fewer retailers<br />

[were] there.


DEVONthink Goes Pro<br />

reprinted from TidBITS #793/22-Aug-05<br />

by Matt Neuburg - matt@tidbits.com<br />

DEVONthink is a<br />

snippet keeper, where<br />

a snippet can be anything<br />

from a few words<br />

of text <strong>to</strong> a Web page, a<br />

Word document, a PDF,<br />

or any of several other<br />

formats. Within DEVONthink's database,<br />

documents can be organized<br />

hierarchically and mutually referenced<br />

via hyperlinks. DEVONthink can link <strong>to</strong><br />

any file on disk, but its real power<br />

emerges when the file is something it<br />

can parse and index, giving play <strong>to</strong> its<br />

mighty powers of searching, cataloging,<br />

and cross-referencing.<br />

When I reviewed DEVONthink in<br />

TidBITS-720, I praised its interface and<br />

its searching capabilities, but I pointed <strong>to</strong><br />

one shortcoming in its architecture:<br />

there could be only one database. This, I<br />

suspected, would ultimately prevent me<br />

from using the program at all; and I was<br />

right. Now, however, that restriction is<br />

lifted, thanks <strong>to</strong> the long-awaited release<br />

of DEVONthink Professional 1.0.<br />

<br />

<br />

In DEVONthink Professional, a database<br />

functions as a kind of document. Only<br />

one database can be open at a time, but I<br />

don't regard <strong>this</strong> as an impediment. With<br />

separate databases for different collections<br />

of data, I'm at last able <strong>to</strong> use<br />

DEVONthink seriously.<br />

The other major innovation in<br />

DEVONthink Professional is its<br />

AppleScript support. Earlier versions<br />

were a little bit scriptable, but<br />

DEVONthink Professional takes<br />

scriptability much further - and wears<br />

its scriptability on its sleeve. The program<br />

has a Scripts menu and comes<br />

with many example scripts that users<br />

can take advantage of immediately <strong>to</strong><br />

make DEVONthink cooperate with<br />

other applications - fetching all links from<br />

the current Safari Web page, for example,<br />

or importing selected email messages.<br />

What's more, a script can be attached <strong>to</strong> a<br />

file or a folder within the database, so the<br />

script is triggered when the item is opened;<br />

in the case of a folder, for instance, <strong>this</strong><br />

capability enables the creation of a "smart<br />

folder" that populates itself au<strong>to</strong>matically<br />

when opened. DEVONthink also comes<br />

with some Au<strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>r actions, along with<br />

example Au<strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>r workflows.<br />

<br />

Another new feature is the capability <strong>to</strong><br />

download Web pages linked from a given<br />

page. That's a terrific idea, and I was<br />

eager <strong>to</strong> try it, but I found it nearly<br />

impossible <strong>to</strong> tweak the settings so as<br />

<strong>to</strong> obtain the desired results.<br />

(DEVONthink's developers could<br />

usefully study the SiteSucker utility.)<br />

<br />

Also new is that you can make a page<br />

that's like a simple database table, where<br />

each column is a field and each row is a<br />

record; such pages (unaccountably termed<br />

"sheets") can't have styled text, though,<br />

which limits their usefulness.<br />

Finally, it's worth noting one feature conspicuous<br />

for its absence: complex<br />

boolean searches are still not implemented,<br />

even after years of complaints from<br />

users and promises from the developers.<br />

DEVONthink Professional is a big step<br />

closer <strong>to</strong> what DEVONthink should have<br />

been all along. Whether that warrants the<br />

"Professional" label or the price tag ($75),<br />

market forces will show. Meanwhile, you<br />

should definitely try <strong>this</strong> program for yourself;<br />

the demo download expires after 150<br />

hours of use and is not limited in any other<br />

way. Mac OS X 10.3.9 Panther is the minimum<br />

operating system version required,<br />

but given the number of new technologies<br />

it uses, <strong>to</strong> run DEVON think on anything<br />

less than Tiger would be a pity.<br />

<br />

4<br />

Apple Creates Rev-1<br />

iMac G5 Repair Program<br />

Reprinted from TidBITS #793/22-Aug-05<br />

Four months after my iMac G5 went<br />

"Up In Smoke" (see TidBITS-777),<br />

along with those of un<strong>to</strong>ld numbers of<br />

other users, Apple has finally admitted<br />

publicly that there's a problem, instituting<br />

an official repair program for<br />

revision-1 iMac G5s. According <strong>to</strong><br />

Apple, symp<strong>to</strong>ms eligible for free<br />

repair include scrambled, dis<strong>to</strong>rted, or<br />

missing video (caused, I believe, by<br />

blown capaci<strong>to</strong>rs on the midplane) or<br />

no power (the problem I had - there is,<br />

of course, no mention on Apple's page<br />

of smoke and an evil smell emanating<br />

from the computer). Apple lists the<br />

range of serial numbers of affected<br />

machines. These are all revision-1 17inch<br />

and 20-inch iMac G5s; the<br />

revision-2 faster machines released<br />

starting in May 2005 are apparently<br />

unaffected.<br />

<br />

http://www.apple.com/support/imac/re<br />

pairextensionprogram/<br />

The good news is that Apple will repair<br />

affected machines for free, even if they<br />

are no longer under warranty. The initial<br />

program is for two years from the<br />

date of purchase, but Apple may<br />

extend <strong>this</strong> at its option. The bad news<br />

is that in order <strong>to</strong> qualify, it appears<br />

that you must place your machine<br />

physically before the eyeballs of an<br />

Apple representative or service<br />

provider. It will be interesting <strong>to</strong> learn<br />

whether <strong>this</strong> means that repairs like<br />

mine, where Apple simply shipped<br />

the needed parts directly <strong>to</strong> my home,<br />

will no longer be available. [MAN]


Free Mac<br />

Do-It-<br />

Yourself<br />

Guides<br />

PB FixIt <strong>to</strong>day<br />

announced the Mac <strong>Mini</strong> FixIt Guide,<br />

an addition <strong>to</strong> their FixIt Guide Series.<br />

The new guide is available free at<br />

PBFixIt.com/Guide.<br />

The Mac <strong>Mini</strong> FixIt Guide contains<br />

detailed disassembly instructions that<br />

walk the reader through the process of<br />

easily accessing and upgrading parts.<br />

The Guides make <strong>Mini</strong> disassembly so<br />

simple, even novices can upgrade their<br />

RAM, hard drive, or DVD drive with<br />

ease. In addition <strong>to</strong> the Mac <strong>Mini</strong>, FixIt<br />

Guides are also available for all iBook<br />

G3, PowerBook G3, and PowerBook<br />

G4 models.<br />

PB FixIt is also making all FixIt Guides<br />

available as free downloadable PDFs.<br />

“There is no reason <strong>to</strong> pay Apple’s<br />

ridiculous labor fees ever again,” said<br />

Kyle Wiens, PB FixIt’s CEO. “The<br />

FixIt Guides have empowered thousands<br />

of people <strong>to</strong> upgrade and repair<br />

their Macs themselves. Offering free<br />

PDFs was the obvious next step.<br />

Download of the Month<br />

Submitted by Debi Foss<br />

VitaminSEE 0.6.4.2<br />

by Elliot Glaysher<br />

<strong>From</strong> their web site:<br />

• VitaminSEE is an image viewer<br />

for OS X that focuses on interface<br />

responsiveness and speed.<br />

We’re enabling the masses.”<br />

“With a simple Internet connection and<br />

a fourth grade reading level, anyone can<br />

purchase parts and repair his or her own<br />

Mac at home. We have thousands of<br />

parts <strong>to</strong> choose from, any <strong>to</strong>ols you<br />

could possibly need, and we’ll even<br />

show you how <strong>to</strong> do it for free. Save<br />

yourself the $100/hour in labor. Buy<br />

something nice for your husband or<br />

wife or kids instead. You do the work,<br />

we just make it easy.”<br />

FixIt Guides are now available for<br />

these computers:<br />

• Mac <strong>Mini</strong><br />

•PowerBook G3 (233-500 MHz)<br />

•iBook G3 (300 - 900 MHz)<br />

•PowerBook G4 Titanium<br />

(400 MHz - 1 GHz)<br />

•PowerBook G4 Aluminum<br />

(867 MHz - 1.67 GHz)<br />

All guides are at<br />

www.PBFixIt.com/Guide<br />

About PB FixIt: Launched in 2003,<br />

PB FixIt is dedicated <strong>to</strong> bringing<br />

high quality, hard <strong>to</strong> find lap<strong>to</strong>p<br />

parts <strong>to</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh zealots everywhere.<br />

For more information, visit:<br />

www.PBFixIt.com or 1-866-61-FIXIT.<br />

• VitaminSEE is quick. “I’ve strived<br />

<strong>to</strong> make <strong>this</strong> the fastest image<br />

viewer available for the Mac”.<br />

• VitaminSEE au<strong>to</strong>matically<br />

thumbnails your images. These<br />

thumbnails are used not only by<br />

VitaminSEE, but also by the Finder<br />

• VitaminSEE allows you <strong>to</strong> quickly<br />

organize your pictures in<strong>to</strong> different<br />

direc<strong>to</strong>ries with it's integrated<br />

Sort Manager.<br />

• VitaminSEE allows you <strong>to</strong> quickly<br />

tag your pictures with keywords.<br />

Freeware with a funny name, but you can't beat the price!<br />

www-personal.umich.edu/~glaysher/VitaminSEE.html<br />

5<br />

Book Review<br />

Mac OS X Tiger Killer Tips<br />

By Scott Kelby<br />

Reviewed by Vic<strong>to</strong>ria Maciulski,<br />

Conejo Ventura Mac User Group<br />

I got <strong>this</strong> book hot off<br />

the presses, and I’m<br />

glad I did! It covers all<br />

of the ins and outs of<br />

little things you want <strong>to</strong><br />

do, like getting pho<strong>to</strong>s<br />

someone sent you in an<br />

e-mail in<strong>to</strong> iPho<strong>to</strong>, or<br />

turning the several pho<strong>to</strong>s<br />

someone sends in<strong>to</strong> an instant slideshow.<br />

Perhaps you want <strong>to</strong> get your Mac <strong>to</strong> quit asking<br />

you for your password for everything, or<br />

add words <strong>to</strong> the end of file names, or s<strong>to</strong>p<br />

Classic from launching without permission<br />

(yes, Classic is still there in Tiger.) He shows<br />

you how <strong>to</strong> use the same Widget more than<br />

once (handy if you want <strong>to</strong> see what the weather<br />

is in several locations), copy something<br />

from your Yellow pages widget <strong>to</strong> your address<br />

book with one click, and make your address<br />

book display senior sized phone numbers.<br />

Scott organizes the info in<strong>to</strong> chapters with notvery-useful<br />

names, such as “Fly Like an Eagle,”<br />

“Cool and The Gang,” and “Cheap Trick.”<br />

Luckily, he has given each chapter a subtitle that<br />

helps you know what it is about. Chapter 8 is<br />

called “She Drives Me Crazy,” with the sub-title<br />

“How <strong>to</strong> S<strong>to</strong>p Annoying Things.” Beginning on<br />

page 177, it gives you really good tips on how<br />

<strong>to</strong> cus<strong>to</strong>mize your OS X <strong>to</strong> s<strong>to</strong>p au<strong>to</strong>matically<br />

doing things that you don’t like.<br />

I had no idea you could get Stickies <strong>to</strong> spell for<br />

you, create your own Web Cam using Image<br />

Capture, uncover where web links are going<br />

before you click on them, get definitions without<br />

launching Dictionary, or have iCal send<br />

invitations <strong>to</strong> a scheduled event.<br />

Kelby doesn’t limit his tips <strong>to</strong> OS X. He gives<br />

you lots of tips on iPho<strong>to</strong>, iMovie HD, iDVD 5,<br />

iCal, iChat, GarageBand 2, Mail, Address<br />

Book, Preview, Stickies and TextEdit. The book<br />

is easy <strong>to</strong> read and understand – no technical<br />

mumbo jumbo. I can recommend it heartily.<br />

ISBN: 0321290542 New Riders,<br />

367 Pages, $29.99<br />

(c) copyright 2005 Vic<strong>to</strong>ria Maciulski, (CVMUG)<br />

Ventura, CA. Reprinted by permission


Mac 911<br />

Solutions <strong>to</strong> your most<br />

vexing Mac problems<br />

by Chris<strong>to</strong>pher Breen<br />

Trimmer iPho<strong>to</strong> Library<br />

Is there any way <strong>to</strong> make Apple’s iPho<strong>to</strong><br />

save changes <strong>to</strong> an original pho<strong>to</strong>, short<br />

of moving the altered pho<strong>to</strong> completely<br />

out of the program and importing it<br />

again? For example, when I reduce redeye,<br />

I end up with the original pho<strong>to</strong> and<br />

the altered one. Sometimes <strong>this</strong> is a<br />

waste of hard-drive space.<br />

—Eric Anderson<br />

I agree that <strong>this</strong> feature is both a blessing<br />

and a curse. Granted, you can always<br />

gain access <strong>to</strong> your unaltered original:<br />

just select the edited picture and choose<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>s: Revert To Original. But iPho<strong>to</strong><br />

makes the magic happen by squirreling<br />

away two copies of the pho<strong>to</strong>—the original<br />

and the edited version.<br />

To free up hard-disk space, consider<br />

Martin Fuhrer’s free iPho<strong>to</strong> Diet. This<br />

utility slenderizes your pho<strong>to</strong> library by<br />

eliminating duplicate pho<strong>to</strong>s, removing<br />

backups of rotated or modified pho<strong>to</strong>s,<br />

stripping out your pho<strong>to</strong>s’ thumbnail<br />

icons, and locating and disposing of<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>s never added <strong>to</strong> an album.<br />

Audio Clip Control<br />

I consider myself a veteran user of<br />

iMovie, but I’m vexed by the latest<br />

incarnation, iMovie HD. Before, I was<br />

always able <strong>to</strong> trim audio clips in the<br />

timeline viewer simply by hovering the<br />

pointer over either end of the audio clip.<br />

In the current version, all <strong>this</strong> does is<br />

move the clip. What gives?<br />

—John Smith<br />

Apple has changed the behavior of<br />

audio clips. If iMovie HD’s Show Clip<br />

Volume Levels option is enabled (View:<br />

Show Clip Volume Levels), clicking on<br />

an audio file in the timeline allows you<br />

only <strong>to</strong> adjust the clip’s volume or move<br />

the file—you can’t trim it. Turn <strong>this</strong><br />

option off, and you’re welcome <strong>to</strong> trim<br />

<strong>to</strong> your heart’s content. For <strong>this</strong> reason,<br />

it’s a good idea <strong>to</strong> memorize the<br />

Command-shift-L<br />

keyboard shortcut,<br />

which switches <strong>this</strong><br />

option on and off.<br />

(You can also<br />

access <strong>this</strong> command<br />

by controlclicking<br />

on an audio<br />

clip and choosing<br />

the command from the contextual menu.<br />

Put HTML in Your Outbox<br />

I want <strong>to</strong> send HTML e-mail messages<br />

that look like Web pages. So far, the<br />

only way I have found <strong>to</strong> do <strong>this</strong> is by<br />

creating the page in Macromedia<br />

Dreamweaver, uploading everything <strong>to</strong><br />

a server (for access <strong>to</strong> the graphics), and<br />

then inserting the Dreamweaver file<br />

in<strong>to</strong> Microsoft Outlook on a PC. But is<br />

there any mail program on the Mac that<br />

can send complex HTML? I’ve tried<br />

Apple Mail and Microsoft En<strong>to</strong>urage<br />

(v. X), but both just seem <strong>to</strong> attach an<br />

HTML file.<br />

—Steve McGillivray<br />

You have a friend in Rob Buckley, who<br />

created the free Send Complex HTML<br />

with Inline Files 2004 AppleScript.<br />

This script allows you <strong>to</strong> embed complex<br />

HTML files in messages created<br />

with En<strong>to</strong>urage v. X or 2004. It works<br />

<strong>this</strong> way: After placing the script in the<br />

En<strong>to</strong>urage Script Menu Items folder<br />

(/your user folder/Documents/<br />

Microsoft User Data/En<strong>to</strong>urage Script<br />

Menu Items), create a new e-mail message<br />

in En<strong>to</strong>urage and address it. If you<br />

like, add a subject (if you don’t add a<br />

subject, the script will place the title of<br />

the HTML page in the Subject field).<br />

Choose the script from En<strong>to</strong>urage’s<br />

AppleScript menu and, in the resulting<br />

Choose A File dialog box, select the<br />

HTML file you want <strong>to</strong> send. Click on<br />

Choose, and En<strong>to</strong>urage lets you either<br />

send the message now or send it later. (If<br />

elements in the file are missing—one of<br />

the page’s graphics, for example—the<br />

script will return an error message.) If<br />

everything goes according <strong>to</strong> plan, the<br />

script will then embed the appropriate<br />

HTML code in<strong>to</strong> the message.<br />

6<br />

If you turn off iMovie<br />

HD’s Show Clip Volume<br />

Levels option, you can<br />

trim your audio clips.<br />

Spam Scam<br />

I regularly get “Undelivered mail<br />

returned <strong>to</strong> sender” messages in my email<br />

inbox. According <strong>to</strong> the information<br />

in the message, someone else is hiding<br />

his or her identity by using my e-mail<br />

address <strong>to</strong> send pornography out over the<br />

Internet. I’m offended that someone is<br />

using my address for <strong>this</strong> purpose. Is<br />

there any way <strong>to</strong> resolve <strong>this</strong> issue?<br />

—Jim Klausen<br />

Not really. For people unfamiliar with<br />

such a scenario, I’ll explain: spammers<br />

have spoofed Jim’s e-mail address, meaning<br />

that vermin like souls have s<strong>to</strong>len his<br />

address and are pretending that it’s theirs.<br />

On occasion, an ISP blocks these pernicious<br />

messages and bounces them back <strong>to</strong><br />

the alleged “sender”—a perfectly silly<br />

practice that wastes bandwidth and<br />

punishes innocent parties who had nothing<br />

<strong>to</strong> do with the original messages.<br />

If you receive multiple bounced messages<br />

from a particular ISP, you might<br />

contact it and suggest that it s<strong>to</strong>p bouncing<br />

messages, as the practice is both<br />

futile and annoying. To protect yourself<br />

against <strong>this</strong> annoyance, employ a spam<br />

filter and teach it <strong>to</strong> recognize these<br />

messages as junk.<br />

Liberating Location<br />

I have a PowerBook G4, which I use<br />

frequently at home and work. Because<br />

my Internet connections are different<br />

at the two locations, I have configured<br />

my Network preferences with<br />

Home and Work settings. Can I make<br />

the default printers change au<strong>to</strong>matically<br />

when I switch?<br />

—Daryl Thorn<strong>to</strong>n<br />

What you’re looking for is something<br />

like OS 9’s Location Manager—a utility<br />

whose functionality OS X doesn’t<br />

duplicate. Thankfully, you’ll find many<br />

of the old Location Manager’s capabilities<br />

in Alex Keresztes and Greg<br />

Novick’s Location X 2.0 ($20). (note:<br />

Version 2.5, which became available<br />

after our August 2005 issue went <strong>to</strong><br />

continued on page 7


continued from page 6<br />

press, adds Tiger compatibility.—Ed.)<br />

The OS X<br />

Network<br />

preference<br />

pane allows<br />

you <strong>to</strong> create<br />

locations that<br />

include network<br />

settings<br />

such as the<br />

default network<br />

port, IP<br />

address, and<br />

proxy settings, but Location X takes <strong>this</strong><br />

a step further. It lets you assign a default<br />

printer, an SMTP server, a time zone, a<br />

QuickTime connection speed, Energy<br />

Saver preferences, Mail and<br />

En<strong>to</strong>urage preferences, and a Web<br />

browser’s home page that differ,<br />

depending on where you are.<br />

Nagged by warnings and alerts<br />

from programs you thought you<br />

had deleted long ago? Instead of<br />

trashing an application by hand,<br />

use the installer’s uninstall option.<br />

Just fire up the program, create a new<br />

location, and add the options you’d like<br />

<strong>to</strong> assign <strong>to</strong> it—Energy Saver and<br />

Default Printer, for example. Then quit<br />

the application. When you’re ready <strong>to</strong><br />

change your location settings, launch<br />

Location X, select the desired location,<br />

and click on the Make Active but<strong>to</strong>n.<br />

Tip of the Month:<br />

Flexible iPod Files<br />

You can use an iPod shuffle <strong>to</strong> hold data<br />

files from your Mac by going <strong>to</strong> iTunes:<br />

Preferences, clicking on iPod, and activating<br />

the Enable Disk Use option.<br />

Unfortunately, because the iPod shuffle<br />

is formatted as a FAT32 volume (<strong>to</strong><br />

make it work on both Macs and<br />

Windows PCs), it will not transfer Mac<br />

files with certain characters in their<br />

names when you try <strong>to</strong> copy those files<br />

<strong>to</strong> the iPod shuffle. The list of characters<br />

includes slashes (/ and \), question marks<br />

(?), angle brackets (< and >), colons(:),<br />

asterisks (*), and quotation marks (“).<br />

To fix <strong>this</strong> limitation, use Disk Utility<br />

(in your Applications/Utilities folder)<br />

<strong>to</strong> create a new disk image (Images:<br />

New: Blank Image). In the New Blank<br />

Image dialog box, specify a disk-image<br />

size that will fit on your iPod shuffle<br />

(leave some room for music), and<br />

choose the read-write option from the<br />

pop-up menu. Copy the image on<strong>to</strong> the<br />

iPod shuffle and then double-click on<br />

the image. It will appear in the Finder<br />

as a generic white removable-disk icon.<br />

Copy any Mac files with Mac-legal file<br />

names on<strong>to</strong> that disk image. To disconnect<br />

the iPod shuffle safely from the<br />

Thank you <strong>to</strong> our guest presenter, Keith<br />

Larsen who demonstrated how <strong>to</strong> get<br />

started with Apple’s Final Cut Express<br />

software at our August monthly meeting.<br />

Keith is a professional video<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r and founder of the <strong>Connecticut</strong><br />

Final Cut Pro Users Group.<br />

7<br />

Mac, first eject the disk image and then<br />

eject the shuffle. Note that the files you<br />

copy on<strong>to</strong> a Mac disk image will not be<br />

available <strong>to</strong> a PC using that device. If<br />

you need <strong>to</strong> use the iPod shuffle or<br />

another Flash-based s<strong>to</strong>rage device <strong>to</strong><br />

share files between a Mac and a PC,<br />

leave those files on the main partition<br />

and not inside the Mac disk image.<br />

—Jonathan Woolson<br />

[Contributing Edi<strong>to</strong>r Chris<strong>to</strong>pher Breen is<br />

also Playlistmag.com’s edi<strong>to</strong>r in chief,<br />

author of Macworld’s tips and troubleshooting<br />

column,<br />

“Mac911,” as well as<br />

Secrets of the iPod:<br />

Fifth Edition and Mac<br />

911(Peachpit Press).<br />

Find Chris’ books at<br />

www.amazon.com and<br />

www.peachpit.com.<br />

Get special user group pricing on<br />

Macworld Magazine! Subscribe <strong>to</strong>day<br />

at http://www.macworld.com/useroffer<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>s by John Scott, CMC pho<strong>to</strong>grapher


SPECIAL OFFERS - Apple User Group<br />

Bulletin - September 14, 2005<br />

These User Group discounts are brought <strong>to</strong> you by the<br />

Apple User Group Advisory Board and Tom Piper, vendor<br />

relations. You must be a current Apple user group member<br />

<strong>to</strong> qualify for these savings. Not a member? Join an Apple<br />

user group <strong>to</strong>day <strong>to</strong> take advantage of these special offers.<br />

Kinemac:<br />

Kinemac Animation Systems at a 25 Percent Discount<br />

Kinemac is a 3D real-time animation and<br />

presentation application for Mac OS X.<br />

Kinemac lets you create professional 3D animations<br />

with the simplicity of a 2D<br />

presentation <strong>to</strong>ol. Just drag-and-drop your<br />

images, text, movies, songs, svg and obj files<br />

on<strong>to</strong> the Kinemac stage. You can also create<br />

objects such as cubes, cylinders, spheres, 3D<br />

text, 2D scrolling text and more.<br />

User group members pay only $185 (US) - 25 percent off<br />

the regular price of $249 (US).<br />

Coupon code: mugoffer<br />

Check it out. http://www.kinemac.com/s<strong>to</strong>re<br />

This worldwide offer is valid until December 31, 2005.<br />

MacStyles:<br />

Individualize Your Mobile Mac<br />

Express your individuality and<br />

give your Mac a voice with<br />

MacStyles cus<strong>to</strong>m-made vinyl decals for<br />

PowerBooks and iBooks. Each MacStyles<br />

image is tailored <strong>to</strong> fit your personality,<br />

with over 4,000 possible design combinations. What does<br />

your Mac say about you?<br />

MacStyles are regularly priced at $19.95 (US) or $24.90<br />

(US), with cus<strong>to</strong>m monogramming. User group members<br />

receive 20 percent off MacStyles orders with the coupon<br />

code below. (Shipping costs will be increased for overseas<br />

orders.)<br />

Coupon code: macusergroup<br />

Cus<strong>to</strong>mize your PowerBook or iBook <strong>to</strong>day.<br />

http://www.MacStyles.com<br />

This worldwide offer is valid until December 31, 2005.<br />

MYM:<br />

25 Percent Off MYM Fundamentals CD & Consultation<br />

Max Your Macs (MYM) is offering their newest OS X<br />

learning essentials CD, along with an included 30-minute<br />

consultation session with author Terry Jarrell, an Apple-<br />

Certified Help Desk Specialist, Apple Product Professional<br />

8<br />

and Apple Consultants Network<br />

member. Consultation will be via<br />

phone, email or iChat (or in person,<br />

if local <strong>to</strong> MYM), with no <strong>to</strong>pic limit.<br />

Regularly $49.95 (US), MYM is offering an exclusive user<br />

group price of $37.46 (US) + $3.95 (US) shipping. Click on<br />

the Essential Learning Series CD link <strong>to</strong> find out about<br />

MYM. Click on "Mac User Group Specials" <strong>to</strong> order, email<br />

maxyourmacs@mac.com or phone +1 386-852-0466.<br />

Coupon code: elsmug25<br />

Order by web, email or phone.<br />

http://www.maxyourmacs.com<br />

This worldwide offer is valid until December 31, 2005.<br />

PocketMac:<br />

40 Percent Off All PocketMac Products<br />

PocketMac makes a variety of productivity<br />

<strong>to</strong>ols for PDA and Mac<br />

connectivity, including <strong>to</strong>ols <strong>to</strong> sync<br />

your Mac with your BlackBerry,<br />

PC/Pocket PC Phone, Windows Mobile Smartphone or PSP<br />

handheld. In addition, with PocketMac GoBetween you<br />

can sync En<strong>to</strong>urage <strong>to</strong> your iSync Phone/ PDA, or use other<br />

products for additional business functions.<br />

Save 40 percent off all PocketMac products with the<br />

coupon code below.<br />

Coupon code: USERGROUP<br />

Add some power <strong>to</strong> your pocket. http://www.pocketmac.net<br />

This worldwide offer is valid until December 31, 2005.<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re:<br />

Discounts and User Group Offers<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re has free freight <strong>to</strong> members,<br />

RAM rebates and aggressive pricing on new<br />

and reconditioned Macs. They’ve also got one<br />

of the largest selections of pre-owned Macs on the planet.<br />

7/1/2005 through 10/31/05<br />

User ID: Mug Password: S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

http://www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

This offer is available <strong>to</strong> members of U.S. user groups.<br />

For information about vendor offers and more visit<br />

http://homepage.mac.com/ugab/offers.html<br />

ID and Password Valid: 7/01/2005 - 10/31/2005<br />

CMC User ID:xxxxx • CMC Password:xxxxx


Vendor Offer Watch<br />

September 15, 2005 Edition<br />

Provided by The MUG Center http://www.mugcenter.com<br />

For an up-<strong>to</strong>-date list of all available user group offers,<br />

visit: <br />

Exclusive Discounts from The MUG Center:<br />

Centurion Technologies<br />

20% off MacShield Enhanced Edition 20% off MacShield<br />

Enhanced Edition hard drive configuration protection software;<br />

available globally, expires 9/30/05<br />

<br />

Call 800-224-7977, and reference promotion code “MUGS05”<br />

ColorIQ<br />

$10 discount on IQ Match plus free upgrade <strong>to</strong> Tiger version<br />

when released.<br />

<br />

Order info: and enter code mac842<br />

KeynoteUser.com<br />

10% off all products; available globally, expires 12/31/05<br />

<br />

Order URL: <br />

Peachpit Press<br />

35% off Three iLife ‘05 books, expires 12/31/05.<br />

<br />

Enter coupon code EE-S4AP-PPT at the checkout page<br />

Terry White<br />

$10 off Mac OS X Training For Windows Users DVD.<br />

<br />

User Group Offer - Voucher # 112051289<br />

Other offers<br />

including those from the Apple User Group Bulletin:<br />

(For details, including code acquisition, visit:<br />

)<br />

Absolutist Games<br />

30% discount on Bubble Shooter & JetDucks<br />

Apple MUG S<strong>to</strong>re (see page 8)<br />

Discounts on new and refurbished hardware and 1% back <strong>to</strong> CMC<br />

AppleWorks Users Group<br />

Discount on Macin<strong>to</strong>sh batteries<br />

ATAcom.com<br />

$200 off RAID-5 network attached s<strong>to</strong>rage solutions<br />

Audible.com<br />

Free month of service plus free gifts<br />

Brigadoon Software<br />

33% off MacPhoneHome Mac theft recovery software<br />

Circus Ponies<br />

40% rebate on Notebook 2.0<br />

FastMac<br />

15% - 20% discount on processor upgrades<br />

9<br />

Guy Kawasaki<br />

The Art of the Start & 128 MB USB Flash Drive bundle<br />

Intriguing Development<br />

15% discount on iRemember<br />

Kinemac (see page 8)<br />

25% discount on Kinemac<br />

liquidlibrary<br />

15 month membership for the price of 12 months<br />

MacAddict magazine<br />

Up <strong>to</strong> 78% off annual subscription<br />

macHOME magazine<br />

$15 off annual subscription<br />

MacStyles (see page 8)<br />

20% off MacStyles products<br />

Macworld magazine<br />

$13 off annual subscription<br />

Magnet Media<br />

15% off Digital Media Training Series<br />

Max Your Macs (see page 8)<br />

$12.49 discount on Essential Learning CD;<br />

MYOB<br />

$25 off First Edge & $100 off Account Edge<br />

O'Reilly<br />

30% off all titles<br />

Peachpit Press<br />

25% off all titles by joining the Peachpit Club<br />

PocketMac (see page 8)<br />

40% off all PocketMac products<br />

Prosoft Engineering<br />

25% off Drive Genius, Picture Rescue, Data Rescue, Data<br />

Backup & Data Recycler<br />

Recosoft<br />

$10 discount on PDF2Office Personal<br />

Sams Publishing<br />

35% of all books; available globally<br />

SpyMac<br />

40% discount on Club Services Expires 12/1/05<br />

Steel Blue Sky<br />

1 year free user group web site hosting, while suppy lasts.<br />

Tekkeon<br />

Free FM transmitter with purchase of myPower for iPod<br />

TidBITS<br />

10% discount on Take Control eBooks<br />

Total Training<br />

25% off training videos<br />

See a complete list of all current deals at:<br />

www.mugcenter.com/vendor news/vendornews.html<br />

email: ambassador@ctmac.org for special ordering instructions


Yes, I want <strong>to</strong> join CMC!<br />

CMC Benefits:<br />

Monthly meetings, monthly newsletter, special events, discounted<br />

books, assistance with computer problem, network<br />

with other Mac users, User Group S<strong>to</strong>re discounts, and more.<br />

Date ________________________________________<br />

Name _______________________________________<br />

Address _____________________________________<br />

City ________________________________________<br />

State_________________________ Zip ___________<br />

Phone (Home) ________________________________<br />

Phone (Office) ________________________________<br />

Phone (Fax) __________________________________<br />

Business_____________________________________<br />

Occupation __________________________________<br />

Email: ______________________________________<br />

Referred by:__________________________________<br />

Areas of special interest:________________________<br />

____________________________________________<br />

____________________________________________<br />

Annual CMC Family<br />

Membership<br />

$25.00<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC and mail <strong>to</strong>:<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza, PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

...or<br />

pay online with PayPal at www.ctmac.org<br />

President Rich Lenoce<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

Secretary Kyle DeMilo<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

860-678-8622<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org<br />

(860) 668-8728<br />

Special Events Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

10<br />

2005-2006 CMC Officers<br />

and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

Vice President Chris Hart<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Past President Don Dickey<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org<br />

860-561-0319<br />

PR Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Parliamentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian<br />

Connie Scott<br />

parliamentarian@ctmac.org<br />

Treasurer David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

ambassador@ctmac.org<br />

860-485-1547<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org<br />

860-677-7787<br />

Download/Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org<br />

860-583-1165<br />

Caricatures by<br />

Bill Dougal<br />

of Lebanon<br />

(860) 456-9041.<br />

Available for<br />

illustration<br />

assignments<br />

and event<br />

caricatures.


CMC Monthly Meetings FREE Raffle!<br />

Monthly CMC Meetings are held on last<br />

Wednesday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00<br />

P.M. (except November and December<br />

when the meetings are held one week<br />

earlier due <strong>to</strong> the holidays). Location below.<br />

Board meetings are held on the first<br />

Thursday of the month. If you wish <strong>to</strong><br />

attend a Board meeting, contact an officer<br />

for time & location.<br />

Wednesday, September 28<br />

Special Time: 6:30 p.m.<br />

UConn Medical Center<br />

Celebrity Night with<br />

Andy Ihnatako<br />

Our special guest <strong>this</strong> month is Andy<br />

Ihnatko. (Please note the early start time of<br />

6:30). If you didn’t get a chance <strong>to</strong> see<br />

Andy in his previous visit <strong>to</strong> CMC, then<br />

here is your chance. If you did see Andy,<br />

we know you are looking forward <strong>to</strong> <strong>this</strong><br />

return visit! Not only is Andy one of the<br />

most highly recognized figures in the<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh computer world, but he is fun!<br />

Andy is a columnist for the Chicago Sun-<br />

Times newspaper and Macworld magazine,<br />

and his writing has appeared in numerous<br />

magazines. Additionally, he has authored a<br />

number of Macin<strong>to</strong>sh-related books, the most<br />

recent being “The Mac OS X Tiger Book.”<br />

Andy will share with us his thoughts on<br />

recent Mac developments – in his humorous<br />

and irreverent style. Plus, the evening<br />

will end with a charity auction <strong>to</strong> benefit<br />

The Red Cross. Up for bid will be all sorts<br />

of hardware and software gadgets donated<br />

by Andy. Please bring your checkbook!<br />

Everyone is welcome <strong>to</strong> attend the meeting,<br />

so please bring along your friends and coworkers<br />

who share an interest in the Mac!<br />

Back To Basics<br />

To allow as much time as possible for our<br />

special guest, there will be no session <strong>this</strong> month.<br />

Upcoming Events:<br />

• Oc<strong>to</strong>ber: RSS Newsfeeds and<br />

Podcasting, presented by Joe Arcuri<br />

• November: CMC Auction<br />

• December: Favorite Gadgets<br />

Every CMC member who attends<br />

our monthly meetings gets a raffle<br />

ticket. This will give you a chance<br />

for one of our free prizes every<br />

month! You could win…t-shirts,<br />

<strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs, software<br />

…there’s always something we’re<br />

giving away! And don’t forget the<br />

Free table at the back of the room<br />

where everything is...FREE!<br />

NOTICE!<br />

• Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number<br />

(for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

• CMC Web site username<br />

and password<br />

are now located on your<br />

newsletter mailing label.<br />

Please, make a<br />

note of it NOW!<br />

Getting CMC emails?<br />

We always send out advance notice<br />

of the meetings, and sometimes for<br />

big news or special events (like our<br />

bus trip <strong>to</strong> Macworld). If you’re not<br />

getting them, please email us at<br />

president@ctmac.org with your<br />

current email address and a subject<br />

line of: ADD TO CMC EMAIL LIST<br />

Treasurer’s Report Display Ad Rates<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members!<br />

Have your friends and co-workers<br />

join us for fun and learning about<br />

OS X and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 133<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance............$660.59<br />

Savings Balance ............$3980.22<br />

Balances as of September 8, 2005<br />

11<br />

Discounted Books<br />

CMC continues <strong>to</strong> offer our current<br />

members the opportunity <strong>to</strong> purchase<br />

any published book for either Mac or<br />

Windows at a 20% discount. All<br />

major publishers are carried by our<br />

source.<br />

Contact a Board Member or send an<br />

email <strong>to</strong> booksales@ctmac.org.<br />

Provide the book title, the publisher<br />

and the ISBN number, if possible, and<br />

he will check on its availability.<br />

Normally, the wait is not <strong>to</strong>o long.<br />

C L A S S I F I E D A D S<br />

G4 COMPUTER FOR SALE<br />

With Free delivery and a Free hour of<br />

professional setup: PowerMac G4<br />

<strong>to</strong>wer, 450mhz (upgradeable!),<br />

512MB RAM, 40GB hard drive,<br />

DVD, MacOSX 10.3 or 10.4 (your<br />

choice), iLife 04, Contact Chris at 860-<br />

291-9393 or G4@mymactech.com<br />

FREE Classified Ads<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using or<br />

upgrading. This is a FREE service<br />

provided <strong>to</strong> our members. Send <strong>to</strong>:<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

Any business items or services can<br />

be advertised at the low monthly rates<br />

listed below.<br />

Business Card ...................$10.00<br />

Quarter Page.....................$20.00<br />

Half Page.........................$30.00<br />

Full Page (or insert) ............$50.00<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a disk<br />

(with nothing else on it) or e-mail it <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org for insertion in the<br />

following issue. Display ads must be<br />

submitted camera-ready in eps or pdf format<br />

with all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

MONTHLY CMC MEETING<br />

Wednesday, Sept. 28<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

Celebrity Night:<br />

Andy Ihnatko<br />

Special Time<br />

6:30 p.m.<br />

NOTE: “Back To Basics”<br />

To allow time for our guest, there<br />

will be no session <strong>this</strong> month.<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

A pdf document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> the location of our meeting<br />

in the UConn Health Center is available on our website: www.ctmac.org<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on<br />

programs require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West, Exit 39 is after<br />

39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong> Route 4 East (Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

Avenue). At third traffic light, turn right <strong>to</strong> enter the Health Center<br />

campus. Go around the main building <strong>to</strong> the right (at a Y in road),<br />

then take a left when you get <strong>to</strong> the Academic Entrance. The road<br />

becomes two-way there so you should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn.<br />

(Do not go on straight <strong>to</strong> the two-way part). Then take the second<br />

right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go past the<br />

police station entrance on your left (small sign). You will see a continuation<br />

of the building with its own entrance area. This is the new<br />

research building. Enter on the ground floor, turn right and enter<br />

room EG-013 on your right. This is the first room on your right.<br />

The rest rooms are on your left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

Upcoming Meetings<br />

• September: Celebrity Night<br />

• Oc<strong>to</strong>ber:<br />

RSS Newsfeeds and Podcasting<br />

• November: CMC Auction<br />

• December: Favorite Gadgets


NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. OCTOBER 2005<br />

Disconnecting<br />

and Reconnecting<br />

By Rich Lenoce,<br />

CMC President<br />

As I write <strong>this</strong> edi<strong>to</strong>rial,<br />

the summer is drawing<br />

<strong>to</strong> a close. As I look<br />

around the Mac landscape<br />

things are quiet as<br />

Apple develops its Intel<br />

Macs. Most likely all we’ll see between<br />

now and next year are a few upgrades<br />

<strong>to</strong> the current Mac line.<br />

My summer vacation was spent tuning<br />

out and disconnecting. My family has<br />

his<strong>to</strong>rically been the type of people<br />

who tune-in and stay connected. We<br />

have or should I say had, cell phones,<br />

Palms, 200 channels of cable TV and<br />

Macs – 2 iMacs, a Powerbook 1400, a<br />

G5 and an old New<strong>to</strong>n eMate.<br />

Our days seemed <strong>to</strong> be built around<br />

being connected. Constant cell phone<br />

calls <strong>to</strong> use up our 200 “free” minutes.<br />

Our evenings would be spent wearing<br />

out the remote control searching<br />

through 200 channels <strong>to</strong> only discover<br />

nothing was on. And we lived by the<br />

Palm, making all our decisions based<br />

on whatever was in the little device<br />

and fearing ever losing it.<br />

As a media teacher, I’m familiar with<br />

all the studies on the negative effects<br />

of media. Not only health concerns<br />

but on the development of kids. I<br />

never noticed it before being a TV<br />

junkie myself as a child until my son<br />

learned <strong>to</strong> use the remote control<br />

before he could walk. He’d flip<br />

between kid’s channels like a master:<br />

Nickelodeon, Disney 1-4,<br />

Car<strong>to</strong>on Network,<br />

etc. Educationallyoriented<br />

PBS Kids<br />

programming couldn’t<br />

compete with the<br />

flashiness of those wiz<br />

bang commercial<br />

channels. When given<br />

a choice, my son would<br />

watch Sponge Bob over<br />

playing ball in the yard.<br />

One day I actually watched these<br />

programs and realized the messages<br />

coming out of these shows were<br />

anti-parent, anti-social and anti-intellectual<br />

and then the stations would go<br />

<strong>to</strong> commercials that were pro-eat junk,<br />

pro-buy junk and pro-spend your<br />

parent’s money. These weren’t the<br />

messages we wanted <strong>to</strong> teach our kids<br />

so we began unplugging.<br />

First, we disconnected our $85 a<br />

month Cable TV and bought $7<br />

“Rabbit Ears”. For what we spent on<br />

cable we can now go <strong>to</strong> Cape Cod for<br />

a week. It now seems 6 channels is all<br />

we ever really needed. The only children’s<br />

station we get is CPTV and<br />

their programming is positive and<br />

Continued on page 2<br />

Connecting and Reconnecting ................ 1<br />

Off The Beaten Path.................................3<br />

Podcasting ...............................................4<br />

Download of the Month........................5<br />

Book Review: Pho<strong>to</strong>shop Res<strong>to</strong>ration ...6<br />

Google TIps ..........................................7<br />

Vendor Offers for MUGs........................8<br />

Take Control Books ..............................9<br />

Meetings and Club News .......................11<br />

1<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

Wednesday, Oct. 26<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

7:00 p.m.<br />

Your News – Your Way!<br />

“ RSS and Podcasts”<br />

Back To Basics 6:00 p.m.<br />

“Downloading”<br />

Thanks, Andy<br />

A special guest, who deserves a<br />

special thanks; Andy Ihnatko<br />

made our September meeting one<br />

<strong>to</strong> remember. He regaled us with<br />

s<strong>to</strong>ries of his travels across<br />

America and adventures in the<br />

world of technology. The<br />

result was enough laughs-perminute<br />

<strong>to</strong> be heard by passersby <strong>to</strong><br />

make them think there was a convention<br />

of comedians going on<br />

inside, and surely not a computer<br />

user group meeting.<br />

In addition <strong>to</strong> having good fun,<br />

we did good deeds, by capping off<br />

the evening with an auction <strong>to</strong><br />

benefit The Red Cross. Andy provided<br />

the booty for bidding from<br />

his private stash of hardware and<br />

software. CMC members provided<br />

their generosity and gave a<br />

<strong>to</strong>tal of $1000. Bravo members!<br />

We sincerely thank Andy for<br />

making time in his schedule <strong>to</strong><br />

visit us. The User Group community<br />

greatly appreciates people<br />

like you, Andy.


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

John Scott<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions from<br />

members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

Continued from page 1<br />

healthy and limited in hours so my son<br />

wants <strong>to</strong> get outside more.<br />

Then the cell phones went. We keep<br />

an emergency $30 Walmart pay-asyou-go<br />

cheapy around for the<br />

occasional breakdown, but it stays in<br />

my wife’s glove box and we hope we’ll<br />

never have <strong>to</strong> use it. Besides, I’m<br />

much happier not being interrupted<br />

at all hours.<br />

Then the Palm went and with it life<br />

has gotten its spontaneity back. A<br />

small pocket calendar and address<br />

book supplied free from my local real<strong>to</strong>r<br />

suffices just fine and if I lose it, I<br />

don’t go nuts.<br />

Besides saving a fortune each month<br />

from all these services and devices, I<br />

find we talk in more meaningful ways<br />

and we’re not tied <strong>to</strong> the technology<br />

<strong>to</strong> do so. I’ve discovered that though<br />

we think we rule technology, once<br />

you disconnect, you realize how<br />

much technology has ruled you. Our<br />

family has rediscovered books and<br />

classic movies and has settled in<strong>to</strong> a<br />

slower pace.<br />

And then there’s the Mac. Unlike the<br />

other devices, I’ve found the Mac<br />

allows me <strong>to</strong> work more effectively,<br />

the way I want <strong>to</strong> work and not be so<br />

tied <strong>to</strong> the technology. For example,<br />

communications can be blocked, filtered,<br />

read all at once or not at all<br />

saving time. Tools in Tiger, like Smart<br />

Mailboxes and Folders, can sort and<br />

pre-sort information for me. I can<br />

spend time communicating in more<br />

effective ways via iChat or by sending<br />

pictures easily and quickly. After<br />

implementing some of Tigers features<br />

and properly organizing my computer<br />

I’ve been able <strong>to</strong> cut the time spent on<br />

my computer time significantly.<br />

Last week, we went <strong>to</strong> Vermont for<br />

four days with no phone or computer.<br />

When I returned my Mac had already<br />

pre-sorted my mail in<strong>to</strong> Smart<br />

2<br />

Mailboxes based on subject importance<br />

and the mail rules I setup before<br />

we left sent au<strong>to</strong>-responses <strong>to</strong> various<br />

people depending on who they were<br />

(my boss, students, etc). Upon my<br />

return, I spent 20 minutes catching up<br />

on communications, not the two<br />

hours it usually takes.<br />

While sitting on the porch of our<br />

Vermont cabin, I had some time <strong>to</strong><br />

think about all the things Apple must<br />

be developing for Mac users once the<br />

Intel transition is complete. First, I<br />

think the transition is going <strong>to</strong> happen<br />

faster than Steve Jobs led us <strong>to</strong> believe.<br />

I also think there are Mac products in<br />

development that will blow the minds<br />

of PC users. Imagine Apple releasing<br />

consumer electronic products that<br />

connect <strong>to</strong> these Intel Macs using the<br />

same processors found on PCs but are<br />

only for people running OS X. These<br />

products will be as cool or cooler than<br />

the iPod and it will frustrate PC<br />

diehards enough <strong>to</strong> buy a Mac.<br />

Theoretically they should still be able<br />

<strong>to</strong> run Windows applications but after<br />

taking a Mac and all it’s great features<br />

and software for a spin few will need or<br />

want <strong>to</strong> run Windows on a Mac.<br />

What would I like <strong>to</strong> see? I’d really like<br />

<strong>to</strong> see all of the powerful Unix server<br />

underpinnings we’ve heard so much<br />

about put <strong>to</strong> good use with a true<br />

Media Server built in<strong>to</strong> every Mac.<br />

Music and video files could be shared<br />

among computers, home stereos and<br />

TVs. There’d be a stylish control<br />

interface on each computer and TV <strong>to</strong><br />

select media content and a remote<br />

control that can control the Mac’s<br />

media server from anywhere in a<br />

house. Video files such as movies and<br />

TV shows could be downloaded from<br />

an iTunes-like S<strong>to</strong>re and played<br />

directly <strong>to</strong> a standard or high definition<br />

TV as easily as an Airport Express<br />

can send iTunes music.<br />

Again, it would be audio and video on<br />

our terms—thanks <strong>to</strong> our Mac.


Off The Beaten Path:<br />

Hidden Gems For Your Mac You Might Have Missed<br />

By Kyle DeMilo, CMC Secretary<br />

When you surf the web as much as I do, you sometimes come across the<br />

occasional diamond in the rough, so <strong>to</strong> speak. This column points out<br />

those hard-<strong>to</strong>-find freeware and shareware items for your Mac that you<br />

might think you don’t need, but prove <strong>to</strong> be really handy!<br />

SnapNDrag<br />

Our first item <strong>this</strong> month is called<br />

SnapNDrag, and it’s a utility that fits in<br />

nicely between the “Command + Shift<br />

+ 3” keystroke (free), and SnapzPro X<br />

2 (not free). Like Mac OS X’s built-in<br />

commands, it can easily take screenshots<br />

of your desk<strong>to</strong>p, or a selection of<br />

your screen. Like SnapzPro X 2, you<br />

can cus<strong>to</strong>mize the capture area, and<br />

define a countdown, so you can prepare<br />

your subject area first.<br />

This application is free and requires<br />

Mac OS X 10.2 or higher. If you like<br />

SnapNDrag, you can upgrade <strong>to</strong><br />

SnapNDrag Pro for even more features:<br />

• Ability <strong>to</strong> scale down screenshots<br />

• Global hot keys for quick access<br />

• Option <strong>to</strong> turn off sponsor’s message<br />

➣ Get it from here: http://www.yellowmug.com/snapndrag/<br />

Click <strong>to</strong> Capture<br />

Mac Tip<br />

View Suggested<br />

Word Completions<br />

By Chris Hart,<br />

CMC Vice President<br />

Drag Off<br />

LED Spectrum Analyser<br />

Our next item is a plug-in for iTunes,<br />

Apple’s music management program.<br />

Most visual plug-ins that I’ve seen so<br />

far just create more trippy graphics<br />

that dance <strong>to</strong> the music. This one,<br />

LED Spectrum Analyser for iTunes,<br />

recreates the look of the old stereo<br />

“EQ” meters. For us older folks, it<br />

even can recreate the look of the<br />

classic “VU” meters. All created using<br />

Apple’s Quartz Extreme rendering<br />

technology for smooth-looking<br />

meters, no matter how hard your Mac<br />

is working.<br />

LED Spectrum Analyser for iTunes is<br />

freeware and requires a Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

running Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar) or<br />

later, and iTunes 3 or later. A speed of<br />

500 MHz or better will give best<br />

results. Any G3, G4 or G5 processor<br />

is fine. Display performance will<br />

depend on which settings you use.<br />

➣ Get it from here: http://<br />

homepage.mac.com/graham.cox/<br />

LEDSA/Spectrum.html<br />

Can’t remember the exact word or spelling of<br />

a word, while using your Mac? Well, if you’re<br />

working in a Cocoa-based application (like<br />

Mail, Safari, and TextEdit) you can use OSX’s<br />

au<strong>to</strong>-completion feature <strong>to</strong> find the word<br />

that’s stuck deep in your brain.<br />

3<br />

Textpander<br />

Our final item <strong>this</strong> month is a utility<br />

that helps you type more efficiently<br />

and more accurately. Textpander listens<br />

<strong>to</strong> what you type and inserts<br />

predefined text snippets on the fly<br />

whenever you enter their corresponding<br />

abbreviations.<br />

Here are a few examples for what you<br />

can do with Textpander:<br />

• Insert standard greetings, text fragments,<br />

and signatures – including<br />

formatted text and pictures (for<br />

example, your handwritten signature<br />

in an email). Insert the<br />

current date and time in any format<br />

you prefer.<br />

• You can have Textpander correct<br />

typos au<strong>to</strong>matically (no more<br />

Klye DeMilo for me!)<br />

• Import text snippets from other<br />

typing utilities.<br />

Textpander is donationware, and<br />

requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or greater.<br />

➣ Get it from here:<br />

www.petermaurer.de/textpander<br />

That’s it for now. See you next<br />

month! Feedback? Find a hidden gem<br />

that I missed? Email me directly at:<br />

ctmacbeatenpath@gmail.com<br />

Enter the first part of a word anywhere you<br />

can type - for example, in the subject title for<br />

a new email - and then press the option and<br />

escape keys at the same time. OSX will present<br />

you with a list of words that start with that<br />

word fragment.


Podcasting, the New<br />

Alternative <strong>to</strong> Radio<br />

by Laura Fargione<br />

Podcasting is going <strong>to</strong> change the<br />

way consumers listen <strong>to</strong> radio. While<br />

the term “podcasting” is a portmanteau<br />

of Apple’s popular “iPod” and<br />

“broadcasting,” podcasting does not<br />

require an iPod (“Podcasting”), any<br />

MP3 player an be used or you can<br />

subscribe and listen right on your<br />

Mac. In podcasting, free subscriptions<br />

<strong>to</strong> downloadable prerecorded<br />

radio shows, called podcasts, are synchronized<br />

<strong>to</strong> an MP3 player.<br />

Subsequently, you can listen <strong>to</strong> them<br />

whenever and wherever you want.<br />

You can even pause, rewind, or fast<br />

forward through a program. This “on<br />

demand” format has become the new<br />

alternative <strong>to</strong> radio.<br />

His<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

Adam Curry, former MTV Video<br />

Jockey, and Dave Winer, RSS developer,<br />

are credited with the creation of<br />

podcasting. RSS (Really Simple<br />

Syndication) is a format of XML that<br />

syndicates web content. Originally<br />

developed for blogs, it is now also<br />

used for podcasts. While attending<br />

BloggerCon, Curry met Winer while<br />

he was showcasing his new development<br />

for RSS called “enclosures”. An<br />

enclosure allows a file <strong>to</strong> be attached<br />

<strong>to</strong> a RSS feed. Winer convinced<br />

Curry that what people really want is<br />

the ability <strong>to</strong> “take the internet away<br />

with you and listen <strong>to</strong> it on headphones”.<br />

With <strong>this</strong> new idea, Curry<br />

created iPodder, the first podcast<br />

client. iPodder au<strong>to</strong>matically downloaded<br />

MP3 files and s<strong>to</strong>red them <strong>to</strong><br />

Curry’s iPod. Curry released his client<br />

as an Open Source application.<br />

Curry launched iPodder.org in<br />

August 2004 with his own podcast<br />

“The Daily Source Code”. Curry, like<br />

other podcasters, provides his podcast<br />

free of charge and without advertise-<br />

ments. The majority of podcasts are<br />

created by amateur radio personalities<br />

and do not require a profit as their<br />

shows are inexpensive <strong>to</strong> create.<br />

Already many public radio stations,<br />

including WGHB in Bos<strong>to</strong>n and<br />

WNYC in New York, have shows<br />

available as podcasts. Christus<br />

Broadcasting, Inc. has placed its company<br />

owned radio stations for sale <strong>to</strong><br />

start the American Podcasting<br />

Network. Paul Mon<strong>to</strong>ya, CEO and a<br />

31 year veteran of the broadcasting<br />

industry stated, “I was there when FM<br />

Radio came in<strong>to</strong> its own and saw the<br />

impact on AM radio. I have also seen<br />

the impact satellite radio has had on<br />

FM radio. I can now see the incredible<br />

possibilities that podcasting can<br />

have globally on the way people listen<br />

<strong>to</strong> content. Now they can listen<br />

<strong>to</strong> programs they want <strong>to</strong> listen <strong>to</strong>,<br />

when they want <strong>to</strong> listen <strong>to</strong> it”<br />

(“Broadcaster Dumps”). The America<br />

Podcasting Network plans <strong>to</strong> keep podcasts<br />

free by generating revenue<br />

through advertising in programs.<br />

Clear Channel, America’s largest<br />

radio station owner, plans <strong>to</strong> make<br />

five-minute, ad-supported segments<br />

available for download from station<br />

sites with highlight clips of their onair<br />

personalities. It’s clear commercial<br />

radio is taking notice of Podcasting.<br />

Podcasting Content<br />

Many podcasts use a similar format as<br />

4<br />

traditional radio. There are talk<br />

shows, guest interviews, and interactions<br />

with callers. Unlike radio,<br />

podcasts have no time limits or deadlines.<br />

Shows can be posted as often as<br />

needed. Podcasts can also reach a<br />

global audience, not limited <strong>to</strong> the<br />

distance of a broadcast signal.<br />

Podcasts are created on just about any<br />

<strong>to</strong>pic. You can find information on<br />

music and technology, or the more<br />

obscure like wine and fishing.<br />

Podcasts, similar <strong>to</strong> satellite radio,<br />

“don’t have <strong>to</strong> conform <strong>to</strong> the FCC’s<br />

broadcast decency regulations:<br />

They’re downloads”. As a result, podcasters<br />

are provided more freedom<br />

then terrestrial radio.<br />

Subscribing<br />

Subscribing <strong>to</strong> a podcast is extremely<br />

easy. First select a podcast client <strong>to</strong><br />

install such as iTunes, iPodderX,<br />

YamiPod, Poddum Feeder, Simple<br />

Podcast and MaxPod. Subscribe <strong>to</strong> a<br />

podcast through your client’s direc<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

or from a podcast direc<strong>to</strong>ry website.<br />

Once you subscribe there is no need<br />

<strong>to</strong> revisit the website, your client will<br />

regularly download and sync podcasts<br />

<strong>to</strong> your iPod or MP3 player usually via<br />

iTunes. If you do not have an iPod or<br />

MP3 Player, you still can listen <strong>to</strong><br />

podcasts.<br />

Creating Podcasts<br />

Creating a podcast show is significantly<br />

less expensive then a<br />

traditional radio show. All you need is<br />

a Mac and some software <strong>to</strong> be a podcaster.<br />

First, download and install<br />

one of the many free, shareware or<br />

commercial audio recorders available<br />

from the web. Some choices are<br />

Audacity or GarageBand. Attach a<br />

microphone and headphone <strong>to</strong> your<br />

computer and start recording. You<br />

can go back and edit out any mistakes.<br />

When you’re done, save your<br />

recording as a MP3 file. iTunes can<br />

convert any audio file <strong>to</strong> an MP3.<br />

Make sure MP3 is selected as the<br />

continued on page 5


continued from page 4<br />

import format in the Preferences. Also<br />

select a bit rate; the higher the<br />

bitrate, the bigger the file.. 32kbps<br />

will do for a conversation podcast or<br />

128kbps for a music podcast. To make<br />

a more professional sounding show,<br />

put in some background music. To<br />

avoid license fees, use royalty-free<br />

music available at Shockwave-<br />

Sound.com, Looperman, or Opsound.<br />

You will also want <strong>to</strong> enter ID3 tag<br />

information for your show such as<br />

title and crea<strong>to</strong>r and that <strong>to</strong>o can be<br />

done in iTunes by selecting File>Get<br />

Info. This information is what will<br />

display a listeners MP3 player. Upload<br />

your MP3 <strong>to</strong> a Web Site. Most ISPs<br />

provide their cus<strong>to</strong>mers with free web<br />

space. Next you will have <strong>to</strong> create an<br />

RSS feed. You don’t need <strong>to</strong> be a programmer.<br />

There are free utilities on<br />

the web <strong>to</strong> help, such as the podcast<br />

RSS feed genera<strong>to</strong>r located at<br />

www.tdscripts.com/webmaster<br />

_utilities/podcastgenera<strong>to</strong>r.php><br />

Download of the Month<br />

Widget Television VF1 3.1b<br />

Submitted by Debi Foss<br />

You know how when you find<br />

something neat, you want <strong>to</strong> bound<br />

around the house yelling OMG,<br />

OMG...! Well maybe you do,<br />

maybe you don’t. But, when I found<br />

widget TV and it said it had 39<br />

channels of cable TV on my<br />

computer, I said ??????????<br />

So I installed it. Waiting for the<br />

part where it wanted hardware.<br />

But no, I am watching Cspan. And<br />

ABCnews, and Bos<strong>to</strong>n TV. And if<br />

you so desire, the Home Shopping<br />

Channel, on my computer.<br />

Streaming, which means the same<br />

buffering problems as other media,<br />

like streaming radio. But OMG...I<br />

am watching a movie in a widget on<br />

There’s also one s<strong>to</strong>p software that<br />

can create and publish podcasts such<br />

as Podcaster and Cast Easy. And most<br />

importantly test your creation by subscribing<br />

<strong>to</strong> your show. When you are<br />

happy with your content, announce<br />

its availability on podcast direc<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

websites. The iTunes Podcasts-Music<br />

S<strong>to</strong>re allows you <strong>to</strong> “Submit your<br />

Podcast” <strong>to</strong> be added <strong>to</strong> their direc<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

and for listeners <strong>to</strong> subscribe.<br />

Though there are many Podcast<br />

music shows, Podcasts are moni<strong>to</strong>red<br />

by the Recording Industry Association<br />

of America (RIAA) and music shows<br />

are required <strong>to</strong> pay licensing fees. If<br />

you are thinking of starting a music<br />

podcast program realize you will need<br />

<strong>to</strong> pay these fees. Unlike broadcast<br />

radio, which is allowed statu<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

licenses <strong>to</strong> transmit music, podcasts<br />

must pay per performance. Unless<br />

licensing rules change, podcasting<br />

will be used as a <strong>to</strong>ol <strong>to</strong> find new independent<br />

music instead of a place <strong>to</strong><br />

listen <strong>to</strong> the <strong>to</strong>p 10.<br />

my computer while I work. And it<br />

does, work I mean. But don’t try<br />

<strong>this</strong> on dialup.<br />

And it is free. Woohoo.<br />

Product Description: Currently<br />

there are 39 DV channels available<br />

through VF1 on-line and new<br />

channels being added as they<br />

become available. It’s like having a<br />

small screen television right on<br />

your desk<strong>to</strong>p. The VF1 is a widget<br />

that at its current version, allows<br />

you <strong>to</strong> watch TV, change channels<br />

and turn the VF1 <strong>to</strong> its ‘Off’ state.<br />

To turn it <strong>to</strong> its ‘On’ state, simply<br />

open the side menu panel, scroll <strong>to</strong><br />

locate a selection, click the channel,<br />

then sit back and watch. Future<br />

versions will include full screen and<br />

video/audio controls. The VF1 uses<br />

all three major streaming video<br />

players: QuickTime, RealPlayer,<br />

and Media Player.<br />

5<br />

Podcasting’s Future<br />

Podcasting’s future is bright. With<br />

the improvement of video compression<br />

and portable devices, it will not<br />

be long before you will be able <strong>to</strong><br />

watch your video podcasts.<br />

Podcasting’s popularity and advantages<br />

assure it a vital future as an<br />

alternative <strong>to</strong> radio. Forrester<br />

Research predicts podcasting will see<br />

significant growth by 2010 reaching<br />

12.3 million households as MP3<br />

adoption climbs and broadband<br />

reaches 62 percent of households.<br />

Podcasts will almost certainly begin<br />

containing paid advertisements similar<br />

<strong>to</strong> terrestrial radio and some<br />

podcasts will likely move <strong>to</strong> a paid<br />

subscription model. That aside, neither<br />

terrestrial radio nor satellite<br />

allows you <strong>to</strong> select your program<br />

lineup and listen at your leisure. This<br />

is what will set podcasting apart. Be<br />

prepared for a new era in radio.<br />

What’s new in <strong>this</strong> version.<br />

Menu scrolling function cleaned<br />

up, new skin.<br />

Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 or<br />

higher. You will need <strong>to</strong> install<br />

Apple’s QuickTime 6.2 or higher,<br />

Real.com’s RealPlayer 10 for OS X,<br />

and Microsoft’s Media Player 9 for<br />

OS X. All free. A high-speed DSL<br />

or cable connection.<br />

http://tc.versiontracker.com/<br />

product/redir/lid/634692/vf1.wdgt.zip


Pho<strong>to</strong>shop Res<strong>to</strong>ration<br />

and Re<strong>to</strong>uching<br />

by Katrin Eisman<br />

Review by Richard Lenoce<br />

CMC President<br />

New Riders Press<br />

ISBN: 0321316274<br />

$49.99<br />

Are you interested in digital pho<strong>to</strong>graphy<br />

and want your pictures <strong>to</strong> look<br />

their very best? Do you have old pho<strong>to</strong>s<br />

you need <strong>to</strong> res<strong>to</strong>re while<br />

maintaining their antique beauty? If<br />

there is one, and only one, Pho<strong>to</strong>shop<br />

book you should own its Pho<strong>to</strong>shop<br />

Res<strong>to</strong>ration and Re<strong>to</strong>uching by Katrin<br />

Eisman. This book is a must for anyone<br />

who wants <strong>to</strong> make adjustments<br />

<strong>to</strong> their pictures beyond iPho<strong>to</strong>’s limited<br />

editing abilities.<br />

Whether it’s color adjustments, putting<br />

the finishing <strong>to</strong>uches on what’s already<br />

a good pho<strong>to</strong>graph, converting color<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>s <strong>to</strong> black and white or repairing<br />

a <strong>to</strong>rn, ripped and faded 100 year old<br />

sepia <strong>to</strong>ne pho<strong>to</strong>graph, <strong>this</strong> book walks<br />

you through the step by step techniques<br />

necessary <strong>to</strong> make your pho<strong>to</strong>s look<br />

their best.<br />

Every year for the last five I have bought<br />

similar books that were either <strong>to</strong>o simplistic<br />

or <strong>to</strong>o complex expecting me <strong>to</strong><br />

either know <strong>to</strong>o little or <strong>to</strong>o much. The<br />

books either made me feel stupid or<br />

inadequate. This book made me want<br />

<strong>to</strong> attack a problem pho<strong>to</strong> demonstrating<br />

that with Pho<strong>to</strong>shop I have the<br />

expert’s <strong>to</strong>ols at my fingertips. Eisman’s<br />

book takes a problem solving approach<br />

<strong>to</strong> digital pho<strong>to</strong>graphy. She clearly<br />

defines problems and presents several<br />

techniques <strong>to</strong> resolve the problem. She<br />

walks the reader though each technique<br />

and explains in clear language why<br />

some techniques work better than others<br />

given certain situations.<br />

For example, I have always had difficulty<br />

converting color pho<strong>to</strong>s <strong>to</strong> black and<br />

white, something easily<br />

done in a darkroom with<br />

a couple of filters. Just<br />

converting an RGB <strong>to</strong><br />

grayscale color space<br />

doesn’t work. Mid<strong>to</strong>nes<br />

turn a dark gray, dulling<br />

what was once a beautiful,<br />

high contrast, color<br />

pho<strong>to</strong> and making<br />

Caucasian faces go flat.<br />

Eisman’s book gives you five techniques<br />

based on the quality of the original <strong>to</strong><br />

convert the pho<strong>to</strong> helping you identify<br />

potential problems and ways <strong>to</strong> resolve<br />

them during the conversion. She<br />

assumes all pho<strong>to</strong>s are different and<br />

helps you identify issues and then<br />

explores the techniques <strong>to</strong> make your<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>s look their best. And, isn’t that<br />

the point of any discussion about pho<strong>to</strong><br />

re<strong>to</strong>uching?<br />

This is not a book for the Pho<strong>to</strong>shop<br />

newbie. Though she does a great job of<br />

explaining the <strong>to</strong>ols and methods used,<br />

I strongly suggest you be comfortable<br />

with Pho<strong>to</strong>shop’s <strong>to</strong>ols and working<br />

with layers before you delve <strong>to</strong> deep<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the book. You can learn those<br />

basic steps at an adult education course<br />

or by using any number of fine introduc<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop books and tu<strong>to</strong>rials.<br />

Once that preparation is behind you,<br />

you’ll discover Eisman’s book <strong>to</strong> be a<br />

rich text that will give you expert control<br />

over your pho<strong>to</strong>graphs.<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>shop Res<strong>to</strong>ration and Re<strong>to</strong>uching is<br />

a well organized, well written book.<br />

Chapters include:<br />

• Improving Tone and Contrast<br />

• Exposure Correction<br />

• Working with Color<br />

• Refining and Polishing and Image<br />

• Portrait Re<strong>to</strong>uching<br />

• Glamour and Fashion Re<strong>to</strong>uching<br />

All of the techniques in these chapters<br />

will greatly improve your everyday pho<strong>to</strong>s,<br />

making them look not just better,<br />

but professional. Old pho<strong>to</strong>s will jump<br />

back <strong>to</strong> life.<br />

6<br />

Occasionally, everyone with an interest<br />

in pho<strong>to</strong> re<strong>to</strong>uching runs in<strong>to</strong> a problem<br />

where res<strong>to</strong>ration is required.<br />

Maybe it’s a recent pho<strong>to</strong> you consider<br />

beautifully composed, taken at the right<br />

moment, but your camera wasn’t cooperating.<br />

The color balance is heavily<br />

weighted <strong>to</strong> the blue or red and the<br />

exposure, brightness and contrast of the<br />

image is so far off it’s hard <strong>to</strong> distinguish<br />

people from a muddy background. Or<br />

maybe that old pho<strong>to</strong> of grandma on<br />

her wedding day is ripped, <strong>to</strong>rn, faded<br />

and at a stage where the pho<strong>to</strong> looks<br />

hopeless. Eisman walks you through the<br />

steps required <strong>to</strong> evaluate a pho<strong>to</strong> and<br />

then apply techniques <strong>to</strong> correct problems<br />

that seem insurmountable. She<br />

makes the impossible easy and that’s<br />

where the book really shines.<br />

To aid you in the res<strong>to</strong>ration of old<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>s, the book features chapters on<br />

• Dust, Mold and Texture Removal<br />

• Damage Control and Repair<br />

• Rebuilding, rearranging and<br />

Recreating Portraits<br />

Once you buy <strong>this</strong> book, you’ll be able<br />

<strong>to</strong> go through those old shoeboxes full<br />

of pho<strong>to</strong>s and bring them back <strong>to</strong> life.<br />

And, you’ll have fun doing so.<br />

I highly recommend Pho<strong>to</strong>shop<br />

Res<strong>to</strong>ration and Re<strong>to</strong>uching for anyone<br />

interested in correcting new and old<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>graphs. This will be the only<br />

book you’ll ever need on the subject.<br />

Author Katrin Eisman


David Pogue’s Google Tips<br />

<strong>From</strong> his NYTimes.com column<br />

submitted for reprint by Kyle Demilo<br />

www.google.com<br />

➤ Phrase your question in the form of<br />

an answer. “After all, you’re not looking<br />

for Web pages that ask your<br />

question,” explains direc<strong>to</strong>r of technology<br />

Craig Silverstein. “You’re<br />

looking for pages that answer it.” So<br />

instead of typing, “What is the average<br />

rainfall in the Amazon basin?”,<br />

you might get better results by typing<br />

“The average rainfall in the Amazon<br />

basin is.”<br />

➤ This is an old one, but very important:<br />

Put quotes around phrases that<br />

must be searched <strong>to</strong>gether. If you put<br />

quotes around “electric curtains,”<br />

Google won’t waste your time finding<br />

one set of Web pages containing the<br />

word “electric” and another set containing<br />

the word “curtains.”<br />

➤ Similarly, put a hyphen right before<br />

any word you want screened out. If<br />

you’re looking up dolphins, for example,<br />

you’ll have <strong>to</strong> wade through a<br />

million Miami Dolphins pages unless<br />

you search for “dolphins -Miami.”<br />

pho<strong>to</strong>s by<br />

John Scott,<br />

CMC pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

➤ Google is a global White Pages and<br />

Yellow Pages. Search for “phonebook:<br />

home depot norwalk, ct,” Google<br />

instantly produces the address and<br />

phone number of the Norwalk Home<br />

Depot. This works with names<br />

(“phonebook:robert jones las vegas,<br />

NV”) as well as businesses.<br />

➤ Don’t put any space after “phonebook.”<br />

And in all of the following<br />

examples, don’t type the quotes I’m<br />

showing you here.<br />

➤ Google is a package tracker. Type a<br />

FedEx or UPS package number (just<br />

the digits); when you click Search,<br />

Google offers a link <strong>to</strong> its tracking<br />

information.<br />

➤ Google is a calcula<strong>to</strong>r. Type in an<br />

equation (“32+2345*3-234=”). Click<br />

Search <strong>to</strong> see the answer.<br />

➤ Google is a units-of-measurement<br />

converter. Type “teaspoons in a gallon,”<br />

for example, or “centimeters in<br />

a foot.” Click Search <strong>to</strong> see the<br />

answer.<br />

➤ Google is a s<strong>to</strong>ck ticker. Type in<br />

AAPL or MSFT, for example, <strong>to</strong> see a<br />

link <strong>to</strong> the current Apple or<br />

Microsoft s<strong>to</strong>ck price, graphs, financial<br />

news, and so on.<br />

➤ Google is an atlas. Type in an area<br />

code, like 212, <strong>to</strong> see a Mapquest map<br />

of the area.<br />

7<br />

CMC Monthly Meeting<br />

September 28, 2005<br />

Celebrity Guest Night<br />

with Andy Ihnatko<br />

➤ Google is Wal-Mart’s computer.<br />

Type in a UPC bar code number, such<br />

as “036000250015,” <strong>to</strong> see the<br />

description of the product you’ve just<br />

“scanned in.” (Thanks <strong>to</strong> the Google<br />

Blog, http://google.blogspace.com, for<br />

<strong>this</strong> tip and the next couple.)<br />

➤ Google is an aviation buff. Type in<br />

a flight number like “United 22” for a<br />

link <strong>to</strong> a map of that flight’s progress<br />

in the air. Or type in the tail number<br />

you see on an airplane for the full registration<br />

form for that plane.<br />

➤ Google is the Department of<br />

Mo<strong>to</strong>r Vehicles. Type in a VIN (vehicle<br />

identification number, which is<br />

etched on<strong>to</strong> a plate, usually on the<br />

door frame, of every car), like<br />

“JH4NA1157MT001832,” <strong>to</strong> find out<br />

the car’s year, make, and model.<br />

➤ For hours of rainy-day entertainment,<br />

visit http://labs.google.com.<br />

Here, you’ll find links <strong>to</strong> new, halffinished<br />

Google experiments-like<br />

Google Voice, in which you call<br />

(650) 623-6706, speak the words you<br />

want <strong>to</strong> search for, and then open<br />

your browser <strong>to</strong> view the results.<br />

Disclaimer: It wasn’t working when I<br />

tried it. (Dit<strong>to</strong> a lot of these experiments.)<br />

➤ Poke around the “Services &<br />

Tools” link on the Google.com home<br />

page, and you’ll find some of the better-known<br />

lesser-known Google<br />

features, if that makes any sense.


Vendor Offer Watch • Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 13, 2005<br />

Compiled by The MUG Center www.mugcenter.com<br />

For an up-<strong>to</strong>-date list of all available user group offers,<br />

visit: <br />

Exclusive Discounts from The MUG Center:<br />

ColorIQ<br />

$10 discount on IQ Match<br />

plus free upgrade <strong>to</strong> Tiger version when released<br />

<br />

Order info: go <strong>to</strong> <br />

and enter code mac842<br />

KeynoteUser.com<br />

10% off all products; expires 12/31/05<br />

http://www.mugcenter.com/vendoroffers/keynoteuser.html<br />

Order URL: <br />

Peachpit Press<br />

35% off Three iLife ‘05 books, expires 12/31/05<br />

<br />

Enter coupon code EE-S4AP-PPT at the checkout page<br />

Terry White<br />

$10 off Mac OS X Training For Windows Users DVD<br />

http://www.mugcenter.com/vendoroffers/terrywhite.html<br />

User Group Offer - Voucher # 112051289<br />

Other offers including those from the Apple User<br />

Group Bulletin. (For details, including code acquisition,<br />

visit: )<br />

Apple MUG S<strong>to</strong>re<br />

Discounts on new and refurbished hardware and 1% back<br />

<strong>to</strong> CMC; no expiration (see pg 11 for id & password)<br />

AppleWorks Users Group<br />

Discount on Macin<strong>to</strong>sh batteries; no expiration<br />

Audible.com<br />

Free month of service plus free gifts; no expiration<br />

Circus Ponies<br />

40% rebate on Notebook 2.0; expires 12/1/05<br />

Guy Kawasaki<br />

The Art of the Start & 128 MB USB Flash Drive bundle;<br />

good while supplies last. Order URL:<br />

<br />

Kinemac<br />

25% discount on Kinemac; Expires 12/31/05<br />

liquidlibrary<br />

15 month membership for the price of 12 months;<br />

Expires 12/1/05<br />

8<br />

MacAddict magazine<br />

Up <strong>to</strong> 78% off annual subscription; Expires 6/30/06<br />

macHOME magazine<br />

$15 off annual subscription; No expiration<br />

MacStyles<br />

20% off MacStyles products; Expires 12/31/05<br />

Macworld Magazine<br />

$13 off annual subscription; no expiration<br />

Magnet Media<br />

15% off Digital Media Training Series; Expires 10/31/05<br />

Max Your Macs<br />

$12.49 discount on Essential Learning CD; Exp. 12/31/05<br />

MYOB<br />

$25 off First Edge & $100 off Account Edge; No expiration<br />

O’Reilly<br />

30% off all titles; available globally. No expiration<br />

Peachpit Press<br />

25% off all titles by joining the Peachpit Club;<br />

No expiration<br />

PocketMac<br />

40% off all PocketMac products; Expires 12/31/05<br />

Prosoft Engineering<br />

25% off Drive Genius, Picture Rescue, Data Rescue, Data<br />

Backup & Data Recycler; No expiration<br />

Sams Publishing<br />

35% of all books; Expires 12/1/05<br />

SpyMac<br />

40% discount on Club Services; Expires 12/1/05<br />

Steel Blue Sky<br />

1 year free user group web site hosting, while supplies last<br />

Order URL: <br />

Tekkeon<br />

Free FM transmitter with purchase of myPower for iPod;<br />

Expires 12/1/05<br />

TidBITS<br />

10% discount on Take Control eBooks; No expiration<br />

Total Training<br />

25% off training videos; Expires 12/1/05<br />

X-Ray magazine<br />

Four Free issues of the print publication; Expires 11/18/05<br />


Submitted by Robert Sawyer<br />

CMC Board Member<br />

“Take Control of Your iPod:<br />

Beyond the Music”<br />

i<br />

f you own an iPod or are thinking<br />

about purchasing one, our latest<br />

ebook “Take Control of Your iPod:<br />

Beyond the Music” - will help you<br />

make the most of your iPod experience.<br />

Although <strong>this</strong> ebook covers the basics of<br />

plugging in a new iPod and transferring<br />

music <strong>to</strong> it, most of its 128 pages focus<br />

on all the other cool stuff you can do<br />

with your iPod. And since an iPod is<br />

still fairly expensive, it’s great <strong>to</strong> put it <strong>to</strong><br />

work in ways other than playing music.<br />

The ebook’s author, Steve Sande, has<br />

an infectious enthusiasm for all things<br />

iPod, and I’ve enjoyed learning how <strong>to</strong><br />

transfer my calendar and contact information<br />

from Now Up-<strong>to</strong>-Date &<br />

Contact <strong>to</strong> the iPod, how <strong>to</strong> read long<br />

text-based ebooks on the iPod screen,<br />

and how <strong>to</strong> off-load pho<strong>to</strong>s from my<br />

digital camera <strong>to</strong> the iPod. Those are<br />

just my favorite <strong>to</strong>pics... Steve also<br />

explains how <strong>to</strong> synch other calendar<br />

and contact programs <strong>to</strong> an iPod, make<br />

backups <strong>to</strong> an iPod, use an iPod as an<br />

emergency boot drive, display pho<strong>to</strong>s<br />

on a color-screen iPod from your computer,<br />

use an iPod <strong>to</strong> drive a slideshow<br />

presentation, turn an iPod in<strong>to</strong> an<br />

alarm clock, play iPod games, and even<br />

install Linux on an iPod. On the audio<br />

side of life, Steve also discusses effective<br />

ways <strong>to</strong> record meetings or voice<br />

memos, listen <strong>to</strong> speech-synthesized<br />

ebooks, and move podcasts and an variety<br />

of audiobook formats <strong>to</strong> the iPod.<br />

If you’re looking <strong>to</strong> buy a new or used<br />

iPod, a detailed appendix helps you<br />

wrap your head around all the different<br />

models by explaining the current members<br />

of the iPod family and providing a<br />

complete timeline of iPod releases.<br />

You can read<br />

more about the<br />

ebook, download<br />

a free<br />

31-page sample, and place an order at:<br />

http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/<br />

ipod-btm.html<br />

Although we were poised <strong>to</strong> release<br />

<strong>this</strong> ebook several weeks ago, we<br />

delayed slightly in order <strong>to</strong> incorporate<br />

the latest info about iTunes 5, the iPod<br />

nano, and - for the sake of .Mac users -<br />

Backup 3. Because the iPod and iTunes<br />

are used by many Windows users, the<br />

ebook includes cross-platform details,<br />

making it useful for Windows-using<br />

friends and colleagues.<br />

Book Details<br />

“Take Control of Your iPod: Beyond<br />

the Music” by Steve Sande<br />

<br />

PDF format, 128 pages, free 31-page<br />

sample available Platforms covered:<br />

Mac OS X, Windows Publication date:<br />

Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 6, 2005<br />

Price: $10<br />

ISBN: 1-933671-01-7<br />

9<br />

“Take Control of Permissions<br />

in Mac OS X”<br />

Mac users who have long been at the<br />

mercy of arcane permissions from Mac<br />

OS X’s Unix underpinnings can now<br />

regain mastery of their Macs with<br />

“Take Control of Permissions in Mac<br />

OS X,” the latest entry in the Take<br />

Control library. Written by Unix guru<br />

and Mac aficionado Brian Tanaka, the<br />

90-page ebook mixes practical how-<strong>to</strong><br />

details and troubleshooting tips with<br />

just the right amount of theory as it<br />

explains permissions in relation <strong>to</strong> how<br />

you keep your files private, copy files <strong>to</strong><br />

and from servers, set the Ignore<br />

Permissions option for external disks,<br />

repair screwy permissions, and delete<br />

those files that just won’t die. For those<br />

who want <strong>to</strong> learn advanced concepts,<br />

the ebook also delves in<strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong>pics like<br />

the sticky bit, symbolic vs. absolute<br />

ways <strong>to</strong> set permissions, and how <strong>to</strong><br />

work with bit masks. The book covers<br />

managing permissions from the<br />

Finder’s Get Info window, with morecapable<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh utilities, and from<br />

the Unix command line.<br />

Full details are available below, and you<br />

can place an order with the 10% MUG<br />

discount already applied via:<br />

<br />

Book Details<br />

“Take Control of Permissions<br />

in Mac OS X” by Brian Tanaka<br />

http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/<br />

permissions-macosx.html?14@@!pt=<br />

TRK-0026-TCMUG<br />

PDF format, 90 pages, free 26-page<br />

sample available. Platforms covered:<br />

Mac OS X Publication date:<br />

Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 13, 2005<br />

Price: $10<br />

ISBN: 1-933671-00-9


Yes, I want <strong>to</strong> join CMC!<br />

CMC Benefits:<br />

Monthly meetings, monthly newsletter, special events, discounted<br />

books, assistance with computer problem, network<br />

with other Mac users, User Group S<strong>to</strong>re discounts, and more.<br />

Date ________________________________________<br />

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Address _____________________________________<br />

City ________________________________________<br />

State_________________________ Zip ___________<br />

Phone (Home) _______________________________<br />

Phone (Office) _______________________________<br />

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____________________________________________<br />

____________________________________________<br />

Annual CMC Family Membership<br />

$25.00<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC and mail <strong>to</strong>:<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza, PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

...or<br />

Pay online with PayPal at www.ctmac.org<br />

2005-2006 <strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh Connection<br />

Officers and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

President Rich Lenoce<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

Secretary<br />

Kyle DeMilo<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

860-678-8622<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org<br />

(860) 668-8728<br />

Special Events<br />

Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

10<br />

Vice President Chris Hart<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Past President Don Dickey<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org<br />

860-561-0319<br />

Public Relations<br />

Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Parliamentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian<br />

Connie Scott<br />

parliamentarian@ctmac.org<br />

Treasurer<br />

David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

ambassador@ctmac.org<br />

860-485-1547<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org<br />

860-677-7787<br />

Download/Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org<br />

860-583-1165<br />

Caricatures by<br />

Bill Dougal<br />

of Lebanon<br />

(860) 456-9041.<br />

Available for<br />

illustration<br />

assignments<br />

and event<br />

caricatures.


CMC Monthly Meetings FREE Raffle!<br />

Monthly CMC Meetings are held on last<br />

Wednesday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00<br />

P.M. (except November and December when<br />

the meetings are held one week<br />

earlier due <strong>to</strong> the holidays). Location below.<br />

Board meetings are held on the first<br />

Thursday of the month. If you wish <strong>to</strong><br />

attend a Board meeting, contact an officer<br />

for time & location.<br />

Wednesday, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 26, 7:00 p.m.<br />

UConn Medical Center<br />

“Your News – Your Way”<br />

Ever wish that the latest updates from your<br />

favorite web sites and news sources would<br />

come <strong>to</strong> you? Or that you could listen <strong>to</strong><br />

radio shows according <strong>to</strong> your schedule?<br />

RSS and Podcasts make that possible.<br />

If those aren’t words you’ve heard before,<br />

you don’t need <strong>to</strong> worry. Presenter and past<br />

CMC president, Joe Arcuri, will make the<br />

terminology and the process easy <strong>to</strong> understand.<br />

And once you see how <strong>to</strong> get started, you’ll<br />

have the latest news, reviews, blogs and commentary<br />

delivered <strong>to</strong> you on a daily (even on<br />

an hourly) basis. But you don’t have <strong>to</strong> sit at<br />

your computer <strong>to</strong> enjoy Podcasts. You’ll be<br />

able <strong>to</strong> listen <strong>to</strong> these radio-style news, talk,<br />

discussion and interview shows on your personal<br />

music player, no matter where you go.<br />

Back To Basics, 6:00 p.m.<br />

Do you get confused by uploading and<br />

downloading? Have trouble making sense<br />

out of the files you download from the<br />

Internet? Do you end up with all sorts of<br />

files on your desk<strong>to</strong>p, and none of them<br />

appearing <strong>to</strong> be of any use? Or worse yet, do<br />

you end up with a downloaded file that you<br />

can’t get <strong>to</strong> work?<br />

Then <strong>this</strong> Back To Basics session at 6:00 is<br />

for you! We’ll explain how downloads work,<br />

clever <strong>to</strong>ols <strong>to</strong> make them work better, and<br />

most importantly allow you <strong>to</strong> understand<br />

what all those files on your desk<strong>to</strong>p are for.<br />

Coming in November<br />

The CMC Auction!<br />

Watch your email for news!<br />

Every CMC member who attends<br />

our monthly meetings gets a raffle<br />

ticket. This will give you a chance<br />

for one of our free prizes every<br />

month! You could win…t-shirts,<br />

<strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs, software<br />

…there’s always something we’re<br />

giving away! And don’t forget the<br />

Free table at the back of the room<br />

where everything is...FREE!<br />

NOTICE!<br />

• Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number<br />

(for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

• CMC Web site username<br />

and password<br />

are now located on your<br />

newsletter mailing label.<br />

Please, make a<br />

note of it NOW!<br />

Getting CMC emails?<br />

We always send out advance notice<br />

of the meetings, and sometimes for<br />

big news or special events (like our<br />

bus trip <strong>to</strong> Macworld). If you’re not<br />

getting them, please email us at<br />

president@ctmac.org with your<br />

current email address and a subject<br />

line of: ADD TO CMC EMAIL LIST<br />

Treasurer’s Report Display Ad Rates<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members!<br />

Have your friends and co-workers<br />

join us for fun and learning about<br />

OS X and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 135<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance ..........$835.65<br />

Savings Balance ............$3982.35<br />

Balances as of Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 5, 2005<br />

11<br />

Discounted Books<br />

CMC continues <strong>to</strong> offer our current<br />

members the opportunity <strong>to</strong> purchase<br />

any published book for either<br />

Mac or Windows at a 20% discount.<br />

All major publishers are carried by<br />

our source.<br />

Contact a Board Member or send an<br />

email <strong>to</strong> booksales@ctmac.org. Provide<br />

the book title, the publisher and the<br />

ISBN number, if possible, and he will<br />

check on its availability. Normally,<br />

the wait is not <strong>to</strong>o long.<br />

ID and Password Valid:<br />

7/01/2005 - 10/31/2005<br />

CMC User ID: XXX<br />

CMC Password: XXX<br />

FREE Classified Ads<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using<br />

or upgrading. This is a FREE service<br />

provided <strong>to</strong> our members. Send <strong>to</strong>:<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

Any business items or services can<br />

be advertised at the low monthly rates<br />

listed below.<br />

Business Card..................................$10.00<br />

Quarter Page ...................................$20.00<br />

Half Page .........................................$30.00<br />

Full Page (or insert) ........................$50.00<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a disk<br />

(with nothing else on it) or e-mail it <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org for insertion in the<br />

following issue. Display ads must be<br />

submitted camera-ready in eps or pdf format<br />

with all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Monthly Meeting<br />

Wednesday, Oct. 26<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

7:00 p.m.<br />

Your News – Your Way!<br />

“ RSS and Podcasts”<br />

Back To Basics 6:00 p.m.<br />

“Downloading”<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

A pdf document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> the location of our meeting<br />

in the UConn Health Center is available on our website: www.ctmac.org<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on<br />

programs require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West, Exit 39 is<br />

after 39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong> Route 4 East<br />

(Farming<strong>to</strong>n Avenue). At third traffic light, turn right <strong>to</strong> enter<br />

the Health Center campus. Go around the main building <strong>to</strong><br />

the right (at a Y in road), then take a left when you get <strong>to</strong> the<br />

Academic Entrance. The road becomes two-way there so you<br />

should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn. (Do not go on straight <strong>to</strong><br />

the two-way part). Then take the second right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot<br />

A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go past the police station<br />

entrance on your left (small sign). You will see a continuation<br />

of the building with its own entrance area. This is the new<br />

research building. Enter on the ground floor, turn right and<br />

enter room EG-013 on your right. This is the first room on<br />

your right. The rest rooms are on your left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

Upcoming Meetings<br />

• Oc<strong>to</strong>ber: RSS & Podcasting<br />

• November: CMC Auction<br />

• December: Favorite Gadgets<br />

• January: Pho<strong>to</strong>shop Layers


NEWSLETTER OF CONNECTICUT MACINTOSH CONNECTION, INC. NOV/DEC 2005<br />

I’ve Seen the<br />

Future of the Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

By Rich Lenoce,<br />

CMC President<br />

The Macin<strong>to</strong>sh world has been<br />

quiet since June when Apple<br />

announced the<br />

Mac was moving<br />

<strong>to</strong> Intel. Since<br />

then I’ve have had a <strong>to</strong>ugh time<br />

finding news <strong>to</strong> fill <strong>this</strong> column. Now<br />

I have some news. It’s not just news,<br />

but with recent announcements we<br />

can glimpse the future of Apple and<br />

the Macin<strong>to</strong>sh.<br />

First, on Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 11, Apple<br />

announced record quarterly revenues<br />

of $3.68 billion and record profits of<br />

$430 million. Wall Street lowered<br />

Apple s<strong>to</strong>ck because they sold only 6.5<br />

million iPods and 1.23 million<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>shes, which did not meet their<br />

expectations. That’s 1.23 million<br />

Macs in four months at a time when<br />

you’d think people would hold off on<br />

buying Macs until the Intel release!<br />

The next day, Steve Jobs announced<br />

two new iMac models with built-in<br />

iSight cameras, media center software<br />

called Front Row, a remote control <strong>to</strong><br />

control the media center and<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>booth digital pho<strong>to</strong>graphy software.<br />

There’s also<br />

faster RAM, a<br />

video output and<br />

enough video<br />

memory (128mb)<br />

<strong>to</strong> drive both the<br />

LCD moni<strong>to</strong>r and<br />

a high definition<br />

TV. These two new<br />

iMacs are meant <strong>to</strong> be<br />

the center of a home<br />

entertainment system,<br />

not just a computer.<br />

This is just a glimmer<br />

of what is <strong>to</strong> come<br />

when Apple moves<br />

<strong>to</strong> Intel. The<br />

disappointment<br />

is the<br />

rest of us can’t experience the Front<br />

Row media center and Pho<strong>to</strong>booth as<br />

they’re only available on new iMacs.<br />

I’m not sure why <strong>this</strong> is other than <strong>to</strong><br />

leave the rest of us salivating.<br />

And, from the Steve Jobs is a fibber<br />

department, we now have the video<br />

iPod. Steve once said there was “no<br />

market for a video iPod” but also on<br />

Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 12 he released the device.<br />

When asked about his previous statement<br />

he replied, “with the video iPod<br />

we are creating the market.” How silly<br />

of me <strong>to</strong> misinterpret his original<br />

comments. He also once said no one<br />

wanted <strong>to</strong> watch video on a 3" screen<br />

but apparently that also has changed.<br />

Will people watch video on a<br />

3"screen? You bet, at least if initial<br />

sales are any indica<strong>to</strong>r. Video iPods<br />

have potential beyond watching<br />

videos on a 3" screen as it can be<br />

1<br />

CMC Monthly Meeting<br />

Wednesday, Dec. 14<br />

Special Location: Keller Hall<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

7:00 p.m.<br />

CMC Annual Holiday Party<br />

and Celebration of Gadgets<br />

(see page 11 for info & directions)<br />

hooked <strong>to</strong> a TV. It accepts most other<br />

Quicktime files, not just those offered<br />

through the Apple Music S<strong>to</strong>re. The<br />

only Quicktime compatible files I<br />

couldn’t transfer in<strong>to</strong> iTunes were<br />

DIVX (.avi) files popular with<br />

Internet movie pirates. This may have<br />

been done <strong>to</strong> convince Hollywood of<br />

the iPod’s viability as a secure digital<br />

video player that would protect their<br />

copyrighted content.<br />

Apple also released iTunes 6 giving<br />

users the ability <strong>to</strong> import Quicktime<br />

videos in<strong>to</strong> iTunes and transfer them<br />

<strong>to</strong> the iPod and <strong>to</strong> purchase and<br />

download music videos, Pixar shorts<br />

and some ABC/Disney TV shows<br />

through the Apple S<strong>to</strong>re. Can movies<br />

be far behind?<br />

For $2.00 I thought I’d download a<br />

video and give you my results of how<br />

they looked and played.<br />

The 42 minute pilot episode of the<br />

ABC series, Lost <strong>to</strong>ok 40 minutes <strong>to</strong><br />

download using DSL and weighed in<br />

at 208 megabytes. The .MPV file contains<br />

MPEG-4 video (I assume H264)<br />

and AAC audio. The file is protected<br />

Continued on page 2<br />

I’ve Seen the Future of Macin<strong>to</strong>sh........... 1<br />

DTV 0.7 ....................................................3<br />

Download of the Month ............................3<br />

Mac 911...................................................4<br />

Easter Eggs..............................................6<br />

DVD Review OS X Training ..................8<br />

Review: Papyrus Office.............................9<br />

Take Control Books...................................9<br />

Meetings and Club News .......................11


Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Deena Quilty<br />

Designer<br />

George Maciel<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />

John Scott<br />

Publisher<br />

<strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

Connection, Inc.<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza<br />

PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

Printer<br />

Budget Printers<br />

1718 Park Street<br />

Hartford, CT 06106<br />

We welcome submissions from<br />

members!<br />

Please submit articles by first of<br />

the month for inclusion in our<br />

newsletter. There is much talent<br />

in our group; it would be great<br />

<strong>to</strong> have several member articles<br />

in each issue.<br />

Continued from page 1<br />

by the same Fair Play digital rights<br />

management scheme as iTunes music<br />

downloads playing only on authorized<br />

computers. These protected files<br />

can’t be burned <strong>to</strong> DVD (you get an<br />

unsupported file message when you<br />

try) and the audio and video can’t be<br />

extracted using Quicktime Pro. The<br />

only way <strong>to</strong> get the video out of the<br />

computer is by hooking the computer<br />

<strong>to</strong> a TV, transferring the file <strong>to</strong> an<br />

iPod and watching the video on it’s<br />

3" screen or though the iPod’s video<br />

output.<br />

The sad news is that the video is of<br />

poor quality with a display size of only<br />

320 X 240 pixels at 24 frames per second,<br />

which is one quarter the size of<br />

the 640 X 480/30 fps used by the TV<br />

industry. I’m sure the videos look fine<br />

on 3" iPod screen, but by any standard<br />

of taste that is low-resolution<br />

video when viewed on a TV. Full<br />

screen mode magnifies the image 4<br />

times making it look like a very bad<br />

VHS copy with muted colors, little<br />

detail and a very soft pixilated look.<br />

“Yucky” would be the term. The<br />

sound however is CD quality.<br />

What gives? Apple doesn’t compromise<br />

in quality with its AAC audio<br />

files. After all, didn’t Apple proclaim<br />

<strong>this</strong> the “year of HD” video with<br />

iMovie HD, Final Cut HD, iDVD 5<br />

(HD) and the H264 Quicktime video<br />

codec capable of delivering standard<br />

and high definition video at low bit<br />

rates? Why aren’t the videos delivered<br />

in that high quality format?<br />

I can’t answer these questions.<br />

Possibly consumer and industry pressures<br />

forced Apple <strong>to</strong> offer the service<br />

<strong>to</strong>o early. It’s clear Disney is the only<br />

studio involved in digital downloads<br />

and they could have possibly used low<br />

quality <strong>to</strong> not anger their broadcast<br />

affiliates. It just may be that<br />

Hollywood isn’t ready for legal video<br />

downloads. Maybe the other studios<br />

need <strong>to</strong> be “sold” on digital rights<br />

2<br />

management and the demand for<br />

hardware like the iPod and home<br />

media centers before they’ll join with<br />

Apple and only then the quality will<br />

go up. Whatever the reason offering<br />

low quality video is short sighted considering<br />

the number of people sharing<br />

decent quality illegal content over<br />

various P2P networks such as<br />

BitTorrent, Usenet and Gnutella.<br />

What seems clear is that Apple is<br />

readying us for bigger and better<br />

things: computers that go beyond traditional<br />

uses. Clearly, Apple wants<br />

the Mac <strong>to</strong> be a central hub for home<br />

entertainment <strong>to</strong> download, s<strong>to</strong>re,<br />

manage and display iLife and commercial<br />

audio and video content. Not<br />

just music and low quality videos, but<br />

high quality motion pictures and TV<br />

series. There’s even a video podcasting<br />

feature in iTunes 6 <strong>to</strong> view and possibly<br />

distribute iLife created content.<br />

If you don’t like the TV shows you<br />

see, you can create your own.<br />

Hollywood may not be ready,<br />

but we are.<br />

Thanks, Joe<br />

Oc<strong>to</strong>ber's CMC meeting marked<br />

the return of Past President (and<br />

current group Ambassador), Joe<br />

Arcuri, as a presenter. He brought<br />

an everyman's approach <strong>to</strong> the hot<br />

<strong>to</strong>pics of RSS news subscriptions<br />

and Podcasting. If you couldn't<br />

tell, Joe's addicted <strong>to</strong> <strong>this</strong> stuff and<br />

he thinks everybody should be<br />

hooked! Thanks, Joe, for a great<br />

presentation and don't wait so<br />

long before the next one!<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong> by Jack Bass


DTV 0.7<br />

Submitted by Joe Arcuri<br />

“I just downloaded a free program called<br />

DTV from http://www.dtvmac.com/<br />

that supposedly does for online video<br />

content what a Tivo does for TV.”<br />

<strong>From</strong> the website:<br />

http://dtvmac.com/<br />

Internet TV<br />

is Open and Independent<br />

DTV is a new, free and open-source<br />

platform for internet television and<br />

video. An intuitive interface lets<br />

users subscribe <strong>to</strong> channels, watch<br />

video, and build a video library. Our<br />

publishing software lets you broadcast<br />

full-screen video <strong>to</strong> thousands of people<br />

at virtually no cost. The project is<br />

non-profit, free and open source, and<br />

built on open standards. A Windows<br />

version of DTV and a full website are<br />

well underway and will arrive in the<br />

next several weeks.<br />

The Channel Guide is Open<br />

Along with the Mac Beta we've<br />

launched the built-in DTV Channel<br />

Guide, which already features more<br />

than 100 internet TV channels (all<br />

free), with more being added every<br />

day. Publishers of DTV-compatible<br />

channels can now submit channels <strong>to</strong><br />

be included in the guide. If you have<br />

an RSS feed with video enclosures,<br />

your channel is already compatible<br />

(see our ideal RSS format). This beta<br />

version of DTV embeds QuickTime 7,<br />

Download of the Month<br />

Screenshot Plus 1.2<br />

Submitted by Debi Foss<br />

Driven crazy by the OSX screen capture<br />

program? Well relief is here.<br />

ScreenShot Plus 1.2 uses Apple’s<br />

<strong>to</strong>ol <strong>to</strong> do the capturing, but allows<br />

you <strong>to</strong> scale the capture and select a<br />

format, jpeg, tiff, psd, and more! You<br />

can even attach the capture <strong>to</strong> an<br />

email in one step.<br />

so any video that plays in<br />

QuickTime will play in DTV. DTV<br />

supports standard HTTP downloads<br />

as well as BitTorrent downloads.<br />

Submit your channel <strong>to</strong>day!<br />

Create a Channel<br />

Now's the moment <strong>to</strong> make that<br />

internet TV channel you've been<br />

dreaming of. And you don't need <strong>to</strong><br />

be a videomaker <strong>to</strong> have a great<br />

channel – just as sites like Boing<br />

Boing and Slashdot bring <strong>to</strong>gether<br />

news and links from around the<br />

web, we expect that some of the<br />

most interesting and popular internet<br />

TV channels will link <strong>to</strong> video<br />

from all over the place. Broadcast<br />

Machine makes it easy <strong>to</strong> create<br />

your own channel by pulling<br />

<strong>to</strong>gether videos you find around the<br />

internet – funny videos, news clips,<br />

movie trailers, or anything else.<br />

Internet TV needs some good edi<strong>to</strong>rs,<br />

why not you? Try Broadcast<br />

Machine or make a channel of<br />

video links using del.icio.us.<br />

DTV Features<br />

• Built in Channel Guide with hundreds<br />

of free internet TV channels.<br />

• Subscribe <strong>to</strong> any video RSS feed<br />

(video podcast).<br />

• Download, watch, and manage<br />

videos all in one application.<br />

• Au<strong>to</strong>-download your favorite<br />

channels.<br />

Let us know what you think:<br />

ScreenShot Plus is activated by<br />

pressing Shift-Apple-2, You will<br />

then have the option of selecting a<br />

region on screen, <strong>to</strong>ggle <strong>to</strong> window<br />

select mode by pressing the spacebar.<br />

A window will appear showing<br />

the captured area. <strong>From</strong> here you can<br />

scale the image and select a format <strong>to</strong><br />

save in. ScreenShot Plus now uses<br />

Quartz scaling for a smoother result.<br />

Unregistered copies will save images<br />

with a watermark. Costs $10, Jim<br />

McKay piDog Software.<br />

3<br />

feedback@ppolitics.org<br />

Screenshot: Channel Guide<br />

Screenshot: Channel View<br />

Screenshot: Video Playing<br />

http://www.pidog.com/screenshotplus/


Mac 911<br />

Solutions <strong>to</strong> your most<br />

vexing Mac problems<br />

by Chris<strong>to</strong>pher Breen<br />

Crossed Signals<br />

To boost my wireless network’s signal<br />

strength, I have an Apple AirPort<br />

Extreme Base Station on the second<br />

floor of my <strong>to</strong>wn house and an<br />

AirPort Express on the first floor.<br />

Aside from the neighbors’ occasional<br />

2.4GHz phone call, everything has<br />

worked fine. Lately, however, several<br />

802.11 networks have popped up in<br />

my vicinity, and one of them has a signal<br />

strong enough <strong>to</strong> prevent me from<br />

connecting <strong>to</strong> my network when I’m<br />

on the first floor. How can I improve<br />

the signal strength? – Chris Tatian<br />

Instead of attempting <strong>to</strong> boost the<br />

strength of the signal, try avoiding<br />

interference from your neighbors’<br />

wireless networks. How? Change<br />

channels.<br />

To change the channel that your<br />

AirPort uses, launch AirPort Admin<br />

Utility (in the /Applications/ Utilities<br />

folder). Select your base station in the<br />

resulting window and click on<br />

Configure. If asked <strong>to</strong>, enter the password.<br />

Click on the AirPort tab, choose<br />

a new channel from the Channel popup<br />

menu, and then click on Update.<br />

Ideally, the channel you choose should<br />

be at least four or five channels away<br />

from that of the adjacent wireless network<br />

or phone – for example, if a<br />

nearby network is broadcasting on<br />

channel 1, you’ll choose channel 6 for<br />

your network. To learn which channels<br />

nearby networks are using,<br />

download Spintriplet’s free Air Traffic<br />

Control widget if you’re running Tiger;<br />

give the free MacStumbler a go if<br />

you’re using an earlier version of OSX.<br />

Each of these utilities lists local wireless<br />

networks along with their channel<br />

information.<br />

Avoiding interference from the<br />

phone will be trickier. At one<br />

time, 2.4GHz phones used just one<br />

channel–usually 11. Newer phones<br />

use something called frequency<br />

hopping technology that allows<br />

them <strong>to</strong> leap from channel <strong>to</strong><br />

channel, looking for the strongest<br />

one. If the phone lands on the channel<br />

you’ve assigned <strong>to</strong> your base<br />

station, you could get interference<br />

even after switching channels.<br />

A Matter of Some Import<br />

When I launch Mail 2.0 in Tiger, it<br />

starts importing old messages from<br />

Mail 1.0. Apparently, there’s an old<br />

sent-mail message that Mail 2.0 doesn’t<br />

like: the application hangs on one message<br />

and s<strong>to</strong>ps importing sent mail.<br />

When I cancel, the whole thing s<strong>to</strong>ps.<br />

I’ve tried launching Mail again, but the<br />

whole process repeats. Where does that<br />

old message live? I’d like <strong>to</strong> delete it<br />

before I launch Mail 2.0, and skip the<br />

import step al<strong>to</strong>gether. – Jeff Hounshell<br />

You’ll find all of Mail’s mailbox files<br />

(called mbox files) by following <strong>this</strong><br />

path: /your user folder/Library/Mail/<br />

name of account, where name of<br />

account is the name of your e-mail<br />

account – POPtestingmail.example.<br />

com, for example. <strong>Inside</strong> <strong>this</strong> folder is a<br />

Sent Messages.mbox folder. Give <strong>this</strong><br />

folder the bum’s rush (in other words,<br />

delete it); that should fix the problem.<br />

You can also choose <strong>to</strong> import some of<br />

your old mail by choosing File: Import<br />

Mailboxes. In the Import dialog box<br />

that appears, select the Mail For Mac<br />

OS X option, click on Continue, and<br />

select the account folder from which<br />

you want <strong>to</strong> import messages. In the<br />

next window, choose the mailboxes you<br />

want <strong>to</strong> import and click on Continue.<br />

This will place your old mail in an<br />

Import folder in Mail’s sidebar.<br />

Alternatively, you can enable the Other<br />

option in the Import window and selectively<br />

import individual mbox files.<br />

4<br />

Bookmark Management<br />

Is there any way <strong>to</strong> alphabetize my<br />

bookmark collection in Safari?<br />

– Christian Gilbert<br />

You could do it by hand, of course, but<br />

what a bother–particularly if you routinely<br />

add new bookmarks. If you’re<br />

using Tiger, you can alphabetize your<br />

Safari bookmarks with Sheep Systems’<br />

Bookdog–priced at an introduc<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

$10 as I write <strong>this</strong>, but it’ll be $15 when<br />

version 2.0 ships. It can organize not<br />

only individual bookmarks, but also<br />

the folders containing those bookmarks.<br />

You can also use Bookdog <strong>to</strong><br />

track down and delete duplicate bookmarks.<br />

Use the company’s free SafariSorter<br />

if you’re running OS X 10.2 <strong>to</strong> 10.3.8<br />

(it’s not compatible with 10.3.9).<br />

Crippled QuickTime<br />

In QuickTime Player 6, the video controls<br />

let me lighten, darken, change the<br />

contrast of, and tint videos. I upgraded<br />

<strong>to</strong> QuickTime 7, and that feature seems<br />

<strong>to</strong> no longer be there–the A/V<br />

Controls cover only audio and playback<br />

speed. Is there any way <strong>to</strong> access<br />

the video controls in the new version?<br />

– Rich Root<br />

QuickTime Player 7’s A/V Controls<br />

allow you <strong>to</strong> edit video only on Macs<br />

with video cards that support Apple’s<br />

Core Image technology – generally<br />

video cards made by ATI and not those<br />

from Nvidia. You’ll know that your<br />

video card lacks support if you can’t see<br />

the video adjustment sliders in the<br />

A/V Controls window–you’ll be able<br />

<strong>to</strong> adjust only speed and audio settings.<br />

This is the case in both the free version<br />

of QuickTime and the $30 Pro version.<br />

However, <strong>this</strong> limitation doesn’t exist<br />

if you use QuickTime Player 6.5.2<br />

with QuickTime 7. Hopefully, you<br />

still have a copy of <strong>this</strong> older version<br />

of Player. If you don’t, download the<br />

continued on page 5


continued from page 4<br />

QuickTime 6.5.2 Reinstaller, and<br />

extract QuickTime Player with<br />

CharlesSoft’s $20 Pacifist. This version<br />

of QuickTime Player, coupled<br />

with QuickTime 7.X, will offer a<br />

video option in A/V Controls even if<br />

your graphic card doesn’t support<br />

Core Image.<br />

Dodgy Discs<br />

I routinely receive large files on CDs<br />

that were created on a Windows PC,<br />

and those discs fail <strong>to</strong> mount on my<br />

Mac. What instructions can I give<br />

those Windows users so that the discs<br />

they send me will mount on my<br />

Mac? – Gregory Payne<br />

Politely ask your PC pals <strong>to</strong> s<strong>to</strong>p using<br />

Roxio’s DirectCD or Drag-<strong>to</strong>-Disc utilities<br />

<strong>to</strong> burn their discs. These<br />

programs support packet writing,<br />

which allows you <strong>to</strong> burn files <strong>to</strong> a CD-<br />

R or CD-RW multiple times using a<br />

file format called UDF (Universal Disc<br />

Format). This format is a convenient<br />

way <strong>to</strong> append files <strong>to</strong> a disc designed<br />

as write-once, but discs produced using<br />

it aren’t Mac-compatible. Discs made<br />

by other means on the PC will almost<br />

certainly be burned in the ISO 9660<br />

format, which the Mac understands<br />

completely.<br />

If the disc format doesn’t appear <strong>to</strong> be<br />

the problem, check the kind of media<br />

people are sending you. The Mac loves<br />

CD-R media but can act finicky with<br />

CD-RW discs.<br />

Slugging Slide Shows<br />

Is there a way <strong>to</strong> put the file name of<br />

each picture somewhere on screen during<br />

a slide show created in iMovie,<br />

iDVD, or iPho<strong>to</strong>? This would be helpful<br />

for viewers who want <strong>to</strong> extract a<br />

few favorite pho<strong>to</strong>s from the DVD.<br />

– Doug Fehr<br />

While you can configure Apple’s<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> 4 so that it displays the file<br />

name of each picture during its slide<br />

shows, it won’t export that slide show<br />

<strong>to</strong> iDVD with the file name in place. If<br />

you want the name <strong>to</strong> appear in iDVD<br />

(or in a QuickTime movie you export<br />

<strong>to</strong> iDVD), you must use iPho<strong>to</strong> 5 (part<br />

of the iLife ‘05 suite, $79). Here’s how:<br />

Assemble a slide show in iPho<strong>to</strong> 5 (File:<br />

New Slideshow) and click on the<br />

Settings but<strong>to</strong>n at the bot<strong>to</strong>m of the<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> window. In the resulting sheet,<br />

enable the Show Titles option and click<br />

on OK. Choose Share: Send To iDVD.<br />

This creates an MPEG-4 QuickTime<br />

movie file that’s s<strong>to</strong>red in the Movies<br />

folder within your user folder. You’ll see<br />

the title of each picture in a small box<br />

in the movie frame’s upper left corner<br />

(see “Name in Frame”).<br />

iDVD will open with the slide show in<br />

place. If you like, burn it on<strong>to</strong> a DVD.<br />

Otherwise, open your Movies folder,<br />

locate the QuickTime movie that<br />

iPho<strong>to</strong> created for iDVD, and do with<br />

it what you will.<br />

Tools of the trade<br />

• The lowdown on lap<strong>to</strong>ps<br />

There’s a reason–other than the pure<br />

awkwardness of it–that Apple didn’t<br />

christen its lap<strong>to</strong>ps the Apple<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh PowerBook and the Apple<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh iBook. Lap<strong>to</strong>ps are different<br />

beasts from desk<strong>to</strong>p computers.<br />

They deserve a special name, as well<br />

as special resources for their care and<br />

feeding.<br />

• Peruse Peripherals<br />

The Apple S<strong>to</strong>re is a perfectly fine<br />

place <strong>to</strong> browse iBook and PowerBook<br />

peripherals, but suppose you want a<br />

third-party high-capacity battery for<br />

your iBook or a wireless PC Card for<br />

your PowerBook? The S<strong>to</strong>re doesn’t<br />

s<strong>to</strong>ck such non-Apple items. Instead,<br />

turn <strong>to</strong> Froogle, Google’s product finder.<br />

Froogle allows you <strong>to</strong> be very<br />

specific in your searches. If you type<br />

PowerBook G4 15" high capacity battery<br />

, for example, you’ll get dozens of<br />

hits (including sales on eBay).<br />

5<br />

• Dig for Deals<br />

If you’re looking for deals on new and<br />

reconditioned Apple lap<strong>to</strong>ps and<br />

peripherals, check out PowerBook<br />

Central. The site routinely lists bargains<br />

on the lap<strong>to</strong>ps you love.<br />

• Keep Up on Upgrades<br />

Accelerate Your Mac is a terrific<br />

resource for learning how <strong>to</strong> upgrade<br />

any Mac, lap<strong>to</strong>ps included. If you’re<br />

interested in replacing your iBook’s or<br />

PowerBook’s hard drive, media drive, or<br />

processor, <strong>this</strong> should be your first s<strong>to</strong>p.<br />

• Find It on the Forums<br />

This puts me at risk of accusations<br />

that I’m shilling for the home team,<br />

but it’s unavoidable: Macworld.com’s<br />

Portable Macs and Handhelds forum<br />

is a great place <strong>to</strong> pose your perplexing<br />

PowerBook and iBook questions and<br />

help others get out of similar jams.<br />

Tip of the month<br />

Lost for words<br />

Say you’re typing in the Tiger version<br />

of a text-centric Apple application<br />

such as TextEdit, Mail, iChat, or<br />

Stickies, and you can’t conjure up the<br />

complete word you’re looking for. Just<br />

type the first couple of letters in the<br />

word and press the escape key. A list of<br />

words that begin with the letters<br />

you’ve typed appears. Select the one<br />

you want, and it replaces the letters<br />

you’ve typed. – Scott Mahrer<br />

Contributing Edi<strong>to</strong>r Chris<strong>to</strong>pher Breen is<br />

also Playlistmag.com’s edi<strong>to</strong>r in chief<br />

author of Macworld’s tips and<br />

troubleshooting column, “Mac 911,” as<br />

well as Secrets of the iPod: Fifth Edition<br />

and Mac 911 (Peachpit Press).<br />

Find Chris’ books at www.amazon.com<br />

and www.peachpit.com. Get special<br />

user group pricing on Macworld<br />

Magazine! Subscribe <strong>to</strong>day at<br />

http://www.macworld.com/useroffer


Easter Eggs<br />

by Kyle DeMilo<br />

CMC Secretary<br />

An Easter Egg is a hidden feature or<br />

novelty that the programmers have<br />

put in their software. In general, it is<br />

any hidden, entertaining thing that<br />

a crea<strong>to</strong>r hides in their creation<br />

only for their own personal reasons.<br />

This can be anything from a<br />

hidden list of the developers, <strong>to</strong><br />

hidden commands, <strong>to</strong> jokes, <strong>to</strong><br />

funny animations.<br />

According <strong>to</strong> eeggs.com (an<br />

online collection of Easter<br />

Eggs), an Easter Egg must satisfy<br />

the following criteria:<br />

• It must be undocumented,<br />

hidden, and not obvious<br />

An Easter Egg can't be a legitimate<br />

feature of a product, or be an<br />

obvious part of a s<strong>to</strong>ryline. Easter<br />

Eggs will usually stand out either<br />

because they <strong>to</strong>tally don't fit with<br />

their context (like the pinball<br />

game in Word 97), or because<br />

they have a deeper hidden personal<br />

meaning <strong>to</strong> the crea<strong>to</strong>rs, so they<br />

threw it in for entertainment.<br />

• It must be reproducible<br />

Every user with the same product<br />

or combination of products must<br />

be able <strong>to</strong> produce the same result<br />

given the instructions.<br />

• It must be put there by the<br />

crea<strong>to</strong>rs for personal reasons<br />

The Egg must have been put there<br />

on purpose, and furthermore have<br />

a personal significance <strong>to</strong> the crea<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

beyond just making a better<br />

product.<br />

• It must not be malicious<br />

Easter Eggs are there for fun, not<br />

<strong>to</strong> do damage.<br />

• It must be entertaining!<br />

The most important element...if<br />

it's not there for entertainment,<br />

it's not an Easter Egg.<br />

However, These days<br />

Easter Eggs are a dying breed.<br />

Large software development houses<br />

like Apple or Microsoft frown<br />

them upon. They feel that all of<br />

the effort needed <strong>to</strong> create them<br />

could be used <strong>to</strong> fix another bug,<br />

or add another feature.<br />

Another reason is that<br />

the crea<strong>to</strong>rs usually<br />

put their names in<br />

their creations, and<br />

companies like<br />

Apple didn’t want<br />

headhunters cherrypicking<br />

their talent.<br />

However, some can<br />

still sneak past. Here<br />

is one unearthed just a<br />

few days ago (requires<br />

Microsoft’s Office 2004)<br />

START UP THE APP:<br />

/APPLICATIONS/MICROSOFT OFFICE<br />

2004 / OFFICE / MICROSOFT OFFICE<br />

NOTIFICATIONS<br />

HOLD DOWN CONTROL, COMMAND<br />

& OPTION KEYS AND SELECT 'ABOUT<br />

OFFICE NOTIFICATIONS'<br />

NOW CLICK THE LITTLE BLACK &<br />

WHITE ICON THAT APPEARS ABOVE<br />

THE 'OK' BUTTON.<br />

HAVE FUN :)<br />

6<br />

Thanks!<br />

Auction Donors<br />

Our November 16th annual CMC<br />

auction raised hundreds of dollars for<br />

our group. We wish <strong>to</strong> thank the<br />

many companies and individuals who<br />

donated:<br />

• Microsoft<br />

• MYOB<br />

• Macworld<br />

• CodeTek<br />

• Circus Ponies<br />

• Dantz<br />

• Extensis<br />

• Total Training<br />

• Other World Computing<br />

• O’Reilly/Pogue Press<br />

• Wiley<br />

• Sybex<br />

• Webster Bank<br />

• Apple<br />

• Jack Bass<br />

• Focal Press<br />

Plus a huge thanks <strong>to</strong> Don, Joe,<br />

Bob, Debi, Chris and all for<br />

making <strong>this</strong> year’s auction a<br />

lot of fun and a great success.<br />

Please accept our<br />

apologies if we have<br />

inadvertently left out<br />

anyone from <strong>this</strong> list!


DVD Review:<br />

OS X Training For Windows Users<br />

by Bill Davies, MacNexus<br />

www.macnexus.org/index.php?option=<br />

content&task=view&id=365&Itemid=2<br />

In <strong>this</strong> review I critique a new DVD by<br />

Terry White entitled “MacOS X<br />

Training for Windows Users.” Who<br />

the heck is Terry White? In my opinion,<br />

the guy pretty much walks on<br />

water. He founded and has kept alive<br />

MacGroup-Detroit, which is<br />

Michigan’s largest Macin<strong>to</strong>sh user<br />

group. In fact, he’s still the president<br />

and driving force behind the group. So<br />

when I heard that he was putting out a<br />

DVD, I thought it might be interesting<br />

<strong>to</strong> give it a spin.<br />

I’ve watched most of the DVD, and I’m<br />

going <strong>to</strong> start with the conclusion: If<br />

you’re trying <strong>to</strong> learn your way around<br />

OS X and want someone <strong>to</strong> show you<br />

around, <strong>this</strong> is a great DVD. On the<br />

other hand, if you’re a Windows user<br />

and moving <strong>to</strong> OS X, as the title of <strong>this</strong><br />

DVD implies, then I did not see anything<br />

particularly helpful <strong>to</strong> the<br />

Windows expatriate, and I think the<br />

title of the DVD is misleading.<br />

So, upon what do I base my conclusions?<br />

First and foremost, Terry White<br />

has a very laid back personality and he<br />

gives a nice <strong>to</strong>ur of OS X. He’s easy <strong>to</strong><br />

listen <strong>to</strong> and covers all the basics of<br />

creating, finding, and organizing your<br />

data. That is why I suggest that if<br />

you’re a little timid about how <strong>to</strong> operate<br />

the Finder or the computer in<br />

general, <strong>this</strong> DVD will raise your confidence<br />

and help you find your way<br />

around the system.<br />

However, specific <strong>to</strong> the Windows user,<br />

Mr. White discusses some of the basic<br />

similarities (such as noting that a<br />

“shortcut” in Windows is called an<br />

“alias” on the Mac), but there is no<br />

real depth <strong>to</strong> the discussion. A case in<br />

point would be his<br />

discussion of how a<br />

Windows person<br />

would get their data<br />

<strong>to</strong> the Mac. He notes<br />

the existence of<br />

Det<strong>to</strong>’s Move2Mac<br />

product for $49, and<br />

also suggests that data<br />

can be copied via CD-R or by network<br />

if the two computers are<br />

networked. My feeling is that the average<br />

Windows user would have no idea<br />

where their data even lives on the<br />

computer, such as their address list or<br />

their email, and <strong>this</strong> DVD provides<br />

absolutely no detailed information on<br />

the nuts and bolts things a Windows<br />

person would need <strong>to</strong> know <strong>to</strong> successfully<br />

migrate <strong>to</strong> the Mac. Nor does he<br />

...But were it me<br />

marketing <strong>this</strong> DVD, I<br />

would call <strong>this</strong> version<br />

“Basic MacOS X Training<br />

For Newcomers To Mac”<br />

mention any of the pitfalls, or things<br />

that, quite frankly, a Windows user<br />

will not find on a Mac. For example,<br />

there is some discussion of how he can<br />

open a Microsoft Word document on<br />

the Mac without having Word on his<br />

computer, but there is no discussion of<br />

the settings in Apple Mail <strong>to</strong> “send<br />

Windows-friendly attachments” or of<br />

file suffixes, or of file types that are<br />

common <strong>to</strong> both Windows and<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh. So the flavor I got from<br />

the training was that once you successfully<br />

migrate <strong>to</strong> the Mac, you really<br />

don’t need <strong>to</strong> worry about successfully<br />

interoperating with your Windows<br />

friends anymore. That seems a bit<br />

short-sighted <strong>to</strong> me.<br />

The DVD starts with Mr. White’s discussion<br />

of the “Top Ten” things a user<br />

new <strong>to</strong> OS X needs <strong>to</strong> know about. But<br />

the discussion is entirely oral, that is <strong>to</strong><br />

7<br />

say, although he could have easily posted<br />

a slide listing the <strong>to</strong>p ten items, or<br />

done title overlays on the video <strong>to</strong> highlight<br />

what he was talking about, but he<br />

has not done that. So you have <strong>to</strong> listen<br />

keenly <strong>to</strong> what he has <strong>to</strong> say, even<br />

though I believe the learning experience<br />

would be much better with some<br />

textual slides mixed in with the video.<br />

This DVD appears <strong>to</strong> have been made<br />

in the May-June 2005 time frame. It<br />

includes discussion of Apple’s one-but<strong>to</strong>n<br />

mouse and discussion of what a<br />

Windows user who wants a two-but<strong>to</strong>n<br />

mouse might do. Time, and product<br />

cycles march on, and <strong>this</strong> DVD makes<br />

no mention of Apple’s “Mighty Mouse”<br />

product which is like a two-but<strong>to</strong>n<br />

mouse on steroids, and soon will be<br />

shipping with all Pro Macs, if not<br />

already. So even before the publicity<br />

machine cranks up around <strong>this</strong> DVD, it<br />

is already slightly out of date.<br />

Given Mr. White’s job description and<br />

his vast array of equipment, I have no<br />

doubt that over time he will be able <strong>to</strong><br />

continue <strong>to</strong> enhance <strong>this</strong> video production,<br />

perhaps add some textual slides or<br />

overlays for the user <strong>to</strong> read on the<br />

screen, and drill down with a bit more<br />

detail on the more bothersome <strong>to</strong>pics.<br />

But were it me marketing <strong>this</strong> DVD, I<br />

would call <strong>this</strong> version “Basic MacOS X<br />

Training For Newcomers To Mac” and<br />

leave out any representation that <strong>this</strong><br />

DVD will help a Windows user successfully<br />

migrate <strong>to</strong> the Mac platform. It’s a<br />

great DVD for basic MacOS X training.<br />

Mac OS X Training<br />

for Windows Users DVD<br />

Produced and narrated by Terry White<br />

Terry White Productions<br />

P.O. Box 760399<br />

Lathrup Village, MI 48076-0399<br />

$34.95<br />

http://terrywhite.tv/index.html<br />

User group members can save $10 by<br />

ordering online and using voucher<br />

code 112051289.


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For information about vendor offers and more visit<br />

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onOne Software:<br />

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This worldwide offer is valid through February 28, 2006.<br />

Other World Computing:<br />

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Other World Computing (OWC) has sold and supported<br />

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off any NewerTech miniStack FireWire kit/solution, and 10<br />

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cards and memo pads used by large corporations? Now<br />

you can create your own with the iWork Users Group‘s<br />

(iWUG) new “Business Stationery Design Kit” for Pages.<br />

iWUG‘s kit contains more than 400 Pages templates. Just<br />

replace the placeholder text with the name and address of<br />

your business <strong>to</strong> print professional quality, thematically<br />

matched letterheads, envelopes, business cards and memo<br />

pads for your office. Requires Pages. Regularly $49.95, you<br />

can receive the members’ price of $29.95 by selecting the<br />

MUG Member option. iWUG can be contacted by email at<br />

orders@iWorkUsers.org, by fax at 734-454-1965 and by<br />

phone at 888-781-2984. Coupon code MUGMember<br />

http://www.iWorkUsers.org/shop/merchant4.html<br />

This worldwide offer is valid through January 31, 2006.<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re:<br />

Discounts and User Group Offers<br />

The MUG S<strong>to</strong>re has free freight <strong>to</strong> members, RAM rebates<br />

and aggressive pricing on new and reconditioned Macs.<br />

they also have one of the largest selections of pre-owned<br />

Macs on the planet. (See id and password on page 11)<br />

http://www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

Exclusive Discounts from The MUG Center:<br />

For an up-<strong>to</strong>-date list of all available user group offers,<br />

visit: <br />

ColorIQ<br />

$10 discount on IQ Match (free upgrade <strong>to</strong> Tiger version)<br />

Order: code mac842<br />

KeynoteUser.com<br />

10% off all products; expires 12/31/05<br />

Order URL: <br />

Peachpit Press<br />

35% off Three iLife ‘05 books, expires 12/31/05<br />

www.mugcenter.com/vendoroffers/peachpit.html<br />

Enter coupon code EE-S4AP-PPT at the checkout<br />

Red Rock Software<br />

$50 off all products, excluding stand-alone User Guides;<br />

discount applies <strong>to</strong> academic pricing and upgrades;<br />

www.mugcenter.com/vendoroffers/redrock.html<br />

User Group Discount coupon: 1USERGROUP50<br />

Terry White<br />

$10 off Mac OS X Training For Windows Users DVD<br />

<br />

User Group Offer - Voucher # 112051289<br />

Plus...dozens of vendor offers for CMC members.<br />

http://homepage.mac.com/ugab/offers/vendorcodes.htm<br />

(See CMC member password on page 11)


Papyrus Office<br />

New Microsoft Office Competi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

Submitted by Robert Sawyer<br />

CMC Board Member<br />

Papyrus OFFICE is a high-end<br />

Microsoft-compatible office suite from<br />

R.O.M Logicware in Germany. Papyrus<br />

Office consists of an integrated wordprocessing<br />

program (Papyrus WORD)<br />

and a powerful database (Papyrus<br />

BASE). The product includes word<br />

processing features such as: non-continuous<br />

text selection, format and copy,<br />

micro-kerning of text, DTP control of<br />

text and graphics, tables with spreadsheet-capable<br />

formulas, rotate text and<br />

objects at will, output <strong>to</strong> HTML, import<br />

and export <strong>to</strong> MS Word format, etc.<br />

Papyrus OFFICE is only $99. This<br />

product has been available in Germany<br />

for years, but it <strong>to</strong>ok a long time <strong>to</strong> port<br />

it <strong>to</strong> English. It very much appears as<br />

if <strong>this</strong> product is now the closest competi<strong>to</strong>r<br />

<strong>to</strong> Microsoft Word for the<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh, feature-wise. Check out<br />

the screenshots (screenshots for the<br />

German version are the only ones on<br />

R.O.M. Logicware’s site). The interface<br />

is quite attractive!<br />

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!<br />

edit recommended by MacAt<strong>to</strong>rney<br />

Newsletter #48<br />

R.O.M Logicware<br />

Soft-& Hardware GmbH<br />

Raschdorffstraße 99<br />

13409 Berlin (Germany)<br />

Fax: +49 / (0)30 / 4999 73 72<br />

Telephone: +49 / (0)30 / 4999 73 73<br />

E-Mail: <br />

<br />

Free downloadable OS X demo:<br />

<br />

9<br />

Take Control<br />

of Digital TV<br />

Although many<br />

of us know a fair<br />

amount about<br />

Macin<strong>to</strong>sh<br />

hardware,<br />

delving in<strong>to</strong><br />

the world of digital television is a<br />

humbling experience - it involves a<br />

baffling array of buzzwords and<br />

acronyms, and that’s before you get<br />

in<strong>to</strong> deciding between direct view<br />

and projection TVs and trying <strong>to</strong><br />

tease out the relevant differences<br />

between LCD, plasma, DLP, and<br />

CRT-based sets. If, like us, you’re considering<br />

purchasing a digital TV <strong>this</strong><br />

holiday season, or if you already own<br />

a digital TV but worry that it might<br />

not be positioned or adjusted properly<br />

for optimal viewing, you can find<br />

friendly guidance in our latest ebook,<br />

“Take Control of Digital TV.”<br />

<br />

In <strong>this</strong> ebook, Seattle journalist and<br />

TV maven Clark Humphrey<br />

explains the jargon, compares all the<br />

different display technologies, and<br />

helps you find the right digital TV<br />

for your budget, living space, and<br />

media viewing habits. You’ll also<br />

learn how <strong>to</strong> position a large-screen<br />

TV for optimal viewing, arrange<br />

and connect external speakers,<br />

adjust the display for the best possible<br />

image quality, and add extras<br />

such as a digital video recorder or<br />

video game console. Clark rounds<br />

out his advice with suggestions of<br />

where <strong>to</strong> find digital programming,<br />

a hand-picked list of Web<br />

resources, and an extensive glossary<br />

you can use <strong>to</strong> decipher<br />

otherwise-impenetrable spec sheets.<br />

Tonya and I are due <strong>to</strong> buy a new TV<br />

sometime soon – we’re still watching a<br />

20-inch set that we bought when we got<br />

married in 1991. Armed with the<br />

knowledge we’ve picked up from reading<br />

<strong>this</strong> ebook, I’m sure we’ll be able <strong>to</strong><br />

buy the right TV more quickly and for<br />

less money. Do note that <strong>this</strong> ebook<br />

covers digital TV from the North<br />

American perspective; standards and<br />

formats differ in other parts of the world.<br />

Book Details<br />

“Take Control of Digital TV”<br />

by Clark Humphrey<br />

<br />

PDF format, 72 pages,<br />

free 23-page excerpt available<br />

Platform-independent<br />

Publication date: November 10, 2005<br />

Price: $10<br />

ISBN: 1-933671-05-X<br />

Take Control is run by the husband-andwife<br />

team Adam and Tonya Engst. By<br />

the time they began Take Control, they<br />

had authored or edited more than 25 traditional<br />

books and written hundreds of<br />

magazine articles for major Mac magazines.<br />

And, they'd spent the last 15 years<br />

gaining experience in Internet publishing<br />

with TidBITS, their weekly electronic<br />

newsletter and Web site about Mac and<br />

Internet <strong>to</strong>pics.


Yes, I want <strong>to</strong> join CMC!<br />

CMC Benefits:<br />

Monthly meetings, monthly newsletter, special events, discounted<br />

books, assistance with computer problem, network<br />

with other Mac users, User Group S<strong>to</strong>re discounts, and more.<br />

Date ________________________________________<br />

Name _______________________________________<br />

Address _____________________________________<br />

City ________________________________________<br />

State_________________________ Zip ___________<br />

Phone (Home) _______________________________<br />

Phone (Office) _______________________________<br />

Phone (Fax) _________________________________<br />

Business _____________________________________<br />

Occupation __________________________________<br />

Email:_______________________________________<br />

Referred by: __________________________________<br />

Areas of special interest: ________________________<br />

____________________________________________<br />

____________________________________________<br />

Annual CMC Family Membership<br />

$25.00<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC and mail <strong>to</strong>:<br />

41 Crossroads Plaza, PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

...or<br />

Pay online with PayPal at www.ctmac.org<br />

2005-2006 <strong>Connecticut</strong> Macin<strong>to</strong>sh Connection<br />

Officers and Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />

President Rich Lenoce<br />

president@ctmac.org<br />

860-347-1789<br />

Secretary<br />

Kyle DeMilo<br />

secretary@ctmac.org<br />

Edi<strong>to</strong>r Deena Quilty<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

860-678-8622<br />

Webmaster Brian Desmond<br />

webmaster@ctmac.org<br />

(860) 668-8728<br />

Special Events<br />

Jack Bass<br />

programs@ctmac.org<br />

10<br />

Vice President Chris Hart<br />

vicepres@ctmac.org<br />

860-291-9393<br />

Past President Don Dickey<br />

pastpres@ctmac.org<br />

860-232-2841<br />

Design George Maciel<br />

newsletter@ctmac.org<br />

860-561-0319<br />

Public Relations<br />

Jerry Esposi<strong>to</strong><br />

pr@ctmac.org<br />

Parliamentarian/His<strong>to</strong>rian<br />

Connie Scott<br />

parliamentarian@ctmac.org<br />

Treasurer<br />

David Gerstein<br />

treasurer@ctmac.org<br />

Ambassador Joseph Arcuri<br />

ambassador@ctmac.org<br />

860-485-1547<br />

Raffles Robert Sawyer<br />

raffles@ctmac.org<br />

860-677-7787<br />

Download/Month Debbie Foss<br />

dotm@ctmac.org<br />

860-583-1165<br />

Caricatures by<br />

Bill Dougal<br />

of Lebanon<br />

(860) 456-9041.<br />

Available for<br />

illustration<br />

assignments<br />

and event<br />

caricatures.


CMC Monthly Meetings Discounted Books FREE Raffle!<br />

Monthly CMC Meetings are held on last<br />

Wednesday of the month from 7:00 - 9:00<br />

P.M. (except November and December when<br />

the meetings are held one week<br />

earlier due <strong>to</strong> the holidays).<br />

Board meetings are held on the first<br />

Thursday of the month. If you wish <strong>to</strong><br />

attend a Board meeting, contact an officer<br />

for time & location.<br />

CMC Membership Meeting<br />

Special Date and Location:<br />

Wednesday, December 14<br />

7:00 p.m.<br />

Keller Hall<br />

UConn Medical Center<br />

CMC’s Annual Holiday Party<br />

and Celebration of Gadgets<br />

CMC’s annual holiday party is also a<br />

celebration of gadgets. So members,<br />

bring in your favorite gadgets and show<br />

them off. While we hope you’ll bring<br />

stuff that is Mac-related, any technological<br />

items are welcome. Everyone will<br />

have an opportunity <strong>to</strong> talk briefly about<br />

why they like their gadgets so much<br />

(you’re welcome <strong>to</strong> bring more than one<br />

with you).<br />

Of course a party isn’t a party without<br />

food. So, free food and drink will abound.<br />

Bring your appetite and your gadgets and<br />

we’ll see you at 7:00 in Keller Hall.<br />

Directions:<br />

Follow signs for the main hospital entrance<br />

(not the Emergency entrance). Park in<br />

any of the lots near the main entrance. There<br />

should be plenty of parking available. Once<br />

inside, take the escala<strong>to</strong>r downstairs <strong>to</strong> Keller<br />

Audi<strong>to</strong>rium.<br />

Back <strong>to</strong> Basics<br />

will be back in January.<br />

The CMC officers and board members wish<br />

everyone happy and safe holidays!<br />

CMC continues <strong>to</strong> offer our current<br />

members the opportunity <strong>to</strong><br />

purchase any published book for<br />

either Mac or Windows at a 20%<br />

discount. All major publishers are<br />

carried by our source.<br />

Contact a Board Member or send<br />

an email <strong>to</strong> booksales@ctmac.org.<br />

Provide the book title, the publisher<br />

and the ISBN number, if<br />

possible, and we will check on its<br />

availability.<br />

The Resource Site for Mac User Groups<br />

http://homepage.mac.com/<br />

ugab/offers/vendorcodes.htm<br />

Password:xxxxx<br />

Getting CMC emails?<br />

We always send out advance notice<br />

of the meetings, and sometimes for<br />

big news or special events (like our<br />

bus trip <strong>to</strong> Macworld). If you’re not<br />

getting them, please email us at<br />

president@ctmac.org with your<br />

current email address and a subject<br />

line of: ADD TO CMC EMAIL LIST<br />

New Members!<br />

We need new members!<br />

Have your friends and co-workers<br />

join us for fun and learning about<br />

OS X and the Mac.<br />

Total Membership: 136<br />

Account Balances<br />

Checking Balance ..........$654.40<br />

Savings Balance ............$3982.35<br />

Balances as of November 1, 2005<br />

11<br />

Every CMC member who attends our<br />

monthly meetings gets a raffle ticket.<br />

This will give you a chance for one of<br />

our free prizes every month! You<br />

could win…t-shirts, <strong>to</strong>ys, CDs, mugs,<br />

software …there’s always something<br />

we’re giving away! And don’t forget<br />

the Free table at the back of the<br />

room where everything is...FREE!<br />

CMC Passwords<br />

www.applemugs<strong>to</strong>re.com<br />

Valid:11/01/2005 - 1/31/2006<br />

User ID:xxxx • Password:xxxx<br />

• CMC Web site username and password • Member expiration date<br />

• Membership number (for free shipping at MacConnection)<br />

...are now located on your newsletter mailing label.<br />

FREE Classified Ads<br />

CMC Members can Advertise For<br />

Sale, Swap, Trade, Giveaway or Want<br />

<strong>to</strong> Buy Items. This space can be used<br />

by members <strong>to</strong> advertise non-business<br />

items which they are no longer using<br />

or upgrading. This is a FREE service<br />

provided <strong>to</strong> our members. Send <strong>to</strong>:<br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org<br />

Treasurer’s Report Display Ad Rates<br />

Any business items or services can<br />

be advertised at the low monthly rates<br />

listed below.<br />

Business Card..................................$10.00<br />

Quarter Page ...................................$20.00<br />

Half Page .........................................$30.00<br />

Full Page (or insert) ........................$50.00<br />

Submit all ad copy <strong>to</strong> the Edi<strong>to</strong>r on a disk<br />

(with nothing else on it) or e-mail it <strong>to</strong><br />

edi<strong>to</strong>r@ctmac.org for insertion in the<br />

following issue. Display ads must be<br />

submitted camera-ready in eps or pdf format<br />

with all fonts and graphics embedded.<br />

Make check payable <strong>to</strong> CMC.


41 Crossroads Plaza – PMB 1984<br />

West Hartford, CT 06117<br />

CMC Monthly Meeting<br />

Wednesday, Dec. 14<br />

7:00 p.m.<br />

Special Location: Keller Hall<br />

UConn Health Center<br />

CMC Annual Holiday Party<br />

and Celebration of Gadgets<br />

(see page 11 for info & directions)<br />

CMC Meeting Location<br />

A pdf document containing a visual direction guide <strong>to</strong> the location of our meeting<br />

in the UConn Health Center is available on our website: www.ctmac.org<br />

Monthly meetings will be held at UConn Health Center in Farming<strong>to</strong>n. When hands-on<br />

programs require computers for attendees, we will be using Middlesex Community College<br />

Directions <strong>to</strong> UConn Health Center, Farming<strong>to</strong>n<br />

<strong>From</strong> I-84: Take Exit 39 (if coming from I-84 West, Exit 39 is<br />

after 39A). Turn right at first traffic light on<strong>to</strong> Route 4 East<br />

(Farming<strong>to</strong>n Avenue). At third traffic light, turn right <strong>to</strong> enter<br />

the Health Center campus. Go around the main building <strong>to</strong><br />

the right (at a Y in road), then take a left when you get <strong>to</strong> the<br />

Academic Entrance. The road becomes two-way there so you<br />

should be able <strong>to</strong> tell where <strong>to</strong> turn. (Do not go on straight <strong>to</strong><br />

the two-way part). Then take the second right in<strong>to</strong> parking lot<br />

A&B. <strong>this</strong> is close <strong>to</strong> the building. Go past the police station<br />

entrance on your left (small sign). You will see a continuation<br />

of the building with its own entrance area. This is the new<br />

research building. Enter on the ground floor, turn right and<br />

enter room EG-013 on your right. This is the first room on<br />

your right. The rest rooms are on your left as you enter.<br />

12<br />

NOTE:<br />

The CMC December 14,<br />

2005 Meeting will be held in<br />

Keller Hall at UConn Health<br />

Center. See page 11 for info<br />

and special directions.

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