Program Notes and Reviews 2009
Nomination and Election of Mid-Peninsula PC Club 2010 Officers
Presentation on New Lenovo U330 Laptop.
Discussion of the new operating system, Microsoft Windows
7
From the MS site: "All in all, Windows 7 is shaping
up well. It's a far more modest release than Vista was, but it's
no worse for that. The new OS introduces a compelling combination
of welcome innovations and much-needed polish, and that's exactly
what Microsoft needs right now. Vista's foundation was solid,
and Windows 7 just makes it better."
View the Presentation / Overview
View the report: Installing MS Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade
on Windows-XP (PDF)
An open discussion of problems and solutions to problems that you are having or you had with your computer and its software.
See Presentation "Where to find Information" (PDF)
Polaris: Virus Safe Computing for Microsoft
Windows
Speaker: Dr. Alan Karp, Principal
Scientist, Virus Safe Computing Initiative, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories
Polaris is a package
for Windows XP that demonstrates that we can do better at dealing
with viruses than has been done so far. Polaris allows users
to configure most applications so that they launch with only
the rights they need to do the job the user wants done. This
simple step, enforcing the Principle of Least Authority (POLA),
gives so much protection from viruses that there is no need to
pop up security dialog boxes or ask users to accept digital certificates.
Further, there is little danger in launching email attachments,
using macros in documents, or allowing scripting while browsing
the web. Polaris demonstrates that we can build systems that
are more secure, more functional, and easier to use.
History of the Development of the Electricity Industry
Speaker: Dr. Robert Schainker, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Electricity is an important part of our lives 24-7; for example,
our computer infrastructure, as well as others depend on it every
day. How did the electric power industry start?
We will review how the electric industry got started (circa 1879) and who were the key "giants" that enabled us to take electricity as a "right" in our everyday life. You will be able to hear Edison speak in a rare recording and also be able to find out the names of the other technology "giants" in the picture above. Before concluding the presentation, you will also understand who were the money men behind the electricity revolution and what was the "killer app" that started it all off.
Speakers: Scott Maiden & Ann JonesScott Maiden will not only cover new features but some tips and tricks on using old features and features you might have missed. Of course, your questions about previous versions or features or how to do a task will also be addressed as time permits.
Ann Jones uses Adobe Photoshop Elements extensively in keeping track of her 8000+ pictures of medieval art. She is preparing a presentation entitled "Sex, Violence, and Other Definitely Unorthodox Sins: Images of Eternal Punishment" for the International Medieval Conference this summer. PC Club members might be interested in how she uses the tag function to help with her research.
Global
Positioning Systems (GPS)
Peter Hirsch, Speaker 
Global Positioning Systems allow a user with a GPS receiver
to ask “Where am I going?”, “Where am I?”
Where is the nearest restaurant or gas station?” and “How
do I get there?”.
We will discuss the latest GPS receiver features, applications of GPS and GPS technology. We will also discuss how GPS receivers have evolved. If you have a portable GPS receiver, bring it with you and plan on describing its features and how you it has benefited you.
Presenter:
Bob Gager, Adobe’s Group Product Manager for Photoshop
Elements 7The #1 selling consumer photo-editing software, Adobe® Photoshop® Elements combines power and simplicity so you can make ordinary photos extraordinary; tell engaging stories in beautiful, personalized creations for print and the web; and easily find and view all your photos.
Our March meeting will feature a visit from Bob Gager, Adobe’s Group Product Manager for Photoshop Elements, and showing off the latest version of Elements. From Importing and Organizing to Editing and Sharing, Bob will demonstrate the marquee features of Elements, with a focus on what’s new in the latest version with special emphasis on Elements integration with Photoshop.com, Adobe’s new web offering for digital imaging.
by George Kornbluth (Slideshow PDF)
Ultraportable netbooks, very popular in 2008, are continuing to get a lot of attention in 2009. The “netbook” form factor is the hot notebook niche right now and manufacturers are making concerted efforts to fill this market niche with new products. Specifications are powerful enough for every day computing, and are housed in a small, lightweight, package. Do they measure up to the hype?
Our February meeting will feature the new Lenovo “Ideapad” S10 with a 10.2 inch screen and low cost. We will demonstrate its performance and discuss pros & cons of this hot new format. We will also review other manufacturer's offerings that are available.
If you have a “Netbook”, bring it to the meeting for others to see, and share your experiences in using it.
Jan Laskowski
“Open Discussion on Digital Photography”
Topics: (see slideshow PDF)
- Camera choice (type, resolution, trends)
- Understanding camera preset modes
- Photo image printing (home ink-jet, drug store, consumer mail-order, professional service bureau)
- Image editing software choices
- Image organization and filing software choices
Please bring your camera for a sharing roundtable. You may also bring your questions, problems, frustrations to the meeting for possible resolution by other club members based on their experience. Of course, you are also encouraged to share your successes, tips, etc...