:: TCMUG Newsletter Archive ::

Vol 4 Iss 2 February 2005
*February Meeting
*Web Site Links and News of Interest
*Shareware Features - Adium X 0.76
*The MUG Center Store - Free Freight To Members
*Tip of the Month - Understanding Your Computer: Web Browsers
*OS X Tip of the Month - Searching by Color Label
*Mac Software Spotlight - Desktop Poet 1.0
*TCMUG Membership Structure for 2005 - TIME TO RENEW

========== FEBRUARY MEETING ==========
We will be meeting on Saturday, February 19th from 2:00PM to 4:00PM at the TCH Educational Service Center in New Philadelphia. We will be getting our first look at the all new iPod Shuffle! This months topic will also include a look at the Mac freeware, shareware & online gaming scene.

========== WEB SITE LINKS AND NEWS OF INTEREST ==========
The PowerBook Mystique - Getting The Best Out Of Your New PowerBook Or iBook
by Charles W. Moore
A new Mac laptop -- particularly the iBook -- comes with all the software you really need for basic and even not-so-basic computing. However, to get the full benefit and enjoyment from the Apple ‘Book experience, it pays to expend a bit of effort, and even a few more dollars, in order to optimize and equip your new laptop. What follows are some suggestions and tips for achieving this objective.
Read more: http://www.powerbookcentral.com/columns/hildreth_moore/newbook.shtml
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A year ago, Apple CEO Steve Jobs cut Pixar's ties with Disney, opting to handle its own marketing and distribution. With that move, the animation shop that made a name for itself with a hopping lamp became its own studio, in control of everything from the rendered frame, to the prints shipped to theatres, to the timing and pricing of its DVDs. Steve Jobs, speaking for Pixar, told Disney, "Thanks, Disney, Pixar will take it from here."
That's the same Steve Jobs who delivered his usual low-key, earnest infomercial for Apple's new products at Macworld Expo in San Francisco.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/01/13/HNmacworldanalysis_1.html
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Very, very cool.....Steve Jobs introducing the first Macintosh in 1984! This you have to see.
http://homepage.mac.com/dirkkuepper/1984macintro.mov
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A follow up article to our November meeting. New research shows that identity theft is more prevalent offline with paper than online. One surprising finding: in half of the cases where the perpetrator is known, identity fraud is committed by someone close to the victim.
The 2005 Identity Fraud Survey Report - released by the Better Business Bureau and Javelin Strategy & Research as an update of the Federal Trade Commission's 2003 Identity Theft Survey Report and Javelin's 2003 Identity Theft Report - shows that despite growing fears about identity theft and online fraud, of the victims that know the identity and method used by the criminal, these crimes are more frequently committed offline than online. Internet-related fraud problems are actually less severe, less costly and not as widespread as previously thought.
http://tinyurl.com/4le77
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Microsoft's leafy corporate campus in Redmond, Washington, is beginning to look like the streets of New York, London and just about everywhere else: Wherever you go, white headphones dangle from peoples' ears. To the growing frustration and annoyance of Microsoft's management, Apple Computer's iPod is wildly popular among Microsoft's workers.
" About 80 percent of Microsoft employees who have a portable music player have an iPod," said one source, a high-level manager who asked to remain anonymous. "It's pretty staggering."
http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,66460,00.html
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CenterStage - Project Aim - This projects plans to develop a free Media Center application for the Apple Macintosh, bringing togther the power and intuitiveness of the Macs' built in applications under a simple interface, for use as part of a Home Theatre system. We also have information on 5.1 audio, remote control and video output solutions for the Mac. The Project aim is to turn Your Mac into a Mac Media Center.
http://mrzippy.org.uk/macmediacenter/

========== SHAREWARE FEATURES - ADIUM X ==========
Adium - This powerful instant messaging utility enables a user to connect to multiple IM accounts in one window. It can be used to chat on AOL, MSN and Yahoo all at once. It supports other networks as well.
It features a great tabbed window (Safari-like) for multiple chats and has a great community of users and support. Adium requires 10.2. or later.
The Adium Team is proud to present to you Adium X 0.76, a multiple protocol instant messaging client. This is a culmination of a year long rewrite of adium, which now utilizes libgaim (the core part of gaim ) to connect to multiple protocols, and is also based on a new plugin architecture. Partial address book integration, cool looking tabs, multiple protocols for instant messaging, and a compact contact list are some of the many features of the new Adium X. Give it a try; we're sure you will like it.
http://www.adiumx.com/index.php

========== MUG CENTER STORE ==========
Is there something the MUG store can do to help your group?
Just let us know. Groups get 1 percent back on everything members purchase, so if you encourage your members to buy from the MUG store you can get everything from software to new computers for your club for FREE.
The MUG store has free freight to members, RAM rebates, aggressive pricing on new (and reconditioned) Macs and the largest selection of pre-owned Macs on the planet.
December 1 - March 30, 2005 - User ID: / Password: - See the TCMUG members web site
Place your orders at http://www.applemugstore.com

========== TIP OF THE MONTH: WEB BROWSERS ==========
Understanding Your Computer: Web Browsers
Web browsers allow you to navigate the Internet. There are a variety of options available, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
How do web browsers work? - A web browser is an application that finds and displays web pages. It coordinates communication between your computer and the web server where a particular web site "lives."
When you open your browser and type in a web address (URL) for a web site, the browser contacts that server, requests the web page you asked for, and displays the page on your computer. The browser translates the code (written in a language such as HTML or XML) for the different elements of the page (text, images, sounds) into the appropriate format and displays the resulting page.
How many browsers are there? - There are many different browsers. Most users are familiar with graphical browsers, which display both text and graphics and may also display multimedia elements such as sound or video clips. The following are some well-known browsers:
* Internet Explorer - http://www.microsoft.com/mac/
* Netscape - http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/default.jsp
* Mozilla - http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/
* Firefox - http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
* AOL - http://www.aol.com/
* Opera - http://www.opera.com/
* Safari - http://www.apple.com/safari/
* iCab - http://www.icab.de/
* OmniWeb - http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omniweb/
How do you choose a browser? - A browser is usually included with the installation of your operating system, but you are not restricted to that choice. Some of the factors to consider when deciding which browser best suits your needs include
* compatibility - Does the browser work with your operating system?
* security - Do you feel that your browser offers you the level of security you want?
* ease of use - Are the menus and options easy to understand and use?
* functionality - Does the browser interpret web content correctly? If you need to install other plug-ins or devices to translate certain types of content, do they work?
* appeal - Do you find the interface and way the browser interprets web content visually appealing?
Can you have more than one browser installed at the same time? If you decide to change your browser or add another one, you don't have to uninstall the browser that's currently on your computer--you can have more than one browser on your computer at once. However, you will be prompted to choose one as your default browser. Anytime you follow a link in an email message or document, or you double-click a shortcut to a web page on your desktop, the page will open using your default browser. You can manually open the page in another browser.
Most vendors give you the option to download their browsers directly from their web sites. Make sure to verify the authenticity of the site before downloading any files, and follow other good security practices, like keeping anti-virus software up to date, to further minimize risk.
This document can also be found at http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST04-022.html
Copyright 2004 Carnegie Mellon University
Author: Mindi McDowell

========== OS X TIP OF THE MONTH - SEARCH BY COLOR ==========
Searching by Color Label - Besides the visual benefits of having certain files tagged with a Color Label, there’s a hidden benefit: You can search for files by their color. For example, let’s say you misplaced an important file for a project you were working on. You can press Command-F to bring up the Find function, and from the Search for Items pop-up menu, choose Label. Then, click on the color for the files you labeled in that project, click the Search button, and it will instantly find and display all the files with that color. Searching by color — only Apple is cool enough to come up with a search like this!

========== MAC SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT - DESKTOP POET 1.0 ==========
Mariner Software: Desktop Poet 1.0
Ok, let's be honest. How often have you seen magnetic poetry on someone's refrigerator and just had to stop and compose a quirky, little quip?
Now, with Desktop Poet 1.0, you can prove you do have a "creative" side, all from the comfort of your Mac. And, with our introductory Apple user group offer, you can free that inner poet for less than $15.00. That's 25 percent off. Visit the TCMUG members site for all of the details. Learn more.
http://marinersoftware.com/sitepage.php?page=74
This worldwide offer is valid until April 30, 2005.

========== TCMUG MEMBERSHIP FOR 2005 - TIME TO RENEW!! ==========
We are working very hard to make it another exciting year for all local Mac users. We had a small dues structure for 2004. Membership in the TCMUG will cost $20.00 annually for a regular membership and will include a monthly newsletter, a special "members only" section of the web site, monthly meetings, a lending library, discounts on software, hardware and books and much, much more! You can visit our web site to get all of the features and benefits at http://www.tcmug.org/aboutus.html
We are offering three membership levels for 2005. There will be a regular membership at $20 per year and we will have student membership (K-12 & College) at $15 per year and a senior citizen (60+ years old) at $15 per year. All levels of membership will enjoy the benefits of belonging to the TCMUG.
Please contact any of the officers if you would have any questions regarding membership and the associated dues. http://www.tcmug.org/contactus.html
We have an online membership form that you are able to download. You can download the form at: http://www.tcmug.org/tcmug_memberapp.pdf

========== SUBMITTING INFORMATION ==========
Have a software tidbit to share, a Mac related web site to suggest or a news piece to submit? Email me with all the information at kwarrene@mac.com
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