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The Monthly Edition Of The k-Byte Newsletter |
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| V. 26, No. 11, November 2009 | Users Helping Users |
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The Monthly Edition Of The k-Byte Newsletter |
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| V. 26, No. 11, November 2009 | Users Helping Users |
Contents
Meeting Previews on Page 6
November: Social Networking Tools
December: Annual Holiday Party
Quote of the Month
If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too.
W. Somerset Maugham [1941]
by Ira Wilsker, APCUG Director; Columnist, The Examiner, Beaumont, TX; Radio Talk Show Host, Iwilsker (at) apcug.net
WEBSITES:
I have taken pride over the years that I have written this column to offer my readers a non-political and non-partisan break from the political tribulations of the day. Unfortunately, sometimes politics and technology clash, with each side having an argument supporting its opinions, and expressing why the other side is wrong. A long standing dispute rages in the technology world about the internet, and who should control the access to it. This is not some type of political censorship like what we often see in totalitarian regimes, but an economic issue where strong powers on both sides of the issue are taking a stance on the future of the internet. This is not a classical Democrat versus Republican, or liberal versus conservative squabble, but a dispute about the potential revenue streams and the use and control of the bandwidth that we have available. This often heated discussion has made it to the halls of Congress and to the bowels of the regulatory agencies, with heavy input from the participants, all of whom are trying to protect their turf. While the issues are complex, and I will try to explain both sides of the issue in an impartial manner, the name of the controversy carries the simple moniker of "Net Neutrality".
According to Wikipedia, "At its simplest, network neutrality is the principle that all Internet traffic should be treated equally. Net neutrality advocates have established three principal definitions of network neutrality: Absolute non-discrimination; Limited discrimination without QoS (Quality of Service) tiering; and Limited discrimination and tiering." The expression "Absolute non-discrimination" was defined by Columbia Law School professor Tim Wu as "The idea is that a maximally useful public information network aspires to treat all content, sites, and platforms equally." The part about limited discrimination without quality of service tiering basically means that while internet services providers can offer different levels of service (speed and volume) to their customers at different prices, they should not charge special fees for a higher quality of service, or priority in delivering information. University of Michigan Law School professor Susan P. Crawford "believes that a neutral Internet must forward packets on a first-come, first served basis, without regard for quality-of-service considerations." "Limited discrimination and tiering" means that there can be no exclusivity in service contracts, and that internet service providers and carriers cannot charge users for exclusive access to another's content. This concept is not some new creation of the internet age, but a well established 150 year old legal principal. Again, according to Wikipedia, "In 1860, a US federal law was passed to subsidize a telegraph line, stating that messages received from any individual, company, or corporation, or from any telegraph lines connecting with this line at either of its termini, shall be impartially transmitted in the order of their reception, excepting that the dispatches of the government shall have priority ... An act to facilitate communication between the Atlantic and Pacific states by electric telegraph, June 16, 1860."
Google has published a policy statement Google Net Neutrality that says, "Network neutrality is the principle that Internet users should be in control of what content they view and what applications they use on the Internet. The Internet has operated according to this neutrality principle since its earliest days... Fundamentally, net neutrality is about equal access to the Internet. In our view, the broadband carriers should not be permitted to use their market power to discriminate against competing applications or content. Just as telephone companies are not permitted to tell consumers who they can call or what they can say, broadband carriers should not be allowed to use their market power to control activity online." Google is not alone with this concept, and has been joined by many large content providers, including Yahoo!, Vonage, eBay, Amazon, EarthLink, and others
What is happening today is that some internet service providers (ISPs) are either hindering access to popular online video and audio services, or implementing a special fee or charge to the user in order to be able to access these services at the users' normal access speeds. Some of the carriers engaged in these practices cite the infrastructure cost that this high bandwidth usage incurs, and that it is only fair to charge a premium price to those who are taxing the capacity of the systems. According to the website SaveTheInternet.com, "... cable and telecommunications companies such as AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner of want to be Internet gatekeepers, deciding which Web sites go fast or slow and which won't load at all. These companies want to tax content providers to guarantee speedy delivery of their data ... to discriminate in favor of their own search engines, Internet phone services, and streaming video while slowing down or blocking their competitors."
The cable and telecommunications companies are represented by the US Telecom Broadband Association and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, which have aptly presented the side of the big carriers. The design, construction, maintenance, and upgrading of the intranet infrastructure are very capital intensive, and the demands on the networks are increasing dramatically. As stated by Wikipedia, "... telecom providers should have the ability to provide preferential treatment in the form of a tiered services, for example by giving online companies willing to pay the ability to transfer their data packages faster than other Internet traffic. The added revenue from such services could be used to pay for the building of increased broadband access to more consumers."
The NCTA, on its webpage Issue Briefs says, "There is no evidence that consumers are being prevented from accessing any lawful content on the Internet, nor are broadband providers impeding customers from subscribing to broadband applications that don't harm the network. *[See Editor's note at end of this article] The best consumer protection is a vibrant marketplace in which choice for providers exists and allows subscribers to switch if they're not satisfied with the current service. The biggest risk of Internet Regulation is that it will freeze investment and innovation in further broadband deployment and development." USTelecom, representing the broadband providers, states on its webpage Internet Regulation, "This unnecessary intervention would slow broadband deployment and the arrival of a wide variety of pro-consumer advances. Regulating the Internet would delay the arrival of life-enhancing technological advances in health care, education, the economy and beyond by sending a distinct chill through the investment climate. This 'about face' for U.S. innovation policy would undermine the critical progress being made in today's competitive Internet marketplace, where adoption is accelerating across demographic groups and nearly 1,400 companies are racing to extend broadband's capacity and reach throughout our country. Instead of slamming on the brakes of our information economy and slowing the arrival of new innovations in our lives, our government should stay focused on broadband deployment and pro-investment policies that bring the high-speed Internet and its many possibilities to all Americans." According to Wikipedia, "John Thorne, senior vice president and deputy general counsel of Verizon, has argued that they will have no incentive to make large investments to develop advanced fibre-optic networks if they are prohibited from charging higher preferred access fees to companies that wish to take advantage of the expanded capabilities of such networks. Thorne and other ISPs have accused Google and Skype of freeloading or free riding for using a network of lines and cables the phone company spent billions of dollars to build."
None of the combatants in this battle are claiming that the internet should be fiscally free, or that it is wrong for the ISPs to charge different rates for different speeds and bandwidth limits. What is in dispute is whether all content should be treated (and charged) equally in terms of bandwidth and speed used, and whether the users of heavy content providers (such as streaming DVDs by Netflix) get equal access to the capacity the internet. Hypothetically, an ISP could charge a user a premium price for priority access to streaming DVDs, and thus transmit that data ahead of his neighbors' email, or offer faster speeds to users of its own content than it does to other providers. Another consideration under dispute is whether an ISP should be able to provide a higher quality of service and speed to its own digital phone service than it does another digital phone service, such as Vonage or Skype. Discrimination of these types is contrary to the concept of "net neutrality."
This is a tough issue with valid points made by both sides. Hopefully the above content and links will provide the reader with adequate information and resources on both sides of the debate such that he can make his own decision. As the technology advances, and our demands on the internet infrastructure increases, we as a society must come up with some viable way to ensure that the capacity is there when and where we need it.
*Editor's Note: For a contrary view, connect to FCC Rules Against Comcast for information on an FCC action on this topic.
Published monthly, k-Byte is the official newsletter of the Front Range Personal Computer Users Group (FRPCUG): our mailing address is PMB 152, 305 W. Magnolia, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521.
Opinions expressed in k-Byte are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the group or its members. Publication of information in k-Byte constitutes no guarantee of accuracy. Use of any information found in this publication is at the sole risk of the user. Neither k-Byte, nor its officers, nor its editors or contributors assume any liability for damages resulting from use of information in this publication.
Submissions
Articles, letters and short items of interest on computer-related topics are welcome and encouraged. All items submitted for publication are subject to editing. Send your contribution to the editor via e-mail attachment or submit on disk. If you have questions about a submission, please contact the editor for information.
Copyright and Trademark Information
k-Byte is copyrighted ©2009 by the Front Range Personal Computer Users Group. The k-Byte logo and the Front Range PC Users Group logo are Trademarked by the Front Range PC Users Group. Unless otherwise noted, other nonprofit users groups may reprint or quote from any articles appearing in k-Byte without prior permission, provided that: a) proper author and publication credits are given; b) that a copy of the publication in which the article appears is sent at no cost to k-Byte at the above mailing address, or emailed to contact(at)frpcug.org; and c) any additional instructions/restrictions contained in the article are followed. User groups wishing to exchange newsletters with FRPCUG are invited to send a copy of their newsletter together with an exchange request.
Disclaimer
IBM PC, OS/2, Compaq, HP, Dell, UNIX, Windows and other trademarks occasionally mentioned in k-Byte are registered trademarks of International Business Machines, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Microsoft, Dell Inc., or their owners respectively. Neither FRPCUG nor its newsletter k-Byte are connected in any way with any manufacturer or seller. Acceptance by FRPCUG of donated products or services from suppliers, or inclusion of a supplier in the FRPCUG Partner list does not imply that any continuing financial support is received or expected by FRPCUG. Nor do such activities imply an endorsement of either the supplier or product or service. Such information is made available to members as a service. Use of any product or supplier found in this publication, or any FRPCUG publication, is at the sole risk of the user.
About FRPCUG
FRPCUG is an independent nonprofit computer society, so incorporated with the State of Colorado and open to anyone interested in Windows, or UNIX/LINUX microcomputers. Its purpose is to provide an educational and scientific forum of mutual benefit for members of the micro-computer community. FRPCUG holds a monthly meeting and conducts various special interest groups (SIGs) and seminars. Members have voting privileges, subscription to k-Byte newsletter, and access to SIGs and selected seminars. Annual dues are $25 for individual/family membership ($20 for students) and $50 for corporate/group membership.
by Mike Morris, Front Range PC Users Group, http://www.frpcug.org
Hello everyone. I am writing to you as the Old Analog Guy again (a reminder: the acronym is OAG and is pronounced "ogre").
You may find it surprising that this OAG has signed up for a Facebook account. I certainly surprised myself. However, I decided it was time to explore this . . . whatever it is when an older cousin sent me a message saying "check out my photos on Facebook." With help from my 17 year old grand niece, I think I have figured out (at least some of) the basic mechanics of using this social network.
I don't claim to understand the motivation behind the popularity of (electronic) social networks. The interests of advertisers in this phenomenon, are, however, very clear (more on that in a moment). The origins of this phenomenon (at least for Facebook) are in the east coast (US) universities around 2003 — 2004 (connect to Facebook Origins for more history and discussion of this company). According to that Wikipedia article, ". . . within the first month [of launch], more than half [of] the undergraduate population at Harvard was registered on the service." In 2005, Facebook launched a high school version, and in 2006 it was offered to the general public (everyone over the age of 13).
OK, I understand the interest in having friends and sharing conversation with friends. Even this OAG has a few friends (I think). What I don't understand is this willingness (compulsion?) to share (almost) every last detail of your life in a public (or "semi-public") way. That seems analogous to running around in a football stadium without any clothes and with 100,000 (or 60,000,000—the number of US Facebook users estimated in May of 2009*) screaming fans watching. And, of course, in today's world, it has risks.
The current version of Facebook allows you to control what information to enter (and display). So . . . I am now a Facebook registered user, and I think I may have learned a little about how to use it, and, perhaps . . . possibly . . . maybe . . . a glimmer of understanding of why it is used.
The first page you see when you connect to Facebook is this:
To register you need to enter the usual contact information, plus gender and birthdate. Your birthdate is the ONLY personal information (other than gender) that you are required to enter (and you can arrange so that it is not visible to anyone).
Once you register and log in, you are connected to Your "home page." Here is what my homepage looks like at the moment:
Probably the first item that catches your eye is that large "670." Yes, that is an advertisement, and advertising is the "fuel" that drives the social networking phenomena. So, if you find any or all of the ads objectionable (even for just being there), then you are, I am sorry to say, not a candidate for the "Facebook Generation" (I hope you are not too easily offended—after all every Google search results page has advertising). The ads (and "Suggestions") change every few minutes, I think.
Before I go on with my description of the homepage—or any other page—I need to call your attention to the "Settings" button at the upper right of the page. If you use your mouse to move the pointer over that button, you will se a list of 4 choices:
Now click on the "Privacy Settings" choice, and you obtain access to a list of privacy controls:
There are several categories of these settings:
You can also block a name and/or an email address form this page.
Here is how I have set my Profile privacy settings:
I have limited access to everything to "Only Friends" (another clue that I am still very much an OAG and have not made the transition to "Digital Man").
The choices are:
I have limited access to "Only Friends" for all information, including Contact Information and Search Visibility. If your reaction is ". . . but no one will be able to find you," my response is that my "friends" will find me.
Note that there privacy settings for "News Feed and Wall." Well folks, you need to learn the language.
News Feed is, as far as I can determine, the primary function of your homepage, and the Wall is another name for your Profile page. I will talk about those 2 pages in Part 2.
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November General Forum Meeting
We will meet at the Fort Collins Senior Center on: |
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Day
Tuesday |
Date
November 3rd |
Time
7:00 PM |
| Meeting Agenda | |
| Time | Topic |
| 7:00 to 7:15 | Announcements |
| 7:15 to 8:00 | Open Forum |
| 8:00 to 8:15 | Break |
| 8:15 to 9:00 | Social Networking Tools |
To check on FRPCUG events in 2009 using a familiar graphical calendar format, connect to the 2009 Graphical Events Calendar
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November General Forum Meeting
We will meet at the Fort Collins Senior Center on: |
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Day
Tuesday |
Date
December 1st |
Time
7:00 PM |
| Meeting Agenda | |
| Time | Topic |
| 7:00 to 7:15 | Announcements |
| 7:15 to 8:00 | Open Forum |
| 8:00 to 8:15 | Break |
| 8:15 to 9:00 | Annual Holiday Party |
See you at the meetings!
Get full membership benefits. If you are not a current member, download and complete a Membership Application. Mail the completed application and your payment to the address listed, or better yet, bring the application to the next meeting.
The topic for the November meeting is Social Networking Tools. Perhaps you don't know anything about them. But your children or grandchildren do, and therefore so should you. Come to the meeting for a sample of a few of these web sites, a little about how they work and some surprising information on why businesses are using them.
And don't forget that nominations for officers are due at the November meeting.
Elections are scheduled for the December meeting. The annual holiday party is also scheduled for the December meeting. Bring your family and friends and share cookies and coffee, tea or soda.
Digital Imaging SIG
The Digital Imaging SIG is a forum for discussion of digital imaging hardware and software. The meetings are held every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM in the Senior Center Lobby. The meeting format is informal, using the Shop Talk sessions as a basis. For more information, contact Mike Morris at twriterext(at)gmail.com.
New Technology SIG
The New Technology SIG provides advance support for all PC related operating system and telecommunication issues. The meetings are held at 7:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month at Bluebird Manufacturing Inc., 1421 Webster Avenue, in Fort Collins. For more information, contact Chuck McJilton at 970-493-2987.
Shop Talk
One-on-one assistance. Drop in to the Senior Center lobby on any Saturday (holidays excepted) from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Board Meeting
FRPCUG's executive board meets on Wednesday of the week following the General Forum meeting. All members are welcome and are encouraged to attend. These meetings are held at 7:00 PM in the Staff Board Room of the Fort Collins Senior Center.
For a view of FRPCUG activities in 2009, in a traditional graphical calendar format, connect to the Graphical Events Calendar
Here is a summary of FRPCUG activities and other important dates for the next two months:
November 2009
3 General Forum Meeting 7:00 PM
7 Shop Talk 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
10 Digital Imaging SIG Meeting 7:00 PM
11 FRPCUG Board Meeting 7:00 PM
14 Shop Talk 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
19 Technology SIG Meeting 7:00 PM
21 Shop Talk 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
26 Thanksgiving Holiday
28 No Shop Talk
December 2009
1 General Forum Meeting 7:00 PM
5 Shop Talk 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
8 Digital Imaging SIG Meeting 7:00 PM
9 11 FRPCUG Board Meeting 7:00 PM
12 Shop Talk 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
17 Technology SIG Meeting 7:00 PM
19 Shop Talk 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
25 Christmas Holiday
26 No Shop Talk
Photo Gallery
This month's featured photographer:
Mike Louglin using a Panasonic DMC-FX30 Camera.
Lake View
Camera Settings:
Mode = Auto, F Number = 9.0, Exposure time = 1/200 seconds, Focal Length = 6.20 mm
ISO = 200, White Balance = Auto, Scene Capture Type = Standard
Copyright © 2009 by Mike Loughlin. All rights reserved. Send requests for copies/reprint permissions to kbyte(at)frpcug.org
Pamela Tabak receives numerous computer-related questions via e-mail and during classroom presentations. She selects those she feels are of common interest to most members and forwards them to us for publication.
Pamela invites members to ask their questions at http://tinyurl.com/ask-pamela. More often than not you will receive and answer within 24 hours.
QUESTION: How do I remove table borders in Word 2003 so that they do not print?
ANSWER: To remove borders from the whole table:
QUESTION: How do I insert a blank page between pages 5 and 6 in a Word 2007 document that contains 65 pages?
ANSWER: With your document open at the place where you wish to insert a blank page:
Click the Blank Page option. This will insert a blank page.
QUESTION: I have a 20 page document in Word to which I have added a footer. I would like to change the footer on several pages but leave the rest as is. Can this be done or do all the footers need to remain the same?
ANSWER: When you change the header or footer for a section, Microsoft Word automatically changes the same header or footer for all sections of the document.
To create a different header or footer for a section, you need to break the connection between the sections. The document must first be divided into sections in order to create a different header or footer for part of a document.
Insert a section break where you want to start a new section that contains a different footer:
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FRPCUG CONTACTS
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Telephone Area Code 970
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| Title | Name | Work Phone | Home Phone | |
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FRPCUG Officers |
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| President | Rick Mattingly | 613-8968 | rickmatt(at)q.com | |
| Vice President | Don Anderson | 498-3534 | 482-0943 | doande(at)gmail.com |
| Treasurer | Virginia Febinger | 498-2127 | gingercln(at)comcast.net | |
| Secretary | Jim Bragonier | 221-5500 | 484-9061 | james.bragonier(at)comcast.net |
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k-Byte Staff |
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| Editor-in-Chief | Mike Morris | 461-2002 | twriterext(at)gmail.com | |
| Features Editor | Mike Morris | 461-2002 | twriterext(at)gmail.com | |
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Other Contacts |
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| Membership Coordinator | Jack Linder | 663-2151 | jack(at)frpcug.org | |
| Technology SIG Leader | Chuck McJilton | 491-1011 | 493-2987 | cdmcjs(at)gmail.com |
| Digital Imaging SIG Leader | Mike Morris | 461-2002 | twriterext(at)gmail.com | |
| Publicity | Mike Morris | 461-2002 | twriterext(at)gmail.com | |
| FRPCUG Fax Line | 493-1408 | |||
| FRPCUG Home Page w/ E-Mail | http://www.frpcug.org | |||
| FRPCUG Officer E-Mail | board(at)frpcug.org | |||
| Library Request E-Mail | library(at)frpcug.org | |||
The Fort Collins Senior Center is located at 1200 Raintree Drive. This site is situated at the northwest corner of the Shields and Raintree Drive intersection, on the north side of the Raintree Shopping Center, and just west of the bank building on the corner of Shields and Raintree (see map at right).
Check the marquee at the main entrance for directions to the specific meeting room.
