CyberCoyote - January 22, 2009

NEWS and NOTES
Spreadsheet class

Karen Bland will be teaching a spreadsheet class (Excel) starting on February 10. Chuck Green (his phone # is in the HT phone book) is the keeper of the sign-up list.

The Photography SIG (special interest group) meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 1:00 PM in the Computer Room. The theme for February is rust and corrosion. Put your photos on a CD (I have mine already) and come join the discussion.

VIPRE Security Software

We gave out three copies of VIPRE Antivirus/Antispyware as door prizes today. VIPRE is one of the main security programs that I use. In fact, it could be the only security software you need beyond the firewall that comes with Windows. You can download VIPRE for a 30 day free trial yourself. If you try it, be sure to first remove any antivirus or antispyware programs that you have installed. [remove Norton] [remove McAfee]

Online Photo Editing Sites

George introduced us to some online photo editing services today. They're just what you need if you don't want to install a big program on your own computer, or need to touch-up a few photos from another computer. None of them rival the best inexpensive desktop photo editors.

https://www.photoshop.com/express/landing.html
http://www.picnik.com/
http://www.splashup.com/
http://www.picture2life.com/
http://www.pixlr.com/app/
http://snipshot.com/
http://pixenate.com/
http://www.lunapic.com/editor/
http://fotoflexer.com/
http://aviary.com/
http://www.sumopaint.com/
http://www.pizap.com
http://canvaspaint.org/
TECH TOPICS
Getting help online

A simple Google search usually produces good answers to computer questions that are fairly common. But if you have a specific, obscure problem you may need more focused help. Better searches may be the way to get it, or you can take advantage of the many forums that provide more specific help. Steve Bass recently offered some suggestions about both approaches, and I do something similar at Getting Help Online.

WEB PICK
History of the Internet

"History of the Internet" is an animated documentary explaining the inventions from time-sharing to file-sharing, from Arpanet to Internet. [via]

SECURITY
Get a little help from your friends

Mitch Keeler, blogging on Firefox Facts, recently interviewed Asa Surrio, CEO of Web of Trust (WOT). The idea behind WOT is a network of users who keep an eye out for malicious or bogus websites. They provide an add-on for browsers (Firefox or Internet Explorer) that makes visible how much to trust a link on a website. It's a rapid response element of pro-active defense as apposed to the slow response of reactive (conventional) defense.

ODDS and ENDS
Battle of the browsers

Can Firefox do this?

The patient refused autopsy.

Next time you have the urge to forward an email, here's the place to satisfy it. Quotations from hospital charts.

Tech support

Program upgrade hassles.

That's all, folks.