Official Newsletter SouthEastern Michigan Computer Organization, Inc. Volume 30 September 2005 Number 9 IN THIS ISSUE MEETINGS SCHEDULE .............................................................. 3 Deals Column, by Bob (The Cheapskate) Click ....................... 3 VoIP, Voice Over Internet Protocol, by Brian K. Lewis ........... 5 Dual Core Processors Are Coming, by Timothy Everingham ..........................................................
SEMCO OFFICERS President Gary DeNise Vice President Richard Jackson Secretary Carol Sanzi Treasurer Chester Blechinger Members at Large of the Board of Directors Bob Clyne Chuck Moery (248) 634-7514 (248) 546-3694 (586) 739-7256 (248) 338-2653 (810) 387-3101 keypounder2@aol.
certification, I never found out for sure. There were 18,000 attendees, and the exhibit floor had over 300 booths, although most booths were not elaborate. Food was in abundance throughout the entire show for attendees. I was told that each attendee (or his/her employer) paid at least $1,700 to attend. There were many sessions using many different speakers, and covering a diverse variety of topics, during its six days. Steve Ballmer gave the keynote speech. It was fun to work this show.
unaware that there was more than one type of RDRAM for that motherboard. Last Chance For The Biometric Unlocking Device Deal This deal was only supposed to be for two months, but Hassan will probably still give you the discount on the fingerprint unlocking system for your locks, if you ask. Unlocking your doors doesn’t get much better. E-mail him and ask for more information so he knows you read about it. To order, e-mail him at
try those functions. I did move around some of the image files from the media cards to my USB external HD, USB thumb drive, PC, etc., and it worked well. It handles both USB speeds. You need Windows 2000 or XP for this product. An available free download on their Web site is Orb Networks that allows accessing the photos, video, and music on your home PC (broadband connected) from your Internet enabled mobile device.
dedicated wire for each call. For the period of time you were on the phone you “owned” a copper wire connection between your phone and the other party. In today’s PSTN, all calls are digitized and can be combined with thousands of others running over fiber optic cable between central stations. However, the connection between the two phones must remain open for the length of the call. When computer data is transmitted over phone lines or cable, it is also in digital form.
service that allows you to connect to other Skype users. The software for this can be downloaded from their Web site. It took just a few minutes to install it on my computer. Once you have installed it, you need to set up a call list of other users. So you have to contact people that you call frequently and have them install the Skype software. From that point on, it becomes much like instant messaging. If the person you are calling is on-line, you can connect and talk to them.
while you are on the road. Also, by taking your ATA adapter with you when you travel, connections can be made through broadband data ports in many hotels and motels. Of these providers, Vonage has been in the game longer than the others and has a strong reputation as to its quality. They have two basic plans: (1) $24.99 for unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada, (2) $14.99 for 500 longdistance minutes. They also offer virtual phone numbers with any area code you prefer.
Why are we going to dual-core processors? One of the main reasons is heat. The higher a processor’s clock speed, the more heat it produces. The 3.6 GHz Pentium 4 did have heat problems. Of course what we have been doing is just put more than one processor on a motherboard to increase performance beyond what you can get with a single processor (The general rule has been that adding a second processor improves computer speed by 60% over a single processor of the same speed).
per processor chip? Right now it looks like the trend says no. Microsoft has already said for its programs that are licensed on a per processor basis it will continue doing so and not go to a per processor core basis. Also to consider in upgrading both Intel and AMD systems, you may have software you need to activate that logs the system components.
hotels, restaurants, airports, and other locations offer wireless broadband internet access either for a fee, or for free. Now before I leave home, I check a Web site , or its twin sister site supported by Intel, , to determine what wireless access is available enroute, or at my destination. Another source of such information is . Jwire.
sensitive personal information while on a publicly accessible wireless network. Some of the commercial hotspots offer “WEP,” or wireless encryption protocol, which makes it more difficult for unwelcome third parties to listen in on internet communications, but the methods for cracking WEP have been widely published, and are now only considered to provide marginal security.
reminders to others, but Memo to Me will charge you for those features. On the other hand, Time Cave charges for the ability to repeat messages (monthly, weekly, etc.), which is standard with Memo to Me. 2. Way Back Machine Is a website you’re seeking no longer around? If it was active as late as 1996, you’ll probably find it easily in this huge archive. 3. Centerwatch Clinical Trials
your instructions, will even avoid ambiguous characters [o and 0, 1 and I]. 10. Zap2it With Zap2it you can check out both TV and movie schedules. Various options let you permanently personalize each set of listings, to give you just the information you need, in the format you prefer. 11. Acronym Finder Don’t be baffled by acronyms and abbreviations you encounter on the Web and elsewhere. This site offers definitions for over 398,000 such terms.
“metascore.” (Additional Metacritic pages cover videos, music, and games.) For evaluating movies for children, or if you have a concern about violence, sex, or profanity, Kids-in-mind will rate and describe each film’s content in those three areas. 20. CardRatings This site maintains information on over 700 credit cards, and will suggest the best cards in a variety of categories— low or no credit, no annual fee, low interest, rewards/rebates, etc. 21. CheckFree
I have had my unit for about a year now and really like it. The display is very good, and the performance is excellent. The keyboard is good for a laptop, but laptop keyboards are never quite as easy to type on as desktop keyboards. The computer has a touchpad like just about all laptops, and I may never get used to them. They never seem to know when I mean to be using them and when my hand is just near them while reaching for the keyboard.
remember my setting and boot up to that setting. It is easy to change the screen brightness when the computer is on, if I don’t forget, but I like equipment that compensates for my forgetfulness and other frailties. I have found that the screen is bright enough under most conditions at a setting two notches below the default, and the lower setting seems to extend the battery run time. I wish they had an automobile adapter.
configuration screens. I think their products are worth your look. Eurocom Corporation 148 Colonnade Road Nepean, Ontario K2E 7R4 1-877-387-6266 .
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIGS) SIG-IBM SIG-IBM INTERMEDIATE Tom Callow Interim Chairman Tom Callow Warner Mach Sept. 11: Gene Barlow on Internet Security, Organizing Your Access to the Internet, and Backing up Your Hard Drive: Gene Barlow of User Group Relations will tell what may be going on behind the scenes when you access the Internet and what you can do to protect yourself from Internet hackers.
Bill Agnew agnew@bignet.net (to post monthly computer group info) CALENDAR-OF-EVENTS OTHER GROUPS AAIICI (American Association of Individual Investors, Computerized Investors) Sept. 24–Saturday, 10am (4th Saturday); W. Bloomfield Twp. Library, 4600 Walnut Lake Rd., 1 mile west of Orchard Lk Rd. Jack Lockman at
SPECIAL MEMBER BENEFIT Telesthetic ISP Service ● $4.95 per month plus $5 setup fee ● Rate for SEMCO members only ● Unlimited hours ● Billing by e-mail, credit card Long Distance Phone Service ● Without ISP service: $2.95/month plus usage charge ● 4.5cents/min 24/7 (plus taxes, etc.) ● Billing plus call detail by e-mail ● 30 sec minimum, then 6 sec billing increment ● Visa or Mastercard Contact SEMCO member John Lodden or Customer Service or 1-800-807-4515.
SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN COMPUTER ORGANIZATION, INC. SEMCO CALENDAR—September/October ELLIOTT HALL, OAKLAND UNIVERSITY ROCHESTER, MICHIGAN September 11–SUNDAY (Meet 2nd Sunday) SEMCO Board Meeting at 12:00 noon, Room 235. For Officers and SIG Chairpersons. Other members are invited to attend. SEMCO General Meeting at 1:30 pm, Room 235. Special Interest Groups (SIGs) SIG-IBM 1:45 pm, Room 235.
East Oakland Drive MAIN CAMPUS of OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Walton Boulevard West Oakland Dr. SB 5 Meadow Brook R d oa N ine Rav e Driv Squirrel Road City of Auburn Hills To City of Pontiac S 2 Wilson Blvd.
SEMCO: A Community Organization Helping People for the 21st Century SEMCO (future meetings) September 11 October 9 SouthEastern Michigan Computer Organization, Inc. P.O.
