March 2008 Magazine

citrus macintosh users group
March 2008
Directions
➔
➔
to
90 ssa
4
a
R. os
C. om
H
Cowboy
Junction
S.R. 44 to
Inverness
C.R. 491
er
Riv mi.
1.5
➔
tal
rys
N
oC
Crystal
Oaks
Clubhouse
Lecanto Highway
4t
.4
S. R
Crystal Oaks Blvd.
Inside
Board
From:
Inverness — State Road 44 West. 1.5 miles
west of County Road 490. On S.R. 44 turn left at
entrance to Crystal Oaks on Crystal Oaks Blvd.
Clubhouse is .10 mile on left.
Crystal River — S.R. 44 East off U.S. 19.
Go 4 miles. Turn right at entrance to Crystal
Oaks on Crystal Oaks Blvd. Clubhouse is .10
mile on left.
Homosassa — U.S. 19 to Home Depot.
Turn east on W. Venable. Stay on this road for
5.5 miles. Do not worry about name change.
Clubhouse on right.
Homosassa via C.R. 490 — Turn left at
S.R. 44. Go 1.5 miles. Turn left at entrance to
Crystal Oaks on Crystal Oaks Blvd. Clubhouse
is .10 mile on left.
Curtis Herrin, President
[email protected]
341-5555
Bill Dean, VP/Tech
[email protected]
527-8405
Jean Clark, VP/Education
[email protected]
249-3253
Vito DePinto, Secretary
[email protected]
726-7787
Julie DePinto, Treasurer
[email protected]
726-7787
Alan Wentzell, Ambassador
[email protected]
302-5864
Jo Foster, Magazine Editor
[email protected]
726-1046
Carolyn Herrin, Membership
[email protected]
341-5555
Chris Dusombre,
Librarian/Tekkie
[email protected]
Articles
Find Open Source Software
– Johanna Foster – 9
Open Source Software
– Johanna Foster – 9
Permissions–Not You
– Curt Herrin – 3
Stocker Strikes CMUG
– Curt Herrin – 6
TopXNotes – Curt Herrin – 11
Web & web.mac.com
– Hal Seckinger – 10
‘Who’s on First’–With a
Cybertwist – Gail Mitchell – 6
Columns
Coming Up – 8
From the President – 3
Lab Report – 5
Meeting Minutes – 11
Pointers for the Perplexed – 7
Surf’s Up – 7
Citrus Macintosh Users Group Magazine is published
online monthly by Citrus Macintosh Users Group.
Citrus Macintosh Users Group Magazine was
produced using Adobe Photoshop CS and Adobe
InDesign 2.0.
Johanna Foster, Editor
Cover design by Johanna Foster
AboutCMUG
Citrus Macintosh Users Group is a tax-exempt, nonprofit educational organization, dedicated to helping all people in
our area become familiar with their computers.
We meet on the fourth Friday monthly at the Crystal Oaks Clubhouse. The meetings start at 6:30 p.m. with an informal question-and-answer period led by some of the club’s Mac tech people. A business meeting follows at 7 p.m., followed
by a presentation covering a variety of topics, such as graphics, web pages, or using hardware and software related to the
Macintosh computer.
On the Sunday following the meeting, we hold a Lab/Tune-up from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Crystal Oaks Clubhouse. At the
lab that is free for members, tech members correct problems with hardware and software.
We offer Saturday afternoon classes monthly. The classes allow participants to learn Mac software programs and techniques in a hands-on-setting. Cost for the classes are $10 for members, $15 for member families, and $20 for nonmembers.
The monthly magazine with articles from members is also a member benefit, as well as free special interest groups
(SIGs) that are formed by members who have an interest in exploring a particular area in depth.
We also offer an informal workshop for members at the Beverly Hills Community Building on the fourth Tuesday
monthly. The workshop can either cover a specific topic or address various computer problems of participants.
ClubDues
Annual dues for members are $20 for an individual membership, $30 for a family membership and $10 for a student
membership.The membership period begins Jan. 15 each year. Dues for new memberships after July are pro-rated; renewals
remain at the annual rate.
2
Permissions – Not You
FromthePresident
CurtHerrin
Curt Herrin
Shortly, CMUG will honor this
year’s scholarship recipients. Your
support of CMUG makes this possible. The recipients are required to
attend a meeting to finalize the process before we forward the funds to
their college once we are notified of their enrollment.
The students chose the meeting that fits their schedule.There is a good chance we will meet at least one of
them this month at the social.
For the
third year,
we will have
a social in
the month
of March.
This is to
honor our
m e m b e rship
for
your continued support
and
to just have
a little fun.
Our first
social was
to
thank
the winter
residents
for
staying
with
C M U G
Vito DePinto
even though
they are seldom able to capitalize on all the offerings of
this fine club. It was decided after the first social that
March was a month that most members are in town,
so why not make it a yearly event? — an event of appreciation to you, the membership.
James Lee, of TopXNotes, was our guest speaker
at the February meeting. He made the trip from Jacksonville to demonstrate the usefulness of TopXNotes
and how it can play an important part in our computer
experience. You missed a good presentation and a few
members capitalized on the software discount offered
by Lee.
Be sure to read the story of CMUG’s Stocker. See
you at the social.
Leopard has made inhouse sharing of files very
simple between computers with a wireless card. In
the past, one method would have been to create an inhouse network that required entering each computer’s
IP address. This was enough to start the confusion and
only those really needing this network researched further to complete the task.
Last month, we learned how to turn on the file
sharing and set up what you would allow to be shared
and to whom. By now, the person you are sharing with
has realized that when they open files from you they
are relegated to opening a copy because your file is
locked. Your locked file prevents any change to the
original. Their copy can be modified and then saved as
such.
CMUG’s membership chairwoman and president
reside in our house. We have a need to share the club
roster and make changes. It is best that we are both
able to change the original. If you find that to be the
case in your house or if you are sending the file to
someone, the creator of the file needs to do the following.
Click on the file once, then hold the Command key
down and click “I” key. Or look under File on the Menu
bar and select Get Info.
The window that opens tells you many things
about
the
file. We are
interested in
two things.
In Leopard’s
Get
Info
window under General,
make sure
Locked
is
not checked..
Then, proceed down
to Sharing &
Permissions.
What you
see
there
is who has
custom access and just
what they
3
are allowed to do. You will have to unlock this as well
by clicking on the little lock at the bottom right corner
and enter your password—your master password.
Now, you can select who can change the original.
In my case, I said everyone. For inhouse, this is easier.
When you close the Get Info window, permissions
will lock again. My only other suggestion would be to
use Time Machine to back up the file just in case that
trusted other person has a senior moment and put the
file in the Shared folder which has unrestricted access.
Permissions can be changed in System 10.3/4 as
well. The Get Info window may look a little different.
‘Who’s on First’ – With a Cybertwist
Gail Mitchell
Abbott: Do you want a computer with Windows?
Someone sent me a deranged copy of Abbott and
Costello: I don’t know. What will I see when I look at
Costello’s “Who’s on First” broadcast in the 1930s. Now,
fast forward to 2008 and try to imagine Abbott and the windows?
Abbott: Wallpaper.
Costello trying to buy/sell a computer. If Bud Abbott and
Costello: Never mind the windows. I
Lou Costello were alive today, their faneed a computer and software.
mous sketch “Who’s on First” might
Abbott: Software for Windows?
have turned out something like this:
Costello: No. On the computer! I
Costello calls to buy a computer
need something I can use to write
from Abbott
proposals, track expenses and run
Abbott: Super Duper commy business. What do you have?
puter store. Can I help you?
Abbott: Office.
Costello: Hello. I’m setCostello: Yeah, for my
ting up an office in my den,
office.
Can you recommend
and I’m thinking about buying
anything?
a computer.
Abbott: Just did.
Abbott: Mac?
Costello:
You just did what?
Costello:
No,
the
Abbott:
Recommend
somename’s Lou.
thing.
Abbott: Your computer?
Costello: You recommendCostello: I don’t own a
ed
something?
computer. I want to buy one.
Abbott: Yes.
Abbott: Mac?
Costello: For my office?
Costello: I told you, my
Abbott: Yes
name’s Lou.
Costello: OK, what did you
Abbott: What about Winrecommend
for my office?
dows?
Abbott:
Office.
Costello: Why? Will it get
Lou Costello and Bud Abbott from AbbottandCostello.net
stuffy in here?
Costello: Yes, for my office!
4
Abbott: I recommend Office with Windows.
Costello: I need money to track my money?
Abbott: It comes bundled with your computer.
Costello: I already have an office with windows! OK,
Costello: What’s bundled with my computer?
let’s just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to type a
Abbott: Money.
proposal. What do I need?
Costello: Money comes with my computer?
Abbott: Word.
Abbott: Yes. No extra charge.
Costello: What word?
Costello: I get a bundle of money with my computer?
Abbott: Word in Office.
How
much?
Costello: The only word in office is office.
Abbott: One copy.
Abbott: The Word in Office for Windows.
Costello: Isn’t it illegal to copy money?
Costello: Which word in office for windows?
Abbott: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
Abbott: The Word you get when you click the blue
Costello: They can give you a license to copy mon‘W.’
ey?
Costello: I’m going to click your blue ‘W’ if you
Abbott: Why not? They own it!
don’t start with some straight answers. What about finanA few days later
cial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money
with?
Abbott: Super Duper computer store. Can I help
Abbott: Money.
you?
Costello: How do I turn my computer off?
Costello: That’s right. What do you have?
Abbott: Click on START.
Abbott: Money.
in iPhoto and had duplicates of several images. Curt
worked on that and showed Leonard around Tiger.
Our young guru, Chris Dusombre, solved a problem
Chris installed 10.4.11 on Joan Kobayashi’s iBook.
with wireless connection, something none of the other Bill Dean showed her some of the Tiger features she
tech staff could accomplish. G3 iBooks and some other was unfamiliar with.
Macs with original Airport cards installed would not
Jan Moore’s PowerBook would not connect with
connect to the CMUG Wireless router at Crystal CMUG wireless. Chris corrected the problem. Jan was
Oaks. Chris found a way to make the connection also unable to use Leopard’s Desktop and Screen Saver
successful. The next time you bring your G3 iBook or preferences. We could not correct this problem at
other Mac with an original Airport
card to a lab, class or meeting, you
should find that the connection will
be OK.
We were unable to get Dave
Houser’s iMac to start up. It hangs
permanently with the gray screen
and spinning gear. We used Disk
Utility for drive repair when booted
from an external drive. Disk repair
showed no problems. DiskWarrior
also reported no problems. The
gray screen persists. Dave will try
again at home, but the iMac’s logic
board may have serious errors.
Forrest and Gloria Young
reported that Safari was unable
to render some Web pages. Curt
installed Firefox, which was able to
get the pages. Curt also corrected
some problems with Google and
Bill Dean
Hotmail.
Adrienne and John Koslowski work on cleaning up their iBook hard drive at the January
Leonard Bates had lost pictures lab/tune-up.
LabReportBillDean
5
Lab, but Bill Dean got the preferences back
with a house call later. It required an Archive
and Install of 10.5 and an update to 10.5.2.
John Engberg worked with Emel and Meg
Atkins to get their backup on external drives
working properly and restored pictures to a
Keynote file.
Lee Cloward had a question regarding
Recovered Files in his Trash. Bill explained
that he could safely empty these files.
Gloria Schroedel had no sound. Curt
found that the Sound Preferences was
set to Mute. Gloria was unable to install
Leopard because the processor on her G4
did not meet system requirements. Power
PC processors must be at least 867 MHz.
Curt showed Gloria how to eject disks and
empty caches.
Greg Thomas reported an inability to
burn CDs on his iBook. Bill was unable to
correct this. The iBook will probably have
to go to Apple for repair. Bill reformatted
Greg’s external hard drive and copied files
as back up.
Dave Stocker got assistance installing
Panther on his G4 desktop.
Frank Schwartz needed to correct
duplicate Document folders and reinstalled
“Maxtor User Guide” to his Documents
folder.
John assisted Mary and Patrick Conrey
with a general clean up their computers
and removed duplicate files related to a
software update.
Curt worked with John Koslowski on
streaming video.
Stocker Strikes CMUG
Curt Herrin
A little background will explain how this could
happen to CMUG. Our new member Karen Thomas
wanted to use her cell phone as a modem when
connecting to the internet. She contacted our beloved
Dr. Bill. Bill, being a true professional and realizing he had
no idea how to accomplish this, referred her to Dave
whom had done this with his own cell phone. Dave had
spent countless hours researching this and making it
possible on his phone. He went to Karen’s armed with
his three ring binder and pages of instructions. Fifteen
minute job? Not even close. Before it was over Dave
had spent over twelve hours with Karen and made a
trip to the Apple store in Tampa.
Much to Dave’s protest, Karen gave him a personal
check for his time. This is what lead Dave Stocker to
Strike.To follow is a typed letter from Dave to CMUG
dated February 24.
“I recently visited the Karen and Chuck Thomas
household, new members, to teach them how to pair
their new Mac Laptop with their Motorola E815 cell
phone to use as a modem for the internet. Karen and
I spent considerable effort but after two sessions we
were successful.
“I did not want pay so we are donating $100 to
CMUG. Chuck was gracious with an orchid plant for
me.
Welcome to CMUG folks,
Best Regards, Dave Stocker
Helping each other in CMUG is what makes me
proud to represent our membership.”
Gail Mitchell
Scene from last year’s March party.
6
Pointersforthe
Perplexed
full Microsoft application.
You will find that you have a word processor, a
spreadsheet, a database, plus a drawing feature, similar
to the one in AppleWorks.
Of course, if you want to stick with Apple products,
iWork 08 will open all Microsoft files, but Apple requires
more than a donation. iWork 08 is $80 from Apple.
Leopard Report
So far as I know, Leopard installations and updates
(10.5.2) have been mostly successful. A couple of
members have had problems, some minor and at least
one had a crash after the installation. I did my update
from a stand-alone installer, not through Software
Update, and had no trouble. Get it from apple.com>
Support > Downloads. Don’t be afraid to install and
update Leopard. You will probably join the majority
who have had satisfactory results, and you will like
the new features. As always, a back up of at least your
Home Folder is wise.
Some Apple Leopard tips are available at this site:
www.apple.com/business/theater/?sr=hotnews?sr=ho
tnews.rss.
Instructions in the Tip movies tell you to “right
click.” If you have a one-button mouse, use Controlclick.
BillDean
Try NeoOffice —
You get those e-mail attachments
from your PC friends who use
Microsoft Word (.doc), Excel (.xls)
or Powerpoint (.pps), and you can’t
open them because you do not have Microsoft Office
on your Mac. TextEdit and AppleWorks, if you have the
last version, will open most of these Word and Excel
files. They will not open PowerPoint.
A good alternative is NeoOffice, which will open
all Office files as well as serve as a simulated Office
application. It is free, although you will find a “donation”
option.
You can download NeoOffice at neooffice.org. It
works on Intel Macs (Leopard compatible) and those
with Power PC processors. Download the appropriate
format, install it in your Applications folder, put an icon
on the dock. The next time you get a .doc, .xls or .pps
attachment, just drag it to the NeoOffice Dock icon,
and the file will open.
You can use NeoOffice just as you would use the
Surf’sUp
Shutterbug Newsletter. Of particular interest to me as
a photographer, is this article that discusses the steps
involved in converting color images to black and white
SuzanneEvenson using Aperture, an Apple program specifically designed
for photographers.
Shutterbug.com
Other interesting articles can also be accessed
Mac users/photographers might from this link www.shutterbug.com/equipmentreviews/
be interested in looking at the online software_computers/0208apertue.
7
ComingUpinMarch
hardware problems. Make sure that you bring all the
necessary hardware and cables to run your computer.
If you would like to request a specific topic, check with
Sat. March 15, 1-5 p.m., class at Crystal
Bill Dean via e-mail at [email protected]
Oaks Scanners & Printers Oh My!
or contact him for questions about the Workshop.
The class will cover scanning and printing. Having probFriday, March 28, 6:30-9 p.m., PARTY
lems getting a feel for just how to do these task and get TIME!!
satisfactory results? Come join us at this month’s class. The Annual CMUG Party! Raffles! Ongoing entertainWe are trying somement (slide shows,
thing new. With the
other events) Equipvariety and makes
ment Swap! Have
of printers and scansomething extra that
ners, there is no foryou never use? Maybe
mal way to teach this
someone else give it
type of class. Thus,
a new home! Come
we will have an open
hungry! CMUG will
forum style event.
supply food, drinks
There will be more
and dessert, just bring
Curt Herrin
than one talented
your appetite! If you
The Leopard class was very well attended.
Mac person there to
have any questions
help you figure out
about the meeting,
how to get the best
please contact Curt
out of your scanner
Herrin via e-mail at
and printer. Members
cmugpres@tampabay
with like printers
.rr.com.
can work with each
Sunday, March
other and learn new
30, 1-5 p.m.,
tricks and shortcuts.
Lab/Tune-up at
You have most of the
Curt Herrin Crystal Oaks
responsibilities for Meg Atkins, Jan Moore and Betty Blockus work on their computers during the Bring your comthe success of this Leopard class.
puter for tune-up,
class. Make sure you
correction of probhave the most current drivers for your unit. Bring ev- lems or for one-on-one instruction in Mac applications.
erything you think you might want to scan—newspaper, Make sure that you bring all the necessary hardware
books, and/or magazine articles, pictures, photographic and cables to run your computer. Lab sign up with Bill
slides and paper for your printer. Bring photo paper if Dean at [email protected] or 527-8405.
you plan to print pictures. Be sue to bring all the wires
and cables needed to connect to your computer. As
you might imagine, this is a lot of equipment to bring.
This class will be limited to fourteen setups. Families can
bring one setup. If there is a large request for this class,
we will consider offering it again in April. Come earlier
to set up your computer. Sign up early with Jean Clark
at [email protected] hope to see you there.The
class fee $10 for individuals, $15 for family and $20 for
nonmembers. To sign up for this class, e-mail Jean Clark
at [email protected] or phone her at 249-3263.
Tuesday, March 25, 1-4 p.m., workshop
The Workshop will be held on Tuesday at the Beverly
Hills Community Building. Come for instruction, minor
Curt Herrin
tune-up, class follow-up when possible, software and The Conrey family attended the Leopard class.
8
Open Source Software
Johanna Foster
Several years ago, a work buddy told me
about great office software and software for
photo editing available on the Internet that
was absolutely free—no strings.
Too good to be true?
At that time, finding the software and understanding how Linux fit in was too much.
However, the other week at work, when
two other colleagues were discussing this great,
free software—to edit photos—it was
too intriguing since one was a photographer. I had to find out more.
It turned out to be Open Source
software, not as sophisticated as Photoshop, but free and available for Mac.
There was just one little caveat, though.
If one didn’t have the Leopard OS, there w a s
a tiny piece of software to install, but that software was included with the Mac installation
disks.
OK. It’s been several years, and Open
Source and I have come a long way, and it was
worth the effort to explore, after all, software
is only getting more expensive.
I found the software, that little utility my
colleague was talking about—I don’t have
Leopard, and I learned a lot more, starting with
what Open Source is.
According to Wikipedia, “Open Source is a
set of principles and practices on how to write
software, the most important of which is that
the source code is openly available. The Open
Source Definition, which was created by Bruce
Parens and Eric Raymond and is currently
maintained by Open Source Initiative, adds
additional meaning to the term: One should
not only get the source code, but also have the
right to use it. If the latter is denied, the license
is categorized as a shared source license.” The
idea is that everyone can have access to and
use the software.
So, how did this start? On the Web site
www.linfo.org, a paragraph is devoted to Linus
Torvalds, who was a student at the University
of Helsinki in Finland in 1991. Torvalds was unhappy with the MS-DOS operating system that
came with his PC. But he could not afford the
Find Open Source Software
Johanna Foster
There are tons of Open Source software.
A huge list is at SourceForge.net, which is really an
Open Source software
development site
that also has Open
Source software
downloads.
I found the
c a t e go r i z a t i o n
quite confusing;
for instance, to
find Scribus, a professional page layout
program, I had to go to Financial > Office Suites.
It also has a search engine, but it did not find
NeoOffice, which indicates the site is in no way
comprehensive.
But, if you have some time to kill, browsing the site
is kind of interesting for what is happening in the Open
Source scene.
There is,however,another site that is devoted to Mac
Open Source software—www.opensourcemac.org.
This site lists Mac-compatible Open Source software.
However, its GIMP version is not the most current
(see Get GIMP in next month’s issue).
A nice feature of this site is that it groups the
software by function.
Although the site claims to list the best Mac Open
Source software, I did find a dud—Seashore. The
Seashore description
leads one to think
that it might be a little
less powerful (read: it
does a whole bunch
of stuff, therefore,
may be considered a
little complex) than
GIMP. Seashore
is
less complex to the
extreme.
Yet, all in all, the
list is pretty long and
annotated—two pages.
9
high licensing fees for the UNIX operating system that
was installed on the university computers. His solution
was to, as a hobby, develop an operating system: Linux.
Linux is still Open Source, which means the license allows free use. And Torvalds continues to coordinate
the development of the Linux kernel.
In the brief story about Torvalds, two operating
systems stand out: UNIX and Linux; names we are familiar with since Apple developed OS X. Small world.
But, did you know that the design of the Mac OS
and Linux Operating System were inspired by or in-
ing. Apple.com has X11 for earlier versions of OS X.
So why X11? Certain software, such as GIMP, an
Open Source photo editing program, uses a separate
windowing layer whose functionality comes from the
XDarwin project. (GIMP.org) The X Window System,
current version—X11, is the free cross-platform system for managing graphical user interfaces; i.e., a user
interface in this case means that humans can use it.
X Window System, or just X, was originally conceived at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1984 to make an operating environment that was
hardware- and vendor-indeAccording to Wikipedia,
pendent; i.e., could be used
on all computers. After X
‘Open Source is a set of principles
10, the project beand practices on how to write software …’ version
came too unweildy for MIT,
and Digital Equipment Corherited from the UNIX Operating System that was poration developed version 11, or X11. It was one of
developed by Bell Labs beginning in the 1960s? And, the first large-scale Open Source software projects. It
“many of the fundamental concepts in modern oper- was completed in 1987 and set the precedent for the
ating systems … were first introduced in the UNIX development of Linux, an Open Source operating sysOperating System and its derivatives.” (Wikipedia. For tem. (www.linfo.org. By the way, the info on this site is
a more in-depth explanation about the connection of extremely readable—you’ll like it.)
the different operating systems, see the “Operating
What does all this mean? Not much. But it sure
system” entry in Wikipedia.)
was interesting to see the interconnections—to learn
The Web site linfo.org, where I found the origin of where Linux and UNIX on my Macs come from.
Linux, also has the definition of that little utility that
Actually, this was going to be my segue into GIMP for
my newspaper colleague mentioned: X11. X11 is op- OS X users, who don’t want to buy photo editing and mational—through custom download, which is included nipulating software for whatever reason, yet want a photo
with some of the more recent OS X software, but it is editing program with more capability than iPhoto—but you
integrated in Leopard and does not require download- can tell that I got a tad carried away.
Web & web.mac.com
Hal Seckinger
My experience with Mac for more than a month
has been one of the most exasperating computer
experiences of my past 25 years. That leaves out
GoDaddy, TypePad, and Google. Registering a domain
with GoDaddy was easy, and forwarding it seems to
work; except, Google will not recognize it, even though
I opened an account and followed all instructions
multiple times. Finally, Mac recognized the domain and
publishes to it; except neither I or anyone else can
access it.
TypePad was recognized as one of the most user
friendly of blogging services. Since I could not get it to
recognize my domain; Sheila insisted I try Mac since
we had an account. Setting up a blog and managing it
was not difficult and I was pleased with the results; yet
I cannot publish it to a Web site. Though web.mac.com
gave me a site, no one can access it. The blog publishes
to the domain, Mac directs me to web.mac.com/
sheseck4, which has no entries. Nothing is registered
to our account.
All efforts at help support and e-mail
correspondence keeps giving me the same information
contained in the help files, which do not work.
What does work is the continual pages entreating
me to either subscribe to or buy Apple products
explaining to me all the wonderful things that I can do
with an Apple. At the moment, the wonderful thing I
wish to do with Apple is place it against my stone wall
and perforate it with buckshot—I’m not good with a
bow and arrow.
10
February22meetingMinutesVitoDePinto
Attendance: 25 members and 5 guests. Of the five guests, three 1 to 5 p.m.
became members this evening. Welcome Melody Cooke, Al Bur- March Social – The third annual social will be on March 28.
gun, and Bill Emerson.
Curt encouraged all the member to send him two or three phoIntroductions
tographs of events in their lives. He will put them on a DVD and
Curt introduced the five guests and they each talked about how show them at the social. The committee reported that the food
they came to find out about CMUG and the type of computers has been contracted and all systems are go.
they are using.
Tonight’s Presentation – TopXNotes by James Lee. James,
Committee Reports
who is the inventor of this software and the wearer of many hats
Scholarship – Jo Foster reported that she received fourteen for his software company, gave a very understandable demonapplications for scholarships—five from Crystal River, five from stration of TopXNotes. A program that allows you to organize
Citrus and four from Lecanto. She mentioned: “CMUG’s goal is to anything and everything by using “groups” and “categories.”.It also
give each high school $750,
has a “multiview” feature that has the ability to
which helps us become
display more than one note at a time. It has drag
integrated into the comand drop, built in “read me,” help system, extenmunity.” Later this month
sive key word search, just to mention a few of
Jo will be meeting with her
many features. The club is most appreciative of
committee to determine
not only Jame’s demo, but the discount he exthis year’s recipients.
tended to all who attended. Thank you James.
Magazine – Jo Foster,
Next meeting – Social - March 28.
our editor at large, encouraged the members to
continue writing articles or
any other items of interest
such as photos, trends, new
Mac products, interesting
Curt Herris
Web sites.
Membership – Carolyn
Top XNotes was presented by the
reported that renewals
President of Tropical Software, James Lee,
picking up nicely. We now
at our Feb. Meeting. James traveled down
have 240 members, 117
Curt Herrin from Jacksonville to be with CMUG and
singles, 60 families and 2
gave a fine demonstration of just how Top
honorary. Curt has been President of Tropical Software, James Lee, gave a demXNotes can fit into your computer expemaking phone calls and onstration of his company’s software TopXNotes.
rience. You can read about this product at
picked up twelve more memberships for his efforts.
www.tropic4.com.
Treasure – Julie reported that as of 1/31/08 our bank balance
Reading the task that you can accomplish with Top
was $4,416.87.
Education – Jean Clark announced that printers and scanners XNotes on the Web site doesn’t give you the same insight as
will be the subject of the March class. In April the class will be on the presentation. List, categories, icons and even encryption
added to the usefulness of TopXNotes. Encryption can be
Quicken.
Meeting Topics
of just one page or any number of pages with category speFebruary – Demonstration of TopXNotes, by James Lee.
cific notes. The time Lee spent demonstrating his product
Tech – Bill Dean reported on one of many computer problems gave us a better feel of just how the Top XNotes application
he encounters, but this one put a broad smile on his face. After all can enhance and streamline your day.
tech support, including Apple, failed to solve the problem of the
CMUG purchased this product for the raffle at our
“blue screen” syndrome, Bill was called on his 911 extension by March Social.
a panicky member. Bill shazammed himself over to troubled area
If you were not at the February meeting and are not the
and deftly reconfigured the settings—voila! Once again, Dr. Bill did
lucky winner of the raffle, all is not lost. Lee has extended
his magic.
this offer: “ It is my pleasure to offer a discount through the
Bill also reported on how he’s impressed with Neo Office,
end of the month. Anyone who wants to take advantage of
which is an Open Source software and it’s free! Some of it’s feathe discount ($5 off) can go to the web site and order in the
tures are, Word, PowerPoint, and Excell.
CDs are available for the following: Leopard System Ten has usual way—secure.tropic4.com/WebStore/index.php? Use
been added to the list of available Tutorial CDs. DB/SS, Mail/ the code “MacGroup” and that will cause the $5 discount to
Address Book, Beginning System Ten, iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto, Key- be applied on checkout. This discount applies to the downnote, Pages and iWeb. Each are $5 except for Keynote and Pages, load or a CD can also be ordered.
We wish to thank James Lee for making the trip to Inwhich are on two disks and cost $10 for each tutorial.
Lab – Curt reported the lab will be on Sunday, February 24, from verness and spending time with CMUG.
TopXNotes
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