Bearly Bytes - BigBearCC.org

Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
May, 2012
Volume 34
Big Bear Computer Club
Bearly
Bytes
Big Bear, California
Award Winning Bearly Bytes Newsletter
Next Meeting May 3, 2012 - 5:30 @ The Big Bear Discovery Center
Did you do something lately to help your
Big Bear Computer Club?
Hello Everyone
Recent computer news reports have been covering a
malware threat that is potentially serious. The FBI discovered that some criminals have been able to infect
millions of computers. The malware is called
‘DNSChanger’. It can cause machines to be redirected to DNS Servers that are controlled by the bad
guys.
Did you invite and bring a guest with you
to participate in the club activities
and presentations?
Check out more ideas on Page 15
TABLE OF CONTENTS
President’s Message, New Members ......................... 1
What does this mean? DNS refers to the Domain
Name System. This is the Internet service that converts
user
friendly
domain
names
(like
BigBearCC.org) to numbered addresses that enable
computers to talk to each other. Internet service providers (Charter, Verizon, AOL, etc.) have DNS Servers that allow people to visit web sites, send email
and connect to other internet services.
Book Review: Focus on Lighting Photos .................. 2
Going forward, if a computer is infected, it may lose
the ability to connect with your legitimate Internet service provider.
Helpline, Officers & Key Leaders ............................... 7
It may be a good idea to check your computer to see
if it is infected with DNSChanger or any other malware. This is especially true if you have noticed anything unusual with your system.

Pay a visit to http://dns-ok.us. This site will indicate if your computer is looking up websites correctly. If it shows green, then you shouldn't have
anything to worry about.
Go to http://www.malwarebytes.org/ and
http://www.fbi.gov/ to learn more.
ROSEMARY
Pass it On — A Discussion on Mentoring ................. 3
Win 7 — Using Jump Lists ......................................... 4
Quick Tip to Find Path of a File on Your HD ............ 5
View Any Document Type with Free File Viewer ..... 5
About Bearly Bytes, Bits & Bytes .............................. 6
Cool Links, Calendar, Cash Flow ............................... 8
Mishandling USB Could Cost You, Stargazing ......... 9
Word, Excel, Internet & Tech Tips ........................... 10
Smishing — Spam Invades Cellphones ............ 11,12
Microsoft’s FREE FIX-IT Center .......................... 13,14
Power Point Linked Files .......................................... 14
General Membership Mtg, Pics, Winners ................ 15
New Member Application .......................................... 16
SEE THIS MONTH’S FEATURED COOL LINKS ON PG 8
1
Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
May, 2012
Big Bear Computer Club Rating System 1 - 5 Bears
5 Bears Being Best
Book Review
By Rosemary Lloyd
Big Bear Computer Club
March 16, 2012
Hunter, Fil and Reid, Robin
Focus on Lighting Photos
Focal Press, 2011, 200 pages,
$19.95, ISBN 978-0-240-81711-8
Excellent photographs gain much of their impact from the way the subject is lit. Focus on Lighting Photos is a
unique how-to book that includes many pictures and diagrams. It demonstrate how light can be used to create
the mood that the photographer wants to project. This is the latest of six books in the ‘Focus on’ series about
photography.
The first half of the book looks at different methods of putting light on the subject. Different ways of controlling
the direction, intensity and color of the light are thoroughly covered.
The explanations are easy to understand. Concepts are demonstrated by series of photos of the same subject with different lighting. Diagrams supplement the written explanations. I find the use of progressively more
intriguingly lighted pictures, of the same subject, very helpful. That technique enabled me to understand concepts better.
In the latter part of the book, the authors focus on methods for lighting diverse subjects. They deal with people, metal, glass and motion. The chapter on lighting for portraits goes into some detail on types of equipment. They discuss how to make some of the tools yourself.
The target audience is hobbyists. Fil and Robin emphasize that you do not need to spend a lot money on
photo equipment. Once you have a camera and a flash, you can shoot fine photographs with only a few other
tools. In fact, they recommend borrowing or making your own items until you find yourself using them enough
to justify buying.
Focus on Lighting Photos seems to be geared for readers who are somewhat familiar with photography in
general. I would say intermediate level. However, there is a very good glossary of the photo terms used. If
you have not taken a photo class, it is fairly easy to follow along.
The writing style is informal, clear and precise. I really enjoyed Focus on Lighting Photos. The techniques it
presents are exciting and inspiring. It is a fairly easy read.
2
Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
Continued from Pg. 14
May, 2012
Pass
PassItItOn
On
By Elizabeth B. Wright, Member, Computer Club of Oklahoma City March 2012 issue, CCOKC eMonitor
In my beginning days of computing - 1982, Ms. E. Arly Bird was my mentor. (Not her real name of course.)
She was a mathematical prodigy who became a computer expert in the very early days of personal computers. We were friends from another association and when she heard our daughter needed help doing some
freelance PR work using a computer, she stepped in to get her up to speed.
Ms. Bird’s mastery of the new machines was awesome. She later became a computer professional with clients in industry and offices in many locations. She and I both were members of the original IBM OKC PCUG,
but she soon outgrew what the club had to offer. As my abilities leveled off, the club remained my source of
new information, but whenever I needed immediate help she was always willing. Everyone should have such
a friend.
Mentorship is the “new” catch phrase, approaching networking in importance. Since mentors can help people
of all ages, they are becoming highly esteemed. Think about what you have to offer a young person, or even
an older friend who really needs encouragement. While the young people know enough about computers to
do about anything they want, they don’t really know about life yet. They need to be encouraged to make that
knowledge count for something other than texting their friends or looking at a social network site. If you have
the chance to become a mentor, regard it as a golden opportunity to hopefully make the world a better place.
In the past, parents sometimes punished their children (mostly boys??) for taking their toys apart. Then the
world realized that the same curiosity which prompted such behavior resulted in adults who were much
sought after for their engineering skills. Especially the ones who not only took their toys apart, but put them
back together again. Since girls were usually given dolls for toys, there certainly wasn’t much incentive to see
how they worked (except for Betsy-Wetsy® of course). The world has made some progress in that area. Ms.
E. Arly Bird must have had great parents. I know she had an outstanding mentor.
Mentoring can start at home. The recent computer breakdown at our office resulted in a temporary fix. My
husband is closing the office gradually, so investment in new hardware was hardly feasible. We had a monitor, so we decided to hook it up to a laptop computer. The result is slightly less than satisfactory, but as he
seems to be getting the “hang” of flipping his word processing program from the small laptop screen to the
larger monitor, we will probably stay with this configuration until he closes the office for good. I think he has
done pretty well for being a non-computer-literate 81 year old man.
For the type of setup mentioned above, the primary computer must be configured to accept the satellite monitor. We used a laptop computer, but a desktop machine can be used instead. For major business computing
a desktop would be preferable. If you are planning to try this type of configuration, by all means call for help.
Yes, you can get information online, but it will go faster if you have an expert set it up for you. As for “flipping”
- also referred to as dragging - the physical movement of the cursor or program from screen to screen is not
easy for some people.
Whether you use a regular desktop mouse, roller ball type or a touch pad, the use of a mouse has historically been difficult for adults, especially older people. The cursor changes screens just by moving the mouse,
but other data requires holding down the left mouse button while moving the item. If you are left handed, you
might have switched the mouse buttons, so if you decide to try this added convenience, be aware which button to keep depressed while moving the mouse.
Secondary screens are becoming commonplace. It is an option you probably should try.
BE BRAVE, GO FOR THE BIG SCREENS!
3
Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
May, 2012
Windows 7—Using Jump Lists to Open Programs and Items
Jump Lists are lists of recently opened items, such as files, folders, or websites, organized by the program
that you use to open them. You can use a Jump List to open items, and you can also pin favorites to a Jump
List, so you can quickly get to the items that you use every day. Go to the Windows website to watch the video. (2:02)
The same items appear in a program's Jump List on the Start menu and on the taskbar
Managing programs and items with Jump Lists
On the taskbar, Jump Lists appear for programs that you've pinned to the taskbar and programs that are currently running. On the Start menu, Jump Lists appear for programs that you've pinned to the Start menu and
programs that you've opened recently. (Jump Lists don't appear in All Programs on the Start menu.)
Jump Lists can include recently opened items, frequently opened items, tasks, or websites, in addition to any
items that you've pinned.
You'll always see the same items in the Jump List for a program, regardless of whether you view the list on the
Start menu or the taskbar. For example, if you pin an item to a program’s Jump List on the taskbar, the item
also appears in that program's Jump List on the Start menu.

In addition to any pinned or currently open items, Jump Lists on the taskbar contain several commands
that you can use to close an item or unpin the program from the taskbar.

You can drag an item from a Jump List to copy it to another location. For example, you can drag a document from a Jump List to an email message if you want to send it to someone.
To view the Jump List for a program
Click Start, point to a pinned program or to a recently used program near the top of the Start menu, and
then point to or click the arrow next to the program.
To open an item from a Jump list
Click Start, point to a pinned program or to a recently used program near the top of the Start menu to open
the program's Jump List, and then click the item.
To pin an item to a Jump List
1. Click Start, and then open the program's Jump List.
2. Point to the item, click the pushpin icon, and then click Pin to this list.
To unpin an item
1. Click Start, and then open the Jump List for the program.
2. Point to the item, click the pushpin icon, and then click Unpin from this list.
Source: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Using-Jump-Lists-to-open-programs-and-items
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*** Seniors, or those of you who know Seniors ~ Surprise! Some GOLD news!
For you, friends, and family, and appreciated by clients. ***
Check out: http://www.seniordiscounts.com/
4
Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
May, 2012
Quick Tip to Find the Path of a File On Your Hard Drive
Here’s another one of those tips that you gotta’ love! Have you ever needed to find the path of a file on your
hard drive? Click Start / Run then drag and drop any file to it and the path of that file will appear. Just drop it
over for an instant location! Cool!
~ Andrew at Worldstart.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
View Any Document Type With the Free File Viewer
Clicking this Download button starts InstallIQ™, it manages your Free File Viewer - Documents installation.
Learn More
http://dl.installiq.com/download/downloadpop.aspx?shortname=freefileviewer_2&a=13029&f=freefileviewer
Please Note: Free File Viewer - Documents can also be downloaded for free from the manufacturer's sites,
such as http://www.freefileviewer.com/
License: Freeware Free
Requirements No special requirements
Operating system: Windows XP/Vista/7/2000
Why is this free: Learn here
With File Viewer you can easily open and read all document types you want. This is an all-in-one file viewer
product for documents. By simply downloading this application you can view your files quickly on your PC,
without additional downloads. Oh, and best of all, it is totally free!
What do you get?
Document File viewer allows you to view all document types like PDF, DOC, TXT, DOCS, XLS, XLSX, PPT,
PPTS, HTML, XML, DIZ, DAT, BIN, CFG and many other files formats.
Modified Installer
go-downloads.com is distributing modified installers which differ from the originals. The modified installers are
compliant with the original software manufacturer's policies and terms & conditions.
InstallIQ™ is an install manager that will manage the installation of your selected software. In addition to managing the installation of your selected software, InstallIQ™ will make recommendations for additional free
software that you may be interested in. Additional software may include toolbars, browser add-ons, game applications, anti-virus applications, and other types of applications.
You are not required to install any additional software to receive your selected software. You can completely
remove the program at any time in Windows' Add/Remove Programs.
Supports OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/2000
Komando.com
5
Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
About Bearly Bytes
Bearly Bytes Newsletter, past winner of SWUGC &
APCUG Newsletter contests. is the official publication of the Big Bear Computer Club. Views expressed in Bearly Bytes are those of the authors
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Big
Bear Computer Club. Other computer user groups
are welcome to reprint our articles as long as they
give credit to the author and Bearly Bytes, Big Bear
Computer Club.
May, 2012
Bits & Bytes
Download:
“Get Into Google+ A Guide For Everyone”
Maybe you’ve thought, "Why should I sign up for
Google+?" Even if you already have other social networking accounts, you may want to sign up for
Google+. It's almost impossible to avoid using
Google products in your online life.
Curious, but don't know where or why to start?
Check out "Get Into Google+: A Guide For EverySubmissions: All BBCC members are encouraged one", the latest free guide from MakeUseOf. This
to send letters, articles, questions, and comments manual outlines what Google+ is, and what it does.
to Bearly Bytes for inclusion in future issues. Sub- You’ll learn everything about Google+
mit as plain text in the body of an email and attach DOWNLOAD Get Into Google+: A Guide For Everyone
http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/get-into-google-aany graphics as JPEG or GIF format.
guide-for-everyone
Send to Yomar Cleary – [email protected] (download password: makeuseof)
—by Maggie Marystone MakeUseOf.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2012 Workshop Survey
How To Borrow a Library E-book for Kindle
Topics:
Beginning Computers
____
Microsoft Windows 7 Basics
____
Digital Photography
____
Microsoft Windows Basic Maintenance
____
How to do Web Searches
____
Email Basics
____
Facebook
____
Ebay
____
Other _____________________________________
Dates: ____________________________________
There's no need to spend a lot of money on e-books
for your e-reader. Most libraries now lend e-books for
a variety of e-readers.
I’ve boiled down the process for borrowing a library e
-book for any Amazon Kindle e-reader device such
as the Fire or Kindle app to six easier-than-they-look
steps.
(Copy and paste the following link into the address
bar to view the 6-step slideshow.)
http://tech.lifegoesstrong.com/slideshow/how-borrowlibrary-e-book-kindle-slideshow-image/kindle-librarye-book-1-find-e-book-library
By Stewart Wolpin Published on Tech Goes Strong
http://tech.lifegoesstrong.com
Copy and paste into your email and submit to:
Rosemary Lloyd – [email protected]
www.techbargains.com
website devoted to helping users find the best
technology products and the lowest price
6
Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
Helpline
Officers and Key Leaders
The following members have generously offered
to help you with your PC problems by phone or
by email:
Windows Beginners
909.878.5622
May, 2012
Yomar Cleary
[email protected]
Windows XP, Vista, 7
Rosemary Lloyd
909.584.9358
[email protected]
President......................................Rosemary Lloyd
909.584.9358
[email protected]
Vice President……………………….Yomar Cleary
909.878.5622
[email protected]
Treasurer........................................Barbara Moore
909.585.7981
[email protected]
Secretary.........................................Sandi Ybarra
909.585.8318
[email protected]
MS Outlook
909.584.9358
Rosemary Lloyd
[email protected]
MS Excel
909.878.5622
Yomar Cleary
[email protected]
MS Publisher
909.878.5622
Yomar Cleary
[email protected]
Digital Photos
909.585.7981
Barbara Moore
[email protected]
Publicity...........................................Yomar Cleary
909.878.5622
[email protected]
CD Burning
909.584.9358
Rosemary Lloyd
[email protected]
Equipment Chair...............................Don Odekirk
909.585.6728
[email protected]
Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop Light room
909.547.0109
Rick Edwards
[email protected]
The Computer Club provides training at
the monthly meetings when there is no
presenter. SIG groups are also available.
Beginners are welcome to attend the
meetings on the 1st Thursday of the
month at the Discovery Center, 5:30 pm.
Bring a friend. First 2 visits are free!
Membership is $25 and spouse $5. All
recurring membership dues are due in
January.
FACEBOOK COMES TO BBCC
The Big Bear Computer Club membership is
now able to join Facebook on bigbearcc.org —
your chance to offer suggestions for meetings,
topics, speakers, opinions, etc.
Director at Large ….…..…..................John Bryan
714.722.7514
[email protected]
Webmaster........................................Bill Flanagan
909.866.9379
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor..............................Eileen Bryan
714.580.4784
[email protected]
Technical Advisor.................................Jim Lloyd
909.584.9358
[email protected]
Refreshments Chair...…………… Sharon Teeter
909.585.2026
[email protected]
Membership Chair....……………....Tina Nazarian
909.633.4516
[email protected]
Parliamentarian............................David Philipson
909.585. 9389 [email protected]
Historian..............................................Nancy Hinz
909.585.8095
[email protected]
Sunshine Chair.................................Eileen Bryan
714.580.4784
[email protected]
Name Tags - 50/50…………………...Dorothy Sirk
909.585.3449
[email protected]
7
Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
May, 2012
MAY
SU
6
M
7
JUN
T
W
TH
F
SA
1
2
3
4
5
8
9
10 11 12
SU
3
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4
T
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6
TH
7
F
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1
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13 14 15 16 17 18 19
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
27 28 29 30 31
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
3 General Mtg. *** 15 Board Mtg.
7 General Mtg. *** 19 Board Mtg.
COOL LINKS
THIS MONTH’S FEATURES
bigbearcc.org/links.html
tech.lifegoesstrong.com/
dailywritingtips.com/
librophile.com/
geeks.com/
freeapps.org/
dummies.com/
whatbird.com/
youtube.com/
iceforhelp.com/
legalzoom.com/
worldstart.com/
healthvault.com/
howtogeek.com/
email.about.com/
go-downloads.com/
clarkhoward.com/
portableapps.com/
stumbleupon.com/
customguide.com/
academicearth.org/
bestsites.fws1.com/
emergencycareforyou.org/
BUSINESS CARD SIZE AD
We are always looking for more advertiser
supporters. If you, or someone you know
would like to advertise, please contact
Yomar Cleary at [email protected]
Cash Flow – April 2011
Beginning Bank
Membership Dues
Fundraising Equipment
Donations: 50/50
Advertising
PayPal Discount
Total Income
*** FREE KINDLE READING APPS ***
amazon.com/gp/kindle/kcp
ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN
BEARLY BYTES NEWSLETTER
read.amazon.com/
FOR THE LATEST IN TECHNOLOGY
bits.blogs.nytimes.com/
nytimes.com/pages/technology/personaltech/
Bank Charge
Due & Fees
Supplies
Total Expenses
Ending balance in Bank
$2685.19
105.00
30.02
15.00
0.00
0.00
$150.02
40.90
0.00
81.21
$122.11
$2713.10
8
Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
May, 2012
Mishandling Your USB Drive Could Cost You Your Power Point Presentation
The USB flash drive is a wonderful invention that lets you store a big hunk of data on a little trinket the size of
a key or pen. These drives are often called data thumbs, thumb drives, pen drives, or USB sticks. As you've
found, properly saving files to them, or any other USB file-storage device, such as a camera or digital music
player, can get tricky. In our experience, there are no actual save issues with these devices and PPT files;
rather, the danger most often lies in the save process itself.
A USB device is plugged into a free USB port on your PC you're your PC must recognize the device as a new
drive on your computer before it's usable. When you plug in a USB device, Windows presents the message
that a new drive has been found, usually called Removable Disk. You can find the new drive by clicking My
Computer and looking for the Removable Disk or a new drive letter. The best way to save files to a USB device is to right-click on the files or folders you want to save and choose Send To from the menu, and then select the Removable Disk drive letter.
To ensure your data is saved, you must allow your computer to finish communicating with the new drive before removing it. The most common cause of data loss when saving to USB devices is due to improper drive
removal. When you're done copying files, such as your PowerPoint presentation, to your USB storage device,
it's crucial that you click on the USB icon that appears in your system tray and select Safely Remove.
Your computer then removes the drive and saves your data. When it's done, you'll see a confirmation message in a Safe To Remove Storage Device pop-up window. Only now can you physically remove the USB
device from your PC. If you remove it before your PC says it's safe, you run a high risk of losing your files. We
hope this helps you keep your presentations safe when transporting them with external storage devices in the
future.
Source: New Horizons eTips
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stargazing From Your Computer
Stargazing is a great way to put life in perspective. If I could, I would spend each night sitting outside to unwind. Sadly, big cities like mine (Phoenix) tend to drown the night sky in light.
You now don't have to leave the city or even your house for stargazing. Your computer lets you view the entire night sky in amazing detail. I'm not talking about space pictures from NASA.
Stellarium is a free program that puts the night sky on your monitor. It's more than a light show; it aims for accuracy. You can select your precise location on Earth and see the sky from that vantage point.
The virtual sky is based on data collected from the European Space Agency's Hipparcos Mission. It allows
Stellarium to depict the positions and motion of the stars accurately. By default, Stellarium shows the sky according to the current date and time. If you're using it during the day and set to your location, you won't see
any stars. You can, however, change the time or location and see the sky where it is currently nighttime.
Stellarium is a great teaching tool. You can track and zoom in on planets, moons, galaxies and star clusters.
It can also teach you about constellations. One click reveals the name of any constellation you are viewing.
Another click superimposes the each constellation with a beautiful illustration. Source: Kim @ Komando.com
Cost: Free Link: www.stellarium.org Systems: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Mac OSX
Get 40% off books from O'Reilly, Microsoft Press, No Starch, Paraglyph, PC Publishing, Pragmatic Bookshelf, Rocky Nook, SitePoint, or YoungJin books and 50% off ebooks you purchase directly from O'Reilly. Just use code DSUG when ordering online or by phone 800-998-9938
9
Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
Word Tips
May, 2012
By Rosemary Lloyd
By Yomar Cleary
Excel Tips
Internet & Tech Tips
Keyboard Control of the Find and
Replace Dialog Box
Change Toolbar Button Image
Turn Off Unwanted Ads
After Searching the Internet
Is there a way to close the Find and
Replace dialog box using the keyboard? Or, better yet, a way to toggle
between the document and the Find
and Replace dialog box using the keyboard?
Excel includes a built-in editor that
allows you to edit or completely
change any toolbar button image,
pixel by pixel if desired. To acces
this editor follow these steps:
By Eileen Bryan
After searching several sites,
and subsequently purchasing an
item, you now have all those unwanted pop-up ads resulting from
the search.
1. Right-click on any toolbar visible
in Excel. Excel displays a Context Turn off pop-ups in your search
Most commands in Word, also have menu.
engine, clear your cookies and
keyboard
commands.
Pressuse 'private sessions' when
ing Ctrl+H displays the Replace tab of 2. Choose Customize from the searching for stuff you don't want
the Find and Replace dialog box. If Context menu. Excel displays the to appear in your adverts.
you want to get rid of the dialog box, Customize dialog box with the
If you want to clean out all trackthere are three ways you can do it.
Toolbars tab selected.
ing cookies from all your Web
1. Press Esc, or 2. Press Ctrl+F4, or
3. Use Tab to select the Cancel button 3 Right-click on the toolbar button sites, here are links where you
you want to modify (right-click on can download programs that can
and then press Enter.
the toolbar button itself, not within clean out tracking cookies:
If you would rather toggle between the the dialog box) Excel displays a
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/
Find and Replace dialog box Context menu.
ad-aware_se_personal.php
and your document, you can press
Ctrl+Tab. Once back in the docu- 4. Choose Edit Button Image from
ment, you can scroll through the docu- the Context menu. Excel displays http://www.spybot.info/en/download/
ment or edit as necessary, while the the Button Editor.
index.html
dialog box is still there, grayed out.
Press Ctrl+Tab to jump back to the 5. Use the controls within the But- You can also change the preferdialog
box,
the
find/ ton Editor to change how the im- ences or settings in your Web
browser to control cookies. In
replace operation will start from your age on the button appears.
some cases, you can choose to
new cursor location. Also, you will be
6. When satisfied ith the appear- accept cookies from the primary
returned to the exact cursor location in
ance of the button click OK to site, but block them from third
the dialog box that you were in when
close the button Editor.
parties. In others, you can block
you toggled to the document.
cookies from specific advertisers,
Note: When you use Ctrl+Tab to 7. Click on Close to get rid of the or clear out all cookies.
switch between the Find and Replace Customize dialog box
Not all cookies are tracking cookdialog box and your document, the
*************
ies. They merely do things like
dialog box remains firmly planted in
view. If you have a large monitor set HOW TO CREATE A HYPERLINK save your registration information, if you choose to register.
to a high resolution (which means you
IN YOUR PUBLICATION
They do not tell what you do or
can see more information on the
where you go online.
http://office.microsoft.com/enscreen at one time) then this isn't a
big problem; the dialog box won't in- us/publisher-help/create-aSource: komando.com
terfere with using the document. Oth- hyperlink-HP010203490.aspx
Does anyone from BBCC have a
erwise, the ever-present dialog box
“fix” to prevent unwanted advercould be a nuisance. In this case, the
************
tisements from appearing on your
only option you have is to dismiss the
MEMORIES
IN
MOTION
web pages?
dialog box, as described earlier in this
3
Freebies
for
Creating
Slideshows
tip, and call it back up when needed
Email your fix to: Eileen Bryan
by using Ctrl+H.
http://www.komando.com/
[email protected]
(Microsoft Word is the most popular word
downloads/category.aspx?
Your “fix” will be included in the
processing software in the world.)
id=12236
next newsletter.
MS Word versions: 2007 | 2010
10
Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
May, 2012
"Smishing"— Spam Invades a Last Refuge, the Cellphone
Text message spam has started waking Bob Dunnell in the middle of the night, promising cheap mortgages,
credit cards and drugs. Some messages offer gift cards to, say, Walmart, if he clicks on a Web site and enters his Social Security number.
Bob Dunnell has reported some text spam to the Federal Trade Commission, to little avail.
Replying “NO” or “STOP” to text spam may only verify to spammers that you have a working number
that can then be resold.
Once the scourge of e-mail providers and the Postal Service, spammers have infiltrated the last refuge of
spam-free communication: cell phones. In the United States, consumers received roughly 4.5 billion spam
texts last year, more than double the 2.2 billion received in 2009, according to Ferris Research, a market research firm that tracks spam.
Spread over 250 million text message-enabled phones, the problem is not as commonplace as e-mail spam.
But it is a growing menace, with the potential for significant damage.
“Unsolicited text messaging is a pervasive problem,” said Christine Todaro, a lawyer with the Federal Trade
Commission, the consumer watchdog agency, which is turning to the courts for help. “It is becoming very difficult to track down who is sending the spam. We encourage consumers to file complaints, which helps us
track down the spammers, but even then it is a little bit like peeling back an onion.”
Although some text spam is of the harmless, if annoying, marketing variety, a vast majority is more
insidious, experts say. With one mobile tap, smartphone users risk signing up for a bogus, impossible-to-cancel service.
Or they may succumb to that offer for a Wal-Mart gift card or a free iPhone in exchange for taking a survey
and divulging all sorts of personal information, like their addresses or their transaction history — which can
then be sold to digital marketers or even used to crack their bank accounts.
And, so far, it is hard to stop it. Even replying to unwanted messages with “NO” or “STOP” — the usual method for unsubscribing from an unwanted text message list — may only verify to spammers that you have a
working number that can then be resold.
Scrambling to get a better grasp on the problem, the mobile industry last month joined with a maker
of antispam software, Cloudmark, on a new reporting service that lets users forward mobile spam to
“7726,” a number that spells SPAM on most keypads. Carriers will then use that information to block
numbers.
Mobile spam is illegal under two federal laws — the 2003 Can Spam Act and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which set up the Do Not Call Registry in 2003. Smartphone users can report numbers that spam
comes from on both the Web sites of the F.T.C. and the Federal Communications Commission. The major
wireless carriers — AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Bell Mobility and Verizon Wireless — all also offer ways to report
the numbers on their Web sites and can block numbers. A number of apps for Android phones also promise
enhanced spam text filtering.
Spammers, though, are endlessly inventive. Mobile carriers and filtering software can detect when a large volume of spam is sent from one phone number, and when the texts try to get someone to click on a Web site.
So spammers are turning to large banks of phone numbers, regularly changing the Web sites they try to get
consumers to click, and blasting their messages from the Internet using “over the top messaging systems,”
which let them send millions of messages cheaply. The minute a carrier blocks one number, spammers simply start using another.
“It seems this is all coming from different sources,” said Mr. Dunnell, a financial security consultant in St. Louis, who reported some texts he received on the F.T.C.’s Web site and signed up for the Do Not Call list — to
no avail. “I don’t know what good blocking one number will do.”
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Continued from Pg. 11
Spam on social media and instant-messaging services is also a problem, and there is
more of it than of mobile spam, experts say, although security firms do not keep comprehensive figures. But
the filtering technologies are more sophisticated.
As of last October, Facebook said it had blocked 220 million malicious links from a total of a trillion links
clicked on Facebook a day.
Mobile spam, a more recent trend, is growing faster partly because spammers can blast their messages
across providers, which share technologies; they have to customize for each instant-messaging provider and
social media platform.
Legal remedies may provide some help against mobile spam. Verizon has brought 20 lawsuits against wireless telemarketers and spammers, most of which have been settled.
The F.T.C. tried its first mobile spam case in February 2011 against Phillip A. Flora of Huntington Beach, Calif., accusing him of sending more than five million text messages over a 40-day period at a “mind-boggling”
rate of 85 a minute, according to court documents.
Prosecutors said Mr. Flora was draining users’ allotted text message limits, which cost them money, and
blasting messages at all hours of the night. The number of anyone who verified it by replying to the text message was sold to marketers.
The federal complaint against Mr. Flora said he charged $300 for every 100,000 text messages he sent — on
top of what he made from selling cellphone numbers to third parties.
Mr. Flora settled the charges for $32,000 and agreed to cease sending spam texts. His lawyer, Michael A.
Thurman, said his client “did not realize what he was doing was in violation of the law.”
Text spam that tries to get consumers to reveal their personal information is similar to the e-mail
frauds known as “phishing.” In the mobile context, these spams are known as “smishing.”
One of the two most common mobile spam messages last month, according to Cloudmark, the antispam software maker, was the “Need Cash Now” spam, in which users were promised quick cash if they disclosed personal and financial tidbits about themselves, which could be used to gain access to a bank account. The other was a gift card swindle, which lured users into taking a survey, in many cases on a spoofed Web site, and
answering questions about their salary, debt levels, marital status and health history.
“Attackers gain multiple layers of revenue from that information,” said Rachel Kinoshita, Cloudmark’s head of
security operations. “They amass a 360-degree view of their target and can sell that information to marketers
or just phish their bank accounts.”
Spammers can make a tidy profit blasting tens of thousands of messages at once. They use computers to
generate millions of possible number combinations and then send messages to those addresses without
knowing whether they have dialed a working number.
“If there weren’t so much money to be made here, spammers would simply go away,” Ms. Kinoshita said.
And of course smishing costs victims who do not have unlimited text message plans. Getting as few
as 10 a month at 20 cents each would cost $24 more a year.
Mr. Dunnell has considered changing his cellphone number but concluded it would be too disruptive. “I just
wish there was a better way to deal with this,” he said.
By NIicole Perlroth
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Microsoft confirms all Windows Phone 7 handsets will be upgraded to Windows Phone 8.
***It seems while we were all worried whether our Windows Phone 7 handsets will be upgraded
to Windows Phone 8, Portuguese readers were already reassured some time ago.***
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Microsoft's Free Fix It Center Fixes Many Windows Problems - by Ira Wilsker
WEBSITES:
http://support.microsoft.com/fixit/
http://fixitcenter.support.microsoft.com/Portal
http://fixitcenter.support.microsoft.com/Portal/Features
Some time ago, I wrote about an early beta (pre-release) version of Microsoft's free Mr. Fixit utility. With the
early beta test now closed, I am happy to report that Mr. Fixit is alive and well, and offering many times more
free fixes than it did when I first reviewed it. Mr. Fixit is now the character or avatar for the Microsoft Fix it
Center, which offers automated fixes for Microsoft products online, typically by downloading and installing a
specific problem centered client to the PC. According to Microsoft, ”Fix it Center finds and fixes many common PC and device problems automatically. It also helps prevent new problems by proactively checking for
known issues and installing updates. Fix it Center helps to consolidate the many steps of diagnosing and repairing a problem into an automated tool that does the work for you."
Mr. Fixit and the Fix it Center, available online at support.microsoft.com/fixit, has an interesting motto that
simply describes its functions that can repair many common Windows problems; Easy, Relevant, and Be In
Control. In terms of being easy, Microsoft say, "Microsoft Fix it Center makes getting support easier than ever, with tools that help solve the issues you have now and prevent new ones. "Mr. Fixit is easy to install and
run, fully automated, and provides some degree of preventive care. In terms of being relevant, "Microsoft Fix
it Center personalizes solutions for your device, showing you only what pertains to your hardware and software." The phrase "Be in Control" is appropriate because Mr. Fixit provides the user with a simple method to
stay in control of the maintenance of the computer by allowing the user to customize settings (choose the level of automation), manage multiple devices, and enable simple record keeping of all updates and repairs
made on each device.
The online component of the Fix it Center (support.microsoft.com/fixit) allows the user to optionally select a
problem area labeled "1 Select a problem area (optional)" displaying a group of eight large icons labeled Top
Solutions, Windows, Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Entertainment (Xbox 360 type icon, covers the
Xbox, Zune, and Windows Phone), Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Info path, Live Meeting, and
project), and Other (SharePoint, Exchange, SQL Server, Streets and Trips, and several other Microsoft products). Clicking on one of the eight icons opens a context sensitive window "2 What are you trying to do?". In
this window is listed many of the common problems faced by windows users; clicking on one of the items
open a second selection window on its right, offering a more detailed list of issues or devices that are relevant
to the original selection. Below that pair of windows are several possible fixes, listed as "3 View or run solutions for (your chosen problem)". In that window is a selection of "Run Now" buttons, each linked to a context
sensitive solution. Clicking on the appropriate Run Now button executes a file that contains the likely fixes for
the selected problem, repairs any damaged, missing or corrupted files and registry entries, displays results
and possible additional fixes, and then quietly exits.
Since I have been having periodic issues with the Windows Media Player on this Windows 7-64 computer, I
tried the Fix it Center fix for Media Player problems. It downloaded a small client (339k), loaded a
"Troubleshooter", explained what it would try to do and the steps that it will take in order to rectify the problem, and gave me the option of allowing it to identify and repair the problems automatically (recommended),
or allow me to choose the fixes. I chose the recommended option, and the troubleshooter ran, detecting the
problems. After the first attempt to repair my Media Player, I was given the choice to reset my Media Player
and libraries, or do nothing; I chose to reset it. In my particular case, the Fix it Center was able to successfully
reset my Windows media player and its scripting activities, but was unable to repair the Media Player Library.
I was then asked to load the problem program, Windows Media Player, and asked if Mr. Fixit had successfully
resolved my problem; it did not, but offered some additional possible solutions.
One of the most common irritants faced by many PC users is that their computer is running sluggishly, and
appears to be much slower than when new.
Continued on Page 14
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Continued from Page 13
While there are many possible reasons for this degraded performance, the Fix it Center
offers some possible automated fixes for this dilemma. From the Fix it Center main webpage
(support.microsoft.com/fixit), click on the Windows button, and then in window #2, select "Fix performance,
errors, or crashes". In the right window, select "Slow performance, startup, shut down, or memory". In window
#3, select the Run Now button adjacent to, "Fix Windows system performance problems on slow Windows
computers; Automatically troubleshoot and repair Windows performance problems. Improve, optimize and
speed up Windows computers and make slow running PCs faster." That will initiate the downloading of another small 339k client that offers performance improvement diagnostics and solutions. Accept the license terms,
and the performance "Fix it" client utility will be installed. Either allow it to detect and fix problems automatically (recommended by default), or let it detect performance problems and then you can select from a menu of
possible fixes. On my desktop computer the only performance issue that it detected, which I chose to intentionally not repair, was that I had several programs loaded at boot.
There are hundreds, if not thousands of possible Windows fixes freely available from the Fix it Center, and it
has become my first choice when looking for a fix for Windows problems. The Fix it Center detects the operating system on the computer (Windows 7, Vista, or XP), and displays appropriate fixes explicitly for that operating system and whatever Microsoft product is connected or installed on that computer.
Whenever a PC user encounters what may be a Microsoft related problem, the Fix it Center would be an appropriate first choice to check for a possible solution. The Fix it Center utilities may not just identify the problem (as well as other related problems unknown to the user), but may possibly fix the problems as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Linked Files for Your Power Point’s Presentation
Be sure all files are available during your presentation. A problem many presenters bump into involves PowerPoint's acçess to linked resources, and the usual culprits for this problem are audio and video files. Only
WAV files are embedded in a presentation, so if you use other formats, make sure they are available to PowerPoint on the computer being used for the presentation. Other files that you need on your presenting computer include linked Excel files, additional PowerPoint files that are linked to your primary presentation, and
linked image files.
The best way to catçh this problem before it's too late is to test your presentation prior to show time on the
computer you're going to use when you present. (Also make sure it's disconnected from the Internet and any
local networks so that you don't unintentionally overlook any links to files that you won't have acçess to during
your presentation.) If you find a problem, check to make sure that the file PowerPoint is trying to reference is
located on the computer, and then check to make sure that the path to the file is correct. New Horizons eTips
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEED HELP?!
Microsoft Office Help Online: Press F1 for whatever application you’re working in.
Then use the Search bar to find exactly what you need!
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April 5, 2012
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Small Group Training
Rosemary Lloyd: Cloud Computing
Yomar Cleary: Windows Live
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Have you done something to help your computer group?

Have you brought a guest with you to participate in the club activities and presentations?

Have you volunteered to do a short “how-to” presentation? It isn’t that hard. You may be the
one who knows something that another doesn’t.

Make it a point to offer something you know to a member. If we all learn just one new thing,
we (the membership) have accomplished something and the meeting is worthwhile.




Do you want to be a “mentor”? Find someone in the club that you can be a mentor to.
Have you offered program suggestions?
Is there is something you would like to learn about?
You’re input is welcomed! Use the Survey form on Page 6. Submit it at a meeting or by email.
Door Prize Winners (left to right)
Back Row
Kim Dunn — ID keychain
Jerry Merino — Green notepad
Bob Keller — Step by Step Windows 7 book
Bill Treadwell — ID lanyard
Front Row
Nancy Palmquist — Pocket tabs
Barbara Moore — 50/50
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Big Bear Computer Club Bearly Bytes
May, 2012
BIG BEAR COMPUTER CLUB, INC.
Membership Benefits
Membership Application
□ New
□ Renewal
□ Update Information
Full Name_____________________________________________________________________
 Monthly Meeting presentation and demonstration
of popular hardware and
software
 RAM (Q&A) sessions
Mailing Address________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip_________________________________________________________________
Home Phone_(_____)___________________
Cell Phone_(
)____________________
E-mail address__________________________________________________________________
Family Member (s) Associates $5/year
Name_________________________ _____________E-mail____________________________
 Tech News and Virus
Alerts
 Member Software Raffle
 50/50 Drawing
 Bearly Bytes, our awardwinning monthly newsletter emailed or mailed
to you First Class
 Website: bigbearcc.org
 Free Software Review
 Member Help Line
1. Mail your application and dues to: BBCC Treasurer
PO Box 645
Big Bear City, CA 92314
or
2. Bring your application to a meeting
or
3. PayPal - click here
 Member E-mail Notifications
 Member-only Discounts
 Special Interest Groups
or (SIGs)
All this for only $25 per year!!
For information and
directions phone
Rosemary Lloyd,
President 909.584.9358
Bearly Bytes
Big Bear Computer
Club Newsletter
PO Box 645
Big Bear City, CA 92314
909.878.5822
www.bigbearcc.org
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