| Nov 2002 | Issue 246 |
MEETING STARTS - 09:30 - OCT 12 th
With an on-time start, we'll our usual few announcements. Then, follow that up with a round table on tidbits, problems and problem-solving. Since the heart of the meeting will continue on networking, it would be appropriate to hold queries on that to the main program time.
Last time, John Murphy ably introduced the topic - covering: why network? and some basics and terms (see p.ZZ) and ethernet technology. Ethernet has been the foundation technology; so getting that understanding will let YOU decide if you want to go that way, or turn to an alternate technology.
This month is hands-on time! The plan is to set up and demonstrate two basic networks. The first is the simplest possible: two computers connected by a single (crossover) cable that allows primarily for file sharing.
The second will include two computers connected via a hub to a router, which in turn will interface to the VU network (we hope) to provide internet access to both computers via the local network (or LAN).
Review what you saw last time, check out the glossary later in this issue and pull together the questions that you'd like resolved. Then, come join the crew for Networking - Part II.
The following is an article forwarded by Layton that provides some insight into the thinking that goes on in Redmond.
From the Desk of David Pogue: A New Microsoft Blunder:
People accuse Microsoft of devious tactics all the time. Microsoft generally denies the accusations -- after all, they're flanked by the best lawyers that money can buy!
This time, though, Microsoft gave itself a big, goopy pie in the face. [cont'd]
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TIME TO RENEW! - it is time for the rubber to hit the road - your support of the club by
renewing - helps us all. You get the benefit of help from other members AND they get the
benefit of help and/or info sharing with you. Not a bad deal for $15. Please show your support
with a check sent to our treasurer, Stew. The critical info is on p.ZZ.
THE EMAILING LIST - for those members who have provided an email address, we have subscribed
them to the MLCUG listserver (operated most graciously by Pete Whinnery and the UPenn system).
This is a way to catch early announcements, hear about problems (and solutions?) between the
meetings. You can get (and give) help. A useful tool we feel; so when renewing, consider
including your email address in that spot on the form.
BUILD-A-PC! - at the last steering meeting, a possible in-meeting, hands-on club
project surfaced. That was the potential for a "build-it-yourself" new club computer that would
be planned and implemented at our regular monthly meetings. This would serve a couple of
purposes: 1) update the club PC, which is now almost six years old (and unlikely to be
upgradeable to Windows XP which we may want to do in the not-too-distant future), 2) give
members insight into the process and allow them to decide if they'd like to tackle such an
endeavour for themselves and 3) help folks decide what they might want in a new computer.
We'd like input from the general membership. What do you think? And, do you feel expending
some of the treasury on such a project would be OK. We'll discuss at the November meeting. If
you can't make the meeting, but would like to comment, put something on the email list or
feedback to a committee member.
REGULAR REMINDER - Attendees know that we have a very fast internet connection from the VU
meeting room! So, if you have a very large download, you could bring along a zip disk (or maybe
a CD-R) and get it done there, either before or after the main meeting.
LUNCH - a half dozen or so of the regular attendees, usually partake of lunch at the Villanova
Diner after the meeting. Why not join us? It is a good time to get a little more help (or give
it) and just to have fun talking about our common interests. The food is quite good, too!
At the last meeting, I was asked how to find computer show information. So, ; here are the
principle local players:
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The October meeting had 16 attendees - we hope to see more of a turnout for future meetings.
All were reminded that renewal time has arrived for 2003 - with the dues remaining at $15. At
meeting's end, we had got 4 renewals, at least a start....
Roughly the first hour was devoted to our now-usual announcements, questions, problems and
answers (we fervently hope!). Folks were urged to post topics to the email list, if they know
of a special question or problem they would like discussed. An alert ahead may get potenetial
helpers primed!
Following the round-table, we reviewed what happens when Norton Anti-virus does a live update.
John Murphy had done a series of screen grabs to show what to expect when you do it yourself.
That was followed by an actual Live Update for the club PC - and we were able to flag the
various steps that we had just seen in John's demo file. If you'd like to review that
(especially if you missed the meeting), you can grab a copy of "LiveUpdate.pdf" from our website
download area and give it a review. Thanks, John, for the primer.
We had a short discussion on SPAM "killers" and John M mentioned that he had been trying out a
product called "MailWasher" (see www.mailwasher.net). For those systems that can currently use
it (POP3 email accounts), it allows you to examine the email on your ISP's system and get rid of
spam, WITHOUT first having to download your email. An especially interesting feature is that
Mailwasher can "bounce" a message back to the sending ISP, which indicates to the sender that
your account does not exist. This will eventually, perhaps sooner, induce the ISP to delete you
from their sending list. (I noted that if lots of folks started bouncing spam messages, the
spammer's ISP could get flooded with these replies. He might then be more inclined to stop
handling the spammer's account since the bounced stuff is going to reduce the ISP's capability
to handle its other business!! Sounds like a great possibility). Hopefully, at our next
meeting, we can devote a bit more time to the program - mayhap do a demo (are you listening,
John?).
Around this time, we moved to the main topic for the meeting - "Home Networking" - with John
Murphy doing the intro. He began with the subject of "Why network at all?". ELSEWHERE in the
newsletter is a summary of this part of the topic; so please look it over and be prepared to
inquire if you have any questions about it. Note that John focused primarily on folks who
already have 2 (or more) computers, tho some aspects of networking (e.g. security) are
applicable even if you only have one computer.
Before tackling the next part, John passed out a glossary list of terms that are common in the
networking trade. Folks could refer to it when they came up in the remainder of the session.
The next topic related to "protocols" or the means by which computers communicate with each
other over the networks, including the internet (he reminded us that anyone using the internet
is networking...). The chief ones he mentioned were: IPX/SPX (the Novell standard), NetBEUI
(Microsoft's response to Novell) and TCP/IP (the language of the internet - without TCP/IP, we'd
have no internet!). You'll likely see these, if you open up the "Network" control panel on your
Windows PC.
Then, John summarized the concept of Adapter Addresses - this is a number assigned to each
individual ethernet device at the point of manufacture. No two ethernet devices have the same
address; so it uniquely identifies the device. There are also IP Addresses - which identify
systems on the internet. He specifically covered the IP addresses that you'll see on a local
area network (LAN) as: Class A (which has 16 million possibilities), Class B (which has 65
thousand) and Class C (which has 255). He illustrated all the preceding with the Windows
utility called: Windows IP Configuration (to see it, click START>RUN and type in "winipcfg" (no
quote) and click OK - look but don't touch, unless you are VERY sure of what you're doing).
John then logged onto a very helpful website: http://homenethelp.com/
This site has a raft of articles to aid in home networking and he used some of the clear
illustrations to show: networking two computers via a crossover cable and a couple of
configurations of home networks that include internet access that is shared by all the networked
computers (either via a modem or via broadband).
The meeting wrapped up with a few followup questions. I think folks were pleased with the
intro. And, as announced elsewhere in the newsletter, we expect to have "real live" network
demos in November.
ANNOUNCEMENTS & COMMENTS
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Computer Shows
www.pcshow.com/schedule.html
www.tri-statefairs.com/schedule.html
www.marketproshows.com/Visitor/Search.asp
This list covers PA, DE, NJ and MD, plus a few more. [Layton Fireng]
LAST MONTH'S MEETING
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