SVMUG July 17, 2007

Introduction - David Strom is tonight's moderator

new members
old (1984) user - now has a iMac Intel

Experiences with iPhone -- every one with one says "good so far"
-- has a very nice web browser, with page scrolling and zooming
-- does not need special pages (e.g. WAP)
-- GSM is supported only by AT&T in the USA,
but in Europe, all vendors are GSM
-- the bluetooth at this time only supports earpieces
(not modem to computer, serial to computer, etc.)

How has the iPhone changed your life (Lynda)?
The setup was a challenge, but that is NOT
the typical experience. Once working, it
has been perfect. The mobile Google and
general web access is great. Unfortunately
the BMW hands free coupling with the iPhone
has not been glitch free, but BMW is working
on the problem. Typing is a little slow, but
still getting use to it. Voice dialing might
be nice.

The keyboard will orient in landscape mode,
thereby giving bigger keys.

WiFi synchronization (in addition to the hard
dock) would be nice.

The first manufacturing run has sold out.

Mac Usability Study -- Pam Ailes -- for this, the researchers are looking for Mac users to join in the study. Flyers are in the back of the room.

Safari 3 -- biggest drawback is that older plugins have not yet been updated. Note that Safari 3 is still beta.

VMware Fusion is 50% off until the golden master is released. Pre-order now for this price break. $39.99 as compared to $79.99.

Universal Music did not renew the iTS contract -- right now they are going month to month.

iTunes Plus: for 30 cents more per song, you can get better quality and non-encrypted versions of a good portion of the iTS library. [I feel the brilliance and presence is definitely improved.] Check out Home Entertainer Reviewer.

About 2% of the library is available in the iTunes Plus format. Keep checking, the number is going up rapidly.

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Presentation
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Storyist - script writing software
presented by Steve Shepherd

A demo is available on the web site: storyist.com

-- catch the bits of information needed for consistency as you write
-- take different high level views of you story

In addition to the software, the package includes templates and tutorials for the budding writer.

A top level incremental search is provided, checking both your text and your research notes.

Storyist organizes the actual manuscript (pages, sections, chapters, scenes, paragraphs, etc.), references, notes and personal journal, as a browser style menu.

The screenplay feature is useful for video scripts and for novels. A screenplay needs focus on the characters and plots, not scene descriptions. There are arcane rules for text format and placement, and keywords. Storyist automates most of this. Hot keys provide most of the keywords.

Familiar User Interface
Manuscript Formatting
Customizable Story Sheets
Project-wide Search
Powerful Linking
Project Organizer
Story Templates
Style Editor
Flexible Import and Export
Screenwriting Support

$59 via the web site store: http://storyist.com
$45 for the user group, using the coupon code, until July 22.
Coupon code: SVMUG1607

A 15 day free trial is provided.

By the way,

lulu.com and iUniverse.com provide vanity publishing. Rather than seeking an agent, and having the agent find a publisher, you can take the risk yourself by self-publishing. The cost will be about $10 per book copy. This is great for gift books and such.

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Break
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Reunion 9 software demo
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presented by Patrica Burrows
Hobbyist Geneologist

Teaches a class once each month at SVCGG

Family Tree Program
Requirements:
-- Mac OS X 10.3.6 or later
-- a family to research

Easy to use: dialog driven file setup.
Start the family file from scratch or
from a GEDCOM file (standard geneology file).

The program is able to anticipate names as you
enter new people, based on relationships.

Best practices are enforced by the program -- it encourages you to provide source information for each family fact. Images of death certificates, birth certificates, can be dragged and dropped into the data fields for each individual. Pictures of the person of course may also be added.

Several types of charts can be generated, with pictures if desired. The charts can be modified via a set of graphics tools provided by the program.

Multiple marriages are handled neatly.

The research can be shared by exporting a GEDCOM file. (Which will not include images.) You can also create family report cards, and as a "universal" file. Note that GEDCOM will not preserve all of the Reunion information.

Web cards can be produced, for viewing via web browsers.

Presentations can be made via a built in slide show.

The charts can be exported as PDF, suitable for large poster printing at Kinko's or other shops. Expect to pay $1.50 for b/w, $3.00 for color. Heartland Graphics is a recommended print shop.

Reunion software
http://www.leisterpro.com

Silicon Valley Computer Genealogy Group
http://svcgg.org

meets 2nd Saturday of every month, at 9 A.M. to 11 A.M.

Santa Clara County Historical & Genealogy Society
http://www.rootsweb.com/~cascchgs/

Heartland Family Graphics
http://www.familygraphics.com/

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Q&A
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1. Import to iPhoto and organize photos tutorials?

http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials

2. Send and receive faxes?

Built in to OS X. The print to PDF includes a fax PDF option. Of course, you need to have a fax modem ready to use. Note: the fax send application will keeping trying until the fax is actually sent.

You can receive faxes by setting up the system preferences for the fax modem.

3. Please recommend how to avoid malware when using Parallels. Malware killed XP running under Parallels.

The best thing is to have a regular backup ready. XP has an internal restore feature as well, to roll the system registry back to some earlier point in time.

Do not use Symmantac or MacAfee. Try AVG, Spybot, Adbot.

4. A pop box appeared in spite of setting "block pop-ups". Should I be concerned. This was under Mac OS X, using Firefox.

Firefox allows plugins to be added from the web. The pop-up was not a web pop-up page, but was a local dialog, asking for approval of the add-on plugin.

5. I need to compile Basic.

Try Real Basic.

6. Can I reset DVD region coding?

You can only change this five times. You would need illegal hacked and pirated firmware to change the region code more times than this.

7. How important are the Apple security updates?

Very important -- and rarely do any damage.

8. AT&T Yahoo DSL also wants to upgrade PPPoE. Is that safe?

Who knows.

9. How good is the syncing the iPhone with Addressbook and Calendar.

Works very well.

10. How is visual voicemail?

It just works.

11. Drop outs occur when playing music via Airport Express and Airtunes.

Probably a bandwidth limitation. Also wireless phones and microwave ovens can cause interference. Try changing the WiFi channel.

12. RSS publishing -- is anyone doing this in the group?

One or two people.

RSS is just another way to look at news articles and blogs, via an automatic download and gathering. It saves you the trouble of browsing back to each site.

13. Mac Book Pro -- recommend a good USB hub, with four ports, and non-powered?

Members will post recommendations.

14. When using parental controls, widgets are also disabled even though this is NOT one of the choices under parental controls.

This is set via the "supporting programs" setting under parental controls.

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Next Month
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Open invitation for member demonstrations.

Looking for more food volunteers.

VMware fusion presents next month.

Derrick Story appears August 6 at the SMUG meeting.

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Raffle
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