Snippets from Previous Meetings
April Meeting 2005
SESSIONS
SOFTWARE and DOWNLOADS
Hugh presented details on some software in which members may be interested: FIREFOX (web browser) andTHUNDERBIRD(e-mail application) are available to members as free downloads on CD (contact Hugh or borrow the disks at next AMUG meeting):
Both applications are by Mozilla. Visit their websites:
www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/
CLAMXAV
This is a freeware virus checker for MacOS X. As yet no MaxOS X viruses have been detected, but virus checkers are still needed because:
- there's no guarantee that the status quo will continue
- Mac users can pass on Windows viruses to PC users
- Windows viruses can affect a Mac user who is operating Virtual PC
SCREENCLEANER Pro
- This freeware application cleans the inside of your monitor screen Ð either LCD or CRT!!! As their website ( www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/freebies ) explains:
- Over time, your LCD or CRT monitor will gradually fade in brightness and contrast. This fading is inevitable, because the backlights for LCD screens eventually fade, and the photo-reactive substrate on CRT monitors eventually degrades.
ScreenCleaner Pro rectifies this situation by altering the gamma of your monitor to compensate for monitor degradation, so it will look as good as new. Don't toss out that old monitor, just run ScreenCleaner Pro on it, and watch your old monitor gain a new life.
Simply let ScreenCleaner Pro run in the background, and it will automatically analyze your monitor's gamma curve and relative luminescence. After enough calibration data has been collected, ScreenCleaner Pro will adjust your monitor to like-new condition.
Worth a look if your monitor is an older model. Requires MacOS 10.2 or later.
VEENIX: DESIGN & TYPE TOOLS
This application is a collection of design and publishing tools, which costs $US39.95 for a download:
Visit http://www.veenix.com for details and download.
Thank you Hugh for the above details.
iPHOTO 5
Tony described some of the new features in iLife 05's version of iPhoto. These include the ability to make folders in the Source column (as above), which enables images to be sorted and stored more readily.
One of the biggest changes in the application is the inclusion of a range of image-editing tools; and although these do not replace the functions of specialised applications such as Photoshop, they do give control over the most-needed aspects of image enhancement without the need to leave iPhoto and open images in another application. The following 'Adjust' controls are available in a handy 'floating' translucent window which overlays the image window on the screen:
Slideshows are now able to be stored as separate files, which enables their settings to be saved. A larger number of transitions is available than in earlier versions, and in addition to overall duration/transitions for an entire show, each slide is able to have its own settings. Another powerful presentation feature is the ability to use the 'Ken Burns' zoom/pan effect on the images shown, either as an automatic default for the show, or as an individually controlled effect for each image. Together with its integration into the user's iTunes library, these features make for exciting presentation of photo collections.
NEW MACS and FILE TRANSFER
Sheryl had on display several models of Mac tower computers, including a new G5 twin-processor model. She explained how Apple have made some of the internal set-up of new computer models accessible to users, as it is now expected that users will be able to perform some of their own hardware upgrades, such as adding RAM. Some parts and screws are colour-coded to facilitate this.
Transfer of data from a previous machine to a new computer has been made easy, as the start-up software of a new machine asks if data is to be imported, and then instructs how to connect old and new computers with a double-ended firewire cable, restart the old computer in Target mode, and then asks which files are to be imported. If "All" is selected the new computer will import not only data files, but all settings and preferences as well, so that the new computer appears and behaves just like its predecessor. Extremely handy and time-saving!
ICAL and PALM CALENDAR
Mary introduced members to iCal, the MacOS X application which provides an on-screen daily, weekly or monthly calendar into which the user can enter events, which are colour-coded into categories such as Home, Work, etc. Evens appear as test items in the calendar, and all-day events are highlighted in solid colour. Events can be one-off occurrences, or can be made to repeat automatically, for example, on a particular date each month, or as in the case of our AMUG meetings, on the last Friday of each month.
iCal has a search facility which will list requested events, and also has an alarm feature which will activate an on-screen warning message at a predetermined time prior to the event - very useful if you're having a particularly busy time and don't want to forget important engagements. It can even be set to send e-mails (for event reminders, invitations, etc) automatically. A 'To Do' list is also available.
Sheryl then demonstrated a similar calendar product which is part of the Palm Desktop software. This performs similar functions, but can be used either as a stand-alone application, or synchronised with a Palm hand-held computer. This software is available for all Mac operating systems from 7.1 onwards, and can be downloaded free from: www.palmone.com/us/support/macintosh/
Further information on using Palms and Macs (eg using iSynch to connect between Jaguar and Palms) can be forund on: http://www.palmsource.com/community/newsletter/tips_mac.html
MacOS 10.3 - TIGER
Sheryl explained a few of the features of MacOS 10.4 'Tiger', Apple's just-launched operating system, which has more than 200 new features. It requires a minimum of 256MB or RAM, and costs $NZ 295+GST. Two of the prominent features are the Spotlight search facility and Widgets, which are a group of desktop mini-applications designed to provide rapid access to a number of different types of information. We'll look at Tiger in detail at a future meeting. For more information visit: http://www.apple.co.nz/macosx/
iWORK
Robin gave an introduction to Apple's recently-released iWork package, which is not (as some thought it was going to be) a 'replacement' for AppleWorks, but consists of 2 interrelated applications: Pages and Keynote. The May/June issue of NZ MacGuide gives reviews of iWork and similar applications in its cover story, and describes Pages as 'not really being a word processor, it's a layout package with certain word processor features'. Keynote performs similar functions to the Presentation part of AppleWorks, and to Microsoft's Powerpoint application. More on iWorks at a future meeting.
Robin also shared an Excel database file which contained a number of useful websites, both favourites of his and a variety of utilities. If you would like a copy of this file contact either ( ) or ( ).
One very useful website that Robin uses is that of the Yorkshire Mac User Group in England, to which he belongs as an honorary member. The group publishes a detailed club newsletter entitled 'Enigma', and has a 'Mac Talk' forum section on its website. Visit: http://www.appledirect.net/ymug/tour.html To find out more, or contact either Robin or Tony for a PDF file of 'Enigma'.
QUIZ SITES
Tony briefly showed the CoolQuiz.com website, which contains a number of different types of quizzes, puzzles, trivia, humour, games and fun activities.
REMINDERS
Next AMUG Evening meeting will be on Friday May 27, 7.30pm.
Next AMUG Daytime Meeting Monday May 16
Committee Meeting on Mactropolis: Tuesday May 17, 9.00pm
Regards to all....
Secretary: Tony Climo, Aoraki MacIntosh Users Group