in this issue Views From the Top From The Font Upcoming Meeting Topics Web Thoughts Special Interest Group (SIG) December Board Minutes The Internet Gets Local HELPDESK LOG Web Potpourri (ReRun)

We will also have an open Q&A session to deal with other PC problems. Club members, their guests and the public are welcome.

Views From the Top

Richard Kinkel, President

Happy New Year everyone, and I want to wish everyone good health and prosperity for 2005. I hope everyone had a good holiday, and I hope everyone is off to a good start for 2005. Well I think it's clear what the technology trend is: yes that's right, digital cameras. I went to "Best Buy" just before Christmas and the only part of the store that was packed was the digital photography section. The rest of the store was fairly empty. Is that bad? I don't think so. Just like when cd music was replacing vinyl, it caused a boom in the audio industry. The same thing will probably happen with computers and all related hardware. Digital Cameras will cause more people to buy computers, and then they need monitors, then printers, and so on and on. So I think it's a good trend. And it happens to be my business so I can't complain.

Now for trends in the PC club. The biggest difference for this year is our SIG schedule so please pay attention and write these dates down. You can always go to the forum or check out the newsletter and get the dates their. But we all know that we are creatures of habit, and when change comes it takes some time to adjust. So here's the new SIG schedule:

1) Web SIG-1st Wednesday of each month,
2) MS Office SIG-3rd Monday of each month,
3) Internet SIG- 3rd Thursday of each month,
4) Digital Photography SIG-4th Thursday of each month.
5) PCCC Board meeting-4th Monday of each month.

DON'T FORGET THAT THE GENERAL MEETING IS STILL THE 2nd THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH. The general meeting is still at PNG, and that the SIGs are still at CompUSA in Pineville. So there you have it, now that wasn't so bad. We made these changes so that all the SIGs won't occur during the same week.

Well I'll see you soon, Happy Computing.

Go to the PC Club's Website

	From The Font
Keith Wales, Sr. Well here we are 2005 .I hope that the Holiday Season was good to everyone and Santa left you all the toys you wanted. It was pretty hectic around our house. We picked up a new puppy on 17 December. He is an Airedale Terrier and like all good terriers he goes full tilt until he collapses. Hasn't been whole lot of time for the computers except to check email and do little E-Bay shopping. We did our part to make it a good season for the on-line stores. Pam did most of her shopping on-line. Just to let the 20 or so members who did not come to the Holiday Dinner / Party know, those of who did were glad to divvy the door prizes up. The food was its usual Very Good and the quantity left over meant everyone had plenty to take home. Dewey did his usual fantastic job of getting us good door prizes, including the copy of MS Office 2003 Professional. We were missing one regular, Loren Dobosy and his new wife. Loren had open heart surgery the week before and was still in the hospital at the time of the Party. I have not heard how he is so if anyone knows please let me know and I will pass it along. Well back to business. As many of you know the board has been struggling with the format of the General Meeting. We are still struggling. It is becoming harder and harder to get speakers and although we have some real expert in our group on a lot of subjects that well is being exhausted as well, or has moved to the SIG venue. Richard and I have both asked for opinions and suggestions that will keep the club vibrant but there have been very few. So here I go again. If you have any suggestions for new General Meting Topics please post them on the Forum, talk to one of the board members or send up a smoke signal. Just Take Part!!! Also it is fast approaching that magical time of the year when like the recent National Elections we will see political ads in Bytes and Bits and debates between the candidates for the elected board member positions. The positions in contention are President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Editor. In the years Pam and I have been in the club I have never seen a contested election and if would be nice to have multiple people to chose from. For my part with my job the way it is and amount of travel I am doing I have a very hard time making General Meetings and most Board Meeting. I have had justifiable comments about not making meetings and I am not sure I will run for Editor this year. If anyone is interested make your desires known and if nothing else we can have real election. Well enough for this month. -------- Late news: We are trying to get a booth at the Computer Show & Sale January 15-16. If you're able to help, contact Dewey Williams at webmaster@pc3.org.  Watch PC3.org for more details. Editor Bytes & Bits »

	Upcoming Meeting Topics
January Those Neat Toys you got for Christmas February To Be Announced

	Web Thoughts
Bill Barnes, PCCC The 21st century (OK, the 1998-present) buzz is the internet and mobility. We want to stay near the cutting edge and use technology to its highest level. Here are some thoughts on how I use computing as I go from home to work to visiting and use a dozen different computers in the course of a day. I contend that the end of the personal computer is soon. Instead, we will have personal computing such that wherever you are, whatever device you're using, you'll be using your personal data and environment. Alternatives to the default When you signed up for internet service, your ISP gave you a disc to install. Most likely this includes additions to Internet Explorer such as a custom toolbar and default homepage that send you to the ISP every time you log on. It will also have a wizard to plug their mail settings into Outlook Express. Unless you're using AOL for dialup, you don't have to use anything from the ISP! Read the rest of the article to learn of alternatives to get connected, browse, and read mail. Click the link at the bottom of this article. Web mail Of course, you know about the free mail services from Hotmail, Yahoo and others. With 100 MB or more of online storage, you access your mail from any internet browser. If you get your mail account from your ISP, did you know most of them also provide a webmail link into your account? Usually it's merely http://webmail.yourisp.com. You may even be able to access your office email account online; just ask your IT department what the address is. Read the rest of the article to access and organize your mail online. Click the link at the bottom of this article. Remote access If you're ready to jump in and use your own computer from anywhere in the world, there are programs that let you see and control it over the internet just as though you were sitting at your own desk. These utilities may require a client on the remote computer or work through a web browser. Either way, you have to open a hole in your router to allow the connection through. Running remote control is not for the faint-of-heart, but it can be liberating for someone who uses many computers. If you need something from home, just open a browser and you're sitting at your desk. Read the rest of the article to break the tie to one computer, but still be working at your computer. Click the link at the bottom of this article. Next month: The Crystal Ball The Rest of the Story »

	Special Interest Group (SIG)
Special Interest Group The NEW SIG schedule is as follows: Web Design Wednesday, February 2, 2005, 7:00pm CompUSA, South Boulevard and I-485 The Topic is See PC3 Web Site Office SIG Monday, January 17,2005 at 7:00pm CompUSA, South Boulevard and I-485 The Topic is Styles . Internet SIG Thursday, January 20, 2005 7:00pm CompUSA, South Boulevard and I-485 The Topic is See PC3 Web Site Digital Camera SIG Tuesday, November 16, 2004, 7:00pm CompUSA, South Boulevard and I-485 The Topic is See PC3 Web Site SIG Calendar »

	December Board Minutes
Pat Rogers, Secretary No Meeting was held in December because of the Holidays. Join the Forum! »

	The Internet Gets Local
Mike Hogan CEO ZiXXo Inc The 'www' in web addresses refers to the World Wide Web, however the hottest market on the Internet today isn't worldwide, it's all about being local. The initial appeal of the Internet was how it enabled anyone with a webserver to establish an instant worldwide presence. Yahoo, Google, Hotmail and a number of other companies took advantage of this, creating worldwide audiences. Now some of the largest Internet companies, and some hot start-ups, are taking a decidedly local focus. Think Globally, Act Locally Usually that phrase is applied to environmental issues, yet it also applies to the Internet. If you are looking for information, a worldwide Internet is great. For example, if you need to find the lyrics to that new song that is stuck in your head, a worldwide Internet is great. But if you want to take action, like finding a job, selling your car, finding someone to rideshare with, or even finding that someone special, you want to act locally. In fact, while the vast majority of Internet searches are purely informational, a study by The Kelsey Group and BizRate found that 45% of all local searches are performed by people looking to buy something. The market for local Internet advertising is currently valued at $1 Billion and it is expected to grow to $5 Billion by 2008. At the same time, newspapers earned $15.8 Billion last year selling local classified ads; and yellow pages vendors earned $14.9 Billion selling local directory ads. Yet classified ads and directories are far more efficient online. This has combined to create a new Internet gold rush to address the burgeoning local markets. Search Engines Look for Local Gold Search engine companies such as Google, Yahoo and AskJeeves have begun building geographical awareness into local versions of their search engines. If you're looking for a local business like a bicycle shop in Davis, CA, these local search engines can help. But if you're looking to sell a used bike, or you want to find someone to bicycle with in Davis, you're out of luck. The search engine companies have taken an outside-in approach. They reside outside of the local communities looking inward to find local information. The search engines hope to sell ads to local vendors that are displayed alongside the search results, just as they have done on a national basis-a process known as search engine marketing. In their quest to extend their Internet dominance locally, search engine companies face two very significant challenges. First, the small to medium sized businesses that comprise the bulk of these local companies generally have no online presence. Since search engine marketing is built upon redirecting Internet users to the advertiser's website, it simply doesn't work without a web presence; there's no website for the user to click to. Secondly, these small to medium sized businesses typically don't have the in-house expertise necessary to master the technical and marketing issues behind search engine marketing. As a result, the search engine companies need to establish local representation to sell the concept of paid search and then to help the companies implement these solutions. Local Communities Complement Search Engine Marketing While the search engines take an outside-in approach of finding local information, local community websites, like Craigslist, complement this with an inside-out model. These web communities provide local residents with the tools to interact with one another. In the process, these residents create a tremendous amount of valuable information. This is the type of information that the users of localized search engines want. Search engines and local community websites are very complimentary, like peanut butter and chocolate, in addressing local markets. Craigslist, a popular early implementation of the local community, is now straining under the weight of its popularity. While the largest Internet companies were busy establishing their global dominance, Craigslist evolved into a quirky local free classified ad website in the San Francisco area. It has since grown into a collection of free classified ad websites covering 58 U.S. cities. This local Internet solution, which began as a hobby, has now become a big business. If you need proof of this, consider that eBay recently bought 25% of Craigslist. Craigslist relies upon a simple posting model. You select a category and post your free classified ad. While this is very simple, it doesn't provide the context necessary to search effectively. For example, searching the cars & trucks section of Craigslist for "1988 Acura Integra" yielded results that included a Mercedes Benz, some used Honda parts and all kinds of things that didn't fit my search criteria. Without an efficient search mechanism, users are forced to read all of the newest ads to find what they want. This can be very time-consuming. It is also problematic from the advertiser's perspective. There are so many new ads posted each day, that in order to keep your ad fresh and keep it in front of readers, you need to post the same ad every day or two until you sell the item. Craigslist is a simple local community website, but it can be very time-consuming to use. A new company called ZiXXo has recently launched a similar service in over 100 U.S. cities. The Charlotte site is http://charlotte.zixxo.com/. ZiXXo provides free classified ads that use best-of-breed forms for most of its categories. These forms guide the user in creating their ad, ensuring that it includes all of the relevant information. The buyer can then search by field. To search for a 1988 Acura Integra, simply open the search form for used cars and enter "1988" in the year field, "Acura" in the make field and "Integra" in the model field. This search finds only exact matches. Unlike other supposedly free classified ad sites, ZiXXo doesn't charge users to make their headlines bold, to ad pictures, or anything like that. There are simply no charges at all. In fact, the company raffles off digital cameras or Apple iPods every week to users of the site. ZiXXo makes money by selling printable coupons to local vendors. Users of the site can find, print and redeem these coupons locally. ZiXXo relies upon local individuals to sell these coupons, paying them a commission for each sale. The Local Internet Market is Still Young While the Internet upstarts attempt to redefine local advertising, the demise of the current leaders in local advertising-newspapers and publishers of yellow pages-has been greatly exaggerated. With about $33 Billion in revenue between them, they are developing, buying and partnering to defend their local turf as it moves online. For example, newspapers are offering online classified ads to complement their print editions. Some are also offering local auctions to fend off eBay's encroachment. The yellow pages are also active moving their directories online, so that they too can offer businesses a package that includes both online and offline advertising. In fact, BellSouth, owner of yellow pages publisher RealPages, partnered with Google to combine search engine marketing with online and offline yellow pages advertising. It will be very interesting to see how the local Internet evolves over the coming years. It's hard to tell now which companies will come out as the big winners, but if the analysts projections hold true and local Internet advertising grows from $1 Billion this year to $5 billion in 2008, there will no doubt be some big winners. Article Links »

	HELPDESK LOG
Sent by Dewey Williams Classics! Some people do not need computers it would seem. Helpdesk: Hi, How may I help you? Customer: Hi, this is Celine. I can't get my diskette out. Helpdesk: Have you tried pushing the button? Customer: Yes, sure, it's really stuck. . Helpdesk: That doesn't sound good; I'll make a note ... . Customer: No . wait a minute. I hadn't inserted it Yet. It's still on my desk.. SORRY . Helpdesk: Click on the 'my computer' icon on to the left of the screen. . Customer: Your left or my left? Helpdesk: Good day. How may I help you? . Male Customer: Hello... I can't print. . Helpdesk: Would you click on start for me and . . Customer: Listen pal; don't start getting technical on me! I'm not Bill Gates damn it! . Customer: Hi good afternoon, this is Martha, I can't print. Every time I try it says 'Can't find printer'. I've even lifted the printer and placed it in front of the monitor, but the computer still says he can't find it... Customer: I have problems printing in red... . Helpdesk: Do you have a color printer? . Customer: Aaaah....................thank you. . Helpdesk: What's on your monitor now ma'am? . Customer: A teddy bear my boyfriend bought for me in the supermarket. Helpdesk: And now hit F8. . Customer: It's not working. . Helpdesk: What did you do, exactly? . Customer: I hit the F-key 8-times as you told me, but nothing's happening... Customer: My keyboard is not working anymore. . Helpdesk: Are you sure it's plugged into the computer? . Customer: No. I can't get behind the computer. . Helpdesk: Pick up your keyboard and walk 10 paces back. . Customer: OK. Helpdesk: Did the keyboard come with you? . Customer: Yes. Helpdesk: That means the keyboard is not plugged in. Is there another keyboard? . Customer: Yes, there's another one here. Ah...that one does work! Helpdesk: Your password is the small letter A as in apple, a capital letter V as in Victor, the number 7. . Customer: Is that 7 in capital letters? A customer couldn't get on the internet.. Helpdesk: Are you sure you used the right password? . Customer: Yes I'm sure. I saw my colleague do it. . Helpdesk: Can you tell me what the password was? . Customer: Five stars. Helpdesk: What antivirus program do you use? . Customer: Netscape. . Helpdesk: That's not an antivirus program. . Customer: Oh, sorry...Internet Explorer. Customer: I have a huge problem. A friend has placed a Screensaver on my computer, but every time I move the mouse, it Disappears! Helpdesk: Microsoft Tech. Support, may I help you? . Customer: Good afternoon! I have waited over 4 hours for you. . Customer: Can you please tell me how long it will take before you can help me? . Helpdesk: Uhh..? Pardon, I don't understand your problem? . Customer: I was working in Word and clicked the help button more than 4 hours ago. Can you tell me when you will finally be helping me? Helpdesk: How may I help you? . Customer: I'm writing my first e-mail. . Helpdesk: OK, and, what seems to be the problem? . Customer: Well, I have the letter a, but how do I get the circle around it?

	Web Potpourri (ReRun)
Keith Wales, Sr., PCCC Now that Fall is here and Winter is not too far behind we will undoubtedly be spending more time in front of our computers an also our TV's. So, if your "significant other" can get you out of the house to go to a movie or rent a video the following sites might just be of interest to you. Internet Database is a database of everything about every movie you can think of. http://imdb.com/  Box Office MoJo is also a listing of movies but also more on the actors and the status of current and upcoming movies. http://boxofficemojo.com/  TVTome is a site that not only tells you what Hots and what's not but it tell about the in the planning stage shows as well. http://tvtome.com/  Try these out on a Cold Winter evening Send me your favorite sites and you to could be in the spotlight next month. Editor Bytes & Bits »

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