March 2013
MEETING STARTS - 09:30 - MARCH 9th
VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY, ST. AUGUSTINE, ROOM 110
Issue 370
eBook ver.
PDF ver.
THIS MONTH'S CONTENTS
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UPCOMING MEETING
ANNOUNCEMENTS & REMINDERS
LAST MONTH'S MEETING
MEETING RELATED SIDEBAR
SOFTWARE WORTH A LOOK
DIRECTIONS TO MEETING ROOM
CLUB STAFF
UPCOMING MEETING
LINUX OVERVIEW
This presentation is being rescheduled from last month. Last month's meeting was not well attended due
to a winter storm.
Over the past few months we introduced you to Windows 8 and Mac's Moutain Lion. Now we want to
introduce you Linux. We want you to be aware of the similarities and differences and advantage and
disadvantages between these computer operating systems so that you can make a better and more
informed decision when you get your next computer or decide to refurbish an older computer.
Peter W will re-introduce us to Linux (it's been years since our last Linux presentation) in what I expect
will be a round-table like discussion. He'll likely cover the most FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
about Linux and then some. In turn he may be provoking us with questions about why we spend so
much for the run of the mill computers we have chosen to use. So come to the meeting to ask questions
and expect to be asked questions in return.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS & REMINDERS
• DUES FOR NEW MEMBERS are $10.00 if you join in Oct -> Mar. $7.50 if you join in Apr ->
Jun or $5.00 if you join in Jul -> Sep. Make your check PAYABLE to MLCUG and SEND TO:
John Deker, Treasurer, 2210 Lantern Lane, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444-2211
• CLUB MEMBERSHIP entitles you to receive a copy of the newsletter and access to our email
list server, which is run for the benefit of our members. Please do not hesitate to post club and
computer related notices and problems to it. If we can't solve your problem remotely, we can be
alerted to it ahead of the monthly meeting where more hands-on may help resolve your problem.
• A few of the regular attendees usually partake of LUNCH AT THE CAMPUS CORNER
RESTAURANT near the intersection of Routes 30 and 320 just off the Villanova University
campus. So, after the meeting, why not join us? It's an opportunity to get more help and to
discuss our common interests.
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LAST MONTH'S MEETING
Attendance:
6 people in all attended the meeting on Saturday, February 9th. Two of the 6 attendees were virtual
attendees via Google+ Hangout video chat.
Main Meeting Q&A:
We began last month's meeting with our normal round of questions and announcements. Among the
questions and announcements:
John D • Discussed his desire to simplify the newsletter preparation and distribution process even further
by not embedding the newsletter in the meeting notice, but only providing links to the newsletter.
• Noted his first use and implementation of secure email using the S/MIME technology.
Specifically he mentioned using the Penango extension for Firefox and he and Nelson had
extended the use of Comodo S/MIME certificates to Thunderbird and Windows Live Mail. He
has also extended S/MIME capability to Apple Mail and his Android cell phone.
Nelson S • Is currently involved in a project to get "wake on LAN activity" working on his Windows 8
setup.
John M • Has officially "cut the cord". He terminated his FiOS TV and phone service while retaining only
his Internet service. In the process he upgraded his Internet connection to 75Mbps down and
35Mbps up and replaced his Verizon landline with VoIP Vonage Basic Talk service. For TV
entertainment he retains his paid Hulu Plus service and Amazon VOD and is investigating how
to best set up for OTA TV. He estimates he has reduced his monthly communication and TV
entertainment costs from about $200 to about $110.
• Reported that he simplified the process of redeeming his iTunes gift cards by scanning them with
a webcam rather than typing in the long serial numbers.
Tom J • Reported that he has been having connectivity problems with his Linksys router which have been
temporarily resolved by restarting the router. The problem affected both his WiFi and Ethernet
connectivity. He is considering replacing the router and sought advice on what type of WiFi
capability he should seek.
Rich T • Spoke about free digital editons of the Inquirer and Daily News. The "free" editions do require
you to have a hardcopy subscription. He also mentioned a free app for Android & iOS called
PressReader.
• Spoke about how he has become the caretaker for his daughter's computers.
• We helped Rich set up his tablet so he could log into Google+ Hangouts. We did this before the
start of the official meeting.
Peter W • Led a discussion on rooting Android devices. His interest and reason for wanting to root these
devices is to be able to update to the latest version of Android and to be able to remove all the
"bloatware apps" that vendors typically install.
Main Meeting Program:
There was no main meeting presentation this month due to the limited attendance caused by the winter
storm.
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MEETING RELATED SIDEBAR
This section contains web links & other info related to some of the subjects we discussed during our
round table discussions and main presentation.
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INTERNET SPEED TEST LINKS
(May require JAVA)
Verizon Speedtest Link
http://verizon.net/speedtest
Go ahead, put your Verizon High Speed or FiOS Internet connection to the test! We'll measure your
upload and download speeds so you can be sure you're maxing out your broadband package.
Speakeasy Speedtest
http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/
Speedtest.net
http://speedtest.net/
Welcome to Speedtest.net
Are you getting the speed you pay for? Our Promise Index™ and Speedtest.net help keep your ISP
honest! You can help too and join over 250 million others like you who want to test or troubleshoot their
Internet connection. What's your Speed?
Share and compare your speed results with friends quickly and easily — or get a free Account to track
multiple connections. Use Speedtest.net at work, at home or even on the go with our Android or iPhone
Applications.
MyConnection Server
http://www.myconnectionserver.com/
MyConnection Server (MCS) delivers a broad range of support managed automated and user initiated
self-help connection testing and monitoring services directly via the browser to any online
customer/location anywhere in the world.
The MCS web framework delivers a solution to test bandwidth capacity, true TCP throughput speed
including Gigabit, data flow quality, access restrictions, packet rate limits, as well as routing and peering
problems.
The MCS automated support managed architecture provides extended pre-qualification and quality
testing eliminating the burden on customer resources while delivering a more convenient solution to
address persistent and intermittent problems.
MCS incorporates testing solutions for critical time dependent applications such as VoIP, Video, IPTV,
video conferencing.
MyConnection Server delivers a total solution to measure and monitor the performance and quality of
wired, wireless and mobile networks. A brief overview of the MCS connection assessment tests and
methodologies is provided here:
http://www.myconnectionserver.com/solutions.html
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WHAT IS S/MIME EMAIL
http://www.justinrummel.com/what-is-smime-email-and-why-should-i-be-using-it/
From my two years of using S/MIME email, I’ve identified that there are two types of individuals who
are using this feature: a) Government b) tech geeks. I can understand the lack of participation of
S/MIME for general email usage as there are many hurdles to overcome to make S/MIME possible. But
first the main question, what is S/MIME and Why should I be using it?
Definition S/MIME stands for Secure / Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions and is a standard for public key
encryption and signing of MIME data (an email message). What it allows you to do is two things:
1. Ensure to your email recipients that YOU actually sent the email
2. Allows the possibility of sending and / or receiving email encrypted
Signing I like to relate the process of signing an email to putting a wax seal on a letter back when email or a
government operated post office didn’t exist. Individuals would understand that a letter with a particular
wax seal was the stamp of a sender, and thus knew it was authentic and should be trusted; same thing for
sending a signed S/MIME email. If you don’t see the “signed” icon in Apple’s Mail (or any other Mail
application), then you would be concerned that the email wasn’t truly from the sender.
Encryption Question: If you send a letter through the post office do you simply print a piece of paper and drop it off
in a mailbox, or do you put it in an envelope. Why put it in an evelope? So people won’t read the
contents inside the envelope! If you are worried about people reading your letter, why do you send an
email without a virtual “envelope”? As an email passes through every router and switch… and from one
mail server to another… without it being inside a virtual “envelope” (thus encrypted), anyone could look
at your letter. Yes it’s a little dramatic, but it is possible.
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TWO VoIP SERVICES FOR THE HOME
(Broadband Cable or FiOS Required)
Vonage Basic Talk
http://lp.vonage.com/basic_1l?LPID=basictalk
Unlimited Flat Rate Calling
$9.99/mo. plus taxes and fees with 1-year agreement
Unlimited local and long distance in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.
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Keep your existing number.
Use your existing phone.
Includes Voicemail, Caller ID and Call Waiting and 911 service - and more.
No activation fee.
Ooma Premier Service
http://ooma.com/products/premier
Not only will you get free calling in the U.S., you'll also get free calling in Canada and all the bells and
whistles. Every Ooma customer gets a free 60-day trial of Ooma Premier. If you choose to continue, it’s
just $9.99 a month plus taxes and fees.
You get all the features included in Basic Service plus these amazing features:
Free calling to Canada
Got family and friends in Canada? Now you can talk to your heart’s content. As a Premier subscriber,
calls to Canada are free (excluding the 867 calling area).
Instant Second Line
Two lines are better than one. Make or receive a second call without missing a beat.
Three-way conferencing
Whether you’re doing business or chatting with friends, three-way conference calling has never been
easier.
Backup Number
If your Internet goes down, calls are forwarded to another phone number of your choosing.
Caller Name
See the name of callers, even if they're not in your address book.
Call Screening
If you don’t recognize the caller-ID, just listen to their message through the speaker. Pick up the phone
at anytime to intercept the call and talk to the caller.
Do not disturb
Get some peace and quiet whenever you want simply by pressing the envelope icon for two seconds. All
of your calls will roll into voicemail without ringing.
Personal blacklist
Stop unwanted callers by blocking numbers or sending them directly to voicemail.
Community blacklist
Automatically block annoying telemarketers and solicitors by tapping into our nationwide database of
thousands of known spammers.
Anonymous call blocking
Make it so callers have to show their caller-ID in order to reach you, so that you always know who's
calling. You can block anonymous calls completely or send them straight to voicemail.
Call forwarding
Forward your calls to any number - even your cell phone - so you never miss a call.
Multi-Ring
Ensure you never miss a call by configuring your Ooma system to simultaneously ring your mobile
phone and home phone.
Free Mobile Minutes
Ooma Premier customers using the Ooma Mobile iPhone app receive 250 minutes of U.S. calling for
free every month.
Voicemail alerts
Keep up to date with new message notifications that can be sent to any email address or SMS-capable
mobile phone.
Voicemail-to-email forwarding (audio)
Enjoy the ultimate convenience of having your voicemail messages forwarded to your email as an audio
file. Now you can listen to messages anywhere you can check email.
Send to voicemail
Transfer a call to voicemail by pressing the “Send to Voicemail” button at any time.
Private Device
Set aside one or more of your phones as a dedicated line that will only ring when a particular phone
number is dialed. Give anyone in the house their own telephone, set up a dedicated fax line, or separate
your home phone and work phone.
Private Voicemail
With Ooma Premier, make any Ooma device a private extension with a password-protected voicemail
account. You can also set up personal greetings, customize privacy settings, and control your voicemail
notification or forwarding.
Personal Number
With Ooma Premier, choose a second number anywhere in the US. Decide whether you want your
number to ring and leave voicemail on all phones or just your personal Ooma device. You can choose up
to nine numbers (additional monthly fee applies).
Google Voice Extensions
Experience Google Voice on your Ooma system. We've simplified and enhanced the experience, so now
you can access Google Voice's Voicemail, Call Presentation, Listen In, and Caller-ID features--all with
the press of a button.
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SOFTWARE WORTH A LOOK
PRESSREADER
(FREE, Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows)
http://www.pressreader.com/
Thousands of local, national and international newspapers and magazines at your fingertips!
PressReader is the only application that lets you read a growing list of over 2,300 full-content
newspapers from 97 countries in 55 languages available through the world's largest online newspaper
and magazine kiosk PressDisplay.com.
Read your favorite publications from cover-to-cover, just as you would in-print.
With PressReader you will enjoy reading complete digital replicas of your favorite publications, often
before the printed editions hit the newsstands! Every article, advertisement, crossword puzzle and
cartoon is presented in its original context.
Enhance your reading experience with PressReader's interactive features.
Not only can you search, share and discuss articles from thousands of titles, the publications you access
via PressReader are enhanced with interactive features such as clickable URLs, telephone numbers,
email addresses and "continued on page…" links.
PressReader offers subscription plans to fit your needs:
• Casual readers: Pay only $.99 per download with our pay-as-you-go plan.
• Newspaper lovers: Enjoy reading all your favorite publications whenever or wherever you want,
all for just $29.95/month.
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PENANGO
(FREE, extension for Firefox & IE, requires Gmail account)
https://www.penango.com/products
Secure (S/MIME) messaging.
Penango is a web browser add-on that allows people to send and receive authenticated and encrypted
messages end-to-end on the Internet with standards-based, interoperable protocols.
Sign, encrypt, and decrypt e-mail messages in free Gmail and free Google Apps. For Firefox and
Internet Explorer.
Instructions for installing and setting up Penango can be found here:
https://www.penango.com/support/installation-guide
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DIRECTIONS TO MEETING ROOM
Meetings are in the St. Augustine Center (SAC) at Villanova University. The regular monthly sessions
meet in Room 110.
Enter from the ITHAN AVENUE main gate, then proceed to the upper level of the 2-level parking
building adjacent to the St. Augustine Center on the Ithan Avenue side of the building.
NOTE: additional map & direction links on our website home page - http://mlcug.org/
MLCUG Meetings Schedule Steering Committee Meetings
March 9
March 13
April 13
April 17
May 11
May 15
CLUB STAFF
Editor: John W. Deker, Jr. 2210 Lantern Lane, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444-2211
Produced with HP-P6267C: 2.5GHz 4-Core Q8300, 8GB RAM, 750GB HDD, Windows 7 Professional
64-bit OS, MS Office, LibreOffice, Calibre, Zimbra Desktop
Club eMail Server for members only...
Web Page http://mlcug.org/
Publicity Position OPEN!
Villanova Sponsor Prof. Frank Maloney, Dept. of Astronomy
MLCUG STEERING COMMITTEE:
President
John Deker
610-828-7897
V.President
Al Gottlieb
215-793-9725
Treasurer / Sec John Deker
610-828-7897
Webmaster
Peter_Whinnery 610-284-5234
Database
Layton Fireng
610-688-2080
At Large
Tom Johnson
610-896-2434
At Large
Wendy Emery
215-765-3328
At Large
Nelson_Schrock 610-834-0117
At Large
John Murphy
610-935-4398