CyberCoyote -- December 29, 2005

NEWS

Christmas break is over. Classes are starting again. :-) Mary Ann Kircus will restart Computer Kindergarten on January 12. It will continue on Thursday mornings, 9:00 - 11:00, and will have a more "hands-on" approach this season. The fee is $2.00 per session

Chuck Hardy will conduct a 3-day Photo Manipulation class on January 9, 11 and 13 at 1:00 - 3:00 PM. Phil Spohn will hold a 3-day Online Security class on January 16, 18 and 20 at 9:00 - 11:00 AM. The fee for either class is $6.00. Classes on other topics will be announced soon.

Gail King will conduct two sections of the acclaimed Windows XP class. The first is scheduled on February 6, 8, 10, 13 and 15, and the other on March 20, 22, 24, 27 and 29. Both are at 1:00 - 3:00 in the computer room. The fee is $10.00

NOTES and NOTICES

Luke Vavricek of "Smart Computing" magazine will be here next week -- Thursday, January 2nd at 2:00 PM in NC-2 -- for the AZacc presentation. Whether you're a novice or advanced computer user, Smart Computing has timely information to help improve the results you get from your PC. Each issue provides software and hardware reviews, how-to's, tutorials, and easy-to-understand explanations of current technologies.
http://www.azacc.org/Speakers/jan-speaker.htm
http://www.smartcomputing.com

Transparency and accountability are good principles to run a club by. :-) Thanks to Chuck Tomlinson, we now have a list of responsibilities for our officers. When you see what we expect of them, you'll no doubt agree that we don't pay them enough. :-)
http://cybercoyote.org/club/duties.html

TIPS and TOPICS

Today, Chuck Hardy demonstrated some of the ways you can improve pictures that are already good. You probably have many of them that would be better with some flaws removed. For example, by using "cloning" you can completely eliminate elements that distract from the overall effect.

In cloning, you pick up a small sample of object near the object to be removed, and then dab in "clones" of the sample until you've covered up the object to be removed. If necessary, you can use more than one sample to blot out different areas of the object. You need a photo program that works in "layers" to do work like that.

There are dozens if not hundreds of photo editing programs. If you want to do more than just fix a color cast, tweak an underexposed picture, remove red eye, or sharpen edges and contrast, you need a program that works in "layers". Photoshop Elements is arguably the best of the affordable advanced photo editors. Other photographers prefer Paint Shop Pro though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editing_digital_images#Layers -- layers
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelwin/main.html -- Photoshop Elements
http://www.corel.com/ -- Paint Shop Pro
http://picasa.google.com/index.html -- the one I use for basic enhancement

COMPUTERS

It's still nearly a year away, but if you're curious about Windows Vista, you'll get your fill at Paul Thurrott's "SuperSite for Windows". [4 parts]
http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_5270.asp

SECURITY

Now that people are on guard against identity theft, con artists are turning their anxiety against them. It's Ju Jitsu all over again. As always, never follow instructions you get in an email message, no matter how sincere or urgent it seems.
http://cybercoyote.org/url/142.html

DIVERSION

Do you like knots? I just stumbled on the best little know-tying guide I've ever seen. You should be able to tie any of them. The "butterfly knot" may be a bit of a challenge though. A fisherman once told me that in Sweden they call two half-hitches "the knot that's sure to come undone." :-)
http://www.iwillknot.com/ -- "I Will Knot!"
http://www.iwillknot.com/images/butterfly_knot.jpg -- butterfly knot