Messages from 6/30/09

Today marks (possibly) the final show for the Help Desk, at least as recorded in Oxford. For the time being at least new podcast/UStream.tv feeds will be on hiatus. June 30, 2009 was the last day for the staff of Miami University's former WMUB-FM.

We aren't certain if we can continue with the show/podcast. Keep checking this space.

In addition to the long-term site of the podcast at Miami, here's a link to an alternate site.

Thank you for your support of the Help Desk!

--Cleve Callison
--John Hingsbergen
--Guy Moore
--Wayne Stone

NEWS:

Apple's silence on Steve Jobs' health may have broken federal securities rules
--http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-apple-jobs25-2009jun25,0,3034262.story?track=rss

Future iPhones will adopt Mini USB Port in 2010
--http://www.hardmac.com/news/2009/06/29/apple-will-adopt-mini-usb-port-for-2010-iphone-models

Apple Running Short on iPhones
--http://apple20.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/06/28/apple-runs-short-of-iphones/?source=yahoo_quote

From: Lisa Haneberg
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:44:14 -0400
To: "WMUB 88.5 FM"
Subject: RE: Question for 7 July 2009 Show With Guest Lisa Haneberg

Sure:

I agree with Mark – this is not a good idea for employers. We need to do the best we can to evaluate candidates, but asking for personal information to get into hidden pages of a social networking site is not appropriate. We need to make sure that we are treating candidates fairly and this practice would put those who are hip (with it, technologically) at a disadvantage – not a message I think we want to send.

I have never heard of an employer making such a request.

I suppose there might be some top secret government jobs that require a complete and thorough background check for reasons of national security, but I assume these agencies will have separate and distinct job requirements and employment processes.

I think it will die a quick death.

Lisa

------ Forwarded Message
Subject: Question for 7 July 2009 Show With Guest Lisa Haneberg

Thanks for the opportunity to put forth a question to Ms. Haneberg.

On or about 23 June I read an article posted on CNET.com (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10268282-38.html) regarding how the city of Bozeman, MT will ask potential employees for their user name and password for social networking sites such as facebook, Myspace, YouTube, etc.

Their reasoning is that they wish to perform as thorough as possible a background check on a prospective employee. For my own part, I find this to be a completely outrageous idea and potentially a violation of the First Amendment.

First question: how do you personally feel about such matters? And second, do you think this endeavor will meet with too much resistance and die a quick death or is this the future of employment and social networking?

Thank you for the opportunity to ask.

Mark, Englewood, Ohio

+++++++++++++++++++++

Comments from listeners to the 6/30/09 show:

Yes, yes, yes! Keep me on the mailing list. I want to know not if, but WHEN you find a new manner by which to provide the Help Desk. I'm trying to be optimistic here....

~Mark, Englewood

++++++++++++++++++++++++

First of all, thanks for all the support and entertainment you guys have given me in the past. I wish you luck wherever you land.

Robert, Hebron, KY

++++++++++++++++++++++++

I don't have a question this morning but would like to thank all of you for invaluable advice over the years; I can't list all your accomplishments, but most importantly thanks to your suggestions I'm virus-free for about ten years now. Best of luck to all of you and hope to hear you somewhere soon.

Carolyn

++++++++++++++++++++++++

As luck would have it I was on vacation in California and only saw this email late on Monday night when I arrived home here in Niagara Falls. If you were to call me I would just mumble my thanks for your efforts and for the information you have shared with me both on the show and on your blog. There's no way I can repay you all for taking the time and trouble to help with the puzzling world of computers - even though to me as a Microsoft Windows slave I am sometimes curious about this thing called a "Mac" that you mention on the program. I'm sure it isn't a "Big Mac" since you mentioned that some of the new ones have a metal case.....

Best wishes to all of you. Hopefully the show will pave the way for a really interesting and rewarding job for those who can use one - if you need a reference from a listener I'll surely be happy to give one!

Carl
Manchester House Bed and Breakfast
653 Main Street
Niagara Falls, NY 14301 USA
Web: http://www.manchesterhouse.com
email: mailto: manchesterhouse(at)verizon.net
Telephone: (716) 285-5717

Milestone show on 6/30/09

June 29, 2009

Dear Help Desk listeners,

The podcast/Ustream.tv of Help Desk for June 30th, 2009 will be a milestone of sorts. It will be the last one recorded at WMUB in Oxford. I’d like to ask you to help commemorate the event.

At this point we don’t know when the podcast will continue on a weekly basis. Part of it is geography — Guy, Wayne, John and I all live in different communities and we won’t all be in Oxford anymore — and part of it is our continuing search, not just for a recording home, but possibly for a broadcast home. There’s also the fact that John and I will be looking for jobs, and one or both of us may be moving out of the area soon.

To find out more about WMUB, visit Cleve Callison's blog and click on the WMUB link in the right hand column.

For all these reasons, it seems the best course is to take a hiatus from new productions of the Help Desk at this time. We’re very grateful to you for listening to the radio show, and now the podcast.

Let’s make this one memorable. We have been limiting the podcasts to 30 minutes, but if we get more calls on 6/30 we may go longer. We encourage you to plan to join us for your thoughts about the show even if you don’t have a specific question.

The catch is that we have to call you. Please send us a phone number where you can be reached around 9 am ET on Tuesday June 30th, and we may very well call you.

Email questions to:

helpradio(at)wmub.org

Thank you for your support of the Help Desk!


--Cleve Callison
--John Hingsbergen
--Guy Moore
--Wayne Stone

URLs from 6/23/09

Listen for today’s show as a podcast and on UStream.tv

NEWS:

Steve Jobs
--http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124546193182433491.html

Bug fix for new Mac Book Pro that limited SATA data transfer to 1.5gb
transfer
--http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/firmware_hardware/macbookproefif
irmwareupdate.html

Apple apologizes for AT&T problems with $30 credit to store for folks that
could not get activated
--http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/06/21/apple-stuck-apologizing-for-att-yet-aga
in-with-a-30-itunes-credit/

Google Phone
--http://www.google.com/mobile/android/#utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-na-us
-bk&utm_medium=ha&utm_term=google%20android
--http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10269459-94.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0

China Requires Website filtering software on new computers
--http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&arti
cleId=9134082

QUESTIONS:

Slow startup in Windows XP
--Remove items in MSConfig:
--http://www.ehow.com/how_4831800_disable-startup-items-using-msconfig.html
--Remove items in Startup folder:
--http://www.ralphthegeek.com/startup-in-start-menu.htm

URLs from 6/16/09

Listen for today’s show as a podcast and on UStream.tv
Today’s UStream.tv archive is http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1665942

NEWS:

Macbooks becomes Macbook Pro
--http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/macbook_renamed_13-inch_macbook_pro_g
ains_firewire_800/

Twitter downtime gets delayed for Iranian election news
--http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10265213-2.html

iPhone 3G S
--http://www.9to5mac.com/iphone-3gs-out-of-stock

QUESTIONS:

FireFox Loading Extremely slow the first time
--http://kb.mozillazine.org/Increasing_startup_speed
--http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode
--http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1299475
--http://www.tweakguides.com/Firefox_1.html

Can you see all email accounts at one place?
--POP Yahoo Mail
--http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090521104753AAhaGHf
--Forwarding Yahoo Mail
--http://email.about.com/cs/yahoomailtips/qt/et111901.htm
--Listener Rich recommends the Palm Pre and its Synergy email app
--Listener Lee says: go to Gmail > Settings > Accounts and set up other addresses & services

URLs from 6/9/09

Listen for today’s show as a podcast and on UStream.tv
Today’s UStream.tv archive is http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1630096

NEWS:

Sprint breaks its sales record with Palm Pre
--http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10260208-94.html

UPDATE: Here’s one Help Desk listener’s reaction to the new Pre.

--Pre vs. iPhone:
--http://gizmodo.com/5126870/in-a-nutshell-palm-pre-vs-iphone-vs-g1
--http://i.gizmodo.com/5282976/reality-check-iphone-vs-palm-pre-launch

Apple WWDC Keynote
--http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/0906paowdnv/event/index.html?internal=ijalrmacu


QUESTIONS:

Deleting a user in Vista
--http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistaappearance/thread/5beaaaab-9be7-47da-baf6-7dc6fd24464c
--http://vistasupport.mvps.org/delete_a_user_account.htm

Installing Unix/Linux on Asus Netbook
--http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Asus_Eee_PC_1000HE
--http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_to_install_ubuntu_linux_on_asus_netbook_win
xp.html
UPDATE: see the reaction from the author of this question, Dan

Google Chrome Freezing with lots of tabs open
--http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Chrome/thread?tid=641e4c3c37cc9084&hl=en
--http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Chrome/thread?tid=1eca21966c066d77&hl=en
--http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Chrome/thread?tid=36a937b632abadfb&hl=en

UPDATE: see the reaction from the author of this question, Mark

Imaging a lab of dual boot Macintoshes
--http://www.deploystudio.com/Home.html

Response: Asus netbook

[In reference to the podcast of 6/9/09]:

Good show today, but why is it only 30 minutes instead of the 60 minute show it was when it was on the air.

Thanks for using my question about creating a dual boot system on my Asus netbook. One thing that wasn't clear, and maybe you can clear this up with an e-mail response is couldn't the Linux OS be obtained online? The guys seemed to be focused on the problems with getting software onto the netbook with the absence of a CD/DVD drive. I assumed I could download the OS from a web site and then install it from there. Maybe not. And, on the issue of not having a CD/DVD drive, as you know jump drives now are really big for a reasonable amount of money. Additionally, my netbook also has an SD port for an SD card, and those are available in large capacities. So I don't think the lack of a CD drive is an issue because of these options.

--Dan, Hagerstown IN

Reaction to answer about Chrome

[Listener Mark called in on the show for 6/9/09]

This Google Chrome issue is a pain and has pushed me back to using Firefox all the time. Not that this is a big issue; I love Firefox, but Chrome is quicker and I like the way it will open multiple tabs every time I start the app.

Just want you to know....I've very much enjoyed listening to your show on WUMB since I first discovered it in early 2007. I have called in a number of times over the past years and always enjoyed getting help (when you had it) and listening to other folks problems and the advice given.

I certainly wish the show could have gone on, but with the demise of WUMB (at least in its former guise) I don't know what it all means for you and the show. Regardless, I sincerely hope you find a solution that allows you to continue the show if you find it both meaningful and useful. In the interim, thanks for finding solutions (such as podcasts and live streaming) that help keep the show running!

--Mark, Englewood OH

One listener's reaction to the Palm Pre

[Help Desk listener Rich of Liberty Township, OH purchased a much-talked-about Palm Pre last weekend. Here’s his first impression:]

So far so good ... but a bit of a learning curve on the Palm Pre; I'm not the best person to ask about initial impressions since I don't do 'change.' well ... an age thing perhaps? After many years of Palm OS devices, making a PDA/smartphone change is going to be challenging. (BTW, heard Palm may have sold 150,000 Pre's this weekend and media believed they could have sold twice as many if they had the inventory? Rumors were than outlets like Best Buy only had a few units per store and wouldn't release inventory numbers to customers ahead of time ... ouch!)

On the plus side, one could not asks for a more elegant smartphone. It has a near perfect (although smallish) screen comparable to the iPhone. The bluetooth pairing is a vast improvement over the Treo/Centro models, in my opinon. The WiFi as been the biggest surprise for me since I didn't really think it was that big of a deal, but it works seamlessly in switching from cell 3G network to broadband. The new Web OS, backbone of the phone, uses the Internet to pass data to and from apps and to synchronize using this wireless connectivity. Fast broadband connections are best, EVDO 3G better and slow cell connections the worse (mine did a first day 70+MB systems update in a few minutes -- glad to have WiFi).

GPS has been another surprise and works great with Google Maps or Sprint Navigation software -- both included. The Palm Pre even fit into my Treo windshield holder for traveling and reads very well in the bright sunlight on about 40% brightness. (see link - but don't laugh at the packing skin still protecting my screen).

Perhaps the major reason I opted for the Pre over the iPhone was the slideout physical keyboard since I couldn't type very well on the iPhone or my daughter's iTouch. Nevertheless, the keyboard is small and they made a few key changes from the Treo/Centro models ... again learning curve. I miss the 4-way navigation for mistakes (must use the touchscreen) and would have enjoyed a roller ball option like the Blackberries, but no room.

And although I teased about the iPhones need for additional apps and the crazy stuff at the app store... I found after downloading a few for the Pre (and that's about what are available currently) that I'll be eating crow. The downloadable Pandora music apps is fantastic as is the Accuweather app which uses the GPS locator. Having the ability to 'flick' through the hour by hour forecast is really neat as are the radar images. Its also apparent that every news organization will be looking at the NYTimes app which feeds their content in an easy to read way -- it works well and loads into a single "flick-able card." I didn't see a Slingplayer apps just yet to run my home TV, but Sprint TV did a great job of streaming programming ... no uStream for MUB livecasts either, but they say it is in the works with Adobe and a Flash player. YouTube mobile encoded videos run well though. I haven't tried syncing my iTunes yet, but it is suppose to work well.

The biggest improvement and lead over the iPhone as I see it is in in running multiple applications ... something we do all the time on our computers. Traditional Palm OS would run one at a time (as does the iPhone), but with the "card" method I was able to run 9 apps cards before running out of memory. It was great to have my Pre mounted in my car running the GPS and talking on the bluetooth headset at the same time; a huge improvement over the Palm OS. Now if I could only find a way to rig a Touchstone-like 'induction charger' on my windshield mount I'd be ready to hit the road. (Touchstone is a magnetic mount that sticks the Pre on a desk puck that charges the phone without wires. The only 'port' not covered on my Pre is the 3.5mm headset jack which reduces pocket lint in the mini USB slot)

Negatives:

• Running multiple apps shortens battery life, but a spare can be carried and put in for long trips.
• No SD cards ... stuck with 8GB internal memory
• Design crazy graphical apps waste screen space with fancy icon requiring more scrolling than I would like, but they look nice.
• Camera takes good photos for cellphone, but no zoom and flash is worthless
• No video or audio recording currently. Palm OS had both.
• Super sharp screen is great but pushes aging eyes to the limits by cramming a lot on a page ... thankfully the pinch-zoom and rotating of the page to landscape view works well.
• :-)

Enough to give you something to talk about!

[Thanks, Rich!]

Special program June 9th, 2009

Dear Help Desk listener,

Since early March, the weekly Help Desk podcast has originated from the WMUB studios on the Miami campus. But that will end on June 30th, which is the last day at Miami for Cleve Callison and John Hingsbergen. We are actively investigating ways to keep the program going. Tomorrow (June 9, 2009) we hope to make a special recording that will not only be a regular podcast but will be a pilot of what could be the next step in the show.

You can help us out by sending us a question and letting us call you to put your voice on the show.

If you have a question about computers and are available to be on the phone around 9 am on Tuesday, June 9th, please send an email to: helpradio(at)wmub.org and send the following information:

--Your question:


--Your computer operating system (i.e., Vista, XP, Mac OS X, etc.):


--A landline number where we can call you around 9 am Tuesday:



We can’t guarantee a callback — it depends on the number of entries we receive.

Please help us out, and see the right-hand column for information about live streaming and archiving on Ustream.tv.

Thank you!

----------------------------------
The Help Desk crew

URLs from 6/2/09

Listen for today’s show as a podcast and on UStream.tv
Today’s UStream.tv archive is http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1595505

NEWS:

QuickTime 7.6.2 & iTunes 8.2
--http://www.9to5mac.com/quicktime-itunes-updated
--http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
--http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3520

MSI laptop using the CULV-Consumer Ultra Low Voltage core 2 processors from Intel
--http://www.zdnet.com.au/reviews/hardware/laptops/soa/MSI-X-Slim-X340/0,2000065761,339295549,00.htm
--http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10254094-64.html

Mac OS X 10.5.7
--http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3397

Apple World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) June 8-12 in San Francisco
--WWDC 2009 Keynote Address on June 8th 10am Pacific, 1PM EST
--http://www.i4u.com/article24761.html
--WWDC Stream:
--http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/06/10/watch-or-download-steve-jobs-wwdc-2
008-keynote-webcast-streaming-video/

QUESTIONS:

Fixing Mac external hard drive (won’t mount after power surge/dip)
--http://www.binarybiz.com/vlab/mac.html
--http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue.php
--http://www.micromat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=
83

Printing from web sometimes flaky in XP, from PDF OK
--Update the printer driver; update Adobe Reader or Acrobat to the latest version.
--http://www.wmich.edu/vista/students/printPDF.html
--Print PDF as Image
--http://www.budget.gov.hk/2009/eng/pdf/e_PrintasImage.pdf
--http://www.pdfforlawyers.com/2003/09/question_on_pri.html

Does my daughter need a special adapter for her netbook when she is in London this summer?
--Generally, no. Check the labeling on the unit or on the power supply. If it says 50-60 cycles, 120-240 volts she will not need a converter. She will need a physical adapter since European plugs are different from American. These are widely available from discount and electronic stores.
--http://goeurope.about.com/cs/electricity/l/bl_electricity.htm
--http://www.slowtrav.com/europe/internet.htm#computer

Thank you for the Help Desk

Thanks for keeping the Help Desk active, I cannot tell you the number of ways that I have benefited from this tremendous resource. Whenever I have a pesky computer problem, whether at home or on the road, there is NO BETTER SOURCE, than the Help Desk show blog for a solution. I do hope the powers to be at Miami University will permit and allow this resource to continue without interruption. All of you guys are certainly the kings of the computer world in my opinion. Thanks again.

--listener, Preble County, OH