HUG Computer Events

Below are the scheduled event dates for Summer 2011. Be sure to update your 2011 appointment calendar for July, August, and September.

HUG Meetings & Workshops -

Change - Our Weekday Meetings & Workshops are now held on the Second Thursday of each Month.

No Change - The time of our Weekday Meetings & Workshops is unchanged - it is still 6:30 PM until 9:00 PM.

And the time of our Third Sunday Weekend Meetings & Workshops is still 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM.

All meeting ending times are, of course, dependent upon the number and complexity of the computer problems brought to the workshop. We can always stay later if we need to.

Location - Our meeting location is at LifePoint Church off Allentown Blvd., near Route 39, in the downstairs, multi-purpose room. An advantage of meeting in the downstairs multi-purpose room is that members can back their cars right up to the door to unload/load equipment. Another advantage is that we have a nearly limitless amount of worktables and space. Both wired and wireless Internet access are available.

Detailed directions and a map to the meeting location are available on the church's web site home page at LifePoint.org.

So, if you have a computer question or problem, bring it to our workshop to receive individual assistance. This service is free to all members in good standing.

MarketPro Computer Shows & Sales -

Computer Shows are held by MarketPro Shows. As of July 1st no nearby shows are scheduled for July-September. However, a show can be scheduled at any time, depending on vendor interest and building availability. So check the MarketProShows.com website on a regular basis if you are interested.

HUG News

Computer Repairs for Members - During the Second-Quarter 2011 we have continued to repair members' computers at our semi-monthly workshops.

Over the last year or so we have observed two related trends in computers brought in for repairs. First, the number of desktop computers brought in has decreased. Second, the number of laptops brought in has increased.

The increase in laptops is understandable. As with most electronic equipment, laptops have become more powerful. Modern laptops have higher processor speeds, more memory, larger screens with higher resolutions. And all necessary hardware is conveniently integrated - wireless networking, speakers, cameras. The power of laptops now rivals the power of desktops.

Additionally, all these improvements occurred while the price of laptops decreased. A good laptop can now be purchased for well under $500 new or under $250 used.

So it is understandable that more members (if not all members) now have a least one laptop in their household. More member laptops equal more laptops brought in to HUG Workshops. Oh, and laptops are much easier to transport compared to the larger desktops with separate monitors, keyboards, and mice.

What is not as understandable is why we are seeing fewer desktops brought in. Are members no longer using desktops, in favor of laptops? Or are desktops still in use but are more reliable and no longer require hardware upgrades and repairs? What is your opinion?

Jim (left) and Hazen (background) watch as George (right) installs a new hard drive in Hazen's computer. George explains what he is doing and why he is doing it with each step. Afterward, the new drive is set up to dual-boot Linux Mint and Windows. A HUG Workshop is always a learning experience for everyone who attends.

Linux Mint Is a Popular Choice For Members' Laptop Computers - During the First-Quarter 2011 we have installed Linux Mint on several members' computers. During the Second-Quarter we continue to see Linux Mint installed as the everyday operating system on many members' laptop computers.

The purpose of Linux Mint is to produce a modern, elegant and comfortable operating system which is both powerful and easy to use. Started in 2006, Linux Mint is now the 4th most widely used home operating system behind Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS and Canonical's Ubuntu. (See the following news item about favorite Linux distributions.) Linux Mint now comes installed on some netbook computers. It's very stable and easy to use.

Linux Mint is free, as are all other Linux versions. You can download and burn a live CD to boot and run on your Windows computer. The live CD will not write anything to your hard drive. This allows you to "play" with Linux Mint and not change your Windows environment. Go to the Linux Mint web site and check it out.

Norm (left) runs Linux mint on his laptop while Dave (center) and Wes (right) discuss a technical problem with Windows.

Linux Journal Reader Poll - The Linux Journal conducted a poll of its readers to determine which, of the many, Linux distributions were most popular with its readers.

Poll Question: What is your favorite Linux distribution for use on the desktop?

Their poll results as of June 17th 2011 were:

Technical Tips

Tip 1 - Internet Radio: Listen to Old-Time Radio Shows Online

It may be difficult to imagine but there was once a time before iPods, Video on Demand, 3D, the Internet and online video games. A time even before television! Back in that simpler time, sitting around the living room and listening to the radio was a family tradition. Every night families, sometimes with their neighbors, would gather together and listen to radio broadcasts of Groucho Marx, Sherlock Holmes, The Avenger, Gunsmoke, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Perry Mason, Superman, Bulldog Drummond, and others.

Radio broadcasts were so much a part of everyday life they could influence mass movements. On Halloween night, in 1938, Orson Welles panicked millions of radio listeners about an impending alien invasion with the Mercury Theatre on the Air's production of "War of the Worlds."

Now, you can relive those earlier times with the largest online archive of vintage radio shows, available to you for FREE!

Just point your Internet browser to RadioLovers.com where old radio shows live again! There, you can discover the best radio shows from the past be it adventure, crime, mystery, drama, science fiction, western, comedy, music, or variety.

Browse around the categories list and find the vintage radio show and episode that you want to listen to. On the link, right-click and select "Save As" on the menu and your mp3 download will begin shortly. Then, listen to it from your iTunes, Windows Media Player, or any other media program. After a show is downloaded to your computer, you can upload the show to your iPod, iPhone, Nexus One, Zune, BlackBerry, or any other mp3 player device, if you wish.

The "back-in-the-old-days" effect is much better if you listen in the evening, turn off all other distracting devices (televisions, etc.), and dim the lights. As the waitress says: "Enjoy"!

Tip 2 - Now Available: The Official Ubuntu Book, Sixth Edition -

Ubuntu 11.04 (as the version number implies) was released in April of 2011. Ubuntu 11.04 is the latest release–more powerful, more flexible, and friendlier than ever. And the Official Ubuntu Book, Sixth Edition, will get you up and running quickly.

There are a plethora of books hitting the market on the Ubuntu Linux distribution, and so far they've all been pretty good. But this one is at the head of the pack for getting started with Ubuntu.

Written by expert, leading Ubuntu community members, this book covers all you need to know to make the most of Ubuntu 11.04, whether you’re a home user, small business user, server administrator, programmer, or novice. The authors explain Ubuntu 11.04 from start to finish: installation, configuration, desktop productivity, games, management, support, and much more. Among the many topics covered in this edition: Ubuntu One cloud storage, Ubuntu Server, and the radically new Unity desktop.

This complete guide also covers standard desktop applications, from word processing, spreadsheets, Web browsing, e-mail, instant messaging, music, video, and games to software development, databases, and server applications. In addition, you will:

• Learn how to customize Ubuntu for home, small business, school, government, and enterprise environments
• Learn how to quickly update Ubuntu to new release versions with upgraded applications
• Find up-to-the-minute troubleshooting advice from Ubuntu users worldwide from forums and other means to get the help you need quickly
• Learn Ubuntu Server installation and administration, including LVM and RAID implementation
• Learn how to use Ubuntu One to buy legal music from your favorite artists and how to use cloud storage to back up or share your important files
• Learn how you can be a part of the community that creates Ubuntu

• Introducing Ubuntu;
• Installing Ubuntu;
• Using Ubuntu on the Desktop;
• Advanced Usage and Managing Ubuntu;
• The Ubuntu Server;
• Support and Typical Problems;
• Using Kubuntu;
• The Ubuntu Community;
• Ubuntu-Related Projects;
• Welcome to the Command Line;
• Ubuntu Foundation Documents;
• Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Open Publication License;
• Ubuntu Equivalents to Windows Programs;
• Index

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 6 edition (printed June 23, 2011)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (Free shipping is available)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars (69 customer reviews)
• Retail Price in Paperback: $39.99
• Amazon Paperback Online Price: $25.49 - You Save $14.50 (36%)
• Amazon Kindle Edition Price: $12.38

Important Reminders

Your Old Computers - Check to see if your last, but unused, computer is taking up valuable space. If it is, then consider donating it to HUG. We need good, modern computers to refurbish and retask.

A computer that is a Pentium 4 or newer (not over 5 years old), can be reused. It doesn't matter if it is a desktop or a laptop. We will repair it, refurbish it, remove all your personal files from the hard drive, and give it, or its constituent parts, a new home.

HUG is a qualified non-profit organization. Your donation of a computer to HUG may be tax deductable on your Fereral Income Tax. We can issue you the required letter to document your donation and its value.

Meeting & Workshop Attendance - Your Attendance is always appreciated. Please arrange to attend a meeting & workshop whenever possible. You are also encouraged to bring a guest. Perhaps your guest may want to join and take advantage of the technical assistance that HUG offers. If you are coming with a broken computer, you should email or phone us in advance so that we may expect you.

Your Opinions and Suggestions Are Important - If you have a suggestion about improving our organization, please feel free to contact any of your HUG officers and discuss it.

Lou Samsel      ( lou.samsel@pa.net)
George Eckard ( georgeeckard@comcast.net)
John Reinhardt ( john.reinhardt93@yahoo.com)
Wes Samsel     ( wessamsel@comcast.net)

The HUG officers and all other members appreciate your continued support for the Harrisburg pc Users Group. We hope to see you at an upcoming meeting. Even if your computer is functioning perfectly we enjoy seeing our members show up. There is always something to learn in our meetings/workshops.

~Lou Samsel, HUG President and Newsletter Editor