Newsletter Nov/Dec 2006

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Last Month….'October'

Following on from our previous month’s topic of networking, Derek Taylor introduced us to the subject of Network Attached Storage. Last month, Alan Danbury let us into the mysteries of setting up your own home network. Derek’s presentation was to show us how we can have a centralized storage area that is accessible by the various computers on your home network.

First up was the Netgear Storage Device. This comes as a small body that can have 2 hard disc drives fitted. These drives have to be of a modern specification and just slot into the box. The unit also needs a DHCP server before it will work. Setting up is a relatively easy and painless experience using the supplied Wizard. An advanced set procedure is available but unless you are a network guru, leave well alone was Derek’s advice. The set up process allows the user among other things, to create a new drive, setup drive sharing, partitioning and password protection. Derek went through the setup and explained that there was also a very good in-depth manual that explained the steps procedure very well.

The first offering is a commercial offering. Derek’s second method was a bit cheaper on the pocket and available from www.FreeNas.org . One can download the small image of the required CD (32Mbyte) from the website. FreeNas is a Linux based package and come with free downloadable documentation to make the installation a little less painless.

The beauty of this package is that it can use any old hard drive – no need for the latest specifications, whatever you have lying around will do the job. The storage device can be an old computer – originally consigned to the back of the cupboard, that old 486 model will do nicely. The software can be installed from a CD, CF card, Memory stick or in fact any USB storage device.
Once loaded up, the package opens with a user setup menu, which by no means as friendly as the Netgear wizard is pretty easy to follow. The package will support both hardware RAID cards and software RAID 0, 1 & 5 if you require backup duplicity.

Being a Linux based system there are also help and open discussion forums to keep you abreast of the latest developments. So if you are interested in pursuing this route to network storage there is plenty o information on the website including a host of links to help you on your way.

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Critical Update For WinZip 10.0 
Security threats come from many sources. We have all heard of the constant stream of flaws in Microsoft’s security but this one comes from an unexpected direction.

On November 14, 2006 WinZip Computing released WinZip 10.0 build 7245, a critical update to all installations of WinZip 10.0. 

This build addresses a security vulnerability that exists in one of its component modules. 

This vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on a system with an unpatched installation of WinZip 10.0 if the user was to visit a malicious web page. WinZip 10.0 users are strongly urged to update to build 7245, due to the critical nature of the vulnerability. 

WinZip 10.0 build 7245 is available free of charge to all registered users of WinZip 10.0 Standard and Pro. Previous versions of WinZip are not affected by this vulnerability. 

Users should simply download and install the new build over their existing WinZip 10.0 installation. In order to preserve their existing WinZip registration information, they should NOT uninstall current WinZip 10.0 before installing this new build of WinZip 10.0. 

http://www.winzip.com/dnldwz.cgi?ENRRWZC

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NAS Devices
Following last months look at NAS devices Alan Danbury has found the following web site that might interest some of you
It appears to offer a NAS system on a bootable CD - the software is only USD30, just add your own PC/drives etc.

http://www.serverelements.com/naslite-2-cdd.php

Alan has also sent me this link to a web site that gives reviews of Network Attached Storage devices.
http://mail.vnunet.com/cgi-bin1/flo/y/ewrU0N7qqJ0VKX0DUNc0Ef

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Windows Vista
Finally Derek gave a brief preview to the upcoming Windows Vista operating system due to go on general release in the new year. Once again Microsoft have offered us a huge operating system that will be extremely memory hungry and dependent on the latest technology. One gets the feeling that Microsoft wants us to be continually buying THEIR latest products and technology, whatever the price. However, there will be plenty of devotees who will endeavor to ensure its successful implementation into the marketplace. One sometimes wonders how much benefit to the end user, these extra features really are. A bit more thought and application to the security of some of their older operating systems would go a long way to endearing themselves to the general computing public.

Dave Robb

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Fujifilm announced its plans to re-introduce an ISO 50
Since we announced the discontinuation of Velvia 50, we have been inundated with requests from photographers worldwide to continue production. Fujifilm research and development teams have developed substitute raw materials and new manufacturing technologies that enable the company to restart production. The new film is expected to be available in late spring 2007 .

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Club Xmas Meal
After last years successful Christmas meal Ben has volunteered to organise a meal again this year. We have booked tables for Wednesday 13th of December to sit down at 19:30
.
The menu is listed on the back page of this newsletter, the price is £ 11.95 for the meal. It has been suggested by Ben that we all put an extra £ 1.00 per person to cover a tip.

If you are interested in coming along then please let Ben know as soon as possible Tel 01664 454888
All menu selections and payments must be made by the next meeting 22nd November.
Cheques to the Club House Restaurant  

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Photographic Competition 2006
Don’t forget the competition in December, below is a list of the categories.

1. The Four Seasons (any photograph depicting one of the seasons of the year)

2. Landscape/Seascape

3. Nature

4. Industrial Landscape

5. Image manipulation (use of any effects to enhance a photograph)

6. Close-Up

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