Welcome to PC Update for 2005 and an exciting year ahead for us all. With the major work on relocating our Office to Chadstone and our ISP service to Burnley nearing completion, we now have the opportunity to exploit these new facilities, towards enhanced member benefits.

Chadstone Facilities Open House

Following the relocation at the end of October, we have enjoyed two months use of the new premises and we're learning the new security and equipment procedures. As well, members are getting tuned in to Where-To-Find-Us, Where-To-Park, How-To-Get-In, How-To-Use etc - towards best use of this new facility. Feedback continues to be very complimentary and luckily we did not have any activities clashing with the hectic pre- and post-Christmas crowds in the shopping centre.

On Saturday 4 December, we ran an Open House session and more than 200 members dropped in for a tour of the new facilities. Some were new to Melb PC and keen to find out more about the Group. Your committee has therefore decided to hold more Open House days - combined with an orientation presentation, possibly on a two-monthly cycle - dependent upon demand.
 
Our first session of this type will be held on Saturday 26 February, starting with an orientation presentation at 9.00 am, followed by a tour of the facilities at 10.00 am - and concluding by 10.30 am. All members are invited, but so that we can plan for the numbers attending, please reserve a spot either by an e-mail to the office office@melbpc.org.au or a phone call to 9567 8000 - by Wednesday 23 February 2005.
 
Chadstone Technology

Being a computer group, it is appropriate that we use computers to advantage. Even I am surprised at what has so far been installed at Chadstone - and there's more to come. The new telephone system (PABX) provides control (DHCP for the techos) for the office computer network, while the Audio/Video system has its own built-in Web server so that it can be operated remotely from a laptop PC. The A/V system in the main meeting room also has an audio loop for those with hearing aids - and we have applied to the Victorian Government for possible subsidy funding.
 
As part of selling Chadstone, we are seeking annual sponsorship opportunities from suppliers - trading equipment or software donations for room naming rights and occasional use of our rooms. NetComm Ltd has become our first such sponsor, providing $6,000 worth of their equipment for us to showcase. It includes LAN switches, a wireless Internet access point and initial modems for testing Voice-Over-Internet functions. In return, our network room will be named the NetComm Room for the next 12 months, and NetComm may have occasional use of our facilities when they're not needed by Members. We are also talking to Microsoft and suggestions of similar possible sponsors are welcomed.

Want a ROLEX?

We all suffer from e-mail spam, and I am surprised at the number of Internet members who have not yet invoked our SpamAssassin deletion method. It is good and seems to eradicate about 70-80% of spam. If your configuration is not yet set, click on SpamAssassin User Settings from the Message of the Day page, logon to User Preferences, set Enable Spam Protection to YES, and then set your marking and deletion levels according to the instructions on that page.
 
Regretfully, the spammers are getting worse. And as soon as we block one hole, they find another. One group of spammers seems to constantly beat our system - and that is the Rolex Watches. In my case, I have now added a local filter on my PC. Any e-mail with the word ROLEX in the header or in the body, gets deflected into my Spam folder, where I occasionally check before deleting all contents. You may need a similar local defence.

February Monthly Meeting

We kick off 2005 with our first main monthly meeting on Wednesday 2 February at the Hawthorn campus of University of Melbourne Private, 442 Auburn Road.

Alan Stevenson will be presenting an Introduction to Editing Digital Photos, and Michael Bryant will demonstrate the latest version of ACT!, claimed as the world's best program for time and contact management for your office, home or pocket PC.

The meeting start time is 7.00 pm and we finish by 9.45pm. This is followed by a WAFFLE (dinner) session for the night owls at Sofias, 857 Burke Road, Camberwell.

Reprinted from the February 2005 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

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