1998 WIA meetings
December 1998
- Featured Presentation - Hank
Dorris of the Williamsburg Internet Association spoke about the "Y2K"
problem. The year 2000 (Y2K) problem is said to be
the most insidious problem of our century, far beyond just a software problem.
It is the risk of costly interruptions or liabilities to government and
business caused from products or service failures that stem from the mishandling
of dates on or before the end of this century.The following Y2K topics/issues
will be briefly discussed:
- What is the year 2000 (Y2K) problem?
- When will the date problem occur? What times
must be tested?
- Encoding century information in a six-digit space
- The date problems are not isolated in one area
of a systems hardware or software
- How vast is the problem?
- Examples of embedded systems date problems
- Where to look for embedded Y2K problems
- Use the compliance checklist
- The Y2K process needs to allow for certifying
systems with known problems!
- Multiple ways to correct Y2K problems
- Some are confusing Y2K compliance with universal
un-ambiguousness
- Y2K interface issues span all interfaces, not
just date passing interfaces
- Factors to consider in selecting Y2K solution
approaches
- Testing and evaluation
- Setting compliance goals
- COTS possible date-dependent functions
- Legal considerations
- United States Y2K status overview (as of mid
98)
- Y2K readiness in the United States (as of mid
98)
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Stan Rockwell, of the
Williamsburg Internet Association, moderated an informal
beginners' session in which he will took questions from members. He also
took suggestions from members regarding topics for next year.
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet Navigators
also held an informal discussion with the advanced users and served refreshments.
November 1998
- Featured Presentation - Dan Malone spoke about "The
Old Dominion in the New Economy." Dan Malone is a CyberConsultant.
He is on the Board of the World Teleport Association and George C. Marshall
International Center for which he was also VP Technology. He is best known
here for his work with Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology using
Internet for economic development in rural and inner city Virginia communities.
Dan is also an advisor to the Virginia Legislature's Joint Commission on
Technology and Science. Dan has generously provided us with a set of his
presentation notes on this topic. You can download a copy in plain
text format or in MS Word format.
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Carl Dolmetsch of Widomaker Communications Service presented:
"Where to go when you need technical information." In
this session, he started with an overview of web sites designed to help
the user learn the internet. He then discussed web sites that specialize
in modem information and how to use them. He concluded with a brief discussion
of other technical-oriented web sites to assist the user in getting the
most out of his/her hardware and software. Carl has generously provided
us with a copy of his presentation notes.
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet Navigators
continued his multi-part series that deals with the Web. HTML: Doing
it better than the Pros - An introduction to HTML. Learn how to create
good web pages. Java was discussed.
October 1998
- Featured Presentation - Ben Loyall of Widomaker
Communications Service spoke about some security issues that have recently
presented themselves and affect the end user.
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Carl Dolmetsch of Widomaker Communications Service discussed
"ftp" ftp stands for file transfer protocol. It is one of the
oldest applications/services on the Internet. Since introduction of the
www it has received far less discussion but it is still there and has considerable
power. In this session, he discussed what ftp is, what it does and how
best to use it.
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet Navigators
continued his multi-part series that deals with the Web. HTML: Doing
it better than the Pros - An introduction to HTML. The main topic was
Perl, the language of CGI and web page scripting.
September 1998
- Featured Presentation - Mrs Janis Walby of Brock Development
in Williamsburg spoke on "Working with Internet Information".
Her company teaches consumers and business professionals to become proficient
with the Internet and business software.
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Will Caulford (filling
in for Carl Dolmetsch, who was ill) of Widomaker
Communications Service continued his discussion of E-mail with an overview
of attachments:
- adding to e-mail
- sending
- receiving
- viewing
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet Navigators
continued his multi-part series that deals with the Web. HTML: Doing
it better than the Pros - An introduction to HTML. Learn how to create
good web pages. Validators, web editors, and other tools for creating static
web content will be discussed..
August 1998
- Featured Presentation - Bill Williams, President of Asonic
Internet, Inc. spoke about "Using the Internet to Locate Classmates
for a High School Reunion". Williams is a former executive with the
NASA Langley Research Center. Asonic Internet, Inc. is a local ISP located
on the Peninsula, and their Web site is www.asonic.net
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Carl Dolmetsch of Widomaker Communications Service presented
an intermediate to advanced E-mail session on organization and maintenance
- focusing on backing up your e-mail and creating different folders in
different e-mail programs.
- When do you need to back up?
- When your software gets corrupt and is doing bad things
- When your inbox gets so stuffed that you can't see your way down the
list. These can lead to slowdowns in e-mail performance and future problems
with your e-mail client.
- Why would you want to create more folders in your e-mail client?
- To organize your e-mail by different categories (work vs. family vs.
friends ... etc.).
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet Navigators
continued his multi-part series that deals with the Web. HTML: Doing
it better than the Pros - An introduction to HTML. Learn how to create
good web pages. Validators, web editors, and other tools for creating static
web content were discussed.
July 1998
- Featured Presentation - Berna Heyman presented "Traveling on the 'Net - With
a Hop, Skip, and Click!!", a tutorial on how to arrange travel
plans using the World Wide Web. She described a unique web site she has developed that includes valuable online travel resources.
Berna is Assistant Dean of University Libraries for Automation and Bibliographic
Control, Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William & Mary
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Carl Dolmetsch of Widomaker Communications Service discussed
"Netiquette". Netiquette is courtesy and manners on the Internet.
He began with a description/discussion of RFC 1855 - Netiquette Guidelines
- focusing on SHOUTING, trolling and flaming. He also discussed taboos
such as "make money fast" chain letters, "Me too" responses,
and SPAM.
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet Navigators
will present the second part of a multi-part series that deals with the
Web. HTML: Doing it better than the Pros - An introduction to HTML.
Learn how to create good web pages. Validators, web editors, and other
tools for creating static web content were discussed.
June 1998
- Featured Presentation - George King of the Christopher
Wren Association spoke on "Genealogy on
the Web" He talked in general about how to obtain information on the
Web and develop an understanding of family history, including: LDS, Ancestry
Home Town, Social Security Death Index, directory for obtaining birth,
marriage, and death certificates, Eastmans Genealogy Newsletter for genealogy
software reviews. He visited selected sites on the Web. He has prepared
a web site of his own that includes numerous links to related resources on
the 'net.
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Carl Dolmetsch
of Widomaker Communications Service
demonstrated how you download, install, and use Real
Audio. He was kind enough to give us a copy of his presentation
notes.
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet
Navigators restarted his multi-part series that deals with the Web.
Part 1 - How The Web Works - An introduction to servers, HTML, CGI,
and browsers. A look underneath the hood to create a context for learning
about HTML and CGI.
May 1998
- Featured Presentation - Duncan
McIver of the Williamsburg Internet Association did a question and answer
session. He was joined by Stan Rockwell, also of the WIA, who spoke about
search engines. Stan maintains a web
page that deals with search engines.
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Ben Loyall of Widomaker Communications Service presented:
"Viruses 101"
- What they are and what they do.
- Different kinds (applications specific [e.g.
MS Word macro viruses] vs. systems general).
- Who is susceptible.
- Virus detection and repair tools and how to use
them properly.
- Real viruses vs. virus hoaxes.
- What to do if you think you have a virus.
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet Navigators
presented Part 5 in the "How the Web Works"
series: 8 different ways to put counters on your web page. He explained
how perl, Java, HTML, and other web resources can be put together to provide
a page counter that will suit your needs.
April 1998
- Featured Presentation - Lt. Col. Todd
Klopp from Langley Air Force Base discussed
"Electronic Commerce on the Internet." He discussed the
current use and importance of the Internet for commerce. He also shared
some exciting views of the future. He generously provided us with a full
set of his presentation notes.
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Carl Dolmetsch of Widomaker Communications Service discussed
some of the persistent problems encountered when connecting to the Internet
with Windows 95. He also discussed the Usenet and offered some suggestions
on getting the most out of it.
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - cancelled
March 1998
- Featured Presentation - D. Ian Hopper, columnist
from the cyber.life section of the Daily Press, spoke about Education
and Current Events on the Web.
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - D. Ian Hopper
continued his presentation for a second hour
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet
Navigators presented the fourth part of a four part, four month series
that dealt with the Web.
- Part 4 of 4 - Java: Make it interactive on the client
- Java allows web applications to be created without CGI. Java terminology
will be explained (RMI, Java Beans, JDBC, AWT). The emphasis will be on
the non-glitzy uses.
February 1998
- Featured Presentation - Tony Matthews of Cox Communications
spoke about "cable modems."
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Tony Matthews
of Cox Communications continued his presentation on "cable modems"
and took questions from the audience.
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet
Navigators will present the third part of a four part, four month series
that deals with the Web.
- Part 3 of 4 - CGI: Make it interactive on the server
- An introduction to Web Interactivity. CGI provides a way to process forms,
and create web applications. Perl was exhibited as an easy-to-learn language
for creating CGI's.
January 1998
- Featured Presentation # 1 - "Interesting Websites
for Senior Citizens, with some thoughts on creating your own Family Home
Page." was presented by Duncan McIver: Webmeister for Eagle
Aeronautics, Inc.; Vice Chair of the Southeastern Regional Net (SEVAnet);
and Program Chairman for the Williamsburg Internet Association.Duncan's
home page is http://www.widomaker.com/~dmciver
and the list of Senior sites is on the Christopher Wren site at http://www.wm.edu/CWA His presentation notes
are here.
- Featured Presentation # 2 - Web TV, an introduction describing
the capabilities, hardware, features, and accessories
- Breakout Session (Beginners') - Web TV, a detailed, hands-on
demonstration
- Breakout Session (Advanced) - Chris
Hicks of Flamingo Internet
Navigators presented the second part of a four part, four month series
that deals with the Web.
- Part 2 of 4 - HTML: Doing it better than the Pros - An
introduction to HTML. Learn how to create good web pages. Validators, web
editors, and other tools for creating static web content will be discussed.
