September 2000 Meeting Report
by Howard L. Bonar
Secretary, Alaska Computer Society

The September 14, 2000 meeting of the Alaska Computer Society was held at the BP building at Benson Boulevard and New Seward Highway starting at 7:05 pm.

Questions and Answers

Gene White started the evening off with the question and answer session.

Ray has a computer clock that is erratic. The BIOS clock seems to be keeping good time but the clock in Windows loses time then catches up by itself. It's possible the battery is needing replacement. Other than that, no good ideas. (We may have an answer by next meeting.)

Howard asked if anyone has a copy of the old classic spreadsheet program, Super Calc for DOS. He wants to borrow a copy to work out instructions for his niece to transfer files to the new world.

Howard also has a problem installing Windows 98SE on three, 3-year-old HP Vectra VA computers. After reformatting the hard drive and installing Win98 it just doesn't want to work properly. After restarting twice, it will run in safe mode but doesn't give a clue as to what the problem is. There are some of its own driver files it cannot find even though they are where they are supposed to be. The boot log indicates the area where it is going bad but no clue as to why. Logging on to HP tech support didn't find an answer. Does anyone have any ideas? (The quick fix was to load Windows 95 instead of 98. Upgrading the BIOS was the best suggestion of HP's e-mail help.)

A member brought up the subject of multiple computers on an ACS (Alaska Communications Systems) DSL (Digital Subscriber Line). It seems they are changing the deal on usage. If you are thinking about going DSL be sure and get all the facts and figures. Competitive shopping is a good idea.

Main Meeting

President Gene White called the regular meeting to order at 7:21 pm. He introduced the board members present and called for any announcements.

Ed Caldwell reminded us that anyone that has not renewed their membership, please do so soon.

Dawn reported on the upcoming meetings. The October meeting to be held at BP will be presented by Randy Akers of Canon USA. He will be talking about the latest in the digital world and Canon's part in it. He will show a few of the Canon products designed for the small office and a digital camera. It should be very interesting. He will be bringing us a digital camera and a computer carrying/attache case for door prizes. In addition, and you will surely want to be there for this, we are going to give away a copy of Microsoft Office 2000 Premium Edition. These are door prizes worth waiting for and, of course, you must be a paid up member to be eligible.

Howard reported on the computer training classes at the AARP Information Center and at the Anchorage Senior Center. Both programs are looking for additional instructors and the Senior Center can use some more good working Pentium computers and especially 15 to 17" monitors. If you have upgraded recently and want to find a good home for your working computer equipment, here is a place it will be put to good use. Contact Howard Bonar if you have any questions.

The Information & Business Technology EXPO will be Wednesday and Thursday, October 11th and 12th, at the Egan Center in downtown Anchorage. Howard is looking for volunteers to help staff the ACS booth. Shifts will be two hours long. Contact him if you have some free time available and would like to help present the ACS story. Pre-registration or having a pass already filled out will save you an entrance fee at the show. Complete information about the seminars being offered and online registration will be available in a few more days at www.Sourdough.net.

The door prize, a copy of Dilberts Desktop Games, was won by Fred Erickson. Have fun Fred!

The Presentation

Mr. Tracy Swaim, Information Technology Specialist for the Alaska State Library System, presented an introduction to the State's Information Data Base services. Terry has been with the library for about seven years working in the web services department. Recently he has spent a lot of his time traveling statewide to teach regional library staffs about the Internet and the databases available.

As part of a program to extend the best in library services to all Alaskans, including the remote villages, the State Library Department has contracted for access to three major commercial data base providers. They offer newspaper articles, magazines, broadcast media transcripts, maps, and many books on line for a fee.

The service is licensed for free use by all Alaska residents. Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) address is your automatic password for access to the system. Alaskans traveling out of state can also utilize the service by accessing the desired database service and entering the Alaskan passwords provided. These are subject to change if it begins to appear like the access is being abused. Alaska users of AOL (America OnLine) and some other national ISPs that do not clearly indicate you are in Alaska may also have to enter the passwords to gain free access. Some users have received a bill for access charges. Most likely they didn't properly identify themselves or clicked the wrong icon.

The rules for use of the service are straight forward and are available on line. Essentially, they say that the user must be an Alaska resident or be affiliated with an Alaskan institution and is physically located in the State of Alaska. Authorized users temporarily traveling outside the state may also gain access. Access is for personal use only. Information must not be sold or bartered and the copyright laws must be obeyed.

This project has been developed through the efforts of the University of Alaska, the State Library Department, and libraries statewide with funding support from the State Legislature. This is its second year of operation and it has enjoyed a lot of use. Over 500,000 searches have been registered so far. Cost of the service is about $600,000 per year. It has been included in the Capitol budget but next year it may be included in the Library budget where it more properly belongs. Between now and the next budget debates, publicity is needed to sell the service benefits to the public and to the legislators.

EASY ACCESS

For those with Internet service, access is easy. Just log on to any one of the websites listed at the end of this article. The Alaska State Library Department website, the Anchorage City Library, or the SLED (Statewide Library Electronic Doorway) pages all have it. Local numbers are available in most Alaska communities to access the SLED system. Once logged on just select the "Magazines, Newspapers, and More: Full Text Articles for Alaskans" and follow the prompts.

For those traveling out of state, a user ID and password at each of the database vendor's web page will get you free access. The ID and password may be changed from time to time to limit illegal access. This will only happen if the vendors notice an unusually large number of out-of-state users. If you are going to be traveling and think you might want to use the service, check the passwords by calling 800 440-2919 (accessible only from within Alaska).

CURRENT EVENTS

News and current events magazine and newspaper articles covered are mostly from 1994 to now. Current events articles are usually current up to the last week. If you want to check on today's news, go to www.CNN.com or www.MSN.com, etc. NPR (National Public Radio) transcripts are online also. Some are held back for a length of time to give NPR the chance to sell their own tapes.

When you find an article or item you want to save, you can save it to disk, print it, or have the system e-mail the article to you. Follow the prompts at each service.

EBSCO HOST

This service includes twelve separate databases which focus on topics like science, business, kids' interests, newspapers and current events. Coverage ranges from general to academic levels. They include magazines, newspapers, journals, business, health & school/youth. They have four different levels of searching designed to fit the interests and needs of different age groups.

• Primary Search: Provides full text from over 70 children's magazines appropriate for elementary schools and children's reading rooms.



• Middle Search: Provides full text for nearly 110 magazines covering general topics appropriate for middle and jr. high school students.



• MAS FullTEXT Ultra: Provides full text for over 570 general interest and current events magazines. It is designed for the Ultra High school level.



• Academic Search Elite: Provides full text for over 1,260 journals covering the social sciences, humanities, general science, multi-cultural studies, education, and much more. When doing academic research for scientific papers, you must have proof about the accuracy of the resources used. Articles listed here are all well documented for authenticity.

ELECTRIC LIBRARY

Electric Library is a general interest database which allows you to search full-text magazines, newspapers, books, radio & television transcripts as well as picture and map archives. It is an excellent source for students of all ages to do research.

GALE INFOTRAC -- HEALTH

This Health Reference Center's database contains a wide variety of health articles, medical information, and drug descriptions and interactions. Among the resources are: Clinical References; USP DI V.II Drug Index; a Medical Encyclopedia; and the IAC Health reference. When looking for information, the best way to search is by subject matter.

SEARCHING

Each database has its own criteria for limiting search results. The best way to conduct a successful search on any of the systems available is to log on and read the instructions. They will tell you how to phrase your question to get the most focused returns. There are several search alternatives available.

DOWNLOAD THE RESULTS

Almost all articles are copyrighted and cannot be republished for profit. However, because of the State of Alaska's licensing agreement, articles can be downloaded for your personal use. They can be copied to a file, printed out, or you can request that they be e-mailed to you.

ACCESS TO THE DATABASES

For those with Internet service, access is easy. Just log on to the state library website at http://www.library.state.ak.us/databases/home.html. Select the service you want to explore first and you are on your way.

The Anchorage City Library also has a link to the service at http://lexicon.ci.anchorage.ak.us.

Still another access is via the SLED website at http://sled.alaska.edu.

PASSWORDS

To access the databases, log on to one of the Alaska libraries and select the database you wish to use. It may be necessary to enter a user ID and password. If that is the case call 800 440-2919 in Alaska and listen to the recorded message. From outside of Alaska you may be out of luck. These ID's and passwords may be changed occasionally to limit illegal access.

OTHER ALASKA LIBRARY RESOURCES

The Elemendorf AFB (Air Force Base) Library has some great collections. They may not be accessible on-line from outside the base. Another great source of information is the ARLIS (Alaska Resources Library & Information Services), which are small technical libraries that used to be scattered around the city and are now united at one location at 3150 C Street, Suite 100, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. They are open from Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm. For more information, call 907 272-7547 or visit their web page at http://www.ARLIS.org .