Ed demonstrated the program “Mac the Ripper” which is on this month’s DOM. It is used to copy copy- protected DVDs for backing up your software (in case of scratched discs). The screen shows type of copy protection, select to remove, select Region (8 codes) want to copy to, select Mode to set what want to extract. Save to location can be set. If you don’t set it will go into the movie folder. When the copy is completed an invisible file is placed on your computer. To get rid of the invisible file use “Kill the Ripper” which is also on the DOM.
Ed then reviewed Roxio Popcorn. Select the Video-TS folder then select a folder on your HD, select a copy option (45% compression or high quality 7% compression), select write speed and copy. It is a simple program. Popcorn helps you easily make high quality copies of your personal DVDs. You can share your home movies with friends and family, and protect your original DVDs from loss or damage. Popcorn is ideal for use with discs created with Toast, iDVD and DVD Studio pro, and does not duplicate copy-protected DVDs. Some DVDs can be as large as 9 GB, which exceeds the capacity of a standard 4.7 GB recordable DVD disc used in the DVD recorder in your Mac. Popcorn includes powerful compression technology that lets you fit an entire 9 GB DVD-Video onto a 4.7 recordable DVD disc. Ed showed a DVD copied at 43$ compression on a 4.7 GB disc. The quality was great.
Ed pointed out a number of programs on the DOM: Adobe Reader 7.0; TFO23US ThinkFree Office. ThinkFree Office is a Microsoft OfficeTM compatible suite of office productivity applications which include the following:
- ThinkFree Write, a word processor and Web Page editor
- ThinkFree Calc, a spreadsheet solution
- ThinkFree Show, a presentation package
- ThinkFree Folders, a file manager
Yasu.sit is a program similar to Cocktail. Virex updates MacOSXUpdate 10.3.7. MacOSXUpdateCombo10.3.7 (recommended)
Bob demonstrated iSight which has a firewire connection. ISight allows you to video conference with friends, colleagues, and family in real-time full-motion video and audio. To use iSight you will need the following: Mac OSX v10.2.5 or later and iChat AV; a .Mac, AOL or AOL AIM account; a broadband internet connection using a DSL or cable modem (dialup won’t work); and someone to video chat with … iChat AV users. Bob mentioned using a $8.95 program called iGlasses which allows iChat setting changes (on the DOM). Another program on the DOM is iVeZeen which allows you to work outside of iChat. You can make short videos with iSight using the program.
Bob shared his experience using .Mac Homepage. It was simple to set up the HomePage site. He showed us his site … fantastic. Took about an hour putting together his photo albums displayed on his homepage. .Mac provides 250 MB of space: 200 for Web and 50 for Mail. IPhoto works seamlessly. Go to www.mac.com/WebObjects/Welcome and you will discover lots of info about .Mac. There are three .Mac Community Sites: www.dotmac.info; .Mac Buddy Central – www.14k4.com/Mac; and a calendar sharing www.icalshare.com. Dotmac.info “The source of all things .Mac.” Check it out. Bob showed several web sites via .Mac Buddy Central. He demonstrated the speed of doing a page using iPhoto. “.mac homepage is a very powerful tool.”
Ed announced that 2005 dues are being received – $36.
Dayle Scott, note taker