[Nottingham-pm] [Fwd: User Group Newsletter - Issue 04-05]

Fri Mar 18 12:05:11 PST 2005

All,

Enjoy - Michael.

-------- Original Message --------
Thread-Topic: User Group Newsletter - Issue 04-05
From: Josette Garcia <Josette at Oreilly.co.uk>
To: Josette Garcia <Josette at Oreilly.co.uk>

O'Reilly UK User Group Programme
NEWSLETTER
Issue 04-05

================================================
HIGHLIGHTS
================================================

SPEAKER OFFER
NEWS FROM O'REILLY AND BEYOND
-How Paris Got Hacked?
-SafariU Revolutionizes the Textbook
-Remixing Culture: An Interview with Lawrence Lessig
-O'Reilly Learning Lab: $200 Instant Rebate
-MAKE Subscriptions Available
-Trouble in the Kernel, VMware, and PostgreSQL
-Building the PostgreSQL BuildFarm
-Display Your Favorite Album Artwork in iTunes
-Build an iTunes Remote Control
-Understanding Administrative Templates
-Data Binding in ASP.NET 2.0
-A Look at Commons Chain: The New Java Framework
-Aspect-Oriented Annotations
-Rid Yourself of Digital Media Annoyances
-Build a Simple MP3 Player for Your Site
-Actions for Photoshop Elements 3
-Yahoo! Web Services
-Getting Real-Time Data From the Web in Excel
-Stewart Butterfield on Flickr
-Jolt Awards Finalists
-500 O'Reilly Books on Safari
-Fear and Loathing in Information Security
-Object Oriented PHP Programming & Performance
-Michael Stutz on Computer Outlook/KLAV Radio
-Writing Apache's Logs to MySQL
-iPod shuffle Tips and Tricks
-Apache and AppleScript
-Encrypting Connection Strings in Web.config
-Building the Perfect Budget PC, Part 1
-JDMK and Legacy IT Management
-Eclipse Plugins Exposed, Part 1: A First Glimpse
-High Definition in Focus at 2005 Sundance Festival
-Raymond Soemarsono: Natural Eye
BOOK NEWS
- Books for review
- Coming soon
CONFERENCE NEWS
YOUR BOOK REVIEWS
YOUR NEWS

================================================
NEWS FROM O'REILLY AND BEYOND
================================================

---------------------
General News
---------------------
***How Paris Got Hacked?
Like many online service providers, T-Mobile requires users to answer a 
"secret question" if they forget their passwords. For Paris Hilton's 
account, the secret question was "What is your favorite pet's name?" By 
correctly providing the well-known answer, any internet user could 
change Hilton's password and freely access her account.
<http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2005/01/01/paris.html>

***SafariU Revolutionizes the Textbook
With SafariU, you can you create and publish your own textbook, 
selecting exactly the book chapters, sections, or articles you need from 
the impressive Safari database. SafariU costs you nothing to use and 
offers your students more focused course content at less cost. Sign up 
now, get a jump on your summer and fall course prep, and your first 
custom textbook could be ready to print before spring break. Visit 
SafariU to view a video demo and sign up for access.
<http://academic.oreilly.com/safariu-more.csp>

***Remixing Culture: An Interview with Lawrence Lessig
What do you get when you mix P2P, inexpensive digital input devices, 
open source software, easy editing tools, and reasonably affordable 
bandwidth? Potentially, you get what Lawrence Lessig calls remix 
culture, which he explains in this extensive interview.
<http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/policy/2005/02/24/lessig.html>

***MAKE Subscriptions Available
The annual subscription price for four issues is $34.95. When you 
subscribe with this link, you'll get a free issue--the first one plus 
four more for $34.95. So subscribe for yourself or friends with this 
great offer for charter subscribers: five volumes for the cost of four.

Subscribe at:
<https://www.pubservice.com/MK/Subnew.aspx?PC=MK&PK=M5ZUGLA>

The MAKE blog is available at:
<http://www.makezine.com/blog/>

***Getting Real-Time Data From the Web in Excel
Did you know that you can use Excel for more than just storing and 
organizing static data? In this article, Matthew MacDonald, author of 
"Excel: The Missing Manual," shows you how to use Excel as a tool to 
handle up-to-the-minute information like sales figures and currency 
exchange rates.
<http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/02/08/xcel_mm.html>

***Stewart Butterfield on Flickr
Not even a year old and still in beta, Flickr is a revolutionary photo 
storage, sharing, and organization application boasting roughly 270,000 
members. Richard Koman catches Flickr CEO Stewart Butterfield for a few 
words on what has made Flickr so revolutionary and where it may be headed.
<http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2005/02/04/sb_flckr.html>

***Jolt Awards Finalists
"Software Development Magazine" recently announced the finalists for the 
15th Annual Jolt Product Excellence Awards. Several O'Reilly titles and 
sites were nominated: "Head First Design Patterns" in the General Books 
category; and "Better, Faster, Lighter Java," "Head First Servlets & 
JSP," "Hibernate: A Developer's Notebook," and "Mono: A Developer's 
Notebook" in the Technical Books category.  Java.net and the O'Reilly 
Network were named finalists in the Web Sites and Developer Networks 
category.
<http://www.sdmagazine.com/jolts/15th_jolt_finalists.html>

***500 O'Reilly Books on Safari
O'Reilly now boasts over 500 books on Safari, the premier electronic 
reference library for IT professionals and programmers. With Safari, you 
can search electronic versions of a broad range of the best technical 
books from leading publishers including O'Reilly. Check out our newest 
title, "All About Your iPod Photo," and learn how to get the most out of 
your favorite toy. Give Safari a try today with a free trial subscription.
<http://www.oreilly.com/go/safari-ug>

---------------------
Open Source
---------------------
***Trouble in the Kernel, VMware, and PostgreSQL  Noel Davis looks at 
problems in the Linux kernel, VMware, PostgreSQL, Squid, MySQL, mailman, 
Apple OSX HFS+, movemail with GNU Emacs or XEmancs, KStars, typespeed, 
awstats, and synaesthesia.
<http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2005/02/28/security_alerts.html>

***Building the PostgreSQL BuildFarm
Managing a cross-platform open source project is difficult; how do you 
test on all the platforms you support? Leverage the time and resources 
of your users! Andrew Dunstan took a tip from the Samba team and 
recently set up a build farm for the PostgreSQL project to report build 
successes and failures from interested users. Here's how he did it.
<http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2005/02/24/pg_buildfarm.html>

***Fear and Loathing in Information Security
"Society has always treated innovators and whistle blowers with 
ambivalence," writes author Michael D. Bauer in reference to hackers. In 
this article, Michael discusses why information security professionals 
demonize hackers and why that tendency is both irrational and 
counterproductive. Michael is the author of "Linux Server Security, 2nd 
Edition."
<http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2005/02/11/mbauer_1.html>

***Object Oriented PHP Programming & Performance
Harry explores the trade-offs between object oriented and procedural 
programming in PHP in a lengthy discussion on the pros and cons of each.
<http://www.sitepoint.com/blog-post-view.php?id=223760>

***Michael Stutz on Computer Outlook/KLAV Radio
Listen to the author of No Starch's "The Linux Cookbook, 2nd Edition."
<http://computeroutlook.com/audiostudio.html>

***Writing Apache's Logs to MySQL
Adding a few performance statistics to your Apache httpd logs can help 
you profile your applications. Digging through flat files for 
information is a drag, though. Logging to a relational database can make 
reporting and analysis much more convenient. Chris Josephes demonstrates 
how to install and configure mod_log_mysql and shows off what you can do 
with it.
<http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/apache/2005/02/10/database_logs.html>

---------------------
Mac
---------------------
***Display Your Favorite Album Artwork in iTunes Love your iPod but miss 
the album art? In iTunes 4, you can associate an album's artwork with a 
song so it can be displayed while you play the song. Wei-Meng Lee shows 
you how to use two free programs, Clutter and art4iTunes.com, to 
simplify the task. For more tricks and tips on using your iPod photo, 
check out Wei-Meng's latest eDoc, All About Your iPod Photo.
<http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2005/02/22/albumart.html>

***Build an iTunes Remote Control
AirPort Express is great for streaming music from your Mac, except when 
you have to change tracks from another room. There are commercial 
solutions available, but here's a great evening project using your 
web-enabled cell phone and the power of Mac OS X.
<http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2005/03/01/itunes_remote.html>

***iPod shuffle Tips and Tricks
The iPod shuffle is the easiest-to-use iPod to date. But that doesn't 
mean you can't customize how you listen and upload music. Scott Knaster 
shows you some very handy tips and tricks for the shuffle  and iTunes 4.7.1.
<http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2005/02/15/shuffle.html>

***Apache and AppleScript
AppleScript traditionally interacts with Mac applications and Apache is 
the web server that powers most of the Internet. David Miller shows you 
how AppleScript can invoke Unix utilities through its do shell script 
command, thereby creating some interesting intersections with Apache.
<http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2005/02/11/applescript.html>

---------------------
Windows/.NET
---------------------
***Understanding Administrative Templates
Administrative templates are a key management component of Group Policy 
on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. Mitch Tulloch, 
author of "Windows Server Hacks," shows you how they work and how to use 
them.
<http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/03/01/Admin_templates..html> 

***Data Binding in ASP.NET 2.0
Not only has Microsoft made radical changes in how data binding is done 
between ASP.NET 1.x and 2.0, but it has also created significant 
differences between how it is done in Windows Forms and ASP.NET in 2.0. 
This keeps life interesting (Jesse Liberty says, gnashing his teeth). In 
this new column, he dives into data binding in the new Web Forms.
<http://www.ondotnet.com/pub/a/dotnet/2005/02/22/liberty.html>

***Encrypting Connection Strings in Web.config
One of the best practices in ASP.NET is to save your database connection 
strings in the Web.config file instead of hard-coding it in your code. 
It's not such a good idea to save your connection strings as plain text 
in Web.config--you should ideally encrypt the connection strings so it 
leaves no chance for a potential hacker to easily get more information 
about your database server. In ASP.NET 2.0, Microsoft has taken this 
further  by allowing you to encrypt the connection strings in 
Web.config, all without much plumbing on your part. In this new article 
by Wei-Meng Lee, he shows you how it works.
<http://www.ondotnet.com/pub/a/dotnet/2005/02/15/encryptingconnstring.html>

***Building the Perfect Budget PC, Part 1
You can build a powerhouse system without breaking the bank. In this 
first part of a two-part article, Robert Bruce Thompson and Barbara 
Fritchman Thompson, authors of "Building the Perfect PC," show you which 
components to buy.
<http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/02/15/Perfect_BudgetPC.html> 

---------------------
Java
---------------------
***A Look at Commons Chain: The New Java Framework
In part one of a two-part series, Bill Siggelkow covers the basics of 
Chain, a promising new framework from the Jakarta Commons subproject 
that lets you integrate Chain into the Struts build process. In part 
two, Bill will cover how Chain is being applied to Struts and other 
projects. Bill is the author of O'Reilly's "Jakarta Struts Cookbook."
<http://www.onjava.com/pub/a/onjava/2005/03/02/commonchains.html>

***Aspect-Oriented Annotations
Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) and attributes are two leading-edge 
programming concepts, each with typical applications. By combining them, 
using attributes to indicate where AOP code should execute, you can 
effectively declare new Java syntax. Bill Burke introduces this new 
technique.
<http://www.onjava.com/pub/a/onjava/2004/08/25/aoa.html>

***JDMK and Legacy IT Management
Keeping a network with legacy (and possibly unreliable) devices is 
nearly impossible without some automated help. Stephen Morris shows how 
to use the Java Dynamic Management Kit to keep tabs on your network and 
find potential points of failure.
<http://www.onjava.com/pub/a/onjava/2005/02/16/jdmk.html>

***Eclipse Plugins Exposed, Part 1: A First Glimpse
Many developers use Eclipse out of the box as an IDE, never 
investigating its powerful extensibility. But as Emmanuel Proulx shows 
in this first installment of a new series, Eclipse's modular system of 
plugins allow you to customize it to your suit your development needs.
<http://www.onjava.com/pub/a/onjava/2005/02/09/eclipse.html>

---------------------
Digital Media
---------------------
***Rid Yourself of Digital Media Annoyances
Sometimes those little quirks in your favorite digital media toys can 
take all the fun out of playing. Preston Gralla offers a baker's dozen 
fixes to MP3, iTunes, and QuickTime annoyances, so you can get back to 
the fun. Preston is the author of "Internet Annoyances."
<http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/02/22/internetannoy.html> 

***Build a Simple MP3 Player for Your Site
You don't have to monkey with Flash, redundant windows, or unpredictable 
plugins to deliver smart-looking audio playback for your visitors. With 
this sneaky bit of JavaScript, you can generate pop-up music players on 
the fly.
<http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2005/02/23/mp3_embed.html>

***Actions for Photoshop Elements 3
Want to automate a complicated artistic effect, like making a photo look 
like a watercolor, or adding a 3-D frame? Photoshop Elements 3 makes 
these tasks easy with actions. Barbara Brundage, author of "Photoshop 
Elements 3: The Missing Manual," shows you how to write, install, and 
troubleshoot actions in Elements 3, for the Mac or Windows.
<http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2005/02/23/PSelement3.html>

***High Definition in Focus at 2005 Sundance Festival
Cheaper than film, bigger and better than plain, old digital video, 
high-definition digital video definitely came into its own during this 
year's Sundance Film Festival. According to Sony, nearly half of the 
features, documentaries, and shorts screened in Park City were shot in 
HD. Susan Boyer reports.
<http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2005/02/09/hd.html>

***Raymond Soemarsono: Natural Eye
Some people are meant to be artists. Self-taught photographer Raymond 
Soemarsono has a natural eye for composing stunning landscape scenes, 
then taming his digital camera to record them according to his vision. 
His gallery features many places with which you're probably familiar. 
Maybe it's time to get in the car and revisit them?
<http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2005/02/16/featured.html>

---------------------
Web
---------------------
***Yahoo! Web Services
Paul Bausch takes a look at the new Yahoo! Web Services interface and 
shows how to tap into the API with a sample application.
<http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2005/02/28/yahoo.html>

================================================
BOOK NEWS
================================================

***Wanted: Slashdot Reviewers
We are looking for folks to submit reviews to Slashdot. We've got some 
hot new books coming out this fall and winter we want to get 
Slashdotted. Here are their guidelines:
<http://slashdot.org/book.review.guidelines.shtml>

***Wanted: Amazon.co.uk reviewers - www.amazon.co.uk 
<http://www.amazon.co.uk>

****Latest books available for review
	*	Apache Security <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/apachesc/>
	This all-purpose guide for locking down Apache arms readers with all 
the information they need to securely deploy applications. 
Administrators and programmers alike will benefit from a concise 
introduction to the theory of securing Apache, plus a wealth of 
practical advice and real-life examples. Topics covered include 
installation, server sharing, logging and monitoring, web applications, 
PHP and SSL/TLS, and more.
	*	IPv6 Network Administration <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/ipv6na/>
	This essential guide explains what works, what doesn't, and most of 
all, what's practical about IPv6--the next-generation Internet standard. 
A must-have for network administrators everywhere looking to fix their 
network's scalability and management problems. Also covers other IPv6 
benefits, such as routing, integrated auto-configuration, 
quality-of-services (QoS), enhanced mobility, and end-to-end security.
	*	Jakarta Struts Cookbook 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/jakartastrutsckbk/>
	The Jakarta Struts Cookbook is an amazing collection of code solutions 
to common--and uncommon--problems encountered when building web 
applications with the Struts Framework. With solutions to real-world 
problems just a few page flips away, this quick, look-up reference is 
perfect for independent developers, large development teams, and 
everyone in between who wishes to use the Struts Framework to its 
fullest potential.
	*	MAKE: Technology on Your Time 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/makemag05v1/>
	If you like to tweak, disassemble, re-create, and invent cool new uses 
for technology from home entertainment systems to in-car computers 
you'll love MAKE, our new quarterly publication for geeks and 
do-it-yourselfers. Inspired by our bestselling Hacks books, MAKE is a 
mook. It combines the unexpectedness and visual appeal of a magazine 
with the permanence and the in-depth instructiveness of a how-to book. 
Visit MAKE's web site: make.oreilly.com <http://make.oreilly.com>.
	*	Outlook 2003 Personal Trainer 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/outlookpt/>
	Fully illustrated and jargon-free, the Outlook 2003 Personal Trainer 
book presents a clear view of the latest personal information program 
from Microsoft Office. With this handy reference by your side, you'll be 
able to better manage and organize email messages, schedules, tasks, 
notes, contacts, and other information. Includes a companion CD tutorial 
to guide you through each lesson interactively.
	*	Programming C#, 4th Edition 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/progcsharp4/>
	Programming C#, the top selling book on Microsoft's high-performance C# 
programming language, is now in its fourth edition. Aimed at experienced 
programmers and web developers, this comprehensive guide focuses on the 
features and programming patterns that are new to C#, and fundamental to 
the programming of web services and web applications on Microsoft's .NET 
platform.
	*	Python Pocket Reference, 3rd Edition 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pythonpr3/>
	Updated to cover Python 2.4, Python Pocket Reference, 3rd Edition is 
the perfect on-the-job reference. For experienced Python developers, 
this book is a compact toolbox that delivers need-to-know information at 
the flip of a page. This third edition also includes an easy-lookup 
index to help developers find answers fast!

	The Python Pocket Reference, 3rd Edition serves as the perfect 
companion to Learning Python and Programming Python.
	*	QuickBooks 2005: The Missing Manual 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/quickbookstmm/>
	This thorough guide examines the many features of the popular 
QuickBooks accounting software. Through dozens of insightful tips and 
tricks and a friendly writing style, it enables financial managers to 
quickly understand how to use the program s tools to implement and 
maintain critical accounting processes. Ideal for QuickBooks users of 
all levels, from beginners to sophisticated users.
	*	Windows XP Hacks, 2nd Edition 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/winxphks2/>
	Completely revised and updated, this smart collection of insider tips 
and tricks covers the XP operating system from start to finish, 
including all the new features that come with Service Pack 2 (SP2). 
You'll also find timesaving hacks for security, file distribution, 
digital media, web browsing, and more. An ideal all-in-one resource for 
XP beginners, as well as more experienced power users.
	*	Word 2003 Personal Trainer <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/wordpt/>
	As the most complete and engaging tutorial available for Word, this 
invaluable guide details all of the latest advancements to the popular 
Microsoft Office word processor. Features sections on templates, 
WordArt, charts, drawings, plus advanced topics like how to perform mail 
merges and create web pages. Includes a companion CD tutorial to guide 
you through each lesson interactively.

****Coming Soon

	*	Access 2003 Personal Trainer <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/accesspt/>
	*	Firefox Hacks <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/firefoxhks/>
	*	iPhoto 5: The Missing Manual 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/iphoto5tmm/>
	*	Java in a Nutshell, 5th Edition 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/javanut5/>
	*	Linux Desktop Hacks <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/linuxdeskhks/>
	*	PC Annoyances, 2nd Edition <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pcannoy2/>
	*	Photoshop Elements 3: The Missing Manual 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/photoeletmm/>
	*	Python Cookbook, 2nd Edition 
<http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pythoncook2/>
	*	SharePoint User's Guide <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/sharepoint/>
	*	Visual Studio Hacks <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/visualstudiohks/>
	*	Windows Server Cookbook <http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/windowsvrckbk/>

================================================
CONFERENCE NEWS
================================================

***Register for the 2005 MySQL Users Conference, Santa Clara, CA--April 
18-21
The MySQL Users Conference, co-presented by O'Reilly Media and MySQL AB, 
brings together experts, users, and industry leaders with unique MySQL 
insights, offering attendees a detailed look into new features in MySQL 
5.0, sessions and workshops designed to teach best practices, and 
exposure to new open source technologies. For more information, go to:
<http://www.mysqluc.com/>

User Group members who register before Febuary 28, 2005 get a double 
discount. Use code DSUG when you register, and receive 20% off the early 
registration price.

To register for the conference, go to:
<http://conferences.oreillynet.com/cs/mysqluc2005/create/ord_mysql05>

================================================
YOUR BOOK REVIEWS
================================================
Igualada GNU/Linux Users reviewed - Mind Hacks
<http://iglu-cat.net/viewtopic.php?t=149>

*** The Scottish ColdFusion User Group reviewed - Head First Java
<http://scfug.fs-server.com/?do=articles.reviews&review_id=DDBCDDB8-B77C-662F-410D19126B59013A> 

*** Birmingham pm reviewed -
Perl Graphics Programming
<http://birmingham.pm.org/docs/reviews/perlgp.html>
eBay Hacks
<http://birmingham.pm.org/docs/reviews/ebayhks.html>
IRC Hacks
<http://birmingham.pm.org/docs/reviews/irchks.html>
Network Security Hacks
<http://birmingham.pm.org/docs/reviews/netsechacks.html>
Learning PHP 5
<http://birmingham.pm.org/docs/reviews/learnphp5.html>

*** Esperia BG NetAcad reviewed - Windows XP Pro: The Missing Manual
<http://netacad.esperiabg.info/oreillyug/>

*** Igualada GNU/Linux User Group reviewed - Learning GNU Emacs
<http://iglu-cat.net/viewtopic.php?t=210>

*** MMUG, Armenia reviewed - SQL In A Nutshell 
<http://users.freenet.am/~flasher/main.htm>
<http://users.freenet.am/~flasher/sql.htm>

*** Northants Linux Users Group reviewed - Understanding Open Source & 
Free Software Licensing
<http://www.northants.lug.org.uk/reviews/>

*** Java User Group, Milano reviewed - Head First Java
<http://www.jugmilano.it/jsp/Wiki?HeadFirstJava>  (in Italian)
<http://www.diotalevi.com/weblog/?p=34>  (in my blog, in English)

================================================
YOUR NEWS and more
================================================

***The Scottish ColdFusion User Group will be holding a two day
event, 26/27 May at the University of Edinburgh - 
<http://www.scottishcfug.com/?do=event.scotch>

***ACCU is holding their yearly conference on April 20th-23rd in Oxford 
- <http://www.accu.org/conference/>

###
Josette Garcia
O'Reilly UK Limited
Tel: +44 (0)1252 711776
www.oreilly.co.uk

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