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In this issue:
- Can you spare five minutes?
- It's not spam: How to unsubscribe from email lists
- Li-Fi: Using light to send data across the room
- Register online for upcoming DCN classes (Free)
- Fall 2011 class schedule
1. Can you spare five minutes?
Visit our homepage to see our new web video titled: "Can you spare five minutes in order to save your organization thousands of dollars?" The purpose of the video is to show the community what DCN is, what tools we offer, whom we help, and how we can help your organization. The video was created by DCN volunteers, and we have already scheduled a class this Fall to teach others how to create their own organizational video.
2. It's not spam: How to unsubscribe from email lists
Unfortunately, if this year is like past years, hundreds of Davis folks will report PTA and school mailings as spam. The result may be that thousands more don't get timely notices they want while their e-mail provider blocks these mailings due to spam reports.
At the bottom of each school or organizational email message you receive, you will find instructions on unsubscribing, or how to find a listinfo page from which you may unsubscribe. If you can't find that information, visit http://mailman.dcn.org/listinfo and look for your list.
You may not want that e-mail any longer, but others still need it. Take the time to unsubscribe. Read more here.
3. Li-Fi: Using light to send data across the room
Is light-based data transmission in our future? Harald Haas, a professor at the University of Edinburgh who began his research in the field in 2004, gave a debut demonstration of what he called a Li-Fi prototype at the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh in July. The speed of data transmission was about 10 megabits per second, though Dr. Haas is aiming to have it reach 100 megabits per second by the end of the year. Read more here.
4. Register online for upcoming DCN classes (Free)
DCN, in its commitment to public education about the Internet and its community applications and services, frequently schedules public classes and workshops. These classes are free and are useful for organizations and individuals. Space is limited and they fill up quickly. Pre-registration required. Questions? Contact admin@dcn.org or 750-1170.
5. Fall 2011 class schedule
Fabulous new classes have been added to our core offerings -- learn how to dramatically increase productivity and capacity by using free online collaboration tools; create a web video for your organization/group; set up and secure Wi-Fi routers, and its many uses.... By popular demand, classes which filled up quickly last time are offered again (details below). Register now! Also, watch for updates for other new classes to be offered in November, e.g., on smartphones.
Classes are held in the City of Davis Training Lab, 600 A Street, between the City Hall and the Senior Center. Park on the south side of the building. Walk north toward the building to enter the courtyard; the lab is the first door on your right.
EMAIL LIST MANAGEMENT WITH MAILMAN
Thursday, 9/8/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Steve McMahon
An email list is a very effective way for an organization to communicate with any size group -- boards of directors, project committees, memberships, supporters, or other constituents. Learn how to manage all your email lists with Mailman.
COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR NONPROFITS
Tuesday, 9/13/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Kari Peterson
Look Before You Leap: Choosing the Best Communication Tools for Your Nonprofit. Does your nonprofit organization want to make a greater impact, involve more people or raise more money? You can if you get better at reaching out, telling your story and getting people to notice you. This is what strategic communication is all about. There are a lot of tools out there designed to help you communicate with your various target audiences. Some are traditional (like press releases and direct mail), some are new like social media (Facebook, Twitter). What tools are best for you?
CUTTING THE CABLE
Thursday, 9/15/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Steve McMahon
Join the revolution: learn how to drop expensive cable or dish service and get your video from the web. We'll talk about how you can watch everything from new-release movies to network shows to city-council meetings without dishing out for the dish or cable.
SOCIAL MEDIA SERIES - TWITTER 101
Thursday, 9/22/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Keith Bradnam
Interested in learning about Twitter but don't know where to begin or how to use its many features? This class will provide an informative introduction and overview.
SOCIAL MEDIA SERIES - LEARNING HOW TO CONFIGURE YOUR FACEBOOK SETTINGS FOR SECURITY AND PRIVACY
Tuesday, 9/27/2011 , 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Teri Greenfield
We will walk you through recommended privacy settings in Facebook. We will show you how to set secure levels of privacy and reduce the chance of becoming a victim of hacking, viruses, information collectors and identity thieves. The class is for current Facebook users but non-users are also welcome. There's a hands-on component and Wi-Fi is available in the lab. The first 7 registrants can use the lab's desktops. Others are encouraged to bring your own laptop.
SOCIAL MEDIA SERIES - TWITTER HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Thursday, 9/29/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Keith Bradnam
This class is for beginners. Enrollment in Twitter 101 recommended but not required. Please note that access to a web-based email account (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo are fine too) will be needed if you wish to create a Twitter account during the class. There's a hands-on component and Wi-Fi is available in the lab. The first 7 registrants can use the lab's desktops. Others are encouraged to bring your own laptop.
ONLINE COLLABORATION PART I - TIPS AND TOOLS FOR COLLABORATING PRODUCTIVELY ONLINE
Thursday, 10/6/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Keith Bradnam
There is now a wide range of free software tools that make it easy to organize large projects among many different people, or smaller projects involving a few, all without leaving the comfort of your web browser! This class will cover various common – and popular – online tools that allow you to:
*Arrange group phone calls over the web (with or without video);
*Easily set up a blog where multiple people can write blog posts;
*Share and transfer large files (useful for when you run into your email file size limit);
*Share 'to do' lists and other project management tasks among many different people;
*Write documents and spreadsheets collaboratively.
This class includes an overview of many of the available software products that can help achieve these goals.
WI-FI ROUTER PART I - HOW TO SET UP A WIRELESS ROUTER AND SECURE IT
Tuesday, 10/11/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Rob Nickerson
This class covers basic concepts of routing, and safe operation and usage of the router.
ONLINE COLLABORATION PART II - HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Thursday, 10/13/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Keith Bradnam
Participants in this class will learn how to use some of the popular and free tools for productive online collaboration. Enrollment in "Online Collaboration Part I" recommended but not required. Please note that access to a Google account (e.g. Gmail) will be needed. There's a hands-on component and Wi-Fi is available in the lab.The first 7 registrants can use the lab's desktops. Others are encouraged to bring your own laptop.
WEB VIDEO FOR ORGANIZATIONS - CREATING A WEB VIDEO: WHAT WE LEARNED
Tuesday, 10/18/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Teri Greenfield
We will take you through the process of creating a web video for your nonprofit organization. Elements include: defining your audience, soliciting ideas, drafting a script, selecting visuals and music, choosing a style (formal? informal? testimonial?). We will share what worked for us and what didn't work. This is not a technical class, although we will give you a lot of useful information about tools, software and editing.
WEBSITE CREATION USING SimpleSites 2.0
Thursday, 10/20/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Steve McMahon
DCN's Webteam, led by Steve McMahon, developed SimpleSites version 2, a web tool that provides the power of a modern, interactive website in a ready-to-install template. SimpleSites, recognized for its ease of use and value to nonprofits, earned a National Grassroots Techie Award. In this class, learn to build a website using SimpleSites. No previous web authoring experience necessary. Examples can be seen at http://www2.dcn.org/dcn/about/projects/simplesites.
WI-FI ROUTER PART II - PORT FORWARDING
Tuesday, 10/25/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Rob Nickerson
Learn how to set up port forwarding to get private devices available on the public Internet.
SPECIAL WEBSITE TOOLS IN SimpleSites 2.0
Thursday, 10/27/2011, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Instructor: Steve McMahon
This class will focus on features and tools not covered in the SimpleSites 2.0 class. Learn how to use SimpleSite tools to integrate seamlessly with social networking tools, create slide shows, web forms, manage data, add blogs, maps, videos, RSS, a Mailman subscription form, etc. Knowledge of SimpleSites 2.0 preferred but not required.
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