October 16, 2010, Issue No. 6/2010

In this issue:

1. Come Learn with DCN!
2. Resource Allocation Committee Seeks New Members
3. Local Spotlight: "District Dollars" Updated
4. Update on Spam: Who Does It and How to Stop It
5. How Did Google Develop a Car that Drives by Itself? Data!
6. The Internet, Mobile Devices and Health Care: A Promising Future
7. What Does Information Technology Do For YOU?

1. Come Learn with DCN!
There's still time to sign up for classes in our Social Media series. Would you like to learn about Twitter? Our free class on Tuesday October 19th (7:00 p.m.) will provide a hands-on experience and help you understand what Twitter is. On Thursday October 21st at 6:30 p.m., we will offer a Facebook workshop that will provide an overview, discuss privacy and allow for hands-on time and questions. Both classes are geared toward beginners, but everyone is welcome.

The following week we are offering a class called: "How to Set up a Router" on Tuesday, Oct 26, at 6:30 pm. Learn how to set up a wireless router, secure it, and do port forwarding. On Thursday, October 28th, we offer a class called "Managing Your Brand and Keeping an Eye on the Competition". Using a variety of Internet and social media tools, learn how to keep track of what people are saying about you, your business, and your competition.

Sign up for any of these classes by contacting admin@dcn.org. These classes are free and open to the public. More details.

2. Resource Allocation Committee Seeks New Members
Are you interested in how DCN's resources are used? Do you want to help nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations in Davis and Yolo County? The DCN Resource Allocation Committee is looking for members who would like to join us. For more information, please contact jmeizel@dcn.org.

3. Local Spotlight: "District Dollars" Updated
Updated with 2010-11 DJUSD budget info, "District Dollars" is a web-based, interactive program to help you understand the DJUSD budget situation. You will learn about how we pay for California schools, how much money the District gets and how it is spent, what are the different options for balancing the budget, and the timeline for budget decisions. This is a collaborative project of DJUSD, DCN and community volunteers.

4. Update on Spam: Who Does It and How to Stop It
Did you know that vast majority of the spam you receive in your inbox is not sent from the spammers' own computers but relayed through infected PCs belonging to regular members of the public? This article warns that "you should never even be tempted to open a spam message out of curiosity, as it can only take a second to effectively hand over control of your computer to the spammers...." Read article.

5. How Did Google Develop a Car that Drives by Itself? Data!
A compelling look at future trends based on the accumulation of lots and lots of data. This article states: "The instrumentation and networking of previously offline objects, like cars, buildings, roads and more, may represent the next big stage in the evolution of technology. A network-connected car in particular - primarily navigated by artificial intelligence able to leverage a world of data hosted in the cloud - promises big gains in safety, efficiency and quality of life for everyday drivers." Read article.

6. The Internet, Mobile Devices and Health Care: A Promising Future
In this video, Susannah Fox of Digital Strategy for the Pew Internet Project speaks about the promise of mobile and social media as part of "Managing Health Care Information" sponsored by the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation. View video.

7. What Does Information Technology Do For YOU?
"Information Technology can make you 'happier'." According to a recent global study from UK's Chartered Institute for IT, women and disadvantaged benefit most. Other implications of this study include:

• IT as a means to better social policy outcomes
• Re-emphasizes the need for broadband roll-out to close the digital divide
• A clearer idea of where digital inclusion/exclusion is most beneficial/harmful