Founder & Editor-in-Chief Steve Hewitt - steve@ccmag.com VP of Operations Michael Hewitt - mike@ccmag.com Contributing Editors Dr. J.D.

Doc Watson, Terry Wilhite, Yvon Prehn, Nick Nicholaou, Walt Wilson, Jim Vanduzer Kevin A. Purcell, Ross Gile, Donald Stratton, Ben Woelk Copy Editor Gene Pearson Corporate Home Office
Mailing address: PO Box 319 Belton MO 64012 Delivery address: 311 Manor Dr. Belton, MO 64012 Phone: (816) 331-8142 FAX: 800-456-1868

Applying Tomorrows Technology to Todays Ministry Volume 19

COVER STORY - Page 12

April 2007

No 4

iLumina Gold Premium is Bible software for both the Mac and PC platforms
Page 3 by Steve Hewitt Page 7 Page 9 by Scott Howard Page 11 by Steve Hewitt Page 15 by Donald Stratton Page 16 Page 19 by Bob Dasal Page 20 by Nick Nicholaou Page 22 by Dr. J.D. Doc Watson Page 25 by Hal Campbell Page 27 by Walt Wilson Page 30 by Yvon Prehn Page 34 by Kevin Purcell Page 36 by Jim VanDuzer

EDITORIAL How to deal with customer service PRESS RELEASES SCOTT HOWARDS HOTPICS Blog Sites and More FINDING GOD IN TODAYS TECHNOLOGY Salvation Is An Easter Egg INSIDE THE BOX Duel Monitors - Enjoy a productivity boost! CCMAG NEWSBRIEF WORDSEARCH WORD Bible Explorer Limited Edition Software NICK AT CHURCH Bimetrics In The Church TECH TALK Hot Tips 31 ACS IDEAS TO IMPACT Mashups, Gadgets & Widgets INTERNET MINISTRY Two Sides to Online Anonymity MINISTRY COMMUNICATIONS Is your church logo legal?... and why it is important HIGHER POWER WITH KEVIN Using Built-In Bible Study Help Systems HANDHELD DEVICES What are you looking for? Articles highlighed in Yellow are provided by our partners. www.ccmag.com/2007_03/2007_03editorial.pdf 2

Copyright 2007 by Christian Computing, Inc. All Rights Reserved Christian Computing is a registered trademark of Christian Computing, Inc. Written materials submitted to Christian Computing Magazine become the property of Christian Computing, Inc. upon receipt and may not necessarily be returned. Christian Computing Magazine reserves the right to make any changes to materials submitted for publication that are deemed necessary for editorial purposes. The content of this publication may not be copied in any way, shape or form without the express permission of Christian Computing, Inc. Views expressed in the articles and reviews printed within are not necessarily the views of the editor, publisher, or employees of Christian Computing Magazine, or Christian Computing, Inc.

April 2007

Christian Computing Magazine

Editorial
Steve Hewitt - steve@ccmag.com

How to Deal with Customer Service When They Refuse To Do Their Job

W
Hi Steve,

hat can you do when you have purchased an item or a service from a company and things go wrong? Of course, you can contact their customer support, use your warranty, etc., but what can you do if customer service is not responsive? I received the following e-mail from a reader and it prompted me to write this article and to share some thoughts on how we can fight back whenever we do not get a fair and prompt response from customer service. Here is the e-mail;
their first baby a few weeks ago. I realize this is not your line of work, but any suggestion would be appreciated. Thank you. Carmen B. Trenton I am assuming that all of us have been in this students shoes at one time or another, when the company we are dealing with doesnt stand behind their products or their service agreement and they begin to give you the runaround. It may appear that there is nothing you can do. You might think that sending a stinging letter of complaint to the companys president will help. It often doesnt. Or you might threaten to report them to the Better Business Bureau, but let me inform you, they wont be scared. However, there is something you can do. I have outlined some steps that you can use if you have tried the normal channels and 3

I have been reading your CCMag and Christian A/V magazine online for some time now. My request may be off target. Let me know if it is. I teach Logos Bible Software in a class on interpreting Scripture at a seminary in central Illinois. We require students to bring their laptops with Logos to every class session. One of my students purchased a new HP notebook last August just for the class. He has had several problems. HP directed him to ship his laptop for service in February, promising 5 business days to fix it. Not only have they not fixed it yet, after over a month, he has been getting the runaround from HP. I offered to intervene by calling HP service myself (I also have one of their laptops). I requested that they send a refurbished machine for his temporary use since they are taking well more than the promised amount of time. I have talked to several people, have been shuffled back and forth, and ultimately they say they will call back and then dont. My question: Do you have any advice for me as to what to do next. I thought about making a You Tube video with a hostage HP Notebook. :) :) (Dont have time). HP has promised and failed several times to call back my student who is mightily frustrated, trying to juggle classes, ministry, and Christian Computing Magazine April 2007

yet find yourself being shuffled back and forth with no results. The following suggestions are more than just some thoughts I put together, but instead are steps I used in a recent situation that involved an insurance company that refused to do what we had paid them to do. After going through normal channels and trying to be patient, our problem with our insurance company continued for four months. When I responded with the tactics below, we had our problem resolved in just 48 hours! Now, before I give you my tips on getting a response when you are getting the runaround, let me start by reminding you that you should do everything with grace and love. Always be kind, speak softly and do your best to be patient and work through proper channels. Remember, you are dealing with people who have a very difficult job. The person answering the phone is probably not responsible for the fact that someone in repairs has not figured out how to solve your problem. They are not the enemy, and may even be a brother or sister in Christ. You do not want to be rude or angry. However, if you are getting the runaround, and not getting a solution to the problem, being taken advantage of is not what Christ meant when He said we are called to suffer (grin). There are times when you have to take a stand. In fact, some might say it is poor stewardship to allow a company to take advantage of you or to not provide the product or service you have purchased.

Steps to Getting Results

Step one; be sure you have all of your facts straight. Be sure you can provide the customer support person with the model, operating system, date of purchase, version number, etc., information they will need to help solve your problem. I am going to say this again because I want it to be very clear. Calling with an angry attitude, being rude or inconsiderate will not help you solve the problem. We are to love our neighbors, and that includes those working in customer support. I believe some companies have employees working in this area of service that are honestly seeking to help their customers solve whatever problem you have encountered. They take a lot of abuse, have to deal with rude and angry customers, and deserve our respect. I recently talked with someone who had served in upper management and he was in a position to oversee customer support for a technology company. He had empathy for those on the receiving end of customer support and shared, I doubt that any of our people went home at the end of a day without having had a dozen angry, abusive calls. It was hard on them. Hardly a day went by they were not attacked personally, called names, and even cursed. There is NEVER any cause to use such abuse and I want to make it clear that this type of behavior is not included in any of my suggestions. However, if they are not helping you solve your problem, feel free to ask to speak to a manager or supervisor. Try to move your communication up the proper channels in order to get someone to listen and solve your problems. I followed up with the person that sent me the email above a week later, to find out if they ever resolved the students problems. The good news is that after five weeks, the computer was returned and HP offered to make things right by giving the student an extension on his warranty. In retrospect, however, here is what Carmen wrote to me, One of the most disturbing things was that when Id asked to speak to the case manager I was told he was unavailable but would definitely get back to me within 24 hours. I asked for a number to call him in case he did not call. They were unwilling to do that. The representative said her screen record showed HP had failed to respond to an earlier call, but she said he would definitely get back to me within the 24 hours. Of course, the manager did not call me. No one did. 4 April 2007 Christian Computing Magazine

There seems to be little accountability and no will honor their own words, let alone have respect for the customer. Unfortunately, this kind of lack of service and lack of accountability is all too common across the industry. I am glad that Carmens students problem was resolved. However, what if months have gone by and you are still getting the runaround? It is time to move to step two. This step should only be implemented if you feel you have exhausted step one and deadlines have passed, promises of returned calls were never returned, and you have been given the runaround. The only problem here with this step is that you need to prepare for it from the very beginning. Whenever you start calling a company concerning a problem, record your conversations. This is totally legal. In fact, have you noticed that almost every time you call a company, utility, or government agency; the first thing you hear in the introduction is that this phone call may be recorded? They state that it is for training purposes, but it is in case your problem ends up in court; they want a record of who said what, and you have a right to the same record. Feel free to tell them you are recording the phone call if you want, but it is not required. For information on how to record a phone call, check out this article in Christian A/V Magazine (www.christianav.com/2007cav04/cav_2007_04audio.pdf). Why should you record every call you make to a companys customer service? Because, as in the case above, after you are months down the road, you need a recording of the original promise that your computer will be returned in five days, not five weeks. Take good notes of all of your calls to customer service, writing down the date and time of the call, who you talked to, and their title (if it is a government agency, they normally have an employee ID number you will want to record as well). If they say they will call you back, ask who will be calling you back, and when. Create a paper trail and recordings that will document that you are not getting service, but rather a runaround. What do you do with this information? When you have had enough and want some action, it is time to go on the offense. I told you what companies no longer fear (angry letters and reports to the BBB). Let me tell you what they do fear. They do not want people to document poor service and post it on the Internet. Studies have shown, and they are very aware of the fact, that many people now turn to the Internet to check out a company or a product before they buy. When you continually call customer service and do not get results, it is because you are a little guy going up against a large company. However, the Internet can level the playing field. You take your notes, and you take your recordings, and you move to step three. Step three is preparation for going on the offensive. Research the Internet. Find out who you should complain to and make a list. In this case, I did a search for HP customer support complaints and found a site called my3cents.com the consumer revolution where they list reports from consumers on how well HP did with customer complaints. I also found Complaints Board Made by the people for the people which had a very well written report from people who had terrible results with HP customer service. In addition to these sites, create a list of people or agencies that you could contact about the lack of support you are receiving, such as your state attorney general, consumer affairs, etc. Christian Computing Magazine April 2007 5

Step four; it is time to make a call back to customer support. Explain to the person you are calling that you have moved from being passive and waiting for them to step up to the plate and do the right thing, and that you are preparing to take your case to the public. Do this in a calm and non-threatening way. Remember, whoever you are talking to may not be responsible for your past problems and runaround. When I find myself making this type of call, I even joke with them about how all that training on dealing with tough customers is going to come in handy. I let them know that I do not plan on hanging up until I can talk with someone that can solve my problem, and that they need to know what steps I am prepared to take if my needs are not met. I have even encouraged them to take notes (grin). I then tell them that if my needs are not going to be met, I plan to do the following, and that I am just trying to let them know that I plan to react to their poor customer support. . A. I let them know that I have been recording all of the phone calls and the names of all of those I have been talking too. B. I let them know that I know how to set up a web page (if you dont, then let them know that you know how to find someone that can.) C. I let them know that the combined recordings of broken promises, returned calls that were never made, and the general runaround will make a great streaming audio file from my website, along with my notes of the times, dates and people I have talked with. D. Give them a short list of everyone you plan to contact to report this ongoing runaround you have been receiving. Include the complaint type consumer websites as well as a short list of official agencies you plan to contact. From my experience, if you present such a plan to a companys customer support department, you will quickly be moved up the chain of command until you reach someone that will be able to fix your problem. Hold your ground, but keep your voice calm and explain your plans to each person you get passed to. Refuse to agree to someone calling you back. Stay on hold for as long as it takes. I believe from my personal experience that you will get some satisfaction. Every company in the world is aware of the damage of audio recordings if they have indeed dropped the ball and have been giving you the runaround. They are aware of the customer who recorded customer support from AOL when they tried to cancel their account. Once that recording hit the Internet, the AOL rep lost their job and the president of the company ended up issuing a personal apology to the customer. Believe me, customer support personnel know about this and if they believe you have documented their non-responses and are prepared to make them available to the world via the Internet, I believe you will find that you will be moved to the front of the line and your problem should soon be fixed. For those of you that have not heard the famous recording of a customer that tried to cancel his AOL account, here is a link to the audio, http://media.putfile.com/AOL-Cancellation. (Warning, the site has various advertisements for other videos that some might find offensive. In addition, the site allows for listener comments, and some use offensive language. If you want to listen to the audio, simply click on it when the page is viewed and do not spend time reading the rest of the material.) What do you do if you still do not get your issue resolved? You do just what you said you would do. Arrange your recordings into one interesting audio file and turn it into a MP3. Write your letters, post your story, contact the press, etc.. I was not suggesting that you make idle threats, but feel that if you really have a case of poor customer support and they still are not willing to help, you need to do the rest of us a service and get this information up on the web to warn others. If the company is not going to help resolve your problems, we all need to know about it. And, in the future, whenever you are preparing to purchase a product or a service, do some advance research on the Internet and find out how that company is treating their customers. One final note; I know that I will hear from Donald Stratton from PowerNotebooks.com. He will tell you that if you purchased your notebook from a Christian company like his, you would not find yourself in this kind of a problem. Together We Serve Him,

Steve Hewitt Editor-in-Chief

April 2007

Christian Computing Magazine

Press

Releases
TrainerStudio Makes it Possible for Every Church to Use the Power of Online Learning
Fridaynoon, LLC has announced the release of its new comprehensive online teaching and training software tool, TrainerStudio. TrainerStudio is a powerful, simple to use, low cost, online training solution. With TrainerStudio, you receive a full featured elearning system for the authoring, publishing, and tracking of online training. You also receive your own personal web address and learning portal to host your training courses. TrainerStudios full featured authoring tool allows for the quick and easy creation of training courses. The simple publishing system gets your training online quickly and easily to your own personalized learning portal. TrainerStudios Learning Management System allows for the convenient tracking of training by student or course. Training reports can be created at the click of a mouse and easily exported to Excel. Churches can now use the power of TrainerStudio to expand their reach in their congregation, community, and world. TrainerStudio can be used to easily create online training courses for volunteers, discipleship training, small groups, missions, or a full blown online school. Christ the King Community Church in Mount Vernon, Washington has used TrainerStudio to create an online school, CTKU. You can visit CTKU at http://www.ctk.trainerstudio.com The present high cost of online training systems has put it out of the reach of most churches. Now with TrainerStudio, churches can create unlimited courses with unlimited students for the one time licensing fee of just $249.00 and just $39.00 per month to have their own personal learning portal on the Internet to publish and track training. This is 1000s of dollars less expensive then other online learning systems. We developed this product with the desire to make the creation of online learning simple and affordable for everyone! says Paul Evanson, Fridaynoon President. The best way to experience the power of TrainerStudio is to visit the website http://www.trainerstudio.com and download the free Demo version. Users can create a course, publish it to a demo website, and discover the fun and ease of using TrainerStudio for creating online courses and training. For more information about TrainerStudio, visit http:// www.trainerstudio.com, or contact our Church Training Specialist, Jon Skiffington, at 1-888-216-8171 x705 or email, jon@trainerstudio.com

Latest Neighborhood Outreach Software Allows Churches to Attract More Visitors, Create More Personal Connections
LEAWOOD, Kan. The latest, state-of-the-art version of Community Christian Computing Magazine April 2007 7

Connector, a desktop technology that enables churches to attract more visitors and create more personal connections, is now available for pastors and ministry leaders, Luke Smith, president of The Mapping Center for Evangelism and Church Growth, announced today. This 10th-anniversary edition gives church leaders a new vision of their community. They can determine which current members live closest to a visitor, making outreach far more effective. Unlimited mailing lists are available. Needs by neighborhood can be assessed from demographic information. Care areas can be created. In turn, outreach effectiveness can be monitored and enhanced, he said. The multifaceted, yet user-friendly service is designed around the latest mapping technology, said Smith. The desktop application with current year and five-year projected demographics tied to an all-new premium mapping system can replace residential mailing lists that churches currently must purchase for each mailing. The result is a considerable financial savings. Address correction and CASS certification for bulk mailings are other components. The program can print mailing labels for every home in a neighborhood. The new edition also features customizable personal contact forms for door-to-door visits. Community Connector brings church members much closer to one another, especially in their neighborhoods, in a powerful way. It attracts visitors and ensures personal connections. Frankly, we know of nothing like it on the market, said Smith. Community Connector connects members to leaders, assigns prospective members to leaders, manages groups, maps contacts and groups, tracks housing relocations, enhances follow-ups and tracks small group growth. All this fits in extremely well with existing church software systems, Smith said. And it works! We do monthly mailings to our neighbors and periodic mass mailings to the 3,000 closest households to our church, said Pastor Keith Boyette of the Wilderness Community Church in Spotsylvania, Va. We have a steady flow of visitors as a result, and we continuously have new people who choose to become attendees and then members. The church has been a Mapping Center user since 1999. The Mapping Center for Evangelism and Church Growth (www.mappingcenter.org; 888-627-7997), is a not-for-profit ministry created in 1997 to facilitate the mobilization of the Body of Christ in America. Honorary board members include Dr. George Barna, Barna Research Group; Stephen Douglass, Campus Crusade for Christ; Toby Frost, North American Mission Board, SBC; and Dr. Larry Lewis, Mission America Coalition. 8 April 2007 Christian Computing Magazine

Scott Howards hotPics

Scott Howard - scottdhoward@gmail.com

Blog Sites and More

t is great to be back again this month to share a few more of my favorite blogs and sites. As I mentioned last month, the Internet has exploded with a vast amount of information and content. When I look at the latest emerging sites, the one feature I notice most of them having is a place for response. Response is a great way to build a relationship with the webmaster and the other readers depending on which type of response you are using. Response can come in many forms including comments, forums, emails, instant messaging, voice, or contact forms. Response is also a tool that can be used by the webmaster to get feedback on the site and to keep people coming back through a relationship. I think most of you will agree that relationships are important in many aspects of our lives as we strive to glorify our Lord by serving Him! Here are this months sites!
www.filehippo.com
This is a very handy site to have at your fingertips for downloading some of the hottest new applications available. The majority of the applications are freeware but there could be some shareware or commercial demos so they have included a filter in case you prefer not to mess with them. One thing that I really like about filehippo.com is their layout, it is simple and easy to work with. One feature that filehippo.com offers that you may not see on other sites is that they archive the old versions of the software so that if you need to go back to an older version because something didnt work properly or you just did not like it, you can. tures which include everything from software screen shots to some computers that have been the absolute worst victims of dust bunnies I think I have ever seen. I would have to say that the download section is my favorite part of TechRepublic.com, where you can download articles including their notorious 10 things you should know articles.

www.TechRepublic.com
This is a fairly popular site for the information technology industry, but I wanted to include it to make sure that everyone is familiar with it. TechRepublic.com provides a lot of valuable information to all levels in the IT field ladder. The site includes articles, forums, whitepapers, blogs, and picChristian Computing Magazine April 2007

www.archive.org
This site has brought about a great concept to the digital world. In 1996 they started what you would call an internet library. This site can be used to 9

find lots of information including the changes and trends of the internet and various webpages. The site has no doubt been built on a professional level and they are members of the American Library Association. It should also be noted that Internet Archive works hand in hand with the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress. One feature that I would point you to immediately would be The Way-back Machine which is the first box on the screen under the Web tab. It is pretty much self explanatory so I will let you try it out yourself. www.mobileministrymagazine.com This is a Christian blog that focuses on mobile technology. Antoine has some great perspectives on the merging of these two subjects in his regular postings. I believe that Antoine has some valuable wisdom when it comes to keeping on track and balancing technology with our Christian lives. MMM was started in 2004 as a magazine and has evolved now to include a blog with a team of nine supporting this ministry. MMM also includes mobile RSS, verse of the day, and the headlines of the latest from OneNewsNow.

http://pastorhacks.net
This is a blog designed to help pastors be more productive so that you can spend more time working on what you need to be working on. PastorHacks are written by Bob Hyatt who is a pastor himself in Portland Oregon. I really like the variety of posts that he tends to have while still staying within his particular niche. One thing that I would point out is that he encourages people to send him ideas of ways that pastors can get more done better. So if you have a good idea, I am sure he would love to hear about it. I truly think that PastorHacks can be used by many other people besides just pastors and I thank God for people like Bob who can help people do their best.

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Christian Computing Magazine

finding god in todays technology

Steve Hewitt - steve@ccmag.com

Salvation Is An Easter Egg

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

o you know what an Easter egg is? I am not talking about those boiled eggs or candy eggs that we give out to children on Easter. An Easter egg, in technology, is a secret back door access or feature that a programmer has added to a computer program. For example, in FreeCell, if you want to always win a game, there is an Easter Egg that you can use to get a win, regardless of how hopeless the game might be going. If you are in a game that cant be won, hold the Ctrl, Shift and F10 keys all at once. This will cause a window to pop up in FreeCell that says User-Friendly User Interface with the option to Abort, Retry or Ignore. Hit the Abort key. At first it doesnt appear that anything has happened, but when you double-click on any card in the game, the game will finish and declare you the winner. This is an example of a computer program Easter egg. No matter how hopeless the Freecell game might appear, by using the Easter egg you can gain victory!
Salvation reminds me of a computer Easter egg. I knew Gods laws and commandments, and I tried to do my best to keep them. However, I came to realize that the game of life was hopeless. I understood from Gods Word that I was a sinner and that no matter how hard I tried to be good I would never be able to cover my failures and sins. There was simply no way I could ever win Gods approval or meet his expectations and be able to stand in His glory with my sin. Thankfully God provided an Easter egg that could give me the victory in the midst of my hopeless condition. Through Christs death and resurrection, and my willingness to accept his gift of salvation, Gods grace has provided salvation for me and all who will come to Him. I dont know who started the tradition of calling computer shortcuts Christian Computing Magazine April 2007 and programmer backdoors Easter eggs but it serves as a great reminder that it is because of Easter, and the fact that we have a savior that beat death and resurrected from the grave, that we can have victory over sin and that His way of salvation is true.

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iLumina Gold Premium is Bible software for both the Mac and PC platforms
or centuries, reading the Bible has been an interactive process. Yet, until recent times, that interaction has been limited to the written words and the reader. Even the early Bible software programs were essentially the pro cess of putting a lot of books on a set of discs for your computer with a powerful search engine.
iLumina was designed by its creator, Nelson Saba, to bring the Bible into the multimedia-savvy 21st century and allow people to experience the Bible visually like they had never done before. The idea started almost a decade ago when Nelson Saba was a Vice President of Technology in Citibanks headquarters in New York. Nelson saw that the recent advances in computer-generated animation technology gave him an opportunity to recreate virtually the places where Jesus, Moses, and Solomon walked. For the first time ever, readers of Gods Word could experience the Bible the way it happened through a virtual experience. He started in his basement on nights and weekends virtually recreating the Tabernacle based on the best biblical research. Soon he realized that in order to tap into the true potential of recent technological advances, he had to make a choice between the safety of his job in Manhattan and Gods call on his life to make the Bible truly an interactive experience. After a decade of hard work and long hours, Nelsons vision has come to life through iLumina. Thousands of photos, 360-degree virtual tours of 25 major sites in Israel, documentary videos, and animations of the key scenes from the life of Jesus make iLumina the most interactive, multimedia Bible available today. iLumina appeals to todays tech-savvy generation, who is used to seeing photos and video clips on their cell phones and watching everything from YouTube.com to 500+ cable channels. Video, virtual tours, and photos populate every page of the Bible on iLuminas various screens. Nelson Saba is now based out of Orlando and is continuing to harness the talent of people who have helped create the digital, visual magic of Disney and Universal Pictures for future iLumina editions. He has witnessed how iLuminas visual experience of the Bible has even touched the hearts and lives of non-Christians. One of my first investors wasnt neces12 April 2007 sarily a Christian or a church-goer, says Nelson, yet, he started tearing up when he saw compelling, animated scenes from the Bible. So many people today learn and experience life through video screens. We, as Christians, too often lament that fact. But, theres a better way to react to these cultural changes: we can harness this technology to communicate Gods Word in powerful, new, and experiential ways. Recently, Tyndale House Publishers has rolled-out their newest and most-up-to-date version of iLumina called iLumina Gold Premium. . . .

iLumina Gold Premium is Bible software for both the Mac and PC platforms.
Most iLumina users will find that there are additional features in this version since many key features from the Parent & Teacher edition of Ilumina are now contained in the new iLumina Gold Premium package, yet at a value price. Many user groups include homeschool families, seminary students and Sunday School teachers, especially because of the multi-media, graphic-oriented approach. Pastors also Christian Computing Magazine

Christian Computing Magazine

April 2007

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find the software provides visual tools to enhance their sermons. There are about 15 key features for Ilumina, but of those 15 features, several are quite unique in comparison to other Bible software packages. iLuminas virtual tours of 25 major holy sites are helpful for teaching all levels of learners from Sunday School to seminary. A user can take a virtual tour of these key holy sites, look around in 360 degrees and virtually walk around the site as if they are in the Holy Land. There are numerous items on these tours that you can interact with on screen. For instance, you can walk up to the table of shewbread and see how this sacred cabinet opened up and how the loaves of bread were stored inside. This interactive feature really brings the Bible to life. The most engaging feature is the ability to toggle from ancient times to present day. One can be on a virtual tour in first century Jerusalem and immediately be transported (on screen) to that same spot in 20th century Jerusalem with one click of the mouse. iLuminas virtual reality features have been programmed with much care in order for it to remain biblically accurate; it is a very unique and lively bit of programming. There are also many documentary videos that feature people talking about the details relative to the specific geographical sites. For instance, at the Garden tomb, one can watch a video where the chaplain of the tomb shares facts and details about the holy site. iLumina contains realistic, animated films on the life of Christ, which serve as excellent teaching tools for homeschoolers, church congregations, and small groups. These are animations suitable for all ages; not too juvenile. They are full color, and they are richly done. Animations can be seen on an individual level, or projected for large groups. iLuminas animation is of special interest to homeschool situations because the animations are Biblically accurate, colorful and energetic. They are short animations, so they are most helpful in augmenting Biblical passages and Bible studies. iLuminas interactive Bible Atlas contains over 200 interactive, satellite photo maps. iLumina allows the user to zoom in from an aerial view to a close-up view, much like Mapquest programming. The user can navigate through these maps quickly and easily. Another key feature is iLuminas collection of over 1000 photos of the Holy Land which is both extensive and valuable. iLuminas search feature will allow you to find photos on a variety of sites, items, and more. These photos can be exported and inserted into presentations, or can be printed and used as visual enhancements to Bible lessons. There are numerous Bible study features offered in iLumina. iLumina contains the Life Application Study BibleTM. There is also a read through the Bible in one year 14

program through iLuminas One Year Bible reading plan. Small groups can delve into more than 1000 small group discussion guides which cover every chapter in the Bible. Plus, there are numerous lessons, quizzes, and charts. iLumina also provides a Bible encyclopedia for study. For users who want multiple versions of the Bible, iLumina only provides two. iLumina offers the New Living Translation and the King James version. These versions can, however, be seen side by side on screen to help with comparative study. For people looking for interactive Bible software that brings an interactive, multi-media component you need to evaluate iLumina Gold Premium. Tyndale House Publishers has an iLumina web site for iLumina and, they report, that by late spring 2007 the website will have an interactive demo on line so that potential users can evaluate the software at their convenience. This iLumina on-line tutorial will be a self-guided tour that will have two unique menus. One menu will be a drop down that will be a duplicate of the drop down menu you would find in the iLumina software package. There will only be one selection highlighted, however, in each drop down menu. The highlighted item will be selectable and you will be able to get a visual feel for what iLumina has to offer in each particular section of the software program. The second menu on the iLumina interactive tutorial will be a static menu that will appear on the right side of the screen. When the user selects each of the menu items, a selection list of mini-movie clips will appear on the screen. The user can select the movie, or movies, he/she wants to view and then will be shown a short movie clip that will teach the viewer about the key features offered in iLumina. All the visuals will be actual films of the software in action, as if the software were loaded on ones computer. The movie can be started and stopped at any time. This format allows for maximum flexibility, because the tutorial is self-guided while still being visually engaging because of the movie feature. From the internet, to cell phones Christians are able to reach many people. These new technologies makes Gods written word as abundant as ever a wonderful testimony to the commitment of Christians trying to reach out to others with the living words of God. But, we have just scratched the surface of what recent and future technologies can do to make the Bible a visual experience that is exciting and compelling for those people in our culture who constantly entertain themselves and learn through video. Nelson Saba, through his partnership with Tyndale House on iLumina, is committed to meeting that challenge. iLumina Gold Premium is available through local Christian book stores. The URL is www.ilumina.com . Christian Computing Magazine

April 2007

inside the box

Donald Stratton - Donald@PowerNotebooks.com

Multiple Monitors: Enjoy a Productivity Boost

t PowerNotebooks, we are big believers in multiple monitors. No station has fewer than 2 screens, and most have 3. This might seem like overkill, but it isnt. With 3 screens, you can have maximized applications on two of them and use the third for interruptions. It both simplifies workflow and expands the workspace. No more clicking aimlessly on the taskbar trying to find the one window you want. Just leave it up on one of the screens while you use a different app on the other.
With a laptop, having an extra screen is easy. All the laptops we sell have either VGA or DVI ports on the back. Just connect the monitor to the VGA/DVI port and enable and size the second screen using Display Properties in the Control Panel. If you so desire, you can even have seperate backgrounds on the screens. The article linked at the bottom describes everything. Read More: To learn more about the benefits of using multiple monitors as well as some tips on how to get started check out http://www.pcmech.com/show/video/796/

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NOW you can listen to the CCMag NewsBriefs directly from the CCMag Website (www.ccmag.com)
20% of TVs May Go Dark in 2009
In less than two years, all broadcast TV stations will shift from sending their signals in analog, to a new federally mandated digital signal. Around 80% of Americans receive their television from cable or satellite and wont be affected by the change. However, surveys show that 1 in 5 of the residents in Los Angels, for example, still use rabbit ears or a roof top antenna to receive the major networks broadcast. If they have an older set, their TVs will just go black! Another survey showed that 61% of those who rely on broadcast TV, do not know about the new digital sets or the switch to a digital signal. If you have an old set, and are still using an antenna, you will not have to purchase a new TV. Digital converter boxes will be available on the market for around $50. For those that might find it hard to purchase such a box, The Commerce Department plans to give most anyone who applies for one a $40 coupon to buy a no-frills converter box limited to two per household. The department has budgeted nearly $1.5 billion, enough for about 34 million converters. But an estimated 70 million TVs are hooked up to antennas presently. For more information, visit http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-digital28mar28,1,6044345.story?coll=la-headlines-technology

Microsoft Issues Patch To Fix Animated Cursor Vulnerability

Have you ever gone to a website and seen your cursor change from an arrow to some cute animation? Sometimes you get a string of dots that move and bounce around the screen. Another popular one I remember from years back was a clock that would break apart and bounce around as you moved the cursor. Even the hour glass that flips over and over is an animated cursor. It turns out that this coding allowed for the bad guys to use the animated cursor to send malware into your computer. This problem was first discovered and reported last December. However, Microsoft has been slow to move on it and recently, a couple of sites in China posted code on how hackers could use the security hole. Security companies also noted a sharp rise in those seeking to exploit the problem, including one spam message and one company claimed they had noted over 100 websites exploiting the code. Microsoft later announced that they would patch the problem on April 10, but because of the swift increase in those seeking to use the security hole, they moved up the patch and updated earlier this month. If you do not do automatic updates, you might be in trouble if you visit a site that is using animated cursors. For more information, visit http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/04/04/ap3581638.html

FCC Says NO To Cell Phones On Planes, Yet Technology May Not Be The Reason
After a two year study, the FCC has decided to retain its ban on the use of cell phone use while flying on a plane. New technology was being developed to allow cell phone calls to be channeled from planes to the ground while flying. It was feared that such use could cause some disruption to cell phone users on the ground. However, the result of the technology is still grey, yet the FCC has made their call. They based it on the feedback they have received from thousands of people who basically said that having to listen to one sided conversations droning on for hours in a closed and confining environment would be too much for people to handle. For more information, visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17938245/

Fujitsu Computer Systems To Offer Flash Drives in Notebook Computers To Replace Hard Drives
You might have thought of flash drives as something your camera or MP3 player might use. However, Fujitsu has developed two that can do the work of some hard drives. They are introducing notebook computers with Samsung drives in the 16 GB and 32 GB flash drives instead of hard drives. Because flash drives are solid state and have no moving parts, they are ideal for notebook and portable computers since they can survive impacts far more severe than hard drives. However, they have a lot of additional advantages. They can boot faster, use less power and generate less heat. The downside is their cost. The new drives will cost $500 and $1,300. However, what is important to note is that they are now reaching sizes that can replace hard drives. So, when the price comes down, I expect they will one day re16 April 2007 Christian Computing Magazine

place hard drives in desktop computers as well due to the speed and power advantages. Sigh, one more advancement that leaves one more data storage device behind, meaning I am getting old. My first computer stored data and programs on a cassette tape recorder. Then I moved to those REAL 5.25 inch floppy drives, then the 3.5 floppies, then hard drives, hard cards, and a variety of devices, like Zip drives, that were intended to allow you to transfer large files (like 520 MB), all of which were soon outdated after you purchased them. For more information, visit http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=198001830 In a related story, Samsung has announced that this quarter they will be releasing a 64 GB hard drive. For more information, visit http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/03/27/HNsamsungsolidstatedrive_1.html

Airlines Issue Warning About Batteries and Potential In-Air Fires

We have all heard about the massive battery recalls due to the concern for notebook batteries overheating and causing fires. Now it appears that this is becoming a real concern for the airlines. On February 10 of this year a fire broke out in the overhead bin of a JetBlue flight out of New York. The fire was put out and the plane returned safely. However, the battery was a spare that had come into contact with a metal object in the same bag. Last Sunday a fire started after a battery overheated aboard an American Airlines flight leaving Argentina. At this point, no one wants to prohibit the transportation or use of notebook computers on airline flights, but steps are being taken to help curb the threat of an onboard fire. First, passengers should never pack batteries in their checked luggage. A fire in the luggage compartment would be difficult to fight in flight. If there is going to be a problem, the airlines want it to take place where they can access it. Second, passengers are being encouraged to pack their spare batteries carefully, each in a wrapped plastic container that will prevent it from coming into contact with other metal objects. And, third, airline personnel are being trained in how to fight these small fires and to gain control quickly. For more information, visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/22/AR2007032201766.html

Who Is Going To Be the TV Guide For Online Video Broadcasts? How About TV Guide?
The major networks are putting more and more broadcast TV on the Internet. In some cases they allow clips from popular shows to be viewed, but in other cases they are putting entire shows up on the Net. As this trend grows, it will become more frustrating for individuals to find out what is available. TV Guild to the rescue. Just as their publication has helped people find out what is available on their TV channels, they are now going to launch a site that will check around 60 different sites and provide you a listing of what is available with links to the site. They do not play to provide information on the growing trend of user videos such as those available on sites like YouTube. While I was reading about their service, I notice my wife watching a segment from American Idol on her computer, made available from Yahoo TVs site. The big question is if TV Guide online will find itself in competition with the other search engines. Google certainly has shown that they believe online videos are the future with their purchase of YouTube. And Time Warner (AOL) is working to release a new search engine that will use technology specifically designed to help users find online videos, both those produced by the major networks, and those produced by end users. For more information, visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17762101/

Google Search Moves to 411

Look out phone companies, Google is moving into your business. Phone calls to 411 generate over $9 billion, with users paying around $1 for a call to directory assistance. Google has been working on a voice activation system to allow people to call into their service using any phone (land line or cell phone) to search for services in their area. By calling 1800-Goog411 (1-800-466-4411) you can do local searches for businesses. I tried it, and quickly received the names, locations and phone numbers of the eight closest grocery stores. I liked this approach for searching much better than calling traditional 411, which requires you to know the name and address of the company you are trying to find. Googles 411 directory search works similar to an Internet search, finding what you are looking for based upon a minimal of information. And, the good news is, that for now, it is free. For more information, visit http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?alias=google-tests-directory as&chanId=sa003&modsrc=reuters

Digital Rights Management Protection On Songs May Soon Die Away

Digital Rights Management (DRM) was designed to ensure that a song purchased over the net would not end up being redistributed to others for free. However, DRM has been a pain for users, and Europe has not been excited about the way it works. In fact, many countries in Europe started cases against Apple because they think it is unfair that songs purchased on iTunes can only be played on an Apple iPod. However, Apple has claimed they have little choice since their deal with music providers required them to include DRM. In February, Steve Jobs (Apple) declared that he was Christian Computing Magazine April 2007 17

against DRM and encouraged music recording companies to move away from the restriction. Recently, EMI Group, one of the top music recording companies, agreed. They have not given Apple permission to sell their songs on iTunes without DRM. Microsoft has announced this week that they are also working out deals with EMI Group and other recording companies to ditch DRM and make their purchased songs free of protection software. Those against the burdensome DRM point out that 80% of all songs loaded onto a MPG player, comes from songs copied off of a CD, which has always been sold without any DRM protection. For more information, visit http:// www.computerworld.com/action/ article.do?command=viewArticleB asic&articleId=9015898&intsrc=hm_list

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wordsearch word
Bob Dasal - bdasal@wordsearchbible.com Pastor Looking for a wonderful way to honor your graduates?

Bible Explorer Limited Edition Software Is Your Answer! More than a Bible, its a Complete Biblical Library!

igh school and college graduation is a major milestone! Churches want to honor their graduates and giving a Bible seems fitting. This year give your graduates an entire BIBLE LIBRARY for less than the price of a Bible.
through this limited time SPECIAL OFFER the cost is only $15.95 for a single copy and $9.95 in quantities of five (5) or more.

WORDsearchs Bible Explorer Limited Edition is a complete Bible study library that will provide study tools and resources to help your graduates to continue to grow in their understanding of Gods Word. Your graduates are walking into a complicated world and they need a solid understanding of Gods Word to live a full and meaningful life. You can help by providing them these study tools. Everything they need is there, including 16 Bible translations, commentaries, dictionaries and other reference books. This outstanding Bible study library will help and encourage them for a lifetime. This package would also be a wonderful Fathers Day gift so WORDsearch is calling it a package for GRADS & DADS Bible Explorer - Limited Edition is user friendly! Gone are the days of frustrating learning curves and thick Users Manuals. If youre comfortable using a web browser, then Bible Explorer will come naturally to you. It has an easy-to-use interface and a powerful search engine that makes exploring the Bible a true adventure. Bible Explorer - Limited Edition features include: Infinite Bookshelf Your entire electronic library can be viewed and searched any time with this hierarchical filing system. Your files are stored the same way your computer stores files on your desktop. Mouse-Over Magic Youre going to love this. With Bible Explorer Ltd., whenever your cursor is over a Scripture reference (whether in the text of a book or an index), the entire verse or passage will pop up for you to see. Super Strongs Bible Explorer Ltd. is equipped with Talking Strongs. This means you can actually hear any Greek or Hebrew word. Just tell your KJV or NASB text to Show Strongs, and see every Strongs number next to each word. Simply mouse over a Strongs number and the definition automatically pops up, or double-click a word in the Bible text to bring up the Strongs window. Sweet Searching Bible Explorer Ltd. brings you the most complete search functions of any Bible software, with 2 menu buttons for searching:

What does the Bible Explorer Limited Edition package include?

The package is a careful selection of the most essential Bible study tools anyone can use. It contains: 16 Bible Translations 11 Commentaries 4 Devotionals 4 Bible Dictionaries 3 Greek & Hebrew Helps 5 History/ Culture Works 26 Bible History/OT Literature 5 Study Notes Collections 3 Topical/ Cross-Reference Works 9 Maps/Photo Collections

Where can you find the Bible Explorer - Limited Edition package?
WORDsearch is calling this their Dads and Grads Special Offer. Its important to remember this is a limited time offer and is only available in fine Christian Bookstores that include: Parable Christian Stores Lifeway Christian Stores Berean Christian Stores Mardel Christian Stores You can also find it at www.Christianbook.com. As a former pastor who commemorated, for more than 20 years, the importance of graduation in a students life, and honored dads on Fathers Day, this Dads & Grads gift idea is TREMENDOUS! 19

Bible Explorer - Limited Edition is affordable!

A single copy Bible Explorer- Limited Edition retails for $69.95 but Christian Computing Magazine April 2007

nick at church
Nick Nicholaou - nick@mbsinc.com

Biometrics in the Church!

hose of us who love watching 24 and other hightech shows cant help noticing the use of biometrics to enhance their computer system security. Of course, it makes sense for those with top secret files to use such devices as fingerprint scanners, retina scanners, and voice print analyzers to protect them. Surprisingly, that technology is very affordable, and has a use in ministries!
What is Biometrics?
Biometrics refers to the use of tools that measure and analyze human characteristics for authentication purposes. In law enforcement weve seen them move from simple blood type and fingerprints to DNA. DNA is a much more accurate measurement, allowing testimony that more uniquely identifies someone, and does so with a smaller margin of error. Its accuracy is rarely challenged successfully. Similarly, biometrics allows going beyond simple passwords to something much more secure. And the cost is very reasonable, about $120/ computer (networks sometimes require an additional software package). We tested and were very pleased with the U.are.U workstation scanner and software from www.DigitalPersona.com. It interfaced nicely with Windows Active Directory, and was very simple to set up. These are the units sold by Dell, among others, and even come integrated in keyboards and notebook computers! In fact, for years I used an HP iPAQ PDA that had this technology built in. I knew my data was secure. It notes stuck to their monitors! A colleague recently shared what his organization refers to as the Fraud Triangle, the three points of which are motivation, rationalization, and opportunity. Though we cant protect systems from the first two, we can protect them from opportunity. Biometrics is a great way to do so. Consider the following two scenarios: Many on church and ministry staff have notebook computers and PDAs with sensitive data on them. These devices are easily stolen, giving the thief access to that data. Many churches and ministries have a K12 school as part of their program. We dont want there to be any opportunity for a kid in a lab to gain access to the data on the administrative network, so weve always recommended that computers used by kids not have a physical connection to the administrative network. The challenge is that having their systems completely separate make them more difficult (and costly) to support. Using biometrics instead of passwords eliminates these concerns! Christian Computing Magazine

Why Use Biometrics in a Ministry Setting?

Most ministries have sensitive data on their computer systems like congregant and/or donor information, payroll records, and more. Many states now have privacy laws and regulations requiring that these files be adequately protected. Working with many churches and ministries, we usually find poor password policies in place. We see things like folks sharing their passwords with workmates and even putting them on Post20 April 2007

Is It Worth It?
Justifying the cost of technology in ministry is always a little tricky. Some industries, like financial institutions, are so heavily regulated that they have large technology budgets. For them this isnt a problem. Surprisingly, many churches and ministries that get CPA financial audits are finding that the security of their systems are being scrutinized much more closely since Enron. They are having to demonstrate good security policies and practices. Regarding biometrics, the relatively low cost needs to be addressed almost like an insurance policy. If an organization has 30 computers, is it worth nearly $4000 to secure their systems with biometrics? The cost to use biometrics needs to be measured against the cost associated with a security breach. And while that doesnt seem likely, it does happen! We once gained a client after their previous network engineering firm took a copy of their database and began renting it out as a mail list! So, if your data were compromised, how much might that hurt your ministrys reputation? And how might that impact donations and offerings?

Another Benefit: Simple Administration

Biometrics are easy to set up, and users never forget their passwords. That makes network administration easier while also making the network more secure. Biometrics is right for many church and ministry systems.

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Dr. J.D. (Doc) Watson - docwatson@nctelecom.net

tech talk

Hot Tips #31

his month we revisit how to disable the Windows XP splash screen, a Reader Challenge from last month. Well also discover a Registry tweak that will always delete a file instead of sending it to the Recycle Bin. Coolest of all, well see how to create perimeter toolbars that popup when you need them.
Disabling the Windows XP Splash Screen Revisited (Reader Challenge)
Last month we discovered how to disable the Windows XP splash screen, in case you might want to see whats going on behind it, such as if startup fails (while loading drivers) you can see which driver is failing to load. One way is to enter msconfig in the Run dialog box to display the System Configuration Utility and then select the /SOS switch on the Boot.ini tab. The challenge to you, my faithful readers, was to find an alternate way of accomplishing the exact same thing. The key idea I was looking for was to edit boot.ini directly. First, right-click My Computer, click Properties, the Advanced tab, and then the Settings button in the Startup and Recovery area. Now click the Edit button to edit the startup options file manually. This opens Boot.ini in Notepad, in which you can add the /SOS to the end of the long line: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1) . . . Now, while all of you mentioned Boot.ini, no one included the procedure above. More importantly, no one mentioned adding the /SOS switch in this method to accomplish the same thing. Instead, you all mentioned adding the /NOGUIBOOT switch, which does disable the splash screen but gives you only a black screen on startup, not the list of drivers as does /SOS. At any rate, the first responder was John Simpson, who will receive a free copy of Windows Hot Tips 3. Honorable mention and my thanks go to: Mike Blodgett, Mark Thomasy, David Chambers, and Roger Scarlett. 22 April 2007 Special mention also goes to Tim at Lors Computing, who I hear from on occasions like this and who is always entertaining. His comment was: KEEP YOUR FINGER AWAY FROM THE POWER BUTTON and you will not see the splash screen. If your PC is off, then leave it off. If your PC is on, then leave it on. Simple! Thanks, Tim! Point taken!

Setting the Recycle Bin to Always Delete

You probably already know that when you delete a file, it automatically goes to the Recycle bin, from whence you can resurrect it. You might even know that by holding down the Shift key you bypass the Bin and delete the file permanently. What you might not know is that you can set this so the Shift key is no longer needed. If you find yourself constantly using the Shift key, you can edit the Registry so that pressing delete always deletes. First, open RegEdit. Second, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFT WARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\BitBucket. Third, in the right pane, double-click on Christian Computing Magazine

Christian Computing Magazine

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NukeOnDelete (great name, huh?), change the Value data to 1, and click OK.

Creating Perimeter Toolbars

Here is a slick trick. In past tips weve covered how to create new toolbars on the Taskbar (right-click on an empty area and select Toolbars>New Toolbar). There is an alternative, however, that enables you to create toolbars on the perimeter of the screen (i.e., top, left, and right). Figure 1, for example, shows one of these using My Computer. All you have to do is left drag the My Computer icon on your Desktop as far to the right, left, or top as it will go (about half of it will disappear) and then drop it there. Shazam! Now, this wouldnt really be all that cool if you had to minimize everything to get to it, right? But you dont. Note the context menu in Figure 1. By right-clicking an empty area and selecting both Always on Top and Auto Hide, the toolbar disappears. When you want it, just move the mouse to the extreme edge where the toolbar is lurking and presto. This trick has been around a long time with the Task Bar, and this goes one better. BTW, cooler yet, this trick also works with My Documents or any folder you create on the Desktop. Enjoy!

Windows Hot Tips 3 and More

Windows Hot Tips 3 covers all the tips and other stuff presented in my column from January 2004 to January 2007 (including graphics). Order yours today (it will be greatly appreciated). Like its predecessors, it makes a great quick reference because its divided into sections, each of which contains related tips. There are two other booklets in this Hot Tips series, Windows Hot Tips 1 and 2. A single copy of each is $6.50 (sorry for the rise in price, but printing costs demanded it). Bulk prices are: $6.00 for 2-9 copies of the same title and $5.50 for 10 or more copies. If youd like to help with costs (not required), add 50 cents for any number of booklets you order. Docs Giant Utility CollecFig. 1 Creating tion on CD is a toolbar on the still postage perimeter of the paid at $14 (2-5 screen. copies $13 each, and 6 or more copies $12 each). Send orders to: MicroManuals; PO Box 235; Meeker, CO; 81641. Thanks again for your faithful support. God bless.

Hal Campbell - hal.campbell@acstechnologies.com

ACS Ideas to Impact

Mashups, Gadgets & Widgets

This month Im including an article from my blog, Hal Campbell Software and Technology in the Church, http://halcampbell.blogspot.com/. I started a blog to share my thoughts on the company, the industry and technology in general. I encourage you to visit the blog and share your thoughts and opinions with me.

learned a new word recently, Mashup. The Google Personalized Home page is an example of a Mashup. Google has given us a place where we can get all of our content on the Google search page by using Google Gadgets. What a great idea. Everytime I go to Google Ill also have information thats important to me. Things like the weather in Florence, SC and Florence, Italy (where my daughter studied last semester). A list of blogs Im tracking. The latest news stories. There are hundreds of gadgets available from Google and third party providers. As I was working on my Google page it occurred to me that our clients needed this capability too. How could we incorporate this into our product?
After imagining how much work it would be for our programmers, it then occurred to me that we dont need to duplicate what Google has done. All we need to do is allow ACS data/information to be available to be added to a Google Personalized Home page. Then we could deliver content to places on the Web where people will more likely be, rather than expect them to go to the churches web site everyday and login to check for assignments, connections or calendar information. I met with the programmers and they started working on the project. Last Fall they released the first ACS Google Gadget (http:// acsdev.blogspot.com/2006/09/more-gadget-work-released.html) that connects a members Google Personalized Home page to ACS, and delivers information to them through their Google page. We called this one, My Church Life, since I can now monitor my small group connections, my outreach connections and even events from my Google page. You can check out the details at the ACS Development blog (http://acsdev.blogspot.com/). BTW, because Im such an enthusiastic supporter of gadgets and widgets, the development staff refers to them as Halets. I dont think that name will stick. We have had such positive feedback since our first ACS Google Gadget release that weve just released our second gadget in February. We call this one Small Groups Metrics, because it provides overview information on the statistics of your small groups. You can see, at a glance, the number of small groups, leaders, members, and new members added that week and the previous week. With this information pastors and church leaders can keep a pulse on the small group activity in their church. Our goal at ACS Technologies is to

make accessing your information easier for the church administrator to the church member. We are also working to increasingly integrate our products so it is also easier for you to administer your data. We are soon looking to release an ACS Widget that will deliver the same information to your dektop. Similiar to how Outlook lets you know you have new email, the new ACS Widget will let you know when you have a new or outstanding assignment or connection from your church. These are the first of a series of small bite sized delivery methods to get content to where your members and staff spend their time. Integrating what they do as a part of their life outside the church and making it easier than ever to stay connected to their church. With the demands on our time and resources it is important for us to take advantage of the technology available to help simplify our lives and our jobs. Utilizing the Web allows us to expand the boundaries of our church and makes it possible for increased involvement, better communication, and enhanced outreach. To view this blog or to see a list of other ACS blogs, including our development blog (http:// acsdev.blogspot.com/), please visit http://halcampbell.blogspot.com/. Hal Campbell is president and CEO of ACS Technologies in Florence, South Carolina, which provides software solutions to more than 22,000 churches and faithbased organizations.

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Internet Ministry
Walt Wilson - waltccm@aol.com

Two Sides to Online Anonymity

Civil discourse is in free fall on the Internet.

eve coined a term in our ministry (www.GlobalMedia Outreach.com) to describe what we observe in relationship to those who come to us seeking help anonymous intimacy. Every three seconds someone logs on to one of our 41 sites seeking help. The wonder of the Internet allows them to pour out their deepest fears and concerns to us because there is no one else they feel free to turn to.
Anonymous because we dont know these people, nor do they know us. Intimate because they tell us things they might never say in a face-to-face conversation. Perhaps this is all well and good in a ministry context but not so good when personal information is posted to a newspaper website. When a California woman recently gave birth to a healthy baby just two days after learning she was pregnant, the sudden change to her life was challenging enough. What she definitely didnt need was a deluge of nasty Internet comments. Nevertheless people felt the need to publicly comment. One of the reasons this woman did not know she was pregnant was her weight. She was over 400 pounds. Postings on message boards made cracks about her weight and analyzed her housekeeping ability, based on a photo of her home. All of this is yet another example of how the Internet and the anonymity it affords has given a public stage to peoples nastiest thoughts, ones that in earlier times likely never had a public outlet, or went past the diner table. Private thoughts, leading to private conversation, now find their way into the public domain through the Internet. Not a good thing. The Internet really amplifies everything, says Jeffrey Cole, of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. We have a lot of opinions out there. All of a sudden theres a place we can go to express them. Add to that the freedom that anonymity provides, he says, and it can lead to a rowdy Wild West situaChristian Computing Magazine April 2007 tion, with no one to filter it. Its all things said reflexively, without thinking, says Cole, who tracks the political and social impact of the Internet as director of Annenbergs Center for the Digital Future. My guess is that if you went back to these people, a lot of them would have second thoughts. And if you asked them to add their name, as in a traditional letter to the editor, Theyd be embarrassed. There are examples everywhere of anonymous comments that cause harm. On even the most innocuous sites a parenting message board, for example anonymity often leads to the type of response that would hardly be likely if names were attached. Some news organizations, struggling to find ways to keep their readers involved in an increasingly digital and interactive world, are trying to strike the right balance. The pregnant womans case fueled debate at the Orange County Register, whos Web site had only recently added a public comment section after news stories. 27

Read CCMags Review of our LogosGiving Service! CLICK HERE (for our PDF readers) or visit www.ccmag.com/0205/0205coverstory.pdf
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Christian Computing Magazine

www.OCRegister.com deputy editor Jeff Light says the site has modified its message board, only six weeks old, in response to staff concerns about inappropriate and nasty posts. Now, among other changes, language is more specific about what the site expects from those who post, and how a comment can be deleted. Ideally, Light says, its the users, not the sites operators, that should determine what is discussed, and how. The comment area is not a journalistic space, he says. The point is for people to react freely. Is that such a good idea? Yahoo News took down its message boards completely in December, with the goal of finding a new system that doesnt let a small group of vocal users dominate the discourse. Our hope is to raise the value of the conversation, says Yahoo spokesman Brian Nelson. Harm can be much greater when people are singled out by name on the Web; such attacks can hurt someones career or home life. It takes one person 20 minutes to destroy your reputation, and it costs them nothing, says Michael Fertik, who employs about 40 parttime agents on what he calls search and destroy missions against unwarranted Internet attacks. Nothing has really changed over the centuries and technology cannot be blamed for this decline in social behavior. What technology has done is provide the platform for what people have always thought but just never said. Given anonymity, we can now let it fly as though we had license. The technology genie is out of the bottle and what is needed is a dose of self-control. However, we cant skip over that fact that anonymous intimacy provides the opportunity to gather information without revealing how dumb we are or embarrassing ourselves. People bombard us with questions all day long about Jesus because they can remain anonymous, not have church people calling, or just feeling embarrassment about the nature of the question. Consider this example from a young woman in college: I have recently made a decision to accept Jesus Christ and my life has been changed. However, I still live with guilt. I cannot tell my parents, my Bible study leader, or the girls in my dorm what I have done in the past. I have no outlet. Can you please help me? She then went on to tell us exactly what she had been involved in. Anonymous intimacy offers the freedom to get past the embarrassment. This is a good thing. There are other cases far more serious in which anonymous intimacy plays a vital role. There are people living in cultures in which they can be killed for embracing Jesus Christ. There are millions who face arrest for such a decision, and some who are cast out by family and friends. Anonymous intimacy allows those who live in oppression to investigate the claims of Christ on the Internet and responded to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in private. Were it not for this, they would never have known. We cannot lose sight of the fact that Internet is spreading the Gospel the Good News to people who have never before heard, seen or experienced the message of Jesus Christ. Consider the words of Isaiah: Those who have never been told about Him will see, and those who have never heard of Him will understand. We see this happening daily. Anonymous intimacy has its place in Gods plan. Using it as a launching pad for verbal attacks is an abuse that should have no place in public or private communication. Christian Computing Magazine April 2007 29

Ministry communication
Yvon Prehn - yvonprehn@aol.com

Is your church logo legal? and why its important to know

ou want people to recognize your church and within the church, you want ministries targeted to specific groups to stand out. Part of being successful at both goals is the creation and use of logos. This is incredibly important because the logo, or brand, is not just an image, it is the embodiment of an organization1Something this important requires the attention of more than a person or committee assigned to come up with something that looks good. It is much more legally complex and involved than most church leaders realize, however, it is also quite manageable if you understand your issues and options. To make certain your logo is legal, read on.
Why the problem
The core issues here involve copyright protection for images and the necessity of churches to respect the laws and guidelines involved. What has made this issue fuzzy and complex today is that because it is possible to digitally copy anything, many people, even some in churches somehow assume that if you can copy it, its yours to do with what you want. When this comes to church logos, there are thousands of great images in clipart collections and on the web that might seem perfect to use as a logo. You paid for them didnt you? Yes, but, even if you find an image that seems perfect for a logo (and many professional artists would argue that no clip art fits into that category), you cant use it for a logo and if you have done that, youve broken copyright law. cause I am still in the process of researching many firms, calling, interviewing, etc., but so far I have not found any companies willing to allow you to use images for logos (if you know of one, email me at yvonprehn@aol.com) I will update this on my website (www.thelionsvoice.com) if I find some. But many of the major companies that churches use for clipart are quite specific about not allowing this. There are a couple of reasons for this. First of all, a logo is supposed to be a unique representation of who you are, and by definition, clip art isnt a unique representation of anything, its an image lots of people can use in lots of ways. Limiting clip art use for logos is also a financial protection for artists, who consider logo creation a specialized creative activity with commensurate increased payment involved. Christian Computing Magazine

Its in the fine print

If you read most clip art programs fine print you agreed to when you purchased it (just because you didnt take time to read it doesnt make it less binding), most state that you cannot use any of the images for logos. Even collections that are quite costly and can be used for commercial purposes most still cannot be used for logos. I use the term, most be30 April 2007

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Those reasons may not seem important to many people wanting a cheap logo NOW, but observing them is also the law of the land. To not obey them is no different than downloading songs or swapping songs or movies or any other digital content illegally. There are solutions: Before I get into this sectiondont let the first part of it depress you if you are a small church or ministry without much money. Ill present the solutions below with the most expensive down to the least expensive. In addition, I have prepared an additional publication: All about logos: rules, resources and reviews, that will show you samples of the materials from the companies described below, available at www.lulu.com/yvonprehn .

The financial challenge of logos

If you attend a large church or any size church with a very large advertising budget (dont fall off your chair laughing a few churches do have that), logo creation and legality is not a problem if you have the money to commission an original and exclusive image. Exclusive creation of a logo image and exclusive and varied use of that image are typically costly propositions. To get these logo benefits a church typically would hire a graphic artist, and if the artist is serious about logo creation, would begin a rather lengthy process to study, understand and then to crystallize the heart of the church into a visual representationa logo. If done in the manner that a large business would use, this process can take many months and cost thousands of dollars. In addition, once the logo is created, if you use any professional group to do it, you arent finished with the costs once the logo is created. Thats just the start of the process and the expense, unless the costs below were negotiated as part of the initial package. You want the logo in a form you can use in the church office? Do you want it in various graphic formats so you can use it in the web, in print, or on PowerPoint? All of these usually require an additional fee. Do you want the logo artist to create stationery? Business cards? Envelopes? Again, additional fees apply. If you have the money, you will usually get a product that is professional, useful and great looking, but if you dont have the money, there are a number of additional options.

One wonderful exception

Even stating all the above, there is one exception to very high costs for custom logos, a design firm in Canada that creates fantastic custom logo designs for churches: www.ministrybeehive.com. They are a fantastic company with a real heart for ministry and their work is topnotch. They charge $123 for the logoand this is no cookie-cutter, thingit is custom and they will work with you on revisions. Additional projects can be created for very reasonable prices also.

Semi-custom solutions
There are a number of companies, www.outreachmarketing.com, being one of the best known that also offer what they call, semi-custom logos. For a set price, usually between $100-$200. These designs are pre-done, but you can sometimes change the colors and fonts and of course you get your church name on them. Some of these companies sell you a disk with the file and all rights included; 32 April 2007 Christian Computing Magazine

some have rather interesting limits Church Management Software such as www.churchartworks.com for Windows that gives you all rights except t-shirts, because they have a t-shirt printing VIANSOFT Contributions and Treasurer company and if you use their created Contributions: Membership, contribution statements, receipts, pledges, participation logo for t-shirts you have to use their (attendance), committee lists. Treasurer: Budget, income, expenses, purchase orders, company to print them. print checks. Extensive reports. Visit our web site for complete information and free When you purchase these, you Trial versions. Easy to use and affordable ($95.00 each). Since 1985, we have proalso want to be sure you have the softvided financial accounting software for congregations and ministries of all sizes. ware to manipulate the logo if you Vian Corporation Phone 908-537-4642 need to. For example, Outreach Mar452 West Hill Road Email: vian@vian.com keting gives you very good rights (all Glen Gardner, NJ 08826-3253 Web site: www.vian.com of them), but their file is an Adobe Illustrator file and if you dont have Illustrator, you can still put the image into other publications, but you cant change or modify it. One other problem is that again, with a company like Outreach Marketing, there are no controls in place to prevent a church down the street from having exactly the same logo as you do. Unless you really like one of the semi-custom designs, Id certainly check out www.ministrybeehive.com insteadless money than many of these and your design is unique to your church.

Bargain basement approach

One final way to legally produce logos is of course to do your own. But if you cant use clipart, what can you do? There are a number of companies that sell logo-producing software and you can use them guilt-free because all the clipart in them is totally OK to use. Some are good, some not so great, all of them have a particular style that you may or may not like. One I like quite a bit is LogoSmartz. (www.logosmartz.com). Its only $39in my publication All about logos: rules, resources and reviews,(www.lulu.com/yvonprehn) youll see quite a few examples. In addition, you can save your final logo in a variety of file formats which makes it possible to be edited in whatever program you might have. It is also saved as ONE graphic unit, this means that when you resize it, everything resizes accurately. Some folks try to cobble together logos using clipart and text and grouping them. When you try to resize something like that it never looks quite right. You may not want to use these logos for your main church logo (and then again you might, some come out pretty good-looking), but for many of the ministry groups in your church, they are fantastic. Just because I labeled this section Bargain basement doesnt mean these have to be less-than-adequate logos. You may have someone in your church with fantastic creative abilities, a good eye and imagination, but they may not have Illustrator, the time or the money to learn it. But sit them down with LogoSmartz and you may be amazed at what they can produce!

Finally
I know in this small amount of space I couldnt answer every question about logos, but I hope in the brief issues and options that Ive addressed that you do see this is an area worth your attention, concern and prayers. We want the Lord to bless our churches and ministries and we need to all pray for wisdom that whatever images we use to express ourselves are ones created with integrity. For more information on this topic, to see reviews, screen shots and more information about logo creation software and logo creation companies, check out my new downloadable dollar deal booklet, All about logos: rules, resources and reviews at www.lulu.com/yvonprehn. For more information about my ministry, seminars and many free resources for church communicators, check out my website at www.thelionsvoice.com. (Endnotes) 1 From Wikipedia logo entry.

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Higher Power With Kevin Kevin A. Purcell - kevin@kevinpurcell.org Purcell

Using Built-In Bible Study Help Systems

f you own one of the topflight Bible Study software programs, then you might have a Biblical Interpretation class right in the programs help system. Recently I wrote about Logos new study templates. As of early April 2007, the templates are no longer available. They were beta releases and according to Daniel Foster of Logos, the company has not yet made a decision as to when they will be available again or how much they will cost. Heres hoping they are a free update.
BibleWorks Getting Started Guides
Many other Bible programs have similar offerings included in the basic software package. BibleWorks is one that has a huge selection of resources that can help you learn how to do anything from a Book Study to a Topical Study. They show how to prepare a research paper, how to do an English only study, and how to do textual criticism, among other things. If you installed BibleWorks 7, and did not change a thing, then a help screen entitled Getting Started will appear when the program starts. You click on BibleWorks Study Guides to open them. If the screen doesnt appear, then go to Help and then Study Guides. The first guide is for preparing a book study. It lists the basic steps for this kind of study, which include: Reading the Text Develop an Outline of the Text Identify Textual Variants Compare Parallel Versions Identify Key Words Perform Word Studies, and Check the Grammar There is also a bibliography if you want to do some further reading on the subject or want to know their source for this study method. Each item in the above list is a hyperlink which will take you directly to that spot in the study guide. Also, at the top of the window is a browser 34 April 2007 like toolbar with buttons for navigating the study guides. After you click on a link from the above list and it takes you to the section for that step, then you are ready to learn how to do that step. Each section is not only a tutorial on how to do that step but also how to do it in BibleWorks. Along the left hand side are links to videos that show you how to do that step. Having now owned BibleWorks for the past three versions, I have always been impressed with their level of support. They have one of the most extensive Help Systems available. They have always included a very nice Video Help System too, so you can not only read how to do things, but also see it. Until version 7 they included a thick manual, too. I can understand their reasoning for not including it in the latest release. Besides the cost of printing such a manual, the printed page cannot be updated like an electronic help system can. I still wish it was there as I am a strange bird who actuChristian Computing Magazine

ally reads manuals from cover to cover. Two other forms of help are available from BibleWorks. I recently attended one of their training workshops at my alma mater, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary Charlotte. It was so helpful and the instructor was enjoyable to listen to. He covered a lot in a little time. Also, I frequent the help forums at the BibleWorks web site (http://www.bibleworks.com/forums/).

WordSearch Study Helps

BibleWorks and Logos do not corner the market on study helps built into the program. WordSearch 7 (as well as Bible Explorer which is a rebrand version of the same software) has an opening screen that has hyperlinks to the various areas of the program. It gives news, links to the library, devotionals, and other parts. Three of the links are of help to learn about bible study within the program. One is the link to the Discussion Groups. When you click it you will have a newsgroups style discussion forum that connects you to other WordSearch and Bible Explorer users from within the program. While I would much rather use a program like Thunderbird, Outlook Express or some other dedicated Usenet newsgroup client (for an explanation of Usenet, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet for a helpful Wikipedia article; as an aside Logos has a dedicated News Server that you can access at news.logos.com or by going to www.logos.com/support/lbs/newsgroups). Here you can get help using the program but also with general bible study and even Christian Living issues and prayer support. Two other helps for learning to do good Bible Study with WordSearch are the Video Tutorials and the link to a web page called Methods of Bible Study by Rev. R. A. Torrey. The direct link to this site is http://www.crossbooks.net/ be3/howtostudy.asp. Here you will find tips and advice for studying Gods word topically, exegetically (chapter-bychapter) or as the Word of God. The last one is not so much a method of study but a philosophy. WordSearch 7 is not as complete as Logos or BibleWorks in their help for general Bible Study technique and practice. In fact the above focus mostly on how to use their software. But they are helpful and should be commended for going beyond the typical Windows Help File approach that most Bible Software companies include.

Other Helpful Tools

The most popular, free Bible Study software has to be e-Sword (available for free download with dozens of free and low cost add-ons at http://www.e-sword.net). They too have some training resources for their software available in video form at http://www.e-sword.net/training.html. These are more like WordSearchs tutorial videos in that they help more with how to use the software than how to do bible study in general. If you are a user of PC Study Bible, you too can find online tutorials at their web site (http://www.biblesoft.com/ support/tutorials/index.htm). One of the best is a tutorial entitled How to Study a Bible Passage in which it gives PC Study Bible specific information on doing good bible study. They follow the best method, which is to read, do language study, then cross reference study, followed by consulting commentaries. Of course there is a plethora of material online to help in learning to do good bible study. One I recently discovered is Christian Courses available from RBC Ministries. You can sign up for them for free at http:// cc.christiancourses.com/ and study in four basic areas Christian Living, Old Testament, New Testament, and Advanced Bible. I went through a few of these to test them for church members. They are very complete and informative. Included are some videos and interaction to make it interesting. For a lay person or a minister who has not had the benefit of a seminary education, this could be a good start in learning about the bible and then eventually how to do good interpretation. For Mobile users, a few recommended sites are Zondervans Mobile Bible Search (see my recent article about this site www.ccmag.com/2007_01/2007_01higherpower.pdf) and Mobile Bible at http://mbible.com. Both allow you to search the bible and read commentaries and bible dictionaries right in your mobile browser. If you want to learn to do better bible study with your software, then I suggest asking your software for help! Know of other useful helps in this area or of a Bible software package that does a good job of teaching good Bible study methods? Send me an email at kevin@kevinpurcell.org.

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handheld devices
Jim VanDuzer - jimv@laridian.com

What Are You Looking For?

reader of Christian Computing Magazine recently asked me a question that I thought deserved some more thought. The reader was interested in buying a PDA and wanted to know what she should buy. In typical fashion I responded to her question with a question.
How will you use it?
This was fairly closely followed by a second question, how much do you want to spend? I thought it would be a good idea to write about some of the issues that go into buying a PDA. The first question isnt actually just one question, but several questions. How will you use it? Is it simply for tracking your calendar and contacts? Do you want to be able to read email? Do you want to be able to receive email? Do you need to also respond to email? Do you need to view MS Office documents? Do you plan on installing third party programs for things like language translation, or mapping, or reading RSS feeds? Will you need to be entering large amounts of text or will you mostly be viewing? Do you want to do Bible study or simply look up verses or words and phrases in the Bible? Do you already carry a cell phone? Do you want to carry something in addition to your cell phone or do you only want one device? You may not realize how you will use it until you know how it can be used. For fun go to www.handango.com and start browsing some of the programs that are available there. You may find a program that does exactly what you didnt know you needed to do! The second question has basically three answers right now. You can get something in the $99 range or $300 range or even the $700 range. Let me explain some of the reasons for these questions by looking at the types of devices that are available. There are three main categories of PDAs: 1.) cell phones (or smartphones), 2.) PDAs that do not have phones built in, and 3.) PDAs that do have phones built in. There are four main categories of operating systems: 1.) Palm OS, 2.) Microsoft Mobile (or whatever theyre calling it by the time this comes out, 3.) Blackberry, and 4.) everything else (this applies more to the cell phone/smartphone category). Im going to attempt to create a hierarchy of needs description of the different devices. You can read through this until all of your needs are met by the descriptions Im giving and then (hopefully) you will have 36 April 2007 a better idea of what type of device suits you. If you are simply looking to keep your calendar and contact information at hand you can easily go with one of the cell phone options. Most cell phones today have the ability to sync up with your computer (you may have to buy an additional cable and software) and will store your calendar and contacts. Most cell phones also have the capability of a Bluetooth connection (for connecting to other Bluetooth devices such as a headset, a laptop or another PDA). Price: free to around $150. If you want your calendar and contact information and a little bit more (like maybe the Bible or basic information reading (email, news feeds, notes, etc)) then you may want to look at a Windows Mobile Smartphone. These are simple to use and simple to sync to your Outlook and open up some pretty cool third party software options (like <shameless-plug>PocketBible Smartphone edition, available from www.laridian.com </shameless-plug>). In my mind, if you are at all wanting to sync and stay up to date with the information on your desktop or online this is the place to start (and for many people as much as they need). You can attach a Bluetooth keyboard to most of these phones for more extensive email responses, but you would typically be typing your reply using the number pad. Price: usually around $99 with a two Christian Computing Magazine

year agreement. If you are primarily focused on staying connected to your email then you may want to look at a Blackberry. Microsoft and some others are starting to bring out solutions that rival the Blackberrys functionality of push mail (see my February article). These devices handle email and remote syncing very well and also work as phones, as long as you dont mind holding a flat brick to the side of your head. They have full QWERTY thumb pads. The Blackberry devices are largely limited in the amount of third party software that is available for you to install. Price: around $350 with a contract (keep in mind that youll need a monthly data plan as well). If you need more than simple syncing and information viewing then you will want to step up to a more full-blown PDA. The biggest question here is whether or not you want your PDA to come with phone capabilities. If you already have a cell phone and dont mind carrying an additional device then you do not need a phone enabled device (and you can connect to your phone for email retrieval and web browsing if your phone and PDA are both Bluetooth enabled). If you want to replace your cell phone or know that you need all the time access to email, then you should be looking at a phone enabled PDA. With or without the phone aspect of these PDAs you will be better able to not just view information, but create information. These devices have larger screens and more computing power. By way of an example of a program difference look at PocketBible. On the Smartphone you can read passages, jump to different verses and do regular searches across one Bible at a time. On a PDA running PocketBible (for the Windows Mobile OS) or MyBible (for the Palm OS) you can do all that and more, like adding your own notes, opening up and syncing to more than one type of book (another Bible or a commentary or Bible dictionary). You can also view and edit MS Office documents on this type of PDA. Price: as you might expect, more than the others; starting around $150 and going up to $600 or $700.

Here are some other things to keep in mind:

Text entry. Do you need to input text? A little or a lot? If you want to make quick replies to emails then a device with a number pad can work but a thumb pad would be better. If you need to regularly enter more text then youll want to make sure that the device has Bluetooth (or a keyboard designed specifically for that device). Some devices have keyboards attached that slide out from underneath and give you more keyboard space than a thumb pad but less than a detached keyboard. Do you travel overseas a lot? If you do and you want a phone enabled device make sure that you can unlock it from your local network and insert a SIM card from a provider in the country to which you are traveling. Or, at least make sure that your carrier has coverage where you are traveling. How do you like your entertainment? Do you listen to music? Many devices, even some beginning at the first level, allow you to load music and listen to it using headsets. If you prefer to watch your entertainment, pay attention to the screen size and memory capabilities. Expansion. Most PDA devices allow for some sort of memory expansion. It may be a miniSD card slot (up to about 4GB on some devices) or an SD card slot (currently up to 8GB). These give you as much storage as some iPods. Gaming. There are games available for all of these devices. There are even some complex graphic driven games available for devices on the lowest of our hierarchy. But not all games are available for all platforms. If theres a game you cant live without (I love playing Yahtzee on my devices) make sure its available for your device. GPS. Do you travel by car a lot or in places with which you arent familiar? Some devices have GPS receivers built in or you can add GPS functionality to any that have Bluetooth. Be careful about the storage space available. Maps take up a lot of room! Which PDA is best is different for each one of us and for some of us its different from day to day. Before you make a purchase, spend some time thinking about how youll use it. Explore Handango and talk to other people who have devices to find out what they use them for. You may find that you only need a Windows Smartphone device and youll save yourself some money. You may realize that there is a lot that you want to do and can do with a higher end device. Theres nothing worse than buying a device that does more than you need it do, except maybe buying a device that doesnt do everything you need it to do. Have fun and happy shopping!

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