If you're interested in requesting one of the following presentations or workshops for your business, organization, or school, please get the necessary information from our Contact page.
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Microsoft's Plans for the Internet: Some Key Issues ~ If you use Windows, if you use a Mac, if you use Linux ... it doesn't matter. Microsoft's plans for the Internet are far-reaching and are going to affect ALL of us. Not everyone realizes the full extent of Microsoft's aims, and this presentation tries to enlighten us, so that we can make decisions based on knowledge. Issues discussed include Passport, Hailstorm, Product Activation, Open Source software, and other topics.
How Do I Know It's True?: Validating Information Found on the Internet ~ When it comes to the Internet, there are two definite truths: you can find information supporting every conceivable idea, and people believe they can tell the difference between true and false information. Unfortunately, it's often easy to be fooled. This workshop covers various tips and techniques for validating the information we find on the Internet. We guarantee you'll learn something you can use immediately!
Content Management Systems: Web Publishing for Everyone ~ A Content Management System (CMS) allows non-technical people to publish and edit information on the Web using only a browser like Internet Explorer or Netscape. It leads to sites that are always up-to-date with fresh material because there is no bottleneck of having to publish through one person or through specialized software tools. This workshop will walk participants through their own CMS site and train them how to create and update their content. You'll be shocked at how easy it is!
Overcoming the Great Divides: Technology, Ethics, & Education ~ Technology, ethics, & education are inextricably intertwined. As technology plays an increasing role in education, new questions about ethical concerns & responsibilities will naturally arise. This workshop will address three major areas: equity (who's got access to technology & attempts to overcome the digital divide), identity (are they who they say they are?), and privacy (spyware, monopoly, & the new prerogative of open source).
Uncovering Buried Treasures: How You Can Find What You Need on the Internet ~ Often people ask us, "The Web is great, but there's so much stuff. Where do I begin? And how do I find what I'm looking for?" Well, we have those answers. We will discuss the best places for people in all professions to find the best information and master the essential skills of searching. As a special bonus, this program includes a list of great Web addresses for you to bookmark and use!
Intranet Technology: How It Can Benefit Schools ~ The Intranet is the newest technological buzzword. And it seems like every major business and corporation is hurrying to create one. But what are Intranets? And why should schools be interested? This program goes in depth to answer these questions. By focusing specifically on the needs and strengths of schools and education, this program will help schools learn the benefits of an Intranet, and how to plan for one today.
Integrating Curriculum and the Internet: Creating New Educational Environments ~ The Internet has the potential to be a ideal educational tool, but how can teachers make the best use of it? This workshop is for teachers of different disciplines and skill levels that are interested in using the Internet as part of their curriculum, whether that involves e-mail, the Web, or MOOs.
Internet Security: What Schools Need to Know ~ As more and more schools access the Internet every day, security becomes an ever greater issue. What do teachers and students really need to know? And how can schools protect themselves? This workshop, targeted to the technology coordinator and the teacher, will cut through the scare tactics used by many in the media and address real world concerns and solutions.
"They Know What?!?": Steps to Maintain Privacy Online ~ It has been estimated that the business of protecting privacy will be a booming industry in just a few short years. With the rapid growth of the Internet, it seems much of our privacy is being lost. From Web browser cookies to government databases online, this workshop will help participants better understand potential privacy issues and the right steps to take in order to safeguard themselves.
Who's the Teacher Now?: Managing the Change in Power that Technology Brings ~ Teachers sometimes find the roles reversed in a classroom full of computer whiz-kids. As we find ourselves educating this extremely computer-savvy generation, we also find the balance of authority in the classroom changing. This presentation covers ways to use this change in roles constructively and for the benefit of students and teachers.
To view these presentations, you will need to first download Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download these presentations, Mac users need to hold down the Option key and click on the link to the presentation they want, while Windows and Linux users need to right-click on the appropriate link.
Web Development
 XHTML and XML (25 kb OpenOffice.org, 251 kb PDF, or 119 kb Flash) ~ An overview of XML and XHTML for Web developers new to the subjects. Includes information about converting HTML to XHTML in just a few simple steps (so it assumes you already know HTML). A good introduction to an important topic: in essence, the future of display layer coding for web developers. Used in my web development classes.
CSS Overview (259 kb OpenOffice.org, 396 kb PDF, or 338 kb Flash) ~ "Cascading Style Sheets: Formatting & Positioning Using Standards" is an introductory overview of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for Web developers (assumes you already know HTML). A complementary introduction to an important topic: in essence, the future of display layer coding for web developers. Used in my web development classes.
CSS Instead of Tables (218 kb OpenOffice.org, 328 kb PDF, or 160 kb Flash) ~ "Tables No More!: Issues Involved in Using CSS Instead of Tables For Layout" looks at DTDs, the box model, & hacks for dealing with broken browsers (Internet Explorer, anyone?).
Open Source
 Don't Click on the Blue E!: Why You Should Switch to Firefox (6.7 MB PDF, 5.6 MB PowerPoint, 4.2 MB Flash) ~ I wrote the book on Firefox, and here's the talk - a fun look at the problems with Microsoft's Internet Explorer and great reasons to switch to Mozilla Firefox, the hottest (and best) web browser available today. From tabs to popup blocking, from searching secrets to the coolest extensions: it's all here. Start using Firefox today, & start browsing faster, more securely, and more efficiently!
Running Linux in a Windows World: Interoperability in Formats, Protocols, & Software (992 kb OpenOffice.org, 1.1 MB PDF, or 788 kb Flash) ~ Depending on who you talk to, moving to a "Windows-free" environment can be deceptively simple - or simply deceptive. Most companies that adopt some level of UNIX/Linux operations actually find themselves running hybrid networks where Open Source environments must continue to interact with Microsoft applications and platforms. In this session, I'll address the current capabilities of Linux software, and how to achieve Open Source interoperability with a Windows installed base.
Open Source Case Study: The ACLU of Eastern Missouri (322 kb OpenOffice.org, 482 kb PDF, or 280 kb Flash) ~ Price, quality, availability, security, simplicity, and interoperability - these are the factors that must be evaluated by any responsible IT organization before committing to a major technology overhaul. Join the decision makers from one company that made the jump to an Open Source platform, and find out why they are now reaping unexpected rewards.
Updating Your Computer With Debian's APT (528 kb OpenOffice.org, 485 kb PDF, or 344 kb Flash) ~ Looking for a way to easily update your Debian-based computer's software, quickly, easily - and with dependencies resolved? Then you need APT. Learn how to use APT on the command line and with a GUI, along with tips and tricks that will enable you to harness this amazingly powerful tool.
Connect to a Windows Network with LinNeighborhood (432 kb OpenOffice.org, 710 kb PDF, or 311 kb Flash) ~ If you're running Linux and you want to connect to a Windows network in order to access filesharing, LinNeighborhood is just what you want. This presentation explains how to set up and run LinNeighborhood.
Technology
Microsoft's Plans for the Internet: Some Key Issues (336 kb PDF) ~ If you use Windows, if you use a Mac, if you use Linux ... it doesn't matter. Microsoft's plans for the Internet are far-reaching and are going to affect ALL of us. Not everyone realizes the full extent of Microsoft's aims, and this presentation tries to enlighten us, so that we can make decisions based on knowledge. Issues discussed include Passport, Hailstorm, Product Activation, Open Source software, and other topics.
Google Does That Too?: A Look at All of Google's Services and Software ~ Everyone knows that you can use Google to search the Web. And most people know that you can use Google for email and for maps. But how much do you really know about the full range of Google's services? This talk will cover as many of Google's services and software as we can get through in one short evening. You'll learn about lots of things you didn't know were part of Google ... and you'll get lots of ideas for things you can start using immediately to make your online life easier and more productive.
Technology, Equity, & Ethics (1.1 MB OpenOffice.org, 329 kb PDF, or 383 kb Flash) ~ Technology isn't just computers. It's also about decent housing, making a living, and getting enough to eat. This presentation covers some of the pressing problems and innovative solutions involved in the increasingly problematic intersection of technology, equity, & ethics.
A Future Out of Our Control: Digital Rights Management (27 kb OpenOffice.org, 144 kb PDF, or 141 kb Flash) ~ Ever tried to turn a CD you bought into mp3's, only to find you can't? Every tried to backup a DVD you purchased? (You can't ... legally). It's getting worse. This presentation covers the increasing moves by media & technology companies to protect their own copyrights while unjustly limiting the rights of consumers.
Information Literacy: New Skills for the 21st Century (446 kb OpenOffice.org, 362 kb PDF, or 323 kb Flash) ~ It's a new century, and new skills are required. The librarian is no longer the mediator of accurate knowledge, and other sources of authority are not always reliable. How do we judge the information we receive in email, or read on the Web? This presentation covers the issues involved in those questions, and provides some answers.
A Pancake or a Pyramid: Flattening Hierarchies (337 kb OpenOffice.org, 400 kb PDF, or 342 kb Flash) ~ This presentation, still in development, covers how businesses and individuals are flattening hierarchies through the use of new technologies. Currently containing information on blogs, I plan to add more, particularly in response to audience and reader feedback.
Security
They Know What?!?: Security & Privacy in the Internet Age (432 kb OpenOffice.org, 837 kb PDF, or 492 kb Flash) ~ How much should you worry about computer security? A lot. What can you do to protect yourself? A lot. This presentation covers the range of the problems facing computer users today, and offers some thoughtful, practical ideas for protecting ourselves.
To see and perhaps buy some of the books we mention in our presentations, visit our online Bookstore.
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