Digital Photography Intro classes

I have 2 upcoming classes on the calendar:

1. Saturday, Feb. 20 and/or Mar. 6 at Mojo Coffeehouse in Lafayette: Just 4 seats available $90. To hold a spot on this one I need a check. I will hold that until class day. There is a 50% cancellation fee.
2. Thursday, April 22 at the Boulder Digital Arts classroom in Boulder: Lots of seats available $125. Registration is handled by BDA on their website. See the site for cancellation details.
3. Landscape Photography Tour in Utah: I'm also leading a landscape photography tour to southeastern Utah, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef National Parks, May 2-6. Let me know if you want more info on that. Limit 6. $500 plus food/lodging/transportation costs.

Here are some links to info on the classes:
http://www.boulderdigitalarts.com/training/details.asp?offering=21
http://www.stevegandy.com/photography/classes.html


The class is always well received is great for beginning to intermediate levels of expertise. About half of the day is spent on photography with hands-on time and half on the computer with the image software, again hands-on.

Let me know if you have any questions. I'll be traveling 1/28 - 2/5 on a photography tour to Costa Rica so my responses may be delayed.

New Top Ten Images Post

Haiti Earthquake Tragedy : http://top10images.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html

New Bumper Sticker Spotted

There is a new bumper sticker spotting post: http://bumperstickerspotting.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html

Apple USB Modem is Discontinued?

I know that everyone should have broadband networkconnection but discontinuing Apple USB Modem, a  $49 item that could be so essential for a traveler or rural resident seems short-sighted and annoying. They don't even offer a choice for any modem in the Apple Store anymore.

Sorry for all the links, I'm experimenting with the new Amazon Associates/Blogger.com integration for bloggers.

Clean Install Windows 7 from an Upgrade Disc

I was fully ready to "upgrade" from an old copy of Windows XP Professional to Windows 7 today when I found out the XP or Vista license isn't really required.

Using a Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade disc I re-formatted the Bootcamp partition on my MacBook and installed a fresh copy of Windows 7. All went well until it restarted and asked for my product key. I entered it but it refused to use the code stating that it was not "valid."

I knew it was a valid key so I called Microsoft support toll free (866-234-6020) and reached a very helpful individual working in the call center in India. He spoke English very well and was very helpful. He inquired about the circumstances and I told him all that I had done. Apparently, the product key will not work from an upgrade disc on a "clean install" without some help from Microsoft. He instructed me to remove the product key from the field and proceed without it.

Once the computer restarted again he had me run a program called msdt. You can find it by entering it in the search box in the Start Menu and pressing Enter. It asks for a passkey from the support personnel. I entered it and Windows activated and the installation was complete....no need of the XP product key. I asked about entering the XP key and he indicated it would not be needed. I asked about replicating the process later if need be and he indicated that the passkey he gave me should work if the hardware was the same. However, he said they would gladly re-issue the passkey if needed.

So, do you want to install Windows 7 on a budget? Buy the upgrade disc and call support. I'm assuming the Microsoft is just glad I paid for a disc...it couldn't be that much trouble to program in a request for the XP product key, could it?