|
SCPCUG Holiday Party Dec 16, 2023
The Space Coast PC Users Group held its Annual Christmas
Party on Saturday December
16, 2023 at the Merritt Island Library. This was our 20th Holiday
Party. The SCPCUG provided sandwiches, cake, and beverages. To
help maintain SCPCUG bank balances, there was an attendance fee
of $5 per person. Like last year, we had the very popular Optional
White Elephant gift exchange. If you brought a wrapped
gift (either new or a re-gift) you would receive a gift during
the White Elephant gift exchange. This year there
was much trading of gifts and a lot of laughter and surprises
as the exchange progressed. 23 people attended this year. The
2023 Party Photos are available for viewing at: http://www.scpcug.com/party2023.html
SCPCUG Holiday Party Dec 17, 2022
The Space Coast PC Users Group held its annual Christmas
Party on Saturday December 17, 2022, from 1 pm - 3 pm at the
Merritt Island Library, 1195 N Courtenay Pkwy, Merritt Island,
FL 32953. This was our 19th Annual Holiday Party. The
SCPCUG provided sandwiches, cake, and beverages. An optional
(potluck) dish or dessert to share was also welcome. To help
refurbish the Treasury, there was attendance fee of $5 per person.
We again had the optional "White Elephant" gift exchange
as this has been a big hit in the past. It again proved to be
good for much fun and laughter. This year 27 people attended.
2022 Party Photos are now posted.
2022 Party Photos are available for viewing at: http://www.scpcug.com/party2022.html
SCPCUG at Cocoa Village Art and Craft Fall Festival
- Oct 16 & 17 2021
The SCPCUG participated in the Cocoa Village Fall Festival
at booth #605 on Harrison between Brevard Ave and Delannoy. Our
booth was between the Village Ice Cream and Sandwich shop and
Tapas Tacos (the old bank building). Check the Art & Craft
Festival poster with details and a Cocoa Village map at: https://visitcocoavillage.com/events/fall-art-craft-festival/.
Festival hours were Saturday, Oct 16, 10:00am - 5:00pm &
Sunday, Oct 17, 10:00am - 4:00pm. The Festival featured over
200 Unique Artists & Crafters along with fantastic street
food & live entertainment throughout the grounds. Plus Free
admission! It was also kid & pet friendly! Below are some
photos.
SCPCUG Holiday Party 2019
The Space Coast PC Users Group held its Christmas Party on Saturday
Dec 14, 2019 at the Merritt Towers Club House. This was our 17th
Annual Holiday Party. This year's head count was 42 per our Membership
Chairperson Linda Glassburn. The SCPCUG provided sandwiches,
meat and cheese platters, cake, and beverages. Members were welcome
to bring a side dish or dessert to share. As in the past, there
again was plenty of great food and a variety of desserts along
with much fun, laughter, and conversation. This year we featured
the singing of Christmas Carols. Member Gene Vlahovic lead the
group in several songs. Also for the second year in a row Treasurer
Irene Nelson again oversaw the optional "White Elephant"
gift exchange. Participants had to bring a wrapped gift (value
$10) either new or a re-gift. Last year a total of 23 people
participated. This year 29 people participated resulting in some
exchanging and giving up of originally selected gifts as the
game progressed and causing some sadness along with surprise
and laughter. A great and fun time was had by all!
2019 Holiday Party photos are now available for viewing at: http://www.scpcug.com/party2019.html.
SCPCUG Donates $500 to Central Brevard Public Library
and $300 to Merritt Island Public Library
|
At our Sep 17, 2015 Monthly Meeting SCPCUG President Dan Douglas
presented a $500 check to Mrs. Marion Griffin, Director of the
Central Brevard Public Library, as a "Thank You" for
the many years of hosting our Space Coast PC Users Group Meetings. |
|
On Sep 21, 2015 SCPCUG President Dan Douglas presented a $300
check to Mrs. Irma Fordham, Director of the Merritt Island Public
Library, as a "Thank You" for hosting our Space Coast
PC Users Group Learning Center Meetings. |
Brevard Users Group Joins SCPCUG
At the SCPCUG Monthly Meeting on May 21, 2015 the 51
members of the Brevard Users Group (BUG) of Melbourne, FL officially
joined SCPCUG. As of May 2022 the BUG Club is deactivated. The
BUG Website and Newsletter are no longer available. BUG members
are welcome to participate in all SCPCUG activities.
Windows & Android Tips by Judy Taylour -
Sample items include: Google's Third Beta of Android 15 is Out,
and It Has Some Handy New Security Features / How to Remove Your
Personal Information from Google Search / Make Your Phone Last
Longer with These Easy Tips / 8 Things to Never Store On Your
Smartphone.
https://apcug2.org/jerestips/
APCUG Reports
APCUGs Reports is a quarterly publication of the Association
of Personal Computer User Groups. Reports contains information
about the activities of APCUG and related opportunities including
meeting ideas, fundraising information, region reports about
member groups, and much more. Issues are available as a PDF file
for download. The 4th Quarter (Oct-Dec) Fall 2023 report
is now available at: https://apcug2.org/reports/
and contains Region Reports, Meeting Ideas, General Articles
by Gabe, and Tech Tips.
APCUG 2023 Digital Photo Contest
The contest ended on September 16. Over 40 APCUG group
members entered the contest. The winners were announced at the
annual meeting on November 4. Info on Contest Rules, Categories,
& Judging Criteria is at: https://apcug2.org/digital-photography-contest/
APCUG 2021 eBulletin, Digital Photo, Newsletter &
Website Contests Results
All contests closed Sep 30. (Since SCPCUG won 2nd Place in the
2020 Website Contest, I was asked to participate in judging the
2021 Website Contest. There were 3 judges for the Website Contest.
I had to review 7 entries against 7 criteria.) 2021 Contest Entrants
and Winners were announced at the Nov 6 Annual Meeting and are
posted at: https://apcug2.org/2021-apcug-contests/
APCUG 2020 eBulletin, Digital Photo, Newsletter &
Website Contests Results
A PDF with all 2020 eBulletin, Digital Photo, Newsletter, and
Website Contest Winners is available for download at:
https://apcug2.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020-Contest-Winners-Bill-James.pdf
SCPCUG won 2nd Place in the Website
Contest!
APCUG 2019 eBulletin, Digital Photo, Newsletter &
Website Contests Results
A PDF with all 2019 eBulletin, Digital Photo, Newsletter, and
Website Contest Winners is available for download at:
https://apcug2.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2019-APCUG-Contest-Winners-Bill-James.pdf
APCUG 2018 Digital Photo, Newsletter & Website Contest
Results
SCPCUG Space Coast PC Journal with
Ron Ingraham, Editor, won 1st Place!
PDFs with all 2018 Digital Photo, Newsletter, and Website Contest
Entries & Winners are available for download.
Details at: https://apcug2.org/2018-digital-photo-newsletter-website-contest/
2019 Florida Technology Conference
The 2019 Florida Technology Conference was held Nov 9
and 10 at the Elks Lodge in Zephyrhills, Florida.
More info at: https://apcug2.org/apcug-2019-florida-technology-conference/
Conference Presentation PDFs are at: https://apcug2.org/2019-conference-presentation-schedule/
October 2024 APCUG Workshops
Working Together to Fight Fraud / How Do I Report Financial
Fraud - Held Oct 9, 2024
Working Together to Fight Fraud with Gema de las Heras,
Consumer Education Specialist, Federal Trade Commission. Join
the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to hear about the most reported
scams and how to spot and avoid them. Learn about the importance
of reporting scams and where to get free fraud education materials
in multiple languages from the FTC to share in your community.
How do I Report Financial Fraud with Judy Taylour, President
SCV Computer Club.
The U.S. Department of Justice National Elder Fraud Hotline provides
services to adults, age 60 and older, who may be victims of financial
fraud. The Hotline provides callers access to experienced case
managers who offer personalized support, assist with reporting
suspected fraud to the relevant agencies, and provide resources
and referrals to other appropriate services as needed.
Tour of Linux Mint 22 / Linux Desktop Workflow
- To Be Held Oct 16, 2024
Register at: https://forms.gle/TmBkogxVp5d35LaH7.
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment
of your registration. On October 15, after registration closes
at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
Tour of Linux Mint 22 with Tom Burt, Vice President, Sun
City Summerlin Computer Club.
The Linux operating system has existed for a long time and is
widely used on web and file servers. It has also continued to
improve as an alternative to the Windows and MacOS desktop operating
systems. With support for Windows XP, Vista, and 7, which are
long gone from Microsoft, and Windows 10 support ending October
2025, Linux Mint 22 may be a viable alternative for keeping older
computers useful while offering the security needed for web surfing.
Tom Burts presentation will tour the latest version (22)
of the FREE Linux Mint distro with the Cinnamon desktop.
Mint is a full-featured operating system with a Windows-like
desktop and many built-in applications and tools. Well
be running Linux Mint in a Virtual Box virtual machine. Tom will
look at Mints many features and demo several of the built-in
apps. Hell review the online repository of free Linux apps
and demonstrate installing one or two. As time permits, Tom will
also look at how to extend desktop Linux Mint to make it a network
file, database, and web server comparable to Windows 10 Pro.
Linux Desktop Workflow with Cal Esneault, President,
Cajun Clickers Computer Club.
Cal Esneault will share a presentation where he will compare
common operations of the GNOME, Ubuntu, and Mint desktop environments
to each other and show similarities to Windows 11.
September 2024 APCUG Workshops
A review of iOS18 / The History of Browsers
- Held Sep 11, 2024
A review of iOS18 with Jerry Rogan. Although Apple
Intelligence shows promise, its currently unavailable for
hands-on testing. Therefore, this review will highlight some
of Apples new products, briefly mention Apple Intelligence,
and primarily focus on iOS 18, particularly in aspects beyond
AI. This focus is especially relevant since it represents how
the iOS experience will appear to most users globally.
The History of Browsers with Tiny Ruisch. Get ready to go
down memory lane with Tiny. He covers the history of web browsers
(in general) and how they work.
We Had One, Why Do We Have Many? / A Whole Lotta BS (Behavioral
Science) about Cybersecurity -Held Sep 18, 2024
We Had One, Why Do We Have Many? with John Kennedy, ECOTUC
Linux SIG Co-Host. Join John as he takes us on a historical journey
to explore the intriguing question: We had a Linux operating
system in the beginning (just like Microsoft and Apple), so why
do we have so many now while the others still have just one?
Well delve into the origins of Linux and discover why it
began to diversify. John will also trace the evolution of a modern
distro, examine some of its descendants, and explain
why these variations are necessary. This session will be engaging
for everyone, not just Linux enthusiasts. No prior knowledge
of Linux is required, but you might leave with a deeper understanding.
Note: October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an international
initiative that educates everyone about online safety and empowers
individuals and businesses to protect their data from cybercrime.
Even amidst large-scale data breaches and cyberattacks, Cybersecurity
Awareness Month reminds everyone that there are simple, effective
ways to keep yourself safe online, protect your personal data,
and ultimately help secure our world. APCUG is proud to be a
Champion and support this online safety and education initiative
this October. The theme of Cybersecurity Awareness Month is Secure
Our World! This initiative reminds us that there are simple actions
we can take every day to protect ourselves, our families, and
our businesses from online threats
SPECIAL CYBERSECURITY MONTH PRESENTATION
A Whole Lotta BS (Behavioral Science) about Cybersecurity
with Lisa Plaggemier, Executive Director, National Cybersecurity
Alliance. Lets be honest: most of us find cybersecurity
frustrating. Thinking up long complex passwords, trying to find
our phones when we need a code to log in to an account
its a pain! And if we believe the scary cybersecurity headlines
about cyber-attacks and data breaches, none seem to be working.
How do we make sense of it all?
If you find it confusing, youre not alone. New research
from the National Cybersecurity Alliance reveals insights into
the publics security attitudes and beliefs. With your audience
participation, well compare what you think to our research
participants and cut through the confusion to give you straightforward,
practical advice and tips on keeping yourself, your family, and
your organization safe and secure. The talk begins with a short
description of the behavioral science model: Capability + Opportunity
= Behavior.
Video Editing with MS Clipchamp / Scammers and Other
Species, Part 1 - Held Sep 25, 2024
Video Editing with MS Clipchamp with Tom Burt, Vice President,
Sun City Summerlin Computer Club. This presentation updates and
consolidates material Ive presented over the past 14 years
on video editing. Modern smartphones can shoot digital videos.
The challenge is to take those raw video clips and photos and
produce finished videos you can publish on YouTube, Facebook,
and other social media sites. Today, well walk through
the end-to-end process. Well use the free Microsoft Clipchamp
as our video editing tool. Many of our tasks can be accomplished
using Adobe Premiere, NCH VideoPad, iMovie, OpenShot, and other
video editing tools. Along the way, well also touch on
some other useful tools.
Scammers and Other Species, Part 1 with Al Williams, President,
Willow Valley Computer Club. Are you concerned about scammers?
Have you been scammed? Want to learn more about protecting yourself?
Part 1 of the Scammers & Other Invasive Species series concerns
protecting yourself from Scammers at Home.
August 2024 APCUG Workshops
Hard Disk Sentinel / Microsoft Edge / National Cybersecurity
Awareness Month in October - Held Aug 14, 2024
Hard Disk Sentinel with Gabe Goldberg. HDS is a powerful/flexible
multi-system hard disk drive (HDD) and solid-state drive (SSD)
monitoring and analysis software. It finds, tests, diagnoses,
and repairs hard disk drive problems, reports and displays SSD
and HD health, performance degradations, and failures. HDS reports
drive health, temperature, and values of S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring,
Analysis, and Reporting Technology). It measures disk transfer
speed in real time to benchmark or detect possible failures or
performance degradations. It's the perfect data protection solution:
it can prevent drive failure and SSD/HDD data loss with the disk
health rating system, which is extremely sensitive to disk problems.
I've used this for many years; it's avoided potential catastrophic
failures. It's a bargain, and the vendor provides brilliant product
service.
Many APCUG group members have used HDS since Gabe's September
2022 presentation, and I thought he should spread the word to
those who weren't involved in an APCUG group in 2022.
This is the first in a series of presentations on Browsers.
Microsoft Edge with Bill James. Maximize your browsing
experience with Microsoft Edge by exploring a variety of tips
and tricks designed to enhance productivity, security, and ease
of use. Whether you're a seasoned web surfer or new to Edge,
these practical features and hidden gems can help you navigate
the internet more efficiently.
Edge has a robust set of functionalities that cater to diverse
user needs. Learn how to efficiently organize tabs, manage passwords,
and use powerful tools like Collections and Immersive Reader.
You will discover how you can unlock the full potential of your
Edge browser and make your online activities smoother and more
enjoyable.
Get ready to celebrate National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
in October with Judy Taylour. Cybersecurity Awareness Month
is a global initiative dedicated to educating people about online
safety and empowering individuals and businesses to safeguard
their data against cybercrime. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance
co-lead the campaign. In the face of large-scale data breaches
and cyberattacks, this month serves as a vital reminder that
there are simple, practical steps everyone can take to stay safe
online, protect personal information, and contribute to a more
secure digital world. Judy's presentation will highlight various
resources to help your group celebrate this critical month.
Communicate with Discord / Creating an Engaging eBulletin:
A Step-by-Step Guide / Roundtable Discussion: Strengthening Member
Groups - Held Aug 24, 2024
Communicate with Discord with Mike Ungerman, Central
Florida Computer Society. Mike will delve into the social media
platform Discord. Drawing parallels to the bulletin board systems
of the dial-up era, Discord offers a modern twist on collaborative
communication. Mike has successfully implemented a Discord server
for the Central Florida Computer Society, and it's gaining popularity
among their members and others who've discovered it through APCUG
and Tech for Seniors.
Creating an Engaging eBulletin: A Step-by-Step Guide with
Bill James, VP, Computer Club of Oklahoma City. This presentation
will guide you through creating an effective eBulletin for your
organization, ensuring your members are informed, engaged, and
connected. Bill will start by discussing the essential tools
you need, including using a word processor as a scratchpad and
managing your email list with a .cvs membership spreadsheet.
He will also cover using dedicated email platforms like Mailchimp,
though this is optional.
Next, Bill will dive into the content creation process, focusing
on what your members need to know. Learn to incorporate key elements
such as your club logo, upcoming event dates, member news, and
relevant content from other sources. Additionally, he will discuss
the importance of including boilerplate content to maintain consistency
and brand identity in your communications.
Whether new to eBulletins or looking to refine your existing
process, this presentation will provide practical tips and strategies
for success.
Roundtable Discussion: Strengthening Member Groups and the
Role of APCUG. Problems and solutions.
Introduction to Bash and Scripting / Doing the same tasks
as I did on Windows / Customized Partitioning - Held
Aug 28, 2024
Introduction to Bash and Scripting with Alan German,
Ottawa PCUG. Alan will give us an overview of the nature of Bash,
its development history, main features, and scripting abilities,
as well as several detailed examples of scripts he uses for tasks
on his Linux system.
Doing the same tasks as I did on Windows with Orv Beach,
Retired Sys Amin. Orv will respond to the question about what
a Linux user uses to perform the same tasks on Linux as a Windows
user used on Windows.
Customized Partitioning with John Kennedy, East Central
Ohio Technology Users Club. John will do Part 2 of the presentation
about partitioning a hard drive for installing Linux, but this
time with a customized approach.
July 2024 APCUG Workshops
Invisible Apps / Passkeys - Held July 10, 2024
INVISIBLE APPS with John Krout. Does your smartphone or tablet
heat up for no apparent reason? Invisible apps may be the cause.
We have long used the Windows and Macintosh operating systems.
When you run applications on those desktops, each running app
is identified by its small icons at the desktop bottom, even
when none of the application windows are visible.
Android and iOS do not provide that convenience. Clear the handheld
device screen of apps, and those apps continue to run unseen.
Especially if you are using a smartphone for the first time,
you may have dozens of invisible apps running and are unaware
of that.
Join us as we delve into the presenter's experience with invisible
apps on an early handheld device and his first smartphone, an
iPhone 5. This journey will help you understand why and how to
use a modern Apple or Android handheld device to identify and
exit invisible apps.
PASSKEYS with Al Williams. Passkeys are a joint initiative
of Apple, Google, and Microsoft to improve authentication. Are
they the same as passwords? Are others using them? Should I use
them? With this presentation, Al will discuss all this and more.
Manual Partitioning in Linux / Minimum Requirements
for Running Linux / Distro Review SilverBlue / Troubleshooting
Loss of Internet on Computer - Held July 17, 2024
Manual Partitioning in Linux with Alan German, Ottawa
PC Users Group.
Alan will answer one of our survey questions about partitioning
a drive before installing Linux.
Minimum Requirements for Running Linux with John Kennedy,
East Central Ohio. Technology Users Club. John will answer another
of the survey questions about the minimum requirements for running
Linux. He will share several different Linux distros and show
how little some of them need, perfect for older computers.
Distro Review SilverBlue with Cal Esnault, Cajun
Clickers. Cal will review an immutable Linux distro (something
new is coming down the pike) and share the immutable "atomic"
version of Fedora (the distro we featured last week). Learn what
makes a distro immutable.
Troubleshooting Loss of Internet on Computer with John
Kennedy, East Central Ohio Technology Users Club. Many people
in the survey asked about troubleshooting problems. John ran
into a problem with his computer when he lost the Internet connection
on his computer. He will talk about the problem and the steps
he took to try to figure out the cause. Then, he will share his
first workaround solution, the real cause of the Internet loss,
and what he's currently doing to bypass the problem.
Drew King's cell phone is broken. What is he to do?
/ Removing Bloatware From Your Android Phone / Introducing the
Samsung Galaxy 7 Smartphone - Held July 24, 2024
Drew King's cell phone is broken. What is he to do?
Drew King, Webmaster, Sarasota Technology Users Group. Drew found
himself in a predicament when his phone accidentally got submerged
in his niece's swimming pool. With his cell phone damaged, he
could not access his password manager for strong passwords or
receive two-factor authentication codes.
Drew faced another hurdle: He needed to contact his mobile phone
company to arrange a replacement through his insurance plan.
He was at a location where only a Mac computer was available.
Without his phone, he couldn't complete the two-factor authentication
process required by his mobile company or access his email, which
also needed the same security step.
To resolve these challenges, Drew takes us through his steps
to fix his problem.
Removing Bloatware from your Android phone with John Krout,
Writer & Presenter, Potomac Area Technology And Computer
Society. Apps pre-installed on an Android smartphone or tablet
by the phone maker or the phone seller are useless to you. They
take up space in the smartphone, both in flash memory and on
the phone screen, and divert your attention from the apps you
need to use.
There are three ways to remove Android apps. This presentation
will show you how to accomplish all three.
One method is the standard method, which works on most apps you
install. However, a significant fraction of apps resist that
method. A second method uses a zero-cost uninstaller app. A smaller
fraction of apps resist that method, too. The third method is
more complex, involves your computer, and is quite irresistible.
Introducing the Samsung 7 Galaxy Smartphone with Bill
James, Vice President, Computer Club of Oklahoma City. Equipped
with the BioActive sensor, it offers enhanced accuracy in tracking
key health metrics, including heart rate, sleep quality, blood
pressure, blood oxygen levels, and stress. It also features an
Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) index to evaluate various
biomarkers, aiding in predicting the risk of diabetes and stroke.
Additional advanced features include an improved AI algorithm
and the FDA-authorized Sleep Apnea feature, which detects potential
signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. The Irregular Heart
Rhythm Notification (IHRN) proactively monitors for atrial fibrillation
(AFib) signs. You can also record and monitor your ECG (electrocardiogram)
data, save it to your Galaxy phone, and share the results with
your doctors if needed.
The new AI-powered Energy Score feature provides a score from
1 to 100 based on your recorded data, including sleep and physical
activity measurements.
June 2024 APCUG Workshops
Tips for Fireworks Photos / Your Vacation Photos
- Held Jun 12, 2024
Tips for Fireworks Photos with John Krout, Presenter &
Author, PATACS. Technical fundamentals, photo equipment needed,
preparation checklist for the night before, camera settings,
operational specifics, and more.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vq9nKGhEQs
Your Vacation Photos with Chris & Jim Guild, Greeks on
Tour. Dont wait til you get home from vacation!
Start sharing your photos on day one. Make an album and share
it with friends. Chris and Jim from Geeks on Tour will show you
how to make your vacation photos look their best, make an album,
and share and remember your travels for years to come using your
phone and the Google Photos app.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSiA2oohfCM
Learning Linux (Review of software found on LinuxLinks.org
/ A tour of the Fedora distribution / Backing Up Specific Settings)
- Held June 19, 2024
Review of software found on LinuxLinks.org with Cal
Esnault, Cajun Clickers Workshop & SIG Leader. Cal will be
doing a quick review of software found on "LinuxLinks.org."
A tour of the Fedora distribution with Joel Ewing,
President, Bella Vista Computer Club is our feature presentation.
Joel will take us on a tour of the Fedora distribution. We've
wanted to feature distros other than Debian-based, and we finally
got a volunteer. We're still looking for someone who might do
the same for OpenSuSE, something in the Arch family, or one of
the other distros that have been developed from the ground up.
Backing Up Specific Settings with John Kennedy, ECOTUC
Webmaster. John will be talking about backing up specific settings
to make things easier when you are rebuilding your OS or wanting
to duplicate stuff on a different device. And thrown in somewhere
between the pages, we'll have Cal talking about Flatpaks and
John talking about Appimages (both were items suggested from
last year's survey about what else you might want to know about
Linux).
Automating Your Mac / Avoid the Trash Heap: 17 Creative
Uses for an Old Computer / How to turn off Windows 11's Start
Menu Ads - Held June 26, 2024
Automating Your Mac with Joe Kissell, Author &
Publisher, Take Control Books (https://www.takecontrolbooks.com/).
Joe's presentation is a practical guide for Mac users who want
to work more efficiently. He demonstrates how to save time and
effort and avoid unnecessary errors using automation techniques.
The presentation is designed to be accessible and beneficial
to users of all experience levels.
You can begin by making the most of productivity features such
as Siri, Spotlight (for launching apps), and text replacementand
then move on to the more sophisticated automation tools built
into macOS, such as Shortcuts, Automator, AppleScript, services,
and shell scripts.
Avoid the Trash Heap: 17 Creative Uses for an Old Computer
with Dale Harrington, Program Chair, MiCRO-PC-Mile High Computer
Resource Organization. Keep your old laptop or desktop! With
some effort and creativity, you can convert it to a NAS, try
a new OS, set up a security camera, and more.
How to Turn Off Windows 11's Start Menu Ads with Dale
Harrington, Program Chair, MiCRO-PC-Mile High Computer Resource
Organization.
May 2024 APCUG Workshops
KeePass, an Open-Source Password Manager / Artificial
Intelligence (AI) - An Overview - Held May 8, 2024
Note: World Password Day is observed on the first Thursday of
May; it is a call to action for better password habits. During
May, APCUG encourages all its members to update their passwords
to stronger, more secure ones and to consider using a password
manager. This reminds us of the importance of safeguarding our
digital identities and personal information, especially in an
age where much of our lives are intertwined with the online world.
Take a step towards better cybersecurity practices; use a Password
Manager!
KeePass, an Open-Source Password Manager withTiny Ruisch,
Instructor, Cajun Clickers Computer Club. Tiny will discuss and
demonstrate how to simplify our everyday lives with KeePass.
KeePass is an open-source tool, meaning its source code is available
for anyone to review, adding transparency to its security features.
Users can store all their passwords in a single database, which
is encrypted and locked with one master key. Instead of dozens
of complex passwords, you only need to remember one strong key.
KeePass also employs advanced encryption algorithms like AES-256,
ChaCha20, and Twofish to secure your data.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8GX6Prgmcw
Artificial Intelligence (AI) - An Overview with Rob Truman,
Vice President and Web Director for the Computer Booters. What
is AI, and how can I use it today? First, we will examine how
Google and Microsoft incorporate Chatbot technology within their
applications (Gemini and Copilot)followed by an examination
of Chatbots as a whole and where the technology is currently
headed in the field of AI Search. There will also be a brief
overview of other AI technologies, such as Deep Fakes, Voice
Cloning, and Robotics, with a look at the good and bad of Artificial
Intelligence.
How to photograph total solar eclipses / EaseUS Todo
Backup / Extending the life of your smartphone battery -
Held May 18, 2024
How to photograph total solar eclipses with John Krout,
Presenter & Author, PATACS. John Krout has photographed three
total solar eclipses. Learn about the photo gear and how to use
it. Also, learn how to rent the photo gear.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxueRIUUsjc
EaseUS Todo Backup with Joel Ewing, President, Bella
Vista Computer Club. Are you looking for free alternatives for
Windows image backups now that Macrium Reflect Free is no longer
available? EaseUS Todo Backup still has a free version that can
produce disk images and other backups under Windows 10 or 11.
This presentation will cover the installation and use of EaseUS
Todo Backup for disk image backup and recovery.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjC8W1hWYvo
Extending the life of your smartphone battery with
John Krout. Does your battery warm up while being charged? Heat
is the mortal enemy of your battery. Learn how to avoid heating,
set your phone to avoid charging into the danger zone, and use
apps to prompt you when to start charging.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEEn6kqgXvI
Using the Census for Genealogy--More than you think / The
Dark Web - Held May 22, 2024.
Using the Census Records for Genealogy -- More than you
think with Sue Mueller, Genealogy Group Leader Computer Users
of Erie. Explore federal and state census records, where and
what you will find on the census, family, and neighbor clues,
linking census clues to other sources, other census schedules,
and census substitutes.
The Dark Web with Al Williams, President Willow Valley
Computer Club. What is it? Is it dangerous? Why would I want
to use it? This presentation is for the curious.
April 2024 APCUG Workshops
Is Your Car Spying on You? Why Your Car Collects and Shares
Data / Use Zoom's "Take Control," Microsoft's "Quick
Assist," or "Remote Assistance" to Help Someone
with Their Windows Computer - Held April 10,2024
Is Your Car Spying on You? Why Your Car Collects and Shares
Data with Dale Harrington, Program Chair, Mile High Computer
Resource Organization (MiCRO). A car (and its app, if you installed
one on your phone) can collect all sorts of data in the background
without you realizing it. This, in turn, may be shared for various
purposes, including advertising and risk assessment for insurance
companies. The data collection list is long and depends on the
car's make, model, and trim. But if you look through any car
maker's privacy policy, you'll see some trends. Dale will talk
about what types of data may be shared with, among others, dealers,
repair companies, emergency services, advertising, and insurance
companies.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve5szJXc9sw
Use Zoom's "Take Control," Microsoft's "Quick
Assist," or "Remote Assistance" to Help Someone
with Their Windows Computer with Francis Chao, Hosted Website
Committee. Francis' presentation will consist of live demonstrations
to show you how to use your "Zoom Meetings Client"
or Microsoft's "Quick Assist" or "Remote Assistance"
to help a Windows computer user without being physically present
at their home or business. Francis will use two virtual machines,
each connected to a different Internet service provider, to show
you how these two remote control capabilities look from the standpoint
of the helper's computer AND the helped person's computer. Francis
will give demonstrations on: Zoom's "Take Control"
feature, Windows bundled "Quick Assist", and Windows
"Remote Assistance."
Backing Up, Part 2, Not Just for Linux Users -
Held April 17, 2024
Backing Up, Part 2, Not Just for Linux Users. You can't
talk about backing up enough. There was too much to cover during
the March workshops. So, the April Learning Linux workshop will
be "Backing UpPart 2." But this workshop isn't
just for Linux users. The Linux Team invites all Linux, Windows,
and Mac users to our April Workshop. We will be featuring cross-platform,
open-source programs that EVERYONE can use. Francis Chao will
give a presentation on backing up the system image using Rescuezilla
and Clonezilla. His presentation will also include creating
the rescue media to back up and restore your image. Drew King
will present on file backups using Rclone and the Rclone Browser.
His presentation will also include backing up to the cloud.
Computer Safety Tips, How to Place a Credit Freeze on
Your Account / Microsoft Backup Solutions - Held April
24, 2024
Computer Safety Tips, How to Place a Credit Freeze on Your
Account with Jeff Wilkinson, President, Sun City Summerlin
Computer Club. A credit freeze is one of the most critical steps
to protect yourself from identity thieves by opening credit accounts
in your name. A freeze prohibits consumer credit reporting agencies
from disclosing the contents of a credit report to any person
requesting the data. Without that credit file, lenders generally
will not extend credit to you or anyone claiming to be
you.
Microsoft Backup Solutions with Bill James, VP, Computer
Club of Oklahoma City. Windows backup solutions are built-in
tools provided by Microsoft and are available on Windows 10 and
11. In this presentation, Bill will discuss and demonstrate the
advantages of the built-in and how each one is suited to different
needs, ranging from basic file backups to comprehensive system
imaging and cloud-based backups. For those inclined towards modern
solutions, cloud-based backups offer seamless integration with
the cloud, providing off-site storage and the advantage of accessibility
from any location with Internet connectivity. By comparing these
approaches, Bill aims to empower users to make informed decisions
on how to best protect their digital lives against data loss,
system failures, or cyber threats.
March 2024 APCUG Workshops
The Ins & Outs Of Edge With Bill / Why Do I Need
To Back Up With Judy - Held Mar 13, 2024
The Ins & Outs Of Edge. Microsoft Edge, the modern
web browser developed by Microsoft, is a dynamic and ever-evolving
platform. Each update introduces new features, enhancements,
and optimizations to enhance your browsing experience. Whether
casual or power users, exploring Edge's capabilities allows you
to make the most out of your online interactions. From productivity
tools to privacy features, Edge adapts to your needs, making
it a versatile companion for navigating the web. So, we will
dive in, discover its ins and outs, and unlock the full potential
of your browsing journey!
No Video Yet
Why Do I Need To Back Up? In today's digital age, backing
up your data is essential for safeguarding against various risks
and ensuring the security and accessibility of your information.
By investing in backups, you mitigate the potential loss of valuable
information and maintain peace of mind, knowing that your data
is protected and accessible when needed. Judy is on a mission
to have all attendees back up their data.
No Video Yet
Backing Up In the Linux World - Held Mar 20, 2024
Backing Up In the Linux World with Alan German, Les
Larkin, Stew Bottorf, Joel Ewing, and Frances Chao. Join us on
March 20 as we prepare for World Backup Day on the 31st. We'll
look at several backup plans, from the simple to a more complete
method. We hope you come away with some suggested tools for Linux
backups and select what you think will work for you. AND start
backing up your Linux machines! As Judy pointed out last week,
it's not "IF," it's "WHEN."
No Video Yet
Today's panel of presenters will include none of the usual Learning
Linux team members. Alan German, Les Larkin, Stew Bottorf, Joel
Ewing, and Frances Chao will give presentations on what they
use to back up. There will be a short time after each presentation
for specific questions (not comments) for the presenter. And,
in our usual Open Mic Q&A, you can share any other backup
plans attendees might want to consider, along with any additional
comments you have about backups.
Take Control of Backing Up Your Mac / The Computer Backup,
Your Lifeline in Case of a Digital Emergency
- Held Mar 27, 2024
Take Control of Backing Up Your Mac.
Presented by Joe Kissell, Take Control Books Publisher. The data
on every Mac should be backed up to protect it against theft,
software bugs, human error, and other problems. But there are
many ways to back up datasome much better than others.
Is Time Machine really enough? What about bootable duplicates,
online backup services, and third-party backup tools? And how
exactly would you go about restoring data if disaster struck?
In this presentation, Joe explores the options available and
helps you find a strategy that balances data safety, ease of
use.
No Video Yet
The Computer Backup, Your Lifeline in Case of a Digital
Emergency.
Presented by Uwe Dotzauer, Network Engineer and Computer Consultant.
We hear about data breaches, ransomware attacks, and the catastrophic
destruction of businesses and homes every day. But untold is
the loss of information like digital documents, pictures, and
information. In today's world, where we live in digital times,
who have all their "e-data" property in a safe place?
In his presentation, Uwe will explain the different technologies,
media, and methods you need to succeed! He will discuss several
key factors for a worry-free, data-retaining world!
No Video Yet
February 2024 APCUG Workshops
Tax Software Review for Tax Year 2023 - Held
Feb 10, 2024
Tax Software Review for Tax Year 2023 with Tom Burt, Vice
President Sun City Summerlin Computer Club. Two of the most popular
programs for preparing your income tax return are H&R
Block and Turbo Tax. You can run these programs on
your PC or Mac or work with the online versions.
Purchase one of these software programs, install it on your PC
(or go to the maker's website), and answer the step-by-step questions.
When you've finished, either program will provide you with a
finished tax return ready for filing. You can even choose to
file your return electronically!
Happily, for 2023, the tax law changes for individuals were few
and minor. In this year's presentation, we will discuss both
programs briefly and then demonstrate the excellent H&R Block
Deluxe program. We will create a 2023 tax return for a fictitious
senior couple with typical financial transactions such as wage
income or retirement benefits, interest and dividends, social
security benefits, capital gains, itemized deductions, required
minimum distributions, etc. You may be surprised how easy it
is to prepare and file your tax return. We'll also look at how
to set up electronic payments on the IRS website.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_MhYS_IT5k
Learning Linux - Held Feb 21, 2024
Learning Linux With the Linux Team Orv Beach, Cal Esneault,
and John Kennedy.
Join us for another Learning Linux workshop where John will review
the results of last Fall's polls and hear what the team feels
they mean. We also developed two important follow-up questions
to help us plan future workshops.
February is Open Source Software (OSS) month, and Orv will present
what OSS means to him. One of the major open source, cross-platform
software programs is LibreOffice. Cal will be doing a presentation
on LibreOffice's presentation program, Impress, that you should
find informative. We will finish up the presentations with John,
sharing information about where you go to get software or where
what you are offered in Linux comes from.
The team will have their customary Open Mic where you can ask
additional questions, share your thoughts on the topics presented,
tell us about your favorite open source software, and maybe even
submit an idea for future presentations or volunteer to give
a presentation.
No Video Yet
Open-Source Software with "Free" / Digital Detox
- Held Feb 28, 2024
Open-Source Software with "Free". February is
"Open-Source Software" month; Join John as he takes
us on a trip through OSS (not OZ) land to see what is available
for you to use to complete your computer tasks without paying
a penny. He will cover almost everything you might do on our
computer with excellent programs from the Open-Source Software
world.
You may have heard of some of the programs before, but he thinks
you'll be pleased with some of the not-so-well-known ones. John
will even send you a live link sheet that goes directly to the
download page of each program he introduces.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhPtINQjlII
Digital Detox with Judy. National Day of Unplugging is
March 2. Learn how you can spend a day free from digital
distractions.
No Video Yet
January 2024 APCUG Workshops
Electric Vehicles (EV's) with Mike Ungerman -
Held Jan 10, 2024
Electric Vehicles (EV's) with Mike Ungerman. Mike will
be discussing electric vehicles, how to research them online,
and what to consider when purchasing one. He will also share
the results of the EV survey that was sent out on January 7.
If we have time at the conclusion of Mike's presentation, John,
Judy, Bill, and Ray will discuss upcoming APCUG events that enhance
our member benefits. Following this Workshop we will send out
Mike's presentation.
No Video Yet
Looking Back at 2023 & Forward to 2024 with Judy,
John, & Bill - Held Jan 17, 2024
Looking Back at 2023 & Forward to 2024 with Judy,
John, & Bill. Join Judy, John, and Bill as they look back
at 2023 and review many of the workshop topics from last year.
You will have a chance to let APCUG know some of your favorite
topics and what topics you want to hear about in 2024. And we're
looking forward to you volunteering to do a presentation on your
favorite topic.
Then join the Roundtable, where we'll look forward to 2024. We'd
love for you to share your club's plans for this new year. And
APCUG would like to know what APCUG can do to help you achieve
those plans.
No Video Yet
Artificial Intelligence and Scams / Keeping Your Data
Private with VeraCrypt - Held Jan 24, 2024
Artificial Intelligence and Scams. Speaker is Monica
Tait, Assistant United States Attorney Major Frauds Section in
Los Angeles, California. Monica will be discussing the likely
impact of Artificial Intelligence on familiar scams. In addition,
she will be discussing the widespread crypto investment scams
that are currently proliferating and how to avoid them.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7uQkRZm4g0
Keeping Your Data Private with VeraCrypt. Speaker is
Mark Schulman, Central Florida Computer Society past president,
author, speaker, web designer, teacher, software designer, and
technology enthusiast. VeraCrypt is one of the most popular "on-the-fly"
encryption programs, which enables you to store sensitive data
on your PC in an encrypted format but to access that data normally
without having to constantly think about encrypting and decrypting
that data. VeraCrypt is based on the older TrueCrypt application
and is free and open source.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMtD2ZLsX28
Mark Schulman will be discussing these topics in this presentation:
- Creating and using encrypted containers
- Encrypting flash drives
- Encrypting your laptop's hard drive
- Backing up your encrypted data
- Caching passwords
- Using hidden containers
December 2023 APCUG Workshops
Games People Play / Should I Buy a Chromebook For Christmas?
- Held Dec 13, 2023
Games People Play with Bill Crowe, The STUG Program
Chair, iProducts Forum Leader, and Newsletter Contributor. Video
or computer games are electronic entertainment requiring user
interaction via devices like joysticks, keyboards, or motion
sensors. Visual feedback is displayed on TVs, monitors, handheld
screens, or even virtual reality headsets. Games are audiovisual,
often involving sound and sometimes tactile feedback. They may
support a microphone and webcam for in-game conversation and
live streaming. The 2022 global gaming market revenue nearly
reached $347 billion. Bill's presentation will delve into diverse
video games, from single-player Wordle and Lumosity to multiplayer
Minecraft and Call of Duty. These games, enjoyable and potentially
addictive, cater to all ages. Whether a player or not, the presentation
will highlight the various games available today.
No Video Yet
Bill Crowe has extensive experience and knowledge, with a
BS in Mathematics Education and a 34-year career at IBM. He's
completed IBM-certified coursework from top institutions and
taught computer-related classes at several colleges and institutions,
including Sarasota Adult and Community Enrichment (ACE). As an
active member of the Sarasota Technology Users Group "STUG,"
Bill's passion for teaching shines in the classroom, where he
promotes knowledge transfer. His students confirm a lot of learning
happens in his classes.
Should I Buy a Chromebook For Christmas? with Jolyn
Bowler, HHIC Resource Center. Chromebooks are a good option for
users who: Spend most of their time online / Use cloud-based
software / Don't need to install traditional software / Are looking
for a secure and easy-to-use laptop / Are on a budget.
No Video Yet
Jolyn was first introduced to technology and computers through
Madeleine LEngles book A Wrinkle in Time.
In 9th grade, she visited the IBM offices in White Plains, NY.
After graduating from Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School in Manhattan,
she found her first job at Childrens Television Workshop
as Secretary to the Assistant Director of Operations, Bob Dahl.
When the Telex or TWX was down or a video or film reel wouldnt
load, she was the one folks came to. In 1973, Jolyn moved to
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and worked as a Camera Operator
at the local SCETV station. In 1982, she took two classes: An
Introduction to Computer Concepts and a Word processing class
on a dedicated DecMate system.
She worked as a temp during the 80s and could help
any office with their computer needs. Jolyn discovered the Hilton
Head Island Computer Club in 1991 and immediately volunteered
at the monthly meetings. Through the years, she has held the
position of Membership Director, Webmistress, Vice President,
and President. She is now the Resource Center Director for the
Club.
When Covid shut down the club, Jolyn took to Zoom, and they could
communicate with members through the shutdown. Good presentations,
even if they couldnt meet in person. Jolyn often gives
presentations and has been the Zoom Queen, helping all the Volunteers
do their Zoom presentations.
Jolyn is also a singer and guitarist and has jammed and played
with the same group of friends for 30+ yearssomething about
the mathematics of computers and music that fits.
November 2023 APCUG Workshops Plus Annual Meeting
Cybersecurity from A to Z 2023 / Starlink Technology
May Be in Your Future / APCUG Annual Meeting - Held Nov
4, 2023
Cybersecurity from A to Z 2023 with Bob Gostischa,
Enthusiastic IT Security Expert. Cybersecurity ensures the confidentiality,
integrity, and availability of information and systems. This
means protecting against unauthorized access or modification
of data, ensuring that systems are available for use when needed,
and maintaining the privacy of information.
No Video Yet
Sit back and let Bob provide you with the information needed
so you can use best practices to stay secure. The 24 slides and
videos will give you all the information you need to become a
Cybersecurity guru. A to Z should be 26 slides, except nothing
is interesting or important for the letters x and y. By the time
we finish this journey, that's probably good.
Starlink Technology May Be in Your Future with Phil
Sorrentino, Secretary Sun City Center Computer Club . Starlink
is a constellation of satellites operated by Spacex that provides
Internet access. Like Wi-Fi and cell phone towers, Starlink allows
you to connect your device, phone, or computer to the Internet
to take advantage of the many servers available. Starlink is
relatively net, in the future, may play a big part in connecting
users to servers.
No Video Yet
APCUG Annual Meeting - Held Nov 4, 2023
Learn about what APCUG has been doing in 2023, election results
for 2024 officers, Digital Photo contest winners, and more. Any
suggestions for what APCUG can offer in 2024?
No Video Yet
Learning Linux with John Kennedy - Held Nov
15, 2023
The first hour of this workshop will be specifically for new
users or Windows users interested in learning more about Linux.
John will assume the role of an average Windows user
checking out Linux for the first time. He will take his Windows
understanding and see if he can apply it to the Linux operating
system. He wants to find out if switching to Linux is as easy
as hes been told. Hell also want to know if he can
do almost everything he did in Windows on the Linux platform.
Experienced Linux users may find this presentation too basic.
Following this presentation for Total Beginners, John will have
some things for the more experienced users. He will talk about
becoming more of a power user through keyboard shortcuts
and how to set them up. Finally, he will show how he uses aliases
to speed up his command line activities. Join him to see how
easy it is to create and use aliases.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRWi2iKWflo
October 2023 APCUG Workshops
Our Need to Rethink Fraud in America / Securing Your
Communications, Events, Files, and Online Activities with Proton
- Held October 11, 2023
Our Need to Rethink Fraud in America
A webinar by Kathy Stokes, Director Fraud Prevention Programs,
AARP.
Fraud has reached a crisis level in the US. Millions of victims
are losing billions of dollars every year to the hands of transnational
criminal enterprises. As a society, our tendency to blame the
fraud victim for experiencing the crime has led to us deprioritizing
it. In this webinar, AARP will discuss the nature of victim-blaming
in our country and how changing this narrative could lead to
a fundamental transformation in how we combat fraud.
No Video Yet
Securing Your Communications, Events, Files, and Online
Activities with Proton
with John Kennedy, Webmaster East Central Ohio Technology User
Club (ECOTUC). And you can too, with no cost to you. Join John
Kennedy as he shares information about what everyone gets with
the free versions of Protons family of protection software.
This includes protecting your email with Mail, scheduled events
with Calendar, files with Drive, Internet traffic with VPN, and
all your passwords with Pass. And all for free. Youll also
learn about upgrade options if you need additional services.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j2iwy-n4_s
Learning Linux - Taming the Terminal #6 / Flatpack Security
/ Linux Security - Held October 18, 2023
Taming the Terminal #6 with Orv Beach
Join Orv as he finishes his beginner's series on Taming the Terminal
#6.
No Video Yet
Flatpack Security with Cal Esneault
With October being National CyberSecurity Month, Cal will do
a presentation on the Flatpak Security Issues.
No Video Yet
Linux Security with John Kennedy
John will present information on Linux and Security.
No Video Yet
Securing Your Android Phone / Consumer Protection Issues
in Online Bill Payment / iPhone Security - Held October
25, 2023
Securing Your Android Phone with Bill James, Vice President
Computer Club of Oklahoma City. In a world increasingly reliant
on mobile devices, ensuring the security of your Android phone
has never been more critical. It is essential to protect our
personal information and data. Join Bill as he gives us tips
on how to be more secure when using our Android phones.
No Video Yet
Consumer Protection Issues in Online Bill Payment with
Chuck Bell, Programs Director, Advocacy Consumer Reports. Consumers
pay the majority of their bills automatically and/or online now.
Still, they can face various risks to the privacy and security
of payments, including scams, hacking, and identity theft. New
technologies such as encryption and multi-factor authentication
have been deployed, but they are not easy for consumers, especially
the digitally disconnected. In addition, many companies are starting
to charge "junk fees" just to make a bill payment.
What are the trends and friction points for improving consumer
protection in this challenging new landscape?
No Video Yet
iPhone Security with Jerry Rogan, Past President Sunland
Springs Village Technology Group.
Apple does a tremendous job of keeping us as safe as possible,
but many settings on the iPhone are left up to us, as users,
to set up. This presentation covers many of those settings with
step-by-step instructions. Don't be a victim; be proactive; it's
easier than you think.
No Video Yet
September 2023 APCUG Workshops
OneDrive Surprises in Windows 11 / Configure Storage Sense
to Free Up Disk Space / Another Level of Security for Your Windows
PC - Held Sep 13, 2023
OneDrive Surprises in Windows 11 with Dale Harrington
MiCRO-PC Program Chair & APCUG Rep. Did you upgrade to Windows
11? Did you buy a new computer with Windows 11? Do you use OneDrive?
No? Well, maybe you do. Depending on how you set up Windows 11,
OneDrive may be helping you back up and even relocate
certain folders.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOaT4j7FoFM
Configure Storage Sense to Free Up Disk Space with Bill James,
VP Computer Club of Oklahoma City. Microsoft Storage Sense is
a little-known utility built into Windows 10 and 11. It is on
by default. Learn about what it is and how to use it.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnq_Y3TFfcg
Another level of security for your Windows PC with Bill James,
VP Computer Club of Oklahoma City. Admin versus Standard User
to sign on to your Win 10/11 PC.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnq_Y3TFfcg
iOS17, Intro to Some of the Features that Make it a
Desirable Upgrade / Accessing Your iPhone/iPad Apple iCloud on
your Windows PC / How to Make and Animate a Memoji -
Held Sep 27, 2023
iOS17, Intro to Some of the Features that Make it a Desirable
Upgrade with Jerry Rogan, Past President, Sunland Springs
Village Technology Group. IOS17 doesnt seem to have any
sweeping changes, as we have seen in some past updates; however,
the new features and enhancements make it a desirable upgrade.
There are over 300 enhancements. Apple seems to focus on communication
apps like Messages, FaceTime, Voicemail, and Phone. You will
learn about some of these changes and changes to other apps that
are equally appealing and intuitive to use.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOU-yutlLkI
Accessing Your iPhone/iPad Apple iCloud on your Windows
PC with Joe Dietz, Member/Instructor, Central Kentucky Computer
Society. You will learn how easy it is to access and download
your photos, notes, and other information in your iCloud to your
Windows PC. No more emailing those things to yourself.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0iIovoeQn8
How to Make and Animate a Memoji with Brooke Thomas, President,
Central Kentucky Computer Society. You will learn the steps to
make a Memoji that resembles you, your personality, and your
mood to send in Messages. We will make a Memoji sticker, and
then we will record audio and facial expressions with facial
recognition.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0iIovoeQn8
August 2023 APCUG Workshops
What You Need to Know about SD Cards / Surge Protection
and AC Wiring Problems - Held Aug 9, 2023
What You Need to Know about SD Cards with Hewie Poplock,
Central Florida Computer Society and Sarasota Technology Users
Group. SD cards are small portable memory storage devices used
in digital devices such as cameras, smartphones, and tablets.
They come in various sizes and capacities and use flash memory
technology to store data. SD cards are compatible with a wide
range of devices and can be easily removed and replaced. There
are different types of SD cards, each with a different capacity
limit, and they can be protected by a password or encrypted for
increased security. This presentation explains the various symbols
on SD cards, what they mean, and which ones to use in your device.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9FeXJOSqwg
Surge Protection and AC Wiring Problems with John Krout,
Potomac Area Computer Society. A surge protector works by detecting
a voltage spike, aka surge, and sending that spike to Ground.
A very common wiring mistake is failure to attach the Ground
wire to the proper prong in a 3-prong socket, which disables
any surge protector connected to an ungrounded socket. Doing
so also voids any warranty for surge damage to your computer
and other gear attached to the surge protector.
This presentation will show you the proper wiring on a 3-prong
socket and discuss examples of two homes where the majority of
those sockets were miswired. Those homes were built 30 years
apart. The presenter's son diagnosed and fixed the miswired sockets
in both homes. You will learn how an inexpensive device can report
whether or not any 3-prong socket is properly wired or not. If
your 3-prong socket is properly wired, then your surge protector
will work well. If not properly wired, then it is time to hire
an electrician to fix the socket.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN9CcnzptdM
USB Testers - What They Are and What You Can Do with
Them / Technology's Impact on Genealogy - Held Aug 19,
2023
USB Testers - What They Are and What You Can Do with
Them with Greg Skalka, President, Under the Computer Hood User
Group. USB testers are small yet mighty. These relatively inexpensive
devices can make measurements while powering or charging USB
devices and batteries that can help debug problems and provide
insights into battery capacity, charge rates, and the best way
to charge.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuFFLywTuag
Technology's Impact on Genealogy with Sue Mueller, Genealogy
Group Leader, Computer Users of Erie. From equipment to software
and apps, as well as tools and backup storage to increased access
to records, the ability to do online genealogy research has increased
exponentially. DNA analysis, artificial intelligence, and photo
restoration provide tools for the genealogist. Apps for your
smartphone and tablet put genealogy on the go in your hands.
Let's also realize that there may be a right and a wrong way
to use some of these technological advances.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufW4WtZ2uKM
ABCs and XYZs of AI (Artificial Intelligence) / AI Roundtable
- Held Aug 30, 2023
ABCs and XYZs of AI (Artificial Intelligence) with
Adam Drake, East Central Ohio Technology Users Club. Its
all youve heard about on TV and the Internet for months.
Artificial Intelligence. All we hear is AI this and
AI that. Is AI a good thing or a bad thing? Are computers
and robots going to be taking over, or can this process be of
any good for humans? Will AI allow computers to think for themselves
and no longer be programmed by humans? We all need to know more
about Artificial Intelligence and its meaning. Its happening
all around us, and we need to understand whats going on.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1QhpD9M3e4
Adam Drake, ECOTUC Vice-President, will do just that with
his presentation on Artificial Intelligence at our Wednesday
Workshop on August 30. Along with giving us more information
about this topic that he has studied, he will do a live demonstration
of ChatGPT and show us how it works and what it can do for you.
AI Roundtable
THIS IS WHERE WORKSHOP ATTENDEES PARTICIPATE.
How are APCUG groups using AI? How are APCUG group members using
AI?
Please share whats going on with you or your group
(It appears there is no video for this
workshop.)
July 2023 APCUG Workshops
Technology Always Seems To Be Changing The Way We Listen
to Music at Home and In The Car / AirTags and Tiles
- Held July 12, 2023
Technology Always Seems To Be Changing The Way We Listen
to Music at Home and In The Car with Ray Baxter, President
& Treasurer, APCUG. In my opinion, the way we listen to our
favorite tunes at home and in our cars has probably seen the
most changes. I'll review how we've listened to the music we
choose in our homes, starting with the 78-rpm record and all
the devices in between, bringing us up to date with today's various
streaming options. Then the focus will move to how we consume
music on the road, starting with when it was so "cool"
to have a push-button AM radio in the car. I'll also focus on
utilizing your existing Compact Disc collection now that new
cars no longer have a CD player and streaming from an online
service, using Bluetooth, flash drives, smartphones, and more.
This is a presentation I'm constantly updating, so there is always
something new to present.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEU8CMi68RE
AirTags and Tiles with John Krout, Member, Presenter, Writer,
Potomac Area Technology And Computer Society. Dont leave
home on vacation without AirTags or Tiles. They are indispensable
for luggage tracking; countless people have already recovered
lost luggage using these inexpensive tracking devices. This presentation
also includes free apps to detect all nearby Bluetooth devices.
This is a good defense for finding any Tile or AirTag hidden
in a purse, backpack, or car without the owner's knowledge.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yeW7RdrL84
Learning Linux - Held July 19, 2023
This month's workshop will start with Orv Beach and a Taming
the Terminal session, Chapter 5. We're nearing the end of
the Basic introduction and want to know where you want Orv to
go from here (he has some ideas, but we'd like to hear yours).
Our "Software of the Month" section will be
our "keynote" presentation on KDEConnect by Drew King.
This software lets you connect your Smartphone to your Linux
computer and do all sorts of things on your phone FROM the computer.
John Kennedy will be handling the "Question of the Month":
What are the differences between two flavors of the same distro
with different desktop environments? He will try and point out
what differs between Mint-MATE and Mint-Xfce.
Before we go to our "Open Mic, Questions, Answers and
Discussions," John will be sharing a new to him distro
that has a very unique installation program (a lot different
than we've seen in the installations we've done). Then we might
take a short trip around the OS (depending on time) to see a
few other unique takes on the desktop (it has a very modern look
that might be too modern even for him).
Taming the Terminal, Chapter 5 Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHqtYj7kLXA
KDEConnect Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5kwEVu755w
Mint-MATE and Mint-Xfce Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhvfEztTaVc
A Very Unique Installer - elive Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8sZUX5tCQE
Gmail Start to Finish / Free Software for Editing
Video Recordings -Held July 26, 2023
Gmail Start to Finish with Rob Truman, Webmaster,
Computer Booters. Gmail has a built-in spam filtering system
with 15GB of free storage. Learn about the variety of time-saving
features letting you automate emailing tasks, integrate your
calendar and contacts, and customize your dashboard to suit your
needs.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFKmiPN9vR8
Free Software for Editing Video Recordings with Francis
Chao, Member, APCUG OLS Team and the Speakers Bureau. We
have discovered three great free software programs for editing
video recordings:
Microsoft Clipchamp is bundled inside Windows 11, available
in the Microsoft Store for Windows 10, and is a Progressive Web
App for macOS and Linux.
Kdenlive is a Free and Open Source app that runs on Windows,
macOS, and Linux.
Videopad by NCH is free for non-commercial home use.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-S__eypVXk
June 2023 APCUG Workshops
Working with Windows / Windows Security Secrets (Windows
10/11) - Held Jun 14, 2023
Working with Windows with JB Burke. Windows 10 and
11 are complex operating systems with many features and functions.
Even if you've used Windows for a long time, there is still more
to learn. So, do you want to learn how to improve your basic
computer skills? How to make Windows run faster and smoother?
Solve some PC problems all by yourself? Learn to use some useful
computer keyboard shortcuts? Learn better ways to find and view
files with Windows File Explorer? How to make Windows 11 look
and work more like Windows 10? All this and much more in this
easy-to-follow Working with Windows tutorial.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_07emVQEjog
Windows Security Secrets (Windows 10/11) with Bill James. Microsoft
Windows Security, formerly known as Windows Defender, offers
various features that can be considered competitive against other
antivirus software in the market. However, as with any product,
Windows Security is not perfect and might not meet the needs
of all users. For example, some users might require advanced
features, like a secure VPN, or have specific needs related to
enterprise-scale network security. Many third-party products
may offer these features, which would need to be evaluated on
a case-by-case basis. This presentation will walk you through
the little-known features of Windows Security with a hands-on
demonstration.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opVt-uVd5w4
Learning Linux - Held June 21, 2023
Join us this month as we continue to explore the Linux operating
system. Cal Esneault will answer this Question of the Month:
"What's the difference between the Mint Cinnamon desktop
environment and the new Ubuntu Cinnamon desktop environment?"
For the Software of the Month: Drew King will be sharing
the KDEConnect program, where you can connect your smartphone
to your computer, interact with it, and practically do what you
would do on it while still on the Linux computer. Our Desktop
Environment Spotlight for June will be John Kennedy, sharing
features of the Xfce desktop environment. We won't have a Distro
Dive as we haven't had any volunteers to share something other
than a Deb-based distro. So, we'll skip that feature again this
month. And before we open things up for general questions and
discussions, Orv Beach will be back with another lesson in "Taming
the Terminal."
Questions of the Day and Linux Release Cycles Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYTSlJiiJIU
DE Showcase XFE Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE573dbw8yg
Taming the Terminal, Chapter 4 All About Your Computer Video
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHydQeSrGhw
Researching Criminal Ancestors / Apple Smart Speakers
/ Download 4k Videos from the Web - Held June 28, 2023
Researching Criminal Ancestors with Sue Mueller,
Genealogy Group Leader, Computer Users of Erie. Could historical
criminal records yield clues about your family? Explore records
for criminals, courts, and prisoners. Follow the paper trail
documenting activities, whereabouts, and other valuable information
to trace family history.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/apcugvideos
Apple Smart Speakers with Craig Wright, Columbus Computer
Society and Deborah Neff, Member at Large & Public
Relations Chair Prescott Macintosh User Group. HomePod and HomePod
mini, AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p93cjBCggU
Download 4k Videos from the Web with John Krout, Member,
Presenter, Writer, Potomac Area Technology And Computer Society.
Do it in time for your vacation. Have you ever been on a plane,
train, or ship with such low bandwidth that you cannot play a
video? Yellowstone National Park is a similar experience, with
very few cell towers within its vast area. This presentation
will show you how to download videos from YouTube and other free
sites at home using a free application for Windows, Macintosh,
and Ubuntu Linux, so you can copy the video file to your laptop,
smartphone, or tablet to view on the go. Additionally, if you
subscribe to a media service like Netflix, apps for the subscription
services allow you to download their movies and TV episodes.
However, it is not exactly obvious how to do that. You will see
how to do that with Netflix.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt_-eE0Sn7A
May 2023 APCUG Workshops
Get Up to Speed: Spot, Avoid, and Report Scams / How
to Stop Keyless Entry Car Theft - Held May 10, 2023
Get Up to Speed: Spot, Avoid, and Report Scams with Heather
Clary, Community and Media Relations Coordinator Central
& Eastern Kentucky BBB. The bad guys keep trying to get ahold
of your wallet and steal your hard-earned dollars. Youd
be surprised how often they succeed. Internet-related crimes
and scams are climbing yearly, reports the FBIs Internet
Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Criminals are getting so
sophisticated. It is getting harder and harder for victims to
spot the red flags and tell real from fake, says Donna
Gregory of the IC3. In fact, in 2019, there were nearly 1,300
complaints daily by individuals and businesses in the U.S. Just
like a fish swallowing the hook, many intelligent Americans are
being duped. One place you can go to learn how to protect yourself
from these never-ending 24/7 scams is the Better Business Bureau.
Nearly all of us use PCs, Macs, smartphones, and tablets, and
were constantly trying to dodge bullets from these scammers.
The best way to avoid being a victim is to remain vigilant and
recognize the latest scams, schemes, and charades. Heather will
discuss current scams and how not to become a victim. She says,
Online shopping fraud has exploded in the past couple of
years in the wake of the pandemic. The puppy scam
where people get hoodwinked by phony sites advertising expensive
pets that dont exist also continues. And social media
.
thats a huge issue. So many things to talk about.
She will also tell us about the non-profit BBB and how to take
advantage of its free services.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxJ9yjjRNJY
How to Stop Keyless Entry Car Theft with John Krout, Member,
Presenter, & Newsletter Contributor Potomac Area Technology
And Computer Society. Thieves have found low-cost tech that enables
them to steal any car that uses a wireless fob instead of a physical
key. This presentation will show you how it works and how to
overcome the risk.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCunZsK1R7s
Learning Linux with Cal Esneault and John Kennedy
- Held May 17, 2023
John will be looking at the Features of the Disks
app for our Software Showcase. For our
Question of the Month, Cal will discuss the
differences between the initially created Cinnamon Desktop Environment
developed by Mint and the new Cinnamon Desktop Environment developed
by Ubuntu. During Desktop Discovery, John
will show us the last of the original desktop environments, Xfce.
This was considered the lightest option for users.
Our terminal instructor, wait that doesnt sound
very good; our teacher for Taming the Terminal will be
unavailable for this months meeting, so that we
wont have a session on that topic. But we will be having
an open forum for all levels of users for questions and
concerns attendees might have about the Linux operating system.
So, if we cant answer them at the workshop, well
try at next months workshop.
No Video Yet
LibreOffice / Mesh Routers / A Potpourri of Mini Presentations
- Held May 27, 2023
LibreOffice with John Kennedy. Free software
its all about sharing. Johns (otherwise known as
Free John) presentation covers the flagship productivity
suite, LibreOffice. This software has all the components (and
a couple of extras) that another major software company has that
is widely used. He takes us on a hands-on tour of the different
sub-programs, and hopefully, you discover a free program with
all the features you need in a productivity suite.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIkEnl6dVNQ
Mesh Routers with Bill James. The purpose of a computer router
is to connect multiple devices and facilitate communication by
directing traffic on your network. Mesh routers are used to cover
your entire house with consistent wireless signals. They are
a popular home networking technology that uses multiple nodes,
the connection point among network devices such as routers, printers,
or switches that can receive and send data from one endpoint
to another.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fALCj8-wodA
A Potpourri of Mini Presentations with Judy Taylour. Judy
will show us how easy it is to create a mini presentation from
various tech sources.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwVyVV56vKg
April 2023 APCUG Workshops
What is Ham Radio? / A Closer Look at AI - Held
Apr 12, 2023
What is Ham Radio with Orv Beach, Linux Evangelist
Orv's presentation will include a brief overview of what
amateur (ham) radio is, all the things that can be done with
it, and what's required to get started in this great hobby!
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JkwtRFhl0k
Presenter Orv Beach is retired from Abbott Laboratories,
where he served as the Linux system administrator. He is a long-time
Linux user and evangelist and has been a key volunteer and the
Training Chair for many Southern California Linux expos. Orv
has been a ham radio operator longer (license callsign W6BI)
than he has been using Linux. He's an ARRL (American Radio Relay
League) Technical Specialist and is deeply involved in the build-out
of the local ham radio "Internet" using off-the-shelf
wireless equipment.
A Closer Look at AI with Bob Gostischa, IT Enthusiast
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a broad field that includes
developing intelligent systems that can perform tasks that typically
require human-level intelligence, such as learning, reasoning,
perception, and natural language processing. Many different AI
tools can be used for various applications, including chat, audio,
video, and other aspects of AI. The presentation is split between
hands-on and videos.
The videos Bob has selected are:
1. AI - A Closer Look
2. 10 Pros and Cons of Using ChatGPT
3. AI in cybersecurity - The good, the bad, and the ugly
4. The New Bing with ChatGPT
5. What is Phishing, and can you protect against it? - The only
part of this video that's from me is my voice
6. AI-Generated Outer Space Images
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHwW6D6_LQg
Presenter Bob Gostischa. After a successful career in
banking, Bob enjoys his retirement as an enthusiastic IT security
expert who gives many presentations to tech groups in the United
States and Canada. Bob is a member of Avast's website discussion
and help forum, helping with security-related and general computer
issues since 2004. He has contributed to over 47,800 forum interactions.
Gostischa also hosts a popular blog at https://bob3160.blogspot.com/
and has a Protecting Your Privacy & Security YouTube channel
at https://bit.ly/bob3160.
You can reach his YouTube home page at https://youtube.com/@bob3160.
Learning Linux with Cal, John, and Orv - Held
Apr 19, 2023
Join us for another workshop filled with Linux information. We'll
start things off with any Linux News and then check out
the list of cross-platform software that Cal recommends you consider
using. He won't be explaining the software, just giving you a
list to check out yourself. Then John will provide the answer
to the two Questions of the Month. The first covers the
different release cycles of Linux, the pros/and cons, and what
distros use which option, and then he'll do a short demo on using
the dual-pane option in working with your files in your File
Manager (if yours has that option). Our Desktop Showcase
will feature John's favorite desktop environment, MATE
(not pronounced like a "shipmate"). Before our usual
open mic Q&A, Orv will present another lesson on Taming
the Terminal.
No Video Yet
Mac OS, Bill James and Your Health & Your Technology,
Bill Crowe - Held Apr 26, 2023
Learning the Mac OS. Many individuals are familiar
with the Apple ecosystem, primarily through an iPhone or iPad.
However, using a Mac PC, such as a Mac Mini or MacBook Pro, presents
a new opportunity to gain experience with MacOS. As a newcomer
to the Mac Operating system and transitioning from a Windows
environment, it was intriguing to compare the functionality of
Mac to Windows. Furthermore, it was imperative to evaluate how
the knowledge and skills gained from Windows could be applied
to the Mac, considering the Mac is just another PC. Through this
evaluation, I sought to understand the similarities between the
Mac and Windows keyboard and the similarities and differences
between built-in applications. This presentation aims to share
my discoveries, particularly the similarities between the two
operating systems, specifically focusing on web-based cross-platform
applications.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tShxnhen3Q
Presenter Bill James, Advisor, Region 8 Member, APCUGs
Speakers Bureau
Bill first became involved in a PC users group in 1992
when he joined the Oklahoma PC Users Group, now known as
the Computer Club of Oklahoma City, to learn more about the computer
he had just purchased. He has been a member of the clubs
Board of Directors since 1998. Bill served two terms as President
and is currently Vice President of Operations. Bill is very involved
with Home Automation, using Google Home to automate his home,
and loves his Chromebook. In addition, he is broadening his knowledge
base by learning the macOS and iOS for Apple products and Linux.
He is a member of the Windows OS Insider Program and is his clubs
go-to person on everything Android. The ccOKC meets every Thursday;
Bill is the leader of the Windows Tips & Tricks and Android
Study Group meetings.
As a member of APCUGs Speakers Bureau, he frequently gives
presentations to groups on Windows 11, Android devices, home
automation, synchronizing devices, and Chromebooks.
Bill attended his first APCUG Fall Conference in 2003. From 2006
to 2009, he served as treasurer on APCUGs Board of Directors.
If Bill isnt working with technology, youll find
him driving his Mustang; he is the Parade Coordinator for the
Oklahoma Mustang Club. He is also an active member of Toastmasters
International Club #627 and facilitates their Zoom meetings.
Bill is also a member of the Board of Directors for North Care
Center, a private non-profit behavioral and social services facility
in Oklahoma City.
Your Health & Your Technology. There have been many
advances in technology already in the 21st Century. Many have
focused on gathering information about our health more frequently
and making it more available to us. With the advent of smartphones
and watches, we can now collect this information in real-time,
and in some cases, our devices can even sense and save the data
for us on their own. This presentation will focus on identifying
and using these technologies to make our lives safer and hopefully
help us become healthier.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMjnJ2iVBs4
Presenter Bill Crowe, Sarasota Technology Users Group
Director, Class Instructor, and Forum Leader for Apple Products.
Bill teaches Intro to Computers, Windows, Excel, Word, and various
iPhone and iPad courses for Sarasota Adult and Community Enrichment
(ACE). He has taught computer-related classes at New Horizons,
Community College of Vermont, and Saint Michaels College in Vermont.
Bills passion for teaching becomes apparent when you see
him in the classroom. He is excited about helping others learn,
and the students catch that excitement. His favorite expression
is, No learning takes place unless there is a transfer
of knowledge. His students say that a lot of learning occurs
in his classes.
Crowe has a BS in Mathematics Education from the University of
California, PA. He worked for IBM for 34 Years as a Programmer,
Systems Analysis, and Manager. He also has IBM-certified coursework
from George Washington University, Dartmouth University, Dale
Carnegie, and WIN Institute, to name a few.
March 2023 APCUG Workshops
The Computer Backup, Your Lifeline in a Digital Emergency
/ pCloud / An Introduction to GoodSync Backup
and File Sync Software - Held Mar 8, 2023
The Computer Backup, Your Lifeline in a Digital Emergency
presented by Uwe Dotzauer. We hear about data breaches, ransomware
attacks, and the daily catastrophic destruction of businesses
and homes. But untold is the loss of information like digital
documents, pictures, and information. In today's world where
we live in digital times, who has all their "e-data"
property in a safe place? In his presentation, Mr. Dotzauer will
explain the different technologies, media, and methods you need
to succeed! He will discuss several essential factors for a worry-free,
data-retaining world!
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhR5SYO02lU
Presenter Uwe Dotzauer is a Network Engineer and Computer
consultant with over 20 years of experience. He has specialized
in Apple Macintosh technology since 1998 and enjoys educating
users about the daily challenges in the "IT World"
around us. He graduated from George Mason University with a master's
in Telecommunications and Network forensics.
pCloud with John Kennedy is John's go-to cloud service
for backing up his files and keeping files synced from anywhere.
For example, he can create a file on his desktop Linux computer,
which immediately goes to the cloud. Then he can access that
backed-up folder on his laptop and open, edit, and save it. The
updated, edited file is there if he returns to his desktop. pCloud
will also allow him to share files with others. It works with
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Fun fact: Its
based in Switzerland and has to adhere to strict Swiss privacy
laws, meaning more protection for your files.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IJgr6oSAYM
Presenter John Kennedy is the APCUG Advisor for Regions 3
& 6 and the East Central Ohio Technology User Club (ECOTUC)
webmaster. He is also the moderator for the Wednesday Workshops
and Saturday Safaris. John spends many hours helping Windows
and Linux users with their computer problems. In addition to
heading the ECOTUC Senior Teaching Program, he co-hosts the Linux
Help Desk/SIG, which meets twice a month, and the Windows
Help Me/Show Me Help Desk/SIG, which meets monthly. As
a member of APCUGs Speakers Bureau, he does many online
presentations for computer groups nationwide and often presented
at regional conferences in Ohio. John got his feet wet with computers
in the early 80s with his first Atari personal computer.
From that, he continued with different mainline PCs until he
built his first computer when he retired. He taught elementary
school for 25 years and finished his teaching career by teaching
computer skills to middle schoolers for ten years. During those
years, he was introduced to the Linux operating system. Since
retiring, he has taught senior citizen computer classes in a
joint venture between ECOTUC and the Licking County Aging Program.
Known around his area as Free John, John does just
about everything on the computer with free and open-source software,
using his preferred operating system: Linux.
Introduction to GoodSync Backup and File Sync Software with
Drew King. GoodSync has an easy-to-use interface; it works
with Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. In addition, it can
synchronize files and folders between different devices, network
drives, and other cloud services. GoodSync can back up your files
and folders and keep track of different versions of your files,
allowing you to recover earlier versions if necessary. In addition,
GoodSync Backup has many customizable features. Overall, GoodSync
is a powerful and flexible backup and file synchronization app
that offers a range of features to help you keep your files and
folders in sync and backed up across multiple devices and cloud
services. Fun fact: You can use GoodSync to back up and sync
your files either through cloud storage or a full backup to an
external device.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6co58JJGj4
Presenter Drew King lives in Sarasota, FL, with his dog Abby
where he has his own consulting company, King Consulting.
He assists people with their dysfunctional computers, networks,
and smart homes. He joined the Sarasota Technology Users Group
in 2022 and joined the board of directors in 2023. Drew has also
served on the board of directors of the Boston Network Users
Group for the past 30+ years. He began his career in computers
in his high school computer club, where he contributed to the
assembly of a small computer from a company named Sinclair. Drew
continued his education at Alfred University in New York, earning
a bachelors degree in computer science. Drews first
job after graduating was at a small computer company, where he
learned how to build and repair computers and local area networks
from a company called Novell. He also taught computer classes.
He then worked for Wang Laboratories in 1991, where he spent
nearly ten years of his career. Part of Wang later became Eastman
Software, a part of Kodak. After that, Drew became Network Services
Manager for Eastman Software worldwide. This is where he learned
to be a Microsoft Exchange administrator. In 2001, Drew became
the Sr. Exchange Administrator for a global startup company called
Vignette Software. Then, in 2002 the Internet Bubble
began to burst, leading Drew to start his own company, King
Consulting in 2003. He became a reseller, trainer, and
supporter of Dragon Naturally Speaking voice recognition software
for doctors and the severely disabled. He also taught a person
with quadriplegia to communicate via computer while on a ventilator.
Drew spends his spare time at the dog park with Abby and is learning
to Screencast and edit videos.
Learning Linux - Held Mar 15, 2023
with Orv Beach, Drew King, and John Kennedy
Welcome to another APCUG Wednesday Learning Linux Workshop.
At this workshop, Orv Beach will continue our Desktop Dive
and share all the specialties of his favorite Desktop Environment,
KDE. Then we'll have our next installment of "Taming
the Terminal, also with Orv. After those two presentations,
the Linux team will continue with this month's theme, Backing
Up Your Computer for World Backup Day. Drew King will
be joining us to talk about another backing-up program called
Duplicati (not Duplicity), a free backup software to store
encrypted backups online for Linux (and Windows and macOS). Then
John Kennedy will share another free and open-source file syncing
program that he's learning to use, called FreeFileSync for
Linux (and Windows and macOS). Following these two presentations,
we'll open up the mics for a Roundtable with questions
about backing up data and hard drive images and attendees sharing
what works best for their personal needs. The goal is to provide
many options for Linux users to choose from, to create their
own personalized backup plan. As Adam Drake said last week, the
best backup plan is the one that works for you.
KDE Desktop Environment Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys_Ep5m-Krc
Taming the Terminal Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZeWv6_rTIs
Duplicati Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KP980j6ByY
FreeFileSync for Linux Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGtZYmQ74ZI
Backing Up in a Busy World / Backing Up with Time Machine
and Windows 11 File History / An Introduction to Macrium Reflect
- Held Mar 22, 2023
Backups in a Busy World with Mark Schulman (Central Florida
Computer Society). Given enough time, every hard drive eventually
fails, and most often, this means that all your photos, documents,
and video -- everything! -- is lost. And recent evidence suggests
that even under the best circumstances, hard drives don't last
as long as previously thought. Backups are the only defense against
serious data loss, yet most people don't bother. So instead,
discover essential strategies to ensure your data is safe with
the least amount of trouble.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFw6kiH52TM
Backing Up with Time Machine with Jerry Rogan (Sunland
Springs Village Technology Group) and Windows 11 File History
with Bill James (Computer Club of Oklahoma City).
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iixTtn0ndY8
An Introduction to Macrium Reflect with Steve Parker (The
Personal Computer Club of Toronto). Macrium Reflect can back
up whole partitions or individual files and folders into a single
compressed, mountable archive file. It can be used to restore
exact images of the partitions on the same hard disk for disaster
recovery, or a new hard disk. Data is compressed and encrypted
in real-time. It is a reliable disaster recovery app with Set
It and Forget It automation.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrxFK3Zw4S4
February 2023 APCUG Workshops
What's New in '23 Roundtable Saturday Safari
- Held Feb 4, 2023
Well talk about....Using surveys to poll our members /
Is there a new SIG in your groups future? / Publicizing
meetings / Utilizing hybrid meetings / What our groups have planned
for this new year, and how APCUG can help. Share your ideas and
learn something new to do with your group.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hNUiiCLjkQ
Learning Linux - Held 15 Feb 2023
with John Kennedy, Cal Esneault, and Orv Beach
We hope you can join us for another Wednesday Workshop, where
we will focus on the Linux operating system. First, John will
take care of our Question of the Month, "How do you get
a live USB thumb drive to remember things?" Then, in our
Software Spotlight, he'll look at a program that allows sharing
files between a Linux and a Windows computer. Next, Cal will
take us on our first "DE Discovery," sharing the Gnome
desktop environment. Then, Orv will do our first session on "Taming
the Terminal," where he will begin with an introduction
to the terminal and more questions that a beginner might ask.
We'll end the workshop with our live Q&A.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjshyClg0rg
YouTube, An Introduction / Google Drive - Held
Feb 22, 2023
YouTube, An Introduction with Rob Truman, Computer Booters
YouTube is a great educational resource once you understand some
ground rules. YouTube gets billions of hits daily, with hundreds
of hours of new content uploaded every minute. Searching through
that deluge of videos can be more complicated than searching
the entire web. This presentation will start with the basics
and examine some tips and tricks for finding your goal. Fun fact:
In 2002, the YouTube deal was negotiated over a bowl of mozzarella
sticks at Dennys for $1.65M.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCqA6wCEpb8
Presenter Rob Truman is a lifetime member of Computer
Booters of Sun Lakes and serves on their Board of Directors as
their Web Director. He has over 40 years of experience in Information
Technology and Internet-related fields. Rob is a retired U.S.
Navy Chief Electronics Technician and has worked as a Technical
Support professional for Microsoft over the years. Rob holds
a Master of Arts degree in Adult Education and a Bachelor of
Science degree in Information Technology (BS IT). He is a staunch
proponent of lifelong learning and runs a website/blog called
Geezer Tek, which focuses on helping the senior community with
their technology needs. Rob also volunteers and teaches adult
education technology classes through his local community college
and their lifelong learning program: New Adventures in Learning.
He is a member of APCUGs Speakers Bureau.
Google Drive with Dale Harrington, MiCRO (Mile High Computer
Resource Organization)
What is it? What do I need to use it? How do I use it? Is it
Cloud storage? Can I access it from all my devices? Dale will
answer all these questions and more. Fun fact: Google Drive was
developed by Google and launched on April 24, 2012.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZpVVHfMASw
Presenter Dale Harrington enjoys helping seniors (and
younger whipper snappers) productively use and enjoy computers
and other forms of technology. Since 1994 Dale has been a member
of the Board of Directors for the Mile High Computer Resource
Organization (MiCRO). He has presented numerous topics at MiCRO
and other user groups in the Denver area. He also developed course
materials for and taught introductory computer courses to seniors
at local community centers. Dale also worked for Computers in
Ministry, providing technical support to local ministries in
network support, Internet connectivity, servers, email services,
end-user workstations, and related peripheral hardware and software
systems. He was the Maintenance Department Manager for Raytheon
Support Service Company, where his staff was engaged in the performance
of contract maintenance services for the USAF Technical Training
operations at Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado. Prior to that,
he was a Self-Employed Contract Consultant participating in a
successful effort to develop a proposal for the performance of
Training Equipment Maintenance at three United States Air Force
Air Training Command Centers. From 1966 until his retirement
in 1986, Dale was in the USAF, where he performed various tasks,
including operating and maintaining Instrumentation Systems equipment.
January 2023 APCUG Workshops
DNA for Genealogy and Smart TVs - Held Jan 11,
2023
DNA for Genealogy with Sue Mueller. Genealogy Group Leader,
Computer Users of Erie.
What you can and cannot learn and why. Choosing your test:
explore differences among testinganies. Sue will also talk about
the importance of adding a tree to your results and extending
your results with gedmatch.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38_DuG8zn-w
Smart TVs with Hewie Poplock, Director, The Sarasota Technology
Users Group,
Host of the monthly online CFCS-STUG Windows SIG
Did you buy a new Smart TV this past holiday season and arent
sure how to set it up? On the other hand, do you have one you
never set up? Hewies presentation will help us do both
and how to turn a not-so-smart TV into one that is. You
have a Smart TV and use a cable service.You have never explored
any of the free or paid services available on your TV. Many friends
and neighbors are in the same category. Hewie will show
us how to add and use many free services. He will also describe
many services you can use to view free movies and TV shows. You
might eventually cut the cable by firing your cable
company and only using streaming services once you experience
how easy it is. All that is needed is a Smart TV and an Internet
connection. While many services are free, you can get local,
national, and ad-free programming and most sporting events with
fee-based services.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pGPSNCfESo
Having Fun with Linux - Held Jan 18, 2023
The Linux Team: Orv Beach, Cal Esneault, John Kennedy, and
Dave Melton.
At the start of a New Year and with hopes of new attendees interested
in learning about Linux, we'll start our first workshop with
a revised presentation on an "Introduction to Linux."
We'll then learn about the possible new format for the Learning
Linux workshops. Some members of the team will share some "Newsworthy
Notes" and maybe share some programs in the "Software
Showcase" section. There were a couple of questions/items
from the December Roundtable that didn't get addressed, and we'll
bring them up and see if we get any resolved. And you never know
what might come up in our "open mic" Q&A.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCynm4P5R68
A Potpourri of Google Photos Tips & Tricks / Creating
a Public Digital Calendar for Your Computer Club - Held
Jan 25, 2023
A Potpourri of Google Photos Tips & Tricks with Chris
& Jim Guld, GeeksOnTour.
Including Recent Improvements for faster and easier searching
with Google Photos; Advanced photo searching techniques, including
smarter naming of photo albums; How to share your album or a
single photo with relatives and friends; Using motion photos
(Android) and Live photos (iPhone): These are handy tools to
ensure everyone in a group photo has their eyes open; Using motion
photos (Android) and Live photos (iPhone)handy tools to
ensure everyone in a group photo has their eyes open; Background
blurring; Face unblurring after the picture is taken, Color focus
and the Smart Object Eraser.
No Video Yet
Creating a Public Digital Calendar for Your Computer Club
with John Krout,
Presenter & Newsletter Contributor, Potomac Area Technology
And Computer Society.
A public calendar for your group can provide reminders of recurring
events, such as meetings, SIGs, special events, etc., for your
members and visitors to your website. Each digital calendar is
accessible via a URL. You can share that URL via your web page,
email, flyers, and social media. When you add or update an event
in a digital calendar, that update is distributed to everyone
who uses the digital calendar.
No Video Yet
December 2022 APCUG Workshops
Preserving Digital Photos / Record 4K Resolution Videos
with Your Smartphone or Tablet - Held Dec 14, 2022
Preserving Digital Photos with Mark Schulman. Digital photos
ought to last forever. Digital photos don't fade with
time and can protect against natural disasters like fire and
floods. That's the theory, anyway. And yet, if you're one of
the millions of people with a digital camera, the chances of
your great-grandchildren ever seeing your digital photos are
very slim. Find out why the odds are stacked against you and
what you can do to increase the chances that your family historian
200 years from now will be able to enjoy the photos you're taking
now.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIXn0Wxyrhg
Record 4K Resolution Video with Your Smartphone or Tablet
with John Krout. Modern top-of-the-line smartphones can shoot
4K resolution videos, meaning 8.3 megapixels resolution. However,
suppose your slightly older smartphone or tablet has a camera
with an 8.3-megapixel resolution. In that case, this presentation
will show you a free app to shoot 4K resolution videos on your
Apple or Android phone. In addition, you will see a comparison
of file sizes by different 4K video apps. Finally, decide for
yourself which app does the best recording for your needs.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYEnyu-G-FE
Learning Linux - Held Dec28, 2022
The Linux Team: Orv Beach, Cal Esneault, John Kennedy, and Dave
Melton.
Due to the holidays, we've moved the December Linux workshop
to the 4th Wednesday. We hope you have a very Happy Holiday
season. As we wrap things up, we want to hear from you at the
end of '22. The team is sure there are some lingering questions
you might want to ask or topics you might want to clarify. Is
there something you would like to see again, or do you want to
share some great news about Linux? We want to hear from anyone
and everyone. Whether you are new to Linux, someone giving it
a try from what you've learned in these workshops, or a more
experienced user that wants to share information with the group
or be there to help answer questions. We are also looking for
suggestions for what the Learning Linux Workshops should be in
'23. If you want to get your questions or things you'd like to
see on the agenda (so you are guaranteed to get an answer), please
email the "Host" at jkennedy@apcug.org so the team
can prepare the response or demo. See everyone at the end of
the month. Bill James will tell us about his first-time experience
with Linux.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMDxvOK2wL4
APCUG Annual Meeting Nov 2022
APCUG Annual Meeting - Held Nov 12, 2022
State of the Union, State of the State, State of Your City, join
us for a State of APCUG meeting. President Ray Baxter will talk
about what is happening with APCUG, and he will also give an
almost year-end treasurers report; Advisors will speak
about their Regions, Judy will present information about various
committees, Election Committee members will present a slate of
proposed officers (everyone agreed to run again) plus there will
be time for nominations from the attendees. To nominate someone,
you need their permission. Then we will open up the meeting for
our usual Q&A.
Here are the descriptions for Directors and Advisors.
Directors are responsible for running APCUGs daily business.
Each January, they elect the required President, Secretary, and
Treasurer. An additional officer is the Vice President.
Advisors are responsible for interfacing with the member groups
in their assigned regions. They are the information conduit between
their groups and APCUG. Advisors submit a monthly report on their
group interaction and contribute a quarterly article for Reports
on their groups meetings, etc. They elect a Chair, Vice
Chair, and Secretary in early January.
Directors and Advisors have a combined monthly meeting via Zoom.
No Video Yet
November 2022 APCUG Workshops
Cyber-safety in the digital age/ Thinking About Building or
Buying a New Computer? - Held Nov 12, 2022
Cyber-safety in the digital age. With Bob Gostischa,
Enthusiastic IT Security Expert you always learn something new
& have a few laughs. How we live, work, and play has changed
dramatically throughout the past half-century. The 9-5 economics
of years past have been replaced with globally integrated 24/7
service offerings. Consumers in the digital age have access to
a host of services and products that could only have been considered
available in the realm of science fiction. This presentation
points out the dangers and offers suggestions that will aid in
keeping you secure in this digital era. Using the right programs
and apps can help keep you safe and secure and shrink your digital
footprint. Using free programs and apps whenever possible to
accomplish this goal is a bonus, and this presentation includes
information on many recommended free programs.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klRa_SlLubI
Are you thinking about building or buying a new computer?
Roger Fujii, Treasurer, Potomac Area Technology and Computer
Society. Given the announcements of new CPUs and graphics cards,
the introduction of DDR5, and the GPU pricing crash, now is an
excellent time to consider building a new computer. Even if you
dont think you want to build it yourself, knowing what
the parts are will help evaluate if the price is good for what
you are getting. This workshop will cover the components needed
and some pitfalls to be aware of.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPxVhatLevY
Learning Linux from the Windows User's Point of View
- Part 3 - Held Nov 16, 2022
With Orv Beach, Linux Guru; Cal Esneault, Linux SIG Leader &
Teacher, Cajun Clickers Computer Club; and John Kennedy, Host,
Linux SIG/Help Desk & Webmaster, East-Central Ohio Technology
Users Club.
Join us on the 16th as we wrap up our series on Learning Linux
from the Windows 10 User's Point of View. Last month, we talked
about the software that comes by default with your Linux distro.
This month, Cal will speak to us about getting additional programs/apps.
He will also review the new ways programs are getting packaged.
Orv will look deeper into the Linux Control Panel or Settings
Menu to see what other settings Linux users might have that Windows
users don't. With Linux, different distros might have more or
fewer settings from which to choose. He will be sharing the KDE
settings menu, which probably has the most, for those that like
to customize.
We sometimes hear that people moving to Linux have problems with
their printers, so John will talk briefly about that. If there's
time, our last presentation will be on Ventoy, another option
for running a live distro off a USB thumb drive. However, this
option allows you to have multiple distros on just one drive.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZEDjNSSy5c
October 2022 APCUG Workshops
Online Safety is NOT only for Seniors / Encryption Software
- Held Oct 12, 2022
Online Safety is NOT only for Seniors - Uwe Dotzauer,
Network Engineer and Computer Consultant, will talk about "Online
Safety is NOT only for Seniors!" How to conquer the "BIG
CON"-- how to identify the scam, what we can do about it,
how to secure our computer, and what to do when it happens.
No Video Yet
Encryption Software - Mark Schulman, Member, Central Florida
Computer Society. Losing a laptop or flash drive might mean you're
out of money, but it doesn't have to mean that your private data
leaks into the world. Learn how to use encryption software to
protect your private data on a PC, laptop, external hard drive,
or USB flash drive.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeIOAiFxkxY
Home Theatre Tips & Tricks - Held Oct 12,
2022
with Ray Baxter, Bill James, & Mike Ungerman
Are you considering investing in a home theater or maybe upgrading
your existing system? Ray Baxter, Mike Ungerman, and Bill James
will share their experiences and tips on how to get the best
bang for your buck. They will discuss the equipment and define
the jargon in addition to answering your questions. Ray will
discuss Plex Home Theatre, Bill, the pitfalls of purchasing equipment,
Mike, speaker types, and placement. Videos at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHmLLBYhcgQ
Learning Linux From Windows User's Point of View - Part
2: The Install - Held Oct 19, 2022
Orv Beach, Linux Guru; Cal Esneault, Linux SIG Leader & Teacher,
Cajun Clickers Computer Club; and Dave Melton, Member, SCV Computer
Club.
Hopefully, you were able to create a live USB drive, presented
in last month's workshop, to test out Linux Mint without making
any changes to your computer. This month we are going to focus
on the actual installation on a computer. Orv will begin with
a hardware improvement that will bring new life to your laptop
or desktop (SSD). Then Cal will take us through an actual default
install of Linux Mint-Cinnamon on a spare computer from start
to finish. He will also talk about some of the necessary tasks
that need to be done when first setting up a Linux computer.
Linux distros come with just about every piece of software you
need, but many Windows users are used to the paid MS Office productivity
suite. Orv will return to tell you, "All you need is LOVE"
(LibreOffice Very Effective), and how it solves all your production
needs. Wrapping things up, Dave will go over many of the other
default programs that come with Linux and explain what tasks
and file types they will help you complete.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrZWoXAuRNg
Home Automation Security / Name that Tune! -
Held Oct 26, 2022
Home Automation Security - Bill James' presentation
covers home networks and automation, hackers, privacy, Smart
TVs, and security for your router and home automation devices.
Video at: https: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCBdJjRPTic
Name that Tune! Music Trivia and Scam Education -
Join Miles McNeeley from WISE & Healthy Aging for music,
trivia, and learning. We will be listening to clips of your favorite
songs from the 50s and 60s and guessing each song's title and
artist/band. Test your music knowledge, or just listen in for
fun! We'll spend a few moments discussing common scams after
each song to increase our safety and awareness.
No Video Yet
September 2022 APCUG Workshops
Hard Disk Sentinel / Apple and Samsung Health Apps
- Held Sept 14, 2022
Hard Disk Sentinel with Gabe Goldberg. Gabe will give
a short presentation and demo of Hard Disk Sentinel (HDS). All
members of APCUG groups are eligible for the 50% discount. HDS
monitors drive status, including health, temperature, and all
S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology)
values for all hard disk and solid-state drives. And it measures
the disk transfer speed in real-time, which can benchmark or
detect possible hard disk failures, and performance degradations.
It is the perfect data protection solution: it can prevent drive
failure and SSD/HDD data loss because it has the most sensitive
disk health rating system, which is extremely sensitive to disk
problems.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53kDK-1Tpd8
Apple and Samsung Health Apps with Jerry Rogan & Bill James.
We can track and maintain our health by using our watches compatible
with the popular Apple or Samsung Health apps. They can become
our digital assistants. Jerry Rogan will begin the workshop by
giving a presentation and demo on Apple's health apps; Bill James
will follow with the same for the Samsung health apps.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53kDK-1Tpd8
Learning Linux - Getting started using Linux from the
Windows users' point of view
with John Kennedy & Cal Esneault - Held Sept 21, 2022
This will be the first of a 3-part series specifically for
Windows users who want to learn more about Linux while still
using Windows. In part one of the series, Introducing Linux,
we'll begin with John sharing what software Windows users could/should
be running to make the "slide" over to Linux easy.
Then John will show the step-by-step process for downloading
the Linux Mint ISO (installation file) and another program called
Etcher (program to make live USBs) onto your Windows machine.
John will finish up his portion of the workshop by taking you
through creating a live USB with Mint on it. Next, Cal takes
over and will show you the step-by-step process of getting your
Windows computer to boot to the live USB so you can run the Linux
Mint operating system without making ANY changes to your Windows
operating system. Finally, Cal will finish this first session
by giving you a tour of the live distro and what things you might
need to check.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnmO6KiwSDc
August 2022 APCUG Workshops
Free and Open-Source Software / Free Utility Apps
- Held August 10, 2022
Free and Open-Source Software with John Kennedy. Where money
does not have to speak, and you still want quality software,
learn about many alternative programs that you can get for free
to do your computing tasks. Many of these programs are cross-platformed
(meaning they have versions for Windows, Macs, and Linux), so
sharing files with just about anyone is easy.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyyXhbE_u5E
Utility Apps with Judy Taylour. What is a utility? An
app that performs a specific task and adds functionality to your
computer or helps your computer perform better. We all have our
favorites: system monitoring, backing up, system maintenance,
password management, virus protection, and more.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyyXhbE_u5E
The Linux Team is on vacation. No Workshop on August 17, 2022.
The Frugal Genealogist - Held August 20, 2022
The Frugal Genealogist with Sue Mueller. How to do genealogical
research without breaking the bank! This class focuses on free
resources found on the Internet by exploring county, city, and
university libraries, free sites you may not know, using social
media, and connecting with relatives you've had trouble finding.
Work with your computer if you want to try visiting some of these
new genealogy sites.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgGoqNSL9Ig
ROUNDTABLE - Hybrid Meetings and Windows, Linux, Mac, Chromebooks,
and general tech Q&A - Held Aug 27, 2022
Now that more groups are planning for and having in-person hybrid
meetings lets get together this Saturday and discuss our
plans for hybrid meetings (with members/guests both in-person
and online) since more groups are having successful hybrid meetings
or want to start hybrid meetings. As groups share around the
table, find out what "bumps" and "roadblocks"
they ran into when hosting their first hybrid meetings and hear
the solutions that make a great hybrid meeting. Our Roundtable
motto: User Groups learn from User Groups. The RT will be followed
by a Help session bring your Windows, Linux, Mac, and
general tech questions to be answered by our panel of gurus.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eL2MIl5EAk
July 2022 APCUG Workshops
Is the future of money digital currency? / QR Codes
and More - Held July 13, 2022
Is the future of money digital currency? Chris and Jim
Guld, Geeks on Tour.
Is it the emerging technology of the decade? What are Cryptocurrency
and Bitcoin? All this and more will be covered in Chriss
presentation with Jim handling the technology.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5kFP4VayDw
QR Codes and More. John Krout, PATACS.
QR codes provide a great variety of info and are popular for
communicating Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), also known as
web page addresses. Find out how your smartphone can read QR
codes and other barcodes. In particular, find out about the info
stored about you in the barcode on the back of your driver's
license or state ID card. Some stores, including grocery stores
where the presenter lives, now scan that barcode when alcohol
is purchased. The scan obtains a great deal more personal info
than your birth date.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FskI_RIh-w
Learning Linux - Networking with the Linux Team
- Held July 20, 2022
John KenneRegister for this workshdy, Orv Beach, & Dave Melton
There have been some requests from attendees regarding networking
in Linux. However, being a wide topic with no real specific questions
for the team, well try to put together a presentation on
networking that we feel relates to Linux. The workshop will be
of more value to someone if they have a Linux box and more than
one Linux box that can be networked together (if you dont
have at least two, you cant have a network). This would
include running Raspberry Pis. But even if you dont,
you might learn something and give networking a try.
Well start out with the basics of networking; Orv will
begin at the beginning with information on IPv4 (we wont
be covering IPv6), addresses, netmasks, gateways, and using DHCP
vs. Manual assigning of addresses. He will focus on networking
in the terminal. John will share some screenshots of different
distros GUI windows for setting up networking. Then Dave
and John will present options for remote access including SAMBA,
Warpinator, AnyDesk, and basic usage of the ssh/scp command in
the terminal. Time permitting, Orv may share information of the
more modern sftp command. After the formal presentation, well
open things up for others to share their knowledge about networking
in Linux.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52GhghbYcmg
Apple Apps Workshop: Mac Find My app and AirTags / Apple
Maps -- Flyover Tours and City Guides / Intro to Pages, Numbers,
and Keynote - Held July 27, 2022
Mac Find My app and AirTags
Craig Wright, Columbus Computer Society and Deborah Neff, Prescott
Macintosh User Group.
Have you misplaced your Mac, various devices, or personal items?
Before that happens, learn to set up the Find My app it
can help you locate and protect your valuables. Also learn how
to use an AirTag to help you track your keys, wallet, purse,
backpack, luggage, and more. Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQQY2Mdve-0
Apple Maps -- Flyover Tours and City Guides
Brooke Thomas, Central Kentucky Computer Society. Video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQQY2Mdve-0
Intro Pages, Numbers, and Keynote
Jerry Rogan, Sunland Springs Village Technology Club. All of
these apps are on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Jerry will demonstrate
the ability to Open and View Microsoft Office files and create
new documents and save them as Office documents, PDFs, or other
formats.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQQY2Mdve-0
June 2022 APCUG Workshops
Touring the Web with JB Burke - Held June 8,
2022
The World Wide Web, or just "the Web," is immense.
A quick search tells us there are about 4.2 billion indexed pages.
Some are interesting, informative, educational, or entertaining,
and some are plain weird. JB looks for all those while making
his morning coffee, eating lunch, and whenever he finds a spare
moment and saves them to create this program he calls "Touring
the Web." It consists of web pages, videos, images, and
other tidbits that will, he hopes, keep you entertained for an
hour or so. JB's presentation changes every couple of months,
just like the Web.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw0RDtwrcFo
In-depth Tour of Distrowatch with Cal Esenault and a
Roundtable with the Linux Team - Held June 15, 2022
We hope you enjoy our planned activities for June. We'll start
off the workshop with Cal Esenault giving us an in-depth tour
of the website Distrowatch. He will share with us all the features
(visible and invisible) that it offers Linux users and those
interested in learning about Linux. Distrowatch isn't just for
beginners or experienced users. Cal will help us understand the
Ranking system it uses for the different distros and help us
know it isn't really indicating which ones are the top distros.
Find out why it's one of the best resources on Linux. Then continuing
the theme of "resources," the team will share some
of their favorite websites to get news and information about
Linux and what some of their favorite Linux YouTube channels
are. During the open mic part of the workshop, you'll be able
to share any that might not have been mentioned.
Our second part of the workshop will be another Roundtable where
we can all share thoughts and ideas and ask questions about Linux.
We will be responding to polls, (like we did sometime last year)
to use as discussion starters, where we'll find out a lot about
the people in attendance and their travels with Linux. Please
join us and take part. We think we'll learn a lot about what's
happening in the Linux world.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl5hZ17oD00
Digital Literacy with TechBoomers - Held Jun
22, 2022
Jessica Dawson, YouTube Channel Manager and Corbin Hartwick,
Website Content Builder
TechBoomers.com is a free educational website that teaches casual
technology users, older adults, tech teachers, and any everyday
Internet user how to use the websites, apps, and devices they
enjoy using on a daily basis. We aim to improve everyday life
by teaching our users about the great new sites and services
online that they should start making use of today. TechBoomers
tutorials and articles cover Shopping Online, Online Entertainment,
Social Media Websites and Apps, Useful Websites and Apps, and
Technology Basics.
TechBoomers loves sharing knowledge with as many people as possible!
You can use their tutorials and articles however you like for
SIG meetings, a hands-on presentation at your club meeting, to
teach classes you can even turn their tutorials into a
PowerPoint presentation. TechBoomers materials are 100% free
to use and distribute in any way you like!
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4fZ4CkzQqA
May 5, 2022 Was World Password Day
Here Are Some Resources for World Password Day
from APCUG's Judy Taylour
How To Prepare for World Password Day (mywot.com)
https://www.mywot.com/blog/5-best-practices-honor-world-password-day
It's past time you started using a password manager (whether
you like it or not) | ZDNet
https://www.zdnet.com/article/its-past-time-you-started-using-a-password-manager-whether-you-like-it-or-not/
How to Start Using a Password Manager in 2022 | Simple Explanation
(allthingssecured.com)
https://www.allthingssecured.com/identity-protection/how-do-password-managers-work/
This World Password Day consider ditching passwords altogether
- Microsoft Security Blog
https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2022/05/05/this-world-password-day-consider-ditching-passwords-altogether/
And Here Are Some Password Reviews
The 5 Best Password Managers of 2022 - Review Geek
https://www.reviewgeek.com/37116/the-best-password-managers/
Best Password Managers (2022): Features, Pricing, and Tips
| WIRED
https://www.wired.com/story/best-password-managers/
Best Password Manager to Use for 2022 - CNET
https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/best-password-manager/
The best password managers in 2022 | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-password-managers,review-3785.html
May 2022 APCUG Workshops
Modems, Routers, and Wi-Fi with Bill James -
Held May 7, 2022
In the early days of networking, the term modem was used to describe
a device that transformed speech into analog signals (and vice
versa) to be transmitted over telephone lines. This presentation
will discuss Modems, Routers, and Wi-Fi and how to set up your
devices for the best performance since we all want fast, reliable,
and secure Internet. Bill will give us information on the latest
modems and router hardware developments and best practices for
setup and deployment. Next, he will discuss Wi-Fi as the best
option and how it fits into Home Automation, demystifying terms
like WPA, Wi-Fi 6, 802.11, Ethernet, and DOCIS 3.1. He will also
cover the pros and cons of using a professional tech service
to solve technical difficulties. If one or more of these topics
piques your interest, this 2-hour workshop is for you. Bill's
presentation will be followed by a discussion on whether to 'rent'
or 'buy' your modem and router.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbRNI4z3OY0
Learning Linux: Headless Raspberry Pi - Held
May 18, 2022
Curt Trout, Vice President, Twin Cities PC Users' Group
If you want to learn to drive a car, you have to get behind the
wheel. Similarly, if you're going to learn Linux, you have to
run a Linux computer. Curt will give us a tour, from 10,000 feet,
of a Raspberry Pi (an inexpensive, single-board computer, SBC).
Then he'll show a viable way to set up a Raspberry Pi without
a lot of equipment (e.g., keyboard, monitor, cables, etc.) and
space beyond the computer we now use every day. He'll only be
using a Raspberry Pi (almost any model would work) and one (for
power), maybe two (if a wired network connection is needed),
cables. If time allows, he may even install Pi-hole to block
many/most pesky ads for all the devices on our home network.
After the presentation has been completed, if you are someone
that is similarly using a Raspberry Pi as Curt (headless, without
extra hardware), please share with us (and the other attendees)
what you are doing so we get other ideas of what can be done.
And if there's time, we'll welcome other uses of a Raspberry
Pi using the extra hardware.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoRst_688fk
Adding NAS to your Router and the meaning and use of
IP addresses and port numbers - Held May 25, 2022
John Krout, Presenter & Newsletter Contributor, Potomac Area
Technology And Computer Society VA
This presentation introduces the concept and utility of Network
Attached Storage (NAS) for home local area networks (LAN) by
connecting any USB drive to the USB port on a home router. This
can be any portable storage devices, such as a flash drive, USB
solid State Device (SSD), portable hard drive, and storage that
requires AC power. You might wonder how storage can be connected
to a home LAN and shared instead of connecting to a computer.
Just about any router, including a USB socket, can act as the
LAN connection for storage. Not all routers include a USB socket,
but many current routers do, and some routers even have a second
socket for more storage or for connecting a USB printer to the
network. This presentation will show an example of a router with
a USB socket and the steps for preparing storage to be connected
to a router. Also, the presentation shows how to find and use
the router-connected NAS using Windows File Explorer, Apple's
File app on iPhones and iPads, and the Samsung My Files app for
Android devices.
After the presentation has been completed, if you are someone
that is using a network-attached storage (NAS) device in a similar
way as John, please share with us (and the other attendees) what
you are doing so we get other ideas of what can be done.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9whw-U7TKQ0
April 2022 APCUG Workshops
Cyberwarfare & Cyber Security in View of the War
in Ukraine & How We Can Protect Our Computers - Held
April 13, 2022
Tom Sweet, North Texas PCUG
Cyberwarfare and cyber security in view of the war in Ukraine
and how we can protect our computers. This presentation will
seek to allay some fears, set the right size for some real risks,
and reinforce past lessons to practice our good computing habits.
Tom has followed the history of cyber aggressions through the
Baltic and former CIS states beginning in the late 2000s, now
primarily through the work of Cisco Talos. This period has seen
the rise of strategic disinformation campaigns, criminal malware,
and overt attack tools.
No Video
Windows 10/11 Security and Privacy - Held April
13, 2022
Bill James, Computer Club of Oklahoma City
Windows 10/11 Security and Privacy. Windows 10 and 11 have many
privacy, and security settings turned on by default. However,
you can customize them to suit your specific needs. We will review
these settings and show what Windows is doing by default, why
you may not need anything other than Windows Defender, and the
Privacy settings built into Windows 10 and 11.
No Video
Linux for Beginners Everyday Activities, Part
2 - Held April 20, 2022
John Kennedy, East-Central Ohio Technology Users Club
Last time, we looked at what kinds of Linux users' activities
and programs are similar to what Windows users do. This time,
join John as he goes down to the actual everyday tasks that users
do on Linux computers and see if they aren't basically the same
as what you do on Windows PCs, which makes for easy transitioning
over to Linux. We'll spend time in the file management system,
creating/saving/opening files, dealing with external drives,
doing system checks, and other similar "everyday" tasks.
In addition, there will be time during the open mic discussion
to ask about any everyday tasks that might not have been covered.
After having attended these two workshops, it's the goal that
you'll feel confident that you can use the free and secure Linux
operating system as your everyday operating system.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY-48tbNG3o
Taking Better Pictures - Held April 27, 2022
Bob Bowser and Ray Martinez, Senior Computer Users Group of Greater
Kansas.
Not a deep dive, but Ray and Bob will wade in with Settings and
Basic Functions for picture taking on both Apple and Android
devices (phones and tablets).
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j67x00QhfEo
March 2022 APCUG Workshops
Gmail Beginner to Pro and Cool, Fun, & Helpful
Google Stuff - Held Mar 9, 2022
Gmail Beginner to Pro
Rob Truman, Webmaster, Computer Booters
Get the most out of your Gmail account. When it comes to Email,
Gmail is considered by many to be the standard and a must-have
when it comes to electronic communications. This presentation
will address the features and benefits, including how to: organize
your messages, create, and apply labels and filters, set your
preferences, including customizing the look of Gmail, and using
Gmail offline. Plus, learn how to use the Gmail sidebar to access
your Google Calendar, Keep, Tasks, and Contacts.
Cool, Fun, & Helpful Google Stuff
Shhh! Some of them are secrets. Judy Taylour, SCV Computer Club
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_0g1_0vJa4
Learning Linux #14 LET'S TALK SOFTware - Held Mar
16, 2022
Linux Evangelists Orv Beach, Cal Esneault, John Kennedy
For this workshop, we'll be having a Roundtable discussion where
we'll get to learn about what Linux users are using for their
everyday software. We'll take a category and start with the Learning
Linux panel to find out what they use. Then we want others to
share what they are using (and if you are using the same thing
as someone else, we want to know). This way, we may learn what
the most popular software is for a particular category, and we
may learn some new software suggestions to give a try. This will
be a win-win for everyone who attends. Following are some of
the categories we'll be sharing as our favorite software. We
hope you will create a list you can share with us live or you
can submit it in the Chat Box. This is not the complete list
because someone will think of something we didn't: Browsers,
File Managers, Word Processors, Document readers (PDF), Text
editors, Note-taking, Office Suites, audio/video players, audio/video
editors, Photo organizers, Graphic viewers/editors, Screen capture/recorder,
Cloud storage, Remote access, Image/Data Anti-Virus/Malware/Spyware
protection, Hard drive clean-up, E-mail, and System Monitoring
tools. Plus, we will consider anything you think we missed. We
will cover backup apps at the March 30, World Backup Day Workshop.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW7MYZU-x3E
Celebrating World Backup Day - Backups in a Busy World
- Held Mar 30, 2022
Mark Schulman, Central Florida Computer Society
It's World Backup Day on March 31 Given enough time, every
hard drive eventually fails, and most often, this means that
all your photos, documents, and video -- everything! -- is lost.
And recent evidence suggests that even under the best circumstances,
hard drives don't last as long as previously thought. Backups
are the only defense against serious data loss, yet most people
don't bother. So instead, discover essential strategies to ensure
your data is safe with the least amount of trouble.
After Mark's presentation, we had a Roundtable where attendees
had the opportunity to tell or show us which backup app works
for them. If you are one of the many people who don't backup,
you might find one you would like to use.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRT4R_dn-wg
February 2022 APCUG Workshops
Digital Video Editing Fundamentals Plus
and How to Shoot 4K Resolution Video with your Smartphone or
Tablet - Held Feb 12, 2022
Digital Video Editing Fundamentals Plus
Learn the fundamental concepts of digital video editing applications
on a personal computer. This includes a demo of the MAGIX Vegas
video editor application and some short sample videos produced
by John Krout, including the monthly pre-meeting slide show for
the Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society.
How to Shoot 4K Resolution Video with Your Smartphone or Tablet
In this presentation by John Krout, you will learn:
--What is 4K video resolution, & how it differs from Full
HD, typical resolution of large HDTVs?
--What type of HDTV can display 4K resolution video?
--How can a smartphone or tablet record 4K video?
--How can I edit 4K video and display my edited video on my 4K
HDTV?
The presenter owns a Samsung Galaxy S10 phone and an iPhone X.
He has been able to record 4K video in MP4 files using each phone.
He found a free video editor that works with the MP4 files he
records using the Galaxy S10 phone.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLEY2sH4TAI
Learning Linux - Held Feb 16, 2022
Join us for another informative session getting chummy with the
Penguin (Linux). Watch your fingers when you close the window,
and hopefully, you won't take a bite out of a bad apple. At this
month's workshop, Dave Melton will share his "My Linux Distro-Hopping
Journey" with you. Find out what he liked and then what
he didn't like to cause him to "hop" (and hop a few
more times). Cal Esneault will give us a lot of information on
"Software Management and the Default Software that Comes
with Linux Mint." Orv Beach will not be with us this month
(he decided it would be more fun to have his knee replaced),
so John Kennedy will be filling in doing a presentation on the
"Linux Control Panel/Control Center," taking a hard
look at all the settings that are available in most Linux distros.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlPP394qdnE
It's All About Windows 11 - Held Feb 23, 2022
Windows 11 and 10 look quite different, but much of what we like
to use is still the same. Bill James' presentation takes us through
What's New, What's Changed, and What is no longer included. Then,
he will start you on your journey deciding if Win 11 is for you
or if you will stay with Win 10 for a while longer. Of course,
you have until 2025 to make up your mind but learning something
new keeps us sharp.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJGfmfJkdmU
January 2022 APCUG Workshops
What's New in '22 Roundtable - Held Jan 12,
2022
We'll talk about what our groups have planned for this new year
and if/how APCUG can help. How is your group handling the COVID
problem? Share your ideas and learn something new to do with
your group. Have received several emails about January meetings
featuring what tech gifts members received; one group also asked
members to share the way they used technology for their holiday
decorations.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPG0QS2yx_M
Linux for Beginners - Held Jan 19, 2022
I've installed Linux, now what do I do next? John Kennedy
gets this question a lot. His usual answer is, "The same
things you'd do if you were running Windows." So, join John
today to see how he customizes his Linux operating system just
like he did (or you might have done) when he was using Windows.
He'll start with all the customization he does to the desktop
to make it "work for him (and not his working for the desktop)."
Then he'll talk about what software he might use for the different
tasks for his daily computing workflow. There will be plenty
of time for Linux beginners to submit questions about "how
do you do this or that" and "what would you use to
do this or that" in Linux. We'll look it up if John doesn't
know how or what. And if John determines something is not on
the beginner level, we will use it for the next Learning Linux
team workshop to tackle. By the end of this workshop, you should
feel as much at home with Linux as you might with Windows (or
macOS).
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8_FtXQ2c5s
Chromebooks, an Alternative - Held Jan 26, 2022
Bill James, APCUG Region 8 Advisor & Speakers Bureau Member.
A Chromebook does what many people want a computer to do, better
and faster than any other laptop, regardless of price. It is
the most secure portal to the Web that has ever been built because
of super-fast updates and sandboxing. A Chromebook can pair with
your Android phone and be used for messaging and video calling.
It is perfect for anyone who wants to grab a laptop, sign in,
and spend an afternoon watching Netflix or shopping online. You
can also use it as a terminal to connect to your Windows PC or
Mac. Chromebooks are Fun! Learn more from this informative presentation.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwxK7godyDk
Snapseed - Held Jan 26, 2022
Chris & Jim Guld, Geeks on Tour. Digital Editing with your
Chromebook and Android & iOS devices. Enhance your photos,
apply digital filters, and take your photos from So-So to Stunning
with the Free Snapseed app on your Chromebook, Android, and iOS
mobile devices.
Use it along with Google Photos when you want to improve your
photo in a way that Google Photos cant. If all you need
to do is a basic crop, straighten, brighten, etc. you can use
the simple tools built into Google Photos.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwxK7godyDk
January-May 2021 APCUG Workshops
APCUG 2021 Drones Wednesday Workshop - Held
Jan 27, 2021
Workshop discussed Autonomous Drone Flights using a DJI entry-level
drone called the Mavic Mini. Maybe you got a drone for Christmas,
or maybe you've thought about buying one? Maybe you're just curious
how they do that. Pay attention to the TV shows and movies and
you will see drones being used in nearly every instance. From
HDR photography to field mapping to flying commercially or pleasure,
learn how drones can be used for fun and profit.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--N7vWtqBG0
APCUG 2021 Quick and Easy Tips for Speaking in the Virtual
World Workshop - Held Feb 17, 2021
Presented by Frank DiBartolomeo, President, DiBartolomeo Consulting
International
Are you interested in giving online presentations or would you
like to give a better online presentation? If so, this workshop
was for you. Some of the topics Frank covered were:
Virtual Communication Methods
Pros/cons of virtual communication
Practical Tips for virtual communication
Zoom video communication platform, and more
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ6Vv1oAgrw&t=11s
APCUG 2021 Modems, Routers, and Wi-Fi Wednesday Workshop
- Held Feb 24, 2021
We all want fast, reliable, and secure Internet. This workshop
discussed the latest developments in modems and router hardware,
buying & using your own equipment, and best practices for
setup & deployment. We discussed Wi-Fi as the best option
and how it fits into Home Automation; demystify terms like WPA,
WiFi-6, 802.11, Ethernet, and DOCIS 3.1. We also discussed the
pros & cons of using a professional tech service to solve
our technical difficulties. If one or more of these topics piqued
your interest, then this 2-hour workshop was for you. We will
concluded with a robust Q&A. Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6h2QDt6oIU
Macs vs Windows PCs - Held Mar 10, 2021
Presentation of MAC vs PC comparison of features and pros and
cons of each so you could consider leaving Microsoft Windows
& go with an Apple product such as a MAC Mini, Macbook Pro
laptop, or an integrated unit such as the iMac. There are ways
to have your cake & eat it too by running a copy of your
favorite Windows OS right on your MAC for those times when nothing
but Windows will solve your problem. Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDtGqDD0OLM
Learning Linux #6 -Settings & Files & Commands,
Oh My - Held Mar 17, 2021
This Learning Linux workshop, covered a number of topics. First,
we took a look at the differences between selected Distros and
what they offer in terms of settings and preferences. Then presented
a Beginner's Guide to the Linux file structure, which varies
a bit from what is found in Windows. And finally begin a series
of presentations on Basic Commands for the Terminal for Beginners.
Another session will be offered at the May workshop. Video
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5v4iJbP-FI
Easily Stay In Touch With Your Members With Mailchimp
- Held Mar 24, 2021
Mailchimp is one of the most popular email marketing tools used
for communicating with your groups target market
members & prospective members. In this APCUG workshop, we
showed how to utilize this free web-based app for sending information
to your club or group. We also showed how to create a free account,
build a mailing list, & develop an informational email for
your members. The app has built-in templates to create compelling
& interesting electronic messages, eBulletins, newsletters,
& more. Our panel shared their experiences using Mailchimp
& how they develop content for their messages. Video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YExxSE3-Ivg
How & Why To Back Up Your Hard Drive - Held
on "World Back Up Day," Mar 31, 2021
Dont lose any or all of your important data: documents,
photos, music, or videos. We looked at an overview of backing
up your hard drive & your smartphone during this workshop.
There were also demonstrations of various back-up apps: Bob Gostischa
demoed Aomei, Bill James showed us how the Windows 10 File History
works, plus another demo of backup programs.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLvrBD5fec8
Cutting the Cord -Watching TV (Legally)
Without Cable - Held Apr 14, 2021
Have you wanted to cut the cord? Pay less money each month for
the programs you want to watch? Dont know how to do it?
Afraid to take the leap? Rob Truman helped us discover our options
when it comes to living without a cable bill each month. We learned
how to use our Internet connection for all our viewing needs,
including cable, local, premium, music, and sports channels.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeWU4JcR0lY
Learning Linux Workshop #7 - Held Apr 21, 2021
The topic for this workshop presentation is Customizing
the Linux Desktop. One of the great features of Linux
is how customizable the desktop environment can be. We will have
four Linux users start with the default desktop look that comes
with different distros and show us how they customize it to meet
their likes, needs, and workflow. Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0Sgjzl78OE
Genealogy - Held Apr 28, 2021
Have you wanted to know more about your relatives but dont
know how to start or what to use? Sue, Orv, and Murray talked
about What is genealogical software? Why use it? and gave a demonstration
on Family Tree Maker, Gramps, and RootsMagic.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGZrhu9CNb4
WYZE Home Security Cameras - Held May 12, 2021
This workshop was a presentation on WYZE home security cameras
with a cookbook of apps that can be leveraged to provide all
sorts of options for security, notification, & operations.
Some of the apps learned will have uses outside of the security
realm. Apps discussed included: IFTTT, Kasa, Tasker, Alexa, Reverb,
TinyCam PRO, & Bluestacks. This was a lengthy discussion
& a PDF file will be available.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDEAlVBnODc
Learning Linux Workshop #8 - Held May 19, 2021
Potpourri with Linux Evangelists on backing up, printing, security,
networking, and more with an extended Q&A for follow-up questions
you might have from past workshops. Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww9SZRkwC9U
MeWe and Online Privacy - Held May 26, 2021
MeWe is a secure alternative to Facebook with no ads - no spyware
- your life isnt 4-sale. Online Privacy by Joe Kissell,
Publisher & Author, TakeControlBooks. Joes VTC presentation
maxed out at 100 attendees with many not having an opportunity
to get a seat so we thought we would offer it again
since security is always a timely topic. Having your data online
puts you at risk for theft, embarrassment, and all manner of
trouble. This presentation covers practical advice that we need
to handle common online privacy problems and how to develop a
sensible online privacy strategy, customized for our needs. Video
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0zZ2u4qnmw
June 2021 APCUG Workshops
Learning Linux Workshop #9 - Held June 16, 2021
Orv and John, Linux Evangelists, respond to comments and suggestions
from the Linux #8 workshop. They will talk about:
- being honest about our limitations and Linux on a Chromebook
- more command line tools that do things easier for you
- running multiple versions of Linux on a single USB/thumb drive
- using a Raspberry Pi as your desktop replacement, NAS (network
attached storage) & some possible software alternatives,
maybe talk about running Windows programs in/on Linux release
cycles for Linux, reviewing use of live media, and where to find
previous recordings.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHviHbiVyck
Roundtable - In-person, Hybrid, Online Meetings
- Held June 23, 2021
Now that in-person meetings are possible. Lets get together
and talk about the plans we have for our groups as our areas
open up to in-person meetings and if / how APCUG can help. By
sharing, everyone should get helpful ideas for their group.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjKmJ4ZWAP0
Robots for Seniors & My 3D Printer - Held
June 30, 2021
Robots for Seniors - From intelligent audio to humanoid
robots.
My 3D Printer - There are numerous 3D printing capabilities
from FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) to SLA (Stereolithography),
ranging from a couple hundred dollars upward to thousands. How
all of them work will not be explained, just the setup, which
the speaker (Larry Fortna) has been using for over six years
now. He will cover the tools he uses to design a 3D object for
printing, the software he prefers to use to process the 3D objects
into gcode (the 3D printer's language), and the software he uses
to make 3D printed objects. He will talk about the filaments
available, their pros and cons, and ways to improve the look
of the finished product, the build plate, calibration, and maintenance
of your machine, as well as some homemade tools he uses. Larry
is constantly finding uses for his 3D printer. He doesn't know
how he would get along without one now. Join Larry to learn why
and how you, too, should have a 3D printer.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3LPBeGVTFk
July 2021 APCUG Workshops
Evernote Basics for 2021 & OneNote - Held
July 14, 2021
Evernote Basics for 2021 with Hewie Poplock, Central Florida
Computer Society
Evernote gives you everything you need to keep life organizedgreat
notetaking, project planning, and easy ways to find what you
need when you need it. You can capture anything by adding more
than text to your notes, including photos, files, and to-do lists.
You can keep it together by creating a personal space for all
your most important ideas and information. You can find it fast
and get the right note right away with powerful search and keyword
tags. You can sync your notes to all your devices, so they stay
with you, even if you are offline. Hewie has used Evernote since
2008 and has almost 17,000 notes. He talks about the differences
in the Free and Premium plans and demonstrates Evernote's search
speed and accuracy. If you use Evernote, he will show you some
of the differences between version 6 and version 10.
OneNote with Mark Schulman, Central Florida Computer Society
This presentation provides a brief overview of Microsoft OneNote
and how people can organize the flood of information we all have
to deal with. Topics include How information is organized in
OneNote, creating Notebooks, editing information, including graphs,
tables, audio, video, and drawings, sharing information with
others, including real-time collaboration, where to get OneNote,
add-ins, and searching.Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTSluKbA5UU
Linux #10 Gnome Desktop Environment and more
- Held July 21, 2021
The 10th edition of the Learning Linux Wednesday Workshop will
include "the Gnome Desktop Environment, reviewing what is
featured in the Gnome 3 version - to the new generation of totally
redesigned Gnome 40; digging deeper into the sharing of files
in the Linux network with the use of SSH; and Partitioning of
internal/external drives along with discussing the custom installation
of Linux." And we may even address some other items. Video
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYxjhlWItR8
Email 101 and ProntonMail - Held July 28, 2021
Email 101 with Dale Harrington, MICRO-PC. Let's talk about
email. Is it dying? All about it! How to use it effectively
ProtonMail by John Kennedy. John will tell us about how
we can ensure our emails stay private with end-to-end encryption
and they are stored on ProtonMail servers in an encrypted format.
So not even ProtonMail can read our emails. It is a 100% free
community, open-source service hosted in Switzerland that has
the world's strongest privacy laws.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxtkn_34Kl8
August 2021 APCUG Workshops
It's all about Cars! - Held Aug 11,2021
Music in the Car with Ray Baxter, President, Payson Computer
Meet-Up Club.
Remember when it was so "cool" to have a push-button
AM radio in the car? This presentation will review how to utilize
your existing Compact Disc collection, now that many new cars
no longer have a CD player, by streaming from an online service,
using Bluetooth, flash drives, smartphones, etc. Video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ralBNNs_MOA
Automotive Diagnostics & Blue Driver with John Krout,
Presenter & Newsletter Contributor, Potomac Area Technology
& Computer Society. Learn how the commercial Blue Driver
car interface, and the free Blue Driver app, enable you to read
and maybe even understand the English-language descriptions of
trouble codes recorded in your car's internal network. All vehicles
sold new in the U.S. since 1996 are required to include the standard
interface to which the Blue Driver Bluetooth interface connects.
Learn the difference between transient codes and permanent codes.
Keep your car maintenance vendor honest by ensuring they focus
on what is necessary according to your car.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIfnWl_qdt4
Review and New with the Linux Team - Held Aug
25, 2021
This is a separate workshop not in the Learning Linux series
and has a unique registration link. It is only for those new
to Linux or interested in learning about Linux. And those attending
our series who need to clarify and review some of what we have
talked about.
The primary focus will be an open mic Q&A session where beginners
can ask those questions they felt they couldnt ask before.
This will be the time for you to get the answers you need to
some of those burning questions like: What did you mean
by .
? or Will you repeat ..
? or
Show me again
? or I still don't understand
.? or How do you
? or Can
you explain ....... in a different way?"
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gAPMpfdYy0
September 2021 APCUG Workshops
Remote Assistance - Held Sep 8, 2021
Do you need help with your computer? Has a friend, relative,
or tech group member asked for your help with a problem?
You can try to help over the phone, get in your car, drive to
their house if they live close enough, create some instructions
with screenshots and email that to them, and try to walk them
through what needs to be done.What about someone who hasnt
a clue and isnt comfortable changing things on their computer?
Think your mom, dad, aunt Tillie, etc. Enter Remote Access software.
This Wednesday Workshop will show you how easy it is to use one
of the below remote access apps to give or receive assistance.
AnyDesk Remote Access Dave Melton, SCV Computer
Club
Chrome Remote Desktop Bill James, Computer Club
of Oklahoma City
Mac to Mac Larry Fortna, Lakes At Leesburg Computer
and Technology Club
Skype to Skype Bill James and Tom McAndrews, Wisconsin
All-Users Club
TeamViewer John Kennedy, East-Central Ohio Technology
Users Club
Windows 10 Quick Assist Bill James
Zoom to Zoom Bill James and Stacey Titter
Its all about the Pi, Raspberry Pi - Held
Sep 15, 2021
The low-cost Pi is designed to let people experiment with building
software and hardware. It is a very small single board with 1,
2, or 4 GB RAM and USB 3.0. The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B sells
for $35 with 1GB memory, but you can pay more to get more memory,
a $45 Raspberry Pi 4 has 2GB memory and a $55 board 4GB memory.
It can be used as a low-cost PC, from browsing the internet &
playing high-definition video to creating spreadsheets, word-processing,
and playing games. It can be used in various projects, from music
machines to weather stations and tweeting birdhouses with infra-red
cameras. The Pi uses the Linux Raspbian OS, based on Debian created
by Ian Murdock & his wife, Debra. Dave Melton showed us how
he programmed his Raspberry Pi 4 to automate his sprinkler system;
others showed us what they do with their Raspberry Pi devices.
It was initially created for kids but, arent we all kids
at heart & having fun with technology. Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMHsFVTeC2U
Encryption Software & Safety for Seniors -
Held Sep 22, 2021
Encryption Software with Mark Schulman. Losing a laptop
or flash drive might mean you're out some money, but it doesn't
have to mean that your private data leaks out into the world.
Learn how to use encryption software to protect your private
data on a PC, laptop, external hard drive, or USB flash drive.
Safety for Seniors with Lieutenant Kim Lopez, Cleveland
County Sheriffs Office, Oklahoma. This presentation is
for senior adults who may not be able to protect themselves,
yet it is applicable for all ages as violent crime occurs every
24.6 seconds. Attendees will learn why they should have a plan,
what plan they should have and the tools to carry out that plan;
how to avoid becoming a financial victim; the most common human
response to violent crime; and it will answer questions like:
which purse to carry, which purse NOT TO EVER CARRY, how men
should carry wallets and why parking lots are so dangerous. Participants
will leave knowing which method is the safest and why you should
always get a shopping cart and never push it through the checkout
line!
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_atO16TI0ls
VirtualBox and Custom Linux Installation - Held
Sep 29, 2021
VirtualBox and a Custom Linux Installation with John Kennedy.
At past Learning Linux workshops, we talked about using VirtualBox
to test out Linux. But VirtualBox can also have other uses. We
will talk about getting, installing (on both Windows - since
most new users will be using Windows to test Linux, and Linux),
and then using VirtualBox to create a "virtual machine"
(actual operating systems that aren't really there). Then we
will use VirtualBox to do a custom install of Linux Mint-MATE
(Johns choice). A good while back we did a standard install
and let the installation program handle everything. This time
we'll show you what options you have when you do a Linux install
customized for what you want to be able to do.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2CvdCzJalA
October 2021 APCUG Workshops
Complete Robocall Defense - Held Oct 13, 2021
Complete Robocall Defense with John Krout, Presenter and
Newsletter Contributor, Potomac Area Technology and Computer
Society, showed us:
How to prevent your smartphone from ringing when someone outside
of your Contacts list calls.
How to create and install a custom voicemail greeting that includes
the Special Information Tones (SIT) to convince robocaller systems
that your number is not in service.
How to use the free Audacity app to create a custom voicemail
greeting, including the SIT recording posted online by the presenter.
How a free app for Android enables the installation of a custom
voicemail greeting via Wi-Fi.
Learn how simple cables allow iPhone users to install a custom
voicemail greeting.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSkBMQBglOY
Learning Linux - Held Oct 20, 2021
Learning Linux with Orv Beach and John Kennedy, Linux
Evangelists. This month Orv started things off by reminding us
"Why Linux is So Secure." He followed that review presentation
with information about vi/vim, nano, ne, and tilde? Say what?
He'll told us what they are, why we would use them, and how to
use them. Then John told us about another feature of Linux in
a presentation entitled "User Groups in Linux: Another Layer
of Protection and Security." Following that, he shared with
us "Workspaces and Virtual Desktops." What are they
and the benefits of using them? And how do you set them up and
use them efficiently? And a few keyboard shortcuts to head you
down the road to becoming a "power user" (this is for
beginners as well as experienced users). We also looked at how
you can create custom keyboard shortcuts that add to what's available
in your Linux distro. No Video
Windows 11 Presentation & Demo - Held Oct 27,
2021
Windows 11 Presentation & Demo with Tom Burt, Vice
President, Sun City Summerlin Computer Club, Nevada.
Tom gave us a tour of Windows 11 with what's new, what's changed,
and more. If your computer is Win 11 ready, you have a notice
in Settings>Update & Security letting you know if your
computer is ready for the download. You need to decide if you
want to upgrade or keep Windows 10 for a while longer, try Linux,
or even WindowsFX, or there might be a Chromebook in your future.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zSHOSNVOCo
November 2021 APCUG Workshops
Windows Q&A - Held Nov 10, 2021
.Focus was on any and all questions about the Windows operating
system. A team was available to start the ball rolling with answers,
and opened it up to anyone in the audience that might have the
answer. Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ae9S6RhD5g
Linux Q&A - Held Nov 17, 2021
Focus was on any and all questions about the Linux operating
system. A team was available to start the ball rolling with answers,
and opened it up to anyone in the audience that might have the
answer. Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4BmWuypUKw
December 2021 APCUG Workshops
Electronic Holiday Greeting Cards -Held Dec
1, 2021
Bob Bowser, Director, The Senior Computer User Group of Greater
Kansas City showed us several options for sending holiday greetings
to our friends and family. He took us on a visit to several websites
varying from free electronic cards to membership-based electronic
cards and options to purchase physical cards from home with ways
to distribute them and/or get them sent to your home for you
to mail.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rDrgI8yeVg
Not Your Parents PowerPoint -Held Dec 1,
2021
Marcia Berkey, Class Instructor, Sarasota Technology Users Group.
PowerPoint is more than just presentation software. This presentation
demonstrates many unusual uses for PowerPoint, from documenting
your memories to creating greeting cards for the holidays. You
will learn how to create a Photo Album for life events, not to
be confused with Photo Books from other vendors. However, there
is a cool trick that you can use in PowerPoint to make your Photo
Books better. You will also learn how to narrate your slideshows,
add music to them, and how to export your PowerPoint as an .mp4
video. You can share your creations through your favorite social
media sites. Have fun with Marcia learning more about PowerPoint.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rDrgI8yeVg
Make Your Own 2022 Photo Calendar at Home -Held
Dec 8, 2021
John Krout, Presenter & Newsletter Contributor, Potomac Area
Technology And Computer society. We are all awash in digital
photos, not only our own but those of our relatives and friends.
So why not make a calendar to show off the best ones? All you
need is PowerPoint or LibreOffice Impress and a color printer.
Learn how you can download and customize the calendar table files
(containing 12 calendar months and white space for photos) by
adding your photos and calendar entries such as birthdays, anniversaries,
and so forth. This presentation also includes information on
how John prints and binds his calendar copies at home and ways
you might work with commercial printing companies to do that.
Note: As of April 2021, the 2022 calendar files are posted online
for free downloading.
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohu22hflpB8
Learning Linux #11 - Software Installations and Removals
-Held Dec 15, 2021
There have been numerous questions about software asked at previous
Linux Workshops, where do you get the software, how do you install
software, and how do you remove the software. At this workshop,
we focused on those very topics. There are several places you
can get the software, and we covered them (starting with the
distros software center and going out to the Internet).
There are also many ways to install the software, and we covered
them (starting with the distros package manager, the newest
container packages, the command line, and even compiling them
yourself). Finally, we discussed reversing the process (uninstalling)
based on the way you installed it. You can choose precisely how
technical you want to get in this whole software process (including
being safe).
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkhQTVKEy18
2020 APCUG Workshops
APCUG 2020 Password Manager Workshop - Sep 29,
Oct 1, & Oct 29, 2020
Attendees learned how to solve password management problems using
an open-source solution called Bitwarden. Password theft is a
serious problem. Everyone should be using a password management
program and Bitwarden is one of the easiest and safest ways to
store all of your logins and passwords while syncing them between
all of your devices.
Sep 29 Password Manager Workshop, Part
1 Video is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE5V_DZHneM
Oct 1 Workshop on Bitwarden Installfest,
Part 2 Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCgoO4msXvs
Oct 29 Tweaking Bitwarden, Part 3 Video
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0gXY1wc12o
APCUG 2020 Linux Wednesday Workshops - Oct 28,
Nov 18, Dec 2, Dec 16, 2020
Linux Wednesday Workshops lead by Orv Beach (Linux Expo (SCALE)
guru), John Kennedy (Advisor, Regions 3 & 6/7), and Sharan
Kalwani (SouthEastern Michigan Computer Organization). This Linux
team introduced attendees to the world of Linux in the next series
of APCUG workshops. Thay begin with an introduction to Linux
and answered the questions "why so many." They talked
about the installation process to get Linux working on your computer.
Then moved on to talk about how to choose between the many options
you have with Linux. Finally, they spent some time discussing
software that runs on Linux to do your daily computer needs.
After each workshop, there was time for a Q&A.
Linux Workshop #1, Oct 28 - "Getting Started" Video
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtXeFPOg9Gg
Linux Workshop #2, Nov 18 - "Getting and Installing Linux"
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R1mZdKvRe0
Linux Workshop #3, Dec 2 - "Distros and Desktops" Video
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB20PF-LlxQ
Linux Workshop #4, Dec 16 - "Software, Applications Package
Management"
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZxWUldX1ZU
APCUG 2020 Fall Online Workshops
These four workshops are on "Home Automation for Seniors"
and took place the second Wednesday of the month starting in
September.
Sep 9 Why do I need it? The
workshop will begin by explaining why home automation is important
to Seniors. What products are on the market, costs, security,
and some real-world testimonials.
Home Automation Workshop #1 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoPLaU509HI
Oct 14 Where do I start? How to go
about planning your home automation project and best practices.
Home Automation Workshop #2 Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKAHw-S5Zx8
Nov 11 Lights, doorbells, locks,
and cameras. Applications using lights, doorbells, locks, and
cameras.
Home Automation Workshop #3 Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUUORtidwBU
Dec 9 Doing it myself vs. Having
it done. The benefits of making it a DIY project or having a
professional install.
Home Automation Workshop #4 No Video available
yet.
APCUG 2020 Summer Online Workshops
Get to Know Windows from An Insiders Point of View took place
the second Wednesday of the month (May 13, June 10, July 8, August
12). These four 2-hour workshops were on how to get the best
out of Windows 10. There were how-tos, hands-on demos, and discussion
with ample time for Q&A. Moderator was Bill James, APCUG
Advisor, Region 8.
Week 1 - Whats New with Windows 10, the 2004 Spring
Feature Update / Week 2 - Settings
Week 3 - File Explorer / Week 4 - Edge
APCUG 2020 Summer Online Workshop Week 4
Week 4 of the Online Workshop - "Getting to Know
Windows from An Insiders Point of View" was held August
12 and featured the Microsoft Edge Browser - Its
now a Chromium-based browser. It brings a lot of new features
to the table and they were all explored plus finding out if it
is the best browser. The audience also learned how to earn $$
by using Bing.
Week 4 -Video of the Presentation is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgfC9iuie2Y
APCUG 2020 Summer Online Workshop Week 3
Week 3 of the Online Workshop - "Getting to Know
Windows from An Insiders Point of View" was held July 8
and featured the Windows 10 File Explorer - Back-in-the-day,
Bill Gates told us to think of our hard drive as a file cabinet
and to organize our files. File Explorer is our handy file cabinet.
The presentation dug into File Explorer to see how it can help
us with our daily life with our computer. Have you added the
helpful checkbox?
Week 3 - Video of the Presentation is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31yGjfm-ixw
APCUG 2020 Summer Online Workshop Week 2
Week 2 of the Online Workshop - "Getting to Know
Windows from An Insiders Point of View" was held June 10.
Settings - They explored the many options you can change
to make your computer more secure. Do you know how much Ram you
have? What version of Windows? What about the Security &
Update area? Do you take a look at it every once in a while?
Did you check your custom settings after the Spring and fall
Feature update?
Week 2 - Video of the Presentation is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu6vS-cPmec
APCUG 2020 Summer Online Workshop Week 1
Week 1 of the Online Workshop - "Getting to Know Windows
from An Insiders Point of View" was held May 13. Week 1
covered "Whats New with Windows 10, the 2004 Spring
Feature Update." SCPCUG Membership Chairperson Linda Glassburn
attended and provided a link to the Presentation Video and 2
PDFs.
The Presentation Video runs 1hr 38min followed by a Q&A.
Total video time is 2hrs 34min.
Week 1 - Video of the Presentation is at: https://youtu.be/J-p-uju19Sw.
Lesson
Plan for Windows from an insiders View-week 1.pdf
2021 APCUG Virtual Technology Conferences
APCUG's Free Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-42)
- Held Nov 6, 2021
Details at: https://apcug2.org/apcugs-free-2021-fall-virtual-technology-conference-vtc42/
Topics include:
Preserving Digital Photos - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNNk96N96h4
Finding and Using Historical Newspapers - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywbPbLHuxi0
Is Cyber Security Really Important? - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f85_6_1BTEc
Ever Lost Your SmartPhone? - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARvcD8fR0bQ
APCUG's Free Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-41)
- Held Aug 21, 2021
Details at: https://apcug2.org/apcugs-free-2021-summer-virtual-technology-conference-vtc41/
Topics included:
Introduction to Geocaching - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RMmx9nFJZE
Making Your Own Travel Maps with Google Maps - Video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im2eKqlafYU
Genealogy Road Trip: It's All About the Prep Work - Video
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC1lwnHZ8_0
Computers during the early U.S. space program - Video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj5jRssAn2g
Make your vacation photos look better with GIMP - Video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CfEFA4p5-E
The State of Electric Vehicles - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_WvBWp75C0
APCUG's Free Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-40)
- Held May 1, 2021
Details at: https://apcug2.org/apcug-2021-spring-vtc/
YouTube APCUG VTC-40 Promo Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbQBKSN_LDU
Topics included:
Learn all about a VPN (Virtual Private Network) - Video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N33C7PeNvBs
The Audio in Audacity! - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kywLjmv42s
Using the Control Center on your iPad - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP3QAuZbrR8
Your Online Privacy - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8psk9ZrhiMg
Music in the Car - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8qxnrV-brk
Word Tips and Tricks - Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubEXpPn9-R8
APCUG's Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-39)
- Held Feb 13, 2021
Topics included:
How to
. Make an informed decision when buying a 2021
Printer
How to
. Use the Windows Tips App
How to
. Use CCleaner for more than cleaning your hard drive
How to
. Set up a Free BLOG on Blogger.com
How to
. use some of the changes in iOS 14 for your iPhone
How to..... play online board games with Tabletop Simulator
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs at:
https://apcug2.org/apcugs-free-2021-winter-virtual-technology-conference-vtc39/
2020 APCUG Virtual Technology Conferences
APCUGs Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-38)
APCUG's Free 2020 Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-38)
was held Nov 7. Topics included:
Navigating the Post-COVID Era Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTKno9mfac4
Staying Safe and Secure Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOLx0fXu_SM
How Technology Has Changed the Way We Listen to Music
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSZ29BVVwfo
Whats New With Google Photos in 2020, Chris & Jim
Guld, The Geeks Who Teach
Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYxEAMh8t_g
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs at:
https://apcug2.org/apcugs-free-2020-fall-virtual-technology-conference-vtc38/
APCUGs Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-37)
APCUGs FREE 2020 Summer Virtual Technology Conference
(VTC-37) was held Aug 15. Topics included: Saving Your Life with
Technology, Part 2 / "FreeNAS - A Great Choice For A Home
Server" / Chromebooks for Geeks / Chromebooks for Geeks
/ Fundamentals of Microsoft 365 / Solve Your Password Management
Problems / A PC Users Guide for Avoiding the Grief of Losing
your Information.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcugs-free-2020-summer-virtual-technology-conference-vtc37/
APCUGs Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-36)
APCUGs FREE 2020 Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-36)
was held May 2. Topics included: Lets Go Shopping; Audible
Audio Books; A hearing revolution with healthable devices; Digitize
old album photos into Google Photos and Chromecast to TV; Whats
happening with your group while everyone is staying safer in
place?
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos when available at:
https://apcug2.org/apcugs-free-2020-spring-virtual-technology-conference-vtc36/
APCUG Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-35)
APCUGs FREE 2020 Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-35)
was held Feb 8. Topics included: The Browser Your Most
Important App; What will 5G mean to you?; Getting started in
researching your Family History (Even if you have been researching
for years); Future of Technology; Introduction to Home Automation;
Creating a Podcast for your group.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcugs-free-2020-winter-virtual-technology-conference-vtc35/
2019 APCUG Virtual Technology Conferences
APCUG Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-34)
APCUGs FREE 2019 Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-34)
was held Nov 2. Topics included: Saving Your Life with Technology;
Whats New with iOS 13; Protecting Your Digital Life; Android
10s New Features; Easy Transition from Windows to Linux.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcugs-free-2019-fall-virtual-technology-conference-vtc34/
APCUG Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-33)
APCUGs FREE 2019 Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-33)
was held Aug 17. Topics included: Driving with Google Maps; The
Installation, Care and Feeding of a Mesh Router; Battle of the
Browsers, How I fired my cable company and still enjoy TV, Internet
and a home phone; The most common issues that need repair from
a PC/Mac repair shop perspective; Going Paperless; Lets
Talk Round Table discussion.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2019-summer-virtual-technology-conference-vtc33/
APCUG Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-32)
APCUGs FREE 2019 Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-32)
was held May 4. Topics included: A Beginners Guide to WordPress,
Are Your Bits Flipped?, Windows 7 Security Sunset, Google Photos:
7 Favorite Features, Youth and Technology, Whats an App?,
and A Website Roundtable-Your Groups Website.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2019-spring-virtual-technology-conference-vtc32/
APCUG Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-31)
APCUGs FREE 2019 Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-31)
was held Feb 9. Topics included: Microsoft Security Center Windows
10, New Privacy Updates Windows 10, Password Managers for all
devices, Staying Connected While You Travel, Genealogy, The Future
of Windows, and a Roundtable Discussion.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2019-winter-virtual-technology-conference-vtc31/
2018 APCUG Virtual Technology Conferences
APCUG 2018 Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-30)
APCUGs FREE 2018 Fall Virtual Technology Conference
(VTC-30) was held Nov 3. Topics included: If its Connected,
it needs to be Protected; Cut the Cord, Things to Consider Before
Firing Your Cable Company; Excel Magic; Take Control of Your
Passwords; Hands-on Demo Windows 10, October Release;
Digital Literacy with TechBoomers.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2018-fall-virtual-technology-conference-vtc29/
APCUG 2018 Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-29)
APCUGs FREE 2018 Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-29)
was held Aug 18. Topics included: Digital Afterlife, Tech Tips
and Apple Tech Tips on APCUGs Website, Whats New
with Chromebooks in 2018, Digital Terrorism and Hate 2018
An update on the continued use of Internet technology by extremists,
Linux and the ham radio Internet, Evidence Based
Medicine.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2018-summer-virtual-technology-conference-vtc29/
APCUG 2018 Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-28)
APCUGs FREE 2018 Spring Virtual Technology Conference
(VTC-28) was held May 5. Topics included: Create Smart Home &
Voice Assistants, Windows 10 April Update, Teaching Computer
Skills, Synchronizing Your PC, Whats new in Ubuntu 18.04,
How to Write and Publish an eBook.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2018-spring-virtual-technology-conference-vtc28/
APCUG 2018 Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-27)
APCUGs FREE 2018 Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-27)
was held Feb 10. Topics included: Social Networking- How to Navigate
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram; Protect Your Important
Tech Stuff; 2 Factor Authentication (2FA); Digital
Terrorism and Hate on the Internet; Google apps at home and on
the go; Becoming Your Own Computer Expert.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2018-winter-virtual-technology-conference-vtc27/
2017 APCUG Virtual Technology Conferences
APCUGs Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-26)
APCUGs FREE 2017 Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-26)
was held Nov 4. Topics included: Tips for Staying Safe Online
and Preventing Identity Theft, How to Use VPN As Your Cloak of
Invisibility When Accessing the Internet, Sharing Club Articles
on Medium, Hands-on LibreOffice Demo, Google Photos, and Voice
Operated Assistants.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2017-fall-virtual-technology-conference-vtc26/
APCUG 2017 Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-25)
APCUGs FREE 2017 Summer Virtual Technology Conference
(VTC-25) was held Aug 19. Topics included: Pi-hole is a LAN-wide
ad blocker, GNSS(Global Navigation Satellite System-Why You Shouldn't
Get Lost, Home Automation Security, Chromebooks are for Seniors,
Finding Tech Information on Medium.com, Ideas for Revitalizing
Your Computer Club.
View Presenter Bios and get Presentation PDFs and YouTube video
links when available at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2017-summer-virtual-technology-conference-vtc25/
APCUG 2017 Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-24)
APCUGs FREE 2017 Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-24)
was held May 6. Topics included: Picking the Best Backup Approach,
Home Automation, Tune up Your Windows PC, Photo Editing with
The Gimp, Crypto-Viruses, Alternative to Closing Your Computer
Club.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2017-spring-virtual-technology-conference-vtc24/
APCUG 2017 Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-23)
APCUGs FREE 2017 Winter Virtual Technology Conference
(VTC-23) was held Feb 11. Topics included: Trendy Ideas from
a Proud Tinkerer, Simple Techniques for Making a "Windows"
Computer Easier to Use, Facebook for Your Group, Social Media
for the Non-Tweeter, iOS 10 Features for iPad / iPhones, and
Preview of Windows 10 Creator's Update.
View Presenter Bios and get links to Presentation PDFs and YouTube
Videos at:
https://apcug2.org/apcug-2017-winter-virtual-technology-conference-vtc23/
APCUG 2016 International Technology Conference
The 2016 International Tech Conference took place at the Palace
Station Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas on Oct 21, 22 & 23.
There were attendees from: Arizona, British Columbia, California,
Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada,
Ohio, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
Summary and photos at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2016-conference/
APCUG 2016 Digital Photo, Newsletter & Website Contest
Winners
1st. 2nd, and 3rd place Newsletter and Website contest
winners will receive flash drives as prizes. Digital Photo contest
winners will receive SD cards. All participants will be presented
with a Certificate of Participation. The winners were announced
during the 2016 International Tech Conference as well as the
Best of Show Photo Contest winner where all the photos submitted
were eligible to be selected as Best of Show by the attendees.
Contest Winners posted at: http://apcug2.org/contests/
APCUG 2016 Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-22)
APCUGs FREE 2016 Fall Virtual Technology Conference
(VTC-22) was held Nov 5. Topics included: What to Do When Your
Computer Will Not Boot; Windows 10 Features and Annoyances; 25
Awesome iDevice Tips; Staying Safe Online; Find a Grave; Must-have
Android Apps.
View Presenter Bios and get Presentation PDFs and YouTube video
links when available at:
http://apcug2.org/apcug-2016-fall-virtual-technology-conference-vtc22/
APCUG 2016 Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-21)
APCUGs FREE 2016 Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-21)
was held Aug 20. Over 200 registered to attend. There were approximately
130 unique attendees.Topics included: Take control of Windows
10 so you really do have a better, safer, somewhat private computing
experience; Friend or Foe; How Technology Has Changed the Way
We Listen to Music; Your Laptop's Midlife Crisis How to
Help It Cope, PART 3, Adding USB 3.0; Digital Scrapbooking; Favorite
Utilities.
View Presenter Bios and get Presentation PDFs and YouTube video
links when available at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2016-summer-virtual-technology-conference-vtc21/
APCUG 2016 SPRING Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-20)
APCUGs FREE 2016 Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-20)
was held May 7. Topics included: Technology From a Different
Perspective; Setup & Configure a Home Network; IOS 9.3 for
iPads & iPhones; Upgrading Your Laptop, Part 2; Why I Recommend
a Chromebook; Using the Task Manager in a Windows Computer.
View Presenter Bios and get Presentation PDFs and YouTube video
links when available at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2016-spring-virtual-technology-conference-vtc20/
APCUG 2016 Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-19)
APCUGs FREE 2016 Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC)
was held Feb 20. Topics included: Upgrading Your Laptop; Utilizing
iCloud on the iPad; The Gramps Project; Customizing Windows 10.
View Presenter Bios and get Presentation PDFs and YouTube video
links at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2016-winter-virtual-technology-conference-vtc19/
Videos from earlier conferences can be found on APCUGs
YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/APCUGVideos/videos.
APCUG 2015 Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-18)
APCUGs FREE 2015 Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC)
was held Nov 7. Topics included: How I Save Hours per Day Keeping
Up with Technology; Using Wi-Fi Wireless Webcams to Spy on Something;
IOS 9; E-mail Security and More.
View Presenter Bios, download the handouts, and get links to
the videos at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2015-virtual-technology-conference-vtc18/
Videos from earlier conferences can be found on APCUGs
YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/APCUGVideos/videos.
APCUG 2015 Security Beta Virtual Technology Conference
(VTC-17)
APCUG's Free 2015 Security Beta Virtual Technology Conference
(VTC) was held Oct 17. Topics included: ID Theft; Customizing
Win 10 and Edge Privacy & Security Options; How Secure is
Your Device?; Protect Yourself, Yourself.
View Presenter Bios, download the handouts, and get links to
the videos at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2015-security-beta-virtual-technology-conference-vtc17/
2015 APCUG International Computer & Digital Technology
Conference
The 2015 APCUG International Computer & Digital Technology
Conference was held at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino, Las
Vegas, NV, Sept 25-27, 2015.
A summary of the event is at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2015-las-vegas-conference/
Photos of the event are on flickr at: https://flic.kr/s/aHskhyJhpN
APCUG 2015 Photo, Newsletter & Website User Group
Contests
Winners were announced at the 2015 APCUG International Computer
& Digital Technology Conference Sept 25-27.
2015 Newsletter, Photo and Website Contest Winners are posted
at: http://apcug2.org/2015-newsletter-photo-and-website-contests-begin-july-10-2015/
APCUG 2015 Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-16)
APCUGs FREE 2015 Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC)
was held on Saturday, August 15. Topics included: Files, Folders
and Management - How to operate like a pro; Windows 10; iPad
201; Is your group taking advantage of APCUGs benefits;
TechBoomers.com; 3D printer; Applians Replay Capture Suite.
Presentation info, Presenter Bios and after conference download
handouts plus get links to videos at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2015-summer-virtual-tech-conference-vtc16/
APCUG 2015 Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-15)
APCUGs Free 2015 Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC)
was held online Saturday, May 2 , Topics include: iPad 101; Picasa,
an easy-to-use digital editing program; The Good, The Bad, and
The Ugly of Recording and Organizing Your Research on the Web;
Preview of New APCUG WordPress Website; Selecting the Best Backup
Approach; Are We Under Cyber Attack?; Social Networking: What
the Heck are Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn???
Details and Presentation PDFs available at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2015-spring-virtual-technology-conference-vtc15/
APCUG 2015 Winter Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-14)
APCUGs Free 2015 Winter Virtual Technology Conference
(VTC) was held online Saturday, Feb 21. Topics Included: Windows
10 Demo; How Secure is My Device; Linux Software Superstore;
Using VMware Player to Create a Virtual Machine; The Secrets
of Making Chrome a Solid Computer; Google Glass; Marketing Your
User Group on Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.
Details and Presentation PDFs available at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2015-winter-virtual-technology-vtc14/
Presentation videos are available at: https://www.youtube.com/user/APCUGVideos/videos
CFCS Windows SIG Goes Worldwide
The Central Florida Computer Society Windows Special Interest
Group (WinSIG) started a new chapter on Sunday, Nov 9, 2014.
The SIG is open to the world live via the web each month. The
meetings include information, tips, tricks and how-to's concerning
Windows and computers, and now concentrating on Windows in general,
Windows 7, 8.1 and even the Windows 10 Technical Preview. Hewie
Poplock has been the WinSIG leader for over 15 years and has
a dedicated page for the SIG at http://hewie.net/winsig
which contains the meeting notes for every meeting going back
to 2008 with links to all kinds of Windows information.
APCUG 2014 Fall Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-13)
APCUGs FREE Fall 2014 VTC was held online Saturday,
Nov 1. Topics included: Backing Up Strategies; Windows 10; Utilities
& Programs That You Need For Your Computer; Setting Up a
User Group Facebook Page; Buying and Selling On eBay; History
of Women in Technology; Bitcoins and Crypto-Currencies.
Details and Presentation PDFs available at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2014-fall-virtual-technology-vtc13/
Presentation videos at: https://www.youtube.com/user/APCUGVideos/videos
Free Microsoft Office 2013
Microsoft Office 2013 online is free and get 15GB OneDrive cloud
storage. Work on Office files with anyone, anywhere, in real
time for free. Create, store, and share documents, spreadsheets,
presentations, and notebooks online.
Video & blog with more info at: http://blogs.office.com/2014/10/06/join-us-tuesdays-webinar-guide-office-online/
or go directly to http://office.com/.
August CFCS Meeting Video -- Scamming the Scammers -
How to Handle Fake Tech Support Calls
The August Central Florida Computer Society Meeting featured
a YouTube video recorded by Carey Holzman called Scamming
the Scammers - How to Handle Fake Tech Support Calls. This
1 hour 29 minute video of an "actual" phone call exposes
how phone calls received from a person posing as a Microsoft
person or Windows Support person are scams. Do not
allow remote access to your computer by unknown parties. This
is a very widespread scam and too many people succumb to it.
This must see video is at: http://youtu.be/GVQoAlQrnSg
APCUG 2014 Summer Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-12)
APCUGs FREE Summer 2014 VTC was held online Saturday,
Aug 16. Topics included: File Networking & Storage; Social
Media Matters! Using social media to increase your marketing
muscle; Online Group Deals & Other Savings; Linux Is like
Cars; Easy Desktop; Editing Photos With Your iPad; Is What Happened
to HAL-PC In Your Group's Future?
Details and Presentation PDFs available at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2014-summer-virtual-technology-conference-vtc12/
APCUG 2014 Newsletter, Photo & Website User Group
Contests
Contest winners are listed on the links below.
Newsletter Contest: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2014-newsletter-award-winners/
Photo Contest: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2014-photo-contest-winners/
Website Contest: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2014-website-contest-winners/
APCUG Spring 2014 Virtual Technology Conference (VTC-11)
APCUGs FREE Spring 2014 VTC was held online Saturday,
May 3. Topics included: Photoshop Elements; Printers/Printing-How
Printers Work, Hints & Tips; Linux Wins the Desktop in 2014;
Mavericks & iDevice Benefits; De-Mystifying Windows 8.1 &
the Latest Update; Creating aWebsite in WordPress.
Details and Presentation PDFs available at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2014-spring-virtual-technology-conference-vtc11/
CFCS Digital Photo SIG for Mar 2014
The Central Florida Computer Society (CFCS) Digital Photo SIG
for March 2014 had tips for using memory cards & tips for
using a tripod. Photo file types (JPG, GIF, and PNG) were explained.
There was info about a tablet/phone program for Android &
IOS that makes it easy to take group photos, with you included.
EXIF data was examined & explained as to what it is and why
it is important. The session ended with a discussion about the
Eye-Fi and using it to upload photos directly from a camera.
View the 57min video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaLpr2IlY6c&list=UUxDTDRVp6jZy_MTSoq7mJsg
CFCS Digital Photo SIG for Feb 2014
The Central Florida Computer Society (CFCS) Digital Photo
SIG was held on Feb 19, 2014.
Topics covered included: The Narrative Clip, Privacy! Yours,
Mine, & Theirs, How to Hide or Blur Faces & Information
in a Photo, 2 Demos showing how to hide faces or sensitive info,
Photography for Beginners Travel Photography Tips, You Didnt
Know You Could Do These 5 Awesome Smartphone Camera Tricks.
View the 1hr 5min video at http://youtu.be/70i8aWK8rUw
APCUGs 2014 Winter Virtual Technology Conference
(VTC-10)
The APCUG 2014 Winter VTC was held online Saturday, Feb 22. Topics
included: So You've Got A New Computer. Now What, Protect Your
Passwords with Roboform, Quick & Beautiful Web Pages, What
do I do now with my old XP Computer, A Comparison of Windows
7, 8, and 8.1, iPad in the Classroom, How We Can Learn More on
the iPad, etc.
Details at: http://apcug2.org/apcug-2014-winter-virtual-technology-conference-vtc10/
CFCS Digital Photo SIG for May 2013
This Central Florida Computer Society Special Interest
Group Virtual Photo & Video SIG meeting was held on May 16,
2013. Topics were 1) Adobe Creative Suite going to subscription,
2) Using Snagit, 3) 10 Troublesome Colors to Avoid, 4) Carry
you camera's manual with you, 5) 5 Best Windows 8 Photo Editing
Apps, 6) Tips for taking a silhouette photo, etc.
A 1hr 8min video of the presentation is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHr9FaSCw1k
CFCS Digital Photo SIG for April 2013
This Central Florida Computer Society Special Interest
Group Virtual Photo & Video SIG meeting was held on April
17, 2013. Topics were 1) Photo Resizing and 2) Screen Capture.
Session was aimed at beginners and intermediate users from any
Operating System.
A 1hr 37min video of the presentation is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpQGJ0Js8MA
CFCS Digital Photo SIG for February 2013
This Central Florida Computer Society Special Interest Group
meeting examined 14 online photo editing programs.
A 56min video of the presentation is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ1AZLFFjgQ |