Jim Hamm's fixed us up with the Australia Apple blog. Just now viewing the site, I noted there were 61 members and 1003 guests on line. It's Australia's largest online community for all Apple related news, podcast, forums, reviews, even a Vintage Apple forum.
Java and Security Risks
Prez Art Gorski finds info we need to read and heed. "In a recent update to Mountain Lion, Apple has removed the Java plug-in used in the Safari web browser. In the future, if you absolutely need Java in Safari, you will have to go download it yourself from the Oracle website.
"The question is: Do you REALLY need Java in Safari. For the vast majority of Mac users, the answer is NO. So this probably won't affect you.
"Why has Apple taken this step? Security! See the following interesting article.
How to Post a Blog
Up-grade, Frowns or Smiles
You’ve heard about the OS version Mountain Lion. Have you upgraded yet?
Do you remember all those names of the previous Mac operating systems? Look at Wikipedia to flash back to Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard. Maybe you have Lion? I postponed that until last month, then made the leap to Mountain Lion, two weeks later.
Maybe you have an automatic sense about these technological things and will know what to do and when and how. Others of us are still fiddling with previous challenges.
LET’S LOOK AT PAGES
After years of using Microsoft Word ‘97 it was Dan and Erica Simpson who demoed Pages at their home SIG. So, that was the time to do it. And now I‘m up to Pages ’09, version 4.2.
I heard that Lion would not accept my old Word documents, but PMUG people Allen Laudenslager and John Carter and Jim Hamm were an encouragement. It was time to see what Pages can do with those old documents saved on my Mac.
I clicked to highlight the name of one old Word ’97 document and did Command I (lower case i) which brings up Finder, Spotlight Comments and Info on that document: Kind, size, where it is, date created, date modified, preview, sharing and permissions, and Open With option to open with Word, Text Edit, Preview, Pages and several other options.
With trepidation I chose Pages and “Use this application to open all documents like this one” and Change All, hoping it could read my mind. It did OK. All the previous several hundred writings I had written since 1997 in Word 97-2004 now open up in Pages. The only disappointment is that page margins are not exactly the same. Some documents need to have margins set wider since that was the way I’d initially laid it out when I wrote it in Word ’97.
When you’re writing in Pages it lets you choose Save As Word Document when you do Option Shift Command S.
LET’S LOOK AT MICROSOFT WORD
Here’s a list of features of Word: Mac 2011 http://mac2.microsoft.com/help/office/14/en-us/word
Opening Help when you have opened Word: Mac 2011 you can go to File Formats for saving documents, and that introduces you to such abbreviations as .docx — .doc — .rtf — .htm — .docm — .xml — .xml — .mht — .dic — .thmx
Word: Mac 2011 does let you choose AutoRecovery for anytime from 1 to 120 minutes.
You can choose to Password Protect your document in Word and in Pages.
You can highlight text that you’ve written using Word:Mac 2011 and do Command + C to copy, then paste it Command + V into a Pages document. It does copy over into Pages in the same exact font you started with in Word.
MORE ON PAGES ‘09: Here’s their directions under Help: Saving a Copy of a Document.
To save a copy of a document in OS X v.10.6 (Snow Leopard) or earlier:
Choose File > Save As, and then specify a name and location.
When the document is copied in this way, the original document is closed; the document that remains open on your desktop is the new copy you created. To work with the original version, choose File > Open Recent and choose the previous version from the submenu.
To save a copy of a document in Mac OS X v.10.7 (Lion) or later:
- Choose File > Duplicate.
An untitled copy of the document is created. Both copies remain open on your desktop for you to view or edit. - Close the window of the untitled copy, type the document’s name, and then choose a location from the pop-up menu.
- Click Save.
Pages lets you email a document by choosing Share >Send via Mail. You then choose which version, Pages, Word, or PDF. The new email message opens with the document version attached to it.
HOW TO OPEN REALLY OLD DOCUMENTS:
Here’s a short article http://www.macworld.com/article/1166370/open_old_docs.html
Here’s the link to 5 pages of comments and suggestions from the Macworld Forum:
One contributor gave this quick tip: “I have even gotten old Mac write pro documents (system 9!) to open with this trick, as well as old AppleWorks files too old to go easily into Pages. Find the old document, then change the file extension at the end to .txt then right click and tell it to open in Pages. You'll hit some scribble at the top and bottom, but it's gold for opening 10 year old files you don't want to retype!”
Try this to open an Old Unix Executable file. Highlight the title of the document in the list, do Command I and under Open with choose Text Edit. It came up, so I now save it. It still is listed in my Archives as Kind: Unix E...le File, but when clicked it opens in Text Edit. I’ve made a new copy of it and saved as pdf with Adobe Reader.
YES, WE ARE HAVING FUN.
What have you discovered about Mac and your Apple products? If you have some interesting info to share on our newsblog why not drop me a line at edpr1@commspeed.net. The RSS feature was discontinued by Google, so you’ll have to be creative at checking out www.pmugnews.blogspot.com so you can benefit from our members sharing their talents and time with you.
So far this year I’ve posted 309 articles, but last year it was 339. Top contributors for 2011: 1st = Jim Hamm, 2nd = John Carter, 3rd = David Passell. Nine other members sent me articles to post last year.
Aren’t you glad you came to PMUG! Prescott Mac User Group keeps going with friendly, helpful people like you who ask questions and share answers!
This is today's handout at the PMUG meeting!
Mac 101: All About Windows
"Here's another chapter in the Mac 101 series," Jim Hamm informs us. Tell your PC friends to look at this info on Windows.
New to View
"Here is a free offer for ClipBuddy for the Mac. I've not tried it, but since it's free I will give it a try. Note that it's normally priced at $29.95. This offer expires on October 31st," writes Jim Hamm. Earlier today he'd emailed with mention of a new iPhone - iPod Touch - iPad app called MyRadar Pro which he saw someone use to monitor the severity of the storms in the Memphis area. See it here. Jim will tell us more later . . .
Facebook's Latest Privacy Scare
See this article, forwarded by John Carter, on Facebook and their changes of privacy settings. At the bottom of the article look at their five links to further information on this vital topic.
iPhone 5 in Your Future?
"If you've got, or plan to get, the new iPhone 5, here is an article you should read about compatibility issues and how the new adaptor works, writes Jim Hamm. Stay tuned for more info soon.
What's the Latest?
Rumors, facts, photos, buyer's guide, blogs and forums — all that and more about Mac, iPhone, iPod, iPad at macrumors.com Kyle Smith reminds us. From his vantage point as tech/sales at MacMedia in Peoria I'd asked him what's the latest, so I'd have something to report at PMUG on Saturday. Apple has issued invitations for Media Event on October 23. There's always more happening at Apple!
Mac 101: Dictation
Starting off with, “People have been talking (occasionally with expletives) to their computers since way before they could listen,” the latest Smart Dog Tech Tails #841 brings Speech-to-Text dictation to our attention with “You Don’t Say…”
The writer goes on to pronounce this thoughtful observation, “Dictating to your technological artifact is almost exactly like speaking to humanoid interlocutors, except for a few key differences.” And he explains, and recommends this article with nifty chart of dictation commands from Mac 101: Dictation using ML or an OS X app.
Social Networking Explained
John Carter spoke on Social Networking to a combined group of PMUG and the local PC Club yesterday. He’s posted the pdf under Benefits < Tips and Tricks. Go here to the PMUG website. You’ll find an extensive report that would take 133 pages to print out! (John didn’t just do this off the top of his head!)
His report identifies the top social networking sites and discusses Protocol, Problems, Password, Privacy, Photos, and Possibilities.
Joint Meeting Looks at Social Networking
Social networking: is it a fad that’s just fashionable now, or is it becoming an essential part of communication? John Carter will answer all your questions at the Joint PMUG/PC meeting this Saturday, 1:15 to 3 pm. at the Prescott Public Library Founders Suite. Your PC friends might not know about this joint meeting unless they attend PCS meetings; do them a favor by informing them. Read more http://www.pmug.us
Mac 101, Second Lesson: Finder
Jim Hamm writes, " Here's Mac 101, second lesson." You'll get acquainted with Finder and its features.
Restore Lost Photos, Documents, Archives!
The slogan, "It simply works!" grabs our attention. Who hasn't accidentally lost photos or videos, documents, or archives from a hard disk or even from a digital camera memory?
John Carter has recovered thousands of files from flash drives that anyone might say there was no way anything could be left on it to recover. A companion program that comes with Photorec is Testdisk. Testdisk claims to be able to restore a damaged hard drive. Access the full PDF article in the Reviews page here on the PMUG website. John includes detailed instructions on how to use the program. Click on the Command + to enlarge the small illustrations.
Superfast LTE Coming!
Prez Art Gorski spotted this Computerworld article and said, "Verizon has promised that Prescott will get the superfast LTE data service by the end of the year."
Do You Use Dictation?
One of Mountain Lion's features is Dictation. Here's a 2 page article:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/07/13/inside_os_x_108_mountain_lion_gm_dictation_speech/page/1 that describes Dictation and shows screen shots. It's currently supported on the new iPad and iPhone 4S, also.
If you're using Dictation why not drop us a line so we can pass along your assessment of the experience? You'll see the email directions in the column, About PMUG, on the right side of the homepage.
iPhone 5 Maps Test
This article on iPhone maps, just in from Jim Hamm, is well described and illustrated. "Here's an article reviewing the new maps feature in the iPhone 5. Conclusion: Pretty darn good."
And, look at that same site http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/car_gadgets/ for info on car buying, reviews, in the news, recalls, video, 2012 Auto Shows in New York, Chicago, Detroit.
Show Your Photography
Many of our PMUG friends are talented with their cameras. Have you made a photo into a picture postcard?
Carlene Hardt took these photos and Peter tells us, "Small batches we print at Costco as 4x6 photos and then Carlene attaches a self-adhesive back to make it a postcard. The backings come from Photographer's Edge. They have a WIDE variety of products: http://www.photographersedge.com/Postcards-4-x-6-pkg-of-25/productinfo/A298PC/
"They also have dozens and dozens of card frames you can put the photo in to make photocards: http://www.photographersedge.com/Blue-Mist-with-Raven-Black-Accent-Ink/products/103/
"Larger batches we have commercially printed as postcards, with custom information on the back side. We use Prints Made Easy who do a great job, http://www.printsmadeeasy.com , but we do occasionally have issues with getting certain colors right."
With a jpg of the postcard you can drag it to iPhoto and highlight it when it comes up on the album page. Up comes a little arrow at the bottom right side, giving you several choices. You can also click Create at the bottom right side of the iPhoto page, and find out how to order cards, albums, books, and calendars. Under Share you can order prints, from 4"x6" up to 20"x30". (Plan ahead for those creative Christmas gifts!)
Tribute to Steve Jobs
Today on Apple.com there's 2 minute video of Steve Jobs, honoring this creative, hard-working man. Thanks to Jim Hamm for notifying us.
Are You New to the Mac Computer? Mac 101
"Here is the start of a new series of instructions for the new Mac user," writes Jim Hamm.
Yesterday, (10-4) Macworld started a new series of How-To for the new Mac user. Go there, bookmark it, and watch for that weekly posting. That’s if you want to hear about everybody else’s problems! You’ll have to sort that out.
HOWEVER, in the Prescott area you have PMUG and you have the PMUG monthly SIGs (Special Interest Groups.)
Sometimes asking a smiling person at our meetings can be more helpful than reading a whole book! You'll find people at PMUG who previously used PC, you'll find people who just got their first Mac or iPhone or iPad, you'll find people who have used Mac since 1984. And here on this blog you'll find all sorts of help. Scan through the Labels on the right hand side to get an idea.
See you on the 20? Ginger Carlson will give you a cookie!