, , , , , , , ,

Clip Art, Photos, Recent Discoveries

, , , , , , , ,

         What a clever picture.  It grabbed my attention and I just had to read what the article said.  Ever said that?
    Google to the rescue.  Well, first I emailed John Carter to ask where he’d found the photo he posted to the pmug.us website.  

         So, I followed his directions and now I can show it to you.
         Google makes it easy to bring up lots of illustrations, clip art, photos.  Here’s a screen shot of the entry I made:  (Click to enlarge this; click again to get back to this page)
    In the search box I had typed “street sign, confused, lost, unclear” not knowing any more descriptive terms for what I wanted.  The first search page allowed me to select “Images.”  
        A huge selection came up, and I could click Show More Results at the bottom of the page.  Click on any illustration and see what the information says.  Some will be stock photos with an embedded watermark.  That means you’ll need to read about licensing, extended license, additional multi-seat License.  Copyright info is on that company’s page.  Click to view Photos, Vectors, Footage, Audio, Mobile, Pricing.  See the company’s phone number, live help number.
      One photo I looked at had a tiny icon in the upper right hand of the page.  Here’s a screen shot of the list that came up. 
      It was fun, clicking to see how the various languages came up in the illustrations. 
        Try it out on some of your blogging or emails.  Your family will be impressed with your knowledge of other languages.

         Looking up “shepherd and sheep”  I scrolled down and when I’d gotten to the 64th picture I found a photo of my son Peter, holding his sheep on his shoulder.  I had posted it to my blog, www.EncouragingU.blogspot.com months ago and  they’ve put it up for anyone to help themselves to the picture.  Clicking on it brings up that page in my blog, with the verses I posted with it.  And on the Google Image page a person can click, bringing it up as JPG 800x533 pixels. 
         We hadn’t thought that it would be automatically available to anyone else.  Hopefully, if someone wanted a copy they’d write and ask for permission.  Maybe that’s wishful thinking, on my part.

Other Recent Discoveries: 
        Planning on selling that nice, older Mac and upping to something new?  You might get some helpful info here:  http://www.mactip.net/how-to-securely-wipe-your-mac-hard-drive-before-selling-it/
        We did decide to go for a new iMac to replace the G4 laptop that Don’s been using.
What do do with a 10 year-old that’s still running, but is before Intel?  We saw the PC column in Courier about recycling or donating.  Asked for info from Prez Art Gorski and John Carter.  John was first to reply, suggesting we donate it to the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) in Prescott. A very knowledgeable man there was happy to take it, and we’re delighted to be able to help someone that way. 
        Curious about all those nifty computers from Apple before you took the plunge and bought yours?  http://apple-history.com/pg4   lists highlights from 1976 to 2012. 
        Wondering about the security of your Contact list, alias Address Book?  http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/10/how-apples-address-book-app-could-allow-the-nsa-to-harvest-your-contacts/
        Keeping up with the latest info posted to our PMUG newsblog?  Look into NetNewsWire  https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/10350/netnewswire  I didn’t see a date on this page. 
        With schools and businesses using iPhones and iPads here’s what’s new with features to help the IT shops lock iOS down and make it easier to manage.  http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/02/apples-new-management-features-help-locked-down-ipads-stay-locked-down/
IT’S ALMOST TIME  for nominating PMUG officers for the May election. Give it some thought.  Your experience could mean some encouraging help for others.  You know how much we appreciate your time and your willingness to step up to this challenge.  You help make PMUG a success! 
        Have a chat with Prez Art Gorski, or Vice Prez Dave Rothgery, or Secretary Bobbie Pastor, or Treasurer David Passell.  Or talk to one of the appointed Chairs: John Carter, Ward Stanke, or a Past Prez: Jim Hamm or Howard LaPittus. Each of them has survived as they served our friendly organization!     * * * 

This was today's handout from Elaine Hardt at the PMUG meeting.  See you next time! 

Smart Phone Used in Medical Treatment

        An 8-minute video illustrates what Jim Hamm says,  "Here is an interesting story on how a smart phone can be used in medical treatment. One of the features covered is where, say, a diabetic needs to monitor his or her blood glucose frequently. So easy to do with a smart phone and sensor.
        "Smart phones have already had a significant impact on our lives, with more to come, it seems."  Look here. 

, ,

Antivirus Program Described

, ,
        "I use the free Avast antivirus (AV) program on both my Macs and Windows computers," Jim Hamm begins.   "I like it, and it is light on computer resources. In case you might an interest in Avast,  here is a comprehensive article about this AV program. The article happens to cover installation on a Windows computer, but the process is basically the same for a Mac.
        "Some might question whether an AV program is needed on a Mac. Rather than ponder this philosophical question, I just go ahead and use Avast. I see no downside to doing this, and a possibility of an upside."
        Read  this info and note the chart comparing Avast with seven other well-known antivirus programs.  And there's that word:  FREE. 
, , ,

Practical Privacy

, , ,

    "Here is an interesting article on browser privacy mode," remarks David Passell.  "A use that really stood out for me was the way to circumvent the NY times 10 article/month limit. I will have to try that since I used to get a lot of news from NY Times site before they began charging. Now I use the freely available BBC news site."  Look here. 
       If you're using Safari and have clicked Block Cookies Always, and are continually aggravated at the number of Cookies noted, you might see if Private Browsing works for you.

, , , , , ,

Ideas and Shortcuts

, , , , , ,

  Jim Hamm presented some helpful tips to the AMUG Senior SIG today, and shares these links with us. 

    more from Lifehacker:  http://lifehacker.com/tag/101
9) (item obsolete - admin)
10) 50 Best Mac Tips: http://www.techradar.com/
, , , ,

Sharing Documents With Other Users

, , , ,
        "This cannot be stressed enough,"  so naturally we listen up to what John Carter has to say.   "No matter what application you use to create a document, if you want to share that document with a non-Apple user, then you must save the document in a format that anyone can open. That format is either TXT, PDF, RTF or RTFD.
         "A TXT file (.txt) is a plain file and can be opened by anyone with a number of different applications. But this format cannot include many special fonts, any fancy formatting (tabs are allowed) or any images.
         "PDF is the Adobe Postscript Document format. The Mac uses Preview to view this format. Windows must use Adobe Reader. When you save or export a document in PDF format, what the other people see is exactly what you created the document as.
         "RTF is the Microsoft Rich Text Format. The Mac uses Preview to view this format. Windows can use Word, Wordpad, or Notepad to view this format. What the other people see most likely will NOT be exactly as you see it. Microsoft will substitute fonts and may even change some formatting. If images are embedded in the document, chances are they won’t be in the right place. There may be severe restrictions on formatting and image types that can be employed in an RTF format.
         "RTFD is similar to RTF and also allows some fancy formatting and some image types. When using TextEdit to create a document, this is the default format if certain fonts or images are included."
         But that's not all.  John goes on with more details.
         "However, if you use either NeoOffice, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice to create a document in the OpenDocument format (see this link for a description of OpenDocument format) and if the Windows user has either OpenOffice or LibreOffice, then whatever you create and save in the default format they will be able to open and it will appear to them exactly as you see it with only one possible side effect — fonts may be substituted if the user doesn’t have exactly the same font installed on his/her machine. This may not alter the appearance any, or slightly if at all.
         "In Windows and starting with MS Office 2007 using a free plugin called OpenXML/ODF Translator (available here) , a user could open an OpenDocument file, but the document may not survive formatting and some fonts may be substituted. Although MS Office attempted to comply with the OpenDocument standards, Microsoft still insisted on making some changes of their own.
         "If you do use NeoOffice, OpenOffice or LibreOffice to create an OpenDocument file and you want to share it with another Apple user, then he/she can open it with TextEdit. But not Pages, Numbers or Keynote because these Apple products don’t know anything about the OpenDocument standard.
      "Just so you know, the extensions for an OpenDocument file are as follows:
            Text = .odt
            Presentation = .odp
            Spreadsheet = .ods
    "The equivalent for MS Office (prior to 2007) is:
            Text = .doc
            Presentation = .ppt
            Spreadsheet = .pps
   "For a complete treatise on the new MS Office extensions, see this link.
    "The equivalent for Apple is:
            Text = .pages
            Presentation = .keynote
            Spreadsheet = .numbers
            "Before sharing a document with anyone, make sure that they have the right application to work with the document you want to share.
              "For the general differences in use between OpenOffice and MS Office, see this link. For John Carter’s presentation notes on the differences between .docx and .odt, see this link and open the PDF file “MS Word 2010 vs OpenOffice 3.0."

Backup? When? How?

        A query from Bobbie Pastor opened the conversation.  Ward Stanke advises, "Drives die. Western Digital is generally better than Seagate, Toshiba seems to be better than WD.

        "Here's a blog post from Backblaze that talks about their experiences with consumer grade hard drives (like you or I would buy from Costco or Best Buy)."
        And Ward concludes with, "Backblaze runs a profitable cloud storage service using theses drives and has accumulated quite a bit of data concerning reliability, primarily on Seagate, WD and some on Toshiba."  

Explaining Mechanical Keyboards

        Mechanical keyboards, what is that?  Here comes Jim Hamm to explain, "Learning all about mechanical keyboards is something you've probably not given much thought to -- or quite possibly don't even care to know. However, if you're open to learning something new, take a read on this article. I found it interesting, gained some new knowledge, and now wonder how will I use it? How does one tell, for example, when buying a new computer, which type of keyboard does it have? 
        "You (and I) probably don't even care. You'll just try it out and find out how it feels. Each keyboard on my various computers feels different, and I certainly like some better than others.  Read on if this topic might be of some interest." And, thanks to Jim for his input. 

Have You Seen a 3-D Printer?

        "3D Printers! Wonderful technology! The PC club had a short presentation on this last month. They didn’t cover much," and this starts John Carter on an interesting discussion.  

        "There’s no way I would bother with this yet. The cost of the 'ink' (plastic) is still quite high and what ones needs to be able to do in order to create their own 3D model of something is way beyond my pay grade. In order to purchase a 3D model of something, I’m sure the cost would also be quite high." 
        Now, there's some costs to consider.  John explains, "If one cartridge prints 14 objects and each cartridge costs $50, that’s $3.57 per object. You can go to the Dollar store and get the same thing for $1 (if they have it). But what if there’s only enough plastic in one new cartridge to print one complicated object? Now we’re talking big bucks!
        "But wait! I remember the time when a new computer and printer combo cost me around $3,000! And all I wanted to do was print a few photos (at a cost of nearly $2 each).
        "But wait! I paid more than that for my old 17” laptop!
        "Argh! Even all my telescopes, cameras, and observatory combined cost thousands of dollars more!"
        So, is that all John has to say?  "Okay, maybe I’ll get one. It will make a good conversation piece on my coffee table.
        "Someday I’ll get tired of making plastic goodies no bigger than 5.25 cu. in. and only in one color and want to make something bigger, like a large vase or a set of china, or maybe I’ll want something in metal. Wait a minute! I can print one of those stainless steel forks that I lost! And I need another sharp knife! How about a new diamond tip drill bit? Maybe even a whole new drill? In full color, too, please.
        "I think I’ll wait until they figure out how to fabricate food at low cost in a 3D printer. That will be something worthwhile. Yum! One banana split coming up! Don’t laugh! It’s coming!"
        The website that started this conversation is here.  Take a look and see what you think of this invention  http://www.hammacher.com/Product/82332?promo=search
,

Got a Smart Phone?

,

        A handy emailed daily tip from Here's the Thing recently has given tips for people with "smart phones."  A query to Jim Hamm brought us this reply, "Yes, I get this, and it has some useful tips. You could post a link to this in the blog and suggest to people they might take a look at it."
        And, not leaving well enough alone, Jim goes on, "So, you just have a dumb phone? That reminds me of the old adage that smart phones are for smart people, and dumb phones are for..........(grin)...Just teasing you."  And here's the link to the smart phone posts. 

Appreciating YOU

        We appreciate having interesting, helpful PMUG meetings.  And we appreciate YOU coming.  
        See what Jim Hamm has to say:  "This is an open letter to PMUG members, and I have some questions for you. How long have you been a member of PMUG? How many meetings have you attended, where someone else stood up and shared some knowledge with you? How many tips have you sent to be published in the PMUG newsletter. How many officer positions in PMUG have you volunteered for? How many presentations have you given?
        "If the answer to these questions is none, PMUG needs your help. 
        "The President and Vice President are not planning to run for office again, and we need volunteers for these positions, and to give some presentations. Yes, I'm talking about you, one who hasn't contributed in the past. Remember, the meetings and presentations don't just spontaneously happen -- someone has to work and make them happen."

        Now, Jim illustrates this,  "Here's an analogy. Let's say your neighborhood has a potluck, pitch-in, dinner every month. You faithfully show up, enjoy the food and camaraderie, but never contribute any food. 

        "Would you do that? I don't think so. The same with PMUG. It's nice to come to the meetings and hear what someone else has prepared for you. But it's also nice for you to chip in now and then also. 

        "The intent of this note is not to embarrass you or rile you up. Its intent is to get you to volunteer. If you haven't contributed to PMUG in the past, now is the time to step up. We need volunteers who care and want to see PMUG continue."   
        So, let Jim's logic sink in, then email your ideas to PMUG. Click on About Us, and contact one of our officers.  We do appreciate YOU. 

, , ,

Instead of CarPlay

, , ,

        Quick to reply, John Carter explains his view of CarPlay that Prez Art Gorski described yesterday. He jests, "Hah! Nothing new to me. Everything that CarPlay does I can already do with my iPhone (or iPad) and a bluetooth headset.

        "On a recent trip to California, I kept in constant touch with Jackie using Messages. Siri recorded my messages to Jackie and then read back any new message from Jackie. (It wasn’t always perfect.) I listened to music or podcasts when I wasn’t messaging. With the iPhone attached to the windshield, I was always up to date with directions to my destination. I could even hazard watching a video. And of course, the only real drawback was when I was out of touch of a tower when driving through mountains, but that didn’t stop me from listening to music."
,

Here Comes CarPlay

,

        Prez Art Gorski is the first in PMUG to bring this alert, "Apple just announced iOS integration with various brands of automobiles. It’s called CarPlay, and basically it lets you use Siri, Apple Maps, Messages, and other iOS services on the screen in your car. Of course, you need a wireless data connection for most of this to work, otherwise you’ll experience CarPlay Tunnel Syndrome."
        Here's Apple's announcement.  Look at all the nifty features, then scroll down to see the car models where CarPlay will be available in 2014 , and then the list of future models from “these committed partners.”    http://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/