PC Users Group
The next meeting of the PC Users Group will be held at the Aiken County Library on Thursday, January 15, beginning at 7 p.m. The topic will be: "Using Google". George Heh will show you some of the best ways to use the Google search engine plus some of the features you may have missed. Hope to see you there!
R E C E N T M E E T I N G S
Thursday, 4 December 2008
The November/December meeting of the PC Users Group featured several individuals talking about what is new and exciting in the computer/technology area. SeniorNet volunteers Dennis Harkins, Ralph Dale, Sara Wampole, Dennis Smith,Jim Brown and Jim Jordy showed a variety of items such as mini laptops, a wireless mouse, and the new iTouch and Mac laptops. a good time was had by all.
Thursday, 16 October 2008
The second PC Users Group meeting for the Fall featured a discussion and demonstration of the Skype Internet-based visual telephone system. SeniorNet volunteers Dennis Harkins, Louise Glassman, Ralph Dale, and Charlie Brown showed how to set up and use this free service. This was followed by a lively video conference with a Skype user in Dublin, Ireland, and another with Dennis' son in San Francisco. Though the turnout was smaller than usual, those who attended came away with all the information they needed to establish their own Skype account.
Thursday, 18 September 2008
The small group that attended the first PC Users Group meeting of the fall heard new SeniorNet volunteer Mike Newland provide an excellent overview of hardware and software that is available to assist the visually impaired in using their computer. Three members of the public that needed this type of assistance attended and went away with not only the overview, but some tips from Mike and other SeniorNet volunteers that will provide immediate assistance. SeniorNet is considering a workshop on this topic, but interest in such a workshop did not appear to be high. Let Jim Jordy or Jim Sproull know if you are aware of someone that may be interested in such a workshop.
Thursday 15 May, 2008
The group that gathered for our last Users Group for the Spring were treated to a very informative presentation by Pat Robertson on the topic of 'Genealogy". Pat is the instructor for the Genealogy course taught in the SeniorNet Learning Center. She provided several excellent examples of how to use some of the available computer software as well as internet websites that are most helpful in tracing one's family background. This Fall, she will be teaching the Genealogy course on Thursdays. Check the Fall Schedule or attend the Open House to get more details and/or register for the course.
Thursday 13 March, 2008
The thirty plus attendees were treated to some of the basics as well as some valuable secrets of using a search engine - google, in particular. After a brief Power Point introduction to the topic, Ralph Dale and Dennis Smith, along with a number of those in attendance, showed some of the many ways to use google in order to access information, maps, etc. Certainly, the capability of finding out just about anything you might want to know has gone far beyond looking it up in an encyclopedia.
Thursday 21 February 2008
The topic of a setting up a home network was well presented by three men who work in the computer field - Al Duffie, John Magruder, and Gabriel Lemnaru. Their complete discussion of the what is needed for a home network, the things to watch out for, and many of the details that you should be aware of before embarking on this adventure lasted well over an hour with many, many questions from the 30 plus attendees. Certainly their expertise provided everyone with more than enough information about the topic. Thanks again to the three presenters, and to Dennis Harkins for making the necessary arrangements for the meeting.
Thursday 16 January 2008
Our meeting at the Aiken Public Library was certainly a good one for the 38 in attendance. Louise Glassman gave an excellent presentation on how one can use Photo Shop Elements 5 (or 6) to do a wide variety of things with their digital photos. Over an hour of showing examples, using her own photos, was most informative to the whole group.
Thursday 13 December 2007
Our meeting was devoted entirely to Apple products. The area representative from Apple spoke about all of the great things that the Apple Computer products can do, especially iMac, iPod, and iTunes, and others. Dennis Harkins put together an email list of interested Mac users and will be contacting them with other news.
Thursday 8 November 2007
The thirty-five attendees were treated to an expert presentation by Dennis Harkins on how to make DVD slide shows and videos. He had excellent examples of 'how to' using some of the software he has used in making these digital gems for himself and family. There were a number of good questions, and of course door prizes. If anyone has a topic he/she would like to present at one of our meetings, we will give them a one-year subscription to the computer magazine 'Smart Computing' for their effort. Give Dennis a call if you are interested. His number is on our list of Volunteers.
Thursday 11 October 2007
Our speaker was Chis Lytle, owner of Chris' Camera Shop in Aiken. He brought us all up to date with the latest things to look for and to use when working with digital photography. Many good questions were asked, and several handouts given to the 38 people in attendance. In addition, there were four door prizes awarded, 3 from the Camera Shop, and a flash drive donated by our SeniorNet Learning Center.
Thursday 20 September 2007
We were treated to a great show of how to use your computer to get and use Digital Music. Bill Hayes, one of our SeniorNet Volunteers who has done extensive work in this area, was our speaker. He gave us many of the techniques and details for obtaining music from 'outer space' (i.e. the Internet) and placing it on your computer or other electronic device for storing and playing music.
Thursday 17 May 2007
What a great meeting we had on the 17th! When you tell people that they can get information about how to get FREE software, they show up in droves...more than 40 were in attendance. Louise Glasman, Paul Lewis, and Dennis Harkins shared with everyone some of their favorite software. Several people in the audience also shared some of their favorites...now that's what a Users meeting is all about!! To end it all, six door prizes were given to six lucky people...one man was almost out the door when his number was called! We hope that you will return in September for our next Users Group meeting.
Thursday 19 April 2007
When we get press coverage and offer door prizes the people come in droves. A great crowd gathered to hear Rick Blanset, owner of 6to9 pc repair, talk about why you should consider getting a custom built computer instead of a big-box store model. He detailed all the things you should think about when you go to get that next pc. And when he finished answering questions, we awarded six door prizes to those in attendance - plus a free refrig magnet to everyone!!
Thursday 15 March 2007
The 30+ people that came to hear Jen Clausen, the User Group representative for "Smart Computing" were treated to one terrific presentation. Jen wowed the audience with all the features of "Smart Computing" and the web-site associated with the magazine. Everyone received a free copy of the April issue, and some other goodies. Then the door prizes were awarded. Karen received a "Smart Computing" binder, large enough to hold 12 issues; Bernice won the wonderful "Smart Computing" T-shirt; and Reba (a newly signed up SeniorNet volunteer/coach) won a year's subscription to "Smart Computing (a $29 value!). All in all, it was a great meeting! Sorry more of you did not attend.
Thursday 8 February 2007
Our meeting on 'Instant Messaging (IM) – what it is and how you use it' given by Paul Lewis, Government Documents Librarian at USCA, was very successful and informative. Paul's presentation included an overview of the benefits of IM and a live demonstration of IM with one of his communication buddies. Those in attendance were quite informed on the topic and offered some good stories and uses for IM.
