- Useful and Interesting Web Sites
- Help and Advice with your Computer
- What’s new in computer technology
New articles added monthly, most earlier articles remain current so if you have not visited before do scroll down to the earlier months. To join the group please Email David (contact below) no meetings you just get an Email when stuff is added.
Members David Shepherd (tel 860905 sundancersatbtinternet.com) and John Rees (tel 451673 johnatrees3825.freeserve.co.uk) are willing to give advice and help solve problems.
David runs the drop-in at the community learning centre (Sturminster Newton) where all members are welcome - Wednesday mornings.
John Rees runs the U3A computer group.
The ultimate resource for Group Leaders: Riveting talks by remarkable people, all 20 minutes or less. ted.com
If you have yet looked at Wikipedia the free encyclopedia (nothing to do with Wiki leaks) it can be another great resource for group meetings. Here is the encyclopedia article on the U3A. [Wiki is IT talk for co-operative ventures by volunteers - originally it is Hawaiian for ‘quick’.]
Are you a driver? How are your reaction times these days. Test them here. Less than half a second would be good for driving.
Thinking about a new computer? Laptop looks a neat package, but is it best for you? Comparison document here Laptop, Desktop or All-in-one.
Enjoy the programme “Who do you think you are”? If so you will LOVE the Armstrong and Miller Spoof (4minute YouTube).
We have a new Philosophy Group: “I have Facebook page, therefore I am” ?!
May 2011 Articles:
Last month under resources for group leaders we mentioned remarkable short talks at ted.com - its also worth knowing knowing that “youtube” is not all trivia, just add /edu to the address youtube.com/edu and you can search for and view lectures form Yale, Harvard, the OU, Nottingham etc. on thousands of topics (results for ‘Roman History’ illustrated left).
OK Youtube can be fun too even if you are not aged 14:
Buffalo rescue calf from Lions and Crocodiles - incredibly it has a happy ending, keep watching.
Lion reunion - the better side of lions; when young men raised with a cub travel to the Born Free reserve to visit years later. Tissues required!
Charlie bit my finger - hugely popular with all grandparents, adorable.
Tiny baby Panda gives mum heart attack.
One rather clever and enjoyable invention of the modern social scene is ‘Flash Mobs’, try the Hallelujah Chorus or the Frozen Station both take half a minute before the ‘action’ starts.
Don’t forget the U3A has a projector that can be borrowed for talks, a few people have used it recently - contact David as above. But did you know that if you have a new(ish) large(ish) TV they often accept a laptop input (cable needed) and would display presentations, DVDs etc large enough for many of our groups.
Most of those who have attended the (real) computer group have had a go at making “Word Clouds” - see illustration left. For anyone else who may like to have at making a logo or a unique illustration for a greetings card; here are the instructions.
For our bit of fun this month let Ronnie Corbett and Harry Enfield keep you up to date on new technology in “My Blackberry won’t work”.
Do you feel you are missing out on the new world of mobile phone Apps (Applications)? You can get a very similar set up by using a Google feature called iGoogle. You can have the local weather, train timetables, dictionaries etc. on your own special Google page. Here is more detail on how to do it.
Is your ageing PC (especially laptop) running slowly? By far the most likely cause is too small a memory. This is not hard disk where your files are stored but memory used to run programs/applications which are constantly more demanding. You can check how much you have by clicking Start / Control Panel / System. The computer will display information similar to that illustrated on the right. If your “Installed Memory -RAM” is measured in Gb (GigaBytes) 1 or more is fine. If its measured in Mb (Megabytes) then around 250 is impossibly slow and around 500 rather frustrating. Upgrades cost about £20 and £20 to fit.
September 2011 Articles:
***The future of computing and the Internet as seen from 1969! A short film made by BT (the GPO!) and delivered in true Mr ‘Chumley’-Warner style. Delightful and amazingly accurate. Watch
***If you are reading this then you have clearly got past the basics of using a computer but there may be some areas that you are reluctant to use without advice or practice like shopping on the Internet, using Facebook with the grandchildren etc. If so a government sponsored site has some free on-line courses that may help.
Click here then on the “Learn More” tab. You need to register with a few basic details. For the centre code use 6071 and note that it will give you a username (not your Email address) -your name plus a number which you will need to return to finish a course or start another.
***Web sites to save you money:
Clearance sales:
homesandbargains.co.uk
argos.co.uk/static/clearance
clearance-comet.co.uk (auction)
Police Auction of unclaimed goods
Bumblebeeauctions.co.uk
Voucher codes (to print or use on-line)
vouchercloud.co.uk
Group Buying
incahoot.com
All the above are sound sites in themselves but take normal care if following links to secondary sites. Group buying has good reports for physical products but there are stories of services (e.g. Spa days) not provided due to selling too many.
***Next time you speak to call centre in India and can’t quite make out what is being said, take a look at the wires your call travels down (picture left) and you will know why.
