FCP for Seniors Newsletter Dec 2012

Vol. 17 No. 11, December, 2012

FOREST NEWS

Page 1

ISSN 1448-2347 (Print Version) 1448-2355 (Online Version)

Our Web Address: http://forestcomputerpals.org.au Club Location Memorial Hall, 3 Starkey St. Forestville PO Box 116, NSW 2087 Phone: (02) 9975 7762 Skype: forestmarilyn

Contents Page 1

    

Christmas party Committee greetings Important dates NBN BBC



ASCCA Conference report November Minutes

Page 2



Page 3    

Trainers and Courses Disclaimer Important Notices Darrel Hatch

   

About the club Trainers information Snap Do What is the government doing?

Buying on-line Committee

Page 4

 

Coming events Christmas party Dec 13

Editor: Dick Manuell

Our Email Address: Forestcompals@swiftdsl.com.au

You and your guests are invited To the club Christmas Party To be held from 2 pm on Thursday December 13 In the Senior Citizens Hall.

Ladies are encouraged to bring a plate of something pleasant and gentlemen a bottle of something refreshing.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROMTHE COMMITTEE The President and Committee wish all members a Safe, Happy

Christmas and a rewarding New Year. May it be a pleasant time of relaxation with families and friends. And also a time to make computer resolutions to clean out the rubbish, improve security safeguards and plan to learn a new program in 2013.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Club closes on December 14 Club reopens on January 21 The next issue of Forest News will be in February, 2013.

During the holidays, volunteers will clean up the office on January 21 and make essential adjustments to equipment. We take the opportunity on behalf of all members, to thank Malcolm Fell, who keeps evePals rything working as it should throughout the year. Thank you Malcolm!

Forest Computer thanks Warringah council for its assistance

NBN Ken Moorley has provided the website for information about how the NBN will connect to your place, that is if you have a landline phone! It is: http://www.bit.com.au/News/324301,your-nbn-phone-fibre-phone-vs-voip.aspx

WHAT A WONDEFRUL WORLD. We don’t usually “do” commercials, but this BBC One clip on You tube is worth looking at a time when the world seems to be forgetting that we are in the supposed Season of Goodwill towards all men...and women.

The site is: www.youtube.com/embed/auSo1MyWf8g?rel=o<

Page 2

FOREST NEWS

Vol. 17 No. 11, December, 2012

TRAINER INFORMATION ABOUT THE CLUB Through mutual help we assist members to develop or improve their computer skills, including using the Internet. We do this in a relaxed environment where we also enjoy fellowship and exchange of ideas.

We operate on a minimum budget and are very dependent on prompt payment of members’ subscriptions to maintain this objective.

The club is a founding member of the Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association (ASCCA).

The work of our club is voluntary and it depends mainly on its members for its resources in management and training.

APPLYING FOR MEMBERSHIP

Mon Jan van der Hilst am Bruce Adams Richard Crighton

9452 5475 9958 3685 9972 0429

Mon pm

Malcolm Fell Bob Brisebois Bruce White Joan Kohler

Tue am

9451 4336

Tue pm

Special courses: see Notice Board and Trainers & Courses, page 3

9451 9938 9452 9451

Wed pm

Ian Parsons Ken Moorley Susan Howell Jack Wilson

Thu pm

Specials—see notice board

Fri pm

Derek Rowland

Graham Allan Steve Richards Lynne Johannes

Wed Dick Manuell am Archie Macnaughton Gay Savage John Robinson (10-1 pm)

1578 1971 1937 5977

Thu am

Richard Smith Anna Karalus

9451 5573

Fri am

John Ray Kate Holland Pam Perrin (10 am)

9451 9396 9810 2451 9449 2734

9451 9451 9451 9905

6050 4660 9779 5193

9452 9451 9415 9452

4249 0494 1167 1148

9451 3969

Enquiries from prospective members are welcome. Please call WATCH OUT FOR SNAP DO the club office (9975 7762) or the Ken Moorley warns us that Google has reported that 2.5 million computers Membership Coordinator (Reg Flew, have been infected by Snap Do, the latest Trojan horse and including two club 9971 0325) for more information. members. If you think you might have caught it there is a remedy available on website: http;//botcrawl.com/how-to-remove-snap-do-malware-from-yourcomputer-and-internet-browser.

WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS ACTUALLY DOING, RATHER THAN HEAR ABOUT THE ANTICS IN PARLIAMENT? There is a good freedom of information website available where the actions of over 350 government agencies are required by law to answer your (legitimate) questions. Or, you can see what questions they are being asked by other citizens and add your (polite) comments. It’s pretty lengthy: www.righttoknow.org.au/?utm_source=aa&utm_medium-email&utm_campaign=alert.

You can even add a blog if you wish. Try it out sometime.

BUYING ON-LINE? Here are few tips: Look for an “s” after the “http” in the address line. It usually indicates a secure site.  Look for a locked padlock icon at the top of the page. If it is unlocked, deal elsewhere.  Only deal with sites you trust.

If the site is new to you, research it thoroughly before proceeding.  Read the fine print!  Look for an email address in case you need to follow up.  Check your bank statements regularly for any unauthorised payments.  Keep your private information private  Keep full records of transactions

COMMITTEE OCTOBER 2012 TO OCTOBER 2013 Colin Ward President

9451 1000

Reg Flew Vice-president

9971 0325

Sandra Brophey Secretary

9939 7737

Joe Magno treasurer

9451 0592

John Ray

9451 9396

Darrell Hatch Training Coordinator

9982 7139

Ken Moorley

9451 0494

Bruce White

9451 0494

Anna Karalus

9451 5573

Lynne Johannes

9451 4455

Richard Smith

Vol. 17 No. 11, December, 2012

FOREST NEWS

Page 3

ASCCA’s 14th Conference a great success!

Some 200 Seniors from as far afield as Western Australia and even Japan, attended the 14th ASCCA conference, held at the Rydge’s World Square Hotel in Pitt Street on November 13 and 14. Twenty-three papers were presented, covering a wide range of issues important for Seniors. ASCCA’s AGM was also held during the conference, when tributes were paid to our Colin for his long service on the ASCCA board and to Sandra for her more recent help.

I believe the papers will be available on the ASCCA website eventually, but here are some of the aspects I think you may find useful; however, there’s nothing better than being there yourself, so plan to attend the 15th conference people:Useful websites:  www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/ageing: This site is all about things that can help oldies get along better.  www.planingahead tools.com.au: This site can help you with Wills, Powers of Attorney, Advance Care Planning and other things Seniors should not put off attending to while they can.  www.accan.org.au: The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network site for help on building really good passwords, ensuring your privacy, communication issues, finding out what’s happening with the NBN.  http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/: The National Library site for studying old newspapers, useful for those embarking on a family history.  www.digitalready.gov.au: Official site of the Digital Switchover Taskforce can help with information about changing from analog to digital TV, including help for qualified older people.

Other sites, mentioned by speakers during their talks that you may find worth a visit:  www.coraweb.com.au: Cora Num’s excellent website about modern genealogy research.  www.secure-commerce.org: This company provides help with ensuring that on-line buying and selling is well protected: also helps build strong passwords.  http://www.finerday.com/: This is a new English social website worth visiting: seems very good for family links, including keeping tab on those oldies who are getting forgetful, or worse.  http:/keepass.info/: a site where one may safely store one’s passwords, however it is essential to not lose one’s password to the site! The speaker suggested that the little black book may be just as good, if you look after it well.

Three clubs presented superb videos they had produced to advertise their own club. Such enthusiasm! There were lots of good door prizes to be won. The venue was good, comfortable seats, three simultaneous screens displaying the speakers’ slides, and a good PA system. The sit-down lunches were great; hot food, cold food, deserts, biscuits and cheeses etc. Nice cakes or muffins with morning and afternoon tea. Several information stalls manned by competent attendants complemented the main conference. The ASCCA conference team, led by the dynamic Nan Bosler did a splendid job. Do seriously consider attending next year folks.

GENERAL MEETING NOVEMBER MINUTES There were 23 present and a reminder to check out the website. There are some really good tips but you need to send to Colin if you wish to get in there and he will help you get a password. http://forestcomputerpals.org.au/ - note the “.org” in the address for our club website . We still have a healthy bank balance of $19578 according to Joe and we are getting some new computers for the clubroom and a tablet or two.

Colin’s report with all his interesting suggestions will be on the website and reporting the latest scams that are being sent to people.

Matina Psaltis from Waste and Recycling, Warringah council, gave us an excellent talk on how much we could be further recycling with all bottles and tins and clean paper and cardboard recycled. Remember when we had to look at the PET number on the bottom of bottles. This has been replaced now by collecting all bottles preferably without lids but don’t worry about labels as they have special machines for taking these off. Please don’t try to recycle plastic bags or Styrofoam (polystyrene) and no greasy paper please. She showed us the dangers of plastic bags getting into the waterways and killing of animals.

We can now take 15 items of electrical equipment to Kimbriki for disposal and also Office Works has a bin for collection of old computers.

Matina had some wonderful things for everyone at the end of the meeting after we did a quiz on recycling.

(Thank you Sandra for these minutes)

Page 4

FOREST NEWS

Vol. 17 No. 11, December, 2012

TRAINERS AND COURSES There are about 20 trainers assisting club members at present and their help is greatly appreciated.

Trainers agree that teaching fellow members how to use computers is very rewarding, not only because they are helping others, but particularly because they learn so much more about computing. Perhaps

you would like to become a trainer? The club runs a special course to “train the trainer”.

Please contact any trainer or Darrell Hatch, our Training Coordinator, for more details.

Derek Rowland: On Friday afternoons - Derek covers all aspects of MS Word processing in one-to-one sessions.

COMPUTER MAINTENANCE On Wednesday afternoons, you may bring your troublesome control tower or laptop to the office, when Colin Ward may be able to suggest a solution to your problem, or make an adjustment. Appointments are necessary for this often lengthy procedure.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY John Robinson: attends from 10 am to noon on Wednesdays (hourly sessions) to help you get your camera images into in Photo programs or to run Picasa.

THE COURSE YOU WANT IS NOT ON THE LIST?

If there is a computer topic you’d like us to teach, please tell Colin Ward and he’ll see what can be done to meet your need.

GENEALOGY Anna Karalus will help you get your family tree in shape, among other things. Anna trains on Thursday mornings DISCLAIMER All information supplied in the N/L, or by trainers, is believed to be sound, but we cannot guarantee it. Members must satisfy themselves whether or not to use that information. Similarly, the club cannot accept responsibility for any damage that may occur to members’ equipment while using that equipment on club premises.

IMPORTANT NOTICES Please Record Your Attendance and Departure Times

116, Forestville 2087, or make an EFT payment directly

to Forest Computer Pals for Seniors Bank Account. For further information the Treasurer’s email address is:Most of us remember to sign in on arrival at the club treasurer@forestcompals.org.au office but sometimes some of us depart without recording our time out and our signature. It is important to Members Training/Appointment Calendar record this in the attendance book please.

Members are asked to print their First and Family SUBSCRIPTION REMINDER Names on the appointment schedule so that, if a trainer The Joining fee is $25, with quarterly subscriptions of needs to contact them for any reason, their identity will $25.00, payable in advance for the periods Jan-Mar, Apr be clear.

–Jun, Jul-Sep and Oct-Dec; or an Annual Fee of $70.00, for a 12 months period, commencing at the beginning of any of the quarterly periods mentioned. The address label on mailed newsletters will advise when subs are due.

If you receive your newsletter by email, reminders are emailed just before your subscription expires. When paying, please put your cheque or cash in an envelope with your name and number on it and hand it to a trainer or office assistant to record it in the diary and put it in the cashbox. Alternatively, post it (cheques only) to: The Treasurer, Forest Computer Pals for Seniors, PO Box

Members may book ahead for tuition for one hour session each week. However, if a member wishes to have extra tuition that member may, on the day they wish to attend, phone the club and if there is space available then, and only then, they may book an extra hour.

(This requirement does not apply to Special Group courses as they are not listed on the booking sheets).

Would members who have booked time and cannot keep the appointment please phone as early as possible to allow others to utilise the vacant place.

DARRELL HATCH “We’re pleased to report that after two months of poor health, leading to pneumonia and an operation, Darrell Hatch is now starting on the road to recovery at home. But he will be out of club activity for some time yet.

You can’t keep an old seadog down!”. Good to see you and Margot at the Helpers dinner Darrell!