APCUG 2017 Spring Virtual Technology Conference (VTC24)
May 6, 2017
Click on the Session Titles below for presentation descriptions, bios, and links to the PDF presentations.
Spring VTC KUDOS
Photo Editing with The GIMP – I watched the entire presentation on how to use Gimp. I have used other programs to edit my photos, but I was curious about Gimp because my friends use it. I learned a lot about editing that I didn’t know before seeing this presentation.
He started with a very simple layout, What’s your target?, How to pick your selection tool, and What exactly are your trying to do? From this lesson, I discovered which tool is best based on the problem at hand. And layering to fix a bad picture I completely forgot how to do. One super helpful demonstration was how to sharpen a blurry photo such as a shot of a bird in flight. That alone was worth watching. I will use this trick. Thanks to Dennis for taking the time to put this presentation together and for all the helpful links on how to use Gimp! Jane Quinn – President, Computer User’s Group of Redding
Spring VTC – Always a wonderful experience. I watched all of track two. Joe Durham, co-editor QBITS newsletter, Quad Cities Computer Society www.qcs.org
From John Moloney, President, Omaha Tech Connect – Cryptovirus – A Relatively New Genre of Virus. Very well done. Presentation moved at a pace better than a number of YouTube VTC’s. In fact, I was committed to listening to the whole presentation, because of its energy level. Quite informative and up-to-date. Would recommend this presentation to others..
Alternative to Closing a Computer Club – Another decent presentation and better to have been watched “live” than in a canned PowerPoint. The interaction between the presenter and moderator, their voice incantations, and verbal comments embellished the whole thing. Will watch the progress of this topic to see how it all turns out. Kind of a sad statement on computer clubs, as such.
Lloyd Lindsay, Durham PC Users Club – The topics and sessions were excellent. I wanted to watch all 6 presentations, but had to settle for only 3 because each hour had two concurrent ones. So I’m looking forward to viewing the videos of the three that I missed.
The webinar on Crypto Viruses – Toby Scott was excellent and very informative. And this past weekend, countries around the world were hit with the crypto viruses that Toby described. Toby must have been psychic to have discussed the topic just before they started proliferating around the world.
VTC Track: 1
[wc_accordion collapse=”1″ leaveopen=”0″ layout=”box”] [wc_accordion_section title=”Picking the Best Backup Approach (Acronis New Generation)Presenter: Gene Barlow, User Group Relations
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Backing up your hard drive on a regular basis is the most important process that all end-users must do on a regular basis to protect their computer from a crash or virus attack. Anti-virus utilities are not always completely reliable for this protection. Only a good backup can protect you 100% from a total loss of your computer system. Unfortunately, there are many different backup approaches that are promoted as being all you need to do. Most of these approaches provide only a partial protection of your system. However, there is one backup approach that is the best and the one you should be using.
This presentation will describe the four most popular backup approaches used today and tell you the strengths and weakness of each approach. After attending this presentation, you will be able to determine what is the best backup approach you should be using. We will then describe this approach in detail, so that you understand the best way to use this best backup approach. We represent Acronis and their True Image backup utility to the user group community. This product will provide you all of the popular backup approaches, but their incremental backup image approach is the best way to go. Again, how to setup and use this best approach will be covered in this presentation.
Picking_Best_Backup_Approach_GeneBarlow_VTC_5-6-2017
[/wc_accordion_section]VTC Track: 2
[wc_accordion_section title=”Photo Editing with the GIMPPresenter: Dennis Rex, Member, Southern California Linux Expo
“]
Like taking digital photos? Looking for a cost-effective way to restore, enhance or fix images? The GNU Image Manipulation Program might be an option. Cross-platform and Open Source, this powerful application contains features that both beginners and advanced users will appreciate.
SoCal Linux Expo’s Dennis Rex will offer tips on using the GIMP to tame your most stubborn image challenges. Topics include file conversion, RAW editing, filters and plug-ins as well as basic photo manipulation. All are welcome, whether looking for a new tool or hoping to compare notes with others.
[/wc_accordion_section] [/wc_accordion]2:00 pm – 2:50 pm Eastern | 1:00 pm – 1:50 pm Central
12:00 noon – 12:50 pm Mountain | 11:00 am – 11:50 am Pacific
VTC Track: 1
[wc_accordion collapse=”1″ leaveopen=”0″ layout=”box”] [wc_accordion_section title=”Home AutomationPresenter: Bill James, APCUG Advisor, Region 8; Vice President, Computer Club of Oklahoma City
“] This presentation will show how Home Automation technology allows us to control your connected devices and appliances from a central hub using our Smartphone or Tablet. The presentation will explain how we can setup a system using widely available Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung Smarthings Hubs.
Presenter Bio
Home_Automation_BillJames_VTC_5-6-2017
[/wc_accordion_section]VTC Track: 2
[wc_accordion_section title=”Crypto VirusesPresenter: Toby Scott, Tech Guru, Channel Islands PCUG
“]
Crypto-viruses, usually categorized as Ransomware, are proliferating across the Internet at a rapid rate. If hackers can find an insecure computer or trick you into opening an attachment, they will crypto-lock all your data files they can find, including docs, pictures, financial, database and, yes, all your backup files they can reach. This means that many of the tried-and-true backup strategies don’t work. Toby will show you what encrypted files look like, what messages you get when they are finished encrypting everything, what data is vulnerable and how to protect yourself.
Cyyptovirus_TobyScott_VTC_5-6-2017
[/wc_accordion_section] [/wc_accordion]3:00 pm – 3:50 pm Eastern | 2:00 pm – 2:50 pm Central
1:00 pm – 1:50 pm Mountain | 12 noon – 12:50 pm Pacific
VTC Track: 1
[wc_accordion collapse=”1″ leaveopen=”0″ layout=”box”] [wc_accordion_section title=”Tune Up Your Windows PCPresenter: Jere Minich, APCUG Advisor, Region 5; Program Chair, Lake-Sumter Computer Society
“] Clean off the junk files & improve your Windows PC performance. How to perform maintenance tasks, updating apps and security tools, disable program that slow down your operating system.
Tune_Up_Windows_PC JereMinich_VTC_5-6-2017)
[/wc_accordion_section]VTC Track: 2
[wc_accordion_section title=”Alternative to Closing a Computer ClubPresenter: Ray Baxter, APCUG Treasurer, Payson Area Computer Society
“]
Is your club facing the prospect of closing down? Do you have members that, for a variety of reasons, are not willing to participate in any of the club activities other than attending and letting someone else do all the work? Is this burning out your existing club officers?
Consider changing your club structure to one where there are no officers, no assigned duties, no dues to collect. Instead, members agree on a meeting time and place and just show up. Ray Baxter, President of the Payson Area Computer Association in Arizona, will explain how, in a small community, this would work and the benefits of what today are being called Meet-Ups.
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