Meeting - December 13th, 2007

Eat Pizza, drink beer, and talk about the future of the Alaska Computer Society.

Main Topic: The Future of the ACS PCUG - Brainstorming Part II

• Discussion of changing the format: Great idea, but to what???
• Broaden our meetings by offering other technology besides computers.
• Offer projects i.e. rebuild, install, modify, etc.
• Question of liabilities with these kinds of programs.
• Asked for new volunteers to serve on the board. Responses none.
• Discussion of dissolution of the group. No decision at this time.
  

Meeting - October 11th, 2007

Open Forum - YOU! can help decide the future of the ACS PCUG.

Main Topic: The Future of the ACS PCUG - Presented by Robert Sprowl.

Meeting - May 10th, 2007

X10 Technology - Automating your world

Main Topic: X10 Technology - Automating your world - Presented by Lyle Austin

Meeting - April 12th, 2007

Open Forum - YOU! can help decide the future of the ACS PCUG.

Main Topic: The Future of the ACS PCUG - Presented by Robert Sprowl.

Meeting - March , 2007



Beginner:
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Meeting - February 8th, 2007

Podcasting Up Close.

Beginner: Introduction to podcasting with a demo on how to get started by subscribing to a podcast - Presented by Dawn Scott

Main Topic: Continuing the podcasting introduction by learning how to produce your own quality podcast program - Presented by Bruce Hinson, Systems Engineer with Apple.

Meeting - January 11th, 2007

Battle of the Internet Browsers!

Beginner: Internet safety: Safe surfing for the masses - Presented by Lyle Austin

Main Topic: Browser Wars: Battle of the BIG Three!
Microsoft's Internet Explorer v7; A safer version of an old friend - Mark Gervickas
Mozilla Fire Fox v2; The Giant killer, A lean and mean surfing machine - Fielder Dowding
Opera v9.1; Don't let the pretty name fool you, this browser is a Sports car at heart - Robert Sprowl

Meeting - December 14th, 2006

Build your own PERSONAL Computer!

Beginner: Introduction to PC hardware components. Presented by Robert Sprowl

Main Topic: Building a Personal Computer; How to build your own PC, from start to finish including component selection and pricing. Presented by Robert Sprowl

Meeting - November 9, 2006

An Overview of Microsoft Office 2007; Coming soon to PC near you!

Beginner: What is XML and Why Do I Care?, presented by Mark Gervickas

Main Topic: An Overview of Microsoft Office 2007 and a demonstration of how XML has been integrated into Microsoft's next generation Office applications.- Presented by Dawn Scott.

Meeting - October 12th, 2006

No Cost - Low Cost Productivity Applications & Utilities

Beginner: Introduction to PC applications and utilities; Robert Sprowl

Main Topic: Low cost and no cost applications and Utilities that will make your PC experience more productive; Presented by the ACS PCUG Board members.

Meeting - September 14, 2006



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Main Topic:

Meeting - August 10th, 2006

Open Source Graphics Applications

Beginner: Cancelled

Main Topic: Scribus and Inkscape graphics design application presentation. Damien Hull will demonstrate open source graphics applications by designing a logo for the new ACS PCUG coffee mug right before our very eyes.

Meeting - July 13, 2006

Internet Applications: Online Surveys

Beginner: Due to a last minute change in this months presentations, Mark Gervickas will host an open forum/question-answer/cool websites session for the first part of the meeting.

Main Topic: Online Surveys, presented by Dawn Scott, ACS-PCUG Community Services Chair. Learn how to plan, present, and analyze online surveys. Such survey tools can be used for many purposes, from elections of boards or voting on a single issue (yes or no on increasing dues, for instance) to multiple-question evaluations, customer surveys, and more.  A demonstration of SurveyMonkey, a free service for basic surveying and analysis, will be presented. A list of online materials to help you plan good surveys will be provided.

Meeting - June 15, 2006

Scan One, Scan All... An Introduction to PC based document scanning!

Beginner: Scanning 101, presented by Howard Bonar, ACS-PCUG Secretary. Howard will explain the fundamentals of scanners, terminology, and the different types of scanners that are available.

Main Topic: Intermediate Document Scanning Techniques, presented by Howard Bonar, ACS-PCUG Secretary.

Meeting - May 18, 2006

PC Operating System Comparison

Beginner: O/S Basics presented by Lyle Austin, ACS-PCUG Treasurer.

Teaser: A quick and dirty look at Microsofts up and coming new O/S "VISTA", presented by Mark Gervickas.

Main Topic, part 1: Linux: World class OS for not a lot of $$$ - presented by Fielder Dowding, ACS-PCUG Newsletter Editor and member of the Alaska Linux Users Group.

Main Topic, part 2: Apple Mac OS X: Built to please the eye - presented by Gary Miller, President of the Alaskan Apple Users Group.

Meeting - April 13, 2006

Back it up and throw it out!

Beginner:

Main Topic: To continue with the Electronics recycling theme, the ACS-PCUG April meeting presentations will discuss data file backup techniques/technologies issues and Hard Drive transfer/removal issues. This will prepare you to backup all of you data files before you recycle your old PC systems at the Green Star event at the end of April.

Meeting - March 9, 2006

Do the World a Favor and Recycle that Old PC!

Beginner: cancelled

Main Topic: Larry Zirkle of Total Reclaim will discuss the new year-round electronics recycling program in Anchorage as well as how to prepare for the upcoming electronics recycling event in April, and will screen a video discussing the importance of proper disposal of electronic materials.

Meeting - February 2, 2006

Files, Files, Files...

Beginner: Robert Sprowl will give a guided tour of Microsoft Windows XP files and file systems.

Main Topic: Robert Sprowl delves deeper into the intricate world of Microsoft Windows XP files and file systems.

Meeting - January 12, 2006

An Examination of Internet Connections.

Beginner: Lyle Austin will discuss the Pro and Cons of Dial-up, ISDN, DSL, and Cable Modem Connections. Here is a PDF copy of Lyle's presentation.

Main Topic: Hope Frazier-Reeve from Clearwire will discuss the Clearwire Wireless Broadband Connection.

Meeting - December 8, 2005

Canceled

Meeting - November 10, 2005

Using Mail Merge to help lessen the burden of sending out all of your Holiday Greeting cards.

Beginner: Database/Spreadsheet fundamentals, presented by Lyle Austin. Learn how to create a simple address book database/spreadsheet that can be imported into the Mail Merge function.

Main Topic: Mail Merge tutorial, presented by Lyle Austin. Lyle will demonstrate how to import a simple address book into Mail Merge and then show how to use the Mail Merge features of Microsoft Office, Microsoft Works and the Open Office package.

Meeting - Saturday, October 15, 2005

Computing Technologies used in Aviation

Our Program Director, Robert Sprowl, has made arrangements with UAA's Simulation Center Manager,Marcus Holmquist, to let our group have a tour of the UAA Aviation programs facilties - with the emphasis skewed toward the computing technologies used in their programs.

Marcus will be leading the tours and we think that everyone will find the technologies being used by UAA, in their aviation programs, to be very impressive.

Meeting - September 8, 2005

Favorite Websites

Beginner: It will feature top web sites for learning how to use the Internet and your computer, and a basic tutorial on how to type in and use web address in your web browser. Time allowing, beginner's session will include a question and answer session until the regular meeting convenes at 7:00.

Main Topic: Will feature an Internet journey to the favorite web sites submitted by ACS members and friends.

Here are the links to the favorite websites that were covered at this meeting.

Meeting - August 11, 2005

Do-It-Yourself Web Design

Beginner: Intro to web page elements and technologies - or how does my web browser do all that stuff? - by Mark Gervickas

Main Topic: Do-it-yourself web site design - how to create your own personal web site. - by Mark Gervickas

Meeting - July 14, 2005

Putting Together a Home Network

Beginner: Lyle Austin discussed basic network terminology and 'what all those parts do'.

Main Topic: Local techmeister Damien Hull demonstrated the finer points of constructing a home network.

Meeting - June 9, 2005

Various Computing Topics

Anchorage Seniors PC Learning Resources - Howard Bonar

A Brief History of Computing - Mark Gervickas

Meeting - May 12, 2005

Skype and Knoppix

Local Linux enthusiast Damien Hull previewed Skype, a free internet telephony application used for calling other people on their computers or phones. The call is free if the person being called also has Skype. It works with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and PDA's using Pocket PC.

Local Linux evangelist and ACS-PCUG member Fielder Dowding presented Knoppix, a free, self-contained, bootable, fully functional, CD-ROM based flavor of Linux. Knoppix can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for commercial software product demos. Download a copy or pick one up at the meeting.

Meeting - April 10, 2005

OpenOffice

Local computer expert, Joel Graebe, demonstrated the OpenOffice 2.0 beta, a freeware alternative to Microsoft Office. The demonstration included importing MS Office formatted documents, exporting MS Office formatted documents, simple formatting, and printing to PDF. Several 25 CD-ROMs of the free software were given to meeting attendees. Joel is the Director of Computer and Language Training with the Older Persons Action Group. Thanks Joel!

Meeting - March 10, 2005

Firefox Web Browser

Local Linux enthusiast Damien Hull gave a great demonstration installing and using the much touted Firefox, Mozilla's free open source internet web browser, and alternative to Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

Damien has been a member of the Alaska Linux Users Group (AKLUG) for several years and runs a consulting business called Digital Overload which specializes in custom Linux installations for small businesses. One of his recent efforts was setting up a thin client (client/server) computer laboratory for an after school program.

Damien brought CD's to give away containing a number of free and open source software packages including Firefox.

Meeting - February 17, 2005

AutoCAD and 3D

Jack Foster of 3D Design Services, LLC, displayed some of his innovative AutoCAD, AutoCAD Mechanical, and Autodesk Inventor Pro computer-aided design projects for Alaskan needs. Working in a 3D real life-size environment, Jack displayed a project with a transportation company used to evaluate clearances and elevations for industrial loads (such as missiles), and shared an animation of a drill rig from the perspective of a 360 degree helicopter fly-around.

Jack is a long-time Alaskan and user group member, and brings enthusiasm and on-the-ground experience and understanding of Alaska's challenges to his highly skilled computer work environment.

Meeting - January 13, 2005

Digital Imaging with Paint Shop Pro

Learn how to use a very affordable package to produce quality digital images! Local presenter Neil Moomey is a professional web developer and nature photographer. He introduced us to Paint Shop Pro, an image editing program with most of the features of Adobe PhotoShop, but at a lower price. He showed us how to use this software to produce better digital images from digital cameras or scanned prints. Basic operations such as cropping, resizing, adjusting contrast, brightness, saturation etc were also covered as well as an introduction to more advanced techniques such as using curves, layers, histogram, selection techniques, blending, creating composite images, and more. Thanks Neil !!