2009 Tutorial Topics

[jimnoble]

It's that time of year again. We have an AGM coming up on 3rd Feb and we could do with a list of tutorial subjects.

Please share your ideas on what you'd like to hear about.

Even better, share your ideas on what you'd like to lecture about .

Here are my starter ideas.

• Back to basics - we haven't done that for over a year.
• Setting up a simple home Windows network to share internet access, files and printers.
• Painless document formatting in MS Word
• Informal laptop night. Bring your machine along and we'll wirelessly connect it to the internet and maybe resolve any problems.
• A close look at Gmail and the capabilities of this webmail system.
• How to use Picasa - the free photo processing software and its internet archiving capability.
• All about security. Firewalls, anti malware and passwords.
• How to use search engines and directories productively, using Google and DMOZ as examples
• A visit to the dark side. Looking at the Ubuntu Linux alternative to Windows and it's application software.

[Pat Beard]

Suggested topics :

Buying and selling on E Bay

Scanning and printing

My Music -methods of playing, managing files and  including downloading


Pat Beard

[deangsmith]

Some ideas:

Backup (again)

Choosing a PC; desktop or laptop, criteria to look out for

Windows 7 update (later in the year, assuming I've got a beta copy by then)

Internet Explorer 8 vs IE7 vs Firefox vs Chrome (once IE8 is out of beta)

Updating hardware drivers - why and how

PC peripherals - keyboards, mice, printers, AIOs, scanners etc

Email clients, OE, Outlook, Windows mail, Thunderbird etc. - which to choose, and basic lesson

I'm sure more will come to mind,
Dean

[Brian Thompson]

I would add to your list and Dean's:

Video editing and saving in different formats - and programs to use.

I could do a session on Quicken Home finance to supplement those talks last year on MS Money etc - if anyone is interested.

[deangsmith]

I don't think Quicken is sold in the UK any more, and now that Microsoft are not updating Money for the UK market it leaves one wondering if there is a market to fill.

I'm sure some will offer up Gnucash as a free replacement but it's far too complicated for a home finance package and useless for monitoring investments. Which? recommended Moneydance in a recent test so let's hope someone in the club gives it a go!

Microsoft's Accounting Express is free but geared to small businesses and has no investment management side. It's a sight better than Gnucash, though (IMHO of course) .

[jimnoble]

I don't think Quicken is sold in the UK any more

It hasn't been for years but I'm still happily running Quicken 98 .

Quicken for Windows 2007 can be obtained elsewhere, of course, and it can be persuaded to work in Sterling. It won't handle UK VAT though, if you need that facility, and it probably won't handle online updates of UK share prices.

[Pat Beard]

Could I please make a suggestion for future topics ? 

Bearing in mind the number of new members who attended the last meeting, many of whom were complete beginners, could we perhaps cater for them and perhaps every month have one technical topic for the veteran experienced computer whizz kids, and the other more simplified, not too technical for the newcomers.   (I am not suggesting elementary get started basics, which they can go to classes) . 

Is this feasible ?

Pat

[jimnoble]

Is this feasible ?

Absolutely .

[Lesley Cutting]

Just thought I'd add my halfpenny's worth! I think Pat's idea is a good one. There must be many out there who would like to come along to the club to pick up tips, etc. and who would welcome presentations that are not too techie. Splitting the talks up this way would let everyone know what to expect and cater for all abilities.

Lesley

[Barbara Hunt]

If there is enough interest in the use of Excel spreadsheets perhaps some demonstration of both simple and advanced functions would be of use?

[deangsmith]

I agree wholeheartedly with the suggestion from Pat. At the last meeting Jim and I discussed the possibility that because it is we that do much of the presenting, we may fall into the trap of choosing our own favourite subjects rather than doing what's helpful 

The way to change the presentation content is for everyone to say what they really want to see (and not be concerned that it may be a little basic). In recent years many of the subjects chosen have come from Jim, Stuart or I. I would happily take a back seat in making the choices, but more folk will need to join in the suggesting process.

C'mon everybody

[jimnoble]

Here are some of salient questions.

• What do members already do with their computers that they'd like to do better?
  
  
• What would members like to achieve with their computers but don't know how to do so?

[Pat Beard]

I would like to sort out emails.  Having several addresses, I would like tham all to be transferred to my gmail address where I can archive them regardles of which email address they were sent or received from.

 

Pat

[MikeElliott]

I can't think of any new topics in addition to those already posted but to expand a bit on a couple of the suggestions...

Dean suggests, among others, "Choosing a PC; desktop or laptop, criteria to look out for".  This would seem to be a very useful topic to most members and given how quickly things change maybe could become a regular feature - perhaps twice a year?

There were two or three mentions of home finance programmes (Money, Quicken etc) and their ability/inability to monitor investments (eg equity prices/performance). Is there any interest in a session on investment software, does anybody know anything about such software?

Mike

[Pat Beard]

Can we please have another session with Lesley Cutting on any subject regarding improving our photographs ?

Pat