February Meetings 2020
Feb 6, 2020 - 3D printing, Computer Deadlock, Windows Sandbox, How to Prepare your Computer For Sale, Finding Cheap Gas Apps
Siri and Cortana advise against clicking on Unknown Links.
Club Questions
Siri and Cortana advise against clicking on Unknown Links.
Club Questions
What is 3D Printing?
3D printing is a process that builds a three dimensional model, layer by layer out of a quick drying material (usually plastic). It was pioneered in the 80s and has seen steady growth since then to where we now have home 3d printers selling for a few hundred dollars. There seems to be no limit to what 3d printing can print, including even human body parts and organs. For more info on just how 3D printing works, take a look at the video below.
3D printing is a process that builds a three dimensional model, layer by layer out of a quick drying material (usually plastic). It was pioneered in the 80s and has seen steady growth since then to where we now have home 3d printers selling for a few hundred dollars. There seems to be no limit to what 3d printing can print, including even human body parts and organs. For more info on just how 3D printing works, take a look at the video below.
Computer Deadlock
A deadlock is a situation in which two computer programs sharing the same resource are effectively preventing each other from accessing the resource, resulting in both programs ceasing to function. The earliest computer operating systems ran only one program at a time. Most current operating systems cannot prevent deadlocks. In a communications system, deadlocks occur mainly due to lost or corrupt signals rather than resource contention.
A deadlock is a situation in which two computer programs sharing the same resource are effectively preventing each other from accessing the resource, resulting in both programs ceasing to function. The earliest computer operating systems ran only one program at a time. Most current operating systems cannot prevent deadlocks. In a communications system, deadlocks occur mainly due to lost or corrupt signals rather than resource contention.
Windows Sandbox
Windows Sandbox is a safe place to play with apps, files and programs you're not too sure about. You can download any file to Sandbox and then test it out, if it works well in Sandbox, it will most likely be okay on your regular computer. Below are a couple of short videos that show you how to enable Sandbox on your Windows 10 computer and also some tips on using Sandbox. NOTE: Sandbox is only available for Windows 10 Pro and above.
Windows Sandbox is a safe place to play with apps, files and programs you're not too sure about. You can download any file to Sandbox and then test it out, if it works well in Sandbox, it will most likely be okay on your regular computer. Below are a couple of short videos that show you how to enable Sandbox on your Windows 10 computer and also some tips on using Sandbox. NOTE: Sandbox is only available for Windows 10 Pro and above.
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How to Sell Your Old Windows Computer
When the day comes that it's time to let your computer go, be that by sale, donation or recycling, there are some easy steps you can take to prepare your computer for its new owner without having to worry about forgetting any of your old info on the hard drive. The below video goes over all the steps necessary in readying your computer for its new life.
When the day comes that it's time to let your computer go, be that by sale, donation or recycling, there are some easy steps you can take to prepare your computer for its new owner without having to worry about forgetting any of your old info on the hard drive. The below video goes over all the steps necessary in readying your computer for its new life.
Finding Cheap Gas
For those of you on the hunt for good gas prices, or diesel prices, there are several apps that can do that for you. Most are free, ad supported, third party apps that usually have paid versions with more features. For basic fuel finding, take a look at these options for Android and iPhone. The top nine gas finding apps are gone over in detail in this article.
For those of you on the hunt for good gas prices, or diesel prices, there are several apps that can do that for you. Most are free, ad supported, third party apps that usually have paid versions with more features. For basic fuel finding, take a look at these options for Android and iPhone. The top nine gas finding apps are gone over in detail in this article.
Feb 13, 2020 - How to Clean Out Bloatware on Windows 10 StartMenu, How to Measure Almost Anything with your Phone, How to Opt out of G0ogle Watching You,
Valentine's Day Fact: Cupid Never clicks on Unknown Links
Club Questions
Valentine's Day Fact: Cupid Never clicks on Unknown Links
Club Questions
Cleaning up Your Windows 10 Start Menu
Every manufacturer of Windows computers adds something different to the Start Menu, but maybe you don't like what they added? There are a few simple steps you can take to clean up your Windows Start Menu and customize it to fit your needs. Take a look at this article on all the various things you can tweak on the Start Menu to clean up the bloatware.
Every manufacturer of Windows computers adds something different to the Start Menu, but maybe you don't like what they added? There are a few simple steps you can take to clean up your Windows Start Menu and customize it to fit your needs. Take a look at this article on all the various things you can tweak on the Start Menu to clean up the bloatware.
Measure Almost Anything with your Phone
Smart phones have replaced many things in our lives, and you might not think that they could replace a tape measure as well, but you'd be wrong, at least a little bit. With a third party app, most modern smart phones can do a variety of measuring tasks that you might not ordinarily think of. Take a look at this article that goes over some of the wonderful ways you can measure stuff with your phone.
Smart phones have replaced many things in our lives, and you might not think that they could replace a tape measure as well, but you'd be wrong, at least a little bit. With a third party app, most modern smart phones can do a variety of measuring tasks that you might not ordinarily think of. Take a look at this article that goes over some of the wonderful ways you can measure stuff with your phone.
Google Knows What You Lo0k Like
Here's how to Opt out
Google is always watching us it seems, and with the advance of face ID technology, it's gotten even worse. Never fear, there are ways to opt out of Google's gaze, take a look at this article from CNET that goes over a bunch of different ways Google is watching you and what you can do about it.
Here's how to Opt out
Google is always watching us it seems, and with the advance of face ID technology, it's gotten even worse. Never fear, there are ways to opt out of Google's gaze, take a look at this article from CNET that goes over a bunch of different ways Google is watching you and what you can do about it.
Feb 20, 2020 - Semaphore (c0mputer terms), Phone Keypad Tricks, Tubi TV,
"Unknown Links are pure Evil." - Cruella DeVille
Club Questions
"Unknown Links are pure Evil." - Cruella DeVille
Club Questions
Semaphore
In computer science, a semaphore is a variable or abstract data type used to control access to a common resource by multiple processes in a concurrent system such as a multitasking operating system. A semaphore is simply a variable. This variable is used to solve critical section problems and to achieve process synchronization in the multi processing environment. A trivial semaphore is a plain variable that is changed (for example, incremented or decremented, or toggled) depending on programmer-defined conditions. - Wikipedia
In computer science, a semaphore is a variable or abstract data type used to control access to a common resource by multiple processes in a concurrent system such as a multitasking operating system. A semaphore is simply a variable. This variable is used to solve critical section problems and to achieve process synchronization in the multi processing environment. A trivial semaphore is a plain variable that is changed (for example, incremented or decremented, or toggled) depending on programmer-defined conditions. - Wikipedia
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Amazing Phone Functions
In the old days, you could pick up your push-button phone, punch in *69 and call back the last person who called you. With smart phones, the quick codes have become even more helpful. This video goes over the most common keypad tricks you can use for both Android and iPhone, but for those of you who want to dig a little deeper into the world of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)—sometimes known as "quick codes" or "feature codes" then take a look at this PC Mag article. |
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What is Tubi TV?
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Tubi is an American streaming service based in San Francisco, California that launched in 2014. It is a free, ad-supported service, with advertisements shown during unskippable commercial breaks during programming. Tubi offers lots of free content online as well as from their free app (available for Android and iPhone). The video goes over the service in greater detail.
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Feb 28, 2020 - Location Tracking, I Bricked my Device!, What is Dark Mode?
I don't click on unknown links even on February 29 - anonymous
Club Questions
I don't click on unknown links even on February 29 - anonymous
Club Questions
Location Tracking
Our modern smart devices can do everything, include track our every move. If you're interested in knowing more about how our devices track us, and how we can tailor that tracking to our desires, take a look at this article from Gizmodo, it goes over how to tweak your location tracking on Android and iPhone to make the most of your device's location abilities without giving away too much of your privacy along the way.
Our modern smart devices can do everything, include track our every move. If you're interested in knowing more about how our devices track us, and how we can tailor that tracking to our desires, take a look at this article from Gizmodo, it goes over how to tweak your location tracking on Android and iPhone to make the most of your device's location abilities without giving away too much of your privacy along the way.
Bricking
Bricking refers to a consumer electronic device that has been damaged beyond repair, making it utterly unusable, often because of damaged firmware. The use of the term stems from the brick-like shape of many consumer gadgets, and the fact that once they are rendered inoperative, they are virtually useless except as a paperweight or a doorstop. Strictly speaking, a device is bricked when it completely loses its functionality. However, the term is being used with more flexibility these days, and in some cases, bricked electronics are still recoverable with some hardware replacement or additional software.
Bricking refers to a consumer electronic device that has been damaged beyond repair, making it utterly unusable, often because of damaged firmware. The use of the term stems from the brick-like shape of many consumer gadgets, and the fact that once they are rendered inoperative, they are virtually useless except as a paperweight or a doorstop. Strictly speaking, a device is bricked when it completely loses its functionality. However, the term is being used with more flexibility these days, and in some cases, bricked electronics are still recoverable with some hardware replacement or additional software.
How to Enable Dark Mode
Within the last couple of years, "dark mode" has become very popular on many devices. Basically, dark mode is just a reverse of what your device usually shows you. Instead of black type on a white page, it will be white type on a black page. Some of the advantages of dark mode are less eyestrain when using the device and also longer battery life. Take a look at Wired Magazine's tips on how to enable dark mode on just about any device you own.
Within the last couple of years, "dark mode" has become very popular on many devices. Basically, dark mode is just a reverse of what your device usually shows you. Instead of black type on a white page, it will be white type on a black page. Some of the advantages of dark mode are less eyestrain when using the device and also longer battery life. Take a look at Wired Magazine's tips on how to enable dark mode on just about any device you own.
