Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 1
May 2020 PC MONITOR Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter
April Prize List
Our Prize list is of course missing this month due to our inability to have a general meeting at the church.
Hope all are doing well and staying safe in this Covid infection scare!
Please visit the Club Web Page for all the latest links and information http://www.durhampc-usersclub.on.ca/
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
F Y I 2
Next Meeting Linux in the News 7 Make YouTube Work For You Sudoku Puzzles 8 By Anne Delong Linux Clementine 9
President’s Notes 11 NOTE: ZOOM Meeting in May
NOT Faith United Church until further notice Free Wallpaper 11 Thursday, May 14, 2020 7:00PM Special Interest Groups 12
Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 2
FYI - By Dan Delong
Patient Real-time Monitor from Home
A clever Jamaican university student, inspired by the Covid-19 lock- down, has prototyped a set of sensors, along with a display and a WiFi sender, capable of monitoring and transmitting the most essential physical measurements (i.e.; vital signs) to doctors and family. [So far, this device looks a lot like a Raspberry Pi, or Arduino, bread-boarded set-up.] Javier Bryan, the developer, hopes to miniaturize his medical device such that it becomes a compact arm band… both small and cheap. Jamaican doctors are few and far between, so cutting down travel time (for both patients and doctors) with remote monitoring and diagnostics, is a godsend. [It is also safer for both parties, by allowing for ‘social distancing’.] Javier also mentioned how difficult it has been for him to purchase parts in Jamaica, a country not well served by supply chains for electronics.
http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20200429/uwi-student-develops-healthcare-gadget
Modern Automobile Vulnerabilities
You’d think, by now, car manufacturers would have hardened their systems to prevent all attempts at modern exploitation. No so, according to a new book aimed at professionals who deal in such matters. [However, as a non-professional, and an owner of older vehicles, I will not be investing in “Hacking Connected Cars”.] Alissa Knight, the author, describes how to protect against such hacking, while still allowing the car to connect safely. “Areas the book covers include: penetration testing of infotainment systems and telematics control units, analysing risk levels surrounding various vulnerabilities (affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability) and a look at the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by hackers.”
https://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/gadget-master/general/gadget- book-hacking-connected-cars-tactics-techniques-procedures-2020-04/
Amazon Smart Oven
If you combined an oven, a micro-wave, and Alexa into a capacious, heavy, appliance, you should own the ‘best-of-the-best’ in home cooking. The reviewer of this article found his experience, with the ‘Amazon smart oven’, to be less than satisfactory. He talked to (pleaded with) Alexa, explaining his needs for baking, re-heating, and asking for recipe suggestions… to no avail. Even attempts to us his phone to scan the package’s UPC (so that Alexa could identify and decide on the best cooking method) did not work properly (without obtaining special products made by Amazon). Ignoring Alexa, and operating the oven’s buttons manually, required a lot of menu jumping… again, unsatisfactory. The Internet of Things still has a ways to go. https://www.wired.com/review/amazon-smart-oven/
Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 3 Windows 10 May 2020 Update
(The two left side screens show older Start screens, while the two right-most show May 2020 updates.) Those who have registered for Windows insider releases may have already seen some of the changes coming to Windows 10. Among them, Cortana will be less pushy, as it will be a separate feature, for spoken queries only. The Start menu icons will be revised, by spacing them out vertically. Tiles may lack embedded titles after this update. Should your smallish SSD be over filled with built-in Windows apps, many apps that could not be uninstalled in the past, will now be un-installable. And, should you wish to try out some new software, safely; this new update will allow such testing, in a Sandbox... essentially a separate desktop. The reason for occasional computer sluggishness might be due to periodic indexing, which can be heavy on CPU resources, and on disk usage. If your computer seems a little faster after the May 2020 update, it may be due to better timing of any major indexing activity; - that is, not when you desperately need to use your computer at its best performance. You can also delay updates. https://www.techradar.com/news/windows-10-may-2020-update-could-make-your-pc-faster-thanks-to-a-clever-new- trick
Telegram – a Zoom alternative
Figure 1 Whereby runs entirely in a browser... no downloads or installs.
By the time you read this, the Telegram messaging service will have added video conferencing to its list of features, similar to Zoom. One can only assume price competition as well. After watching a Steve Dotto podcast, I also learned about other, little known, Zoom alternatives [those not hosted by Google, Microsoft, Apple, or Facebook]. Whereby offers free video chats for up to four people, and two economical choices to include twelve ($10) and fifty ($60) people. (Telegram pricing is currently unknown.) [I noticed that the Telegram service runs on just about every device with a screen and camera, including my Windows phone.] In addition, the local Toronto Star Newspaper website recently posted a “How to Make Video Calls” article. [And, Google has now made “Meet” free. Also, Zoom’s 5.0 version now has better privacy and security.] https://techviral.net/telegram-to-launch-video-calling-service-to-take-on-zoom/ https://telegram.org/
Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 4 Raspberry Pi 12.3 Megapixel camera
[Now, why did I get rid of all of my film cameras and lenses?] Since this camera mounting board for the Pi comes with a C lens mount and a CS lens mount adapter, many other lenses can be affixed to it. However, the supplier does include a $25 USD lens (6mm CS) or a $50 USD lens (16mm C) with this kit. This is an impressive deal, compatible with Pi computers from 1 Model B to present. The April 2020 edition of “Camera Guide” has a free pdf document related to Pi cameras, including this new camera.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/30/21242454/raspberry-pi-high-quality-camera-announced-specs-price
Raspberry Pi for Video Conferencing
Element 14 is the place to go for Raspberry Pi projects, both for projects still in the works, and for builds with a successful conclusion. Following our April presentation, by Ken, perhaps more club members are now interested in practical uses for Pi computers. It appears that the Linux community has a few alternative video conferencing services to try. This project worked… initially.
https://www.element14.com/community/community/design-challenges/sci-fi-your-pi/blog/2015/04/27/video- conferencing-with-the-raspberry-pi
Are We Living in a Computer Simulation?
Without answering the questions - because our minds might be too tiny to even contemplate how this is done - scientists and philosophers have wondered if our ‘reality’ is one of many virtual ‘lives’, happening in computer simulated ‘worlds’. Could there be minds of such superiority, creating our world inside a computer-like game environment, maybe just for fun, or maybe to learn how an experimental scenario might play out? Hollywood has covered this topic in the plot of the Matrix movie. Let’s hope there is not a ‘bug’ in the programming, else all could come to a crashing end. Oh, well. Just reboot into another parallel universe.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/are-we-living-in-a-computer-simulation
Wyze Cameras
These indoor webcams are less expensive (about $20 USD), and include 1080p, night vision, 2-way audio, and optional, free, 12 second episodic motion clips (accessible for 14 days). Although frame rate is only 15 fps, that should be fine for monitoring rooms. The magnetic mount and articulating base allow for easy placement. Should you wish to view happenings outdoors, pointing out a window should work. The panning camera (on the right) is about $40 USD. Wyze also sells smart plug outlets/bulbs, door locks, and motion sensors. https://wyze.com/wyze-cam.html
Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 5 Jigsaw Planet
If you have lots of Covid-19 time to kill (I do), and you like Jigsaws (I don’t), then this is the site for you. In the search box, I typed, “Oshawa”. These results (above, right) are just eight of the twenty-three hits for “Oshawa”. The Oshawa Museum has been placing some of their historical photos here, to be made into puzzles. The numbers accompanying each thumbnail indicate the number of jigsaw pieces in each set. I started a 60-piece CN vintage railway puzzle, and then realized I was being timed against other players, who had already completed it. There is a certain sense of satisfaction hearing each piece snap into place. Have fun! https://www.jigsawplanet.com
Unscreen
I would find Unscreen amazing if it performed the same function on still images alone. But, it can remove background from videos of any length, allowing you to replace it with “whatever”, I believe. The only hitch; you must upload your clip for Unscreen processing, and you may need to assign a colour group as the background (almost like chroma keying). At the moment, a non-pro version is free. The Pro version does HD and removes the watermark. https://www.unscreen.com/
Lightricks – lots of tricks
Figure 2 Subtle changes in Facetune 2 - automatically
My first look at products from this app maker was the free Pixaloop, for adding amazing motion effects to still images. Facetune Classic and Facetune 2 (screen shots) will glamorize a personal portrait. Owners of iPhones will be pleased with other offering from this group of developers. https://www.lightricks.com/products
Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 6 Ergonomic Arm Rests
The sample model arm rest, illustrated here, should list at $20, or less. The current supply, on Amazon, has been exhausted, likely due to heavy orders during Covid, along with factory shut downs in China. Other, similar products seem to be in short supply as well. The clamp, on this model, will open to accept up to a 5 cm thick table top. My only concern: - many tables and desks are a little too high for achieving a comfortable arm angle, unless the chair is also height adjustable. https://www.amazon.ca/Rotating-Computer-Ergonomic-Adjustable- Attachable/dp/B06ZYMYTW8
Rogers and Apple Donate iPads to Students
Twenty-one thousand iPads, and free connectivity from Rogers, will be given to low income families with kids. Rogers has been providing connectivity in the past to many other low income families, free or at low cost, in Ontario, Newfoundland, and New Brunswick. The Ontario plan currently extends to the end of June, for students taking advantage of “Learn at Home”. That’s one more stressor, taken off the backs of parents. https://mobilesyrup.com/2020/04/17/ontario-government-partners-apple-rogers-21000-ipads-students-low-income- families
Selling off .ORG Top Level Domain
Thank you, Robert T. Bell (Club Member), for keeping an eye on activities in this area. As is common with hedge funds, in many other business areas, big money pots tend to look for easy take-over pickings, to then ‘modernize’ operations and increase profits for the shareholders. The only ethic involved here is the making of money… lots of it. In the pharmaceutical business, such take-overs have increased patented drug prices significantly. In the fast food industry, franchises have been purchase in mass, yet each brand continues, often at lower wages and with higher operating costs for each local franchisee. Something like this has happened already with respect to the newest top level domain names. They were sold off to the highest bidder, followed by an onerous pricing structure meant to recover all amounts invested, well in excess of the purchase price. An attempt to do so with one of the first top level domains has been thwarted… for now. This is a rare win for the public good. https://reviewsignal.com/blog/2019/06/24/the-case-for-regulatory-capture-at-icann/
Robert (Bob) Daub’s Email List
I am one of the lucky folks included on Bob’s email list. He is a long time club member, who has been sending out lots of amusing jokes, cartoons, images, and videos, meant to ease COVID isolation blues. I can’t give you his e-mail directly, but if you ask other members, or PM me, he probably wouldn’t mind adding you. Guess I should ask him first. Here’s an example: - “Today marks at least 5 weeks of isolation. Been running 2.5 miles a day, drinking 2 gallons of water, cut out ALL meat, sugar, dairy and flour. I feel great! Zero alcohol, a healthy vegan diet, gluten free, caffeine free, sugar free and a 30 minute home workout each day.
Cleaned out all the closets and garage and finished half the home projects on our list!!! I have no idea whose post this is, but I am really proud of them so I decided to copy & paste.”
Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 7
Linux in the News by Alex Morrison
From: http://lxer.com/ & http://www.linuxtoday.com/ http://www.linuxinsider.com/ http://www.topix.com/tech/linux https://fossbytes.com/ https://www.techradar.com/
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Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 8 Sudoku May 2020 by Alex Morrison
A Trio of Puzzles again this month – Enjoy
EASY
Sudoku
The game boards on this page were produced using Sudokuki on PCLinuxOS 64 Bit running KDE 5 Plasma.
The objective is to fill in the missing numbers ensuring that every 3 X 3 grid has the numbers 1 through 9 with no repeats and every full column or row has the numbers 1 through 9 again with no repeats.
If you have troubles solving the puzzles send an email to me and I will send you the solution. Have fun! Alex
MEDIUM HARD
IF you don’t Like Sudoku puzzles – try these pages
https://www.boatloadpuzzles.com/playcrossword
http://www.freegames.net/puzzle-games.html
https://www.cryptograms.org/play.php
Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 9 Linux – An Old Favourite by Alex Morrison
Most people use some sort of video or music player on their Linux system. I discovered one old reliable player recently. Here is how I found Clementine.
I have a few computers in the house [desktop PC’s] as well as a couple of newer laptops.
One of the old desktops does not seem robust enough to handle any heavy Linux systems. As a result I thought I would install a lighter version of Linux.
I chose PCLinux TDE [TDE is the Trinity Desktop Environment]. What a nice surprise. Trinity works very well on the low power desktop!
With Trinity I needed to install a music player. Instead of installing VLC I searched the package manager and found Clementine. Clementine evolved from another even older program called Amarok.
When you open Clementine you get a simple windows with a few items listed on the far left panel. The second panel is blank. Click where it says “Click here to add some music.” And point to your music folder.
Scanning your music file might take a few minutes if it is quite large.
Once the music is selected you will see all the music listed in the second pane.
The image below is showing the files added. Right mouse click in the Library view and select show by Album or Artist or a combination of the two choices. There are a few other options available.
Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 10
Next select any song or songs and drop them in the large empty panel and play them from there.
There are many options available and displaying an album cover in the song panel is just one option. I will leave it up to you to find the many options
Our Linux meeting will look at this program again.
Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 11 The President’s Notes by Fred Fernbach
The DPCUC President’s Notes.
Fred Fernbach as the president of DPCUC will try to make every meeting fun, interested, not long. I will try to get presentation with attracted topics to please the members of DPCUC. Feel free to come and see me privately to express any concerns, complaints, anything to fix any issues while you are in the club meeting. I listen and with the DPCUC Executive will try to correct any concerns from the member and improve the club performance. We have to limit the number of free stuffs to keep the Kitchen back room free access for the Hot Water. The free stuffs will have a 2-3- month rotation.
The DPCUC President’s Notes.
Due to Coronavirus also known as COVID-19 Faith United Church is closed until further notice. Our meetings will be held on Zoom until the Church is reopened.
Articles wanted for the Newsletter!
Write an article for the Newsletter and get an extra month free on your membership renewal.
Here is a free wallpaper image I used to fill space this month.
Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club Newsletter Page 12 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS {SIG’s}
Special Interest Groups are Special Interest Groups for members only. Details SIG’s are really free monthly BEGINNER Co-ordinator: Ed Goudge seminars with question and Location: Call for Location Telephone: 905-926-9003 answer sessions following Date: 3rd Thursday of month 7:00 PM the presentation(s)
Members of SIG’s enjoy a LINUX Co-ordinator: Ed Goudge Durham Linux User Group Location: OSCC 43 John St W feeling of community and Telephone: 905-926-9003 share common goals and Date: 1st Thursday of month 7:00 PM
interests. Digital Camera Group Co-ordinator: Ed Goudge Most SIG’s are informal and Location: Call for Location Telephone: 905-926-9003 members who attend them th Date: 4 Thursday of each month at set the agenda for the 7:00PM
meeting based on their own
needs.
New ideas for SIG groups are welcome.
President Fred Fernbach [email protected] 905-410-0053
Vice-President Anne Delong [email protected] 905-623-6975 Secretary Mark Hunter [email protected] 905-419-6605
Treasurer Allan Francis [email protected] 905-576-0481 DPCUC Membership Linda Netten [email protected] 905-623-2787 Librarian Dan Delong [email protected] 905-623-6975 EXECUTIVE Program Director Fred Fernbach [email protected] 905-410-0053
Advertising Director TBA Newsletter Editor Alex Morrison [email protected] 905-579-1560
2019-2020 Director at Large David Swain [email protected] 905-985-5201 Director at Large Bob Bell [email protected] 905 -571-6748 Director at Large Ed Goudge [email protected] 905-926-9003
HOME PAGE --- http://www.durhampc-usersclub.on.ca/
PC Monitor is the official publication of the Durham Personal Computer Users’ Club and is published The deadline for articles and information is 10 days monthly at Oshawa, Ontario. The DPCUC mailing following the monthly meeting. Late submissions may address is not be published due to tight schedules. Submit articles PMB # 110, 27-1300 King St East, Newsletter by email to the editor at [email protected] Oshawa, ON L1H8J4. Articles should be submitted in Word Format using The PC Monitor cannot be responsible for errors or Information Times New Roman as the preferred Font. inaccuracies in the content, although efforts will be made to publish information accurately.