PATACS Posts Newsletterofthe PotomacAreaTechnology and ComputerSociety November 201 6 www.patacs.org Page 1 Musings of an Apple Tyro Seagate 10 TB Hard Drive by Lorrin R. Garson If you need a large and fast hard disk drive, Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society Seagate’s Barracuda Pro 10 TB might fit the bill. newslettercolumnist (at) patacs.org PCWorld reports that this 3.5-inch, 7,200 rpm drive is miserly on power consumption and reads More Information about Time Machine and writes data at 243 MBps and 229 MBps, Time Machine is used for backup by many respectively. The drive is priced at $579.98. (most?) people using Apple computers. However, See http://bit.ly/2ctR6Il for more information. that application provides rather sparse information about what’s going on. Want more People Holding on to iPhones Longer information? Open the Console, which is in Last year people traded in their iPhones every either the Applications or Utilities folder, two years. By 2018 that’s expected to increase to depending on the version of OS X. The right three years. The chart in Figure 2 is from three columns will display processes that have http://read.bi/2cAJpNY. been run. The Time Machine process is called “backupd.” Key backupd (no quotes) in the Apple’s New File System search box of Console, then start up Time Next year, or perhaps sooner, we can expect a Machine, noting the time in the Menu bar so you new proprietary file system for Apple computers. can view the processes for that specific instance It’s called APFS (Apple File System) and will of backupd. replace the current HFS+ file system. HFS+ was In Figure 1 (next page) are shown the processes introduced by Apple in January 1998 as a associated with Time Machine for a specific replacement for HFS (Hierarchical File System), manual backup starting at 1:57:27 pm. It takes which came along in September 1985. APFS will some experience to comprehend the displayed be used by macOS, tvOS, iOS and watchOS. It is information. However, with experience you will designed for SSD and flash storage. It is crash- gain the ability to know when something is amiss protected and HFS+/HFS compatible. Apple will even if you don’t understand all information provide an in-place HFS+ to APFS converter so provided—and that is valuable. that HFS+ devices will not have to be reformatted. OS X Yosemite and earlier versions (Continued on page 3) Musings of an Apple Tyro: Snoop-proofing, MacKeeper.......................1 Upcoming Meetings.....................................................................................3 September Fairfax Meeting Recap: Social Media....................................4 Open Source Software: Blobwars, Typing Tutor, Sweet Home 3D....... 8 Lessons in Rental Car Privacy...................................................................11 Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Explained...................................11 PATACS Opportunities...............................................................................13 APCUG Resources: November 5th VTC................................................... 13 JCA Training & Micro Center Clinics.......................................................14 Page 2 PATACS Posts November 201 6 Figure 1. Time Machine backup process log Figure 2. People are holding on to iPhones longer www.patacs.org November 201 6 PATACS Posts Page 3 (Continued from page 1) Beware of MacKeeper of the operating system will not be able to use I think the best that can be said of MacKeeper APFS. APFS will be available, and be the default (https://mackeeper.com/) is that it’s very file system, in 2017. Presumably MS-DOS (FAT) controversial. Before installing this software formatted disks will still be readable by both search the Web for reviews of this product. See Apple and Windows machines. http://bit.ly/2czFXpX for Wikipedia’s See http://tidbits.com/article/16584, description of the software. http://apple.co/2cgZGug and See http://apple.co/2cpWpXe and http://apple.co/2ctW4og. http://bit.ly/2d0QrNA for negative reviews. See http://apple.co/2cgZGug for a 36-min video. See http://bit.ly/2cqzX5o for information on Internet ofThings and Security uninstalling MacKeeper and other products. As the Internet of Things (IoT) expands there is Apple’s New Corporate Headquarters increasing awareness and discussion about the Apple is building a new facility in Cupertino, security of such devices. In fact, there is a general California on One Infinite Loop (where else?). sense that IoT devices are inherently insecure. Construction began in late 2013 and is expected Our son had me load an app on my iPhone that to be completed late this year or early 2017. The would open and close the garage door to his facility will have 2.8 million ft2 of office space and home so we could enter his house while he was house about 12,000 to 13,000 employees. There away. Of course he gave me the password to are 3.7 miles of curved glass and 700,000 ft2 of make this app work. Is the password encrypted solar panels. The site is on 176 acres and has as it’s sent over a cell phone radio signal or via 7,000 trees and 15 acres of grassland. Cost? $5 the Internet? I don’t know. It’s been tempting to billion. open and close his garage door several times at 2:00 am from our home in Vienna, but I’ve See http://bit.ly/2cpZBli for a 4-minute video. resisted that evil impulse. Also see http://bit.ly/2cM1LgV and http://for.tn/2cqAC6V. According to an article in The Economist (June 11, 2016, pp. 65-66), IoT is rather slow to catch on Upcoming Meetings in the U.S. Surprisingly, it seems that only 6% of homes here have installed an IoT device and by Refer to the PATACS Event Calendar on the back 2021 that number will have increased to only cover or http://patacs.org/mtgdetpat.html for ~17%. meeting time and location. For some insight on IoT see http://bit.ly/2caL7oC November 19, 2016 (Fairfax) and http://bit.ly/2cLAYUX and Learn in 30: Hard Disk Sentinel to Monitor http://bit.ly/2cqvaRy. and Protect Your Hard Drive by Ray Parker Snoop-proofing Your Mac Hard Disk Sentinel is a powerful tool for See http://bit.ly/2cAMg9t for interesting monitoring hard drive health. See Gabe Goldberg’s write-up in the October 2016 issue of guidance on securing your Apple computer. If PATACS Posts you follow all the suggestions your machine will . be quite secure but probably significantly Guest speaker Ray Parker will provide: crippled. To quote from this article, “…but be • An explanation of the Hard Disk Sentinel very careful once you make changes outside default configuration and what that will get System Preferences. Seriously, you have been you. warned.” (Continued on page 4) www.patacs.org Page 4 PATACS Posts November 201 6 (Continued from page 3) organizations. But her “real passion” says Ms Lejeune, • Examples of a few custom configuration and revolves around “quality of life” issues dedicating much volunteer and professional time to use technology to help notification options, such as notifications with cognitively impaired seniors adding, “nothing beats that e-mail or with messages on the local network. level of satisfaction.” • General Q&A. November 23, 2016 (Arlington) • Reference sources for those who might wish to Technology & PC Help Desk learn more on their own. • Detailed information about the terms of the Extended Question and Answer licensing discount extended to APCUG member session; discuss topics of interest, groups: Through December 24, 2016, share knowledge and get help PATACS members can purchase the five- with technology issues. copy lifetime family license for $32, a 40% IfYou Missed It discount from the list price of $53; enter by Geof Goodrum Coupon Code XYZZY when ordering from the Director, Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society product website (http://www.hdsentinel Director1(at)patacs.org .com/) . If you can’t make a meeting in person, remember Ray Parker has been a Hard Disk Sentinel customer since that members can participate in meetings January 2014. remotely (and at no additional charge beyond Presentation: Make Your iPad, iPhone, or Internet connection service) via Zoom Android Smartphone Work for You—Voice teleconferencing. See http://zoom.us/ for Apple® Commands and Using your Camera/Video and macOS™ and iOS, GNU/Linux®, Google Android™ Text Features by Cherie Lejeune and Microsoft® Windows® clients. The Zoom meeting link is provided in e-mailed meeting Cherie Lejeune, owner of High Performance announcements. Aging, will teach some techniques how to use voice commands and other accessibility features Remember: you must be physically present at the on your devices to take notes, read e-mail, add end of the meeting to be eligible for door prizes. dates and appointments to your calendar, and September 17, 2016 (Fairfax) more. Using voice commands is especially helpful if you have difficulty seeing the small keyboards George Mason University completed or buttons on your devices. Some familiarity with reconstruction of the OLLI parking lot in time for the basic functions on your device is important the September meeting, and the improvements for this session (like turning your device on and off!) and please bring your device if you have one. Cherie Lejeune, a resident of Northern Virginia for 12 years, has for the last 25 years been a marketing, content and applications, technology specialist. She will tell you the common thread to her life’s work has been passionately shaping information and making it work to sell, represent, integrate and get traction for products, services, for both profit and nonprofit businesses. One of her recent assignments was a contract with NARFE to put all chapters on Facebook and how to keep it “fresh” and, to attract new members. Her volunteering includes nonprofit groups, like Northern Virginia Aging Network, she is the Chair of Fairfax county’s 50+ Neighbor to Neighbor initiative and, is a officer of several local and national (Continued on page 5) www.patacs.org November 201 6 PATACS Posts Page 5 (Continued from page 4) adapters.