2022-05-30 MUGOO Zoom iMeeting (1 week late!!)

[AdminMan]

We are still not having in-person meetings at the library, so the following Zoom details apply.

Date: 2022-05-30 (Monday) one week later than normal
Time: 7:30 PM ET  You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Venue: A Zoom meeting that you can join on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM

Agenda:

0 - Group chin-wag while folks log on                                                     7:20 - 7:30

1 - Duck Duck Go Privacy Browser
   - for iOS and the new beta release
     for MacOS                                         -with Lynda Matsumoto and
                                                              a few Exec members              7:30 - 8:15

2 - Where do we go for tips and
     instructions?                                     - group discussion                    8:15 -  8:55 

3 - Sign Off                                            -with David and Lynda              0.5 minutes


Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!

Zoom meeting details:   <---  will only work for this meeting! Join any time after 7:20, meeting starts precisely at 7:30!!
Meeting ID:   expired
Passcode:      expired

Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders

Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en

[DavidR]

0 - Group chin-wag while folks log on
Our meeting attendance was reduced as some of our members are still(!) without power following the severe Derecho storm on May 21st.  During the initial chin-wag we shared stories caused by the disruption:
-   using a whole home power generator to keep things going during the outage
-   neighbour's tree fell down and hit the corner of our house, punched a hole in the roof so we are now having to deal with the insurance company
-   arborist removing a tree trunk over the top of a house using a crane
-   the disorientation of being awakened in the middle of the night when the power finally does come on, racing around the house turning off lights and addressing beeping sounds, plugging in the electric car
-   cleaning out two inches of water in the freezer
-   using a plug-hybrid to AC power our coffee maker and fridges/freezers

1 - Duck Duck Go Privacy Browser
   - for iOS and the new beta release
     for MacOS                                         - with Lynda Matsumoto
Lynda presented an overview and demo of the increasingly popular privacy browser.  DuckDuckGo (DDG) is an internet search engine that emphasizes protecting user privacy and avoiding the filter bubble of personalized search results.  The quixotic name was apparently derived from the children's game Duck Duck Goose.  Their selling proposition is 1) We don't store your personal information. Ever. 2) We don't follow you around with ads. 3) We don't track you in or out of private browsing mode.  There are now threes ways of accessing the privacy features 1) as a privacy enhancement extension to Safari 2) as a stand-alone privacy browser on iOS 3) as a stand-alone privacy browser on macOS (currently in beta trial mode).  You can view Lynda's presentation deck in the attachment at https://mugoo.com/bigfiles/2022-05-30-DuckDuckGo-Pres.pdf

During her demo, Lynda showed how to use the features of the iOS privacy browser and the various option settings. The browser letter grades each of the sites you visit in terms of privacy intrusions, level of encrpytion, and lists all of the trackers that have been blocked. The most compelling visual feature is the ability to individually or entirely delete your tracking history using the "inferno" button.  Like Safari, the browser allows you to block ads, keep track of your browsing history and add a widget to your home screen.

Lynda has not yet installed the beta release of the macOS privacy browser but she was able to step through a canned demo to give a good sense of the features.  https://spreadprivacy.com/introducing-duckduckgo-for-mac/  You can request participation in the trial by opening settings on the iOS version and clicking on "DuckDuckGo Desktop App."

DuckDuckGo also provides a wealth of very helpful privacy background and tips on their web site. https://spreadprivacy.com

2 - Where do we go for tips and
     instructions?                                   - David Rhynas, group discussion
Our next group discussion was where we go for tips and help in using our various Apple devices.  David led off by screen sharing his iPad.  Some of these sources and tips you may already know but perhaps not, and they are all quite helpful.

In Apple books, you can search for iPhone User Guide and iPhone User Guide.  These are free, comprehensive, well indexed user manuals of the latest iOS releae.  They are both in excess of 1,000 pages but you can easily skip to whatever topic you may be interested in.

Apple Tips is something you may have looked at at the beginning but it's worth revisiting on a regular basis, since tips are periodically updated for each new iOS release.  David demonstrated several Siri tips:
-   personalizing Siri's voice
-   starting a Facetime call
-   what's my update to get weather, calendar events, reminders and news
-   open an app

He also showed how reveal the exact time stamp for iMessages and how to play calming background sounds by choosing Hearing in Control Centre.

Other helpful resources came up during the group discussion.
https://www.screencastsonline.com
https://www.iphonelife.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS
https://macmost.com
https://www.tomsguide.com

3 - Q&A
Stephen has a 2011 iMac with a blitzed video.  Is it worth fixing, and if so, where might one go?  Members had several suggestions which may prove to be helpful:
http://themacclinic.ca 1410 Bank Street, beside Ottawa Pianos
take it in to an Apple store for a software reload
https://www.ubreakifix.com/ca/locations/ottawa

Where is the best place to replace an Apple Watch battery? An iPhone battery?  There are "do it yourself" kits available but apparently it can be quite challenging to remove the backs.