Mac classes – January 2016

Happy New Year everyone! I don't know about you, but I had a spectacular 2015. Here's to 2016; may it be the best year yet for you & yours.

My classes will be expanding in 2016, with at least one class in Montrose and one in Ridgway per month, on top of the regular last-Wednesday-of-the-month free class at Ridgway Library.

Cheers!!

Class list for January 2016:

Tues., January 19th, from 3-5 pm: Cyber Security; Proximity Space, Montrose

Sat., January 23rd, from 10 am to noon: Get Backed Up!; Ridgway Library

Wed., January 27th, from 5-7 pm: FREE iPhone/iPad Overview; Ridgway Library

The details:

 First off, on Tuesday, January 19th, from 3-5 pm, at Proximity Space in Montrose, I'll be covering an important topic: Cyber Security. As more and more of our lives take place online, knowing how to stay safe and secure in the cyber realm is of utmost importance. The general public's ignorance and fear are being exploited to an exponential degree. If you'd like to increase your awareness of these issues, as well as gain some much needed peace of mind, this class is for you! Cost for this class is $20. Please let me know if you plan to attend.

 Then, on Saturday, January 23rd, from 10 am to noon, at the Ridgway Library, I'll be teaching you all you need to know about another essential topic: Getting Backed Up! This class will cover all aspects of backups, from online tools like Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, Carbonite and the like, to the best options for local physical backups. Since so much of our lives are now digital, the importance of having good (and redundant!) backups is becoming more critical. Due to popular demand, I will also cover Time Machine, and how to use it, so you can confirm your backups are working! Come learn all there is to know about how to make sure your precious photos and documents are safe for many years to come! Cost for this class is $20. Again, please let me know if you plan to attend.

 Lastly, it's the FREE Mac iPad/iPhone Overview, on Wednesday, January 27th from 5-7 pm. This class is held in the small meeting room at the Library, and space is limited, so you have to sign up. The Library staff has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

I hope to see you all at a class sometime soon.

Mac classes – December 2015

Happy December everyone, and a hearty ho ho ho! I have some exciting news this month: I'm now offering classes in Montrose, at the new Proximity Space Coworking facility near the corner of Main & Townsend downtown. My plan is to offer one class in Ridgway and one in Montrose every month in 2016, on top of the regular free class at the Ridgway Library. The Library was so booked up this month that I couldn't do anything there, but come join me for the first class in Montrose if you can!

On to the class details...

Class list for December 2015:

• Thurs., December 17th, from 3:00-5:00 pm at Proximity Space in Montrose (201 S. Main St.): "Photos for Mac"; an in-depth exploration of Apple's new replacement for iPhoto.

• Wed., December 30th, from 5-7 pm: FREE Mac OS X Overview; Ridgway Library.

Please do let me know if you plan to attend either of these classes; if I get enough commitments ahead of time, I don't have to send out a nagging reminder!

 First off (and note the unusual time slot) on Thursday, December 17th, from 3:00-5:00 pm, I'm covering Apple's new Photos program for Yosemite & El Capitan. A lot of folks are getting more than a little discombobulated by the switch to Photos, but it's actually quite a powerful upgrade from iPhoto. As a "version 1" app, it also has some missing features and odd functionality. If you're running Yosemite or El Cap on your Mac, you'll want to take this class to learn all the ins & outs of the new program! Please, do let me know if you plan to attend. Cost, as usual, is $20.

 Then, between Christmas & New Years, I will be doing my regular last-Wednesday-of-the-month class at the Ridgway Library on Wednesday, December 30th from 5-7 pm. This month, it's the FREE Mac OS X Overview. This class is held in the Library's computer lab. Space is limited, so you have to sign up, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

For the Mac Overview, there are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

Have a splendid holiday everyone, surrounded by the ones you love!

Mac classes – November 2015

Wow, what a fall we've had, eh? I hear snow is on the way this week, so we should be primed to come indoors for some Mac classes!!

Class list for November 2015:

• Tues., November 18th (NOT the usual last-Wednesday-of-the-month), from 5-7 pm: FREE iPhone/iPad Overview; Ridgway Library

• Tues., November 19th, from 5:30-7:30 pm: Social Networking; Ridgway Library

The details:

 First up, due to the holiday, I'm doing my free Library class a week early this month. For November, it's the FREE Mac iPad/iPhone Overview, on Wednesday, November 18th from 5-7 pm. This class is held in the small meeting room at the Library, and space is limited, so you have to sign up. The Library staff has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

     

 The very next day (since it was about the only other day the Library & I were both open, and me only sort of), November 19th, from 5:30-7:30 pm, I'm revisiting a class I haven't done in awhile: Social Networking! If you've been meaning to finally build yourself (or your business, club, etc.) a Facebook page, or try Twitter or the ever-more-popular Instagram, then this class is for you! The emphasis will be on figuring out how to navigate these popular social sites, especially as the way they work is constantly being updated and changed! At the same time, you'll learn how to maintain the levels of privacy we all prefer. Of course, I will also cover the ways in which these tools can be put to use in marketing a business. Come learn how to keep track of your life! Cost for this class is $20, and will be held at the Ridgway Library. Please let me know if you plan to attend.

I hope to see you all at a class sometime soon.

Mac classes – October 2015

Wow, how did it get to be October already?? September was as gorgeous as it gets, that's for sure. I'm not really looking forward to winter, unlike many of you, but at least we'll all have more time to come inside for a computer class or two, right? 

On to the class details...

Class list for October 2015:

Tues., October 20th, from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Ridgway Library: "Photos for Mac"; an in-depth exploration of Apple's new replacement for iPhoto.

Wed., October 28th, from 5-7 pm: FREE Mac OS X Overview; Ridgway Library.

Please do let me know if you plan to attend either of these classes; if I get enough commitments ahead of time, I don't have to send out a nagging reminder!

 First off, for a change, on Tuesday, October 20th, from 5:30-7:30 pm, due to popular demand, I'm offering a second go-round on Apple's new Photos program for Yosemite. A lot of folks are getting more than a little discombobulated by the switch to Photos, but it's actually quite a powerful upgrade from iPhoto. As a "version 1" app, it also has some missing features and odd functionality. If you're running Yosemite on your Mac, you'll want to take this class to learn all the ins & outs of the new program! Please, do let me know if you plan to attend. Cost, as usual, is $20.

 Then, the following week, I will be doing my regular last-Wednesday-of-the-month class at the Ridgway Library on Wednesday, October 28th from 5-7 pm. This month, it's the FREE Mac OS X Overview. This class is held in the Library's computer lab. Space is limited, so you have to sign up, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

For the Mac Overview, there are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

Anyone care to wager on when we'll get our first snowfall? Heck, we haven't even had a hard frost yet! Crazy...

Mac classes – September 2015

Whoosh, where did the summer go?!? Oh well, I'm still hoping for a nice long Indian Summer. And traditionally, that doesn't start until we get our first frost. Anyone care to wager when that will be? It definitely feels like fall lately. Must be time to start taking Mac classes again!

Class list for September 2015:

Tues., September 15th, from 5:30-7:30 pm: Keep Track of Your Life; Ridgway Library

Tues., September 29th (NOT the usual last-wednesday-of-the-month!), from 5-7 pm: FREE iPhone/iPad Overview; Ridgway Library

The details:

 First up, continuing the new Tuesday evening schedule I started this summer, on September 15th, from 5:30-7:30 pm, I'm presenting a new class: Keep Track of Your Life! When you think about everything there is to keep track of in our lives these days: your grocery list, work schedule, doctor appointments and even your passwords, it can certainly be crazy-making. I realized that everyone could use a class that covers all the amazing tools we have at our fingertips to organize and manage our lives. From the simple built-in ones like Notes and Reminders or Microsoft OneNote on your Mac & iPhone, to the more advanced tools like Evernote & OmniFocus, there are some powerful fools out there to help you hold everything together. Come learn how to keep track of your life! Cost for this class is $20, and will be held at the Ridgway Library. Please let me know if you plan to attend.

 Lastly, due to travel commitments, I'm doing my free Library class a day early this month. For September, it's the FREE Mac iPad/iPhone Overview, on TUESDAY, September 29th from 5-7 pm. This class is held in the small meeting room at the Library, and space is limited, so you have to sign up. The Library staff has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

I hope to see you all at a class sometime soon.

***ALERT*** Beware of website scams!

***ALERT*** Beware of website scams! I'm sorry I haven't posted about this sooner, as many of you have already talked to me about it, or received assistance dealing with it, but I'm afraid it's getting so out of control, I feel the need to drop everything and try to warn everyone else about the issue. If you see something like above on your computer (or iPhone/iPad), DON'T FALL FOR IT! It's a complete hoax. If you were to call the number listed, you would get someone with a very thick accent, claiming to work for Apple (or Microsoft, or something else), who would then attempt to convince you to let them access your computer remotely (AGAIN, DON'T DO IT!). If you did let them, they would then proceed to show you a normal under-the-hood program on your Mac called Console, which constantly logs the computer's activity. They use that to trick you into believing that the logs are showing you error messages resulting from the 'virus' on your computer, and proceed to ask you to pay them between $250-500 to 'repair' your computer for you! Of course, even worse, they could install something themselves that could take over your computer, while they have access to it!! If you want to read more about how they're doing this, check out this blog post. [In short, it's done using a "javascript hook".] I've had clients reporting these things at a rate of several a week for a month or more, and it seems to be escalating. I'm not sure what can be done to stop it, but here's what to do if it happens to you: Force Quit the browser you're using (Safari or Chrome), by either using the Force Quit command in the Apple menu, or clicking-and-holding on the browser's icon in your Dock until a little menu pops up. There's a Quit command at the bottom of that menu, and you can change it to Force Quit by holding down the Option key while the menu is down, then clicking on Force Quit. Once the browser is off, open it back up again, but make sure you hold down the Shift key while you click on its icon in your Dock! Keep the Shift key down until the browser finishes starting up normally. If you see this on your iPad/iPhone, then follow these steps: 'Quit' Safari by double-clicking the Home button and then swiping up on the little Safari window there. Delete your browser history in Settings>Safari (otherwise the site will be back up next time you launch Safari). Relaunch Safari. To summarize, I need to stess this simple rule: Don't believe any warning you get on your computer/smartphone/tablet, via email, in Safari, or otherwise, unless it's generated by antivirus software YOU installed! If you're not sure about something, call Apple (or me), but never use a contact number that you haven't found yourself from Apple's website. The best number for them is 800-692-7753. Speaking of antivirus/antimalware programs, there are two good free options for Macs now. First, to rid yourself of the ubiquitous 'adware' I see so often these days: Malwarebytes for Mac Then, if you want to have a little more (free!) peace of mind, there's this: Sophos Antivirus for Mac I hope I can save a few of you a lot of hassle by letting you know about all this! As always, call or email with questions. 970-417-8434 macdoktor@gmail.com Hope to see you all at a class sometime soon!

Mac Classes – August 2015

Belated Happy Colorado Day everyone! (In case you didn't know, "the Centennial State" came to be on Aug. 1st, 1876.) I know I'm always going on about the weather, but seriously, this has got to be one of the wettest summers on record. I have never seen this state so green in early August! Now if only it can clear up and be nice for the Ridgway Arts & Crafts Rendezvous this weekend!

Another thing I like to remind everyone is that changeable weather makes a good excuse to come inside for a Mac class, right? Read on for the class details...

(Oh, and I'd love some feedback on my new schedule of offering the focused classes on Tuesday evenings instead of Saturday mornings.)

Class list for August 2015:

Tues., August 18th, from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Ridgway Library: "Stay Safe on your Mac"; a new class, covering all aspects of security on your Mac.

Wed., August 26th, from 5-7 pm: FREE Mac OS X Overview; Ridgway Library.

Please, let me know if you plan to attend either of these classes; if I get enough commitments ahead of time, I don't have to send out a nagging reminder!

 First off, on Tuesday, August 18th, from 5:30-7:30 pm, I'm offering a new class called Stay Safe on Your Mac (and really, any device that connects to the internet). These days, it's hard to do anything without using the internet, and most everything requires a username/password combo to access it. Then there's the scary stories of sites having all their user's account information stolen, and the ensuing worries about identity theft. What's a person to do?!? Well, this class should help you answer that question. From password creation & management, to tips for being safe from internet hoaxes, scams (and yes, even viruses, trojan horses and the like), this class will serve to give you the peace of mind you're looking for! Please let me know if you plan to attend. Cost, as usual, is $20.

 Then, my regular last-Wednesday-of-the-month class at the Ridgway Library is on Wednesday, August 26th from 5-7 pm. This month, it's the FREE Mac OS X Overview. This class is held in the Library's computer lab. Space is limited, so you have to sign up, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

For the Mac Overview, there are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

Enjoy these dog days of summer everyone, it's going fast! I hope to see you at a class one day soon!!