Sunshine Coast Computer Club

Today I attended another get together of the Sunshine Coast Computer Club. It is a bit of fun and a great chance to swap expertise. Each day they have several "Tutorials" on various subjects and usually at a pretty basic level. Today's tutorials were on "Finding Your way around Windows", another was on Irfanview (a free downloadable program for looking at your pictures and photos) and the third was on Free Anti Virus and Anti Spyware programs. The last presenter is very worried about viruses and is especially down on anything to do with Microsoft.

The hall is roughly divided into four sections, one for Tutorials and another for members who are users of Linux (a free alternative operating system you can use instead of Windows - Vista, XP, '98 etc). A photo of the tutorials section is above left while the Linux Fans can be seen to the left.

The section you can see to the left here is a "Graphics Section" Here people will help you with manipulating photographs or help you with things such as scanning slides. It is empty right now as most people have headed off to take in the Tutorial. The equipment (scanner and laptop computer) are supplied by the Club and are freely available for use by members.

There is another "general section" where someone will take you aside and run through any sort of problem or "How To" that you want. Again the laptops are provided by the Computer Club. The last photo here to the left is a group interested in a program called "Pinnacle" which enables users to manipulate video files. You may have some video files you have created on a video camera or even as a movie on your digital camera. Pinnacle enables you to edit the movie, join it all together and then create a DVD. It also allows you to edit the film's soundtrack (or to add a background music soundtrack).

Generally programs such as Pinnacle, or Paint Shop Pro XII can be purchased at a very attractive price. Unfortunately my favorite computer topic "Pirated Software" is strictly forbidden!