Next GGCS General Meeting:
September 27, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Embassy Suites Hotel (Larkspur Room)
101 McInnis Parkway, San Rafael
Click here
for directions.
Open to the public – admission and parking are free
The Mac - Is it for You?
Our speaker, Steve Johnson, has written many books about both Macs and Windows PCs, as well as many of the programs each OS uses. The focus of tonight's talk will be:
- To compare the two systems and introduce the Mac to Windows users who are thinking about switching, and
- To demonstrate the improvements in Apple's newest operating system, Snow Leopard, over its prior version.
Part I will cover the pros and cons of making a switch and will include:
- What can Macs do better? What can Windows PC’s do better?
- Running Windows on a Mac.
- Do Macs have better security? Will you need to buy an antivirus program? Do you need to be as diligent about security updates as on the PC? Will that likely continue?
- Comparative costs of the two.
- What programs does Apple include for free.
- Customer support - How does Apple support its customers vs. Dell, HP, etc. What does the Apple Store provide? What's Apple Care? What's the Genius Bar?
- The learning curve - What's involved to learn the new system. What's different, what's the same?
- Portable electronics - Do iPods, iPhones and iPads work better with a Mac?
Part II will cover Snow Leopard, what's great about the software and how you can use it get work done or just have fun. Steve will talk about managing files with the Finder, searching for information with Spotlight, using system programs for e-mail, photos, chatting, and web browsing, and setting up system preferences.
Steve Johnson has written more than 60 books on a variety of computer software, including Adobe Photoshop CS5, Adobe Flash CS5, Adobe Dreamweaver CS5, Adobe InDesign CS5, Adobe Illustrator CS5, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Office 2010 and 2007, Microsoft Office 2008 for the Macintosh, and Apple Mac OS X Snow Leopard. In 1991, after working for Apple Computer and Microsoft, Steve founded Perspection, Inc., which writes and produces software training. When he is not staying up late writing, he enjoys playing golf, gardening, and spending time with his wife, Holly, and three children, JP, Brett, and Hannah.
About the Meeting:
Our general meetings offer a friendly forum for people interested in computers at all user levels, from novice to expert.
Before the General Meeting, between 6:00 and 7:00 PM in the Petaluma Room, just down the hall from the main meeting room, there is a free Introduction to Computing Class. Ask at the reception table outside the meeting room for directions.
Hungry? Have dinner before the meeting in the Grille 101 Restaurant, at the north end of the building.
From 6:30 to 7:00 PM Door Prize raffle tickets are given out to members, memberships are renewed, etc. You can stand around talking to people who know lots and lots about computers.
The meeting usually follows this schedule:
7:15 pm – Announcements, followed by an open session during which members and guests can ask the group for help or opinions.
7:30 pm – Main presentation. Click here for a list of prior speakers.
9:00 pm – Closing with a raffle of various hardware, software and books. There are often quite a few items from which to choose. Each member gets a free raffle ticket, both members and non-members may purchase additional raffle tickets.
Future meetings: Our general meetings are normally on the fourth Monday of the month. There is no meeting in December. The May meeting is sometimes a week earlier or later than normal when necessary to avoid Memorial Day.
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Golden Gate Computer Society. All rights reserved.