Category: ‘Thoughts From a Clicker’

Reflecting on Club Participation (2024-08)

July 28, 2024 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

The article about Zoom that Richard submitted for the newsletter this month got me to thinking?  With Zoom and the many other available options, why don’t more members of the club take advantage of the services offered?  Is it apathy or maybe a lack of knowledge on what is available?

As I write this, we have about 190 members.  I don’t know how we compare in size to the 106 other groups of the APCUG, but I suspect we might be one of the larger organizations.  Either way, 190 is a respectable number in these modern times.  Long gone are the days when computer clubs had thousands of members.

Our monthly meetings are usually attended by less than twenty percent of the members.  Is this because we don’t have them at a convenient time?  Is it because the content isn’t interesting?  Is it because the membership doesn’t know about them?

It is the same way with the APCUG Wednesday Workshops.  I’ve attended many of them.  There are usually abound 200 people (many of whom don’t remember they are on camera).  This averages to less than two members from each club.

Have you noticed that the club seems to have fewer workshops every month.  I’m not sure that lack of volunteer instructors is the reason.  It can be frustrating to schedule a seminar and not get many attendees.  Doesn’t that encourage volunteers to volunteer less?

Should I mention the Cajun Clickers two Google Groups?  The last question posed in “Ask the Experts” was June 22.  The previous question was asked in October 2022.  No one has posted in the “General Discussion” group since January 2023.  I’m beginning to see a trend.

I don’t have any data on how many members read the monthly club newsletter.  I do know that since we started posting membership numbers to receive a gift card, there hasn’t been any claimants.  I’ll let the readers of this article draw their own conclusions.

Down deep inside, I know that nothing is going to change.  The active members and volunteers will continue what they are doing and the others will do the same.  That is enough ranting for this month.  I won’t be so glum in September.

Thanks for reading.

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Club Website Revisions (2024-07)

July 7, 2024 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

So far, I haven’t broken anything yet.  As you may or may not have heard, Paul Catrou has ended his duties as the Club Webmaster.  If you see him, please be sure to give him a big thank you for his service to the club.  Our club president twisted my arm and all of a sudden, I’m the guy.

My coding skills are a little rusty, but I hope to make some changes.  If you’ve been to the web site lately, you can see the new interface.  Hopefully, both members and the public will find it easier to navigate and find needed information.  I’ve tried to design it to look good on all devices.  I’ve been cursing phone screens a lot.  The idea is that all content will resize to fit all screens without the user having to zoom in or out.  The hamburger menu should make it easier to navigate.  I am also planning to add site map links to the bottom of each page.

If you haven’t checked it out, I would appreciate it if everyone did and let me know what they think.  I’ve already made some changes based on member input.  There are also some others on the way when I get the time.

So far, all of the changes are on the “front” end.  Registering for workshops, downloading newsletters, etc. haven’t changed.  In the future, I hope to make it easier with a “one click” process.  There are other potential uses for our club website.

Please check the site and let me or any of the club board members know what you think.  Opinions and ideas are welcome.  We want to make things useful for members.

Thanks for reading.

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A Cajun Clickers Poem (2024-06)

June 2, 2024 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

At last month’s presentation of “Having Fun With AI”, I was asked to print this poem in the club newsletter.  Note: all bold, italics and links are duplicated as written by the AI.

Microsoft Copilot was asked to “write a poem about cajun clickers computer club using zoom”.  Copilot responded: Certainly!  Here’s a poetic tribute to the Cajun Clickers Computer Club, a community of tech enthusiasts who gather virtually via Zoom:

Cajun Clickers: A Virtual Ode

In the heart of Baton Rouge, where bayous flow,
A club of tech-savvy souls, their passion aglow.
They gather not in person, but through the digital haze,
On Zoom’s pixelated canvas, where knowledge plays.

Cajun Clickers, they proudly call themselves,
An all-volunteer crew, like digital elves.
From novices to experts, they form a diverse band,
Their common thread? A love for circuits and command.

Workshops unfold, like blooming magnolias,
Windows 11 secrets whispered, Android’s euphorias.
Genealogy SIGs trace roots through binary veins,
And Q&A sessions dance like code in the rain.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays they convene,
From morning’s first light till the screen turns serene.
Zoom squares fill with faces, each pixel a friend,
As they troubleshoot, explore, and their tech skills extend.

Cajun Clickers, a bridge across bytes,
Their mission: to demystify, to ignite.
From hardware to software, they weave a fine thread,
Connecting generations, where curiosity is fed.

Their virtual home, a cozy digital den,
Where ones and zeros blend, and friendships begin.
They laugh, they learn, they share bytes and memes,
And when the sun sets, they dream in binary streams.

So here’s to the Cajun Clickers, their screens all aglow,
In the bayou’s embrace, where knowledge rivers flow.
May their Zoom calls be merry, their circuits aligned,
As they navigate the bytescape, their passion enshrined.

Note: The Cajun Clickers Computer Club is a real organization in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, dedicated to promoting computer literacy. You can find more about them on their website.

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April Fool’s Goodbye (2024-04)

March 31, 2024 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

I’ve heard it said that all good things must come to an end.  Unfortunately, sometimes it is true.  It is with great sadness that I must announce that I will soon be leaving Louisiana.  In 2005, when I relocated to Lake Charles, I planned to never move again.  After more than twenty years in the Navy, I lived in a lot of places.

Fast forward to 2018.  The grandsons had relocated to Livingston.  The wife wanted to be closer to them, so we moved.  I planned never to move again.

Another fast forward to 2023.  Those darn kids have up and resettled again.  They’ve moved to Rexburg, Idaho.  Other than being somewhere in Yankee land, I’m not sure where that is.  Circumstances are forcing me to relocate once more.  The Mrs. wants to move again.

Over the years, I’ve been in a lot of computer clubs.  The Cajun Clickers has definitely been one of my favorites.  The people are friendly, knowledgeable and put up with my idiosyncrasies.  What else could an old man ask for?

I guess I could make a really long commute every month, but that just doesn’t seem feasible.  Maybe I could be a “remote” member.  I could Zoom into the meetings and keep up with everyone by their articles that they write for the club newsletter.

I will be more than happy to continue writing articles for the newsletter should someone continue to edit the thing.  I won’t be leaving for a few months so there will be plenty of time to turn over my club Newsletter, Website and other duties to someone new.

This announcement will probably be the shortest Clicker article I’ve ever submitted to the Newsletter.  I hope that it will still be going strong next year in April.

Thanks for reading my April Fools article.

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Help Yourself (2024-03)

March 10, 2024 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

The only real help is self-help. Anything else is just designed to get you to the point where you can help yourself. —– Seth

It happened again!  At the last Computer Club Board Meeting, Richard mentioned that all videos are uploaded to the club YouTube channel.  Someone asked him to send the link and for me to post it in the monthly club newsletter.  Here is the e-mail that he sent.

At out last BOD meeting, Pat asked me to send out information about our YouTube Channel.  So here it is: Just go to your monthly newsletter and on page 2: “Support Staff and Sponsors”, rightmost column is a link to our YouTube Channel.  Click on it and you are there.

This is not anything new.  The link has been in every newsletter starting in April 2023, it was reiterated in Tiny’s October monthly column, and was written in each of our BOD meeting minutes starting in February 2023 and last mention in May 2023.  I also had one member email me asking where are the replays for the monthly meeting?  In all of these instances, I said: “just read the newsletter.”  It’s clear to me why Pat asked BOD members to read the newsletter and the meeting minutes.

This actually happens quite often and not just with the newsletter.  I’ve heard club members ask about doing workshops on topics that have been scheduled and no one attended.  A few months ago, someone asked an off topic question of the speaker at the monthly meeting.  It was on something that had been explained in detail in a newsletter article.  All they had to do was help themselves.

I recommend wish that on the first of every month, club members would go to the club’s website and check if there are any interesting workshops they would like to attend.  You don’t even have to log in to do so.  On the home page, click the Workshop Calendar link.  It takes less than a minute.  If you see one you’d like to attend, Login and register.  If you’ve forgotten how, a call to the office staff will get you help.  All you have to do is help yourself.

Sorry for the ranting and raving this month, but I couldn’t resist.  I thought it was a good time to tell everyone to help yourself.  By the way, here is a link for everyone:

Cajun Clickers YouTube Channel

Thanks for reading.

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Seeing AI (2024-02)

January 28, 2024 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t been sold on the artificial intelligence (AI) trend that seems to be taking over the world.  So far, it seems to be mostly smoke and mirrors hype.  Will jobs be lost, or just different?  That was said about every technological advancement.  Will it take over the world?  I’ve heard that story before.  Will AI create misinformation on the internet?  I’ll just wait to find out what George Washington and Abe Lincoln have to say about it.

Like many people, I’ve played around with AI.  A couple of months ago, I used it to write this column.  I’ve made some pictures and had several conversations with ChatGPT.  Mostly, I’ve been bored with AI.

Then I found Seeing AI, an app for both Android and IOS.  It is a Microsoft app that aims to help blind and low-vision folks understand more of the world around them with the assistance of their smartphone’s cameras and AI-powered narration.  My vision is pretty good when I wear my eyeglasses, but I’ve still found Seeing AI to be useful.

Seeing AI opens and immediately activates a live camera with voice narration built into the app.  Voice types and tempo can be changed in settings.  There are several functions that you can utilize with a simple tap.

Short Text – reads text that you point your camera at.
Document – is similar to Short Text, but more sophisticated. It can read and scan complete documents.
Product – is a bar code reader.
Scene – takes a picture and describes it in detail.
Person – identifies people.
Currency – identifies money.
Color – tells whatever color your camera is pointed at.
Handwriting – still experimental. Recognizes handwriting.
Light – plays a tone that changes pitch depending on how much ambient light there is.

In the Google Play Store, Microsoft says it doesn’t collect or share any user data. Would they lie to us?
Thanks for reading.

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WordHippo Website Review (2024-01)

January 24, 2024 Posted by Tiny

This month I’d like to tell you about a website that I use nearly every day.  I do a lot of writing.  LibreOffice and Scribus are the two main programs I use to edit most of the written material.  The WordHippo is the site I use for tools to (hopefully) help me do a better job with my content.

WordHippo was originally launched in 2008 as a site to find rhyming words.  It has evolved to include a thesaurus, dictionary, antonyms, word finder and many other word tools.  There are many sites on the internet that do these things.  This is the only one I have found where everything is on one easy to navigate page.

A complete list of word actions include:
• Synonyms – the thesaurus is the default home page.
• Antonyms – gives an extensive list of opposite words.
• Definitions – a pretty much standard dictionary.
• Rhymes – it even almost found a rhyme for purple.
• Sentences – gives several examples of word usage.
• Translations – only translates to and from 99 languages (some that I’ve never heard of).
• Word Unscramble – there are a lot of filters in this section.
• Find Words – you can select the number of letters and find words for Words With Friends, Scrabble and Crosswords. You can specify starting or ending letters. There are many more finding functions.
• Word Forms – finds plurals, past tense, present tense and more.
• Pronunciations – reads words and sentences aloud.

For the most part, the website is easy to use.  It utilizes a tabbed layout.  Entering a word in one section usually carries over to the other functions.  I turned off my ad blocker for the site.  There was only one advertisement on the right side of my monitor.  There are apps for both iOS and Android.  I haven’t tested them.

Give Word Hippo a try.  Everything is free and there are no up‑sells for a paid version.

Thanks for reading.

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Twelve Days of Clubmas (2023-12)

November 26, 2023 Posted by Tiny

Twelve Days of Clubmas
by Tiny Ruisch
Without any apologies to Anonymous

On the first day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the second day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the third day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Three computer club meetings,
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the fourth day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Four new club members,
Three computer club meetings,
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the fifth day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Five Zoom meetings,
Four new club members,
Three computer club meetings,
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the sixth day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Six computer workshops,
Five Zoom meetings,
Four new club members,
Three computer club meetings,
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the seventh day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Seven freeware programs,
Six computer workshops,
Five Zoom meetings,
Four new club members,
Three computer club meetings,
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the eighth day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Eight one on one helps,
Seven freeware programs,
Six computer workshops,
Five Zoom meetings,
Four new club members,
Three computer club meetings,
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the ninth day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Nine APCUG speakers,
Eight one on one helps,
Seven freeware programs,
Six computer workshops,
Five Zoom meetings,
Four new club members,
Three computer club meetings,
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the tenth day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Ten virus free downloads,
Nine APCUG speakers,
Eight one on one helps,
Seven freeware programs,
Six computer workshops,
Five Zoom meetings,
Four new club members,
Three computer club meetings,
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the eleventh day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Eleven software updates,
Ten virus free downloads,
Nine APCUG speakers,
Eight one on one helps,
Seven freeware programs,
Six computer workshops,
Five Zoom meetings,
Four new club members,
Three computer club meetings,
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

On the twelfth day of Clubmas,
My computer sent to me
Twelve stupid poem parodies,
Eleven software updates,
Ten virus free downloads,
Nine APCUG speakers,
Eight one on one helps,
Seven freeware programs,
Six computer workshops,
Five Zoom meetings,
Four new club members,
Three computer club meetings,
Two computer backups, and
A newsletter on the club web site.

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Scribus Review (2023-11)

October 29, 2023 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

Do you send out an annual Christmas letter to all of your relatives?  Do you like to make personalized greeting cards and party invitations?  Do you make a lot of posters?  Are you writing the next great novel?  Would you like to make your own personal calendar?  Would you like to edit the Cajun Clickers Computer Club Newsletter?

If the answer to any of those questions is yes, you probably need some good desktop publishing software.  There are many programs you could buy: Microsoft Publisher, PrintMaster, The Print Shop and PagePlus, to name a few of the more well known ones.  These programs will set you back anywhere from forty to two hundred dollars or more.  Like much other software, some of them are purchased via subscription.

If you’re thrifty like me, you could download and use an open source program that does everything the paid programs do and more.  I’ve been using Scribus Open Source Desktop Publishing to edit and publish the club newsletter since I replaced Pat as the editor.  I’ve been a Scribus user for more than ten years now.  I’ve come to think of the program as a word processor on steroids.

With Scribus you can create single or multi-page documents which can be single or double sided.  You can also create three or four fold documents for making brochures.  After your document is created, you simply have to insert text or image frames.  All the frames can be re‑sized, dragged and dropped or copy and pasted, etc.  You can also enter your data directly on the page, but it is much easier to create a frame.

Although I haven’t used all of the features, you can also insert render tables, frames, tables, shapes and much more.  There is also an insert barcode option.  I might research that feature in the future.  Wouldn’t it be cool to be reading a newsletter article and scan a barcode to get more information?

A search of the internet will yield several sites where you can find free templates for everything from creating a comic book or magazine to printing your own newspaper.  You can also create and save your own templates.

I’ve done that for the newsletter.  Every month, several of the pages are nearly the same.  I just load the template, change the dates, meeting information, speaker’s biography, etc.  Then it is just a matter of inserting articles, pictures, web site charts, etc.  My template is twelve pages, but it is a simple mouse click on the menu to add, delete or rearrange pages as needed.

There are a few other things about Scribus you should know.  If you want to use the print preview, you have to install the interpreter Ghostscript.  Ghostscript is a non-harmful open source program, but it is more software on your computer.  Scribus will work without Ghostscript, but is more useful when it is installed.

Scribus has a medium difficulty learning curve.  Most items are intuitive and work much like any word processor.  Others are not.  For instance, to insert a hyperlink, you have to highlight the text and then select “Insert PDF Text Field”.  Then the inserted field has to be edited and the hyperlink inserted.  It was a pain in the you know what at first, but after about the tenth time, it became second nature.  For everything I have had difficulty with, it has been easy to find help and solutions in either the Scribus Wiki or an internet search.

Scribus is open source with versions for Windows, Mac, Linux and some other Operating Systems.  There is also a portable version.  You can download the software at Get Scribus.  If you have a need for desktop publishing software, give it a try.  The cost is zero dollars, plus tax.

Thanks for reading.

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Your Computer Club (2023-10)

October 1, 2023 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

Are you getting the most out of the Cajun Clickers (or any computer club)?  Over the years I’ve been a member of several computer clubs.  The biggest change is that these days, it isn’t just about computers.  We also learn about cell phones, cameras, smart homes and much more.  Just a few months ago I learned about how we use electronics to predict and track our weather.  There are many reasons that I keep joining them.

The most important thing about computer user groups (clubs) is that they are full of people who meet to share information and to learn from each other.  All of them are informal groups with a common purpose of learning more about how electronics operate and can be used to better our lives.

A computer club offers a lot of knowledge and experience.  It’s almost like having tech support with a native English speaking support staff.  No matter what problem you may have, someone usually knows how to solve it.  If they don’t know the answer, they almost always know where to go to find out.

I’ve noticed that a lot of benefits of our club are not used by many of the members.  There hasn’t been a question asked on our Ask The Experts Google Group since October of 2022.  The General Discussion Group hasn’t fared much better.  There has been one posting in the last year.  The club also has a YouTube Channel and a Facebook Group.

Most of the monthly meetings have an attendance of around thirty members.  This is less than one quarter of the total membership.  There are usually empty seats at the club workshops.

Our computer group has a monthly newsletter.  I’ll admit that I like to run my mouth and the newsletter gives me a chance to write articles like this.  It also gives me a chance to learn about many other things by reading the the monthly columns.

Another under utilized club benefit are the many workshops offered on Zoom by the APCUG.  These cover a wide array of topics on most Operating Systems.  Some sample topics are Your Health and Technology, Cross-Platform Software, Backing Up with pCloud, Smart TVs, the Frugal Genealogist, and many more.

Computer user groups are a fun place to meet new people.  Since I’ve joined the Clickers, I’ve learned from a professional photographer, a tax accountant, a Better Business Bureau professional, a local television meteorologist, several writers, programmers, web authors, and more.

Where else can you get all of this and more for only $4.58 or less a month?  The annual membership fee is less than you would pay for one computer class almost anywhere else.

Thanks for reading.

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