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Internet Controversy

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Keeping us informed is David Passell's goal here.  He writes, "I think our members might want to add comments."  He refers to a government bill that would censor the Internet as part of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).  For details look here.  Apparently, the bill would make it a felony to merely stream copyrighted content online like a video of someone singing karaoke, singing happy birthday, or even playing a video game.  

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Approach With Caution

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        David Passell suggests we approach with caution if you are offered a free credit score.  David points out that when you click on the red "Click here"  you are taken to a NOT FREE site where you have to establish an account and provide a lot of information.  The catch is if you do not call the given telephone number to cancel within seven days you'll be charged $29.95 per month.  
        "The pitch did not come to me by email.  It appeared when I signed into my BofA account to check my online banking.  I also got it at the top of my PayPal account."
        David called to cancel and a "heavily accented person who answered tried very hard to get me to get me not to cancel or at least keep it till the end of the year."  He emphatically told him to cancel and then got an email confirming the cancellation. 

From Us to YOU ! (Yes, You)

         So, you are interested in the latest info on Mac, etc.  So, you come to the Prescott Mac User Group meetings when you can . . . and . . . that's it?  
        Maybe you are overlooking a real asset you have.  
        Your experiences with computers, iPhones, iPads, etc. would add a nice variety to our PMUG meetings.  No, you don't have to be a professional IT or an experienced public speaker . . . you have something to share.
        Several PMUG guys, Ward Stanke and John Carter, were discussing the possibilities for program presenters in 2015.  John emailed a reminder of a short article he sent to the Reviews section of www.pmug.us called "Presentation Zen."  
       Need another nudge?  John volunteers to happily assist you to put together a little presentation for all the nice people who come to PMUG meetings.  Drop him a note at john@jrcarter.com . 

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Re: iCloud Drive

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        Here John Carter jumps in to the discussion, "A major disadvantage of iCloud is that it does not allow sharing between users in the way that Dropbox does. However, iCloud has other features that aren’t available in Dropbox. So it becomes prudent to know what iCloud is for and to take advantage of those features in addition to using Dropbox for what it does best.

        "To get informed on what iCloud is for, get the eBook “Take Control of iCloud” by Joe Kissell (2nd Edition) here. (Click on “All Ebooks” in the left margin to find the title. A 30% MUG discount will be applied at checkout.)"
        John provides this further info:  "Here’s an outline of the major iCloud features:
   * Media syncing
   * My Photo Stream and iCloud Photo Sharing
   * Syncing documents and app data
    * Mail, Contacts, Calendar, browser data, Reminders, and Notes
    * iCloud Keychain
    * iCloud.com
    *  Find My Device and Find My Friends
    * iCloud backup
    * Apple TV
    * Back to my Mac
      And John summarizes,  "Some of those features require Mavericks, and some are available in Mountain Lion or Lion."
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More on iCloud Drive

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        First, we hear from Jim Hamm.  "If you've upgraded to iOS 8 or Yosemite you're probably aware you've now got iCloud Drive available. If you, like me, may be wondering what this is all about, here and here are two articles from the TidBITS Newsletter you may want to read."
        Jim winds up, for now, saying, "In theory, I use iCloud -- since I've uploaded 'stuff' to it --  but in practice I don't really use it as I find Dropbox (which I use frequently) more convenient. In fact, I've never even checked to see what might actually be in my iCloud account.  Now I've got iCloud Drive to wonder about and figure out how it fits -- if it does -- with iCloud."
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Apple Pay and CurrentC

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        Filling us in on some important facts, Jim Hamm writes, "You are probably aware that a few major retailers are blocking the use of Apple Pay and plan, perhaps next year, to use a program called CurrentC. Here is an interesting article, from the TidBITS Newsletter, that explains both these topics very thoroughly, I think."

       Here's the big point to notice:  "One thing to notice is that CurrentC is a direct link to your bank account, which is a big no-no for me. Also, the author thinks retailers really don't like bank credit cards, for a variety of reasons, and has the following to say: "It’s no exaggeration to say that most merchants hate the credit card brands and the banks that support them.."

        Jim concludes with, "It will be interesting to see how all this plays out. Also, by next October, If I recall correctly, our magnetic-stripe credit cards are to be replaced by cards with an imbedded chip. Now, who will pay for the new cards and equipment to use them? The banks will try to push this on the retailers, who will want to push the cost on to us, the consumer."

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Yosemite Tutorial Available

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        "If you've upgraded to Yosemite, no doubt you are aware of the many reviews and articles that are available about the new features contained therein. Here is a 50-minute video tutorial that I found helpful," writes Jim Hamm.   "Two comments from the reviewer that I take exception to: he mentions that he feels a minimum of 8 GB of RAM is required to run Yosemite. I concur that 8GB would be nice, but by no means necessary. I have 4 GB of RAM and am running Yosemite quite satisfactorily. 

        "He also believes that Yosemite was released prematurely, and that people should wait about 6 weeks before upgrading. That may or may not be true, but the release is close enough for me. The few bugs I can deal with, and I like experimenting anyway.
        "There is one feature that most reviewers think is 'half-baked' or 'buggy' — Handoffs or Continuity. This is where one can be on, say, a website in Safari on your Mac, then go to your iPad or iPhone, and pick up right where you left off."
        Jim comments,  "I can't tell if this 'tis or tain't' true because I've not been able to enable this on either my Mac or iPad. More research needed here on my part.
        "Other than that, the reviewer does a nice job of explaining the nuances of Yosemite. If you've got 50 minutes to spare or invest, sit back, get a cup of coffee,  and take a look. Also, you'll note, the website contains many other reviews available."
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The Future of Gmail

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        Jim Hamm takes a look at Gmail. "I like and have used Google's web-based Gmail for my email client for several years. Here is an article that postulates that Google will drop Gmail within five years, and explains why the author thinks so.

        "Although I don't like this thought, the author does mention some good reasons why Google might drop Gmail. In a word or so: no revenue for Google in Gmail." 

Some Retailers Blocking Apple Pay

         "I haven't used Apple Pay yet, but from what I've read it's a better and more secure 
system than using a credit card. Yet, two major retailers -- Rite Aid and CVS -- are 
not going to use it. Why? The following article explains why," Jim Hamm tells us.
 See here:  http://daringfireball.net/2014/10/nfc_apple_pay   
        (Remember, if you don't like to read white letters on a black background you can do the
four keys simultaneously:  Control and Option and Command and the number 8.  
Then you toggle back by doing the same 4 keys again.)  Oh, and it helps if you enlarge the
 text with Command and the + key.