The PC Users Group Free Monthly Main Meeting will
be held on Monday 25 October at 7.30pm in Manning Clark Theatre
3 at the Australian National University. Visitors welcome. Enquiries
pcug.office.manager@pcug.org.au
or phone 6253 4911. This month we will have 2 speakers:
1. Home Automation - Chris Barrett
Did you marvel, as a kid, at the goings-on of George Jetson
and the rest of the Jetsons? Chris Barrett did and has spent the
last year working to automate numerous aspects of his house. Chris
will be speaking about his DIY automated house, and some of the
technology behind it such as X10, 1-wire, infrared and, at the
heart of it all, a computer running an open-source package called
Misterhouse that is written entirely in Perl.
Some of the features that have been incorporated include:
- Lights that turn on when you enter the room;
- A computer that reads out the weather forecast for the day each
morning and the caller ID information of people calling his house,
and reminds him when it's rubbish collection day;
- Computer-controlled heating;
- A computer that sends him an email when someone rings the doorbell
and no-one answers the door;
- Announcements when the front or back doors have been left open
for too long; and
- The ability to control and monitor aspects of the house via
the Internet.
Download
the presentation.
2. Introducing Linux - Rod Peters
It's difficult to pick up a computer magazine or visit an IT
news site without having something about Linux splashed across
the cover or home page. What is Linux, why all the fuss and why
would anyone bother with it? Linux is a complete replacement for
the operating system and productivity software on a PC (or Macintosh).
Its principal advantages are lower cost, and relative immunity
to viruses and other malware.
When Linux emerged during the early 90’s, it did not make
much of a splash (remember Windows 286 ?). Over the past five
years Linux has been made much easier for beginners to use, and
good quality applications have become available for just about
every purpose; yet many people remain reluctant to try it. Their
main apprehensions are the amount of re-learning that might be
required and the risk that installing another operating system
on their computer might cause malfunction.
Rod Peters will demonstrate the Linux user interface and address
the issues associated with migrating to Linux, as well as the
prospective costs. Rod is a retired IT Manager who has conducted
an introductory Linux course for PCUG and co-ordinated our own
Linux Learner's SIG for three years.
Does this year's virus plague bug you ? Do you put off upgrading
your applications and operating system because of the cost ? Does
your computer's old software hang up or crash ? Come along and
find out how painless trying the latest releases of Linux can
be.
Download
the presentation.
Previous Meetings