Date:    Mar 03/03/13 11:17 AM
Subject: [FOSS/Linux] Free, monthly FOSS User Group in Natick this Thursday, March 7th
From:   "Dick and Jill Miller"


Learn about and share Free, Open-Source Software with the
FOSS User Group at the Natick Community-Senior Center

Hi, fellow FOSSers! Please share this announcement with interested friends and associates.

WE MEET 3-6PM ON THE FIRST THURSDAY EVERY MONTH, AT THE NEW NATICK COMMUNITY-SENIOR CENTER
at 177 East Central Street (in Room 125, the 1st-floor Classroom). Join us if you can!

A few special items:

1. Beginners to experts are invited to the Northeast GNU/Linuxfest on the weekend of March 16th-17th.
After two years in Worcester, this fine event is expanding into the Science Center at Harvard University.
There will be an Open Database Camp, as well. We're going; are you, and might we car-pool?

2. Algot Runeman invites you to read his new beginners manual, Introduction to Computers with Ubuntu Unity,
and he solicits your suggestions. Check it out before his Thursday talk!

And now, on to our Thursday meeting:

    Algot Runeman will introduce his on-line beginners manual (see above).
    Jill Miller will use LibreOffice Base to introduce us to database design.
    We follow up on one of last month's demos, by showing how to install the Meld difference viewer as a Nautilus add-on.
    Demo of the new safe Java/IcedTea usage when on-line.
    Are netbooks coming or going?

All this and more, at our monthly FOSS meeting. Bring a friend!

As usual, we list other FOSS/Linux meetings at:
http://www.millermicro.com/eventscalendar.html

Our own FOSS User Group events (with links!) appear at:
http://www.millermicro.com/FOSSUserGroupArchive.html
Or just browse to NatickFOSS.org and click on the next meeting date.

Want to socialize a bit? Show up early, at 2PM, for informal chatting, to fiddle on computers,
to help each other, and to have fun. Later, after the formal presentations, we have more informal
time for same. And consider going on to an inexpensive group dinner at the close of the meeting.

General notes:

    Try "SeniorLinux", the Ubuntu GNU/Linux desktop computer in the Natick Senior Center's Computer Lab.
    You can click for two beginner's manuals on its Desktop. Or to view the built-in Help, click on the
    question-mark icon near the top of Ubuntu's (left-edge) Launcher.
    Note: Our SeniorLinux computer is old and slow, but better under Linux. We've asked the Senior Center for
    a new(er) computer.
    The Natick Community-Senior Center has wireless service throughout. So bring your laptop computer if you wish.
    Our FOSS web page leads to our Archive Page, with info on past meetings and clues on the next.
    Would you like to present something at an upcoming meeting?
    Publicize these FOSS meetings, to encourage other interested computer users to participate and to subscribe
    to our e-mail list. At the meeting, ask Algot Runeman for some FOSS User Group business cards to hand out to friends.
    Our next FOSS and Linux get-together is 3-6PM Thursday, March 7th at the Natick Senior Center. Social Hour at 2PM.
Introductory slide talk on FOSS and Linux, 3-3:30PM. For more info, see the sign-off.

After the introductory slide presentation, we're at least half-scheduled but with room for attendees
to fine-tune the meeting agenda. Topics can be Linux specific (L), FOSS for Microsoft Windows (W)
or Apple OS X (X), and often cover all of the above (A).

On the back shelf for possible demonstration and/or discussion:

    (L) Inside Linux, with the Terminal and BASH
    (A) Database design with LibreOffice Base
    (A) The power of local e-mail, using Mozilla Thunderbird
    (A) Heirarchical Note-making (Zim, CherryTree)
    (A) XBMC to turn your HDTV into a smart media center
    (A) Videophone apps (Skype, Empathy and others)
    (A) Using Shutter and other screen-capture programs
    (L) More Fotoxx fun
    (A) More Inkscape fun
    (A) Legal issues regarding proprietary software, RIAA, etc.
    (A) Ways to spread the word about FOSS
    (A) On-line help for Linux and FOSS
    (L) A hands-on Linux InstallFest
    (A) Your questions and suggestions

Beginners to experts, we hope to see you and interested friends this Thursday afternoon!
Psst! It's FREE. And so is the software!

Cheers from
--Dick and Jill Miller, Partners, MMS <TheMillers@millermicro.com>
        Co-Leaders, FOSS User Group at Natick Senior Center
E-MAIL LISTS (opt-in/out/etc.): http://millermicro.com/newURL.html
--
A. Richard & Jill A. Miller            | MILLER MICROCOMPUTER SERVICES |
Mailto:TheMillers@millermicro.com      | 61 Lake Shore Road            |
Web: http://www.millermicro.com/       | Natick, MA 01760-2099, USA    |
Voice: 508/653-6136, 9AM-9PM -0500(EST)| NMEA N 42.29993°, W 71.36558° |