Past Meetings

The SEMCO meetings (except for SIG-Programming) since May 2020 have been recorded. To access the recordings, go to the bottom of each meeting notice and click on “Comment” and the links to the recordings will be displayed. Click on the links to download or play the recordings.

SIG-Computing notes for 11-Sep-2016

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Thank you for the great meeting today!  These are the notes:

Intel could delay 7nm to 2022, 10nm is already delayed:  http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/news/article.php?storyid=15387

New cross-platform malware for Linux, Mac, Windows (sheesh!):

http://m.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/09/mac_backdoor/

Google may be on the verge of a massive speech synthesis improvement with AI-developed WaveNet!

https://regmedia.co.uk/2016/09/09/wavenet.pdf

Intel could delay 7nm to 2022, 10nm is already delayed:  http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/news/article.php?storyid=15387

New cross-platform malware for Linux, Mac, Windows (sheesh!):

http://m.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/09/mac_backdoor/

Google may be on the verge of a massive speech synthesis improvement with AI-developed WaveNet!

https://regmedia.co.uk/2016/09/09/wavenet.pdf

Other links that came up during the meeting today (great discussion, thank you all!):

SpywareBlaster:  https://www.brightfort.com/spywareblaster.html

Malware mitigation without having to boot up into Windows:

Avira Rescue CD:  https://www.avira.com/en/download/product/avira-rescue-system

AVG Rescue CD:  http://www.avg.com/us-en/avg-rescue-cd

Looking up unknown phone numbers:  http://www.okcaller.com/

Stopping robo callers and other annoying callers (not all carriers are supported):  https://www.nomorobo.com/signup

Turning off WhatsApp marketing involvement with Facebook (please do this before the end of September 2016 if you are concerned!):  https://www.whatsapp.com/faq/general/26000016

Free DNS service to help block malware and fix ISP name look up problems:  https://www.opendns.com

Add ons to web browsers (including some mobile / tablet ones) to block unwanted ads:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBlock_Origin

Thank you again for providing these great links during the discussion!

 

Autonomous Vehicles Presentation

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Additional Information Suggestions from R Neff

Autonomous Vehicles:

Intelligent Transportation System:

Dedicated Short Range Communication:

TV Programs:

  • 60 minutes October 4, 2015 (Requires $0.99 monthly membership to view episode)

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/self-driving-cars-google-mercedes-benz-60-minutes/

Articles:

September 17, 2016 – SIG-Programming: Python

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snake-312561_1280

Topic: Python:

We are learning Python using the book “Learning Python” by Mark Lutz. It is an O’Reilly book http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920028154.do, but can also be purchased at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Python-5th-Mark-Lutz/dp/1449355730/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416007152&sr=1-1&pebp=11416007164251.

We are to continue reading Chapter 23, “Module Coding Basics” for the next meeting. If you have any questions contact Richard Jackson (see below). All are welcome to come.

Where: Richard Jackson’s home. Call Richard Jackson at 248-546-3694 for directions.

When: Saturday, September 17, 2016 at 2:00 P.M.

September 11, 2016 – SIG-Computing: Latest Developments in Battery Technology, SIG-Linux: Docker Containers

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General Announcements

Mike Bader, president of SEMCO, will start the meeting and make general announcements.

When: Sunday, September 11, 2016 at 1:30 P.M.
Where: Altair Engineering, Inc., 1820 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083
Map to meetings at Altair Engineering

SIG-Computing
Topic: Latest Developments in Battery Technology:

Barry Murphy will discuss existing technology for tablets, laptops and smart phones. He will cover the current latest technologies and their availabilities. Barry will also talk briefly about lighting technologies and the newest LED bulbs.

Barry Murphy has been the owner of Batteries + Bulbs in Birmingham for 15 years.

Also: Questions and Answers following the presentation and during the social period before the SIG-Linux meeting. Snacks available during the social period.
When: Sunday, September 11, 2016 at 1:45 P.M.
Where: Altair Engineering, Inc., 1820 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083
Map to meetings at Altair Engineering

SIG-Linux
Topic: Docker Containers:

SIG-Computing Chairman Jeff Marraccini will demonstrate setting up Docker Containers under Ubuntu. From Docker’s website: Docker containers wrap a piece of software in a complete filesystem that contains everything needed to run: code, runtime, system tools, system libraries – anything that can be installed on a server. This guarantees that the software will always run the same, regardless of its environment.

All are welcome.

When: Sunday, September 11, 2016 at 4:00 P.M.
Where: Altair Engineering, Inc., 1820 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083
Map to meetings at Altair Engineering

Free Wi-Fi available. Our thanks to Altair Engineering, Inc. for providing our meeting space!

Brian Brodsky’s Notes of his Favorite Podcasts from August 2016 SIG-Linux Meeting

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The notes on Brian Brodsky’s favorite podcasts including the last two that he did not have time to cover at the August 2016 SIG-Linux meeting are at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxD-6ro_Q8n1aTN6aHN3eU9hU00/view?usp=sharing

If people from the group email me links to the podcasts or sites they shared at the meeting I will post a list of those as well.

August 20, 2016 – SIG-Programming: Python

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snake-312561_1280

Topic: Python:

We are learning Python using the book “Learning Python” by Mark Lutz. It is an O’Reilly book http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920028154.do, but can also be purchased at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Python-5th-Mark-Lutz/dp/1449355730/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416007152&sr=1-1&pebp=11416007164251.

We are to read Chapter 23, “Module Coding Basics” for the next meeting. If you have any questions contact Richard Jackson (see below). All are welcome to come.

Where: Richard Jackson’s home. Call Richard Jackson at 248-546-3694 for directions.

When: Saturday, August 20, 2016 at 2:00 P.M.

August 14, 2016 – SIG-Computing: Autonomous Vehicles – Their Legacy and Future, SIG-Linux: Favorite Podcasts…

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General Announcements

Mike Bader, president of SEMCO, will start the meeting and make general announcements.

When: Sunday, August 14, 2016 at 1:30 P.M.
Where: Altair Engineering, Inc., 1820 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083
Map to meetings at Altair Engineering

Picture of an Autonomous Vehicle

SIG-Computing
Topic: Autonomous Vehicles – Their Legacy and Future:

Robert Neff is our presenter  and the presentation will cover… What will our life be like with autonomous vehicles? Will it be the anticipated utopia or will there are new concerns that have to be considered? How will people regard the disrupting technology as it evolves?

The presentation provides a history of Automated Vehicles and Highways going back to 1925. The speaker was Technical Leader for his company’s participation in the 1997 National Automated Highway Demonstration where autonomous vehicles were successfully demonstrated to be technologically feasible on a prototype automated highway in San Diego.

Automated features are being introduced on today’s automobiles. Many more features are in product development and nearing production. The presentation will discuss adoption of these features and will show how vehicle to vehicle communication will facilitate the future of autonomous vehicles.

Finally, the presentation will offer a future vision of what life may be like with autonomous vehicles.

Robert Neff has done many thing in his life and currently is engaged in Sales and Marketing for companies involved in high technology products, projects and people. Sales and Marketing Insight is Bob’s strategic marketing company.

Robert is a corporate officer in the Intrass Corporation, which is a startup company involved in patented 5.9 GHz Dedicated Short Range Radio Communication (DSRC) technology for Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications.

Robert is past Chairman of the SAE DSRC Vehicle Safety Subcommittee and is a current member of the SAE DSRC Standards Technical Committee that has written the interoperability standard J2735 so vehicles can communicate with each other and with the infrastructure (V2V and V2I). The committee has recently published J2945 which displays the Common Performance Requirements for DSRC communication.

Robert retired from Eaton Corporation where he held various technical, marketing and managerial positions. The majority of Bob’s time at Eaton was spent in the VORAD Division working on collision warning, adaptive cruise control and blind spot warning using 24 GHz and 77GHz radar. Bob was Technical Lead for Eaton’s participation in the National Automated Highway Demonstration in 1997.

Robert has served since January 2014 as Chairman of IEEE Southeastern Michigan (SEM) Section.

Also: Questions and Answers following the presentation and during the social period before the SIG-Linux meeting. Snacks available during the social period.
When: Sunday, August 14, 2016 at 1:45 P.M.
Where: Altair Engineering, Inc., 1820 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083
Map to meetings at Altair Engineering

SIG-Linux
Topic: Favorite Podcasts, YouTube and Hangouts Channels, and Websites:

SIG-Linux Chairman Brian Brodsky will lead a discussion of the groups favorite podcasts, YouTube and Hangouts channels, and websites. So come and share your favorites with the group.

All are welcome.

When: Sunday, August 14, 2016 at 4:00 P.M.
Where: Altair Engineering, Inc., 1820 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083
Map to meetings at Altair Engineering

Free Wi-Fi available. Our thanks to Altair Engineering, Inc. for providing our meeting space!

Notes from 10-July-2016 SIG-Computing News

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Thank you to Bill Buchanan for the great presentation on ProShow Gold 7.0!  He will provide his presentation.
Update: Bill could not say anything last Sunday during his ProShow presentation due to confidentiality agreement with Photodex, but Photodex just released Version 8 on July 19. Also as promised he was able to get us a 15% discount promo for SouthEastern Michigan Computer Club. See the following:
Promo Code: NWX9Q3DM
Discount: 15%
The code is good for our ProShow Gold, ProShow Producer, and ProShow Web software. This code also works for upgrades. Members/attendees can redeem their discount by entering the code in the “Discount Code” area when they are ready to check out.

The notes from today’s news portion are below.  Have a super week, and please keep the discussion going!

Read more

July 10, 2016 – SIG-Computing: ProShow Gold 7.0 for Creating Multi-Media Shows, SIG-Linux: digiKam

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General Announcements

Mike Bader, president of SEMCO, will start the meeting and make general announcements.

When: Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 1:30 P.M.
Where: Altair Engineering, Inc., 1820 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083
Map to meetings at Altair Engineering

SIG-Computing
Topic: ProShow Gold 7.0 for Creating Multi-Media Shows:

ProShow Gold 7.0 is without a doubt the best software for creating multi-media shows. Bill Buchanan will demonstrate how easy it is to create a polished slide shows that include images, video and royalty free music. He will offer tips and suggestions on organizing your shows on your PC and also how to save and back up all media files.

G. William Buchanan, FPSA, FGDC has been involved with photography almost his entire life. His passion for teaching photography has been fostered by being chairman of the Photo Guild of Detroit’s Annual Photographic Seminar. Bill has presented many instructional programs in the Detroit area as well as at NECCC, SWMCC and PSA conferences. He has been a major supporter of the electronic capture photography both in his own club and the PSA. Bill served as the Chairman of the Electronic Imaging division. In 2012 at the San Francisco PSA International Conference he was awarded the Stanley B. Ashbrook, Jr. Memorial Award and the PSA Service Award for his contributions to digital photography and PSA.

Also: Questions and Answers following the presentation and during the social period before the SIG-Linux meeting. Snacks available during the social period.
When: Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 1:45 P.M.
Where: Altair Engineering, Inc., 1820 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083
Map to meetings at Altair Engineering

SIG-Linux
Topic: digiKam:

SIG-Linux Chairman Brian Brodsky will demonstrate some of the features of digiKam. digiKam is an advanced digital photo management application for Linux, Windows, and Mac-OSX.

The people who inspired digiKam’s design are the photographers like you who want to view, manage, edit, enhance, organize, tag, and share photographs under Linux systems.

 

All are welcome.

When: Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 4:00 P.M.
Where: Altair Engineering, Inc., 1820 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083
Map to meetings at Altair Engineering

Free Wi-Fi available. Our thanks to Altair Engineering, Inc. for providing our meeting space!