Dennis Korger
Our club incorporated for the sole purpose of teaching computer classes in 1998, a time when home computers were an unfamiliar, emerging technology. We started with eight Windows 98 computers purchased on a loan from the newly formed board of directors who were also the first teachers. Since that modest beginning, we have taught classes to over 3,400 residents on a wide variety of technology topics and equipment, and we hope to keep on growing, learning and teaching.
We have several new instructors joining us this fall and several instructors expect to return from extended absences. This should result in some interesting new classes and the return of some updated favorite topics as well. We’ve been working shorthanded for the last few years and hope to see continuing growth in the future.
Summer classes end July 18, and we start preparing the classroom for fall classes; we have 19 PCs and nine Mac Mini computers to update! Enrollment for the 2019 fall semester opens August 15. Classes actually begin in mid-September. Our free public monthly presentations are scheduled to resume on September 16 at 1:00 p.m. in the MountainView Clubhouse- our traditional third Monday of the month. We customarily conclude just before Thanksgiving, but like most residents, our volunteer instructors are independent and free spirited- they control their individual teaching schedules, and some may continue into mid-December.
For the latest information about our classes, visit our website at saddlebrookecc.org. Here you will find full class descriptions, our up to the minute schedule and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ). You can also join the SaddleBrooke Computer Club, register for classes or participate in our members only eLearn classes. New members pay $55/individual or $80/couple to join the club and then enroll in any class on a space available basis for the remainder of the current calendar year. Established members pay a $35 annual fee to enroll in a subsequent year.
Tech Tidbits: As of late June, Microsoft has yet to start distributing the 2019 H1 update (first half of the year) through the routine update process, although it has been available for download since May 21. The 2019 H2 Update has not been distributed to any of the test groups as yet; no official explanation has been forthcoming.
Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox have announced their intent to add a paid VPN (Virtual Private Network) service to their popular browsers, joining a large array of security, networking and financial companies offering similar privacy protection products for consumers and businesses in response to the activities of aggressive hackers, advertisers, and restrictive governments. Might there be a VPN in your future? It may just be a good idea! But before you sign the deal, you may want to do a comparison on CompareMyVPN or somewhere similar to ensure you’re getting good value for money in-line with privacy features.