Previously in this column, I have made mention of the fact that since my retirement I have joined the local Macintosh User Group (MUG). There is a loose affiliation of user groups across the US and, as far as I know, in other countries as well.  These groups meet periodically to share information, fellowship, and news with the occasional "look what I just got!" thrown in. 

It is sort of like the first day of school after Christmas break when you have to check to see whose new bike has the most new gadgets.  Admit it, you remember those days.  The difference is the unique spirit of camaraderie that seems to exist wherever two or more Mac users get together. 

In Austin, Texas, where I live, we are really lucky because we have a large contingent of Apple employees. That means we have a number of Apple employees who belong to, and support our MUG.  We also have a very large university composed of students of the age group who grew up teething on keyboards. 

Then there are people like me. 

I got lost the first five (yes 5) times I tried to find the meeting site on the campus of that large university.  Oh well, I've only lived in Austin 12 or 13 years, so what can you expect?

Oh, and our users group has over 150 members.

So what is my point?  It is this.  Who teaches classes for newbies?  An Apple employee and I teach them together.  We make a perfect team.  I understand what the newbies need to know and he can answer questions I can't answer.  This past month I was asked to serve as Vice President for the coming year.  All those skills I used in management all those years I worked didn't melt the day I retired.  And, all those members who are younger than some of my children greet meet like I was one of them.  I just love Mac users.

Tutor a teacher

There is a project that our users group (Capitol Macintosh)  is taking on this year.  Our board has named it Tutor a Teacher, but it is something that any group or individual with free time can do in his or her own neighborhood. 

A lot of public schools have purchased or been given Macs, or Mac carts that contain laptops, cameras, movie cameras, and a desktop, for classroom use.  Unfortunately, the teachers don't all know how to use the equipment, nor do the school IT staff know how to train them. 

My undergraduate degree is in elementary education, and I know how overworked and underpaid our teachers are.  Most of them would be delighted to use high tech equipment to inspire and educate, but they don't have time to teach themselves how to use it or how to deal with any problem that may come up. 

The solutions can be as simple as someone sitting with a teacher for a couple hours while they use equipment; providing guidelines that can be laminated for quick reminders; or even teaching someone how to use OS X.  It can be done as a group project or on an individual basis although any such volunteer efforts should be coordinated through proper channels within the school system itself.  Group efforts especially should be coordinated through the IT resources of a district.

This is the kind of community service that doesn't have to cost you a dime.  Just your time, and your interest, and a little patience.  You could make a difference to a kid's future with just a little intervention to help a teacher.  I would love to write about any of your efforts, so send me your story.

You gotta zoom, zoom, zoom-ah-zoom

A reader wrote recently about having problems adjusting the size of things on his desktop in OS X.  He had tried the options available to him in "Show View Options" under the View pull-down menu, but that was not enough adjustment to meet his needs.  "Show View Options" allows you to change the size of the icons and the size of the text under the icons.

For someone who needs more help there are additional options in your System Preferences. You can find System Preferences in your Dock, or under the Apple Menu in the upper left hand corner.  When you click on system Preferences a window will open and one of the options will be Universal Access.

Universal Access Window

To use the magnification available through this window, the user should first click the "Turn on Zoom" box. When the option is turned on, the Zoom Options box will activate, allowing the user to open a second window, and select a level of magnification.  Then, to use the zoom the user will activate it by hitting the apple key + option key + the equal key.  

The user also has options to select white on black, and to enable text-to-speech for the Universal Access preference pane.  Use the White on Black option to give your display higher contrast, allowing some people to read text more easily. With the text-to-speech option, the system will speak the text underneath your mouse in this particular preference pane.

Telling on myself

So, I am going to end this year by telling a tale on myself.  You know, sometimes we just don't know what we don't know.  When I was growing up, telephones sat on a table or hung on a wall and the part you talked into hung up face down into the body of the instrument.

Right.

Well for the past few years I have had this great Sony phone, the kind where you can pick up the talking part and walk around the house.  It has great sound and a little window that tells you who is calling, etc.

For the past few months the little window hasn't been working well.  Parts of the phone numbers have been missing.  I figured it was wearing out, but the phone was working fine so I just put up with it.  Last week a friend used the phone and when he finished talking he hung it up "upside down".  Next time I used it the numbers were all working just fine again.  For 4 years or so I have been hanging that phone up the wrong way.