Sydney PC User Group Incorporated Helping Members for 30 Years Visitors are always welcome
Meetings During the Week 9 - 14 February 2015
1st Floor Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts 280 Pitt Street, Sydney http://www.sydneypc.com Sydney PCUG's Blog 16 - 21 February 2015 Tuesday Forum Family History Web Design SIG An inspiring use of computers in education can be seen here. The New Security Suites Read about them here.	Hello and Welcome, Details of next week's meetings are below: *Tuesday 10 February - Programming - N Hoffman - 5:30pm - 8:30pm* At the January meeting Alex presented a paper on the Internet of Everything (IoE). This is an improvement on the Internet of Things (IoT). The trouble with IoT is that communication between devices is only possible when they use the same proprietary data standards and application programming interface (API). For example, Google’s NEST smoke alarm can share data back and forth; however a home surveillance system made by a different vendor cannot relay information (say on flames in the shed) to the Nest devices. The search is on for a standard way to connect and communicate among all devices out there. IoE is one attempt at universal data connectivity. Some of its protocols are well known, such as SPI, Zigbee, IPv4, HTTP, but there is a large and growing number, and adoption of a standard seems far away. We discussed some details about PIC programming. Some PICs, such as the 16F62A, have no debugger built in, so require an external debugger, as provided in the PICkit3. We examined different methods of putting delays between instructions for an LCD display. Summaries of previous meetings can be read at the following site: http://www.sesame.com.au/picclub Members of the group will demonstrate some new microprocessor applications and programming examples at Tuesday's meeting. - Neville Hoffman *Friday 13 February - Friday Forum - 9:30am - 12:30pm* Bob Backstrom will discuss the new Raspberry Pi2 computer board at this meeting. The Raspberry Pi2 which costs about $48 has 1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM, a quad-core 900MHz ARM Cortex-A7 CPU, an ARMv7 processor, an Ethernet port, full-sized HDMI and RCA video connectors, two USB ports, a digital stereo socket for a headset or powered speakers, a MicroUSB port for a power connector and a slot underneath for a full-sized SD card. It will also run a version of Microsoft Windows 10. This version of the Raspberry Pi is definitely one that will be of interest to all members. There will be ample time for a problem solving and question and answer session at this meeting. *Friday 13 February - Communications - J Lucke - 12:30pm - 3:30pm* Microsoft Office, a browser, an e-mail client and more on a USB stick. When you are on the move, holidaying with family or visiting friends, it can be very convenient if you take your favourite computer programs with you on a USB flash drive. Just plugging the flash drive into any computer will allow you to use your own familiar programs without making any changes to your host’s computer or leaving any signs you have been there. At this meeting John Lucke will demonstrate how to customize a small USB drive with folders and portable applications to suit your personal requirements. He will also suggest a number of “must have” Apps and tell you where you can find them. John has prepared a “Basic Portable USB Pack” which members may copy at the meeting if time allows. Just bring a USB stick with a minimum 2Gb of free space on it to the meeting. There will also be a general discussion and a question and answer session at the meeting. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John Mathews
Information for Members and Visitors: All Meetings, unless specifically stated above, are held on the 1st Floor, Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney. Sydney PC User Group's FREE newsletter: Subscribe Un-subscribe Go to Sydney PC User Group's: Website Events Calendar Changing your e-mail address? Please e-mail your new address to newsletter@sydneypc.com DISCLAIMER: This Newsletter is provided “As Is” without warranty of any kind. Each user or reader of this Newsletter assumes complete risk as to the accuracy and subsequent use of its contents.

Tuesday 10 February - Programming - N Hoffman - 5:30pm - 8:30pm

At the January meeting Alex presented a paper on the Internet of Everything (IoE). This is an improvement on the Internet of Things (IoT).

The trouble with IoT is that communication between devices is only possible when they use the same proprietary data standards and application programming interface (API). For example, Google’s NEST smoke alarm can share data back and forth; however a home surveillance system made by a different vendor cannot relay information (say on flames in the shed) to the Nest devices. The search is on for a standard way to connect and communicate among all devices out there. IoE is one attempt at universal data connectivity. Some of its protocols are well known, such as SPI, Zigbee, IPv4, HTTP, but there is a large and growing number, and adoption of a standard seems far away.

We discussed some details about PIC programming. Some PICs, such as the 16F62A, have no debugger built in, so require an external debugger, as provided in the PICkit3. We examined different methods of putting delays between instructions for an LCD display.

Summaries of previous meetings can be read at the following site:
http://www.sesame.com.au/picclub

Members of the group will demonstrate some new microprocessor applications and programming examples at Tuesday's meeting. - Neville Hoffman

Friday 13 February - Friday Forum - 9:30am - 12:30pm

Bob Backstrom will discuss the new Raspberry Pi2 computer board at this meeting.

The Raspberry Pi2 which costs about $48 has 1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM, a quad-core 900MHz ARM Cortex-A7 CPU, an ARMv7 processor, an Ethernet port, full-sized HDMI and RCA video connectors, two USB ports, a digital stereo socket for a headset or powered speakers, a MicroUSB port for a power connector and a slot underneath for a full-sized SD card. It will also run a version of Microsoft Windows 10.

This version of the Raspberry Pi is definitely one that will be of interest to all members.

There will be ample time for a problem solving and question and answer session at this meeting.

Friday 13 February - Communications - J Lucke - 12:30pm - 3:30pm

Microsoft Office, a browser, an e-mail client and more on a USB stick.

When you are on the move, holidaying with family or visiting friends, it can be very convenient if you take your favourite computer programs with you on a USB flash drive. Just plugging the flash drive into any computer will allow you to use your own familiar programs without making any changes to your host’s computer or leaving any signs you have been there.

At this meeting John Lucke will demonstrate how to customize a small USB drive with folders and portable applications to suit your personal requirements. He will also suggest a number of “must have” Apps and tell you where you can find them.

John has prepared a “Basic Portable USB Pack” which members may copy at the meeting if time allows. Just bring a USB stick with a minimum 2Gb of free space on it to the meeting.

There will also be a general discussion and a question and answer session at the meeting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John Mathews

An inspiring use of computers in education can be seen here.