MACCAMP FALL 2013 and SPRING 2014

Fall MacCamp will be here before we know it. We will try to have a Mavericks (OSX 10.9) introduction class and an iWork in the Cloud intro. A lot of this depends on the release times for both programs. Due to cost increases at Silver Falls the cost of Fall Camp will be $199.00. We try to keep costs down and have lost money or broken even on the last few Camps. This is still a fair price adding in meals and rooms and meeting halls. In fact, the only reason we have not lost more money on the last couple of camps is that several instructors have paid their way to Camp. If you would like to sign up for MacCamp this fall (October 18-20) please send a $50.00 deposit (total cost will be $199.00) to PMUG, PO Box 8948, Portland OR 97207-8948 attention MacCamp. If you have a class you would like to see at MacCamp please email charles@pmug.org.

Spring MacCamp next year will be a little different. There will be no formal classes and it will be called Master Camp. Right up front you need to know this is on Easter weekend (April 18-20). We will be doing a lot of things differently. Yes that is right—no set classes! We are also thinking about adding Thursday the 17th but will only do breakfast on Sunday morning. Because it is Easter we are expecting fewer people but the learning and social aspect should be even greater. If you would like to reserve a spot at Master Camp please send a non-refundable depot of $50.00 (total cost will be $199.00) to PMUG, PO Box 8948, Portland OR 97207-8948 attention MacCamp.

Adobe

I want to write a little bit about Adobe. Yes we’re talking about Adobe the company, the creators of Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and many more programs. One of the first things I have to admit is although I’ve been using Adobe Photoshop for many years, I only know a small portion of the program. For 20 years I have been using Photoshop to edit pictures that have been scanned or taken with a digital camera. That’s a long time and for those 20 years I have upgraded my copy of Adobe Photoshop from version 2.5 up to version CS5. I have to admit I did not upgrade every time Adobe brought out a brand-new version. Sometimes I would wait for a newer version than the step from 5.5 to 6, things like that. The reason I waited was because I could see very little need for my upgrading a program that already did what I wanted just to have the latest version on my machine. All in all, with no other costs included, I figure purchasing Photoshop has cost me in the vicinity of $3000 over twenty years. Having worked with Adobe Photoshop for this period of time, I’m kind of at a stopping point. Adobe has opted to no longer sell a license to operate Adobe Photoshop (or the other Creative Suite applications) as a stand- alone product. This means that if I want to keep my software I have to continually pay Adobe monthly for the privilege of doing so. I was fine paying for upgrades when I needed them and not being forced to upgrade other parts of my system if needed to operate this software. It looks like Adobe Photoshop CS5 will be the last Adobe Photoshop I personally purchase because there is no way I am going to pay them a monthly fee to use software that will allow them the ability to disable my software on my machine if I don’t pay. My feeling about this is the same way I feel about extortion. I find it very offensive that one of the largest companies in the software industry has opted to take away the ability for people to work independently of the web and being online.

Please note—at this time—the new policy does not affect Adobe Photoshop Elements or Adobe Lightroom.

For all those creative people out there that have to use Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign—you have my sympathy.

I understand that a lot of you feel the same way I do. I feel the only

way that I can really express myself (that Adobe will understand) is to write this column and not enter into an agreement that allows them to charge me monthly for software that they control.

New Malware Ransomware

You are clicking on research hits in Google/Bing etc and suddenly a screen that you can.t dismiss comes up saying it's the FBI. Seems that you owe them 300.00 for going to a WEB site that has illegal content on it. If you force quit Safari it will just reload the next time you launch so:

follow this link to find out what hackers/Cyber-criminals are trying to extort money from Mac users

http://blog.malwarebytes.org/intelligen ... s-x-users/

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a con job and it has not infected your computer but has a script set up to force you to hit the leave this page button 150 time in order to get out.
Do not give these guys your credit card numbers follow the direction in the link to get out.

Starting up with the shift key down will allow you to reset your Safari prefs. Sometimes Apples updates are not your friend.