WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 06 - 11 MAY, 2024
Hello and Welcome,
Meeting TODAY
2024/05/04 — 13:00-14:00 — May, Sat — Penrith Group
Meeting This Week
2024/05/07 — 18:00-20:00 — May, Tue — Main Meeting
Notice of the AGM was sent to members on 18th April. If you are a member and have not received the notice, please get in touch with us at spcugdb@gmail.com.
Currently, we have only one nomination. However, we need more members to join the committee as at least one committee member cannot continue this year. According to our constitution, we require four Office bearers and one ordinary member.
The club is in an excellent financial position. We can continue to hold face-to-face meetings for at least the next two years. However, if we cannot raise a committee, we will close, as did the Hurstville Group last year. That would mean we must gift around $12,000 to another computer group.
All committee meetings are held via Zoom, so committee members are not inconvenienced. We must only hold three meetings in a year unless we have a problem.
We strongly encourage you to consider joining the committee. It is not a great burden as the meetings are held via Zoom. By having a committee, we can continue to spend our money for our own use. We have great meetings with interesting information and great fellowship; let's continue to build our great club together.
The Zoom details are:
SPCTUG Zoom Main Meeting
Time: May 7, 2024, 18:00 Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84608773479
Meeting ID: 846 0877 3479
Passcode: SydPCMain
Steve South
President SPCTUG
Meetings Next Week
2024/05/14 — 18:00-20:00 — May, Tue — Programming
2024/05/18 — 14:00-16:00 — May, Sat — Web Design
Schedule of Current & Upcoming Meetings
First Tuesday 18:00-20:00 — Main Meeting
First Saturday 13:00-14:00 — Penrith Group
Second Tuesday 18:00-20:00 — Programming
Third Tuesday 10:00-12:00 — Tuesday Group
Third Saturday 14:00-16:00 — Web Design
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Go to the official Sydney PC Calendar for this month's meeting details.
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Penrith meetings are held every 2nd month on the 1st Saturday from 1-2 pm.
The next scheduled meetings are in May, July and September 2024.
ASCCA News:Tech News:
FCC Launches Broadband 'Nutrition Labels'
See the InfoPackets article by John Lister on April 26 2024, at 01:04 pm EDT.
Broadband 'Nutrition Labels'
The FCC has launched "broadband labels" to help consumers compare packages and providers. The labels are modelled on those used for nutritional information.
The idea is to help consumers make more informed decisions about choosing a provider. The problem is that often, a lack of choice is the biggest barrier to getting good-value Internet services.
Most providers need to start displaying the labels from this month, though those with fewer than 100,000 subscribers have until October to comply. Customers can complain to the FCC about missing or inaccurate labels. The FCC hasn't spelt out specific penalties for breaches. (Source: fcc.gov)
While the format of the labels is highly reminiscent of the FDA-mandated nutritional information labels, the required information directly relates to broadband service. Separate labels will be created for wired and mobile broadband.
No Hiding Place For Hidden Fees
The information includes details about the monthly price, including any restrictions, introductory rates and minimum terms, plus any additional charges, such as installation or early termination fees.
The labels will also list typical download and upload speeds, latency (the delay in starting data transmission), and monthly usage caps. Companies must also give customer support contacts plus a website address for their privacy policy and any network management policy (such as restricting usage or slowing speeds for particular data types or at specific times).
The original plans required the labels to show if the plan was eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Plan, which offered a $30 government-funded discount for people on low incomes. That requirement has been dropped because the plan is currently set to wind up unless and until Congress approves additional funding.
Price Comparison Easier
Providers will need to publish a separate label for each plan and show it at the point of sale, whether in a store or online. They will also need to make the labels available in a machine-readable format to facilitate third-party production of automated comparison sites.
The labels make it easier to know which providers offer the best deal for a user's requirements and budget. Of course, that only helps customers in areas where they have limited options for high-speed connections. (Source: theverge.com)
What's Your Opinion?
Are the labels a good idea? Would they have helped you when you signed up for your current deal? Is better information for customers the key to a competitive broadband market?
Comments — They need to regulate the pricing of broadband service — Submitted by drobinson_nc 16614 on Sat, 27/04/2024 — 18:56.
I get a price increase from AT&T every year. I just got another one today. They are forcing me to give them access to my bank account, or it will cost me another $10 monthly. The same thing happened last year and the year before. I was paying $70/month in 2021. Now, I am paying $110/month for the same service. I have to pay another $10/month to help them "offset" their operating cost every year. A cap needs to be placed on their service. The 'label' wastes time and will only increase costs for the consumer. AT&T is a monopoly and owns most other service providers, such as Time Warner (Spectrum Internet). So there are few, if any, to choose from in most areas.
Why Is It Called Bluetooth?
See the How-To Geek article by JOE FEDEWA | PUBLISHED April 28 2024.
Bluetooth
And the hidden meaning behind the icon.
Few technologies have become as embedded in our daily lives as Bluetooth. This wireless technology has evolved far beyond hands-free headsets, from smartphones to computers to TVs and speakers. But what's the deal with that odd name, and does it have anything to do with teeth?
A Brief History of Bluetooth
The beginnings of Bluetooth date back to 1989, when Nils Rydbeck, the CTO of Ericsson Mobile, started developing "short link" radio technology that would eventually become Bluetooth. The technology was originally intended specifically for wireless headsets.
The next decade would be spent working on a viable solution. Things heated up in 1998 when the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) was formed. At first, it included Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Nokia, and Toshiba but quickly increased to around 4,000 members in just one year.
It was only a short time before Bluetooth devices started hitting the market. Bluetooth 1.0 was released in 1999. The very first Bluetooth device was a wireless headset. The first phone with Bluetooth was the Ericsson T36, but it was in the Ericsson T39 in 2001 that a phone with Bluetooth hit the market.
Nowadays, the Bluetooth SIG has over 30,000 members, and Bluetooth is found in far more devices than only wireless headsets and phones. Bluetooth 1.0 came out over 20 years ago, but the most recent version is only Bluetooth 5.4, released in February 2023.
Origin of the Bluetooth Name
The origins of the Bluetooth name are odd. It's a term that has become so common it's lost all meaning, but smashing the words "Blue" and "Tooth" together doesn't seem to make much sense about wireless technology. It has nothing to do with that.
The Bluetooth name came from Jim Kardach of Intel in 1997. "Bluetooth" was the nickname for King Harald Gormsson of Denmark and Norway in the 10th century. Historians have guessed that the nickname came from a discoloured tooth — imagine that. But how did that become the name of a wireless standard?
Kardach said he chose the Bluetooth name because the king was "famous for uniting Scandinavia just as we intended to unite the PC and cellular industries with a short-range wireless link." It was initially going to be the codename, but we are, nearly 30 years later, still saying "Bluetooth."
The Secret Meaning of the Bluetooth Logo
The logo also has a surprising history. You may think it's just an excellent, stylized letter "B," but the shape is intentional. Remember King Bluetooth? He did more than provide the name; he's also behind the logo.
The Bluetooth "B" icon combines the Nordic runes for the letters H and B — for Harald Bluetooth.
The Bluetooth Symbol
Who knew we've all been saying the name of an ancient king and sporting his initials everywhere? Bluetooth is one of the most significant modern inventions — we use it constantly. Every time you do, you'll think about a guy from Scandinavia with bad teeth.
Microsoft Tests 'Ads' In Start Menu
See the InfoPackets article by John Lister on April 29 2024, at 01:04 pm EDT.
Microsoft is to run ads in the Windows 11 Start menu. The "recommendations" will initially appear only for those who have signed up to be early testers of new features.
The promotions will appear in the "Recommended" section at the bottom of the Start menu. This typically includes links to installed apps and documents that the user has either recently or frequently used. The idea is that these will most likely be what the user wants to open at any given moment.
Insiders are Test Dummies
The new feature will mean this list includes suggested apps from the Microsoft Store that the user does not currently have installed. Microsoft hasn't said how it will select these and what, if anything, will decide how relevant they are to a particular user. Whether these are strictly "ads" is open to debate as it's not clear if any money is changing hands.
Only a few people will see the new app recommendations for now. They're part of the Beta Channel of the Windows Insider program, where users agree to get early access to features that are still in development or being tested. The initial tests will only be for home users (rather than business accounts) in the US, and even then, only a "small set" of those users will see them.
Tech on Trial
Microsoft stresses that "we regularly try out new experiences and concepts that may never get released with Windows Insiders to get feedback." That's a strong suggestion. It's open to the possibility this will get an abysmal reception, which certainly is the case for those who've already gone public with their thoughts. (Source: windows.com)
Most of the early feedback and debate has centred on two issues: questioning whether the suggestions are helpful and whether the Start menu is an appropriate place for any form of promotion. (Source: theregister.com)
Indeed, Microsoft has also published instructions for turning off the feature: select Settings, then Personalization, then Start, and switch off the toggle marked "Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more."
What's Your Opinion?
Is this a smart move by Microsoft? Do you expect it to be rolled out to all users? Could this help users?
Comments
No thanks — Submitted by Dennis Faas on Mon, 29/04/2024 — 13:15.
When Windows 8 debuted, I ditched the Windows start menu in favour of Classic Shell (now called "Open Shell") and haven't looked back since. It's 100% free, and you won't find any ads there, thank goodness. It's instantaneous; its search bar can find files and other parts of the operating system by simply typing in a few words, and otherwise works flawlessly. It is highly recommended!
Also. No Thanks — Submitted by nospam_5346 on Mon, 29/04/2024 — 14:55.
I ditched the Windows start menu in Windows 7 for Classic Shell/Open Shell as I prefer the classic start menu.
In any case, I always, if possible, turn off any item that remembers what I've done, like frequently used apps, docs, etc., as well as recently used apps, as I consider that to be an invasion of my privacy should I allow anyone to use my computer.
It seems that "features" that make things "easier" translate to more tracking and less privacy.
Lastly, it would help if you didn't have to see ads on your OS. An OS should be just that: a means to use your computer. You don't always have a choice as to which OS you have to use due to various reasons, such as proprietary software, legacy software, gaming (let's face it — currently, Windows is still the king in the PC gaming world), etcetera, so they have you at their mercy.
Oh, and I would most likely never act on a recommendation from Microsoft or Apple.
LOL, just LOL — Submitted by Kitekrazy on Mon, 29/04/2024 — 17:30.
We are raising the bar of stupidity.
The start menu sucks, so make it worse. Classic Shell is your friend.
Fun Facts:
Beetroot and beefless bourguignon as Paris Olympics embraces vegetarian cuisine
See TheGuardian article by Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Fri 26 Apr 2024, at 21.05 AEST.
Top chefs say the Games will rebrand French gastronomy as a showcase for plant-based food
French Chef preparing plant-based food
It will boast the world's most extensive salad bar, offer fans vegetarian hotdogs and bring in up to half a million bananas by boat to meet athletes' insatiable demand for the fruit while avoiding the carbon footprint of air travel.
As part of its efforts to cut carbon emissions, the Paris Olympics will make history by offering more vegetarian cuisine than in any Games.
France, the nation of steak tartare and creamy blanquette de veau, is the European country with the highest beef and veal consumption per inhabitant. Still, chefs say the Olympic Games will rebrand French gastronomy as a showcase for plant-based food.
The restaurant in the Athletes' Olympic Village, serving 40,000 meals a day and open 24 hours, will become the biggest restaurant on Earth. One-third of its 500 recipes will be vegetarian, including locally grown lentils and quinoa.
For the first time, a plant-based meat substitute firm, Garden Gourmet, a subsidiary of Nestlé, is an Olympic sponsor, providing plant-based burgers, chickpea, and beetroot falafels to make France more "flexitarian".
"We're in France, so food is important," said Georgina Grenon, environmental excellence director for Paris 2024. "But it is about presenting another way to eat deliciously, even in a fast-paced way, like vegetarian hamburgers and hotdogs at a stadium."
With 13 million meals served during the Games — including for fans, staff, volunteers, and athletes — the focus is on locally grown vegetables. The 15,000 athletes, who eat according to strict training rules, will have access to locally sourced meat and fish, but the number of vegetarian dishes on offer to them will be much higher than before.
Meanwhile, of the estimated 5 million meals and snacks sold to fans at stadiums and venues, 60% in Paris and the surrounding Île-de-France area will be vegetarian. This will include a signature vegetarian hotdog tested last year at mountain biking trials, where it vastly outsold the meat option.
At the Stade de France, where races are often held in the morning, athletics fans will also be treated to a special egg muffin. Other venues will offer organic vegetarian crepes and a vegan escalope sandwich. The urban park at Place de la Concorde will host skateboarding, breakdancing, and BMX, which will be meat-free. Officials said this would appeal to the "younger, very international crowd."
The strict carbon footprint restrictions ensure no food for the Paris Olympics will come by plane. This means bananas will be shipped by boat from the French Caribbean, and passion fruit, which needs to fly, will be banned.
"Of course, great gastronomy can be vegetarian," said the Michelin-starred French chef Akrame Benallal, who was asked to create a handful of signature dishes for athletes. These include a reworked version of his famous savoury quinoa muesli, made with quinoa grown south of Paris, a touch of mascarpone and parmesan and crunchy fried grains on top. He has also created mushroom croquettes with black cardamon.
"It was about trying to create a cuisine that would make sense to everybody and which everyone could enjoy, whether athletes eat kosher, halal, or vegetarian; it was about everyone taking pleasure in it," Benallal said. "They have to put down their spoon and say, 'Wow, that's very, very good.'"
One of Benallal's restaurants, Shirvan in Paris, inspired by the Silk Route, already serves 60% vegetarian dishes. "French cuisine, for me, is one of the most varied, mixed, diverse in the world, because there is a lot of influence from many, many countries, and its riches lie in the cooking techniques," he said.
Charles Guilloy, executive chef for the firm Sodexo Live!, will run the restaurant at the Olympic Village. At 3,500 seated places, athletes will, for the first time, eat off washable plates, instead of disposable ones. His signature dishes include a dal made with locally grown French green lentils, topped with skyr, coriander, and a slither of cornbread.
"The false stereotype remains that French gastronomy is meat, meat, and only meat," Guilloy said. "Traditions are built around excellent, local, seasonal vegetables. Beef bourguignon is a French recipe, but I've reworked it for Olympic athletes as a vegetarian bourguignon with seasonal vegetables, potatoes, carrots, peas, young leeks and shallots. I like to eat a vegetarian dish with a knife and fork and for it to be just as pleasurable as animal products. The area around Paris produces great vegetables, from all types of cabbage to cress and lentils. I've created a lentil dal with local green lentils and locally grown coriander because lentils have been a staple through the ages."
Guilloy's other dishes include a tarte tatin of tomatoes and onions.
Olympic food in numbers
Thirteen million meals will be served to athletes, staff, volunteers, journalists and fans.
Forty thousand meals daily are served in the Olympic Village athletes' restaurant, with 500 approved recipes for the 15,000 athletes.
Up to half a million bananas will be arriving by boat for athletes.
Six hundred thousand cereal bars were ordered for athletes in the Olympic Village, for an estimated total of about 1m, including competition sites.
VirtualBox vs Hyper-V: What's the Best Virtualisation Tool?
See the 5m53s YouTube Video by "TrustRadius."
VirtualBox and Hyper-V are both popular virtualisation tools, and both offer generous free options. That said, they excel at specific use cases. We discuss the differences between the two so you can decide which tool is right for your business.
VirtualBox vs Hyper-V: The Verdict
Ed:
I have installed both on a powerful Mini PC and will show a comparison at next Tuesday's Group meeting in the city.
Firstly, try VirtualBox:
It is a free virtualisation tool from Oracle that lets you install any Operating System under Windows Pro or Home.
I downloaded an Ubuntu ISO and installed it under VirtualBox. Ubuntu runs like the actual OS on an Intel or AMD CPU.
I downloaded and installed the integer factorisation program CADO-NFS into Ubuntu to compare speeds.
This is a Number Field Sieve program, currently the fastest known algorithm for factoring large integers. It was first proposed by John Pollard in 1970 and later improved by Carl Pomerance and Richard Crandall in 1988. See the Wikipedia article describing integer factorisation in some detail.
The problem I gave it was to factor the 101-digit number 11,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111,111.
The factors are:
4,531,530,181,816,613,234,555,190,841 — (28 digits)
129,063,282,232,848,961,951,985,354,966,759 — (33 digits) and
18,998,088,572,819,375,252,842,078,421,374,368,604,969 — (41 digits)
The solving time for VirtualBox was 61 minutes.
Now for Hyper-V:
It is part of the Windows Operating System, which differs from VirtualBox.
Firstly, it only runs on Windows Pro or Windows Enterprise versions, so Home is left out.
There are whole YouTube videos dedicated to explaining the intricacies of running Hyper-V, but in essence, it runs whatever Operating System you install to as near as the "bare-metal" that is possible. It certainly feels fast.
The one thing that is immediately noticeable is the responsiveness of the "guest" operating system. In VirtualBox, you struggled to type anything into the Ubuntu Terminal while the NFS program was executed in another Terminal. If you tried entering the command grep -i " eta \| now " logfile the characters came out as grep -i ' eta \| now ' logfile, not noticing that Shift ' gives ".
This grep command is looking for ETA (estimated time of arrival) or the word NOW (this tells you how far the factorisation has progressed).
With Hyper-V, for example, the switch forward and back between running Terminals was high-speed and responsive. It is the same as switching from Ubuntu to the "host" Operating System, Windows 11 Pro. You can then use the Task Manager to see how much CPU and memory are used.
The solving time for Hyper-V was 9 minutes.
You can guess which I will be using in the future.
PS: The two big disappointments of Hyper-V are 1) It has no COPY/PASTE between "host" and "guest" and 2) The "guest" HAS NO SOUND!
But, it wins on performance!
Of course, both Operating Systems do have COPY/PASTE within their own systems.
— Ed.
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~ Newsletter Editor ~
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