Events

The OPCUG is holding Q&A sessions weekly on Wednesday evenings. You don’t have to be an OPCUG member; everyone is welcome at no charge to join us and ask questions about their specific computer-related problems.

Dive into the fascinating world of typography with Chris Taylor, President of the Ottawa PC Users’ Group. Chris will demystify the terminology of typography and explore its rich history. Learn what makes a typeface readable or distracting, how to effectively combine multiple typefaces, and the emotions different fonts can evoke. Whether your next project is a greeting card, poster, newsletter, business card, logo, or anything else that incorporates text, Chris can help you avoid common typographic pitfalls. Practical tips will be shared to choose the right typeface, create visually appealing and readable text, and more. For the design novice or seasoned pro, this presentation will enhance your appreciation and understanding of typography’s powerful impact.

Enjoy photos and narration of an Icelandic cruise that included magnificent waterfalls, lava fields, geysers and stunning fjords. Presented by Lynda Buske from the Ottawa PC Users’ Group and the Orleans Photo Club.

Learn how to extend the battery life of your PC laptop, discover the handy Microsoft PowerToys, detect fake USB flash drives before you lose data, learn why you should avoid PC "fix-it" utilities, and embed music in PowerPoint presentations. Chris Taylor, President of the Ottawa PC Users' Group, will help you with these quick and effective remedies.

Take your photography to the next level by getting your camera off "Auto" to achieve the creative effects you want. Learn how to tell your camera to capture what you see - don't let it decide for you. Topics covered will include an understanding of aperture, shutter speed and ISO which can be applied to any camera that has a dial for selecting exposure settings (e.g. "A" or "Av", and "S" or "Tv"). Presented by Chris Taylor, President of the Ottawa PC Users' Group and Vice-president of the Orleans Photo Club.

Think about all the data on your PC; videos of the grandkids playing in a park, photos of your trip to Patagonia (lucky you!), tax records, emails… Now think about whether those files exist anywhere else. If the answer is no, you need to think about backup. You could lose data due to viruses, fire, theft, tornado, hard disk failure, making an unintended change to a file, or a wayward finger deleting a file. Chris Taylor, President of the Ottawa PC Users' Group will discuss various ways you can ensure your important data survives any catastrophe.

We are told: don't write down passwords; don't reuse passwords; make passwords long and complex. Chris Taylor, President of the Ottawa PC Users' Group will show how to use free software that stores all your usernames and passwords along with related information and protects them with a single, very strong password. Don't let your online accounts get compromised. It's easy and free.

Learn various ways you can organize your photos on your computer or in the cloud. You should be able to find even your oldest photos quickly and easily. Understand how to create backups so your photos are protected against theft, fire, or other disasters. Learn how to create a free on-line photo album using Flickr. Presented by Lynda Buske from the Ottawa PC Users' Group and the Orleans Photo Club.

Think about all the data on your PC; videos of the grandkids playing in a park, photos of your trip to Patagonia (lucky you!), tax records, emails… Now think about whether those files exist anywhere else. If the answer is no, you need to think about backup. You could lose data due to viruses, fire, theft, tornado, hard disk failure, making an unintended change to a file, or a wayward finger deleting a file. Chris Taylor, President of the Ottawa PC Users' Group will discuss various ways you can ensure your important data survives any catastrophe.

Photos and narration from multiple trips via car, ship, bus. Ireland includes Cork, Dublin, Northern Ireland (Belfast, Londonderry, Giant’s Causeway) and the west coast (Cliffs of Mohr, Connemara). Scotland includes Hebrides, Edinburgh, Inverness, Shetland Islands. Presented by Lynda Buske from the Ottawa PC Users’ Group and the Orleans Photo Club.

Chris Taylor (OPCUG) will outline the differences in major components so you will be armed with the information to find the PC that meets your needs.

Windows 10 will reach End-of-Life, and hence the end of all support, on October 14, 2025. So, if you have a computer that is currently running Windows 10, what are you going to do? In this presentation, we will discuss the various options, including carrying on using Windows 10, upgrading to Windows 11, and buying a new computer. However, there is another option. Move up to Linux. It’s free, it’s easy to use, and it works! We will take a look at Linux and see how it can be used, in conjunction with Windows 10, to keep older machines running for the foreseeable future. Presented by Alan German from the Ottawa PC Users' Group