Having been a user of RootsMagic6, I was happy to upgrade to RootsMagic7 when it became available back in Dec 2014 .. and while it installed and worked fine on my Win8 laptop, I was sadly disappointed that it would not work correctly under Ubuntu - until today.

Oh, I don't like Ubuntu, she stated emphatically. As if that was that. I let it pass .. I suppose she is entitled to her own opinion. Later, however, I pondered just what she might not like about it. Is it the cost? Free for everyone everywhere to use? Was it the security features? The fact that it is virtually virus proof? The ease of installation and re-installation or the fact that it auto-updates everything along with the operating system? Hmm. Maybe she doesn't want to use all the free software – Libreoffice, GnuCash, Gimp and stuff like that? Perhaps she doesn't like watching Netflix on Chrome, or using the Family Search Indexing program, browsing the internet and all that stuff without having to shell out big bucks for the latest and greatest hardware. Is it the fact that it just keeps working, even on older hardware without having to reboot (or lockup or crash) like other operating $y$tems do. Or that most internet servers out there are LAMP based (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) or variants. Even many 'proprietary' windows-only programs can often be run on Linux using the free Wine windows emulation program, so that can't be it. I have only run Linux on all my business computers for a mere decade or so now, so perhaps my opinion pales in comparison. I haven't yet found a reason to go back to the evil empire. Regardless .. I refute her assertion. I think she just thinks she doesn't like Ubuntu ..

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/features

One of our local pharmacists tells all her customers that daily vitamins and mineral supplements are a waste of money, and recommends that they should simply eat better. Is this a personal opinion or is it a standard pharmacist recommendation? Why then are they marketed (by her 'employer') and kept on the shelf for sale? Why do some doctors write prescriptions for same?

Sure, you don't want anyone else to access and view your email messages and contact information. You need a secure password! But, what happens if you forget it? Many users set it and forget it in their favorite email program or even within their browser. Some write it down on a paper or post it 'hidden' somewhere near their computer, under the keyboard or in a drawer or behind a cupboard door. This case deals with an unfortunate series of events where some forgetful but nice little old ladies with multiple devices and email accounts have happened to all forget their email passwords at the same time .. Enter, Mr Computer Guy.

Assignment: 1) recover email address passwords for everyone in the house. 2) find some way to keep them save from themselves in the future ..

I have installed FamilySearch Family Tree app on my Android tablet. It is somewhat interesting as it permits me to show off my current tree .. but does not really let me update it on FamilySearch .. it has menu buttons for Stories and Audio but does not appear to let you create content here .. just view what FamilySearch has. The new FamilySearch Memories app looks more promising for creating content - with a voice recorder, add photos and documents, and create stories functions, but alas (for now) it only exists for ios7+ (apple devices) for now. Some hints about an Android version perhaps being made available for end of this year .. wouldn't that be a nice Christmas present!

For some strange reason, many very annoying and questionable programs are getting by your antivirus program and infecting your windows computer. Programs are running in the background, slowing you down, possibly spying on your personal and financial activity, tracking what you look at and buy on the internet, popping up warnings or attempting downloads, tricking you into phoning Dave aka Apu in some far away computer compound to fix you computer woes for you, for such a reasonable fee. Hmm

We recently enjoyed a one night training here in Magrath by Mr Keith Russell of Cardston area. He presented a plan for prioritizing and elimination of debt through his method of 'planned spending' aka 'debt free spending'. Over a period of several years he has lived, taught and refined his program mostly as a community service. It got me enthused again on catching up on recording my own personal and business accounting - usually I wait until the tax man requireth his fees. His method takes recording of past expenses one step further, and after requiring entry of current cash flows, it looks at planning for expected upcoming expenses as well ..  

Recently I have been getting more requests on how to download videos from the net for later playback - say at a location where internet access is iffy or non-existent. 

For Linux the Youtube-dl tool has been my utility of choice. It is easily installed from the software libraries or from the command line [as: sudo apt-get install youtube-dl ]. As with many open-source programs, there is also a Windows version that can be downloaded and used .. however the Windows install is less straight forward as it requiresg Python install as well first. See http://rg3.github.io/youtube-dl/documentation.html for the how to ..

Alternatively, I have recently stumbled on the savefrom.net website which works from your internet browser window .. so it is pretty much operating system neutral - meaning it should work for Windows or Linux or even Apple computers. "SaveFrom.net makes downloading from the internet convenient and simple. With our help you can download audio, video, and other types of files from various websites and social networks: rapidshare.com, youtube.com, vkontakte.ru etc .."

After many years in intensive care, your venerable XP operating system was taken off life support this month by your friends at Microsoft.

Without XP support, many of you are left to ponder, what will become of my poor old computer? As further XP bugs are uncovered, as no further debugging or support will be provided by Mr Microsoft, and as those bugs are eventually exploited by nefarious malware or virus programmers, XP will simply die a slow death and/or eventually just become completely unusable.

What to do? For now, your system may keep plugging on, for a while. Microsoft is banking on you plunking down more money on a new Microsoft Windows product. I propose you consider moving to a free, open source option - Ubuntu Linux works for me!

Why?  Well, for one, the Ubuntu installation process is much simpler (and less costly .. can you beat free?) than the one for Windows version xyz. You enter a username and password and timezone and the easy installation automatically takes over and recognizes existing operating systems and gives you the option to install Linux without wiping any of the precious data sitting on your hard drive. Your computer hardware is also automatically detected and updated for you. The available software is open source - free to install and use on any number of computers  so no pack of M$ Lawyers will chase you down and make you track licences and installations. It allows you to do all the regular things that you would use in a Windows environment and more via familiar easy to use equivalent programs - Chrome or Firefox vs Internet Explorer, Libre Office vs Microsoft Office, GNU Cash vs Quickbooks, etc. In addition, all programs update with the operating system. Wow! I find that everything I plug in just works. and Ubuntu is much more secure than your poor old Windows systems. Being Linux-based I have yet to see a virus or malware show up on my systems. You don't need expensive and system numbing add-on antivirus solutions, but you can run one is you wish. Any problems that arise are patched right away for free by the Ubuntu developers. My biggest problem has been too much choice .. a myriad of possible favorite software programs to try and use.

You can even just run the LiveCD option to try out Linux on your computer without even installing a thing on your hard drive. Very useful in getting started with Ubuntu or for even for fixing a 'broken XP' system. You can update your system every 6 months to keep on the bleeding edge, or stick with the LTS (Long Term Support) versions that are supported for 5 years! A new LTS version is released every 2 years. There is no extra fee for the LTS version and upgrades to new versions of Ubuntu are and always will be free of charge.

Being ever so customizable, the system can be configured to look and act like your old Windows system, if you cannot live without a start button. You can even install Windows emulation (called Wine). Wine allows you to run many Windows programs on Linux - including Netflix, RootsMagic, Picasa, and Family Search Indexing .. some of my favorites.

Need help? Although it is pretty easy install and get started with Ubuntu, you can also find tons of help online. For example, Mr Robbie Ferguson of Category5.tv has a weekly free tech support show - 1 hour long every Tue evening. You can view past viewer questions and answers or submit your own questions for consideration by phone or video or email. Many enthusiasts, like myself, post tips and helps online to keep you informed and edu-ma-cated. 

Need more help? Of course, you can always hire me (or someone very much like me - if you don't live close by) to set you up, get you started and keep you going. Call me ..

Let me say first that I should have known better. I see now how it should have been handled differently and all this could have been avoided. People I truly like and respect have had their feelings and reputations hurt on both sides. However, that is not what was intended. Still, I must apologize.

Background: I maintain a number of websites for various organizations in Magrath - my company, the Lions Club, the Chamber of Commerce and others. Generally things are going well. Valuable information is being provided in a timely and productive manner. Last week I received a letter on a topic of great interest to the Chamber and after removing names posted it to the Chamber news blog. 

What I neglected to remember, was that these posts are automatically forwarded to our Facebook page and from there appears as officially sanctioned and approved pronouncements from the entire Magrath Chamber of Commerce.

The letter was never intended to be distributed publicly, even without naming names, and in a small town it was not long before many had seen and passed judgement on the situation, some for one side and some for the other. Again, that was never the intention, and in any case, it was not approved for distribution (even inadvertently) by the Chamber. It was supposed to be simply a letter identifying a general issue that a member wanted to be addressed at some future meeting.

I have personally talked to many of the parties involved, and apologized for the unintended impact.

On the other hand, wow. I often post information (like this apology) and wonder if anyone will ever really see or read it. The feedback received just a day or so after the event makes me realize the awesome power of the social media - with all it's potential warts it also is a powerful tool for good.

So, to summarize:

1. We need to be very careful when posting information on the web, despite our best intentions, even with names changed to protect the innocent.
2. If a story needs to be told, tell it in the best possible light and try to see how it may be interpreted by those who will end up reading it. 
3. Despite it all, IMHO it is better to have the discussion and resolve or work on it than to have it hidden or ignored.
   

That, and .. I'm sorry. 
rdd