[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] FW: Re: Where are you now?

Fri Nov 5 04:33:06 PDT 2021

 Chromebook security relies mostly on OS verification, i.e., complete lockdown of the hardware and the OS. So it runs only Chrome applications (Android and Google Docs, etc.). If any "tampering" with this arrangement is detected, the Chromebook automatically goes into device reset mode, and you have to reinstall the OS, destroying all data on the Chromebook. This is also the method Chromebooks use to update their firmware (as opposed to the usual Chrome OS updates). But this arrangement does make Chromebooks very secure and resistant to viruses. 
The downside is that after about 6 years, you can't get Chromebook updates from Google. Which results in either an expired device, or a trip through advanced methods to remove some of the Chromebook's security lockdown features, rendering the Chromebook less secure.
Converting a low-end Chromebook to "jailbreak" it is seldom worth the effort. More expensive models like mine are sometimes worth converting to Linux. This involves a hardware modification which means taking apart the Chromebook's case. And then praying the ROM flash process doesn't brick the Chromebook. 
-- Bob Primak

    On Wednesday, November 3, 2021, 05:34:21 PM EDT, George Gamota <ggamota at stma-llc.com> wrote:  

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Paul Lewis, an old friend and last leader of our group has a question – who uses a Chromebook??

Please respond

Thanks

George

From: Paul Lewis <jeplewis at gmail.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, November 3, 2021 5:13 PM
To: George Gamota <ggamota at stma-llc.com>
Subject: Re: Re: Where are you now?

Hi George,

Did you have any success with the question regarding Chromebooks?

Best wishes,

-p-

On Wed, Oct 27, 2021 at 12:49 PM Paul Lewis <jeplewis at gmail.com> wrote:

Ok, thanks. 

P

On Wed, Oct 27, 2021, 12:26 PM George Gamota <ggamota at stma-llc.com> wrote:

Paul

I have no idea but will ask and let you know

George

From: Paul Lewis <jeplewis at gmail.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2021 8:21 AM
To: George Gamota <ggamota at stma-llc.com>
Subject: Re: Re: Where are you now?

Hi George,

Thank you for your email.

Can you tell me how many Chromebook users you have in the club?

Many moons ago I thought there was Al, myself, and maybe one other.

What's the current count?

Thanks,

-Paul-

PS I'm approximately one year behind you,  age-wise.

On Thu, Oct 21, 2021 at 6:14 PM George Gamota <ggamota at stma-llc.com> wrote:

Hi Paul

There have been many changes since you left. Yes, we have quite a few new people – a number younger, but being 82, almost everyone who is still vertical is younger. LOL

We moved away from yahoo since their service was interrupted many times. Also, computers as a topic no longer have many talks since quite a few have switched to Apple or even Linux. I still use a PC but have an iPhone.

Talks are now recorded so you can view them at your leisure. All are on ZOOM, so if you sign up, you can participate when you can. Talks are now 75% on science or technology – ranging from astronomy, medicine to zoology. I do recommend you sign up and get notices on topics.

As to you giving a talk, based on your experiences, would be of interest on subject you choose. Life in Paris, travel in Europe, etc.

. Joining is easy, and see the instructions below on how to do it. Your email address must be on the register to get notices and allowed on to ZOOM.

Here is a copy of the latest notice.

Take care

George

| 
October 20, 2021
 | 
CRISPR, presented by Dick Wagner.

The acronym "CRISPR" (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) has often been invoked when considering recent revolutionary genetic engineering advances. This presentation will be devoted to the origin of the term, its biological significance, and how further knowledge led to the expansion of the meaning of this term as well as its underlying processes in genetic engineering. Finally, the potential of CRISPR for deriving further molecular biological information and uses from experimentation and analysis will be discussed.
 |

SPECIAL NOTE - Links to many of our previous sessions are available online at http://lctg.toku.us/, thanks to the diligence of Steve Isenberg. This includes the space-oriented presentations of Mars Landing from February 24, Venus Temperature from March 17, Apollo Mission from April 14, Space Debris from May 5, Oumuamua from May 19 and Helicopter Flight on Mars from May 26.

We, the Lexington Computer and Technology Group, will meet Wednesday at the usual 10AM Eastern Time, BUT ONLINE, using the Zoom Video Conferencing Application, facilitated by Steve Isenberg. 

There is an instruction page at https://toku.us/zoomish but note that the URL and phone number shown are examples.

Sometime after 9:45 AM on Wednesday, choose one of the following options:

   - If you have the Zoom application installed, start it and join meeting with ID 972 6146 0830
   - From your browser, go to: https://zoom.us/j/97261460830
   - From your smartphone, tap this: +16468769923,,97261460830
   - From a "dumb" telephone, call 1 646 876 9923 and enter meeting ID: 972 6146 0830 

Once the connection is established, you may need to locate and use the on-screen controls that turn on the sound and the video. You should be able to see and hear others and they should be able to see and hear you, if you have a camera and microphone (each of which you can unmute selectively).

If this email wasn't addressed to you and you would like to join the group, or if you have a friend or colleague who might also be interested in joining, it's easy.  Ask them to go to the group's wiki page at http://LCTG.toku.us and follow the simple instructions under "Join the Email List".  By being a member of the group you'll get reminders of upcoming meetings and infrequent related messages. No advertising.  The list is tightly managed.

Membership is free and given that all meetings are using Zoom you only need to be connected to the Internet to join.  It's ok to join from anywhere you can get a decent Internet connection, even if you're in orbit around Earth or on another planet or a moon (if you're connecting from somewhere not on Earth, we'd like to chat).

Below are our plans for Upcoming Meetings. For more schedule information, please refer to https://wiki.toku.us/doku.php?id=lctg_speaker_schedule  We will continue to have an online presentation (almost) every Wednesday until it is prudent for us to resume meeting in person.

| 
October 27, 2021
 | 
Decoding da Vinci. This NOVA program will explain the science behind Leonardo da Vinci's masterpieces—and Mona Lisa's iconic smile.
 |
| 
November 3, 2021
 | 
Fritz Haber and Chemical Warfare, Presented by Bretislav Friederich of the University of Berlin where he is Professor of Physical Chemistry. He is also a highly accomplished historian of science. He has just published a chapter in a book on the history of chemical warfare, germ warfare and other such technologies. His article is on Fritz Haber and his role in inventing chemical warfare during WW1. Friederich will be at Harvard for the year on sabbatical. He is an excellent speaker.
 |

From: Paul Lewis <jeplewis at gmail.com> 
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2021 10:58 AM
To: George Gamota <ggamota at stma-llc.com>
Subject: Re: Re: Where are you now?

cHi George,

A short while ago, I wrote a long chatty message to you in gmail, however the whole message just disappeared and I was left with the last four words that I had typed.

As you can imagine, that was very frustrating. I naturally 'Googled' the phenomenon and found that many people had suffered that fate, but I was unable to recover those pearls of wisdom that I had just penned to you.

So rather than attempt to re-create that masterpiece, I'll just say:

 - Thank you for your message

 - living in North Carolina is very comfortable - but.....

 - returning to the US after Paris gives me "very mixed" feelings

 - my Windows machine is still in storage or in transit

 - I have to confess I don't understand the 'new' club email system

 - I'm very much out of touch with Windows computing/computers

 - I am surviving well using my two Chromebooks

 - It seems there are several high-gurus in the club who know much more about the subject than I ever did

 - so I don't feel competent to give the club a presentation on any topic

 - if I had known that David was going to share my email to him with others

   I probably would have penned it differently . . .

Best wishes, from sunny and warm North Carolina.

-Paul-

PS Have you seen the new report from the Guardian/UNEP about fossil fuels?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/20/planned-fossil-fuel-output-vastly-exceeds-climate-limits-says-un?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other 

On Tue, Oct 19, 2021 at 12:32 PM George Gamota <ggamota at stma-llc.com> wrote:

Hi David, Al, and Paul

This is like a reunion of our club from years ago (Basement Senior center at Muzzey).

Thanks for sharing Paul’s email. I am glad to hear that all is well with the Lewises, and they are enjoying NC. 

Now we need to hear from Al and what he has been up to.

Now that Paul is in our time zone, maybe we can twist his arm and have him give us a ZOOM meeting for the club? Any topic he chooses will be OK.

Cheers to all

George

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