Meeting Times
Meetings (generally) start at 6:30 p.m. with a Question and Answer (Q&A) session, and the program starts at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month. Currently, most meetings are held virtually via Zoom, originating from Sequim, Washington. Check here before meetings for the latest information.
May 19, 2026: Basic Computer Security
The SMUG meeting on May 19, 2026, will focus on basic computer security. Recent news headlines have told of “zero day” flaws in many computer and device operating systems, massive attacks on government and private enterprises, and crippling attacks on public and private schools. We will talk about something different: basic things you can do to keep your Mac, iPhone, and iPad safe.
The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. with our usual Question and Answer session, and the main program will begin at 7 p.m. This will be a virtual meeting via Zoom, and a meeting link will be sent out to everyone on the mailing list on May 17 or 18. If someone is not on the mailing list, they can send a message via our Contact page, https://strait-mac.org/contact/
Be sure you have Zoom version 7.0.0 or better, as Zoom has fixed many bug and security problems.
April 2026: Artificial Intelligence
March 2026: iPhone Literacy, Part 3
February 2026: iPhone Literacy Part 2
January 2026: Changes to Apple Card
January 2026: iPhone Literacy Part 1
December 2025: iPhone 17 Pro Max resolutions compared
December 2025: No meeting
November 2025: Using OS 26
October 2025: A look at macOS 26, iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and watchOS 26
Science Fiction writer reviews Apples. https://terribleminds.com/ramble/category/theramble/
September 2025: iOS 26 and screening unknown callers
September 2025: Virtual machines on the Macintosh
September 2025: New Books September
September 9, 2025: Awe dropping Apple Event
August 2025: Preserving and transferring information
August 2025: Things of Interest
July 2025: Short Technical Topics
June 2025: WWDC25
May 2025: No meeting, but updates to everything
April 2025: New Books, First Quarter of 2025
April 2025: Utilities Part 3
April 2025: New books, first quarter of 2025
April 2025: A terminal, security updates, a conference, and emoji
March 2025: Utilities Part 2
February 2025: Utilities Part 1
January 2025: Security, Privacy, and Apple Intelligence
December 2024: Apple Security and Apple Intelligence updates
December 2024: A free toy and more books
December 2024: No meeting in December
November 2024: Apple Intelligence and new Macs, iPads, etc.
November 2024: New books for fall reading 2024
October 2024: New Macs, iPad mini, Apple Intelligence first steps, bug and security fixes
October 2024: Sequoia, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, etc.
September 2024: Apple Security Updates and Operating System Upgrades
September 2024: Basic Maintenance and Glowtime
September 2024: Apple security updates and upgrades, September 2024
September 2024: Things of Interest
August 2024: No Meeting
July 2024: Internet of Things (IoT), and some security tips
June 2024: Building and editing a website
May 2024: postponed
May 2024: BASIC was introduced 60 years ago
April 2024: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
March 2024: Short Topics
February 2024: Backups, and Archives
February 2024: Keep your Apple software current
January 2024: Basic Digital Photography, Part 2
On Tuesday, January 16, 2024, we discussed the “how to” aspect, rather than the technological considerations.
- How do you take a sharp photograph?
- How do you take an action photograph?
- How do you take a photo in dim light?
- How do you take a photo in bright light?
- What kinds of photos can you take with an iPhone? With an iPad?
- What should you do to share a photo with someone?
December 2023: No meeting
Steve Lockwood shared his first effort at stop-action animation, and it is appropriate for the season:
November 2023: Web browsers
October 2023: macOS Sonoma, iOS 17, iPadOS 17
September 2023: Fonts and Font Management
August 2023: Apple Maps, Google Maps
July 24, 2023, Apple operating system updates
July 2023: Bring your favorite application
June 2023: New Apple Hardware and Software, plus Apple TV
June 2023: Computer Troubleshooting for Non-Techies
May 2023: Upgrading: When, Why, and How
No meeting in April 2023
March 2023: Photo editing on the cheap with Preview and Apple Photos
February 2023: Apple and Accessibility
January 2023: 🩺 Things Apple and Health 🍎
December 20, 2022, meeting postponed until 2023.
November 2022: macOS Ventura and a bit of accessibility
October 2022: Questions and Answers
October 2022: Computer Literacy: Privacy and Security for Seniors
September 2022: Siri and New Stuff
August 2022: iCloud
July 2022: General Cleanup
June 2022: How to get help
May 2022: Passwords and password managers
April 2022: No meeting
No meeting, but did you know that Emperor Constantine was declared Emperor in 306 CE while he was in England?
March 2022: SMUG Discussion Board
We also talked about Apple’s Peek Performance Special Event. Added: a blog entry about the Apple Peek Performance Special Event.
February 2022: Housecleaning!
January 2022: What, when, and how to upgrade.
December 2021: No Program
November 2021: macOS 12 Monterey
October 2021: Yet more about email
Also, on October 18, at 10 a.m. PT, Apple held a “Special Event.”
September 2021: We talk about email
August 2021: macOS Monterey and other things
July 2021: Summer Questions and Answers
June 2021: Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, etc.
May 2021: Files, Clipboard, Reminders, AirDrop, and other mysteries
April 2021: A virtual meeting vanishes
March 2021: Preview and TextEdit – Mac superheroes
Preview is positively ancient, dating back to 1989, and TextEdit is almost as old, dating back to 1996. Both programs have their own Wikipedia entries. Preview also has a Take Control book, which is recommended.
February 2021: iMovie by a non-expert, for non-experts
January 2021: macOS 11 Big Sur and Apple Silicon
Canceled: December 15: macOS 11 Big Sur and Apple Silicon
November 2020: Apple Watch and Health
We also talked about Apple’s announcements at their November 10 special event, One More Thing…
October 2020: Word Processing
September 2020: Backups, Time Machines, and Archives
August 2020: Basic digital photography, part 1
July 2020: WWDC (World Wide Developer Conference)
June 2020: Basic digital photography, part 0
May 2020: Staying Together Using Macs, iPhones, and iPads in a Time of Social Distancing
March 2020: meeting canceled due to pandemic outbreak.
February 2020: iMovie
January 2020: Setting up iCloud services
December 2019: Mobile health devices
November 2019: Macintosh file management
October 2019: Securing macOS Catalina
September 2019: Preview of macOS Catalina
August 2019: crickets.
July 2019: Questions and Answers
June 2019: Web browsers, continued
April 2019: Web browsers
December 2018: Troubleshooting your Mac
June 2018: iMovie on iPad
Strait Macintosh User Group (SMUG) is open to owners and users of Macintosh, iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod), HomePod, Apple TV, Apple Watch [etc.] devices. Our goal is to spread computer literacy and technical savviness to residents of the Olympic Peninsula.
Located in the upper left-hand corner of the United States, the Olympic Peninsula is rich in natural beauty but isolated from the services commonly found in metropolitan areas. There are no computer stores, no electronics stores, no television stations, and limited broadband connectivity. On the other hand, we do have elk, deer, a floating bridge, volcanoes (though not that close), and a fair number of computer wizards willing to teach, and learn.
Meetings are (generally) at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month, at the Library in Sequim, Washington. [Map] Since the library meeting room is closed due to COVID-19 and, more recently, remodeling, virtual meetings are being held at the same time and date. Check here before meetings for the latest information.
To keep up with SMUG, enter your email address in the box to the right below Follow Strait Macintosh User Group, and you will be notified of new posts via email.
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