Welcome to the Prescott Computer Society

Windows 10 Support Ends - What should you do?

Interested in Membership?

Information about joining PCS is available at our Membership Info page.

FREE Online Meetings Using Zoom

PCS meetings are available to anyone, including non-members, who wish to join us online. We are using Zoom as a means of holding our meetings in the convenience of your own home.

Even if you're not a member of PCS we urge you to attend our online meetings. Both members and non-members may do so in advance of the meeting by registering below. You will receive a password and link to the meeting by email. This step is necessary to keep out spammers and hackers. You may join the meeting no earlier than 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

Like what you see at PCS? Get all the benefits of membership when you JOIN NOW!

For information on how to get and use a Zoom account please click the button below.

Getting started with Zoom

For additional information about Zoom by John Carter please click the button below.

Zoom Help

PCS UPCOMING MEETINGS

August 2, 2025 - Saturday - 1:00-3:00 PM
Online Security Secrets – Leader: JB Burke
Zoom meeting will open at 12:30 PM -- Program starts at 1:00 PM

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM CHANGE

By now we are all aware of the online threats – phishing, smishing, malware & viruses, identity theft, fake websites, tech support scams, fake shopping sites – the list goes on and on. And we know that an important protection is strong passwords. But do you know what makes passwords strong? It isn’t necessarily caps or numbers or special characters, though they play a part as well. This program will tell you the real story of strong passwords and beyond.

Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

August 5, 2025 - Tuesday - 4:00-5:00 PM
PCS Board of Directors Meeting
Zoom meeting will open at 3:45 PM
The board will meet to discuss PCS operations - Meeting Schedules, Zoom issues, etc.

Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

August 9, 2025 - Saturday - 1:00-3:00 PM
General Meeting – Leader: JB Burke
Bill James – The Dark Web
Zoom meeting will open at 12:30 PM -- Program starts at 1:00 PM

This presentation delves into the enigmatic realm of the dark web, aiming to demystify this concealed segment of the internet. We will explore its origins, structure, and the diverse ways it influences the digital and physical worlds. By examining the complexities of the dark web, we will highlight its legitimate uses and its more notorious aspects. Bill aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the dark web, equipping you with the knowledge and awareness needed to navigate and comprehend this often misunderstood digital frontier.

The second hour of today's program will be Windows Adventurer Phil Ball with another helping of his famous Windows Tips & Tricks. No matter how well you know Windows, you will be sure to come away from Phil's session with at least one new insight - and probably many more as well.

Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

September 6, 2025 - Saturday - 1:00-3:00 PM
Smartphone Photography SIG – Leader: Phil Ball
Zoom meeting will open at 12:30 PM – Program starts at 1:00 PM

After 50+ years of shooting and processing photos, from film cameras and chemicals in the darkroom to postprocessing digital images using Photoshop Elements, Phil has caught the Smartphone photography bug.  Now, he's acquired a phone with a high-quality camera, or, as he likes to say, a high-end camera with a phone feature. Phil is exploring the use of online apps to optimize his images with occasional use of Photoshop Elements for more difficult tasks. He enjoys the convenience of always having a high-quality camera with him and finding that online tools such as Google Photos and Snapseed can quickly and easily optimize photos. Join Phil in the NEW PCS Smartphone Photography SIG and see what is possible using the latest equipment and techniques for producing fine photos.

Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

September 13, 2025 - Saturday - 1:00-3:00 PM
General Meeting - Leader: JB Burke
Chris Taylor - Artificial Intelligence (AI): fun and useful tips
Zoom meeting will open at 12:30 PM - Program starts at 1:00 PM

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have exploded over the last few years. They can: supercharge your web searches and help you find the most relevant information; generate images and videos from text prompts; summarize web pages, YouTube videos, and PDF files; help you accomplish tasks in your programs; assist with creative writing; and more. Chris Taylor from the Ottawa PC Users Group will show you how easily it can be done and how to avoid dreaded "AI hallucinations". And you can do it all for free.

The second hour of today's program will be Windows Adventurer Phil Ball with another helping of his famous Windows Tips & Tricks. No matter how well you know Windows, you will be sure to come away from Phil's session with at least one new insight - and probably many more as well.

Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

October 4, 2025 - Saturday - 1:00-3:00 PM
Touring the Web #15 - Leader: JB Burke
Zoom meeting will open at 12:30 PM - Program starts at 1:00 PM

This program asks the question - can there possibly be more to find on the internet? Answer - there will always be more. JB drills down and mines the web for those hidden gems you probably would not otherwise find. You'll be enlightened, entertained and educated with a dollop of humor. Who could ask for more?

Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

October 7, 2025 - Tuesday - 4:00-5:00 PM
PCS Board of Directors Meeting
Zoom meeting will open at 3:45 PM

The board will meet to discuss PCS operations - Meeting Schedules, Zoom issues, etc.

Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Other Computer Groups Sharing Meetings

Through PCS' affiliation with APCUG (see below) you may also virtually attend other computer club meetings throughout the country. Check out the wide selection of programs available to you.

A typical PCS meeting scene.

General Information About PCS

The Prescott Computer Society (PCS) is a PC-based users group located in Prescott, Arizona. Our primary attention is focused on IBM-compatible computers, associated software and smart phones. We strive to provide personal, home office and small business computing solutions and presentation topics. You may obtain both basic and advanced information about computers by attending our club's meetings.

We hold several meetings each month to show you how to get the most out of your computer. These are our General meeting and several Special Interest Group meetings. Anyone with an interest in computers is welcome to attend our meetings and join PCS.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

PCS is affiliated with OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) as a Special Interest Group which is based at Prescott's Yavapai Community College. From the OLLI website: "Yavapai College is one of only five community colleges in the nation to boast an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, our locations in Prescott and Sedona-Verde offer a variety of learning and teaching opportunities for mature adults, 50 years of age and over." (Source)

Association of Personal Computer User Groups

PCS is a member of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups APCUG's website. PCS uses materials from APCUG in many of its presentations. APCUG's stated mission is "to facilitate communication among computer user groups, the community, and the technology industry." APCUG members throughout the country contribute many worthwhile articles for the benefit of all computer users. These articles are available for reading on their website. From the APCUG website: "Membership in APCUG is open to any non-commercial organization whose primary purpose is to help its members learn about technology. It is a cross-platform organization supporting operating systems such as Windows, OS X, iOS, Android, Chrome, and Linux."

Fun Stuff

A typical "Stump The Geeks" Q&A session which is chaired by some of our favorite PCS members. It's always full of laughter and is enjoyed by all those who attend.

We often hold Question and Answer sessions at General meetings where our members attempt to "Stump The Geeks" with their questions about computer and smartphone problems and other related issues.

Do the geeks ever get stumped? Of course, once in a while they do but we all appreciate the very interesting and informative discussions that are held. I guess you'll just have to come to a meeting to see for yourself.