By BD Bondy

Last week, I delved into the world of AI programs in search of the perfect one. After testing several options, my quest led me to ChatboxAI, an Apple-supported tool available on their store for $40 a year. Excited to see its potential, I eagerly began experimenting with it. My initial attempts involved generating different versions of iconic personalities like Betty Boop and Billy Idol, hoping to witness the program's creative prowess. However, my excitement quickly faded as the results fell short of my expectations. Despite my disappointment, this experience emphasized the importance of exploring multiple AI tools to find the one that aligns best with your needs and expectations.

Okay, so those opening paragraphs were AI generated. I entered several sentences as a description, and the AI generated a fairly humorless but flowery re-write of what I entered. It's very interesting to use. I didn't like the 'art' that I attempted, and I'll definitely give that another try. I did enjoy the text based writing. I started by selecting an option to generate kids stories and entered a couple of the stories I actually told my kids when they were small. 

I have to say, it did a very satisfying job. It took my basic stories and re-told them in a more embellished form. It definitely kept my story intact but added some nice flourishes. 

My favorite daughter-in-law, Olivia, actually uses AI at work. She generates content for marketing, mass emails, social media reports, cover letters, etc. Apparently, using AI at the workplace is fairly common these days. I can see how it could be quite a time saver and used as a basis for work, could be very helpful in productivity. 

AI can be used to generate interview questions, most interestingly, AI can be used to generate a 'warmer' set of interview questions. My daughter talked about how some teachers used it to create a curriculum for students, though the STEM teachers decided it was easier to generate a curriculum on their own. Still, it gives an option which can be used as a productivity tool. A tool where the results may be used, adjusted, or tweaked as needed.

She has also used it to create a cover letter for her resume. For example, she will tell AI to create a cover letter for the specific position description, using her existing resume, and her job history. 

One of the app's suggested uses was for students to use it to write papers. While I can see that happening, it seems like a total non-learning process which ultimately would be detrimental to a student. I'm guessing that's a common opinion, certainly an obvious one. 

As to the philosophical and ethical issues of using AI, that isn't what I'll be writing about in this particular article, but I'm certainly thinking about it.

By BD Bondy

It was pointed out that I haven’t written a tech tip in a few weeks. There are all kinds of plausible reasons for that; I was injured in a terrible accident, I got lost in the woods, I forgot. All very possible if you know me. In this case, I just got behind and didn’t make Carol’s deadline so she went and got some tech tips from her ‘tech tip work husband’ Rick Rouse.

We’re in Chicago, in a hotel on a rainy day, and I am neither in an accident, or lost. And she’s right there, so I can’t forget. But what do I write about?

I should ask, are you backing stuff up? Cloud storage is an easy way to do it and you probably even get bugged by some company to buy more storage. It’s a good idea.

Do you have a decent surge protector? I use them but I’m not a believer. I think you should unplug stuff during a thunderstorm, still, it can’t hurt. I have UPS’s, Uninterruptible Power Supplies. They are also surge protectors. They will carry you through the annoying blips in our electric service. Every couple of years or so they will also annoyingly beep at you so you can buy a new battery for them.

How about Social Media? Don’t believe ANYTHING. You should get the news from trustworthy News sites that have paid journalists. Lou Reed said: “Don’t believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see.”  In these days of fake news and AI generated video, it may be impossible to believe any of what you see. It’s best to think for yourself, and question everything.

I was reading a tech article, looking for what to talk about here, and it was suggesting using some of these AI programs, trying them out, testing what you can do with them. I’m afraid that I have been remiss in that area. I have not tried any of them. I will, I promise. Just like the Waymo self driving taxi, I will try out an AI program in some way, and I will report back to you all.

Just not today.
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Rick Daily Tips

Question from Luisa:  I’m hoping you can clear something up for me.
I’ve heard some people say we need to stop using Windows 7 now that Microsoft has stopped updating it because it’s no longer safe.

Others are saying it’s perfectly fine to keep using it as long as the computer has an antivirus on it.

This is really confusing to me.

My HP laptop is old but it still works fine even though it has Windows 7 on it. I really hate the thought of having to replace it, but I will if it’s really unsafe to use.

Rick’s answer:  Luisa, it seems that everyone has an opinion about this, and I certainly have one as well.
My short answer to your question is no, Windows 7 is no longer safe to use.

And yes, that includes machines with high-quality antivirus programs installed on them.
Now, here’s my long answer…

Whether your Windows 7 laptop is safe to use really depends on what you use it for.

If you use your laptop for all the normal everyday things that most people use their computers for (banking, bill paying, online shopping, social media, etc.), then the answer isn’t just no.
It’s a resounding NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

The reason I say that is malware is only one of several dangerous threats facing every computer that’s connected to the Internet.

Hackers also seek out and exploit security flaws in a computer’s operating system itself.
And trust me, there are always plenty of flaws to find, and it’s only a matter of time before the next serious one is discovered and exploited by the bad guys.

No antivirus or other type of security app is perfect. The best of the lot routinely miss some malware infections, usually right after a new virus or other exploit is released onto the Internet at large.

What’s more, even if someone were to magically come up with a security app that was indeed perfect and fully capable of detecting and stopping every nasty coming its way that still wouldn’t prevent a hacker from exploiting a serious security flaw in the operating system.
Think of this in terms of a home security plan.

Let’s say a company were to develop a home security/ home monitoring system that’s so good that it would be literally impossible for a burglar to break into your home and steal your stuff without getting caught red-handed. That would be some pretty awesome protection, right?
But here’s the thing.

Even the best security system and home monitoring service in existence wouldn’t be able to protect your home (and possessions) from loss or damage if there was a dangerous flaw in its wiring or the structure happened to be sitting on a fault line that’s prone to frequent earthquakes.

Likewise, even the best antivirus and anti-malware protection can’t prevent a hacker from exploiting a security flaw that’s present in your computer’s software. And since Windows 7 hasn’t been updated with security updates in years, there are plenty of existing security holes for them to sneak into your system through.

Now that I’ve explained why just having a good antivirus program running on a Windows 7 PC won’t make it safe to use for everyday computing activities, I’ll tell you when that same machine would be perfectly safe to use.

You didn’t mention what you use your Windows 7 laptop for so I can’t really give you a definite answer that applies to your specific situation.
I can say this however.

If you use your computer for banking, paying bills, online shopping or accessing any website that require you to enter any type of sensitive information (including usernames, passwords, email addresses and phone numbers) then I would strongly recommend against using that machine as long as Windows 7 was installed on it.

However, if all you do is visit websites anonymously, play games or do most any other activity that doesn’t require you to log in or enter any type of sensitive information, then you can safely use that laptop all day long.

Why? Because if there is no sensitive information for a hacker to steal, you don’t really have to worry about the machine being hacked.

It’s really that simple. And now, one final thought.

Just because it might be unsafe for you to use your laptop with Windows 7 on it (again, depending on what you use it for), that doesn’t mean you necessarily have to buy a new computer with Windows 10 on it.
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You do have a much cheaper to consider: You can replace Windows 7 with Linux (and it won’t cost you a penny).
I hope this helps, Luisa. Good luck!

By Rick Rouse
Rick's Daily TIps

Begin soapbox speech…
The Internet is truly one of the most fascinating (and most useful) inventions in the history of the world.

A research project that in times past would have required a time-consuming visit to a library can now be completed in a manner of minutes, if not seconds – right from your favorite easy chair.

But there’s a problem with all the info that’s currently available on the Internet: much of it is either incomplete, misleading or even downright false.

As you surely know, the Internet is the greatest of equalizers. Anyone possessing a computer or smartphone can upload any information they want to the web and make it available for the entire world to see. And unfortunately much that info tends to be low-quality garbage that could well be dangerous to the reader.

That’s why it’s very important to always take steps to verify everything you read online with at least a couple of other trusted sources.

And when I say “trusted” sources, I don’t mean two additional sources that only (and always) publish things you agree with.

I say that because it’s extremely easy to get caught up in a “bubble” in which the only sites we visit are the ones that match our own world view. While it’s fine to hang out online with people of like minds, always remember this…

If you’re caught up in a bubble everything you read or watch while you’re in that bubble will likely be shaded with the same type of slant. And if that slant happens to be wrong or misleading you can rest assured that most everything you read will be wrong or misleading.

My recommendation is to make it a point to venture out of your bubble on occasion. See what “the other side” is saying about a topic that’s in the news or whatever is on your mind at the time.

I’ll admit that I sometimes fall victim to this bubble effect myself. I believe we all do because it’s simple human nature.

Now, I’ll just finish with this…
Take everything you read or watch on the Internet (and on broadcast media for that matter) with a grain of salt. Treat everything with a healthy dose of skepticism until you’ve had a chance to verify it by checking other reliable sources.

When I say everything, I do mean everything. And yes, that includes the info I provide on my own blogs and in my newsletter.

After all, as hard as I try to provide accurate information, I’m human and I do make my mistakes at times. When you see that I’ve made one I’ll greatly appreciate it if you’ll hit the “Reply” button and tell me about it so I can set the record straight.
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That’s it – I’m all out of soap for now. Thanks for listening…
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By BD Bondy

​I’ve noticed a lot of art shows coming up in the Abiquiu News. There are not only art shows, but classes, classified ads, and other things that will require a transfer of money. Cash is always great, but sometimes, it’s not convenient.

While we are not hosting at the Abiquiu Studio Tour this year, in the past, we have supported many delightful artists and they needed to be able to accept credit card transactions. Typically, our artists used the Square App. This app acts as a simple credit card terminal, point of sale device, and allows someone to create an invoice and take a credit card, right from their phone or tablet. 

Read about the Square App HERE. 

There are many such apps, if you don’t want to use Square, such as Clover, PaySimple, and Google’s ProPay. They generally all work the same, though they may have different fees. You need to check that part out. You shouldn’t need a device to read most cards, but they may provide a card reader for free, or for a fee. Again, you need to check that out.

We use Square at our house. It allows entering card info manually if you don’t have a reader, and it allows for storing sales if you don’t have an internet connection at the time.  Improvements to Square also allow you to accept 'tap to pay' credit cards without a reader if you have a smart phone capable of that.   All these apps will eventually require communication with the mothership to process your CC Transactions.

If you decide to do this, I highly recommend preparing for it well ahead of time. You will need to download the app, setup your account, tie your account in with your bank, and TEST IT! Get familiar with how it works and test it out a few times so you know how to do it when the time comes, including issuing a refund or cancellation.

Square can setup an inventory, insert the tax amount for the sale, and generally read a CC on your phone or tablet. Obviously, you will need a smart device new enough to read a 'tap to pay' CC, or else you will need a separate reader. Androids and iPhones will usually work, and most of these apps will function similarly, so read up on them.

There are other ways to send people money, like Zelle, VenMo and PayPal. Those aren’t PoS systems, but they are ways to pay or get paid, without handling cash. And don’t forget Apple Pay and Google Pay. A list of these types of money transfer methods is HERE. 
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