Welcome to TMUG – the Triangle Macintosh Users Group

Welcome to the virtual home of the Triangle Macintosh Users Group. Feel free to explore. TMUG is based in the Triangle area (north-eastern Piedmont) of North Carolina, and was established for the enjoyment, education, and support of Macintosh computer and iOS device users from Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cary and nearby communities.

The Command Key

expanding Mac operations with the keyboard

The Command Key, that little propeller or flower-shaped symbol (⌘) beside the space bar on Macintosh keyboards (along with the Apple  symbol until 2007 keyboards), has been present since the Apple III was introduced in 1980. It allows the user to send certain requests to the operating system, such as open, close, find, save, cut, copy, print, etc. Many users prefer to use the mouse or trackpad to select these commands from the menu bar or a contextual menu, rather than pressing a combination of the command key + another specific key. (Where did that ⌘ symbol come from anyway…?)

At this month’s TMUG meeting, Smythe Richbourg will moderate a session highlighting shortcuts, command keys (⌘, ⌥, ⌃, ⇧), and how to remember which does what. He will present several, but be sure to bring your favorite shortcuts and tips to share with your fellow TMUGers as well. Best practices for different tasks you do multiple times a day can make things go faster, relieve repetitive stress pains, and help you enjoy your Mac time more. Plus, having more than one way to do something helps you understand your system better.

A couple of months ago we revised the schedule of our meetings. After introductions and announcements, we will move directly to the feature presentation. After the program concludes, we will take a break, and then move to our popular Q&A session. We plan to continue this schedule into the future.

Don’t forget that TMUG’s win an iPad mini contest is coming to an end at the May meeting. Tickets are $5 each, or 5 for $20. Plus, if you join TMUG or renew your membership, you will get a free entry. If there are enough raffle tickets sold by 8:00 pm on May 13, the drawing will be held at the end of the meeting. Otherwise, the raffle ticket fees will be refunded to the entrants.

TMUG’s Q&A session is here to help TMUGers find solutions to problems with their Mac or iOS devices. If you need assistance, bring your questions to the meeting… and you are sure to get answers (& sometimes more questions) from the assembled TMUG members. This month, fellow TMUG member Duane Reaugh will be on hand to moderate the discussion. We will hold our routine door prize drawings throughout the meeting. So… be sure to get a ticket, that is, if you’re a TMUG member. If you’re not a member – join TMUG – and then you too may get a door prize ticket. There are always a variety of nice prizes, and some lucky TMUGers will be winners!

We’re planning more fun and interesting programs for the upcoming months. We will have a summer (OK, late spring) picnic along with a preso of member favorites at the June 10th meeting. Joe Kissell will return for a remote telecast on Dropbox at the July 8th meeting. If you have an idea for a preso at a TMUG meeting, please tell us.

Have you watched the Cup of TMUG YouTube video podcasts lately? Dave & Chuck have published 2 since the last TMUG meeting.

In addition to our web site & forum, you may connect with TMUG on Google+, Meetup, Twitter, & Facebook. Check the right-hand sidebar at TMUG.org for updates & details. The best way for TMUG members & other folks in our community to communicate is via our forum. And you may subscribe to the RSS feed of the forum.

As always, TMUG meetings are open to the public – you don’t have to be a TMUG member to attend. The same applies to participation on the TMUG forum, but a TMUG membership will grant you greater access to our services, including entries in contests such as last year’s MacBook Air contest and our monthly door prizes. And it will likely give you a warm feeling inside, too, knowing that you are helping to support TMUG’s mission as an educational non-profit here in the state of North Carolina. Join TMUG or renew your membership for only $35 for a full year. You may pay with cash, check, or most major credit & debit cards at a monthly meeting. (We are using the Square card reader for iOS for card payments, which will send you a receipt by email. TMUG absorbs the transaction fees using this card payment system as a convenience to members.) If you can’t make it to a meeting, you may also join or renew by mail by completing a membership application and sending your check to our PO box.

Be sure to join us at Caldwell Hall on the NCSU campus on May 13, 2013 to take command of your keyboard!