According to a 22 February 2021 Tweet from Spotify, the streaming music and podcast service, Spotify will be launching in 80+ markets in the new few days which includes Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti, Belize, Grenada, Bahamas, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, Dominica, Curaçao and Suriname.

We launch in 80+ new markets over the next few days. See you soon Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nigeria 👀 #SpotifyStreamOn pic.twitter.com/Wqv3IFdicz

— Spotify (@Spotify) February 22, 2021

TTCS OSSWIN v3.20, a collection of Free and Open Source Software for Windows is available for download or viewing online at https://ttcsosswin.ttcs.tt/ . With over 90 programs organised in various categories from educational software, Desktop Applications, Graphics and more,
Apart from many software updates, one new program was added : Lively, which allows you to add animated desktop wallpapers to your Windows desktop.

Browse TTCS OSSWIN online

Browse TTCS OSSWIN online at
https://ttcsosswin.ttcs.tt/

You can browse TTCS OSSWIN online at https://ttcsosswin.ttcs.tt/ which features the web interface to learn about Free and Open Source programs in various categories, including screenshots or videos of the programs and a link to the program’s website where you can download the program. The web based UI is responsive, meaning it should be usable on non-Windows small screen mobile phones and tablets.

Download TTCS OSSWIN

You can download the entire collection of TTCS OSSWIN as a 7GB file for extracting to your harddrive or USB storage device (or burn on a DVD). The TTCS OSSWIN collection provides a link to install the software directly and in the case of a program providing 32 bit and 64 bit versions installers, TTCS OSSWIN attempts to autodetect whether you are running 64 bit Windows and presents that installer first. The web interface and all screenshots and videos are included in the collection so that you can browse and install software on a Windows computer without internet access.

• Date created : February 15 2021
• File name : ttcs_osswin_v320.iso
• File size : 7.49 GB (8,050,923,520 bytes)
• SHA-256 : 1FD6CD9B8C75EFF57240FFCF942C28DDADDE405F5CA8190D88A0F04D6780B1D8

If you’re want to give comments and feedback or want to assist with this project, then send a email to [email protected]

The fifth annual Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF) will be held from 9am to 1pm on Thursday January 28 2021 and Friday January 2021.

TTIGF2021 will be held online using Zoom. There will also be a livestream on YouTube. Attendance to TTIGF 2021 is FREE! But you must register to attend to get the Zoom link or livestream link

The TTIGF is hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Multistakeholder Advisory Group (TTMAG), of which the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society is a member and serving on the TTMAG Board.

The theme of TTIGF2021 is “Digitalization : The ‘New Norm’”, TTIGF 2021 features 4 panel sessions with selected experts and respected professionals :

• DIGITALIZATION – The Multistakeholder Approach
• Cybersecurity in the New Norm
• TECH & EDUCATION – Revolutionising Education for a Digital World
• DIGITAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

TTIGF 2021 will also have an open forum session where participants can share comments, questions, solutions and best practices on internet governance locally, regionally and globally.

Register now!

The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) will be having an online call on Thursday January 21 2021 at 8:00pm

Come join us as we chat about :

• our computer refurbishment project
• upcoming Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum 2021 on January 28,29 2021
• Whatsapp, Facebook and other messaging services
• future of TTCS – help needed!

Bring your own tech topics!

We will be using Zoom for this conference call.

Zoom Meeting URL https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82669574164?pwd=aG9KVHMwNlkyd2JaTmdUUFFydXowZz09

Meeting ID: 826 6957 4164

Please RSVP for the passcode at [email protected] ! Attendance is free

Be sure to update to the latest Zoom desktop client at https://zoom.us/download#client_4meeting and/or if connecting from mobile, have the Zoom mobile app for iOS or the Zoom mobile app for Android devices. See you on the call!

The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) has refurbished and delivered over 200 computers over the past few months to various schools and students to continue education being done online due to COVID-19.

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Working with Restore a Sense of I Can (RSC), we received and refurbished over 170 computers. We have also refurbished and delivered 30 computers directly to students and schools in need using machines, parts and financial donations made directly to the TTCS.

Refurbishing computers involves several steps :

• cleaning computers (lots of dust to remove!)
• testing hardware if it works and troubleshooting when they don’t work ; often CMOS batteries in many machines required replacing
• installing Solid State Drives – many machines didn’t have hard drives so the TTCS has been using funds donated to TTCS to get such SSDs
• installing Windows 10 for those computers that could run Windows 10. On other machines, we’ve installed Q4OS , a Linux distro.
• Installing the latest Windows updates, drivers, BIOS updates and installing some Free and Open Source Software for Windows
• Delivering computers to RSC and to persons all over Trinidad.

We want to continue helping students by refurbishing as many computers as we can..here’s how YOU can help :

Donate computers

If you have (preferably) working computers, SSDs, memory you’re not using that is less than 10 years old and running either Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or Windows 10, complete the form at
https://ttcs.tt/donate-computers
Someone from TTCS will contact you to coordinate pickup.

Make a financial donation

If all you can do right now is make a financial donation to this project, we sincerely need and appreciate your support. The TTCS will use such donations to purchase parts to refurbish computers.

Make a donation to :

Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society,
Republic Bank Account #160136544031,
U.W.I Branch, Trinidad.

Be sure to email us at [email protected] when you’ve donated so we can acknowledge and thank you!

Have questions or inquiries?

Email us at [email protected] !

Be a part of the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society

If you wish to be involved with computer refurbishment or assist with other TTCS projects, sign up at https://ttcs.tt/jointtcs/

Several local banks in Trinidad and Tobago – First Citizens Trinidad and Tobago, RBC Royal Bank, Republic Bank and Scotiabank – are rolling out local Visa Debit cards which offer contactless transactions and local online purchases while still offering the ability to be used at ATMs with the LINX logo and LINX purchases as before.

Contactless transactions means that you don’t have to enter a PIN at a merchant’s terminal – you bring the card close to the terminal and it gets approved. Different banks offer different limits on the amount of money that could be done via a contactless transaction.

The newer cards also offers for online payments to local merchants which could be a boon for local e-commerce as more persons with banking accounts can now purchase items and services from local merchants’ websites (or apps).

Also of note is that most banks will offer card holders either notifications and/or will being able to review transaction details via their banking mobile apps and their online banking websites.

Check out the various bank websites for more details :

• First Citizens LINX Visa Debit Card
  https://www.firstcitizenstt.com/personal-banking/First-Citizens-Linx-Visa-Debit-Card.html
• RBC Visa Debit Domestic
  http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/caribbean/tt/everyday-banking/debit-cards/visa-debit-domestic.html
• Republic Bank OneCard Visa Debit
  https://republictt.com/personal/republicbankonecardvisadebit
• ScotiaCard Visa Debit
  https://tt.scotiabank.com/about-scotiabank/connect-with-scotiabank/ways-to-bank-personal/scotiacard/online-shopping.html

The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS ; https://www.ttcs.tt) will be having a online call on Monday August 31 2020 at 8:30pm to discuss our TTCS computer refurbishing project . The goal of our project is, via our partners, to make available computers for school students to continue their education being done online due to COVID-19. The TTCS computer refurbishing project was recently featured in Newsday’s August 13 2020 article “Rescuing computers from digital oblivion”

The August 31 call will be an update on the computer refurbishing project and some of the challenges to date.

We will be using Zoom for this conference call.

Zoom Meeting URL : https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86414258492?pwd=L3dMNldjTHpTeHlLMFRNbmtHVGhvZz09
Zoom meeting ID : 864 1425 8492

Please RSVP at [email protected] to get the Zoom password for the call.

Be sure to update to the latest Zoom desktop client at https://zoom.us/download#client_4meeting and/or if connecting from mobile, have the Zoom mobile app for iOS or the Zoom mobile app for Android devices. See you on the call!

The TTCS OSSWIN v3.10, a collection of the latest version of Free and Open Source Software for Microsoft Windows 10/8/7 is available for download with 90+ software – ranging from educational software, Internet applications, Desktop Applications, Sound and Video, Graphics and more! Anyone can download and use the software.

Apart from many software updates, three programs were added to TTCS OSSWIN 3.1 : (HandBrake, LaunchyQt (with screen video), BleachBit) and one program removed (Launchy)

Browse TTCS OSSWIN online

Browse TTCS OSSWIN online at
https://ttcsosswin.ttcs.tt/

You can browse TTCS OSSWIN online at https://ttcsosswin.ttcs.tt/ which features the web interface to learn about Free and Open Source programs in various categories, including screenshots or videos of the programs and a link to the program’s website where you can download the program. The web based UI is responsive, meaning it should be usable on non-Windows small screen mobile phones and tablets.

Download TTCS OSSWIN

You can download the entire collection of TTCS OSSWIN as a 7GB file for extracting to your harddrive or USB storage device (or burn on a DVD). The TTCS OSSWIN collection provides a link to install the software directly and in the case of a program providing 32 bit and 64 bit versions installers, TTCS OSSWIN attempts to autodetect whether you are running 64 bit Windows and presents that installer first. The web interface and all screenshots and videos are included in the collection so that you can browse and install software on a Windows computer without internet access.

• Date created : August 11 2020
• File name : ttcs_osswin_v310.iso
• File size : 6.88 GB (7,395,319,808 bytes)
• SHA-256 : F98F15BEF2F0023A29A97C2F6C0ADD4BD3AF3D9B8319ED806181405A95D173DD

Future work of TTCS OSSWIN

• Developing a a card like UI (similiar to the current theme of the TTCS website) for the selection of programs in the various categories using best practices in HTML5 and CSS. Still some tweaks to do, but this was a key change
• Updating the text descriptions of programs. The goal is to strive to describe in the simplest of terms possible what the programs does and to answer “why should I try the program”
• Replacing static photos with videos of the programs in action.
• Find Free and Open Source Software for Windows that is useful and easy to use. The curated list of software in TTCS OSSWIN is an attempt to list what is considered the “best” in ease of use and functionality and not to include dozens of programs that do the same thing.

If you’re interested in assisting with this work or want to give comments and feedback, then send a email to [email protected] .

The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) has had several calls over the past 2 months discussing how to refurbish computers.
Among the things done so far:

• documented procedure for refurbishing computers as we want the refurbished computers by TTCS volunteers to be done to a particular standard
• developed a inventory system workflow for tracking donors, donated equipment and the refurbished computers
• collaborating with Restore a Sense of I Can (RSC), a network of secondary school computer/IT clubs which has 10 year old 50 Dell Optiplexes – some Pentium D but many Core2 Duos with 4GB RAM – to date we’ve collected 50+ computers and working on those.
• put out a public call for donations of computer equipment https://www.ttcs.tt/donate-computer-equipment-for-refurbishing/ and one company has donated 9 computers and other miscellaneous equipment.
• Several TTCS members have purchased SSDs for these machines.
• reactivated the TTCS Slack (a group chat solution) room where a lot of the messaging regarding computer refurbishment is taking place.

However, there are very few volunteers doing the actual refurbishing and we do need funds to purchase things like SSDs and miscellaneous accessories. So, please

• if you have old computers or even parts like DDR2 RAM lying around, consider donating them to TTCS so we can complete refurbishing this batch of computers by completing the form at https://www.ttcs.tt/donate-computer-equipment-for-refurbishing/
• if you are willing to help refurbish computers, please join the effort.
• If you wish to join the TTCS and help refurbish computers or be assist with other TTCS projects, sign up at https://ttcs.tt/jointtcs/
• If you wish to donate funds to assist with purchasing of computer parts to refurbish computers, email [email protected]
• circulate/post the donate computer equipment form on your website, social media channels https://www.ttcs.tt/donate-computer-equipment-for-refurbishing/