Introduce Yourself - Digital Skills IGO Forum

Hello All from newish member Sue Mcgregor

Susan McGregor — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 11:18:57 +0000

I have recently joined the group with a view to gaining knowledge to keep me viable in this rapidly changing world of IT and AI. I was a Practice Nurse in the NHS. I am interested in how technology will be used to advance medical care.

I use an 18 inch Asus Vivobook which I find good for Teams and Zoom ( I am part of Gordon Ross's Tai Chi/Qui Gong Group- good to see him large!)

I use an android phone and partake of several What's App groups. The group for Pickleball uses a poll for numbers attending each week and works well.

I have used a computer for research when I did the Nurse Practitioners Course 30 years ago but consider my skills to be limited and I want to learn more generally and keep up to date. For example how will technology be used when the credit/debit card system is demised.

Sue

Peter Fisher

Peter Fisher — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 05:35:46 +0000

Hello everyone.

I first got drawn in to the world of IT on a very brief 'introduction to computers' workshop at my employer. Commodore Pet to try writing a basic program to convert Fahrenheit to Centigrade, it worked. I then saw an advert in a newspaper for the Sinclair ZX80 and decided to get one. Progressed via a Video Genie and Sinclair QL to a Schneider PC clone. At that point I persuaded my department to purchase an Apple II Europlus with Apple Write and Visicalc. To cut a long story short, I ended up doing an MSc Information Systems Engineering in 1996 and began to do IT support including building small client server systems for my department with Visual Foxpro. I retired early from my main role in 2003 and went back 12 hours a week just on IT support, before finally retiring in 2010.

Since then I have been helping with software to time motorcycle speed hill climbs and I am the administrator for the Vintage Motor Cycle Club Forum (PHPBB). In January I began assisting at my local U3A Smart Device Drop In Clinic, which is held in cooperation with a local community association. Weekly 2 hour sessions where the problems people need help for are very varied. Sometimes I am only one step ahead of the 'client'.

So, on the basis that there is always something to learn when it comes to digital skills I have ended up here. Lately I have been using AI to reengineer the timing software. I use the Anthropic Claude Model both as a desktop client and the Claude Code Command Line Interface. The speed which I can generate code is amazing, but I code in a language I am familiar with, so it's not just 'vibe coding'. Plus I test, test, test ;)

Looking forward to reading the threads here and contributing if I can add anything useful.

New member

Harsh Batra — Mon, 04 May 2026 13:11:01 +0000

Hi everyone,

Despite using the computer over the last 20 years or so, my skills remain basic at best. I'm hoping to pick up tips and information from this group to help me get more out of the digital tools available. At the same time, I hope I can contribute to the group by discussing my own experience with these tools...

Ben Johnston

Ben Johnston — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 12:16:19 +0000

I have been interested in computing for the last 30 years. I regret I was never in an environment surrounded by other computer users with whom I could exchange skills and learn. I have happily taught friends the basics on Windows and Macs. But when I ask my son haw he did something he will do the various key strokes. When asked to repeat he does, but when asked to repeat again the answer is ‘Oh Dad!’ So I feel my position is now continually behind the drag curve and the more I try to catch up I find the crest of the wave is always a bit further away! I hope that joining this group I can find a guru when needed and learn from topics under discussion.

Ruth Smith - a bit about me

Ruth Smith — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:05:32 +0000

45 or so years ago, I was teaching computer studies but these days I can't keep up with the rapid changes in technology. I use a Samsung phone and an Acer chromebook on a daily basis but on a simple need to know level. My two daughters drag me into the twenty first century as and when. Until I became crippled with arthritis I volunteered at the local library helping people work through a basic computer course online. I anticipate being a taker rather than a giver in this group.

Introduce yourself

Anthony Steele — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 21:12:42 +0000

My computer background goes back to the early 60’s as a computer engineer installing and maintaining. main frame computers

the first computer I worked on was built using valves and I have moved continuously with the times.
initially I was on call to fix computers at top security military sites

but moved to working on industrial processes control systems becoming regional director for Europe and Scandinavia.

now

i use a self. Built windows 11 desktop plus an apple iPad Pro.

my main interests are in photographic editing and movie editing

I use adobe photoshop and lightroom plus the video editing package DaVinci resolve 20 from black magic

re software I working on database development I do some programming in c++ and NQC if you know what that is.I’m

Introduce myself

Anthony Steele — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 20:24:06 +0000