May Meeting Cancelled
As my wife will be undergoing knee-replacement surgery, I will not be able to run the Computer Club in May. So, the next meeting will be on the 10th of June.
Happy Birthday Apple
Apple celebrated its 50th birthday on 1st April. It was founded in a garage on 1st April 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne as a partnership called Apple Computer Company. Wayne left within a year and Jobs and Wozniak formed Apple Computer Inc. on 3rd January 1977. The name changed to the current Apple Inc. in 2007.
Apple is now one of the largest companies in the World – see the current ratings at:-
https://companiesmarketcap.com/gbp/
If you want to explore the history of Apple in more detail, see this Wikipedia article:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.
Apple Age Verification
Speaking of Apple, they have launched age verification in the UK (and also South Korea and Singapore) with the update to iOS26.4 on iPhones and iPads. Adults who do not verify their age will, like children, see restricted content only. As this is a function of the operating system on the phone, work-arounds like using a VPN will not help.
If you have a credit card on file, or have held your Apple Account for more than 18 years, this would confirm you are an adult. Otherwise, you could add a credit card or scan your driving licence. See this Apple Support article:-
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/125662
GOV.UK One Login
John mentioned this relatively new system for logging into Government online services called GOV.UK One Login. Previously, there was a login system called Government Gateway which could allow you to access HMRC and a few other services.
It seems that the newer GOV.UK One Login will gradually replace the Government Gateway system and provide a single login to all services.
You can read more about it on this gov.uk site:-
https://www.gov.uk/using-your-gov-uk-one-login
iPhone Hacking Tool
In more iOS news, a sophisticated hacking tool known as DarkSword has been leaked on the code-sharing site GitHub. It can affect users running iOS 18.4 to 18.7 who simply visit a malicious or compromised website. It can then access much of the data on the iPhone/iPad.
It does not affect users with earlier versions of iOS or those who have updated to iOS26. Because of the seriousness of this exploit, Apple have released an update to the affected operating systems for users who are unable or unwilling to upgrade to iOS26. This TechCrunch article has more:-
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/01/apple-releases-security-fix-for-older-iphones-and-ipads-to-protect-against-darksword-attacks/
As Dave pointed out, some users don't want to update to iOS26, probably because it introduces the new "Liquid Glass" user interface. So, Apple are not forcing the upgrade, but just providing protection from this.
Trying Out Linux with DistroSea
My thanks to Dave for introducing me to this service. DistroSea allows you to run any one of many Linux distributions in your browser – nothing to download or install. It’s a great way just to try Linux.
This ZDNet article explains more:-
https://www.zdnet.com/article/you-can-test-all-the-best-linux-distros-right-in-your-web-browser-with-this-site/
You can also have a look at this YouTube video which considers Linux Mint in particular running within DistroSea:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7F-iBuyres
To use this service, just go to:-
https://distrosea.com/
You will need to sign in with your Google Account first or you will not have Internet access. As you are running Linux remotely there is a lag which will depend on the speed of your connection.
WINE on Linux
John mentioned using WINE on Linux to run Windows apps. Since the meeting I found this ZDNet article on using WINE:-
https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-run-windows-apps-on-linux-with-wine/
Word on Linux
Allan asked about using Microsoft Word on Linux. If you have a perpetual license version of Microsoft Office, you may be able to install Word in WINE. I reminded everyone that Microsoft Office apps can be run for free using Office Online at:-
https://www.office.com/
You need to sign in with your Microsoft Account and then you can run apps, including Word, in your browser on any system. While the online apps are not as fully-featured as the paid-for installed versions, they are adequate for many people and it's free to try them.
We also mentioned LibreOffice, which can run on Windows and Linux, and has a word-processor, spreadsheet etc which are comparable in capability to Microsoft Office. Again, LibreOffice is free, so you can give it a try.
ClickFix Scams
So-called ClickFix scams have been around for some time but appear to be on the increase. These scams first falsely tell you that there is a problem with your device. Then they offer a ‘solution’ which, if you follow the instructions, will actually install malware on your device! The way to prevent this – DON’T DO IT!
The ‘fix’ offered may ask you to invoke the RUN command by typing “Windows Key + R”. Then it tells you to paste a malicious command (which has already been ‘copied’) by typing “Ctrl + V”. Pressing Enter or clicking “OK” will then execute this command.
Variants of the ClickFix scam may ask you to launch the Windows Terminal or PowerShell window (Windows Key + X, then “i”) followed by a ‘paste’ and then ‘Enter’.
Sometimes, the hackers will create a malicious website, maybe emulating a bank or social media site, and then present the ClickFix as a CAPTCHA (i.e. are you human?) test.
No legitimate software will ever ask you to do this. The scam relies on inexperienced users just following the on-screen instructions.
This article from security company Kaspersky dating back to April 2025 explains more:-
https://www.kaspersky.co.uk/blog/what-is-clickfix/28910/
Test Network Performance
You can do a test of your Internet speed by using services such as the popular:-
https://www.speedtest.net/
You can run this same speed test using an app on your mobile device by searching for “Speedtest by Ookla” in the app store. Using your mobile device is handy as you can test the wi-fi speed in various parts of your house.
Another test can be found at:-
https://www.fusionconnect.com/speed-test-plus
This gives a very simple and clear set of results showing Download and Upload speeds, Latency and Jitter.
For general web browsing or download files, it is the speed that essentially matters.
For video calls and gaming, both Latency and Jitter are important.
The upload and download speeds depend on the package you have purchased from your ISP. However, using wi-fi will cause further reductions in speed as the signals may have to pass through walls or other objects between your router and your device (e.g. PC, phone, tablet) and the signal will degrade with distance.
For video calls, the Latency should be less than 100mS and the Jitter should be less than 30mS.
For optimum performance, use a wired connection (i.e. an Ethernet cable) if possible, rather than wi-fi.
If your wi-fi performance is poor, you could try moving the device closer to the router.
If you have a router that can be controlled through an app on your phone, you may be able to change some settings, such as:-
- Changing the wi-fi connection to your device to High Priority.
- Setting the connection to 5GHz or 2.4GHz – one might work better than the other.
High Priority, as the name suggests, will mean your router will favour the device you are using for the video call over demand from other devices around the house.
Wired connections can be impractical to install, but another option is using Powerline Adapters. These use the mains electrical wiring in your house to carry the network signal between the router and the device. This is an example of a pair of Powerline Adapters on Amazon:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-PA7017P-KIT-Passthrough-Configuration/dp/B089DKK2K7
Junk Mail
Tony mentioned that he received quite a lot of spam/junk mail. This seems to be correctly identified and put into the Junk Folder. It's unlikely that the senders of this kind of spam will respect 'unsubscribe' requests. It may be possible to create filters to delete the spam as soon as it is received. This Apple Support page has instructions for creating filters for iCloud Mail on an iphone:-
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph02be4f1c8/ios
Routers Being Hacked
John mentioned that some routers are at risk of being hacked. Generally, it is the older models that are susceptible to attack. If your router is more than 5 years old, you should consider replacing it. If you are using an ISP-supplied router, you should contact them and ask for an upgrade. Newer routers automatically update their firmware, which can add protections when new bugs are discovered - older devices needed to be manually updated which was quite a complex process.
Next Session
As explained above, there will be no session in May, so the next meeting will be:-
Wed 10th June 2026 at 2pm by Zoom
