Recent Posts

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10
1
General Discussion / Free APCG Webinar - Backing Up for Seniors 3/11/26
« Last post by rsutter on March 09, 2026, 08:42:32 AM »
Hello All,
Below is a message that I have re-posted from APCUG
Ralph Sutter
APCUG
Wednesday Workshop
March 11, 2026
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
Backing Up 101 for Seniors
Judy Taylour, President
SCV Computer Club
 
Making an EaseUS Todo Backup Rescue Disk
Alan German, APCUG Rep and Program Chair
Ottawa PCUG
 
Register here  https://forms.gle/tGWQQD9JX35YUGiZA
You only need to register once.
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration.
On March 10, 2026, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTIONS
Backing up 101 for Seniors. No one usually gets excited about backups. But they are among the simplest ways to protect the things that matter most to us: our photos, documents, messages, and all the little pieces of our digital life. If you aren?t backing up your devices, now is the time to start. Nothing technical, nothing overwhelming ? just clear, easy ideas that make sense and give us peace of mind. Our memories and information will be safe, no matter what happens.
 
Making an EaseUS Todo Backup Rescue Disk. EaseUS Todo Backup is an easy-to-use yet extremely powerful disk imaging utility for Windows.  The program is very flexible, allowing the creation of images for entire disks, individual partitions, or even selected files and folders.  However, we don't make backups just for the sake of making backups.  If a disk crashes, a backup image can be used to rapidly restore a working system.  But to do so, we need to be prepared in advance.  In particular, we need a bootable rescue disk on which we can run the backup software when we are unable to boot from our computer's system drive.
2
General Discussion / Notes of the Photography Session of 03/08/26
« Last post by rsutter on March 08, 2026, 03:40:46 PM »
Meeting of 03/08/2026

The group met to discuss photography techniques and share images.

Ralph Sutter presented his photos focusing on what makes a good picture versus a bad one, including examples of proper and improper framing, lighting, and focus.

Stanford Brown shared his photos emphasizing interesting compositions and unique perspectives.

Linda Styerwalt contributed by discussing her preferences for animal photos and scenes that tell a story.

The group discussed various elements that make photos compelling, including contrast, color, composition, and the unexpected, with Ralph compiling a list of key factors that create interesting photographs.

The conversation ended with the group brainstorming ideas for their next session.

Our next meeting will take place on April 12th 2026 beginning at 2:00 pm. The topic will be be Signs of Spring.

See https://www.slobytes.org/digital/links.html for tutorials and other resources

Ralph Sutter
3
General Discussion / Link to My Notes for the SLO Bytes General Session of 3/1/26
« Last post by rsutter on February 26, 2026, 04:57:01 PM »
Hello All,
Here is the link to my Notes for the SLO Bytes General Session of March 1st 2026
I have linked them rather than inserting them below because they contain numerous graphics that don't insert well on this Bulletin Board
View them at https://www.slobytes.org/presentations/Sutter-3-1-26.pdf
Ralph  Sutter

4
General Discussion / Free APCUG Sat Safari for 2/21/26 Tax Software and Genealogy
« Last post by rsutter on February 19, 2026, 08:20:13 AM »
Hello All,
This is a re-post of an announcement that I received from APCUG
Ralph Sutter

APCUG
SATURDAY SAFARI
February 21, 2026
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
Tax Software Review ? Tax Year 2025
Tom Burt, Vice President
Sun City Summerlin Computer Club
 
Military Records for Genealogy
Sue Mueller, Genealogy SIG Leader
Computer Users of Erie
 
REGISTER HERE ?  https://forms.gle/DSaH249WcDaqYRAZ9
 
On February 20, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
 
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTIONS
Tax Software Review ? Tax Year 2025. Two of the most popular ways to do your personal income taxes these days are H&R Block and TurboTax. You can use either one on your PC or Mac, or just work directly in their online versions. Once you buy the software?or head to the company?s website?the program simply walks you through your return by asking clear, step-by-step questions. When you?re done, it puts everything together for you and gets your tax return ready to file. And if you want, you can even file it electronically right from the program.
 
In this year?s presentation, we?ll take a quick look at both programs and then walk through a real-time demo of H&R Block Deluxe. We?ll build a 2025 tax return for a fictional senior couple with everyday financial situations: wages or retirement income, Social Security, interest and dividends, capital gains, business income, itemized deductions, RMDs, and more. They also own a rental property, so we?ll show how Schedule E works.
 
We?ll also talk about the big tax law changes that came with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) ? including the new ?above‑the‑line? deduction for seniors on Social Security. You?ll see exactly how these changes show up in the software and affect a typical senior household.
 
Military Records for Genealogy. Why, what, and where to find military records. Which records are public, and who can access other records? Service records. Pension and land grant records. Extended strategies. Destroyed records?don't look for what doesn't exist.
5
General Discussion / Free APCUG Workshop - Text to Speech and Fun with Fonts 4/11/26
« Last post by rsutter on February 09, 2026, 07:38:45 AM »
Hello All,
This is a re-post of an anouncement that I received from APCUG
Ralph Sutter

APCUG
Wednesday Workshop
February 11, 2026
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
Fun with Fonts
Chris Taylor, President
Ottawa PCUG
 
Text to Speech for Everyone
John Krout, Member, Author, and Presenter
Potomac Area Technology And Computer Society
 
Register here https://forms.gle/bqHV92NtBntQ1yVV7
You only need to register once.
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration.
On February 10, 2026, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTIONS
Fun with Fonts ? the art and science of typography
Dive into the fascinating world of typography with Chris. He will demystify typography terminology and explore its rich history. Learn what makes a typeface readable or distracting, how to effectively combine multiple typefaces, and the emotions different fonts can evoke.
 
Whether your next project is a greeting card, poster, newsletter, business card, logo, or any other design that incorporates text, Chris can help you avoid common typographic pitfalls. Practical tips on choosing the right typeface and creating visually appealing and readable text will be shared. Whether you're a design novice or a seasoned pro, this presentation will enhance your appreciation and understanding of typography's powerful impact.
 
Text to Speech for Everyone
Text-To-Speech (TTS) is a method by which your digital device, given text, can read it aloud. TTS was introduced for Windows and Macintosh many years before generative AI. TTS is even available now on Android tablets, iPhones, and iPads.
 
TTS has long been valuable to the blind, sight-impaired, and dyslexic communities. TTS can also be useful for creating spoken ringtones, text tones, and even alarm tones. With these spoken tones, you don't even need to pull out or unlock your phone to know who called or texted, or the purpose of an alarm. If you are not entirely comfortable about speaking while delivering a presentation, then you can use TTS to attach a recorded narration to each slide of your presentation.
 
John?s presentation will show you how to choose voices and use TTS on those platforms. You can download a convenient zero-cost Windows TTS Visual Basic Script application to record any TTS you wish in an audio file that can become any of those tones or slide narrations. The zero-cost TTS apps for Android and Apple portables also record spoken text in audio files.
 
6
General Discussion / Notes for the SLO Bytes Photo Group Meeting of 02/08/2026
« Last post by rsutter on February 08, 2026, 04:33:29 PM »
Hello All,
Here are the Notes for the SLO Bytes Photo Group Meeting of 02/08/2026
   
Ralph Sutter began the meeting with images taken around his garage and surrounding areas. He showed pvc pipe endwise on racks, architectural details, closeups of succulents and garden furniture.

Kaye Raul captured details of a gravel driveway, breaking waves at Port San Luis, trees, a bridge in Oceano and rail car wheels.

John Waller focused on plowed fields, creek beds, lawn furniture seen from below and brambles.

Stanford Brown caught a solitary leaf refusing to fall, forest trails, clouds that looked like mountains and a creek covered with fallen leaves.

Our next meeting will take place on March 8th 2026 beginning at 2:00 pm.
The topic will be What Makes a Great Photograph? Please share new images that either showcase such images or failed shots highlighting why they lack interest.

See the Links Page; https://www.slobytes.org/digital/links.html for tutorials and other resources

Ralph Sutter
7
General Discussion / SLO Bytes General Session Notes for 2/01/26 ~ Sutter
« Last post by rsutter on January 27, 2026, 05:47:52 PM »
Hello All,
What follows are my Notes for the SLO Bytes General Session that I will give at 12:45 on 2/01/26
Ralph Sutter

SLO Bytes Notes for February 2026

Alan Raul Update

Explanation of USB C Cables
https://www.anker.com/ca/blogs/cables/usb-c-charging-cable-types#By%20Power%20Delivery%20(PD)%20Capability

Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 Cable (3.3 ft, 80Gbps, 240W)  https://www.anker.com/products/a84n1 $45.99

Ending USB C Cable Confusion ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZrieRRJsuQ

USBC Cable Tester Purchase
https://www.amazon.com/Treedix-Detection-Continuity-Compatible-Lightning/dp/B0DYJL5Z67   $45.59

Linus  Sebastian USB C Cable Video ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT_iyvOy0Tk
Link to Buy USB C Cable ~ https://www.lttstore.com/products/ltt-truespec-cable-usb-type-c-to-c
Availability of the above cables is delayed https://lttstore.gorgias.help/en-US/service-alert-delayed-truespec-cable-shipments-4438844

Three Free Video Editors
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5emDLtddo2A
Clipchamp  Part of Windows
Capcut.com Windows and Mac; www.capcut.com
Davinci Resolve; https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/event/davinciresolvedownload

10 Free Photo Editors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=366mRyyCjLw

How to Find Products: Google Lens App on Smart Phone
Google Images Online www.images.google.com

Costco Pricing Guidehttps://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/1pekuqx/costcos_secret_pricing_decoder_reddit_cheat_sheet/#lightbox

Fullbean Recipeshttps://www.fullbean.com/recipes/recipes.html
Weight Conversion Calculatorhttps://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-volume-to-weight

Manuals Onlinehttps://www.manualslib.com/

Sutter Kayakshttps://www.fullbean.com/kayak/sutter-kayaks.html

Refill Epson ET 4850 Eco Tank Printer ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kREl4tagSw

Skip YouTube Adshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v~-tueopY6Kuo

Costco Rewards Video  (Local File Only)
Fix for Bread Knife: (Local File Only)

My Favorite Shortcuts
With Mouse/Trackball ~ Hold down Ctrl and roll Scroll Wheel Up or Down equals Zoom or Shrink
With Keyboard
Windows Key plus m ~ Go to Desktop
Windows Key plus - equals Zoom In
Windows Key plus + equals Zoom Out
Enter Key inserts 2 lines
Hold Shift plus Enter inserts 1 line
Hold Ctrl plus Enter equals Line Go to New Page
Ctrl plus z equals Undo
Ctrl plus y equals Redo
Ctrl plus a equals Select All
Ctrl plus c equals Copy
Ctrl plus v equals Paste contents of Clipboard
PrntSC copies screen to Clipboard
Ctrl plus f equals Find on Page
Ctrl plus Alt  plus Del brings up Task Manager
Alt plus Tab equals Show all open apps closes when released
Windows Key plus Tab equals Show all open apps and stays on screen
Ctrl plus Shift plus ESC equals Try to restart frozen screen
For MAC, replace Ctrl with Cmd
MAC Keyboard Shortcuts:  https://support.apple.com/en-us/102650
YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v~sg18x45Ux3s
Expanded Hotkeys; Windows and MAC:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v~VeAK7Bv4F1o
Action Center: Windows Key plus a
Settings: Windows Key plus i
Cortana with microphone and keyboard input ~ Windows Key plus c

8
General Discussion / Re-post of Free APCUG Webinar - Anatomy of a Scam
« Last post by rsutter on January 26, 2026, 09:12:54 AM »
Hello All,
This is a re-post of a free APCUG webinar
Ralph Sutter

APCUG
Wednesday Workshop
January 28, 2026
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
Anatomy of a Scam: Why are so many people becoming victims?
Staff Sergeant Tara Hardin, Triad Director
Oklahoma County Sheriff?s Office
 
Windows 11 ? Tips, Tricks, and Tweaks
Rob Truman, Vice President
Computer Booters of Sun Lakes

Register here https://forms.gle/ii1a4DawJPSKCyGP9
You only need to register once.
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration.
On January 27, 2026, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTIONS
Anatomy of a Scam: Why are so many people becoming victims?
This presentation explains how today?s scams work and why so many people are falling victim to fraud. From fake phone calls and emails to social media and online schemes, criminals use emotion, urgency, and deception to trick people into sending money or sharing personal information.
Join us to learn how scammers gather information, manipulate trust, and pressure victims. The presentation also provides simple, practical tips to help recognize warning signs, slow suspicious situations down, and protect financial and personal information.
Whether you are protecting yourself or a loved one, this session will give you the tools to spot scams before they cause harm.
 
Windows 11 ? Tips, Tricks, and Tweaks
When you unpack a new Windows 11 laptop or desktop, the operating system often arrives with more than just the OS: promotional games, trial utilities, vendor utilities, and background helpers that quietly launch at startup. Do you want to take control, eliminate Microsoft tracking, boost your computer's performance, or perform a cleanup and remove clutter? Join us as we examine a variety of Tips, Tricks, and Tweaks for the Novice to help make your copy of Windows 11 ?Not Suck?.
 
9
General Discussion / USB C Cables Explained
« Last post by rsutter on January 04, 2026, 04:15:33 PM »
Hello All,
What follows is a link to manufacturer Anker's article on USB C cables and the differences between various cables.
https://www.anker.com/ca/blogs/cables/usb-c-charging-cable-types#By%20Power%20Delivery%20(PD)%20Capability
Their highest performing cable is the Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 Cable (3.3 ft, 80Gbps, 240W)
https://www.anker.com/products/a84n1 $45.99
Ralph Sutter
10
Hello All,
What follows is an early draft of the resources about which I will be speaking at the SLO Bytes General Session of 01/04/2026. On that day, I will be subbing for our usual presenter, Alan Raul

SLO Bytes General Session Resources

Caltopo; Freeware Mapping Software:  www.caltopo.com
Caltopo Tutorialshttps://training.caltopo.com/all_users/getting-started

Using Irfanview, Place your GPS enabled images on a Google Earth Pro Map
Download Irfanview from https://www.irfanview.com/64bit.htm
Download Google Earth Pro from https://www.google.com/earth/about/versions/
You take pictures with your smartphone and you have not turned off location, Press the letter e in Irfanview.  You can then choose to upload that picture to Google Earth Pro

Adam Savage compares Apple Thunderbolt cable to cheap USB C cables
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD5aAd8Oy84  Worthwhile for Interesting details on Thunderbolt cable but it?s a flawed comparison akin to matching a bicycle against a car

Kevin Stratvert Free Movies on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhxtAfpi4Ow
Kevin Stratvert Top 20 Google Maps Tips & Tricks: All the best features you should know!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beeNMoXuxPg

Every SSD Type Explained In 8 Minutes  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or-RheltPrc

Ways to Add Storage to Your Computer
Leave an SD card in your computer?s card reader slot. A 128 GB SD card stays in my Lenovo laptop

Attach external drives via USB C/Thunderbolt

Sutter Storage on Coolermaster Computer https://www.fullbean.com/computer/sutter-drives.pdf

Add Docking Stations
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock - 18 Ports, 98W Charging, 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 4, USB-A/C, 2.5GbE, 8K/6K Displays, Mac/PC/Chrome Compatible $379.99
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09GK8LBWS/

OWC Thunderbolt Hub https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1603440-REG/owc_owctb4hub5p_thunderbolt_hub_adds_3_thunderbolt.html  $128.99

ZikeDrive Z666 USB4 40Gbps NVMe M.2 SSD Enclosure $119.99
https://ziketech.com/products/zikedrive-usb4-40gbps-nvme-m-2-ssd-enclosure-z666 

StarTech USB 3.1 Dual-Bay Dock for 2.5"/3.5" SATA SSDs/HDDs $90.00
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-10Gbps-Dual-ay-Dock-SATA/dp/B00XLAZ9KC

Powered USB Hubs
Arcodot 9 in 1 USB C  Adapter
https://www.amazon.com/USB-Hub-Acodot-Multiport-Adapter/dp/B0BKPYY8BC?th=1  $16.99

External Device for mounting NVME m.2 Drives
Riitop NVME to USB Enclosure Adapter  (Out of stock)
https://www.newegg.com/riitop-nvm2c-sl-enclosure/p/0VN-006F-00033

USB Adapters
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-USB-to-USB-Adapters/zgbs/pc/3015402011

Plugable 3-Port USB 3.0 Hub with Gigabit Ethernet Port (not powered) $34.95
https://plugable.com/products/usb3-hub3me

Not Computer Related
Alpenflow Fuel Transfer Valve for Propane Canisters  $11.95
https://www.garagegrowngear.com/products/alpenflow-fuel-transfer-device-by-alpenglow-gear

Project Farm:   https://www.youtube.com/@ProjectFarm
Garden Hoses  https://youtu.be/-W-kHV_t-So?t=1113
Oil Absorbent Products  https://youtu.be/JyAuzc7993M?t=1096
Double A Batteries https://youtu.be/7eloV0mp6CE?t=1080
Plastic Tarps  https://youtu.be/L6ush2x6tB4?t=1142

CA Glues Tested https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vR15u0vmms
Elmers Gorilla Krazy Loctite Scotch Original Super Glue
Best at Twist (torque wrench) ? Elmers  https://youtu.be/_vR15u0vmms?t=416
Best at tensile strength (pulling up) ? Loctite https://youtu.be/_vR15u0vmms?t=526
Best at inches supported (sliding along pipe) ? Loctite  https://youtu.be/_vR15u0vmms?t=667
Best at price per gram ? Loctite   https://youtu.be/_vR15u0vmms?t=671

Ralph Sutter
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10