I have a variety of image editing programs on my 12.9" iPad Pro. One of these is Affinity Photo. Affinity Photo is available for macOS and Windows also.

I was quite impressed with the amount of improvements on the latest version.

https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/

A good story about iFixit, a local San Luis Obispo company, and how they are the first to teardown a new iPhone.

I like the statement of "...the precision engineering found in something like a Swiss watch but on the production level of millions is insane."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx-9LkVIdz0

SCaLE (Sothern California Linux Expo) - The 16th annual Southern California Linux Expo – will take place on March. 8-11, 2018, at the Pasadena Convention Center. SCaLE 16X expects to host 150 exhibitors this year, along with nearly 130 sessions, tutorials and special events.
SCaLE is the largest community-run open-source and free software conference in North America. It is held annually in the greater Los Angeles area.
Diamond Sponsor - PIA (Private Internet Access)
Platinum Sponsor - Microsoft
http://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/16x

Malwarebytes pushed out a protection update that gobbled up memory and CPU resources and turned off web protection.
https://www.csoonline.com/article/3251685/security/buggy-malwarebytes-protection-update-wreaks-havoc-for-users.html
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/malwarebytes-news/2018/01/important-web-blocking-ram-usage/
https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/220528-web-blocking-ram-usage-how-to-recover-home-users/
 
InSpectre – Check Windows operating system and processor hardware safety.
https://www.grc.com/inspectre.htm
InSpectre Download
https://www.grc.com/files/InSpectre.exe

About speculative execution vulnerabilities in ARM-based and Intel CPUs
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208394

How Will the Meltdown and Spectre Flaws Affect My PC?
https://www.howtogeek.com/338269/a-huge-intel-security-hole-could-slow-down-your-pc-soon/
 
Acronis Ransomware Protection Free – Not recommended if you currently have Acronis True Image 2017 or 2018.
https://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/free-data-protection/
https://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/updates/changes.html?p=41073
https://kb.acronis.com/acronis-ransomware-protection

Freeware for Diagramming Network - Via Ralph’s post on the BB
Here’s his end result - http://www.fullbean.com/network/network.jpg
http://slobytes.org/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=70m92ci472i28edcu9kodipm12&topic=116.0

Lenovo Yoga 920 - I needed a replacement device for a variety of aging portable laptop devices ranging from years 2012, 2013 and 2014. My go to everyday devices are still the iPhone 10 and the 2017 iPad Pro 12.9 tablet. I still have a variety of Windows 10 and Linux desktop and servers at home.
http://alanraul.com/yoga/

The Difference between Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLs_0wHcv4A

LibreOffice - is a free and open source office suite, a project of The Document Foundation. It was forked from OpenOffice.org in 2010, which was an open-sourced version of the earlier StarOffice. The LibreOffice suite comprises programs for word processing, the creation and editing of spreadsheets, slideshows, diagrams and drawings, working with databases, and composing mathematical formulae.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

GeeksOnTour - teach you about using your technology for fun stuff like photos, maps, and blogs.
https://geeksontour.com/

LearnGooglePhotos - offers articles almost every week on tips and tricks for using Google Photos and Picasa.
https://learngooglephotos.blogspot.com/

Here are the January 11th, 2018 SLO Linux Users Group Notes.

Ranch WIFI - Bringing true high speed internet to the rural fringe.
http://www.ranchwifi.com/

WyzeCam - The best value all-in-one 1080p HD smart home camera.
https://www.wyzecam.com/product/wyze-cam/

WyzeCam Review: the best security camera $20 can buy
https://www.slashgear.com/wyzecam-review-the-best-security-camera-20-can-buy-13505683/amp/

WyzeCam Review and Rating by PCMAG
https://www.pcmag.com/review/358099/wyzecam

WyzeCam 1080p - Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/WyzeCam-Wireless-Camera-Vision-Android/dp/B076H3SRXG

Blink Home Security
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_5/130-5323661-1775723?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=blink+home+security&sprefix=blink%2Claunchpad%2C216&crid=2AUUUY2YPVZRO

January 1, 2018 Avila Beach Polar Bear Plunge
http://www.avilabeachpolarbearplunge.com/
http://www.avilabeachpolarbearplunge.com/photos.htm

Lenovo Yoga 920  - I needed a replacement device for a variety of aging portable laptop devices ranging from years 2012, 2013 and 2014. My go to everyday devices are still the iPhone 10 and the 2017 iPad Pro 12.9 tablet. I still have a variety of Windows 10 and Linux desktop and servers at home.
http://alanraul.com/yoga/

CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2018
https://www.engadget.com/tag/ces2018/

SCaLE (Southern California Linux Expo)
Contact Alan for a discount code.
http://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/16x

New Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition
http://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/new-xps-13-developer-edition/spd/xps-13-9370-laptop/cax13w10p2c606ubuntu

Intel NUC Goes Hades Canyon – Check Out The NUC8i7HVK and NUC8i7HNK
http://www.legitreviews.com/intel-nuc-goes-hades-canyon-check-nuc8i7hvk-nuc8i7hnk_201467

Intel's Hades Canyon NUCs with Radeon Graphics are Official: $799 - $999, Shipping in Spring 2018
https://www.anandtech.com/show/12226/intels-hades-canyon-nucs-with-radeon-graphics-are-official-799999-shipping-in-spring-2018

ViewDNS.info
http://viewdns.info/

Fix Windows and Linux Showing Different Times When Dual Booting
https://www.maketecheasier.com/fix-windows-linux-show-different-times/ 

Linux Mint Installation Guide
https://linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

2018 Notes can be found:
http://www.slolug.com/notes.html

Archived Notes can be found:
http://www.slolug.com/notes_old.html

January 1, 2018 Avila Beach Polar Bear Plunge
http://www.avilabeachpolarbearplunge.com/
http://www.avilabeachpolarbearplunge.com/photos.htm

What the Most Profitable Companies Make Per Second
https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/business/what-most-profitable-companies-make-second

Device encryption in Windows 10 - With the right hardware configurations, Windows 10 automatically encrypts a device, helping to keep customer data safe.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/device-experiences/device-encryption-for-oem

Windows 10 BitLocker Overview
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/device-security/bitlocker/bitlocker-overview

7 ways to boot into Safe Mode in Windows 10
https://www.digitalcitizen.life/4-ways-boot-safe-mode-windows-10

Lenovo Yoga 920 - I needed a replacement device for a variety of aging portable laptop devices ranging from years 2012, 2013 and 2014. My go to everyday devices are still the iPhone 10 and the 2017 iPad Pro 12.9 tablet. I still have a variety of Windows 10 and Linux desktop and servers at home.
http://alanraul.com/yoga/

Very interesting to see what people searched for. You can change the “global” to other countries.

https://trends.google.com/trends/yis/2017/GLOBAL/

We have all heard of 805 beer.

Have you heard about 820 beer? It could be coming.

What is coming in June of 2018 is a new phone area code called 820.

I'm sure some people would have liked the new phone area code to be called 420. <grin>

Anyone with an 805 area code now will keep it.

Anyone getting a new phone number in June of 2018 and beyond with get it with the area code 820.

The 805 area code was born in 1957 after splitting from the 213 area code and covering the coastal and inland area north of Los Angeles. The 805 area code was reduced to its current configuration along the coast when the 661 area code was split off it in 1999.

The new area code will be part of what's known as an area code overlay, which adds a second area code to a geographic region allowing for multiple area codes to co-exist within the same geographic region.

Customers must dial the three-digit area code for all calls to and from telephone numbers with the 805 and new 820 area codes.

Here are some tips to help prepare for the area code overlay:
• Contact security or alarm vendors to update dial-up numbers to avoid a break in security routines and contacts.
• Reprogram equipment or features i.e., automatic dial, speed-dial, call forwarding, modems for computer or Internet dial-up access etc., programmed to dial seven digits to dial "1+ area code + telephone number.
• Update items like stationery, checks, etc., to include your area code + telephone number.
• Start thinking of dialing 1 + the area code + telephone number for all calls.
• Advise families, friends etc., to dial 1 + the area code + telephone number for all calls.
• Provide your area code + telephone number, not just the telephone number, as needed.
• When asking for someone else’s number, remember to ask for the area code too.
• Remember that the previous area code and the new area code will co-exist within the same geographic region.