Hello All,

As a memo to self, I just created a video screen capture showing how I add music to a PLEX server by dragging that music from iTunes into the PLEX server.
NOTE:  Dragging the files from iTunes includes the data stored in the metatags.  When I tried simply dragging .mp3/.m4a files from the original source to the PLEX server, the PLEX application (not the PLEX server) didn't see them.  It reported that the added folder was empty.  No amount of refreshing, updating or optimizing changed this.

My video is available at http://www.fullbean.com/tutorials/music-to-plex.mp4
and on YouTube - https://youtu.be/v3n2alCf36U

Ralph Sutter

Hello All,

This is a repost of the SCALE announcement that I received today.

SCALE 16x CFP is now open.

The Linux Exposition of Southern California is proud to announce the 16th Annual Southern California Linux Expo – SCALE 16X – to be held on March 8-11, 2018 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California, near Los Angeles.

We welcome your submissions as we build a robust and memorable schedule for this year's Expo.  Details, information on available tracks and topic suggestions are available here:

https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/16x/cfp?utm_source=phplist167&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=SCALE+16X+Call+For+Papers

See you at 16x.

Ralph Sutter

Hello All,

If you missed the APCUG VTC webinar on 08/19/17 or would like to relive the experience, you can download the presenters' PDF files from https://apcug2.org/apcug-2017-summer-virtual-technology-conference-vtc25/

Ralph Sutter

Hello All,

Our parent organization, APCUG, will hold another webinar on August 19th beginning at 10:00 Pacific Time
Register for this free event at https://apcug-summer-2017-vtc.eventbrite.com
The two track event features the following topics

TRACK 1
10:00 AM PT - Pi-hole by Don Arrowsmith
Pi-hole is a LAN-wide ad blocker that runs on a Raspberry-pi. If you're sick of ads all over the web pages you look at, tired of auto-starting audio and video ads, and disgusted at pop-up and pop-under ads every time you click a link, then you need a Pi-hole. It will eliminate all of those annoyances from every device on your LAN without having to make any configuration changes to those devices. The software is free and runs on a Raspberry Pi, a small, inexpensive system about the size of a deck of cards. If you have been wanting to learn more about hardware like this, it'll also be an educational tool. Don will run through the entire process of getting the software and hardware, installing everything, integrating it into your network, and maintaining it.

11:00 AM PT - Home Automation Security by Bill James
Are your worried about home automation devices listening in on your conversations? Wonder if your devices can be hacked and don’t know how to keep them from being hacked? Many smarthome devices are designed to be easy to use but don’t come with a ton of security features – what should you do? Bill will answer these questions and more in this presentation, maybe making it a little bit easier to take the first step to automate your home and get a better price for it when you sell.

Noon PT - Finding Tech Information on Medium.com by Kathy Jacobs
Medium is a large site for writers and readers. The platform is built to make it easy to share stories about almost anything. This presentation will introduce you to the basics of Medium's interfaces (app and website) via the introduction to some of the best tech publications on the site. You will also learn:
How to search for publications, articles, and writers on topics of interest to your club
Navigating the 3 basic kinds of articles in the Medium universe: Stories, responses, and series
Tagging on Medium
Writing responses that will get read
Connecting with authors and publication editors

TRACK 2
10:00 AM PT - GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) - Why You Shouldn’t Get Lost! By Bill Hobbs
This presentation includes information about GPS and other systems. He goes over GLONASS, Galileo, etc., history, signals, accuracy, and errors involved in the global navigation systems. In addition, he will demonstrate how to calculate location and time using a very simplified system.

11:00 AM PT - Chromebooks are for Seniors by Ron Brown
Are you looking for a computer that isn’t complicated to use? How about one you can’t ruin by making a mistake from the keyboard? No maintenance, malware, trojans, and viruses, no subscription cost and it’s always up-to-date with web technology? The Chromebook is for you!

Noon PT - Ideas for Revitalizing Your Computer Club by Judy Taylour
Is your group suffering from?
Officer / leader burnout
One, two, or three officers are in charge of everything
They have done everything for years
Lack of volunteers
Reduced membership
Same person / people always give presentations
Presentations don’t meet members’ needs
Newsletter editor retired – no one wants to learn a desktop publishing program
Webmaster moved away – no one knows how the website works
This presentation offers ideas you might want to try to revitalize your group.

Ralph Sutter

Hello All,

Here are my notes for the July 9th meeting of the Photo Group
TOPIC Deliberate Distortion
Ralph Sutter opened the meeting by calling attention to the two new listings on the Links page, http://www.slobytes.org/digital/links.html.
The first is for the Polaroid Snap Touch digital camera with a self-contained printer
The second, Affinity, is photo editing software that claims to rival Adobe Photoshop in capabilities at a vastly lower one-time purchase price
Sutter demonstrated the Focus Merge feature of Affinity. The photographer takes multiple shots of the same image, changing only the point of focus. Focus merge then takes the sharpest part of each photo and creates a composite image that is in focus everywhere.

Alan Raul showed how altering the colors of an image can dramatically alter its visual impact. He then used the editing program, ACDSee, to both purposely and playfully manipulate subjects

Don Jones shared photos of illusive marauding rabbits that routinely play havoc with his landscaping

John Waller mixed the whimsical with the artistic, using masking layers to stylize his dog and transforming a local country road into what looked like a meandering stream. He also took a step back in photographic history showing a landscape taken with a pinhole lens

Monica Tarzier enhanced images of flowers and pine cones in ways not seen in nature.

At the close of the meeting, Alan, Bob and John gave Ralph photos that they took at the SLO Bytes BBQ on 07/02/17. Raul will create a video slide show combining those images.  I have uploaded all of the images to the SLO Bytes web site.  You will find download links at www.slobytes.org/photos/2017bbq/index.html.  Please note that the images are in three zipped files.  They must be extracted in order to be viewed as individual images.  They should not be confused with Alan's upcoming slide show.

NEXT MEETING Sunday, August 13th 2017 @ 2:00 pm

LOCATION: Please note the new meeting place for August and only August
Home of Monica Tarzier
1657 Southwood Drive
San Luis Obispo

TOPIC: Books
This vague guideline will probably lend itself to a wide variety of interpretations

Ralph Sutter

Hello All,

The SLO Bytes annual BBQ will take place on Sunday, July 2th, 2017 in conjunction with the July General Session.  Look forward to oak fired hamburgers with all the condiments.  Home made cake will also be served.

There is no charge for current members.  They may also bring one guest, again at no charge.  For additional guests, we suggest a $5 per person donation.

If you haven't already RSVPed, please do so by e-mailing me at ralph@rsutter.com so that we may make the appropriate arrangements.

This will be the first BBQ at our new location, the San Luis Obispo Guild Hall, 2880 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo.  The facility offers the option of outdoor seating among the oaks.
Map at http://www.slobytes.org/slo-guild-map.html

I hope to see you there.

Ralph Sutter

Hello All,

Here are my notes from today's meeting of the SLO Bytes Photo Group
TOPIC Photographing Food
Ralph Sutter opened the meeting by displaying a series of very high resolution images from around the world;
   Mount Blanc; http://www.in2white.com/
   London; http://btlondon2012.co.uk/pano.html
   Bergen; http://gigapix.no/1399/gigapiksel/bergen-sett-fra-ulriken
   Seville; http://www.sevilla111.com/default_en.htm
   and Astana; http://3d.astana.kz/giga/1/
(Links thanks to Doug DePue)

Sutter then showed images of common foods, condiments and cooking oils as well as their storage locations.

Connie Sutter followed, sharing photos of apples, strawberries, bananas and how they were incorporated in beverages and edibles.

Monica Tarzier offered pictures of flowering bushes, local landscapes, shots of the sky and sunlight radiating from a bowl of tomatoes

Alan Raul rounded out the presentations with a slide show of memorable dishes that he ate in various restaurants along California's Central Coast

NEXT MEETING Sunday, July 9th 2017 @ 2:00 pm
LOCATION:   Home of Connie and Ralph Sutter
                              498 Hansen Hill Road, Arroyo Grande
TOPIC: Distortion with a Purpose

The topic for the Sunday, July 9th meeting will be Deliberate Distortion
The concept is to create a pre-meditated non-standard outcome either when taking or editing an image.

See the Links page for tutorials and other resources at http://www.slobytes.org/digital/notes.html

MAP at www.slobytes.org/digital/sutter-map.html

You will find a dashcam video tracing the route through the village of Arroyo Grande to the Photo Group on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhGQelxHxbE
Ralph Sutter