Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Messages - rsutter

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 39

General Discussion / Free APCUG Webinar - Cubersecurity and Fake News/Political Tricks 4/22/26

« on: April 20, 2026, 08:07:54 AM »

Hello All,
What follows is a link to an APCUG free webinar that I received today

Ralph Sutter

APCUG
Wednesday Workshop
April 22, 2026
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET

Basic Cybersecurity for PCs and Mobile Devices
Al Williams, President
Willow Valley Computer Club

Don't Be Fooled: How to Identify Fake News & Political Tricks
Judy Taylour, Member
APCUG Speakers Bureau

Register here https://forms.gle/eRuszPEN1vePYzzE8
You only need to register once.
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration.
On April 21, 2026, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS
Basic Cybersecurity for Personal Computers and Mobile Devices. Al shows practical ways to make your laptop, desktop, and smartphone much harder for hackers to break into. The goal is simple: make your devices difficult enough that attackers move on to easier targets. While no method can guarantee complete protection, using these best practices together greatly reduces your risk. They also help protect against common threats such as ransomware and malware.

Don?t Be Fooled: How to Identify Fake News & Political Tricks. Learn how to recognize scams, fake political ads, and misleading information online. We?ll cover common warning signs, such as missing ?Paid for by?? statements, emotional manipulation, and fake news clues like sensational headlines and unreliable sources. You?ll also learn simple ways to verify information and spot manipulated videos. By the end, you?ll have practical, everyday tools to stay informed and avoid being misled. Think critically ? verify before you share.

We are looking forward to seeing you this Wednesday. Do you have a presentation you have given to your group? Please volunteer to give it at one of the WWs. Thanks, Judy & John (jtaylour@apcug.org -- jkennedy@apcug.org).

General Discussion / Free APCUG Workshops; 4/15/26 Distro Dive and System Monitoring Tools for Linux

« on: April 13, 2026, 07:32:23 AM »

Hello All,
This is a re-post oof a recent announcement from APCUG
Ralph Sutter

APCUG
Wednesday Workshop
April 15, 2026
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET

Distro Dive: Arch/Manjaro
Alan German, Program Chair and APCUG Rep
Ottawa PC Users Group

System Monitoring Tools for Linux
John Kennedy, Linux SIG Co-host
East-Central Ohio Technology Users Club

Register here https://forms.gle/uhSMaPQsLZ1TrEpXA

You only need to register once.
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration.
On April 14, 2026, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

Distro-Dive: Arch/Manjaro. We take another dive into one of the major Linux distributions this month. Alan German shares information about one of the founding "trees" of the Linux world, Arch. Some say this isn't for new Linux users, but others say it's the version all true Linux users should use (the key phrase you hear is: "by the way, I use Arch"). Alan will give us some insight into this distro that boasts that installing Arch means you really know the inner workings of Linux. Along with his presentation on Arch, Alan will also talk about Manjaro, a version of Arch that is much easier to use. Join Alan to find out why some people really like running Arch, and maybe why others want to stay far from it.

System Monitoring Tools for Linux. We've often heard in past Linux presentations where attendees say, "I can do this in Windows, can I do that in Linux?" One such area is system monitoring. And the answer is: "Of course, you can do that in Linux." Join John Kennedy as he shares several system monitoring tools for Linux, both graphically and via the terminal.

General Discussion / SLO Bytes Photo Group Meeting Notes of 04/12/2026

« on: April 12, 2026, 04:52:43 PM »

Hello All,
Here are my Notes for the SLO Bytes Photo Group Meeting of 04/12/2026
The photography group members shared their spring-themed photographs featuring gardens, local flora, wildlife, and landscapes while discussing various technical aspects including file formats and exposure techniques.
The meeting involved troubleshooting technical difficulties with DNG files and screen sharing, along with casual conversations about plants, weather, and personal experiences.
The group postponed its next meeting to May 17th due to Mother's Day The topic will be Street Photography for the rescheduled session.

Ralph Sutter opened the meeting with images of his garden. He captured raindrops on foliage, blossoming fruit trees and reflections in puddles

Kaye Raul offered shots of maple trees, Meyer Lemons, Bougainvilleas and Hibiscus plants. She then showed the local beach and a brightly colored store in Oceano.

Stanford Brown showed insects, birds, turtles and bees. He captured new growth along the Salinas River, weed abatement close to home and spectacular roses in his back yard.

John Waller focused on fog shrouded scenes as seen from his home. He also offered scenes filled with Queens Lace, thistle and poison oak as well as beach scenes and local hotels.

In deference to Mothers' Day, our next meeting will take place on May 17th, 2026, beginning at 2:00 pm. The topic will be Street Photography.

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

Ralph Sutter

General Discussion / Microsoft Discontinues Publisher - Capable Free Alternative

« on: April 11, 2026, 06:07:41 PM »

Hello All,
Microsoft will discontinue support for Publisher in October 2026
Read about it at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

Henceforth, I will open Publisher files (somefile.pub) with Libreoffice Draw. The LibreOffice Suite's program, Draw, reads and edits .pub files. LibreOffice is cross-platform. It is available for PCs, Macs and Linux distributions.
Learn more and download from https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download-libreoffice/

Ralph Sutter

General Discussion / I did not renew my digital newspaper subscription - I found Alternatives

« on: April 09, 2026, 12:31:04 PM »

Hello All,
The yearly digital subscription to my local newspaper was coming up for renewal on 04/11/2026. The published rate was more than $300/yr. When I called to end my subscription, I was offered a half price discount to renew. I declined.
I was then asked to name the price at which I was willing to continue. I responded that nothing would entice me to do so, indicating that the newspaper's coverage consisted primarily of re-posted content from other newspapers and the local coverage was substandard.

I get my local news from KSBY TV. For wider news, I to to Scripps on-line and apnews.com. Both are free.

When the news isn't absurd enough, I access comics on line at https://www.gocomics.com/. Though Go Comics offers a free service, I opted for a more full-featured subscription costing $38.05/yr.
The paid subscription allows me easier access to several hundred daily comic strips and the ability to save them on line.
Browsing the comics is a welcome antidote for the darker events of the day.

Ralph Sutter

General Discussion / Free APCUG Webinar -Operating Systems and Android Devices

« on: April 06, 2026, 09:05:46 AM »

Hello All,
This is a re-post of an APCUG Announcement
Ralph Sutter
------

APCUG
Wednesday Workshop
April 8, 2026
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET

Operating Systems ? Wait? What?
There are how many different kinds?
Dale Harrington, Program Chair and APCUG Rep
Mile High Computer Resource Organization (MiCRO)

Android Devices in 2026
Jolyn Bowler, Resource Center and APCUG Rep
Hilton Head Island Computer Club

Register here https://forms.gle/HWueRcSzyKUdjmL5A

You only need to register once.
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration.
On April 7, 2026, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

Operating Systems ? Wait? What? There are how many different kinds?
Most of us probably know a few OSs, but what about the others? Just how many are there? Do we even know? Let?s take a look.

Join Jolyn Bowler for Android Devices in 2026
A practical look at today?s Android-powered ecosystem. We?ll explore Google?s Pixel phones and tablets alongside popular Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets, see how Nest smart displays and home devices work together, learn about wearables running Wear OS, and get a preview of Android XR spatial computing technology. Whether you?re considering a new phone, comparing Pixel and Samsung options, building a smart home, or just trying to understand where Android fits in the broader tech landscape, this session will offer clear, real-world examples you can use in your digital life.

General Discussion / Free APCUG Wednesday Webinars 3/25/26; One Drive and Backup Strategies

« on: March 23, 2026, 08:52:15 AM »

Hello All,
What follows is a re-post of an announcement from APCUG
Ralph Sutter

APCUG
Wednesday Workshop
March 25, 2026
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET

What OneDrive IS and What OneDrive is NOT
John Santora, Computer Club Technology Center
Willow Valley Computer Club

Whoa, back up! Effective Strategies for
Keeping Your Computer Files Safe
Chris Taylor, President
Ottawa PC Users? Group

Register here https://forms.gle/6Q7XGo6Jh9bitPuv7
You only need to register once.
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration.
On March 24, 2026, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS
What OneDrive IS and What OneDrive is NOT. Do you already have OneDrive? John will show us how to get (or activate) OneDrive, and the advantages and disadvantages of using OneDrive. It?s cloud storage, synchronizes changes to file among user?s devices, makes selected files and folders available on many devices and from remote devices, and is a collaboration tool for Microsoft Office apps. But is it a backup app?

Whoa, back up! Effective Strategies for Keeping Your Computer Files Safe. Think about all the data on your PC: videos of the grandkids playing in a park, photos of your trip to Patagonia (lucky you!), tax records, emails? Now, think about whether those files exist anywhere else. If the answer is no, you need to think about a backup. You could lose data due to viruses, fire, theft, tornado, earthquake, hard disk failure, making an unintended change to a file, or a wayward finger deleting a file. Chris will discuss various ways to ensure your essential data survives any catastrophe.

General Discussion / Create Flash Cards wtih Anki - Free and Open Source - Cross Platform

« on: March 16, 2026, 05:02:36 PM »

Hello All,
I just installed Anki on both a Windows 11 computer and a Linux box running Ubuntu. It also works on MACs
This program allows you to create digital flash cards on a computer or a smart phone

It is commonly used by medical students trying to master marerial
You can import content created by others in fields such as Medicine, Law, Languages, History, Art and many more
You can also create your own material.

The concept is that the first screen displays an image, plays a sound or shows text.
Example: A painting appears on the screen and asks Who is the artist?
You mentally respond and then click a button to display the answer.
You then click a button on the screen indicating how well you did.
If you knew the answer, the flash card will not reappear often.
If you did not, you click the button that most closely matches your knowledge
If you indicate that the question was very hard, it will repeat frequently, less often the greater your confidence level

Learn more at
Anki Starting Point https://apps.ankiweb.net/
Ankiweb Decks Download Page https://ankiweb.net/shared/decks
Akni Flashcards Tutorial https://www.jia-shing.com/anki-add-ons-adding-editing-cards/#:~:text=%F0%9F%93%82%20Creating%20A%20New%20Deck,-Before%20creating%20cards&text=Here%20is%20what%20you%20can,will%20get%20create%20a%20subdeck.

Ralph Sutter

General Discussion / APCUG Free Webinars Set up Linux, Backups 3/18/26

« on: March 15, 2026, 08:36:25 AM »

Hello All,
What follows is a re-post of an announcement from APCG
Ralph Sutter

APCUG
Learning Linux Wednesday Workshop
March 18, 2026
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET

John?s Strategic Linux Backup Plan
Presentation by John Kennedy
ECOTUC Linux SIG Co-Host

Roundtable: Your Backup Plan
Thanks to the attendees who share
their Linux Backup Plans

Register here https://forms.gle/994KXzGLJvyhR4g17
You only need to register once.
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration.
On March 17, 2026, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS
John's Strategic Linux Backup Plan
Continuing with the March theme of Worldwide Backup Day, we'll focus on backing up things in Linux. Join John Kennedy as he shares his strategic plan for backing up important things in his Linux world. He will cover backing up his system and software, as well as his data and computer image. John will share the programs he uses and how they work. If you don't have a "plan" in place, you might consider what John is doing and then make it your own.

Roundtable: Attendee Backup Plans - Contact John @ jkennedy@apcug.org to let him know you will share your Linux backup plan.
During this open mic roundtable, John hopes that other attendees who use Linux will share their backup strategies and tools. This doesn't need to be a polished presentation; it's just the informal sharing of the backup plans you're using. Hopefully, those attending the workshop will learn about several other approaches to backing up on Linux and choose the one that works best for them. There may be duplicates of backup software shared, but that's good, as you can learn which methods are most popular for backing up. And because there are a number of different tools to use, you might hear about a tool that sounds like something you might want to try.

We are looking forward to seeing you this Wednesday. Do you have a presentation you have given to your group? Please volunteer to give it at one of the WWs. Thanks, Judy & John (jtaylour@apcug.org -- jkennedy@apcug.org).

General Discussion / Free APCG Webinar - Backing Up for Seniors 3/11/26

« 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.

General Discussion / Notes of the Photography Session of 03/08/26

« 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

General Discussion / Link to My Notes for the SLO Bytes General Session of 3/1/26

« 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

General Discussion / Free APCUG Sat Safari for 2/21/26 Tax Software and Genealogy

« 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.

General Discussion / Free APCUG Workshop - Text to Speech and Fun with Fonts 4/11/26

« 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.

General Discussion / Notes for the SLO Bytes Photo Group Meeting of 02/08/2026

« 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

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 39