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Alan Raul opened the meeting with interior and exterior pictures of Saint Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Santa Maria. He then drove to Santa Maria Airport showing interior shots of the airport. Parked on the tarmac was a DC10 Tanker, truck and trailer with Phos-Chek fire retardant and people watching all the various tanker activities.

Kaye Raul took us first to Casmalia, relaying the history of the town, including home prices, population, The Hitching Post restaurant and more. She then took us to Guadalupe highlighting some old architecture. Using her Lightroom skills she demonstrated before and after shots of removing unwanted items in her pictures.

Stanford Brown took us into the past with pictures from around the world.

John Waller took us to the Renaissance Fair. He then traveled on Stagecoach Road and shot pictures with his Samsung smartphone. He then shared pictures of boats and paddleboarders at Avila Beach.

The next meeting will take place on September 14th, 2025, beginning at 2:00 pm. The topic will be Images shot at least 5 miles from home within the last 30 days.
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General Discussion / Free APCUG Webinar - KVM Switches and Password Security
« Last post by rsutter on August 11, 2025, 07:38:47 AM »
Hello All,
This is a re-post of an APCUG announcement
Ralph Sutter

WEDNESDAY WORKSHOP
August 13, 2025
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
Use a KVM Switch to Share Speakers
John Krout, Member, Author, and Presenter
Potomac Area And Technology Society
 
Are your Passwords Really Complex?
Why they don?t need to be ? and other stories.
JB Burke, President
Prescott Computer Society
 
Register here ? https://forms.gle/gJ3yNM7btgwnK61z6
 
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration (see below). You only need to register once. On August 12, 2025, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTIONS
John Krout - Use a KVM Switch to Share Speakers. This presentation introduces the KVM switch concept for connecting a keyboard, video monitor, and mouse to any of two or more computers on a desk, its practical applications, and how the presenter figured out how to switch his powered analog speakers using his new KVM switch. Even if only one computer is on a desk or table, sometimes you want to use the keyboard, monitor, and mouse with a laptop. You can use a KVM switch to connect the laptop to those devices.

JB Burke - Online Security Secrets - Are your Passwords Really Complex?
Why they don?t need to be ? and other stories.
By now we are all aware of the online threats ? phishing, smishing, malware & viruses, identity theft, fake websites, tech support scams, fake shopping sites ? the list goes on and on. And we know that an important protection is strong passwords. But do you know what makes passwords strong? It isn?t necessarily caps or numbers or special characters, though they play a part as well. This program will tell you the real story of strong passwords and beyond.
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General Discussion / Alan Raul - August 3, 2025 Meeting Notes
« Last post by Alan J. Raul on July 30, 2025, 10:43:01 PM »
Magnetic Wireless Charger 15W Mag Safe Charger
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Wireless-Charger-Fast-Compatible-Replacement%EF%BC%88White%EF%BC%89/dp/B0DK4MTXD1?th=1

Private Internet Access VPN 3.6.2
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/private_internet_access_vpn.html

Flightradar24 Subscription plans
https://www.flightradar24.com/premium
 
Brother printer bug in 689 models exposes default admin password
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/brother-printer-bug-in-689-models-exposes-default-admin-passwords/

Hundreds of printer models with weak password algorithms exposed, no firmware patch possible
https://www.neowin.net/news/hundreds-of-printer-models-with-weak-password-algorithms-exposed-no-firmware-patch-possible/
 
WARNING Brother printers vulnerable to attacks update firmware NOW
https://youtu.be/Smm-j6gIX2Y

Brother Printer Firmware Update Tool 1.21
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/brother_printer_firmware_update_tool.html
 
Advanced IP Scanner
https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/advanced_ip_scanner.html
 
NirSoft Wireless Network Watcher
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_network_watcher.html
 
SSD vs HDD vs NVMe vs SATA vs mSATA vs M2: Storage Devices EXPLAINED!
https://youtu.be/r3Jy5dHOj3g

Approaching The Scene 365 Thunderbolt 5 + New Hard Drive Performance Tests
https://youtu.be/SvMGZOMchSs
 
Ralph's new computer...Cooler Master NR W9 Mini Desktop Workstation
https://www.fullbean.com/computer/cooler-master/cooler-master.html
https://www.fullbean.com/computer/cooler-master/cooler-master-specs.pdf
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1887392-REG/cooler_master_ayg_m2c7_n67gii62_n1_nr_w9_mini_desktop.html

Inside China's Mini PC Production: How Tiny Computers Are Made
https://youtu.be/ohwI3V207Ts

Display P3 Color Space
https://asktimgrey.com/2025/07/21/display-p3-color-space/

Microsoft Drops China-Based Engineers From Pentagon Cloud Work - Microsoft on Friday announced it will no longer allow engineers based in China to provide technical support for US Department of Defense (DoD) cloud systems, following concerns about foreign involvement in sensitive Pentagon systems.
https://www.techworm.net/2025/07/microsoft-drops-china-based-engineers-pentagon-cloud-work.html
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=microsoft+chinese+propublica&start=1&t=h_&ia=web


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Can't upgrade your Windows 10 PC? You have 5 options and 3 months to act - before EOS.

Ed Bott, Senior Contributing Editor for ZDNet.com: https://www.zdnet.com/article/cant-upgrade-your-windows-10-pc-you-have-5-options-and-3-months-to-act-before-eos/

Ed Bott, Senior Contributing Editor for ZDNet.com: https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-get-free-windows-10-security-updates-through-october-2026-two-ways
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General Discussion / Free APCUG Wednesday Workshops POTPOURRI: FUN & GAMES
« Last post by rsutter on July 21, 2025, 11:04:17 AM »
Hello All,
This is a re-post of an announcement from APCUG
Ralph Sutter
----

POTPOURRI: FUN & GAMES 
WEDNESDAY WORKSHOP

July 23, 2025
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
Capturing the Skies: Fun Vacation Photography
John Krout, Member, Author, and Presenter
Potomac Area And Technology Society
 
PosterMyWall
Hewie Poplock, APCUG Representative
The Sarasota Technology User Group
 
Office Chair Butt
Judy Taylour
APCUG Speakers Bureau Member
President, SCV Computer Club
 
Stump the Techs
Do you have a tech question?
Our attendees will do their best to answer it.
 
Register here ?  https://forms.gle/BAVhCN53Fs59hq6MA   
 
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration.
(see below). You only need to register once. On July 22, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
 
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTIONS
Capturing the Skies: A Presentation through Air Shows and Hot Air Balloons. Join John Krout for a visually stunning presentation on the art and technology of photographing some of the most thrilling and colorful events in the skies?air shows and hot air balloon festivals!
From the high-speed flyovers of the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels to the vibrant beauty of balloon-filled mornings, this talk dives into the gear, techniques, and planning needed to capture unforgettable images. Learn how telephoto lenses bring you up close to fast-moving jets, and discover tips for shooting in unique atmospheric conditions, like coastal humidity that creates dramatic contrails and cockpit condensation.
He'll also share online tools for tracking air shows and balloon festival calendars across the US and Canada?perfect for planning your next photography adventure.
Whether you're a seasoned shooter or just getting into tech and photography, this workshop is for you!
 
PosterMyWall. Looking for a fresh and innovative way to promote your group? Hewie Poplock can't be with us in person, so we will learn how to use PMY to create flyers to publicize our meetings via his video tutorial.
 
Office Chair Butt AKA Dead Butt Syndrome. Are you experiencing Office Chair Butt? Do you even know what it is? Judy will discuss this topic and provide us with some exercises to complete.
 
Stump the Techs. Do you have a problem you need help with? Please ask the question at the workshop, and we will do our best to help you.
 
FYI, when I asked AI to give me a short description for the above presentation, this was the response: ?Do you have a problem you need help with? Ask the question at the workshop, and we will try to help you.
That?s a generous offer?thanks! I don't face problems in the way humans do, but I'm great at helping solve them. If I were to bring a "workshop-worthy" challenge, it'd be something like:
 
"How can we help more people embrace AI as a creative partner rather than just a tool?"
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ZDNet: Your complete Windows 11 upgrade guide: Everything to know - before you ditch Windows 10:

Ed Bott, Senior Contributing Editor at ZDNet.com: https://www.zdnet.com/article/your-complete-windows-11-upgrade-guide-everything-to-know-before-you-ditch-windows-10/
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Hello All
Here are my Notes from the SLO Bytes Photo Group Meeting of 07/13/2025
Topic: Low Light Photography

Ralph Sutter opened the meeting with low light images of fireworks, windmills and indoor scenes illuminated by a Luci Light

Alan Raul shot many low light photos with an iPhone. He then demonstrated how he used the Photoshop Remove tool to eliminate reflections on a glass storefront window
Still within Photoshop, he used radial blur for dramatic effects. He also showed the possibilities of intentional camera movement with long shutter exposures

Kaye Raul shot low light images of the Grover Beach Library, Ramona Gardens Park, the Grover Beach Train Station, Old Juan's Cantina and the village of Arroyo Grande

John Waller caught deer grazing behind his house using his Samsung S25 phone.
Switching over to his Canon camera, he demonstrated Masking in Lightroom followed by shots of the night sky taken with his new 800mm Zoom lens and 2x extender

Stanford Brown, with his Samsung S22, offered low light images of a windmill, Christmas lights, a bird house and other objects.
Brown explored the Night Mode of his phone versus the Regular Mode. The Night Mode did a remarkable job of producing a clear, well-illuminated image

Ralph Sutter
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General Discussion / Free APCUG Wednesday Webinars Virtual Machines
« Last post by rsutter on July 14, 2025, 11:12:32 AM »
Hello All
This is a repost of an APCUG announcement
Ralph Sutter

Introduction to Virtual Machines featuring Oracle's VirtualBox
Tom Burt, Vice President
Sun City Summerlin Computer Club
 
Roundtable
Everyone
 
REGISTER HERE ?  https://forms.gle/yTGtoXEYSd6VYZRM9
 
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration. (see below). You only need to register once.
 
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTIONS
Introduction to Virtual Machines featuring Oracle's VirtualBox. "Virtualization" has become an important way to get more out of your PC, Mac, or Linux desktop. You can employ virtual machines to run "legacy" applications or equipment that aren't compatible with the newest operating systems. You can also try out "beta" software and hot fixes without risking your production system. You can also consolidate old, small PC systems as virtual machines on a single high-end system.
 
This 1?-hour seminar will review currently available virtual machine technology, including what it is, the virtual machine managers available, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. We'll outline the step-by-step process of setting up an empty VirtualBox virtual machine, installing the Linux Mint operating system within it, and performing some optimizations to improve its performance. We'll also demo VirtualBox virtual machines running Windows 10, Windows 7, and Windows XP.
 
Roundtable Discussion.
How is your tech group navigating the new world of technology = AI?
Do you have any new presentation ideas?
What works with your group that might help another group?
Is your group experiencing officer burnout? How are you dealing with it?
What is your group doing to recruit new members?
And is there anything else you would like to talk about?
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Video by MSN.com Tech Expert ThioJoe about the DART 10 Diagnostic and Recovery Toolset 10, and MDOP Microsoft Desktop and Optimization Pack. Please note: the video shows DARP, instead of DART.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/use-microsoft-s-hidden-usb-tool-to-recover-windows/vi-AA1HCitd

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