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61
General Discussion / Alan Raul January 5, 2025 Meeting Notes
« Last post by Alan J. Raul on January 03, 2025, 03:37:55 PM »
San Luis Obispo, CA | UPRR San Barbara Sub, MP 248.7 - PTZ | SouthWest RailCams LIVE
https://www.youtube.com/live/S2YHshIN0F8

RailRat.net - Real time Amtrak train status tracker, with arrival and departure updates organized by route, station and train.
https://railrat.net/

11 Seattle to LA https://railrat.net/trains/11/
14 LA to Seattle https://railrat.net/trains/14/
761 SD to SLO https://railrat.net/trains/761/
774 SLO to SD https://railrat.net/trains/774/
777 SD to SLO https://railrat.net/trains/777/
794 SLO to SD https://railrat.net/trains/794/

Amtrak Intercity Rail Map
https://asm.transitdocs.com/
 
Spectrum Internet Gig Service - $101.25/month
https://www.speedtest.net/result/17196679543.png
 
What All of the Markings on SD microSD and microSDXC Cards Mean?
https://www.servethehome.com/what-all-of-the-markings-on-sd-microsd-and-microsdxc-cards-mean/

Using OneDrive Without Using OneDrive
https://youtu.be/1e9mrY5UqiY
https://askleo.com/using-onedrive-without-using-onedrive/
 
Pyle PDA29BU Wireless BT Stereo Power Amplifier
https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Wireless-Bluetooth-Stereo-Amplifier/dp/B08W5BN4FK
https://www.fullbean.com/tutorials/pyle.html
 
Adobe All-new photography innovations and pricing updates
https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/12/15/all-new-photography-innovations-pricing-updates

Creative Cloud Photography (20GB) pricing changes | Common questions
https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/faq/ccpp-20gb.html

Adobe Photography and Lightroom Plan Updates
https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/12/15/all-new-photography-innovations-pricing-updates#photography-and-lightroom-plan-updates

MATTK Adobe 2025 Pricing Update FAQ
https://mattk.com/adobe-2025-pricing-update-faq/

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Mobile Communications Best Practice Guidance
https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/guidance-mobile-communications-best-practices.pdf

Enable This New Cell Phone Security Option Now!
https://youtu.be/mUiQgAIlEIg
 
Spectrum Mobile Account Fraud Protection
https://www.spectrum.net/support/mobile/account-fraud-protection
 
Avila Beach 2025 Polar Bear Dip - 805 Webcams Recap
https://youtu.be/CXkhVnSrbMw

Celebrating the new year at the Avila Beach Polar Bear Plunge
https://youtu.be/iULf7lM_j_k
 
2025 Avila Beach Polar Bear Plunge Countdown
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/61i7pl5vb9iaomalizbr7/2025-01-01-Polar-Bear.mov?rlkey=jspxbpnbskgnzna6klo37gf6i&st=9ezytxdi&dl=0
 
BleachBit - Clean Your System and Free Disk Space
https://www.bleachbit.org/

Sharge Disk Plus Enclosure
https://sharge.com/products/disk-plus

Thunderbolt 5 80Gbps M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQ8G95QP
https://www.trebleet.com/product-page/thunderbolt-5-80gbps-m-2-nvme-ssd-enclosure-transfer-rates-over-7000mb-s
 
Top 5 Thunderbolt 5 Features - CalDigit
https://youtu.be/6Xa61c2VND4

World's FASTEST Thunderbolt 5 DIY SSD: Save $700 on 4TB!
https://youtu.be/kY2rg_G7ylc

62
General Discussion / Pyle Wireless BT Stereo Power Amplifier
« Last post by rsutter on December 24, 2024, 06:59:10 PM »
Hello All,
I recently bought a Pyle Wireless BT Stereo Power Amplifier for $41.67.  I used it to power a pair of stereo speakers, orphaned  years ago when my Logitech 5.1 audio sound system died.
The new amplifier allowed me to connect two speakers into the back of the unit with the spring clips.  Next, I connected the amp to the computer via Bluetooth.  Everything worked seamlessly.
For more details, see https://www.fullbean.com/tutorials/pyle.html
I also posted a narrated version on YouTube at https://youtu.be/hLp_gLXVatI
Ralph Sutter
63
General Discussion / Free APCUG Wednesday Workshops - Learning Linux
« Last post by rsutter on December 15, 2024, 08:25:19 AM »
Hello All,
Today I received this following announcement from SLO Bytes' parent organization, APCUG
Ralph Sutter

LEARNING LINUX WEDNESDAY WORKSHOP
December 18, 2024
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
Installing Linux on an Old Chromebook
Stew Bottorf, SIG Leader
Tampa Bay Technology Center

Run your own AI Chatbot
Alan German, Treasurer
Ottawa PC Users' Group
 
Register here - https://forms.gle/5SPxYnZudTUGSGiS7
 
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration (see below). You only need to register once. On December 17, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
 
Installing Linux on an Old Chromebook. Like Windows, Chromebooks have their own "end of life" deadlines. The hardware is still good to go, but there's no support for it. Just like you can make a computer formerly running Windows run the Linux operating system to give it a new life, it's possible to add new life to a Chromebook by installing Linux. Join Stew as he guides us through the process he took to convert one of his old Chromebooks into a working Linux laptop. He'll share with us what he learned while installing Linux and additional programs and show us how easy converting the Chromebook to a Linux laptop can be.
 
Run your own AI Chatbot. We have all probably tried one of the many chatbots available over the Internet and have asked questions about everything from what is the capital of Uzbekistan to what can I make for dinner if I only have sausages, apples, and onions in the refrigerator? However, since we are computer users, we have also likely tried: How do I fix a slow computer, how do quantum computers work, or can you write a bash script to list the names of all the files in a folder and their sub-folders?
 
Some chatbots are free, while others require a monthly subscription. But how many will remain free? They all know everything (almost) and use Large Language Models (LLM). This requires massive computational power, high-end servers, and vast electricity. So, it all has to be paid for in some manner. But what if we could access a Small Language Model (SLM) that would only know about a particular topic of particular interest to us - such as programming in Python? And wouldn't it be nice if this tiny bot would run on our personal computer?
 
Well, look no further; such chatbots and SLMs are being developed, and in this presentation, we will take an introductory look at the technology. We will find that installing and using an SLM is easy, but the available hardware currently limits its utility. Nevertheless, it's an interesting exercise and may well point the way to a future with targeted chatbots running locally.


 



 



   



   












64
General Discussion / SLO Bytes Photo Group Report for Meeting of 12/08/2024
« Last post by rsutter on December 11, 2024, 11:40:33 AM »
Hello All,
Here is my write-up for the SLO Bytes Photo Group meeting of 12/08/2024
--------
Photo Group Report by Ralph Sutter
Meeting of 12/08/2024
TOPIC: Morro Bay Embarcadero Shoot

Ralph Sutter offered images of boats in mooring, the underside of piers, transparent skylights and the ceramic sculptures in the children's playground

Alan Raul discussed his recent purchases of camera lenses and then shifted to shots of Morro Rock, the Power Plant stacks, boats afloat and some derelict boats barely so

Kaye Raul captured Nautical Santa, sailboats, Morro Bay in the fog, the bay in full sunlight and Morro Rock in the distance

John Waller, beyond the photo selections of the rest of the group, also focused on seals and other wildlife

What follows are the meeting dates for 2025
February 9
March 9
April 13
May 18 (May 11 is Mothers' Day)
June 8
July 13
August 10
September 14
October 12
November 9
December 14

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

Ralph Sutter
65
General Discussion / Alan Raul December 1, 2024 Meeting Notes - The Year in Review
« Last post by Alan J. Raul on November 29, 2024, 11:59:56 AM »
The attached PDF contains all the links discussed in the year 2024.

 - - Enjoy...




66
Hello All,
This is a re-post of the announcement that I received today from SLO Bytes' parent organization, APCUG
Ralph Sutter
 
November 20, 2024
WEDNESDAY WORKSHOP
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
Online Password Management with Bitwarden (Backwards)
John Kennedy, Web Administrator
East-Central Ohio Technology Users Club
 
Scammers and Other Species, Part 3
The Other Invasive Species
Al Williams, President
Willow Valley Computer Club
 
Register here - https://forms.gle/FRgtD41ZqKSrjdpFA
 
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration. On November 19, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
 
Online Password Management with Bitwarden (Backwards). Privacy and security require that you use a password manager. One of the best online managers is the free, cross-platform, cross-device, open-source software Bitwarden. Join John as he works backward in his presentation. He will show users of other password managers how easy it is to migrate to Bitwarden if they decide it is a better password manager for them. Then, he will show users who don?t use a password manager how easy it is to build one using Bitwarden and how fast they can log into their accounts. John will also discuss replacing your not-so-secure password with a more secure one using Bitwarden. Lastly, he will talk about other features of Bitwarden and how the paid version differs from the free one he uses.
 
Scammers and Other Species, Part 3. The Other Species. This presentation unveils the insidious ways our privacy is compromised in an era of pervasive digital surveillance. The threats are numerous, from the collection and sale of personal data by data brokers to the tracking capabilities of our devices. However, individuals can reclaim control over their digital footprint and mitigate these risks by leveraging privacy-preserving tools like encrypted messaging and email apps, privacy-focused browsers, and VPNs.

67
General Discussion / SLO Bytes Photo Group Notes for 11/10/2024
« Last post by rsutter on November 11, 2024, 01:31:06 PM »
Hello All,
Here is my report o the November 10th meeting of the SLO Bytes Photo Group

TOPIC: Transformations

Ralph Sutter
opened the meeting, calling attention to the Links Page; https://www.slobytes.org/digital/links.html, of the Photography Group website
Sutter summarized the new content; Comparison of Image Viewers; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_image_viewers,
4K Slideshow Maker https://www.4kdownload.com/products/slideshowmaker/
and Pixabay; https://pixabay.com/

Then, using the Slideshow feature of ACDSee, Ralph showed transitions of ice, radish seeds, ramen, coffee beans and burning matches

Alan Raul followed with an illustrated history of Pismo Beach, its City Hall and Fire Station.
Next, he changed focus to the town of Pismo Beach.
Alan showed the group how he used the raw filter on jpg images to reveal details that were otherwise unavailable.
While the filter can't draw on the details present in true raw images, it offers opportunities for development beyond the scope of jpgs not using the raw filter.

John Waller showed the transformation of his fire-damaged house from bare walls to finished spaces. He then brought his camera outside and documented how his yard changed. He used progressive images of his fields to illustrate modern growing techniques of Ikeda Farms. Finally he went to the end of Grand Avenue and cataloged the changes to the beach from storm surge to recovery.

Kaye Raul used Adobe Lightroom for creating different views of the piers of Avila. She also captured changes in leaves, pumpkins, flowers and trees.

Stanford Brown presented Symbols of Transition featuring falling leaves, decomposing trees, blooming roses, acorns and Paso Robles skies.
He then narrated the evolution of his back yard from move-in many years ago to present day.

After everyone made their presentation, Stanford asked what photo editors each of us used and our recommendations for someone looking for a basic editor.
The editors commonly mentioned were Adobe Photoshop; https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html
 Adobe Lightroom; https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom/plans.html
ACDSee; https://www.acdsee.com/en/index/
and Luminar Neo; https://skylum.com/luminar

A consensus choice for light editing on PCs was Irfanview; https://www.irfanview.com/

Alan pointed out that both Microsoft's Windows and Apple's MAC operating systems have quite capable built-in photo editors.

The last meeting of the SLO Bytes Photo Group in 2024 will take place on December 8th beginning at 2:00 pm.
The assignment is to take your camera to the Embarcadero in Morro Bay and photograph whatever interests you.

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

Ralph Sutter
68
Hello All,
This is a re-post of an announcement tat I received yesterday from SLO Bytes' parent organization, APCUG
Ralph Sutter
----
SATURDAY SAFARI
November 9, 2024
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
COMPUTER BUYING GUIDE
Rob Truman, Webmaster
Computer Booters
 
DISCOVERING DIGITAL WALLETS
Judy Taylour, Member
APCUG Speakers Bureau
 
If time allows, General Q&A
 
ANNUAL MEETING
11:30 am PT, 12:30 pm MT, 1:30 pm CT, 2:30 pm ET
 
Registration link -- https://forms.gle/Zz7pLwUda4Ky7W1WA
 
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration. You will receive the encrypted Zoom link after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time on Friday, November 8.
 
Computer Buying Guide. It's almost time for Black Friday; are you ready to invest in a new computer? If you're confused about the terminology and specifications, Rob will provide some basics for choosing your next machine. This presentation is for you if you want a pre-purchase buying guide.
 
Discovering Digital Wallets. This season, there are new ways to pay for your computer, holiday gifts, and everything else.
 
Annual Meeting. Discover what APCUG achieved in 2024, including election results for 2025 officers and winners of the eBulletin, Newsletter, and Website contests. Do you have any suggestions for what APCUG can offer in 2025?
 

 



   



   












69
General Discussion / SLO Bytes Annual Election of Officers
« Last post by rsutter on November 01, 2024, 04:15:16 PM »
Hello All,
During the December 1st SLO Bytes General Session, we will conduct the annual Election of Officers.  All SLO Bytes members are eligible to run for any of the offices.
The positions are as follows
President
Vice President/Program Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Training Officer
All positions are open. The current officers have agreed to mentor anyone interested in assuming their position.
To learn more about the duties of each officer, point your browser to https://www.slobytes.org/officer-duties.html

Ralph Sutter
SLO Bytes Secretary
70
General Discussion / Alan Raul November 3, 2024 Meeting Notes
« Last post by Alan J. Raul on October 30, 2024, 10:19:30 PM »
Death planning: How should you prepare your online accounts
https://ktla.com/news/death-planning-how-should-you-prepare-your-online-accounts/

How to add a Legacy Contact for your Apple ID
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102631
 
Google About Inactive Account Manager
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3036546?hl=en

Windows, computers and Technology - We talk about Windows, Microsoft, Edge and much more?
https://www.youtube.com/@WCT/videos

Ask Leo - I help you use technology more effectively, giving you the confidence to do more, be more, and explore more of the world that today?s technology makes available to us all.
https://askleo.com/

Apple Mac mini (M4) Pro - Alan?s configuration
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/uojnxatnipxdyxxm4xen4/Mac-mini-Pro.pdf?rlkey=aa7mrx800ix5w6b48n7tfm0uu&st=js594czk&dl=0
 
Thunderbolt 5 vs Thunderbolt 4: Everything you need to know
https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/thunderbolt-5-vs-thunderbolt-4

Sabrent's Thunderbolt 5 external SSD hits over 6 GB/s ? Rocket XTRM 5 brings NVMe-class speeds to portable storage
https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/external-ssds/sabrent-thunderbolt-5-external-ssd-hits-over-6-gbs

Thunderbolt 5 devices are starting to show up with OWC portable SSD and Kensington docking station
https://www.cnx-software.com/2024/10/02/thunderbolt-5-devices-are-starting-to-show-up-with-owc-portable-ssd-and-kensington-docking-station/

OWC Envoy Ultra - The First and Fastest Thunderbolt 5 Portable SSD
https://www.owc.com/solutions/envoy-ultra

OBS Studio - Free and open-source software for video recording and live streaming.
https://obsproject.com/

OBS Studio Portable
https://cdn-fastly.obsproject.com/downloads/OBS-Studio-30.2.3-Windows.zip
 
OBS Studio Quick Start Guide
https://obsproject.com/kb/quick-start-guide


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