Bob's Bytes: Hardware & Software

 5 June 2025

"Hardware & Software"

Topics of the Day

• Jared Isaacman’s nomination to be NASA administrator pulled by the WH
• SpaceX's Starship Flight #9 flew, until it didn't.  Boom.
• Mint is offering Home Internet over the T-Mobile Cell Network starting at $35/month <link>
• Microsoft Publisher is being *deleted* from Microsoft365 users, not just "out of support"
• The Xreal One AR glasses look like large sun glasses, give a 150" inch screen <link>
• The Ryobi RM300e electric riding mower gets a 'Do Not Buy" from Bob <link> 
• Our Wolverine MovieMaker-Pro no long spins the take-up reel all of the time, now it doesn't spin at any time.  <link>
• The WinXvideo v3 promo (free lifetime license) <link> good till June 22.  {Update: now showing as "Temporarily unavailable."  My guess: max number of free license claimed.
• Bob has gotten lots of free books from "How-to-Geek" newsletter. <link>
• Detwiler’s Farm Market, <link> - great place to get flowers & other stuff.
• PatchMyPC now has a portable version of their Home Updater.  <link>
• Bob prefers the Sumatra PDF viewer over all others.  <link>  Simple and fast!
• How to change file defaults, with details.
• No, you should not try to edit a PDF.  (But if you must: MS Word or LibreOffice Writer)
• Use Windows Snipping Tools to copy anything from your screen
• Use Calibre for managing your eBook collection; up & load to & from Kindle and other eReader devices. <link>

 Presentation link: https://1drv.ms/p/c/86b915ace9c0d278/ERVr237kg-tHoRpchS0B9tYBSOCZ2bXP4mhlQDoS5Qu_vA?e=IUcBhZ

(For unknown reasons, Microsoft won't let me login to our account where the presentation is stored.  One has to do that to 'embed' the presentation so that you can just see it. At least it can be shared through OneDrive without logging in through a browser.)

15 May 2025 - "DATI"

Guest presenter: Madeline Laquer, of the Univerisity of Dealaware's Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI)

 https://www.cds.udel.edu/at/dati/

DATI Services:

• Access to assistive technology (AT) through our lending library
• Assistance with acquiring AT
• Training and technical assistance
• Public awareness through community events
• Fee for services evaluations

Or, in other words, "Stuff to make your life better and easier."

1 May 2025 - Saving Old Records

Bob's Bytes #338 - and we don't mean just Long Playing (LP) records!

This was another thrown-together presentation, but besides the main topic, you also get to go with me down a rabbit hole.  Since retirement, I love to chase down these things, today's is entitled "1950's Super Panavision 70."  And I guarantee that if you've not heard of this, you have no idea what it's really about.

Topics and links:

• Super Panavision 70 at Wikipedia:  <link>  Ha - a false lead.
• The Internet Archive has an extensive collection of "Pulps" - magazines of the 40's and 50' printed on the cheapest paper available, "Pulps," usually with lurid cover graphics, but with well-known, recognized authors.  <link>
• Aside: you'll have to go through the presentation below to see where the rabbit hole goes!
• What to do if you computer locks up with a Tech Scam message - and beginner's questions on browsers and web pages
• Converting (i.e. "Digitizing") LP’s and Cassettes <<Class notes>>
• Elgato Video Capture, e.g., Digitizing VHS tapes  <link>
• 8mm and DV tapes require an adapter
• The Wolverine “MovieMaker-Pro” 8mm Film Scanner 
• Lots of other things we can do in the NSC Computer Lab.