Thank you Rhiannon, much appreciated.
Its always uplifting to see the efforts of some in the face of adversity elsewhere.
See for example: https://insidestory.org.au/science-under-siege/
My computer has also the same problem it was always waking up. After reading your article I follow all the steps that you say in this article and now I found that it becomes better at work and it didn't conduct the problem that happens before. If anyone face problem regarding Alienware, they can take help from https://laptopsupportnumber.co.uk/alienware-support/ I also get help from here.
If you really must keep that irritating pop-out that appears when we scroll down, at least put put something in it that's not a link to the page we're already on!
That wasn't something I experienced. I'm sorry it happened to you, and I understand why you wouldn't want to use the service. If I ran into anything like that while I was testing the site and program I would have mentioned it. I tested it in 4 different browsers on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, both the program and streaming from the website.
MyTuner wouldn't play anything unless I accepted their cookies so they could determine my interests. Screw that. My interests are my own. I can't stand sites that push things at me based on my previous visits. That means it's not really free.
We have used streamWriter for many years. Free (a nag now and again when you boot the program). Gets all our local stations and tons of great stations we enjoy. Thanks for sharing with us rhlannon.
Great site, looks like here in LA iHeart and Entercom stations aren't available, no surprises there! (and no great loss)
Union Jack radio's one of my faves....
The list is too old since 2017, and the desktop search tools list should be updated. Such as TextSeek, Lookeen, etc. new software should be included, those new ones imposes many new features.
TextSeek can perform search character-by-character with no omission, which is quite different from common indexing technology. Its UI is most like to Google Desktop Search tool, and render results like Google.
Lookeen can perform email content search and support common Mail System like Outlook.
It's present on Windows 8, 8.1, and 10. It doesn't happen on all systems. It showed up here a few weeks ago. I'd never seen it before. I hadn't made any software changes or changes to Windows, and no recent updates. Strange. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thanks Rhiannon for all your work informing us about how to avoid being spied upon.
One of the most worrying aspects of computing for some, has always been how Google wants to review everyones internet browsing, and push targeted advertisements. The extension of this, as we all know now, is brainwashing by the pushing of distorted news items and political influencing.
Anyway, many do use Google for their searches, yet there is hopefully an option of not signing in to a Google account
The search results in Google, are often better than those of DuckDuckGo (which doesnt spy)
Wonder if Google still spies on users without a Google account, through their IP address. Probably.
Please continue to advise us how to avoid being spied upon.
To everyone. NEVER use an internet browser that forces you to log onto it to use
Such privacy breaching behaviour is UNACCEPTABLE in 2018
We are now in the era of cyber crine and identity theft. How can large IT companies be so blase with our privacy, its just staggering
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First off I would mention that don't block ads on many sites. For so many smaller sites (Gizmo's, ghacks, and many others) ad revenue is the only revenue coming in. With so many people blocking ads, ad revenue has fallen sharply and it's becoming difficult for us and other small sites to stay up and running. I also click on ads on the sites I don't block to increase any ad traffic for them. I have no problem blocking ads on most larger sites that are animated, intrusive and eat up bandwidth.
(see this article in the Opera blog: Ads eat more than half of the page loading time)
There are ways to minimize your footprint when using Google search (small coincidence that today is Google's 20th birthday). You can search Google using an incognito window (menu > new incognito window) to prevent most tracking. You can use Searchonymous, not only will it allow you to search anonymously if you have a Google account and are logged in but it hides most, but not all ads. It's available as an add-on for Firefox and Chrome and works on all the browsers I use. uBlock Origin also blocks ads on Google search.
One clarification I would make - anyone can use Google Chrome normally. It's only when you log in to a Google service like Gmail that you're forcefully logged in to Chrome. That's been fixed in the beta vesion of Chrome 70. The final version is due out mid-October. They are also fixing the auth cookies not deleting issue. The auth cookie issue hasn't been fixed in the beta version I'm using. I'm glad that's being fixed because it was driving me nuts having to remove the Google account from Chrome and then delete cookies with all the logging in and out I've been doing while testing this.
I'm troubled that Google added these items to Chrome without notification for users and a way to opt out.
To give them credit, they are rolling these things back as a result of user outrage.
I was surprised they responded (and quickly!), saying they would remove these two things from Chrome, and announcing a new version with a time frame for the release. That's something I don't remember them doing in the past.
This kind of activity is one reason I stick with Mozilla Firefox. They've always been focused on user privacy. :-)
Yes, Outlook handles email from domains - it supports IMAP.
I can get all email through any email client that supports IMAP - whether it runs on Windows (or another operating system) like Outlook, Thunderbird, Mailbird, eM Client, Postbox etc. or any browser based email service that supports adding IMAP accounts like Outlook.com, Gmail, etc.
Most of my email is accessed from my desktop or laptop, not in a web browser. I use the Gmail web version on rare occasions, otherwise Gmail comes in through Thunderbird or Postbox. For me, email programs that run on Windows offer many more features and more flexibility than a web based email service.
I use Thunderbird and Postbox on my laptop and desktop - the email syncs in both programs when I open it so all email is present in both programs. If I delete an email or send a reply, it shows up in both programs since the email stays on a server. The changes are made to the email on the server, and will show up anytime I check email in any email program or web based email.
For Android, I have domain email and Gmail set up to come through Blue Mail. It has a decent search feature and will search any mail on the server, but display options are limited compared to stand alone client.
Basically, I don't want a third party corporation or service handling my email. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
"The bulk of my email comes through domains that I own"
Sounds great, but is your domains email presented well in your browser, with all the search options etc available with Gmail and Hotmail ?
And can you use Outlook for your own domain's email ?
The hosts file is a great tool. I have my Google account as locked down as I can in account settings, everything is on pause. I don't sync data between devices so there's no reason for my for any services to be on.
It's quite a change. The profile icon next to address bar is the only way to know you've been logged into Chrome. I also prefer not to have payment data stored online.
I downloaded and installed the newest portable Chrome today, version 69. The portable version also logs you into Chrome. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Wow! If you use Chrome and didn't notice your profile icon to the right of the address bar before, you better wake up and notice it now! I clicked on my profile icon and the second thing that is listed is "Passwords". When you click on "Passwords", you get a list of web sites to which Chrome has stored the password and the username. You can then click on the icon to the right to display any password and username that you have used and allowed Chrome to save for you. How convenient! So if you use Chrome at work and step away from your desk without locking your computer, Chrome allows anyone to very easily open the vault to the most important data on your computer! Sheer lunacy if you ask me! Next thing you know is that Google will be emailing your list of passwords and usernames to anyone that has ever sent you an email!
If you forget any password that Chrome has saved, you can access it by entering this: chrome://settings/passwords.
By the way, the second thing on the list is "Payment Methods". If you want to, you can store all of your credit card info online as well, available to anyone who passes by your computer with a few clicks. Sorry, but I will pass on that feature!
It's always a choice about what to use. Find out what's comfortable for you and go with that. I think it's good practice to be aware of what kind of data is being collected and what's being done with it when using platforms like Google services or Facebook, to name two.
I use a few Google products, though I'm circumspect in how I use them, keeping in mind that most free services collect personal data in exchange for their use. For me, it's a matter of what I'm willing to trade in exchange for using the service, and how can I minimize what data is available to collect. Other people are comfortable not thinking about these things, don't want to know, or both - and that's fine.
I like DuckDuckGo as a search engine, and I use a fork of Thunderbird (paid software) for email. The bulk of my email comes through domains that I own.
I use several browsers but not Chrome. I don't care for google spyware. But to take this one step further I recently tried Comodo Dragon which forces one to open a new gmail acct. and also while doing updates, which destroys anything you've added to the browser and also shoves Comodo Cloud Anti-virus down one's throat. Just uninstalled them this morning after an 'update'.
I haven't been a Chrome fan either (I'm a Firefox fan girl from waaaaay back). I use it so I can make sure anything I write up here runs or looks ok in Chrome. I use the portable version.
I copied and pasted the link given above into a new browser window and it doesn't go anywhere. It just looks like it is trying to go there, but nothing happens. I don't even get a timed out message or anything.
I use IRON ! It's Chrome without the spyware.
Nearly all of the extensions and browser add ons work fine.
https://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron.php
It was. I downloaded version 2.2 on September 12th 2018 and it was free.
Most of the download sites have updated versions to 3.0, but there are a few, like Filehorse, that still have 2.2 at the moment.
I'm so sorry that happened to you. It's a lot of work when something like that happens to get everything switched over and taken care of. I hadn't heard of Innovis, thanks for the tip. I've added them to the article.
Rhiannon; Thank you. Timely info. Yes, I knew freezes would be free. But not when.
After not visiting my motorhome for a week, I found it had been broken into and MANY items stolen. And damage to the motorhome.That was this last Thursday. Since there was a laptop there I'm busy changing passwords, compiling items stolen lists, trying to schedule a claims adjuster while waiting on a police report. Since it's the weekend, there's no one at the station! Next to freeze all credit reports. Don't forget the 4th agency, Innovis.
I see posts (on this page) regarding free version download.
On this forum page -
https://forum.tracker-software.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=30741&p=123018&hilit=%22select+tool%22+default#p122999
I found that page when looking for anyone else being driven to insanity (in the Viewer) by the default being the 'hand tool' rather than the 'select tool'
On the page I linked to above - the response was don't use the viewer, use the free editor, which has a setting to change the default to the tool that God intended - the select tool.
I have just downloaded and installed it, and sure enough the setup form allows you to tick the Free version.
I recall (not very much at 76) that I tried the editor a year or two ago, and did not like something (compared to the viewer).
But I will give the editor another try now.
Rob
PS At least we can minimize the ribbon, which I hate even more than the 'hand tool'
PPS My original post here also included a download link to the Free program. I see that the moderator has removed it.
So this is to let you all know that on the page I linked to above, there is also a DOWNLOAD LINK for the Free program
In addition, I have never heard discussed any USB utility, that protects your computer from the very common autorun viruses
Autorun viruses are spread to work PCs by coworkers with infected USB drives. You then get infected when you connect one of your USB drives to a work computer. Alternatively, your own PC can be infected when you connect someones infected USB drive
Autorun viruses load the code from the USB drive onto a PC
Any subsequent USB drives connected to the computer either have their USB files erased, or the USB files are hidden so cant be used
MCShield is one freeware utility I use to protect my PC from infected USB drives
Note that this free software hasnt been updated since 2014.
It works on Windows 7, not sure if it works on Windows 8/10
It will scan all the USB drives you connect to your computer, and if it finds a dodgy autorun file trying to load, it will be blocked
You will need this utility for your own PC, if you are frequently using USB drives at work, then connecting those USB drives to your own computer
The other freeware USB program I use everyday is "Autorun".
Pretty basic program, that recognises every USB drive you connect to your PC
This utility then displays all connected USB drives, each on a different 'tab', and gives you the option to explore or eject the USB drives quickly
Again, it works on Windows 7, not sure if it works on Windows 8/10
I have no affiliation with either program
Finding freeware that protects or lists or encrypts USB drives, is like finding treasure
- they are very helpful utilities you wil use every day
- but useful USB freeware is not common
You're welcome.
When I rolled my laptop over to Windows 10 I had to find a way to control the amount of bandwidth updates take. With a 10GB monthly cap I want as little as possible in the way of updates coming down the pipe. Windows 10 is supposed to automatically set wireless connections to metered but it's good to check after updates. If you're using ethernet you can set it manually: How, When, and Why to Set a Connection as Metered on Windows 10
My favorite tool to control updates is Windows Update MiniTool, it lets you to search, install and block Windows updates.
I don't want Microsoft to connect my Clipboard to anything. I have some long and complex passwords, it's not unusual for me to copy and paste them into a password field. I don't want Microsoft to have access to my Clipboard contents at all. I don't want Clipboard content transmitted outside my local machine and stored somewhere online. :-O
You're so welcome. :)
Not many people know about the National Consumer Telecommunications and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE).
I sure didn't until I started looking into the details on the free credit freeze details for this article. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What a wonderful revelation. Thats a trade secret I wasnt aware of.
Its constantly amusing to read the contents of the "Feature updates". 100 features or upgrades that arent relevant nor do they improve PRODUCTIVITY
A few of the changes actually compromise your privacy
For example, Microsoft will connect your Windows 10 clipboard to the cloud, and falsely state that this will benefit you. Nonsense.
Please continue to review the best ways to only receive Security Updates.
Then we all can continue our computing without being interrupted by unnecessary 1-3GB feature updates
Thank you very much for this information. Back when the breach first happened I took advantage of the one-time free freeze. Then I had to unfreeze one of them to buy a car. When I went to refreeze they wanted to charge me, so I didn't bother. Now I can do it for free. And thanks for the info on the telecom thingie; I'll be doing that, too. You're a peach of a fella
Keepvid and clipconverter are the best free online applications for me. In fact, I wonder if YouTube will also be able to provide free downloads, which will make everyone love it more? When we want to download youtube, online apps like keepvid and desktop software like wonderfox free hd will be a good choice.
I first discovered these wind current maps in a Play store weather app a little over a year ago and really liked it. I like the larger one on my monitor even better. It's truly mesmerizing to me to watch all the different wind directions and then go to the spot on the globe where they change direction because the currents have met another that forces a change in direction. Thanks for the heads up.
If you set your internet connection to "metered" you get only security updates. Unless that's changed recently. Which is entirely possible. They are removing the Snipping Tool in an upcoming release, who knows what could happen. :-O
Rhiannon, its really appreciated that you keep up the reports on how to disable telemetry and Data Collection in Windows 10
I dont like the deceit the IT industry spreads, suggesting that spying on users is for their benefit. Nonsense.
Lets keep our eyes on just how pervasive the spying is becoming, and how many websites Microsoft connects our computers to
I keep saying this, and its true - the vast majority of computer users worldwide use their computers to do the same things we did 20 years ago:
Most of us just use computers for document creating and sharing and printing, media file consumption, internet browsing (including social media), email, and gaming. Very few of us need an operating system that spies on us
Unfortunately, Windows 10 free version is the bug tester for the paid-for Enterprise versions - hence the spying and telemetry
Im still waiting for a stable version of Windows 10, that just provides its users Security updates, and no unnecessary 'feature updates'
I am sure this is on its way, perhaps in 20 years time
I'm delighted you like it. :)
I'm a weather enthusiast as well. I don't have a browser exclusively for weather, but the first window is always open in Firefox with several weather sites loaded up in tabs. :)
Very cool find! I have one browser devoted to weather. Forgive me I took meteorology in college when I was in my 30's ('80s). This is a fantastic find.Thanks!
Nice site. I ike the spinning globe. The air pressure presentation is in isobars is interesting. I like that you can freeze the rotation and have conditions appear over that area for the forecast time frame.
I don't care for the ads blocking the some of the settings in the upper right part of the screen, they appear when you click on the icons and you have to click on the arrow to dismiss them before you can see/use the settings panel. A huge pop up ad covering quite a bit of the screen appeared when I clicked some settings icons.
You might like this animated weather map site too: https://www.windy.com/
Another neat toy for us weather geeks! There is also meteoearth.com which is a simpler site and app that may be more suitable for folks with PCs and devices not having the latest and greatest hardware. Also has a tropical storm tracker and, IMHO, better precipitation rendering. Cheers.
Looks to be a great way to visualize global and local weather. The history and predictions are useful too. I tried both the website and the iOS app, and expect to use both often in the future.
You're so welcome, I'm happy you find it of use. :)
I thought it would a good tool for people who travel to countries other than the one one they live in. Local is good, but there are also other resources for good local data. This gives a world view.
Great site thanks for this. I've been looking for a decent weather site recently. As for the problem with Fahrenheit and Celsius, I changed the language in settings from us/en to en and that seems to have sorted that out. Haven't tested it for outside the UK map though.
I think it comes down to how you work. Gmail and it's labels/markers and interface work for many people.
Then there are those who like me don't use and don't care for any of the Gmail interface iterations.
I find it intrusive that Google randomly assigns markers/labels to my email.
I don't like that Google scans my email, decides which of my emails Google thinks is important enough to assign a marker to, decides what marker any given email needs to have assigned to it and sticks the marker on the email.
I don't use labels in my email and I don't want Google (or any other service) scanning and assigning markers or categories to my email.
All my mail (including Gmail) is IMAP and is routed through a fork of Thunderbird on my desktop or laptop, or through Blue Mail on Android. Most of my email isn't Gmail.
I could route my IMAP email accounts to work in Gmail but the interface doesn't work for me.
I sort my mail using other criteria, though I can see how labels would be useful for others.
I get so much email that I need to move it in bulk sometimes to folders, and save attachments to my computer.
I like being able to select several emails from any of my accounts and be able to drag and drop them where they need to go in one shot.
I've never found the Gmail web interface or it's other iterations intuitive or easy to use. I'm used to a full featured stand alone POP3/IMAP email client so that's what I use.
Lots of people like the Gmail interface, it's keyboard shortcuts, labels and other interface features. It's a personal preference. What works for me won't work for someone else, what works for someone else may not work for me, though if someone shares something that works for me I'm quick to adopt it into my system. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In the same line of "thinking", this site has offers many graphics and explanations:
https://ourworldindata.org/
Has one i saw on what the world would look like according to population but have to dig it out...
What are the odds of that happening? I'm glad it made your day. It's an awesome image. Thanks for the details, I'd been wondering how it was created. :)
Hahaha. Reading through my RSS feed today and there is one of my old photos as the wallpaper of the day on my favorite freeware site :) If anyone is interested, its a near infrared photo of a farmers field in Alberta Canada. The blue hue comes from swapping the red channel for blue simply because its more pleasing. Anyways this made my day.
I've used "sound converter" (not very original, but good description) to convert music. Go to the Ubuntu Software center and hit "sound and video" and search for converter. If you want a album sorter, there's plenty of those like DeaDBeef, Amarok etc.
The review is a bit outdated but there is no nordvpn?! If you check top google ten vpn review sites or just type 10 best vpn services 2018 you will find that almost all reviewers give either express or nord the biggest score eg. I have found a nice vpn comparison on this page https://www.vpnhint.com/best-vpn-services/ also the numbers seems to be outdated as nordvpn supports almost 5000 servers and expressvpn about 2000.
Yes, indeed. The editor must have been thinking in terms of "best WordPad alternative" or "best NotePad alternative" when he said "best word processor", but no big deal. It might be nice to change the title, however.
I have a very specific set of requirements that include:
- tiny memory footprint (<5MB)
- truly portable (no dependency on any framework, including .NET)
- easy to trigger (Win + V or simpler)
- ability to format/manipulate text in the buffer
- ability to store/organize permanent snippets
ClipX was my go-to clipboard manager for many years, but it didn't play well with Windows 10, so I spent a lot of time trying out all the clipboard managers I could find to find an alternative. I finally settled on Clibor, and have never looked back. It's amazing how much power was crammed into such a small utility. If you can get past the crowded interface and sporadic wonky translations, I highly recommend giving Clibor an honest try.
In Boolean set theory:
AND equals ONLY the union where both/all search-terms are true but excludes the subsets where only one or the other is true
OR equals the complete aggregate of either/all search-terms independently that are true.
This is a list of the most recently posted comments on the site sorted so that the most recent comments appear first.
You can however sort the list on Article title by clicking on the column heading. To see actual comments click the + sign.
Thank you Rhiannon, much appreciated.
Its always uplifting to see the efforts of some in the face of adversity elsewhere.
See for example: https://insidestory.org.au/science-under-siege/
My computer has also the same problem it was always waking up. After reading your article I follow all the steps that you say in this article and now I found that it becomes better at work and it didn't conduct the problem that happens before. If anyone face problem regarding Alienware, they can take help from https://laptopsupportnumber.co.uk/alienware-support/ I also get help from here.
I'll pass your comment along to the site moderators. I just write stuff, site structure and function is handled by others.
If you really must keep that irritating pop-out that appears when we scroll down, at least put put something in it that's not a link to the page we're already on!
That looks like a good site, thanks for sharing it. :)
Hmm, oddly enough Entercom's KROQ Kevin and Bean show's there, not live but updated daily.
I found some nice gems too, I didn't think I would find any iHeart stations. NPR is available many US locales.
Is this in your browser?
You're welcome, I'm glad you like it. :)
That wasn't something I experienced. I'm sorry it happened to you, and I understand why you wouldn't want to use the service. If I ran into anything like that while I was testing the site and program I would have mentioned it. I tested it in 4 different browsers on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, both the program and streaming from the website.
MyTuner wouldn't play anything unless I accepted their cookies so they could determine my interests. Screw that. My interests are my own. I can't stand sites that push things at me based on my previous visits. That means it's not really free.
We have used streamWriter for many years. Free (a nag now and again when you boot the program). Gets all our local stations and tons of great stations we enjoy. Thanks for sharing with us rhlannon.
https://streamwriter.org/en/
BTW, it also records.
What a fantastic site -- thanks so much for this little gem! :)
took over the newtab and activate it self automatic with out permission
Great site, looks like here in LA iHeart and Entercom stations aren't available, no surprises there! (and no great loss)
Union Jack radio's one of my faves....
The list is too old since 2017, and the desktop search tools list should be updated. Such as TextSeek, Lookeen, etc. new software should be included, those new ones imposes many new features.
TextSeek can perform search character-by-character with no omission, which is quite different from common indexing technology. Its UI is most like to Google Desktop Search tool, and render results like Google.
Lookeen can perform email content search and support common Mail System like Outlook.
It's present on Windows 8, 8.1, and 10. It doesn't happen on all systems. It showed up here a few weeks ago. I'd never seen it before. I hadn't made any software changes or changes to Windows, and no recent updates. Strange. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I've never seen this on Windows 10, is it supposed to be present on all versions?
Best CRM for the startups.
https://saltcrm.com
Thanks Rhiannon for all your work informing us about how to avoid being spied upon.
One of the most worrying aspects of computing for some, has always been how Google wants to review everyones internet browsing, and push targeted advertisements. The extension of this, as we all know now, is brainwashing by the pushing of distorted news items and political influencing.
Anyway, many do use Google for their searches, yet there is hopefully an option of not signing in to a Google account
The search results in Google, are often better than those of DuckDuckGo (which doesnt spy)
Wonder if Google still spies on users without a Google account, through their IP address. Probably.
Please continue to advise us how to avoid being spied upon.
To everyone. NEVER use an internet browser that forces you to log onto it to use
Such privacy breaching behaviour is UNACCEPTABLE in 2018
We are now in the era of cyber crine and identity theft. How can large IT companies be so blase with our privacy, its just staggering
m
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Could be an interesting course but as the saying goes: Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
I would love to see an update of this article to encompass Windows 10 and UEFI boot, etc.
First off I would mention that don't block ads on many sites. For so many smaller sites (Gizmo's, ghacks, and many others) ad revenue is the only revenue coming in. With so many people blocking ads, ad revenue has fallen sharply and it's becoming difficult for us and other small sites to stay up and running. I also click on ads on the sites I don't block to increase any ad traffic for them. I have no problem blocking ads on most larger sites that are animated, intrusive and eat up bandwidth.
(see this article in the Opera blog: Ads eat more than half of the page loading time)
There are ways to minimize your footprint when using Google search (small coincidence that today is Google's 20th birthday). You can search Google using an incognito window (menu > new incognito window) to prevent most tracking. You can use Searchonymous, not only will it allow you to search anonymously if you have a Google account and are logged in but it hides most, but not all ads. It's available as an add-on for Firefox and Chrome and works on all the browsers I use. uBlock Origin also blocks ads on Google search.
One clarification I would make - anyone can use Google Chrome normally. It's only when you log in to a Google service like Gmail that you're forcefully logged in to Chrome. That's been fixed in the beta vesion of Chrome 70. The final version is due out mid-October. They are also fixing the auth cookies not deleting issue. The auth cookie issue hasn't been fixed in the beta version I'm using. I'm glad that's being fixed because it was driving me nuts having to remove the Google account from Chrome and then delete cookies with all the logging in and out I've been doing while testing this.
I'm troubled that Google added these items to Chrome without notification for users and a way to opt out.
To give them credit, they are rolling these things back as a result of user outrage.
I was surprised they responded (and quickly!), saying they would remove these two things from Chrome, and announcing a new version with a time frame for the release. That's something I don't remember them doing in the past.
This kind of activity is one reason I stick with Mozilla Firefox. They've always been focused on user privacy. :-)
Yes, Outlook handles email from domains - it supports IMAP.
I can get all email through any email client that supports IMAP - whether it runs on Windows (or another operating system) like Outlook, Thunderbird, Mailbird, eM Client, Postbox etc. or any browser based email service that supports adding IMAP accounts like Outlook.com, Gmail, etc.
Most of my email is accessed from my desktop or laptop, not in a web browser. I use the Gmail web version on rare occasions, otherwise Gmail comes in through Thunderbird or Postbox. For me, email programs that run on Windows offer many more features and more flexibility than a web based email service.
I use Thunderbird and Postbox on my laptop and desktop - the email syncs in both programs when I open it so all email is present in both programs. If I delete an email or send a reply, it shows up in both programs since the email stays on a server. The changes are made to the email on the server, and will show up anytime I check email in any email program or web based email.
For Android, I have domain email and Gmail set up to come through Blue Mail. It has a decent search feature and will search any mail on the server, but display options are limited compared to stand alone client.
Basically, I don't want a third party corporation or service handling my email. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
"The bulk of my email comes through domains that I own"
Sounds great, but is your domains email presented well in your browser, with all the search options etc available with Gmail and Hotmail ?
And can you use Outlook for your own domain's email ?
The hosts file is a great tool. I have my Google account as locked down as I can in account settings, everything is on pause. I don't sync data between devices so there's no reason for my for any services to be on.
It's quite a change. The profile icon next to address bar is the only way to know you've been logged into Chrome. I also prefer not to have payment data stored online.
I downloaded and installed the newest portable Chrome today, version 69. The portable version also logs you into Chrome. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I have a Gmail account that is just a "stub" - with a crazy Userid name, - has all the history and settings changed to save nothing.
It has ZERO emails or contacts and use it on my Android phone too.
On my PCs I have a "host file" that traps out all the Google BS and all Chrome services turned off.
So spy away Google - LOL
Wow! If you use Chrome and didn't notice your profile icon to the right of the address bar before, you better wake up and notice it now! I clicked on my profile icon and the second thing that is listed is "Passwords". When you click on "Passwords", you get a list of web sites to which Chrome has stored the password and the username. You can then click on the icon to the right to display any password and username that you have used and allowed Chrome to save for you. How convenient! So if you use Chrome at work and step away from your desk without locking your computer, Chrome allows anyone to very easily open the vault to the most important data on your computer! Sheer lunacy if you ask me! Next thing you know is that Google will be emailing your list of passwords and usernames to anyone that has ever sent you an email!
If you forget any password that Chrome has saved, you can access it by entering this: chrome://settings/passwords.
By the way, the second thing on the list is "Payment Methods". If you want to, you can store all of your credit card info online as well, available to anyone who passes by your computer with a few clicks. Sorry, but I will pass on that feature!
Just my 2 cents!
Which link are you referring to?
It's always a choice about what to use. Find out what's comfortable for you and go with that. I think it's good practice to be aware of what kind of data is being collected and what's being done with it when using platforms like Google services or Facebook, to name two.
I use a few Google products, though I'm circumspect in how I use them, keeping in mind that most free services collect personal data in exchange for their use. For me, it's a matter of what I'm willing to trade in exchange for using the service, and how can I minimize what data is available to collect. Other people are comfortable not thinking about these things, don't want to know, or both - and that's fine.
I like DuckDuckGo as a search engine, and I use a fork of Thunderbird (paid software) for email. The bulk of my email comes through domains that I own.
I had issues with Comodo Dragon as well. I use Chrome portable and a handful of other browsers, with Firefox being my favorite.
I don't use anything Google.
Firefox, Startpage and Outlook Mail serves me well.
I use several browsers but not Chrome. I don't care for google spyware. But to take this one step further I recently tried Comodo Dragon which forces one to open a new gmail acct. and also while doing updates, which destroys anything you've added to the browser and also shoves Comodo Cloud Anti-virus down one's throat. Just uninstalled them this morning after an 'update'.
LOL, same here, Firefox fan since long.
I haven't been a Chrome fan either (I'm a Firefox fan girl from waaaaay back). I use it so I can make sure anything I write up here runs or looks ok in Chrome. I use the portable version.
I have never been a fan of Chrome. Never used it on my computer or phone (although it comes pre-installed). Don't like such intrusiveness.
I copied and pasted the link given above into a new browser window and it doesn't go anywhere. It just looks like it is trying to go there, but nothing happens. I don't even get a timed out message or anything.
I use IRON ! It's Chrome without the spyware.
Nearly all of the extensions and browser add ons work fine.
https://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron.php
Thanks, but I think your links are for a different product - Spybot Search and Destroy
I'm trying it anyways.
It was. I downloaded version 2.2 on September 12th 2018 and it was free.
Most of the download sites have updated versions to 3.0, but there are a few, like Filehorse, that still have 2.2 at the moment.
Edit: you can still download the free version (2.7) from their site:
https://www.safer-networking.org/compare-spybot-editions/
Direct download:
https://www.safer-networking.org/products/spybot-free-edition/
I could have swore Spybot was free last week. Now they want $
Thanks for your kind words. :)
I'm so sorry that happened to you. It's a lot of work when something like that happens to get everything switched over and taken care of. I hadn't heard of Innovis, thanks for the tip. I've added them to the article.
Rhiannon; Thank you. Timely info. Yes, I knew freezes would be free. But not when.
After not visiting my motorhome for a week, I found it had been broken into and MANY items stolen. And damage to the motorhome.That was this last Thursday. Since there was a laptop there I'm busy changing passwords, compiling items stolen lists, trying to schedule a claims adjuster while waiting on a police report. Since it's the weekend, there's no one at the station! Next to freeze all credit reports. Don't forget the 4th agency, Innovis.
It may not be tech info, but it's critical info that needs to get to everyone from any source available. Thanks!!
I see posts (on this page) regarding free version download.
On this forum page -
https://forum.tracker-software.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=30741&p=123018&hilit=%22select+tool%22+default#p122999
I found that page when looking for anyone else being driven to insanity (in the Viewer) by the default being the 'hand tool' rather than the 'select tool'
On the page I linked to above - the response was don't use the viewer, use the free editor, which has a setting to change the default to the tool that God intended - the select tool.
I have just downloaded and installed it, and sure enough the setup form allows you to tick the Free version.
I recall (not very much at 76) that I tried the editor a year or two ago, and did not like something (compared to the viewer).
But I will give the editor another try now.
Rob
PS At least we can minimize the ribbon, which I hate even more than the 'hand tool'
PPS My original post here also included a download link to the Free program. I see that the moderator has removed it.
So this is to let you all know that on the page I linked to above, there is also a DOWNLOAD LINK for the Free program
Thanks for the software recommendation
In addition, I have never heard discussed any USB utility, that protects your computer from the very common autorun viruses
Autorun viruses are spread to work PCs by coworkers with infected USB drives. You then get infected when you connect one of your USB drives to a work computer. Alternatively, your own PC can be infected when you connect someones infected USB drive
Autorun viruses load the code from the USB drive onto a PC
Any subsequent USB drives connected to the computer either have their USB files erased, or the USB files are hidden so cant be used
MCShield is one freeware utility I use to protect my PC from infected USB drives
Note that this free software hasnt been updated since 2014.
It works on Windows 7, not sure if it works on Windows 8/10
It will scan all the USB drives you connect to your computer, and if it finds a dodgy autorun file trying to load, it will be blocked
You will need this utility for your own PC, if you are frequently using USB drives at work, then connecting those USB drives to your own computer
The other freeware USB program I use everyday is "Autorun".
Pretty basic program, that recognises every USB drive you connect to your PC
This utility then displays all connected USB drives, each on a different 'tab', and gives you the option to explore or eject the USB drives quickly
Again, it works on Windows 7, not sure if it works on Windows 8/10
I have no affiliation with either program
Finding freeware that protects or lists or encrypts USB drives, is like finding treasure
- they are very helpful utilities you wil use every day
- but useful USB freeware is not common
You're welcome.
When I rolled my laptop over to Windows 10 I had to find a way to control the amount of bandwidth updates take. With a 10GB monthly cap I want as little as possible in the way of updates coming down the pipe. Windows 10 is supposed to automatically set wireless connections to metered but it's good to check after updates. If you're using ethernet you can set it manually:
How, When, and Why to Set a Connection as Metered on Windows 10
My favorite tool to control updates is Windows Update MiniTool, it lets you to search, install and block Windows updates.
I don't want Microsoft to connect my Clipboard to anything. I have some long and complex passwords, it's not unusual for me to copy and paste them into a password field. I don't want Microsoft to have access to my Clipboard contents at all. I don't want Clipboard content transmitted outside my local machine and stored somewhere online. :-O
You're so welcome. :)
Not many people know about the National Consumer Telecommunications and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE).
I sure didn't until I started looking into the details on the free credit freeze details for this article. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What a wonderful revelation. Thats a trade secret I wasnt aware of.
Its constantly amusing to read the contents of the "Feature updates". 100 features or upgrades that arent relevant nor do they improve PRODUCTIVITY
A few of the changes actually compromise your privacy
For example, Microsoft will connect your Windows 10 clipboard to the cloud, and falsely state that this will benefit you. Nonsense.
Please continue to review the best ways to only receive Security Updates.
Then we all can continue our computing without being interrupted by unnecessary 1-3GB feature updates
Thank you very much for this information. Back when the breach first happened I took advantage of the one-time free freeze. Then I had to unfreeze one of them to buy a car. When I went to refreeze they wanted to charge me, so I didn't bother. Now I can do it for free. And thanks for the info on the telecom thingie; I'll be doing that, too. You're a peach of a fella
Keepvid and clipconverter are the best free online applications for me. In fact, I wonder if YouTube will also be able to provide free downloads, which will make everyone love it more? When we want to download youtube, online apps like keepvid and desktop software like wonderfox free hd will be a good choice.
I first discovered these wind current maps in a Play store weather app a little over a year ago and really liked it. I like the larger one on my monitor even better. It's truly mesmerizing to me to watch all the different wind directions and then go to the spot on the globe where they change direction because the currents have met another that forces a change in direction. Thanks for the heads up.
You're welcome. :)
If you set your internet connection to "metered" you get only security updates. Unless that's changed recently. Which is entirely possible. They are removing the Snipping Tool in an upcoming release, who knows what could happen. :-O
Rhiannon, its really appreciated that you keep up the reports on how to disable telemetry and Data Collection in Windows 10
I dont like the deceit the IT industry spreads, suggesting that spying on users is for their benefit. Nonsense.
Lets keep our eyes on just how pervasive the spying is becoming, and how many websites Microsoft connects our computers to
I keep saying this, and its true - the vast majority of computer users worldwide use their computers to do the same things we did 20 years ago:
Most of us just use computers for document creating and sharing and printing, media file consumption, internet browsing (including social media), email, and gaming. Very few of us need an operating system that spies on us
Unfortunately, Windows 10 free version is the bug tester for the paid-for Enterprise versions - hence the spying and telemetry
Im still waiting for a stable version of Windows 10, that just provides its users Security updates, and no unnecessary 'feature updates'
I am sure this is on its way, perhaps in 20 years time
Warning - when installing this I got an alert from ESET that it includes a variant of the Yandex bundled toolbar.
The technology is truly amazing. I'm glad you like the site. :)
I'm delighted you like it. :)
I'm a weather enthusiast as well. I don't have a browser exclusively for weather, but the first window is always open in Firefox with several weather sites loaded up in tabs. :)
Nice!!
Gonna spend some time looking it over. Amazing how far we've come.
Thanks!!!
Very cool find! I have one browser devoted to weather. Forgive me I took meteorology in college when I was in my 30's ('80s). This is a fantastic find.Thanks!
Nice site. I ike the spinning globe. The air pressure presentation is in isobars is interesting. I like that you can freeze the rotation and have conditions appear over that area for the forecast time frame.
I don't care for the ads blocking the some of the settings in the upper right part of the screen, they appear when you click on the icons and you have to click on the arrow to dismiss them before you can see/use the settings panel. A huge pop up ad covering quite a bit of the screen appeared when I clicked some settings icons.
You might like this animated weather map site too: https://www.windy.com/
Another neat toy for us weather geeks! There is also meteoearth.com which is a simpler site and app that may be more suitable for folks with PCs and devices not having the latest and greatest hardware. Also has a tropical storm tracker and, IMHO, better precipitation rendering. Cheers.
I'm glad you like it. :)
Looks to be a great way to visualize global and local weather. The history and predictions are useful too. I tried both the website and the iOS app, and expect to use both often in the future.
Thanks for the link!
You're quite welcome. I'm glad you like the site. :)
Brilliant site! My wife and I now have it on our computers and phones. Makes weather more enjoyable. Thanks very much!
You're so welcome, I'm happy you find it of use. :)
I thought it would a good tool for people who travel to countries other than the one one they live in. Local is good, but there are also other resources for good local data. This gives a world view.
You're more than welcome, I glad you like it.
This is excellent. Only thing it needs is storm info, height, hail etc .
Thanks for showing us this.
Rhiannon,
This is outstanding. As a frequent business traveler to any number of places around the world, this is really an incredible tool for me.
Thank you.
Great site thanks for this. I've been looking for a decent weather site recently. As for the problem with Fahrenheit and Celsius, I changed the language in settings from us/en to en and that seems to have sorted that out. Haven't tested it for outside the UK map though.
I think it comes down to how you work. Gmail and it's labels/markers and interface work for many people.
Then there are those who like me don't use and don't care for any of the Gmail interface iterations.
I find it intrusive that Google randomly assigns markers/labels to my email.
I don't like that Google scans my email, decides which of my emails Google thinks is important enough to assign a marker to, decides what marker any given email needs to have assigned to it and sticks the marker on the email.
I don't use labels in my email and I don't want Google (or any other service) scanning and assigning markers or categories to my email.
All my mail (including Gmail) is IMAP and is routed through a fork of Thunderbird on my desktop or laptop, or through Blue Mail on Android. Most of my email isn't Gmail.
I could route my IMAP email accounts to work in Gmail but the interface doesn't work for me.
I sort my mail using other criteria, though I can see how labels would be useful for others.
I get so much email that I need to move it in bulk sometimes to folders, and save attachments to my computer.
I like being able to select several emails from any of my accounts and be able to drag and drop them where they need to go in one shot.
I've never found the Gmail web interface or it's other iterations intuitive or easy to use. I'm used to a full featured stand alone POP3/IMAP email client so that's what I use.
Lots of people like the Gmail interface, it's keyboard shortcuts, labels and other interface features. It's a personal preference. What works for me won't work for someone else, what works for someone else may not work for me, though if someone shares something that works for me I'm quick to adopt it into my system. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Why should anyone want to get rid of importance markers? It has really helped me, to keep my inbox organized.
I'm glad you like it. :)
That looks like an interesting site, thanks for the link.. :)
Pretty cool--thanks for sharing!
Pretty good!
In the same line of "thinking", this site has offers many graphics and explanations:
https://ourworldindata.org/
Has one i saw on what the world would look like according to population but have to dig it out...
Thanks for the reminder to change the default select tool from Hand to Text.
I also preferred the simpler Viewer but the Editor has proven to be just as easy to use.
Arkadium has been around for a while and has dozens of free games on their Web site: www.arkadium.com/free-online-games
What are the odds of that happening? I'm glad it made your day. It's an awesome image. Thanks for the details, I'd been wondering how it was created. :)
Hahaha. Reading through my RSS feed today and there is one of my old photos as the wallpaper of the day on my favorite freeware site :) If anyone is interested, its a near infrared photo of a farmers field in Alberta Canada. The blue hue comes from swapping the red channel for blue simply because its more pleasing. Anyways this made my day.
I've used "sound converter" (not very original, but good description) to convert music. Go to the Ubuntu Software center and hit "sound and video" and search for converter. If you want a album sorter, there's plenty of those like DeaDBeef, Amarok etc.
Now 5 minutes.
I was delighted to find this program some months ago.
Agree fully -very time efficient
The review is a bit outdated but there is no nordvpn?! If you check top google ten vpn review sites or just type 10 best vpn services 2018 you will find that almost all reviewers give either express or nord the biggest score eg. I have found a nice vpn comparison on this page https://www.vpnhint.com/best-vpn-services/ also the numbers seems to be outdated as nordvpn supports almost 5000 servers and expressvpn about 2000.
Yes, indeed. The editor must have been thinking in terms of "best WordPad alternative" or "best NotePad alternative" when he said "best word processor", but no big deal. It might be nice to change the title, however.
You're more than welcome. :)
Perfect for what I need. Thank you!
I'd seems it would be quite an interesting cam.
I often check on who is crossing the street on Abbey Road.
I have a very specific set of requirements that include:
- tiny memory footprint (<5MB)
- truly portable (no dependency on any framework, including .NET)
- easy to trigger (Win + V or simpler)
- ability to format/manipulate text in the buffer
- ability to store/organize permanent snippets
ClipX was my go-to clipboard manager for many years, but it didn't play well with Windows 10, so I spent a lot of time trying out all the clipboard managers I could find to find an alternative. I finally settled on Clibor, and have never looked back. It's amazing how much power was crammed into such a small utility. If you can get past the crowded interface and sporadic wonky translations, I highly recommend giving Clibor an honest try.
Yup. They are on an external hard disk drive, as well as a USB flash drive.
By "separate drive", you mean a "not-the-system-drive", right?
I hav e too many MP3 files to keep them on the C: drive, anyway, so i guess i'm safe.
Glad you like it. :) I've never seen a nag from any of the software that I use.
Wow. Best, easiest, fastest and least amount of nagware audio converter I have seen. I will be sending them a donation. Thanks.
I've used XRECODE for years, with great success. But the last freeware version was 2.60. I'll try this one out, though....
In Boolean set theory:
AND equals ONLY the union where both/all search-terms are true but excludes the subsets where only one or the other is true
OR equals the complete aggregate of either/all search-terms independently that are true.
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