
Don't be surprised if at some point Google bans any non-Chromium browser on switch to Manifest 3
Which will cripple ad blocking extensions.
359 publicly visible posts • joined 23 Jun 2007
I won't pay for streaming, especially now with so much fragmentation.
I was a longtime Netflix subscriber until last year. So much content was pulled that I cancelled after months on non-watching. I agree about the fragmentation which is why I don't subscribe to any streaming services either. I have Prime Video which comes with my Amazon Prime account but most of their offerings require you to pay an additional fee to watch.
At least there's TubiTV, PlutoTV, FreeVee etc.
I still have my Compaq V2000 laptop with Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. I miss the days of an OS that fully booted in about 30 seconds.
MyPal 68 is definitely the most updated Mozilla browser that will run on Windows XP.
Anyway, Chrome dropped support for XP after version 49 but there was an updated version (86) that was backported.
https://msfn.org/board/topic/184624-arcticfoxienotheretoplaygames-360chrome-v1352036-rebuild-1/
Good to have both for best website compatibility.
MD then called the company this person was going to and told them what had happened and the new company pulled the job offer.
Happened to me too when I first started in IT. Since then when asked where I'm going I stonewall them. I am not obligated in any way to tell a now former employer who my new employer is. I don't even tell ex co-workers for fear it may get leaked to the ex-boss.
As a lifetime consultant I have on far too many occasions gazed at previous managers with a puzzled expression when offered a permanent position. To this day I still don't know why they are using the term 'permanent' when describing any job posting.
Beer icon raised to the poor sods who somehow thought that working at a corporation meant job/financial security.
I wouldn't lend much credence to that comment. It more than likely was written by an MS employee or shill. This is the internet after all.
P.S. There are quite a few start menu replacements, free and paid. Openshell comes to mind although I've not tested with Windows 11, works great with Windows 10. No ads, thus flipping the bird at MS.
The food bringing or the card signing doesn't seem to happen here on the left side of the pond. The last time I remember signing a card for someone was during my time as an IT support employee at a corporate travel agency with about 70 employees. We all knew each other so when you signed a card it was someone you interacted with regularly. No one brought cakes/biscuits or any other food unless it was a special occasion. Prior to that I worked in a warehouse with about 30 predominantly male employees and there were never any cards to sign or birthday cakes or any other food brought to work. No one knew anybody's birthday but we did enjoy pints on occasional Fridays at the pub.
Fast forward to now as a consultant. No cards to sign or Birthday celebrations. We're all here temporarily so have little time for such indulgences. Occasionally some SVP will call us all to a meeting and there will be coffee, bagels and muffins. No one brings snacks to share with the team on a regular basis. This of course doesn't mean people don't bring their own snacks but the point is if you want cake or biscuits you will have to bring your own.
@Excellentsword: My weakness is pizza & beer.
The main reason people want to unionize is because they don't like the way they're being treated.
Maybe if corporations would stop lying to potential hires with phrases like "great place to work" "opportunities for advancement" "exceptional leadership that recognizes and rewards outstanding efforts" etc.
If they would be more honest with phrases like "you will be exploited to the fullest extent" "you will never be viewed as anything more to the company than a disposable drone" "random firings are a regular occurrence" "ask for nothing from your immediate manager because nothing is what you'll receive" etc. then employees would have nothing to complain about since expectations were made clear during the hiring process. I imagine there would be a lot less potential hires.
Windows 8/8.1 - need MS Account to download from Windows Store.
Windows 10 - removed need for MS Account to download from Windows Store.
Windows 11 - Re-instated need for MS Account to download from Window Store.
Hard pass on Windows 11 unless I'm forced to buy new computer.
I get those emails all the time purporting to be from my bank, Paypal, etc. I never click on any link provided because I already have them bookmarked. I login to the same links I've always used, yup, all is well. Nice try fraudsters, you need to up your game if you want my logins, but you won't. It's easier and more profitable to go after the low hanging fruit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWpPyYlZXNI
They've been airing this ad a lot lately. I'm curious as to how much royalties they have to pay every time they show it for using The Police's "Every Breath You Take" especially since they don't make money from ad revenue and don't charge for using their browser/search engine.
Websites should not be allowed to set any non-essential cookies without the user opting in
They shouldn't but they do because you're just another revenue stream. Straightorward solution? Block all cookies, not just third party. You don't need them unless you're logging on to a website. Mozilla warns me that disabling all cookies will break websites but that's a load of BS - websites all work fine unless you need to log on. I cheerfully click 'Accept All Cookies' on websites that prompt me then check browser cookies - empty.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cookiesnew/
This Mozilla browser extension toggles acceptance/blockage of all cookies. I enable cookies to login/shop/bank then remove them but otherwise all cookies are blocked.
No one cares about your privacy except you.
With the vast, vast sea of Windows feature-rich File Explorer replacements that have been available since Windows 3.0 how is this relevant? I started with File Manager in Windows 3.1 but eventually moved to Total Commander. There are plenty of freeware that have had tabbed file browsing since Windows 95. Running out of ideas MICRO~1?
Thanks but unlike Clonezilla Drivesnapshot is NOT free. Additionally, both Aeomei and Macrium have free versions for home use, have been tried and tested on various Windows servers/workstation editions and have support forums. I have tested Macrium extensively with Windows XP, 7 and 10 and have found it to be a reliable drive backup tool
I installed Lubuntu 18/EXT4 on an old Dell PC I had. I imaged the drive with R-Drive, Macrium, Acronis, Paragon, Aeomei and Clonezilla. They all appeared to image the drive successfully to an external USB HD. Each time I wiped the source drive and booted off rescue media to restore with the above tools. They all appeared to restore successfully. Lubuntu would not boot. Repeating the same steps except this time I restored with Clonezilla and Lubuntu booted up to the exact same state as when the image was created. I also repeated the same steps except this time it was with Windows 7 x64. Wiped the drive, restored with Clonezilla, Windows 7 booted to the exact same state when it was imaged.
Clonezilla is definitely the most flexible imaging tool regarding file systems/OS I've used. Yes, the interface can be daunting to novices but El Reg regulars shouldn't have any problems. I'm not sure if it has the ability to restore an image to an HD that is a different size than the source, maybe someone else can chime in but Clonezilla live is definitely on my Ventoy USB drive alone with other bootable ISO tools I consider essential.
Despite all the advanced features of Wordperfect 5.1 for DOS, the prevalent word processor of that era I was never a fan.
I needed at the time a WYSIWYG word processor and was introduced to Q&A by Symantec. It was nice to be able to see what your document would look like printed out as you typed (formatting, bold, underline, italics etc.) without having to go into a preview mode. Used it for many years during my university years with various dot matrix printers until I switched to Windows 95/Word 95.
I have a lot of abandonware on my Android phone as well. One of my essentials is Extreme Call Blocker which, unlike other call blockers which send unwanted calls to voice mail, will pick up and hang up unwanted calls silently. I had backed up all those to my sd card so when I upgraded I installed all of them without Play Store. I don't upgrade any app unless I'm forced to (I.E., stops working like Shazam) so I rarely ever open Play Store.
The analogy of using PCs doesn't really apply since I have plenty of Abandonware on my PCs that can no longer be found anywhere on the web. If you like your software keep backups of them.
If you can do addition/subtraction, calculate percentages and have the ability to lookup numbers on a chart you then have all the skills needed to fill out a US 1040. I used to fill out my own and still help friends and family fill theirs out even joint returns. Anything more complicated (investment income, 1099 etc.) I refer them to a paid tax preparer. I don't fill out my own anymore life got too complicated requiring an accountant to do it quarterly.
A basic 1040 is just that - basic. Single/no dependants? US 1040EZ (single page).
The forms are all downloadable PDF fillable forms from IRS website with detailed instructions and criteria for each.
Good for you. There are those of us that get lost in a long hallway. Which sucks. Before GPS, I just didn't go anywhere.
Yea I really like GPS/SATNAV - just not on my phone. This is why I purchased a dedicated unit (Garmin) that doesn't connect to anything except GPS satellites. It also came with free lifetime map updates. I still use Google Maps (not the app, in the phone's web browser) when I need to find points of interest. Location service etc. disabled which has boosted battery life and data usage significantly.
My Samsung phone's Wifi becomes useless when the microwave is on.
Yea, used to happen to me too constantly with any WIFI device that connected to my router's 2.4GHz band when using the microwave. That problem disappeared now that I connect exclusively to my router's 5GHz band.
I don't know how old your Samsung phone is but my Galaxy S3 can connect to 5GHz.
Buy your own router, not your ISP provided kit. Even if your ISP provides modem/router combo, plug your router into their ethernet. Makes your wireless life much easier.
Human Resources robot works banker's hours so has never personally experienced overtime but is certain that drones love their company so much they will not only sacrifice all of their personal life for it but cheerfully accept their fate when mass redundancies are made.
Silly Human Resources robot.
Well that sucks - I own and Epson CX9400Fax that refuses to send faxes if ink needs replacement but scan function still works. In fact, I haven't replaced ink cartridges in over a decade since I have a laser for printing. The Epson is a dedicated scanner now since I don't need the fax function anymore.
Longtime user of RMPrep, Rufus and Yumi here. Started using Ventoy earlier this year and was impressed. Haven't tried it for installing OSes yet (Rufus for that) but for multiboot USB with utility/PE ISO images. Macrium Reflect, Aomei Partition Assistant, Parted Magic, Sergei Strelec WinPE, Acronis True Image, Puppy Linux. All boot easily and once you create a Ventoy USB adding/updating is a breeze. Just copy your bootable ISO images over.
Didn't work properly with older BIOS PCs but no problems with UEFI.
My previous ISP supplied me with an AIO router/modem device which they managed.
Solution: I plugged my router into one of their device's ethernet ports. Never had any issues for 3 years. I switched ISPs for one that let me purchase my own modem. Best part: Didn't have to make any changes to my LAN since I am using the same router, no passwords/SSIDs had to be modified unless I wanted to.
I hope most Reg readers here use their own routers rather than ISP supplied. Makes life easier especially when troubleshooting connectivity issues.
Helpfully, Netgear itself publishes default login credentials for "most" of its products on its website. If you haven't been into your Netgear router's admin panel and changed these default creds, you're at increased risk.
If you haven't changed the default creds on any internet facing device you're at major risk since most vendors' websites publish the default logins with the assumption that they will be changed before use.
Yea, my router came with the option to manage it via a smartphone app so I could pretend to be cool, y'know, like a millenial.
Hard pass. Remote access denied. Once you have the router setup the way you want there's nothing else to manage except logging into it periodically from your LAN to check if there's any unauthorized connections.
That would be my reaction If I got a call from some place I haven't worked at in 5 years complaining about some fix I put in that suddenly stopped working. Sure, I'll be more than happy to fix it... once we agree on compensation. P.S. My rates have increased since I last worked for you.
Something I haven't seen in other models. I use my Thinkpad mainly on AC power. Keeping your battery constantly at 100% is not good for the lifespan. Lenovo Battery Manager allows you to set at what threshold to start and stop charging (they recommend 50% to prolong battery life). This mean I can leave my Thinkpad plugged in but it won't charge the battery past 50% unless I want it to. If I plan to use it on battery then I set it to charge 100%.
Still don't get Millenials' obsession with video calls.
At the beginning of lockdown we jumped aboard the Zoom bandwagon but it was too much of a hassle with those with bad WIFI/limited tech skills.
I'm old fashioned. A dial-up conference bridge that we use for our weekly staff meetings, no tech knowledge or even PC needed, just a pad and pen. Don't need to see if you forgot to wear pants, hair is a mess, unshaven etc. Quick and painless, no software updates/guiding anyone through settings, why is my mic/camera not working, no, just no.
I haven't done a video call in months, haven't missed it and neither do my colleagues.
I too have an Epson AIO inkjet that won't print or send faxes if ink is low. Remarkably I am still able to scan so I can use it with a USB Faxmodem to send the occasional fax. I have a separate laser printer for printing (no, I won't mention brand names I'm not here to help $BLOATEDCORP$ make more money).
I won't buy another AIO anything from any manufacturer ever again.
Kids who don't complete Home Learning Packs lack a role model at home that ensures these assignments get done. I did a stint upgrading teachers' desktop PCs at a high school a few years back before the pandemic. The students who had the most difficulty behavior wise and grade wise also had parents who wouldn't reply to emails or letters sent home requesting to meet with them. It's almost as if once they breed them they expect the school to raise their kids for them. Bad home life equals bad school life.
If you want real pizza you don't get it from a chain restaurant, you get it at an independently owned family run place. You can even watch as they toss it in the air and spin the pizza dough into shape, add your toppings and put it in the oven. Chain places are the equivalent of frozen pizza with some added toppings.
On a Windows 7 box. Have had no problems opening Word files with crazy macros or Excel spreadsheets with VB macros that are sent to me produced with O365/2019. Office 2010 opens much faster than its cloudy counterparts. Not a one drive user but until Mickeysoft makes upcoming versions of online docs incompatible with legacy versions I'm sticking with my 2010 offline.
It can be just as stressful as coming to the office, you have to learn to adapt. As someone with a 90 minute commute each way WFH is a god send. No more leaving to work when it's dark outside and arriving home when it's dark outside. As others have stated, I do other things like laundry etc. but now I can wake up a little later and at the end of the day the day I logout and am already home. My work day has been reduced significantly with only the occasional after hours work. More me time equals more happiness. Truthfully the only time I am ever bothered after hours are by less technical colleagues having problems since our firm has greatly reduced IT support to the point where our team relies on each other rather than using the support portal.
As a consultant I don't miss the interaction in any way, we have email, phone and zoom.
Having your PC behave as you wish is something Mickeysoft is going through great lengths to ensure is no longer possible with each iteration of its OS.
You can disable updates but they will be re-enabled against your will. This is due to the Windows Update Medic Service that monitors the status of Windows Update and will enable it if disabled. The Update Medic Service can't be disabled by ordinary means.
I had to use a third party tool (Windows Update Blocker) to disable Medic Service and now I am in control of updates, not Mickeysoft. No more "My PC was working fine until an update and now XXX doesn't work anymore" as one of the most common gripes on any Windows 10 support forum.
But what of Donald J Trump? There will be several volumes that will fill up shelves of the Library of Congress.
Forget volumes in a library - I can't wait for the mini-series to come out on a streaming platform, I will gladly subscribe just to watch it!
I wonder which actor they'll get to play Trump?
P.S. I live here in the US and I'm not concerned with President Stump pushing any button. He has painted himself into a corner, all alone with no allies save his rabid hate mongering supporters. He is a lame duck whose clock is ticking (12 days left).