Any computer wizz's here?

[red750]

In my previous post I mentioned hat I was using an old HP laptop my son had updated from. Running Windows Vista, so I get warnings that some stuff on the interweb might not work, there are no updates, and I should get a new version of Windows. I haven't come across any problems so far. All my important data (Rec Flying files) are on my USB external drive. However, Santa Claus came a little early yesterday. My daughter said "You have to come down the street with me, I think you will be pleased,"

She took me to JB HiFi where they were having a sale of ex-demo laptops at a terrific markdown. She bought one for me and one for my wife. Not sure about my wife's, but mine has a SSD so runs like the clappers. I have promised not to use it till Christmas.

[onetrack]

Peter, virtually all of the updates to earlier versions of Windows are security patches. The warnings are dire, because you're exposed to the higher potential of hacks and viruses with earlier Windows versions. 

The new laptop sounds great. I should really get a new one, too, my current laptop is a Toshiba from 2009, although it is running Windows 7.

These Toshibas were the very best of the laptops in their day, but the early Celeron chip is showing its age. I doubled the RAM memory, which is about the only upgrade I can do, but it didn't seem to make a huge difference.

I'm a bit wary of buying a new laptop as the old Toshiba is so good. A little heavy at 2.7kgs, but built like a tank.

[red750]

Well, I opened the computer Daughter Christmas gave me. Nice computer, works well when you get used to some of the features. But bloody Microsoft!! I tried to load my favorite browser, Brave, (blocks most ads), and my favorite photo editor, PhotoScape. Image search in Brave also lists each image's size, eg. 750 x 422 pixels. I downloaded PhotoScape X for Windows 10, and it is totally different. I don't like it. It may be OK for a graphic artist or so, but one of the tools I use regularly, the Clone Stamp, appears only to be available in the Pro version.

 

Windows 10 tells me it is in S mode, which provides greater protection. BUT, I can only use software obtained through the Microsoft App Store, not free downloads from other vendors, and I am not allowed to use browsers other than Microsoft Edge. If I disable S mode, I cannot re-enable it once I've downloaded what I want. The flipping cheek!

[red750]

A bit more experience has brought a few things to light.

 

Positive -  the keyboard is backlit, so even after midnight with the light off, I can still read the keys.

The battery lasts up to 17 hours once fully charged. I knew it had been plugged in while on display in the store, but hadn't been opened for a week since we brought it home. I don't now what the battery level was when I opened it about 3.30 pm Christmas Day. I didn't plug it in or turn it off, till it shut down at 12.30 am Boxing Day.

 

Not so positive - there are no indicators that I can see that tell you when caps lock and num lock are on. So passwords may fail due to case or number errors.

 

Further disgruntlement with Microsoft. There is a free version of Office on the machine, but it is cloud based. I cannot open files on my external hard drive using Open, only by clicking on the file in File Manager. I can read but not edit the file. If I create a new file, I can only save it to the cloud, not the external hard drive. I have to purchase Office 365 or use a clone. I exited S mode and downloaded the software I wanted and connected the printer by wifi. The unit is an Acer Swift 1, a 14inch notebook..

 

 

[willedoo]

Over time I've noticed a distinct link between Microsoft and blood pressure. The more MS carp software I get rid of, the lower the BP readings are. Recently I've been using the open source LibreOffice 6.2 and love it.

[Yenn]

I share the disquiet about microsoft, but what is the alternative? I use an iPad, but that has its problems.

[onetrack]

The newer the Microsoft product, the less free add-ons there are, and the more you're directed to MS sites where you need to pay, to get what you used to get for free. 

I'm glad there's a large current investigation into the global, internet, computerisation, and online operators, they really are a ruthless pack of monopolists.

 

There was an anti-trust action against MS in the 1990's, but it didn't go anywhere near far enough. These companies are utterly ruthless in destroying competition, and ensnaring users.

Furthermore, the amount of our data and personal information they swipe and monetise, with no reference to us, is absolutely dreadful. Facebook even tracks non-Facebook users.

 

https://www.afr.com/technology/us-looks-at-breaking-up-monopolies-of-google-facebook-20190910-p52prm

 

 

[nomadpete]

I've been using Linux for years.

Faster than micro$oft, free, and less prone to data harvesting or malware.

 

So far, so good.

[willedoo]

Today I finally acted on the Adobe pop up and uninstalled Adobe Flash Player which they will stop supporting on the 31st. December. My browser has been blocking it as a security risk for a long time. Question is, do many websites still use Flash? I'd guess it's nearly obsolete.

[onetrack]

There's been a lot of pressure on websites and programmers to get rid of Flash, as it's deemed a major security risk in todays world. Steve Jobs was so antagonistic towards Flash, he penned a public letter denouncing it.

But it was when Google refused to support it in Chrome, that the end was nigh for Flash. The upsurge in mobile devices is what killed it right off. HTML5 has replaced it.

[red750]

On 26/12/2020 at 11:48 AM, willedoo said:

Recently I've been using the open source LibreOffice 6.2 and love it.

I had been looking into alternatives to MS Office, and was seriously considering Libre, but my son had a 5 machine copy of Office 365 which he allowed me to install so I'm up and running. It comes with free Skype, whether I use it or not is yet to be seen.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Hmmm.. A competitor to Apple's dominance in the artistic space... I am guessing their denouncig letter was totally unbiased and well founded. Apple MacOS and iOS had security flaws for years, well proven by cyber-labs and they refused to acknowledge and do anything about them.

 

Google's dropping support of Java Applets and Flash could amount to anti-trust behaviour, but, since it didn't as they hid behind security flaws (most could be fixed), the others followed suit.. Amongst some truly great work, the IT industry is a big con these days..

 

[Yenn]

I am using Libre office and used it years ago on another computer. No problems except sometimes the formatting goes wrong, but I think this is a computer problem, not Libre office as it happens with other programs.

I find Libre office easier to come to grips with than Office.

I have also tried Libre Cad but what I downloaded onto my computer is nothing like the Help of Libre Cad. I find it next to useless.

[Yenn]

Nomadpete. How do you install Linux on a desktop which has Windows 10 and seems to stuff everything up?

[spacesailor]

Or a desktop with a corupted bios ?.

My C:// is now X://.

Tried a Linux disk but not accepting anything.

spacesailor

[nomadpete]

You can download one of the Linux operating systems onto a USB stick, set your BIOS to allow booting from USB, and next time you boot up the PC, it runs the Linux. That allows you to play with it without upsetting your Windows operating system. It remains where it always was. After you shut down your trial of Linux, just unplug the USB  and next boot up goes back to Windows.

If you decide you like Linux, boot up Linux using your USB copy and it has an option to install permanently on your hard drive, either alongside Windows (allowing you to use either OS), or to install over everything, wiping Windows.

 

I used a Linux USB to retrieve data from a crashed hard drive that wouldn't boot up Windows.

 

I'd suggest Ubuntu Linux. It needs at least a 16Gb USB.

[spacesailor]

Thanks nomadpete.

Tried that usb stick, but as  the HD was not there it wouldn't work. (X)

such is life.

spacesailor

[nomadpete]

It doesn't need a functional hard drive. But since the normal configuration of the computer BIOS (automated startup process) is normally set to only look at internal hard drive, it probably won't be looking at your USB stick, only at hard drive, then not finding a valid operating system there, it stops trying.

To changer the boot order you have to activate the computer setup as soon as you power up the computer. The usual routine is to hit F1 or F12 as soon as it starts to switch on. There is usually a hint flashed up for a split second when you power it up.. something like "Press F1 for Setup." (Which F key, depends on the PC maker)

Once you get that right, the normal boot up pauses and a whole screen of options appear. One option will be "Boot order". That's where it lists HDD, CD, USB. You can change the order to make USB top of the list. Then SAVE Settings. Then power down, power up and the computer should first look for a USB with a operating system. If it doesn't find one, it goes back and tries whatever was next on the boot order.

In newer computers there is a whole different process, but I'm assuming yours isn't so new.

[willedoo]

It's the same way password crack programmes work. Boot into setup then change the boot order to CD or USB depending on what the crack programme is on. Leave the crack programme inserted, power down and reboot. Then it boots into the crack programme which will crack all passwords stored on the computer. More complex passwords take a longer time to crack, obviously. I tried mine a few years back; both admin, and safe mode master admin passwords were easy ones. 11 & 12 letters respectively, all lower case, took three minutes to crack.

[willedoo]

Beware the scammers. Yesterday I got connected to the NBN via fixed wireless. Today I'm getting prerecorded calls from some mob pretending to be Telstra. It's an American female voice, and not a Phillipina accent as in the Telstra support team. The message is basically " We have been trying to contact you urgently, however in 24 hours we will disconnect your phone and internet services. To resolve this issue, press 1 to be connected to a service technician".

 

I don't know what else they had to say as I'm not gullible enough to press 1 and maintain engagement with the wankers. Best guess is they're fishing for computer and network login details. It's either a complete coincidence or they have access to NBN connection data.

Edited January 7, 2021 by willedoo

[red750]

A few months ago, I pressed 1 on one of those calls. I said to the "service technician", Stick your scam call you steaming pile of dog's vomit, I hope you catch coronavirus and die. He hung up.

[willedoo]

All quiet after two initial calls. Both were the same call from two different mobile numbers. I'm thinking it was just a coincidence and not related to my NBN connection becoming active, as they would have had to have a hack of my contact details. I remember earlier last year when the NBN was first switched on in my area, they were sending scam text messages. It would be either random or they have a data base of phone numbers and match them against areas where the NBN has become available.

 

Meanwhile, I'm loving the NBN connection. 2 days now and not a drop out. The speed has almost doubled from my old ADSL2 connection. It's been raining as well and no interference with the fixed wireless signal. The tower is only about 1.5k away so it should be reliable enough.

[spacesailor]

Willidoo.

Mine is almost the oposite, hardly see the picture with masses of pyxlation EVERY RAINY DAY.

spacesailor

Edited January 8, 2021 by spacesailor
Pyxlation spelling

[willedoo]

On 08/01/2021 at 4:15 PM, spacesailor said:

Willidoo.

Mine is almost the oposite, hardly see the picture with masses of pyxlation EVERY RAINY DAY.

spacesailor

spacey, are you talking about TV reception? My TV is not worth turning on if it's raining.

 

I only use the NBN for internet connection, although I could plug a phone in if I wanted to. No point though with an unlimited calls mobile plan. I've been making some savings lately. Switched the mobile from Telstra to Aldi. I get more from Aldi for less than $10 per month than I got from Telstra for $55. And the NBN plan is $30 per month cheaper than the old ADSL plan which had the landline rental bundled. No landline now, so between the two, I've got $75 per month more in my pocket.

[spacesailor]

My NBN drops two or three times a night, often not a problem, as it's quickly back on, thou sometimes takes a minute or two, then the picture stops.

SO, not just free to air, but both.

spacesailor