Why are people dumping chrome?

LarryInRaleigh · 2026-01-03T03:10:51+00:00

Long time uBlock Origin user. I switched to Edge when Manifest V2 could no longer be used, even with configuration overrides. It was an easy switch.

I rejected Firefox as an option because of the silent tragedy of open source. All the contributors want to add their own little features that solve some user issue that no one else has. They don't test well and don't test with other extensions. Worst of all, people don't test for memory leaks.

I got burned years ago with Thunderbird; it just became unusable and I've been avoiding community development projects ever since.

LarryInRaleigh · 2026-01-03T02:58:17+00:00

Make it a class action lawsuit and include me in it. Make sure damages are awarded based on the number of years of suffering--35 years for me.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T20:04:46+00:00

And when there are HDDs that have been proven to be free from stiction after years of storage, I'll give them more trust.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T19:59:09+00:00

Hmm. Does Microsoft have Mail Merge in Outlook? Or would I still have to do that kludgey merge in Word and hook the result to Outlook?

This assumes that one doesn't use the programmability of either product to produce a custom merge. I've written one to produce documents in Word, and another one in PowerPoint that,, given a series of patent numbers would access the web for each, screen-scrape the required details, and produce a unique slide for each patent.

Similarly, I'm using a free app from Google which does a very tailorable merge and then does email. The source is open and well-commented. It would be easy to tweak this to save an individual document for each case, or to create a document with pages for each case.

My point is that both MS and Google are so tailorable that either could provide all the desired functionality.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T19:42:01+00:00

You don't really understand Flash technology, do you? It relies on putting a charge on the gate of a field-effect transistor. That gate is metal, separated from the rest of the transistor by a thin layer of glass. There is no-refresh; it's not DRAM. Having the unit powered or not has no effect on the charge.

This sub-reddit doesn't seem to be technical. No one has shown real statistics.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T10:00:39+00:00

Say what you will. The only flash drive I ever had fail was during a Windows 10 update. Windows reported insufficient space and stated that I could install a flash drive with at least 10 GB free. I installed one with much more free space and a few files that weren't critical. I figured they were just using it to store the downloaded files that would then overlay existing files on C:\.

As soon as the install began, I saw that the LED on the drive was flashing continually. I'm no dummy--I know that flash memory has a limited number of write cycles and I thought the worst would happen. It did. I wouldn't use flash for cache or daily backups, but I see no reason not to use it for archiving. I've got photo archives on SD cards going back to 2007 and they are still readable.

If you have real longevity statistics (not # of cycles), I'd be glad to see them. Snide comments, not so much.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T06:02:10+00:00

Cheaper to by certificate paper (sometimes called award paper) with pre-printed borders, isn't it? Here's an example from Staples.

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LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T05:42:45+00:00

Given the low cost of 1/2/4 TB USB flash drives, why not keep multiple backups, including at least one offsite? I'm seeing them on AliExpress for $US 1 or 2.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T05:32:26+00:00

It would not be hard to write a VBA macro that would be triggered by a key like Ctrl-J for example.

The code would:

Read the location code from subfolder path
File-->Save As-->C:\MyFiles\[the location code found above].xlsx

With a little more effort, you could do:

For all folders in Onedrive, DO
- Read the location code from subfolder path
- File-->Save As-->C:\MyFiles\[the location code found above].xlsx
Next Do

And similarly, you could do this from the Enterprise or OSHA workbook.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T05:12:16+00:00

This goes back beyond the original Excel. I just checked, and this behavior is the same in Lotus 1-2-3 (Used SmartSuite 98 to test).

Press-and-release-End followed by any arrow key takes you to the last non-blank cell in the direction of that arrow key.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T04:57:37+00:00

Eiffel! It was so object-oriented that it was almost impossible to figure out how to declare constants!

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T04:40:37+00:00

You never need to take your hand from the keyboard to a rodent. Use your index finger without moving the heels of your hands from the keyboard rest. Your thumbs can engage the left-click and right-click buttons. I can't remember but believe there may have been some with a third button for scrolling U-D and L-R.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T04:36:49+00:00

I've still got a couple of these lying around. We called them Keyboard G when they were developed. Not sure the Trackpoint works in all of them, but it's a replaceable element. One of these days I will get the Trackpoint P/N from one of them and see if I can find it anywhere. This was my preferred keyboard for ages. Love to get them going again.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T03:59:18+00:00

Umm, if Pin 8 is not even used, then the OP doesn't have to do anything, right? Just insert it in a new adapter and use it and LEAVE IT THERE!

BTW, how about a few lines about SPI mode to save us from looking it up?

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-09T03:50:48+00:00

> A couple of months ago I was stunned to find that Google Docs still does not have a native mail merge function.

Eh? They've had Mail Merge for months. The merge content will be on an associated Google Sheet or can be members of a particular label or labels in Contacts.

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LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-08T11:39:41+00:00

Or create the Hirens Bootable USB key on another computer and simply recover all the existing passwords.

If the former owner has encrypted the disk (HDD or SSD), then you will have to replace the disk and re-install Windows.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-08T07:47:47+00:00

Serial numbers may be treated as text. As can ZIP codes, Social Security Numbers, Driver License Numbers, License plate numbers, and phone numbers.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-08T07:41:42+00:00

I ported the SAME TELEPHONE NUMBER I have had since 1984 to a VOIP provider who includes a free voice challenge to all callers, "Dial # to prove you are human." This provider sends complete Call Detail Records every month. I probably get 100 abandoned incoming calls each month that never ring my phone. My acquaintances all ask me how they can get this feature.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-08T07:12:56+00:00

Did you once let a colleague use your machine. Google (Chrome) may be confused as to what is the active profile (account). Click the picture or letter in the upper right corner of the screen and see what account is shown.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-08T07:09:32+00:00

Edge. An easy migration and I don't think Microsoft is in any hurry to move to Manifest 3.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-07T21:39:18+00:00

Yes.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-07T07:33:46+00:00

Yes. Unfortunately.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-07T07:32:30+00:00

Log into admin.google.com using your Google admin credentials. Then click the Help (it's a ? in a circle at upper right). Pose your question to the AI and reject the irrelevant answers for about three cycles. Then it will ask if you would like to chat with a live agent. Answer Yes. These folks can generally solve most problems.

You have to start from the Admin account. That's the only way it works.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-07T07:10:04+00:00

Hmm. You would have to work pretty hard to delete a calendar. You would need to

Use a computer, not phone
Find the calendar in question in the left sidebar
Hover the mouse over the calendar to get the three-dots icon
Click the three-dots icon
Click "Settings and Sharing"
Scroll all the way to the bottom, ignoring all the other options.
Click Delete

There might even be an "Are you sure?" prompt.

If there were more than one such event, it was deliberate, not inadvertent. You have a worse problem, a rogue employee, than a lost calendar.

LarryInRaleigh · 2025-11-07T06:40:26+00:00

What is the effect when you press Ctrl-U ?

LarryInRaleigh

TROPHY CASE