Computer News

Google Chrome 61.0.3163.79
22 security fixes. A few new features.
Google Chrome Web 32-bit  or  Google Chrome 64-bit

Whining About Gmail
Some folks are ticked that Google only kinda stopped scanning email and might go full throttle again.
I get the privacy thing. I really do. But Gmail is a FREE product from an ADVERTISING company. Get over it.
There are lots of free, privacy minded email companies. I use and like ProtonMail.

Dismissing Smart Guys
They dissed Stephen Hawking when he warned that meeting aliens may not be the ET moment we are looking for. Now they are jumping on Elon Musk’s “doomy, gloomy prognosticating“. Basically he warns that Artificial Intelligence isn’t the neatest thing since sliced bread and in fact may be very, very dangerous. Mr. Musk may not be at Dr. Hawking’s level but he sure is hell is way above a reporter’s level. I’m with you Elon.

Getting to know Windows 10
A Power Point presentation from Microsoft. Thought I would pass it along. Not sure I am doing you any favors as it is as much marketing as it is useful info.
Download
“Get started quickly with new features of Windows 10, including Cortana and Microsoft Edge. Personalize Windows and set up your account for apps like Mail, Calendar, and Microsoft Office 365. Stay secure, get organized, and be productive with Windows 10.”

Off Topic
Warlock’s Triumph and Agony turns 30 today

Hysterical Headline Of The Week
Windows is doomed
“To be clear, with its emphasis on the cloud, artificial intelligence, and more, Microsoft may well continue to thrive. But Windows — once the core of the company and seemingly central to so many of our lives — is likely beyond saving.”
Another Windows / the PC / Firefox / etc.. is dying article.
I call B.S.

Reason #4,857,357 To Get Off Of Social Media
The IRS is watching your Facebook account.
“Those Facebook posts from your vacation on a white sand beach, or that purchase of a fancy new vehicle, could be attracting views from the federal government.”

Threat Mitigations in Windows 10
Uber Geek article VERY briefly discussing Win10’s built in security defenses. The last sentence tells you the whole purpose of the article:
“These are all the more reasons to move to Windows 10 as quickly as possible to remain protected against modern cyber threats.”

IOT And Your ISP
All those gadgets in your house that connect to the internet can allow your ISP to spy on you.
“…encryption doesn’t stop ISPs from knowing which internet-of-things devices their users have, nor does it stop them seeing when we use those devices. In the Princeton study, ISPs could track a user’s sleep patterns by detecting when a sleep tracker was connecting to the internet. It also revealed that ISPs could identify when a home security camera detected movement and when someone was watching a live stream from their security camera.”

Premium Keyboard. Premium Price.
$200. Still, looks to be an awesome keyboard.

Texas, we are thinking of you.
If anyone knows of a good, reputable charity that doesn’t pay their staff 6 figures please contact me directly. I want any donations to specifically and only go to the Texans who need it. I will research any suggestions.
Do not put links to charities in the comment section. I will delete them. Sorry but disasters bring out scum who look to capitalize on the misery of others.

And now, on to some interesting articles I’ve read over the last several days.

Let’s Talk Kaspersky
This is a sort of OpEd by Tim at Major Geeks. He makes some outstanding points.
No evidence has been shown yet that the Russian-based Kaspersky Labs is “nothing more than a front for Russian intelligence.”

White House Confirms – Kaspersky Tied to Russian Government (thanks Kelly)
There is a connection between Kaspersky and Russian intelligence, and I’m absolutely certain that Russian intelligence would want to use that connection to their advantage.
Fair warning. Article is at PCPitstop. They are a competitor of Kaspersky.

Swearing proves you are f****** brilliant: Intelligent people are more likely to be foul-mouthed and walk around naked at home, claims study
People with higher intellects were more likely to curse, eat spicy breakfasts and lounge around the house naked, while extroverts were more likely to drive cars faster that 75mph, gamble and go to the pub.

People Favor Highly-Reviewed Products, Even When They Shouldn’t
“We found that people were biased toward choosing to purchase more popular products and that this sometimes led them to make very poor decisions,”

Congress Quietly Passed A Bill Allowing Warrantless Searches of Homes – Only 1% Opposed It
The text gives the Commission the authority to enter property near the Metro Rail System “without limitation” and without a warrant, for the purpose of “making inspections, investigations, examinations, and testing.”
This clearly goes against the Fourth Amendment, which states that Americans’ rights “to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause.”

Firefox 55.0.2 Released
4 bugfixes
Download

Bing
Like many other tech news site, ARS Technica passed along Microsoft’s tweet that 1/3 of all U.S. searches is conducted via Bing.
I cannot verify or refute those stats but as far as TweakHound.com is concerned those stats are bull caca.
In the last year page view referrers to this site Google outnumbers Bing at over a 8.7 to 1 ratio. To put it another way, Bing accounted for just 9.85% of traffic from search engines.

Google Chrome Updated
“The stable channel has been updated to 60.0.3112.101 for Windows, Mac, and Linux”
Download 32-bit or 64-bit

Nvidia Drivers
Geforce 385.28 WHQL Game Ready Drivers are out. Download

Other Software Updates
CCleaner 5.33
Winaero Tweaker 0.8

Logan Lucky
I gotta see this movie. It’s got James Bond and Kylo Ren in it!

Chrome 60 Is Out
“The Chrome team is delighted to announce the promotion of Chrome 60 to the stable channel for Windows, Mac and Linux…Chrome 60.0.3112.78 contains a number of fixes and improvements…This update includes 40 security fixes.”
Download: Google Chrome Web 32-bit    Google Chrome 64-bit

Nvidia Drivers 384.94 WHQL Drivers
Download
Release Notes

Firefox Finished?
El Reg – Firefox doesn’t need to be No 1 – and that’s OK, ‘cos it’s falling off a cliff
“Just in case you didn’t believe Firefox was on a trajectory that should have it crash and burn into extinction in the next couple of years, former chief technology officer Andreas Gal has usage stats that confirm it. To use Gal’s words: “Firefox market share is falling off a cliff.” The same could be said of Firefox itself.
What’s most interesting about this data and Gal’s interpretation of it is that at the same time that Firefox is sliding into irrelevancy it’s becoming a better browser.”
Still rockin’ it here.

Etc.
Features that are removed or deprecated in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

“Silicon Valley is engineering your phone, apps and social media to get you hooked, says a former Google product manager.”
Very interesting article. Unfortunately it is about a 60 Minutes TV show that you can only see if you subscribe. Nope.
Bottom line. Tech companies engineer their products to get you addicted, to fool you, to manipulate you.
“Look, never before in history have a handful of people at a handful of technology companies shaped how a billion people think and feel every day with the choices they make about these screens.”
The report is about a guy named Tristan Harris. He wrote a paper called How Technology is Hijacking Your Mind — from a Magician and Google Design Ethicist.
I highly suggest you read it. It took me about 10 minutes to read. I will probably re-read it later.