Messages

501

General Software Discussion / myWOT uninstall nightmare

« on: December 05, 2013, 08:55 PM »

myWOT is 'my Web of Trust'.
If you install it, you can use it to selectively block websites, and benefit from data of other myWOT users to block others as well.
IOW, it's a glorified whitelist/blacklist add-on.

After installing on both Firefox and Seamonkey, I eventually concluded I could do the job just as well myself, and decided to uninstall it.
No problem with Firefox; just go to add-ons, find it, click uninstall, done...or so I thought.

I couldn't find how to locate and uninstall it from Seamonkey, so I ran a keyword Google on how to do this, and came up with this post, warning me that myWOT is itself a reputed snake-in-the-grass about allowing itself to be uninstalled.
Worst, myWOT reputedly persists in tracking you after it is 'uninstalled'.

Here is a quote from that person's warning about not using myWOT:
"Dear MyWot, what you are doing is tracking users after they "opt-out". This is malicious behaviour to say the least... and sure a privacy threat, weakening Firefox's privacy.

Therefore people: be aware that you'll need to remove about 250+ entries from your "about:config" section... or even better: for a complete uninstall of the MyWot Addon... open the "prefs.js" file with notepad and remove ALL lines that include "weboftrust" AND "mywot". Be sure not to miss the 3 hash numbers. When you're done cleaning all that from your browser, open up your clean little Firefox and breathe fresh air again."

Okay, well, I'm guess I'm not breathing the 'fresh air' yet.
Because according to his report, myWOT really isn't 'uninstalled' from Firefox yet, and I have no idea where to even look to do so in Seamonkey.

Does anybody please have any suggestion how to find and uninstall myWOT from both Firefox and Seamonkey, and be sure it really will be totally uninstalled?

502

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: e-book how-to - looking for MS Word & etc.

« on: November 30, 2013, 07:23 PM »

I just retitled the thread to make it for e-books.
This thread can address the subject from the POV of donationcoder users.
But just to round out the discussion, here are a few places that also handle this subject.

http://www.kboards.com/ is an e-book forum for Kindle, which is the subsidiary of Amazon.com that handles do-it-yourself e-book uploads, and is free to join, and Amazon's Kindle is free to join & use.

http://www.guru.com/ is a go-between site where people who know how to do stuff can be hired by people who want stuff done, such as e-book prep, and guru oversees and moderates everything (think of an ebay for creative thinkers), and is free to join.

There are tutorials on youtube for how to prepare e-books, and you just have to sift through them because some are just come-ons to buy unposted how-to vids, while others are complete, open-post tutorials and free to watch.

I might mention that if you discover that someone has posted an unauthorized pirate copy of your book to Amazon.com, and is ripping your book, there is a way to deal with this.
Just contact Amazon's Legal Department, or...just contact Amazon's complaint department, and tell them the book is infringing on your rights.
Amazon's Legal Department will contact you, and ask you to clarify the problem in writing, and to show some kind of written proof you own the rights to your book.
So you would send Amazon a photocopy of your copyright certificate, and explain politely what your complaint is.
There may be a little more back and forth dialogue, but if you are patient and just keep answering Amazon's questions, they can decide to banish the infringing book from Amazon's entire global domain.
This won't get you 'damages', or extend beyond Amazon's domain, but within the huge Amazon domain, the infringing copy of your book will be shut down.
It may remain 'posted' on Amazon, but it will not be 'available', and you will have a clear field to sell your own book.
And if anyone else tries to infringe on you, just keep telling Amazon.
It's free, and you don't need a lawyer or Literary Attorney.
But you do need to have a Certificate of Copyright.
That song & dance that "Your rights are protected the moment you set pen to paper..." may be true, but get a Certificate anyways ASAP.
In fact, if you omitted getting a Certificate of Copyright and were infringed, just apply to the LOC (Library of Congress) for a Certificate anyways, as it might go through even if you end up having to explain that it's late.

Mailing a copy of your Work to yourself by Registered/Certified Mail as a poor-man's substitute for a Certificate of Copyright is a false idea so don't waste your time or money on it, just get a Certificate from the LOC.

Publishing through Amazon, using CreateSpace for 'real paper', or Kindle for e-book, you'll be given a free copyright and bar code number by Amazon, so you can either use that, or also file one separately with the LOC, and the wait for a Certificate to be mailed to you from the LOC for USPS 'real paper' submissions is 2 1/2 years (been there, done that, don't ask), whereas e-filing can be just a couple of months.

503

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: looking for MS Word

« on: November 28, 2013, 10:32 PM »

update- Okay, picked one up from Amazon for about $9.98 grand total, and I'll be happy to report on the outcome when it arrives in a few days. Tnx.

-bit (November 28, 2013, 11:43 AM)

Good.
I was just going to say that it might be worth starting a new thread asking specifically about e-book creation. Hopefully Word can do that...

-tomos (November 28, 2013, 02:03 PM)

That's a nice idea. Maybe once an e-book thread starts, the link could be posted here to give a little continuity.
My main problem is that pure white screens burn my eyes out, which would be the retinas I suppose.
That's why I'm such a big fan of DimScreen; 'better a DimScreen than a dim brain'.

504

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: looking for MS Word

« on: November 28, 2013, 11:43 AM »

I presume that older versions of Word will not be able to open the docx files created by the newest versions

-tomos (November 26, 2013, 01:44 AM)

This is not a problem. The MS Office Compatibility Pack enables older versions of Word to open the newer docx format. Likewise for Excel and Powerpoint. I've used it many times myself in Word 2003. Download from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3

-Scott_Y (November 28, 2013, 08:17 AM)

MS Word 2003 isn't as cheap as I thought. The ebay seller wants $30 for the product, but then I discovered it's gimmicked with $30 for shipping. I'm not quite ready to spring that much for it. Tnx just the same. :)

update- Found a nice deal here on Amazon for $4.91 used + $3.99 s/h, but not sure if it will demand to 'phone home' and make me prove if I'm a student or something which I'm not.
However one reviewer seems to say it works for him/her just fine while implying they're not a student, and it self-activated and did not have to be authenticated by a key.

update- Okay, picked one up from Amazon for about $9.98 grand total, and I'll be happy to report on the outcome when it arrives in a few days. Tnx.

505

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: looking for MS Word

« on: November 28, 2013, 05:04 AM »

Compatability is not generally a problem. But you never know. Depends on what you're doing and how fussy you are.
I'd try a free suite first, you'll probably be fine with it.

Another aspect:
I presume that older versions of Word will not be able to open the docx files created by the newest versions - you'd be better off with LibreOffice from that POV (I presume AbiWord can handle them too - not sure about Softmaker's free version though).

-tomos (November 26, 2013, 01:44 AM)

Well, I need to create an e-text for a project, complete with clickable dynamic Table of Contents, suitable for upload to Kindle.
Tried ePubIt, which seemed unable to do the job.
InfoHesivePE won't work, due to this issue.
...in which its own creators say it can't make a TOC, and is no longer supported by bug fix updates.
They say to use MobiPocket Creator, but I tried that and could not figure out heads or tails of it.

Supposedly MS Word can do it, but MS Word 2007 is about $180 on ebay, and I'm not a student or employee for the $10 version.
I see MS Word 2003 is a lot cheaper on ebay, but you say it may not be able to open the docx files created by the newest versions.

The text file and TOC is all written up and laid out in simple text format, and just needs that clickable TOC with some kind of anchors, or bookmarks, or hyperlinks, or whatever it is, and then to figure out how to do the Kindle sidebar TOC as well.

506

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: spring cleaning

« on: November 27, 2013, 02:25 PM »

okay, hamradio gets the wacom tablet.

-nudone (July 05, 2006, 10:59 AM)

hamradio might like this ham radio.

507

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 11 screen stretches like taffy

« on: November 27, 2013, 12:47 PM »

hi bit,
can you edit the first post, and change the title to IE11 screen...
thanks :)
Tom

-tomos (November 27, 2013, 02:22 AM)

Got it. As of this posting, there have been approximately 390 souls who clicked in, hoping to see an example of a real screen that stretches like taffy.
If anyone has one of those, please add your valuable contribution to this peculiar Scientific anomaly.
One way to artificially replicate this phenomenon is to press 'Print Screen' key, then print out the image, then mash a glob of Silly Putty onto it, peel it off, then stretch the putty.

Actually, this was a clever demonstration of Finagle's (or Murphy's) Law, that malfuntioning apparatus will work perfectly when you try to demonstrate the problem to others.
The above examples demonstrate this Law near-perfectly. :)

(edit) found this...

If you go to the above page, and scroll down...((no wait!!))
Ack! Too late, the dread 'taffy screen of death' -TSOD- strikes again...

Rod Serling just appeared on my screen and asks if he can use the 'taffy screen' in his next episode of Twilight Zone.

Microsoft wants to patent it...correction, they say they will either brick my OS or sue me for unauthorized use of the 'taffy feature' if I don't stop using it without providing a certified Microsoft 'Product Key'...

...how about a 'taffy key' made of real taffy?
...No? How about a silly putty copy of a Microsoft Product Key...suitably stretched?

Actually, I just discovered the web site I got the test circle from was made by unintentional access to an MK-Ultra site, and....will you stop staring like that???

508

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 11 screen stretches like taffy

« on: November 27, 2013, 12:59 AM »

And now it's not doing it.
So I'll have to try back, and when it does it, I'll post. Tnx.

509

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 11 screen stretches like taffy

« on: November 27, 2013, 12:57 AM »

Next, a test circle, and then give me a few days until I can get the problem to reappear and I'll show what happens to the same circle.
So here goes...

510

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 11 screen stretches like taffy

« on: November 27, 2013, 12:54 AM »

Same shot, after scrolling, this time it compressed vertically...

511

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 11 screen stretches like taffy

« on: November 27, 2013, 12:45 AM »

Let's try this...

512

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: looking for MS Word freebie

« on: November 25, 2013, 09:59 PM »

So...I wonder what the earlier version was, that the customer liked so much.

-bit (November 25, 2013, 05:49 PM)

Most likely a version prior to Office 2007 which introduced the "ribbon interface" many people don't like. If I had to guess, it was probably Word 2003 he had.

-40hz (November 25, 2013, 06:20 PM)

My eyes can't take white screens, and I've posted elsewhere how insanely in love I am with DimScreen.
Found MS Word 2003 on ebay for $30.

Would there be an 'Office' version that includes MS Word 2003 that I should think about instead, or is that more headaches than it's worth?
I don't want to spend a lot on this, and I really only need a word processor, not a Suite.

Yeah, here's MS Office Pro 2003 for two offers and great prices; First offer $20.50, Second offer $34.99.

If it doesn't goof me up somehow, maybe the Office version includes MS Word 2003 and is a better package deal, you think?
There's usually more to these deals than meets the eye, is why I'm running this past everybody here in case someone has a head's-up for me I'm not aware of.

513

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: looking for MS Word freebie

« on: November 25, 2013, 05:49 PM »

I would be happy to oblige and go for a cheaper alternate, but someone I'm working with uses MS Word.
Okay, at this link;
MS Word 2013

...Customer Review by... By Steven K. Hovland
Platform for Display:PC Download
They've done it again. Screwed around with the interface for no good reason, made it hard to read and hard to use. You can't find the settings to get rid of the pale pastel print that is a usability nightmare. I'm going to download a trial of Word Perfect. We don't like the mail program that comes with Windows 8, and I'm absolutely not going to pay for 2013 Outlook on the assumption that it will have the same problems. We're presently trying Mozilla Thunderbird for email. I bought the key from one of the office places.

After several calls and emails, this is MS's response:

"I have tried to contact you over the phone but I was unable to talk to you and have left couple of voicemails. As you have mentioned that you and your wife didn't like the user interface of Word 2013. I respect your feedback but this was an attempt to make it more user friendly. Changes made in this version include a sleek appearance that reflects the look of Windows 8, functional improvements, and tie-ins to SharePoint and SkyDrive for storing documents online. In addition, the various components of Office Web Apps improve productivity in the cloud.

In keeping with the Modern style interface that you see in Windows 8, Office 2013 is getting a new look. Gone are the multiple shades of color that decorated the older interface, as well as the shadows and shading that suggested three dimensions. Instead, everything is minimalist, flat, and stark--mimicking the tiles on the Windows 8 start screen. The idea is that the new look will help you focus on your work rather than being distracted by the objects decorating your screen. This redesign have achieved the goal --most of the customers liked the crisper look."
..........

So...I wonder what the earlier version was, that the customer liked so much.
Being an older version, it would hopefully be cheaper, maybe on ebay.

514

Found Deals and Discounts / e-book how-to - looking for MS Word & etc.

« on: November 25, 2013, 04:06 AM »

Are older versions of MS Word available as legal free downloads?
If so, where can I find a legit MS Word download freebie from a safe site?
Tnx.

515

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 11 screen stretches like taffy

« on: November 24, 2013, 11:57 PM »

What I mean is, it distorts vertically as if someone put a tack into the top of the screen, so that as you try to scroll downwards, it just stretches.
It's about as if you did a printout onto a sheet of rubber, and stretched it vertically.
And wouldn't you know, after seeming to do it every time, now it's not doing it so I can take a screen shot.
I'll have to wait until it does it again to do that, and I don't normally use IE because the other browsers seem so much nicer somehow.
Tnx.

516

General Software Discussion / IE 11 screen stretches instead of scrolls

« on: November 24, 2013, 07:25 PM »

It doesn't scroll, it acts like a big sheet of taffy.

517

General Software Discussion / Re: CryptoLocker and CryptoPrevent

« on: November 24, 2013, 05:34 PM »

Also, if you send the spoof email to your  financial  institution's fraud department, extract and send the full headers as well.
They're not normally sent if you just forward the email and they may help track down the phisher.

-4wd (November 24, 2013, 04:50 PM)

I see your signature reads 'Four wheel drive: Helping you get stuck faster, harder, further from help....
Just as a quickie post in an aside, here's a fix-a-flat idea for you that might amaze a few people (like it did for me).  

518

General Software Discussion / Re: CryptoLocker and CryptoPrevent

« on: November 24, 2013, 05:28 PM »

Actually what clued me in that the spoof phishing Paypal attack was bogus, is that nobody gets my actual email address.
I have a paid subscription to www.Sneakemail.com which allows me to create a unique email address for each new contact.
They only see that, not my real email address.
Sneakemail then forwards all contacts to my actual email address, which is set up using a Desktop web browser email software program.
And I can click on reply, and back it goes to Sneakemail which forwards it back to them, still hiding my 'core email address'.

When the Paypal phishing attack came in, it was from one of my other Sneakemail contacts, IOW; not from Paypal.
So I was immediately made aware that I was getting a supposed Paypal contact from a different party, who was not Paypal.
I don't like admitting this, but the truth is, if it wasn't for Sneakemail, I might have fallen for it before, although by now I'm much more aware of the danger.

Anyways, a second spoof Paypal phishing attack email came, and I set a 'rule' at Sneakemail to block anything from that email address containing 'Paypal' in the text body.
That stopped the phishing attacks, but then they started trying to sell me designer handbags and shoes from the same email address.
This was supposedly from the email address of someone who was a friendly acquaintance, but who was obviously not the person actually doing it.
So then I created a new Sneakemail contact for the person from whom the 'spoof Paypal phishing attack' supposedly originated, and deleted the old one, and that stopped.

However, I actually have received spam emails from Paypal, offering 'sale prices' to sell me designer shopping bags, shoes, and so on.
I have no idea how or why this happens, or if Paypal encourages it, or what.
But I set a new Sneakemail contact email address for Paypal, and reported the spam to Paypal, then deleted the old one, and that problem went away.
And in that case, Paypal did not confirm a phishing attack.

My 'core email address', my 'real one', remains free of further spoofs or phishing attacks.
And if they want to play more games, Sneakemail gives me what I need to deal with it.
The only thing Sneakemail can't do is add attachments directly; for that, you just send a quickie email to whoever asking them to reply back, then you add the attachment in your reply to them.

519

General Software Discussion / Re: CryptoLocker and CryptoPrevent

« on: November 24, 2013, 02:48 AM »

I just got the paid version of CryptoPrevent.

By the way, here's a head's-up on an attempted phishing attack.
I recently received an expertly-presented email spoofing Paypal, with perfectly imitated graphics-intensive letterhead just like Paypal, and full of hyperlinks to various sub-departments.
It said my account had encountered suspicious activity, a 'Paypal Identity Issue', with case serial number, and that my access to Paypal was being restricted until I could clear this up.
I was then instructed to reply to the email, and give my correct user name, password, credit card and bank info, mother's maiden name, and a host of other critical details.
It was a disaster-in-the-making, a rat trap waiting to be sprung by me, the unsuspecting target.
I did NOT click on any links in the email, but instead went to my browser and logged into Paypal with no problem whatsoever.
Curiously, I was still 'in denial' and trying to convince myself that this was actually happening.
I found Paypal's email address for reporting 'spoofs', which is appropriately named <[email protected]> and forwarded the email, and a second one sent to me by the scam artists as a 'reminder'.
Paypal sent back a notice a day later that it was indeed a phishing attempt.
That @#$&* phishing email looked exactly like a Paypal graphics letterhead, so authentic it was amazing.
So beware and be aware, "they're out there".
Reminder: Paypal will never ask you for your critical info like credit card number, bank account number, your mother's maiden name, Paypal log-in password and so on, by email.
If they do, they ain't Paypal and it's probably a phishing rat-trap waiting for you to spring it on yourself.

520

General Software Discussion / Re: How do you delete accounts you did not sign up for?

« on: November 22, 2013, 02:30 AM »

Maybe try this:
Just Delete Me

521

General Software Discussion / Re: CryptoLocker and CryptoPrevent

« on: November 21, 2013, 11:41 PM »

Thank you everyone.
Do I have to get the paid version of HitmanPro?
I think it was 39 Euros per year.
Or is the HitmanPro.Alert with Cryptoguard free?
If free, I wonder if it will run updates.

Or should I just get CryptoPrevent for $15 ($10 off reg. $25) one-time fee.

I just got Malwarebytes.

I already have Norton 360 Premier Edition, but couldn't get confirmation that it protects against CryptoLocker.

522

General Software Discussion / Re: CryptoLocker and CryptoPrevent

« on: November 19, 2013, 09:04 PM »

Is this CryptoPrevent safe -and advisable- from this source?

523

Mini-Reviews by Members / water-soaked electronics solutions

« on: September 27, 2013, 10:28 AM »

If you accidentally spill water on your mobile device and it goes dead, there are several ways to deal with the problem.
First, here's an article citing the use of a bag of rice.
It also cites using a special absorbent packet called Bheestie Revive pack, which at $18 a whack seems expensive, but can possibly absorb the water from your device.

I wanted to mention my own method, used on non-waterproof but only 'water-resistant' watches.
Every time I get a bottle of vitamin supplements that contains a little pack of gel absorbant, I save it in a zip-lock baggie.
Over time, I end up with quite a few of these.
Interestingly, once they've absorbed their allotment of moisture, they can be revived.
Just put them on a tray in the oven and bake them at a low heat for a few hours.
With this method they can be reused all over again an unlimited number of times.

Last but not least, if you limit yourself to drinking only purified water, pure H2O doesn't conduct electricity, so if you spill some of that on your device there's a chance it won't short it out, unless the water picks up impurities inside the device itself (which admittedly is possible), and you can just let it air out with a fan (not a heater) aimed at it for a few hours or a day or two, or use the above method.

524

General Software Discussion / Re: nauseating problem seeking creative solution?

« on: September 18, 2013, 02:11 AM »

...

525

General Software Discussion / Re: nauseating problem seeking creative solution?

« on: September 16, 2013, 10:55 PM »

...