# The destruction of the internet



## Harry Chickpea

This is not a complaint about the homesteadingtoday.com website or authors, but a reminder about how the de-evolution of the internet as it "upgrades" *loses* viewers.

A couple of weeks ago I completely "pulled the plug" completely on the CNN.COM website. It used to be a quick place I could regularly examine headlines and delve into content. No more. The load times (especially when satellite feed has to look up the various ad referrers and outside trackers and snakes in the grass) have become too long. For me, that site is as effectively gone as if it had been defunded.

My android tablet has become increasingly worthless for web access unless I resort to using a proxy server that strips the scripts and some of the bloat. It is NOT my fault. It is NOT the fault of the tablet. It IS the fault and responsibility of website managers who are too involved with trying to keep up with their peers and completely forgetting to worry about their viewers and users.

The "Time" website dropped out months ago as anything readable. I could list dozens more.

Much of the internet has become a frustrating experience, where I literally feel like I am walking in a minefield, using No-script and Ad-block as shields and probing sticks, carefully allowing a limited number of the requests to run scripts or show content to run without blasting my monthly usage allowance or accidentally downloading some program/toolbar/malware that I don't want.

*It isn't just me.* I just got off a support chat with Exede, my ISP, and *it* is working on resolving issues that are causing errors even trying to serve its customers. Bandwidth is getting wasted on a major scale and everyone considers it acceptable, even though many of the ads and scripts have all the manners of a two-year old spoiled brat throwing a tantrum and throwing up vomit in every home he goes to.

When manners are THAT bad, I am going to respond. When the standard protocol is to place a visual fence in front of content with the sole purpose of forcing viewers into strict compliance of actions to please advertisers and corporate interests, I am not happy. Rather than respond by stating my (rather strong) feelings about the transgressor, I am going to loudly applaud those who show a method around such rudeness. 

When my bank changed the online banking provider for the third or fourth time, requiring yet another reading of a TOS statement as long as Atlas Shrugged, I balked and dropped out. Last time I was in the bank it was suggested to me that I use online banking. I smiled and stated :umno:that it was no longer worth it to me.

One thing I know from having a successful business for years, and having dealt with the public for years before that. If you don't take the moans and groans of customers seriously, you won't need to in the future. A _lot_ of webmasters need to learn that lesson. I can only hope that HT doesn't see CNN or Time or other bloatware sites as shining examples of great web presence.


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## mnn2501

So my question would be: Without the advertisers, who will pay for the news and information? Its not free you know. Are you willing to Pay per view or subscribe?


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## arabian knight

The problem is that the ever increasing speeds that are enjoyed by the major cable and and telephone companies are getting the foothold so the smaller satellite service providers just can't compete with such speed.
Most cable speeds are now up around 50 Kbps so they have no problem with webpages that are filled up with all sorts of things that run automatically when opened.
Even DSL has now gotten much faster as well, if I wanted tp pay more I could also enjoy speeds of around 20Mbps. I am at 10 now, so I have no problem even being in the country and getting DSL that fast.
No throttling, no time limits, no limits of any kind. 

And that is now the majority of the users these days. Just like dialup is going away so is the slower speed carriers, the heck with the few percent that can't run faster.
Same thing happen just a few years ago with the jump into Digital TV. The few that could not anymore get channels Too Bad So Sad. Same thing I am afraid is happening now to the few that can't get cable of the major telephone companies, that can now get very high speed broadband usage.
As more and more sites put more and more content on their webpages.
And now with all this new streaming that is coming of age in the way of Google Stick, Amazon Fire, And by far the best in value thew Roku Streaming Stick that all you do is stick it in the HDMI plug in the tv and 1,000's of channels are available to view.
And now some new TV's have the Roku streaming already built in. That is now the future of the internet and the Very High Speeds which are now for Streaming movies TV shows, and things like that. Not so much anymore for getting around the net.

Times are a changing for how the majority are using the high speeds in internet usage and it isn't much anymore for browsing the net~!


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## arabian knight

mnn2501 said:


> So my question would be: Without the advertisers, who will pay for the news and information? Its not free you know. Are you willing to Pay per view or subscribe?


 That is very true you either put up with ads or you WILL be paying for services. There is not hidden the fact it is expensive and ads pay the way or people will pay one way or the other. Pay in putting up with ads or paying out of pocket. 
The writing was on the wall years ago when so many free sites went bye bye, and they are now pay to use them through Subscription services.


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## clovis

HC-

I know nothing about computers, but am struggling too. I used to visit several websites, all of which are so slow to load that it isn't worth it any more.


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## arabian knight

clovis said:


> HC-
> 
> I know nothing about computers, but am struggling too. I used to visit several websites, all of which are so slow to load that it isn't worth it any more.


 You see what is taking place now is a switch over to Tablets. Not computers.
These tablets now days have a lot of power. Ans with the Cloud services now coming on line so many are not saving anything on their Tablets of even small lap tops. Everything is going to the Clouds. LOL

I can start a E Mail letter on my iPad and finish it on my iMac things like that are now being integrated all together. Same thing goes for iPhones start something on them finish on iPad. Get phones calls now on some new tablets. It rings on them and you answer using the iPhone something like that. LOL

I guess coming in the next few months even the iPads will go big. Like a new 12 inch iPad which is about the same size is the 11.5 MacBook Air.
All sorts of Tablets going to be the IN thing now not so much desktops.
And now with TV being internet ready my Dad just got a new HDTV and is WiFi to do all sorts of things around the net without the use of any computer.

I bought a Add On Box for my Directv that makes my older HDTV sort of a smart one now. I watch Youtubes now on that instead of on my iMac. LOL 
But again all of this is for high speed unregulated internet use. Unlike what the satellite internet folks are doing.


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## sniper69

clovis said:


> HC-
> 
> I know nothing about computers, but am struggling too. I used to visit several websites, all of which are so slow to load that it isn't worth it any more.


clovis - I've found ghostery (an add-on for firefox) to be a big help in getting sites to load up the way I think they should load.  Another option is to use the Opera browser - I find things load faster in that (opera has a turbo mode too).


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## Ziptie

I agree with the op. On my tablet is is getting impossible to browse the web ..everything is sooo slow to load. They can still do advertising, but I don't need all these videos automatically running or movable graphics.

Another problem I am having is chrome on my main computer wants me to long into an account to save my bookmarks on my Google profile. I don't want to so now every time I try to run chrome on my desktop computer my bookmarks are gone. :hair I keep loading them back on and then they are gone again. I am about to go back to internet explorer.:walk:


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## arabian knight

Well don't do Chrome then. Do say Firefox. I have two I use, my Main one is Safari, (iMac), but Safari has problems when it comes to Yahoo message boards.
SO I then open up Firefox of which I have already Imported my bookmarks from Safari and everything is there for me to use, and bingo I can post on the Yahoo message boards.


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## arabian knight

I have played around with my iPad surfing the net. It is not as fast as the iMac but i have watched videos on it. But I didn't buy the higher end one with a faster chip in it.
But it does load but it takes time switching from one website to another. But the sites load slower but play videos, or those news clips the same. 
I have not used it yet with the cellular portion, as I only have the WiFi part activated at this time and use it only at home and at WiFi hot spots. LOL
SO I can't say how fast or slow it is while using it on the Verizon's Cellular part of the iPad.


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## HermitJohn

mnn2501 said:


> So my question would be: Without the advertisers, who will pay for the news and information? Its not free you know. Are you willing to Pay per view or subscribe?


There is a big difference between an advertiser that buys a static image ad on a webpage in order to sell a product or service, and the companies that track you secretly and sell your data to highest bidder. 

If you want to sell your soul and privacy for a "free" read, go for it. 

You are also making a grand canyon size assumption that this extra profit is necessary to the survival of the website. How about these poor destitute buisinesses open their books and show that they need this income to survive and that its just not an ENHANCEMENT to income? I am not convinced that tracking visitors and collecting data on them is necessary for website survival. Its first and foremost just plain old greed.

I also suspect even those buisinesses that do charge an access fee, also sell their customers privacy for yet more profit from the data trackerst. Greed knows no bounds.

Or perhaps suggest that these buisinesses that cant run a clean legit buisiness that respects their customer's privacy on web, just stay off the web and peddle their papers on the street?


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## arabian knight

The net has changed, the way people access the net has changed, and the way folks use the net has changed over time. 
And as far as this tracking goes even on my iPad I can Limit Ad Tracking, not stop it but surely limit to be just minimal.
Advertising is a huge part of what has changed.
On Line Ordering has taken off big time, and companies know that and so do their advertisers.
On Line Ordering has bene a huge part in why many Big Stores even big ones like Best Buy, to Sears to try eK-Marts of the world are in a world of hurt.
Get a app for that and you can order about anything from having your groceries delivered to your house to having a Pizza truck outside your house.
That is what people want and the net and advertisers have followed suit.

The net is a far cry from what it was even 5 years ago. You either have to roll with it or get left out like some have when TV Signals went from Analog to Digital. For better or for worse everything changes and the net will not stay like it was either, but move to what the majority wants and uses.
And tracking is the least of want the majority worry about. I intact like the fact when I go back to Amazon to order something. Hear That Order something. LOL
I like the fact that on top it says Welcome Back S....... and there is my name on the site. And all my history of what I ordered and now If I want to order something all I click is One Button and BINGO everything is own as all my info has been previously saved.
One Click Does it. That is what the majority now wants and they are getting it too.


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## Bellyman

I hear ya loud and clear, Harry C.!!

There are a lot of websites that are total data hogs. 

This month found me in a limited bandwidth situation. Sometimes we just don't have 2GB of data to burn through every hour we're online. 

Some sites really are way worse than others. What helped me were several things. First was a data usage monitor app on my computer. I can see very quickly when the data has started to flood away. Another was turning off all of the automatic updates. I'll do them but I want to know when and how big. Another thing was that I have multiple browsers on my computer. I stripped down Internet Explorer so that it couldn't play any video, audio, java, show any pictures, I forget what all, but it got neutered. Some sites weren't bad and I was able to use HT and some other forums pretty well. Other sites like weather.com really didn't work at all. But for those, I could pull up fully functional versions of Chrome or Firefox... and watch the data fly.

As much as viewing stuff online with a tiny smartphone is a pain, I do find I use less data on it than I do visiting the same sites on the computer. 

Limited bandwidth definitely affects how I use the internet too. You're not alone Harry!


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## mnn2501

HermitJohn said:


> How about these poor destitute buisinesses open their books and show that they need this income to survive and that its just not an ENHANCEMENT to income?


If you don't want them to track, then turn off your cookies - its about a 5 second process. Add an Ad-blocker to your browser(s) and you're almost home free
I have 1 login id and password I use for all the sites that make you log in no matter what they are [I use a separate one for all the sites I really care about (bank, bill pay, etc)], and one junk email address (a free gmail one) I use for all the sign-on's requiring one that I never access -- let the junk mail go there, I don't care I never look at it.

And businesses are in business to make money - period.

Frankly I think you're making a big deal out of something you have complete control over.


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## HermitJohn

mnn2501 said:


> If you don't want them to track, then turn off your cookies - its about a 5 second process. Add an Ad-blocker to your browser(s) and you're almost home free
> I have 1 login id and password I use for all the sites that make you log in no matter what they are [I use a separate one for all the sites I really care about (bank, bill pay, etc)], and one junk email address (a free gmail one) I use for all the sign-on's requiring one that I never access -- let the junk mail go there, I don't care I never look at it.
> 
> And businesses are in business to make money - period.
> 
> Frankly I think you're making a big deal out of something you have complete control over.


It used to be that simple in 1999. It aint anymore. YOU are being tracked by far more than cookies. And this data is used for far more than increasing your junk email. I would suggest you educate yourself about current web security, but thats your call. 

Money making by invading others privacy should be made illegal and data collection companies outlawed. Some things are not morally whitewashed just by claiming its a way to make a profit. I am sure the Mexican drug cartels make a hansom profit doing what they do, doesnt make it morally right.


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## Nevada

HermitJohn said:


> It used to be that simple in 1999. It aint anymore. YOU are being tracked by far more than cookies.


Yes, but you're only allowing cookies for your own convenience. You choose to do that, but you could also choose to not do it. Mnn2501 is correct, this is an issue you have complete control over.

There are security issues that users have no control over, such as the spying features of Ubuntu, which upsets so many open source advocates. But you have a great deal of control over how your browser operates.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP8CNp-vksc[/ame]


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## arabian knight

Good thing I have a very good ISP I stop ALL junk mail at their servers and I never ever see them in my inbox. This tracking is not as bad some seem to think. My goodness once you sorta driving around in just about ANY city you are being Looked at by cameras. What is this fever about being tracked on the net of which nobody can see you nobody knows what you look like unless you have posted pics that is of yourself. LOL
It just is not even on my radar to lose so much sleep from wondering what company my index track me.
Once you get into the habit of clearing cookies out I make sure I keep the ones like for this site and others that I don't want to keep putting logging in. Clear those out that you don't want. Clean the cache out clear history at times In fact I just did that on my computer that is everybody's responsibility to keep their computers as clean from unwanted stuff as you can. I get not ONE Piece of Junk Mail in my inbox. Maybe Once in a great while one will sneak through but that is far and in-between.

And they now track your IP Number.~! And by golly unless you really want to be hidden and I don;t but their are programs and how to do this.
But even on You-tubes I now get ads from my local area before the video plays. LOL
Even if I go to the Live Webcam that looks at Time-square I sometimes get Local Ads~!
This is being done because as ALWAYS every since a person started on the Net You ARE BEING SEEN and there is not much at all that one can do to stop, other than staying off.

I remember WAY back in the late 90's when I got my very first home PC, running Windows 85, as soon as I got up on the net, Microsoft had a Pop Up Message saying this: 

"ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS? You can be seen."

The Internet never ever was private~! And never will be.
It is not like sending a letter to a friend via the post office~!
Well if you want to you CAN encrypt the E Mail message BUT the person on the other end has to have the program to decrypt it to read it.

Some browsers are better then others when it comes to if a person wants to hide a you. But the great majority don't want to be bothered by such stuff as that, nor do they lose any sleep over such things either.


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## arabian knight

Nevada said:


> Yes, but you're only allowing cookies for your own convenience. You choose to do that, but you could also choose to not do it. Mnn2501 is correct, this is an issue you have complete control over.


I have this to use I have never used it but for those that don't want stuff coming into and staying in their cookies this is a good thing.
*Private Browsing Enabled
Safari will keep your browsing private for all tabs in this window.
Safari won&#8217;t remember the pages you visit, your history, or your autofill.*
And this goes back to you do have some control over just what is put on your PC from websites etc.

Now that is all fine and good but that doesn't say your IP address won't be kept by the sites you visit. LOL Just the info is not stored on your computer from THEIR sites.


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## mnn2501

HermitJohn said:


> It used to be that simple in 1999. It aint anymore. YOU are being tracked by far more than cookies. And this data is used for far more than increasing your junk email. I would suggest you educate yourself about current web security, but thats your call.


Gee, its just what I do for a living.
Y'all are making a mountain out of a molehill.


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## mnn2501

arabian knight said:


> I have this to use I have never used it but for those that don't want stuff coming into and staying in their cookies this is a good thing.
> *Private Browsing Enabled
> *


*

IE has the same thing.
In addition use 'duck duck go' for your search engine - no tracking whatsoever.*


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## arabian knight

mnn2501 said:


> IE has the same thing.
> In addition use *'duck duck go'* for your search engine - no tracking whatsoever.


 Yes I have that in my bookmarks. Good thing to use.


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## partndn

I wish I could "like" Harry's post a hundred times or more.

I ain't buyin the "who would pay for it" stuff either.

No excuse for those moving windows and the videos that auto play. :hair

Even HT has one now that is so annoying, I can't hardly see the page come up before I'm tryin to outrun that stupid thing and cussin before I can log in for pete's sake.


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## arabian knight

After you X it off,, you then go and sign in and its gone. As I never sign off I don't see it. I had to sign out to see what people were talking about.


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## mnn2501

partndn said:


> I wish I could "like" Harry's post a hundred times or more.
> 
> I ain't buyin the "who would pay for it" stuff either.
> 
> No excuse for those moving windows and the videos that auto play. :hair
> 
> Even HT has one now that is so annoying, I can't hardly see the page come up before I'm tryin to outrun that stupid thing and cussin before I can log in for pete's sake.


Once again, you control this completely. I've never seen a video ad on HT.

It sounds to me like some people need to take some advanced computer classes specializing in security and settings.


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## unregistered358967

arabian knight said:


> Yes I have that in my bookmarks. Good thing to use.


That's all I use. Google can bite me. 

Google Now learns even more about your likes, habits, and activities | PandoDaily: http://pando.com/2015/01/30/google-now-learns-even-more-about-your-likes-habits-and-activities/

via DuckDuckGo for iOS


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## arabian knight

2dogs-mom said:


> That's all I use. Google can bite me.
> 
> Google Now learns even more about your likes, habits, and activities | PandoDaily: http://pando.com/2015/01/30/google-now-learns-even-more-about-your-likes-habits-and-activities/
> 
> via DuckDuckGo for iOS


Well I do use Google a lot, and I have a account on for Youtube as well that is owned by Google but I am getting ready to put up a video of my interview on TV that I had years ago about my housebroke horse. LOL I was interviewed at a horse show. That was so neat.


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## Nevada

2dogs-mom said:


> That's all I use. Google can bite me.
> 
> Google Now learns even more about your likes, habits, and activities | PandoDaily: http://pando.com/2015/01/30/google-now-learns-even-more-about-your-likes-habits-and-activities/


Maybe so, but I haven't had a phone bill for 5 years because I use a Obihai phone adapter and Google Voice for my home phone service. Free phone service, including a local Las Vegas number, with unlimited calling all over the USA & Canada is a pretty sweet deal.

Sure, they can track my browsing habits. They've paid for it.


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## Shrek

56k dial up since 1997 and its still good enough and cheap enough for me


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## arabian knight

Here is what is wrong with the internet in the USA.

We have the slowest speeds in the WORLD *ranked 30th.*
The US is so far behind the rest of the world. And who's fault is that The FCC's that is who. Get the government out of things.
We need to have High Speed Broadband and that is what is connected the world. But nope if you look at this picture. You will see the US is Blue and the average speed really is 12 Mbps way way way behind he rest of the World~! That IS WHY so many things seem to load slow because of how the net is in the USA compared he the rest of the world. And companies and Websites have got their sites accordingly. The USA IS Falling Way behind 
and people are ticked at the NET. 
No be ticked at where it really counts THE GOVERNMENT.










> So these data likely overstate average broadband speeds somewhat &#8212; other measures, for example, peg the average *US broadband speed at more like 12 Mbps *than 24.


 And I am just about at that speed myself at 10 Mbps
What a disgrace the US has become even in the realm of internet broadband speeds because of government regulations.
And because the Net is the WWW WORLD WIDE WEB websites have responded to what is happening in the WORLD and now people in the US are ticked off at the internet because it is so slow well it is NOT the Internets fault or Websites fault, they are stepping things up for the Rest of the World leaving the USA in the dust. Even Canada has faster speeds. The US should be hanging heads in shame The Government that is. LOL


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## HermitJohn

mnn2501 said:


> Gee, its just what I do for a living.
> Y'all are making a mountain out of a molehill.





mnn2501 said:


> Gee, its just what I do for a living.
> Y'all are making a mountain out of a molehill.


Lets see.... you now claim to be a web expert, but you also posted you think using a single easy to guess password on all accounts is a good idea. Easy as abc123.... yeah! And that all potentially harmful background scripts can be blocked in ten seconds without loss of browser functionality. And that big companies collecting data on you to resell is harmless.

Ok if you say so, cause I for sure believe everything everybody tells me on the web, especially anonymous people claiming to be experts. Nobody would ever have bad intent towards me on  the web. Maybe I should start using my social security number along with my mothers maiden name to publically identify myself on the web???? Oh heck everybody is honest as day is long, perhaps I should throw in my bank account number??


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## unregistered358967

arabian knight said:


> Well I do use Google a lot, and I have a account on for Youtube as well that is owned by Google but I am getting ready to put up a video of my interview on TV that I had years ago about my housebroke horse. LOL I was interviewed at a horse show. That was so neat.


That's cool. . Yep, one of the reasons I stopped using anything Google related was the automatic tie in to YouTube. I just feel Google has gotten way too big so I decided to exit stage right.


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## arabian knight

When ordering things on the net and they need a CC card just MAKE sure it IS a Secured site that is all. How many Billions now use the net for just that. And you hear about some hacker, but you don't hear that BILLIONS have had their stuff stolen have you a few yes have, but look at the big picture and how many Around the World use the net for such transactions and tiny tiny tiny few have ever had stuff stone and bad things that have come from it. The odds are in favor of the internet user as to how many have actually had bad things happen.
Now with all this new buying places that all you do is hold your iPhone up to a sensor and bingo the payment is made. I am talking about Apple Pay and others like it. That ALL goes over the net on secured lines.
Heck it is no different then when ANY Store swipes your CC or Bankcard or you do it yourself at the check out stand it goes up on the net through telephone lines and look how long that has been happening. And tons of people don't even bat an eye at that. LOL
Pay by check how many have seen that check go through and being swiped at the cash register? Same thing that transaction goes electronically UP and Over the phones lines ( The Internet) to the bank.


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## HermitJohn

Shrek said:


> 56k dial up since 1997 and its still good enough and cheap enough for me


You for sure have lot more patience than me. I finally had to give up using only dialup last spring and I held out long as I could since satellite and metered mobile broadband were my only other options. No DSL or cable out my way. I could toggle off images, block background scripts, and it was still slow as molasses on most websites. There are still some non-profit backwater sites that are livable with dialup. And pop3 email minus any attachments will work reasonably well. But sites such as banks and such insist on using every novelty eye candy slow down that they can find, and dont know about you but repeatedly reloading such sites (browser times out) for 45 minutes just to get to my account isnt good use of my time.

I will say dialup did have benefit of keeping me from spending too much time online. It was just too painful.


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## arabian knight

Ya that is for sure. Dialup at 56 and that is not what you really are connecting at it is more like 49 to 52 at the highest~! And may not even be that high anymore I know many times when I had it back in the very early 2000's I sometimes would not even make it to 30K
But I sure like the it now even if the USA is the slowest speeds in the world I am at 10Mbps


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## sniper69

arabian knight said:


> Here is what is wrong with the internet in the USA.
> 
> We have the slowest speeds in the WORLD *ranked 30th.*
> The US is so far behind the rest of the world. And who's fault is that The FCC's that is who. Get the government out of things.
> We need to have High Speed Broadband and that is what is connected the world. But nope if you look at this picture. You will see the US is Blue and the average speed really is 12 Mbps way way way behind he rest of the World~! That IS WHY so many things seem to load slow because of how the net is in the USA compared he the rest of the world. And companies and Websites have got their sites accordingly. The USA IS Falling Way behind
> and people are ticked at the NET.
> No be ticked at where it really counts THE GOVERNMENT.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And I am just about at that speed myself at 10 Mbps
> What a disgrace the US has become even in the realm of internet broadband speeds because of government regulations.
> And because the Net is the WWW WORLD WIDE WEB websites have responded to what is happening in the WORLD and now people in the US are ticked off at the internet because it is so slow well it is NOT the Internets fault or Websites fault, they are stepping things up for the Rest of the World leaving the USA in the dust. Even Canada has faster speeds. The US should be hanging heads in shame The Government that is. LOL


We're slowly getting to have better speeds. One ISP in Southern OH is offering gigabit internet to small businesses in certain locations. Google has gigabit internet in a few markets, one can even find gigabit internet in Portland, ME and in Chattanooga, TN (both done partially with grants). Some educational areas in OH are working on 100 Gbps speeds https://www.ohiohighered.org/press/ohio’s-ultra-fast-broadband-network-expand-portsmouth-wooster 

I have cable, and get a decent speed, but can hardly wait until they offer faster speeds in this area.
Here are some speedtests that I did the other day. Not to bad, but could be better.


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## mnn2501

HermitJohn said:


> Lets see.... you now claim to be a web expert, but you also posted you think using a single easy to guess password on all accounts is a good idea.


:umno:* Read it again*. I said one user id/pw for all the junk sites (newspapers, etc) along with one junk email address for them. I also clearly said I didn't use it for important sites.

I guess some people must only read what they want to read - precisely the reason I don't use blogs, forums and rinky-di nk news sites as my primary sources of information. I'd rather pay (via advertising) for an actual news site with real reporters doing actual research (and yes, even that can be biased, but at least it not made up out of someones fantasy world).


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## mekasmom

clovis said:


> HC-
> 
> I know nothing about computers, but am struggling too. I used to visit several websites, all of which are so slow to load that it isn't worth it any more.


The only way to tolerate much of the web is to use a browser with no "frills" or use adblockers and other script blockers to avoid the pomp and circumstance that takes so much time for loading.


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## arabian knight

mekasmom said:


> The only way to tolerate much of the web is to use a browser with no "frills" or use adblockers and other script blockers to avoid the pomp and circumstance that takes so much time for loading.


 Not only that but also disable images I can do all sorts of those things on Safari. Disable this and that like this:
Add to that the private browsing and you have a pretty dern secure experience, along with of course a good anti virus, and malware/spyware program, and for goodness sakes turn on the Firewall, and have a good adblocker


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## partndn

mnn2501 said:


> Once again, you control this completely. I've never seen a video ad on HT.
> 
> It sounds to me like some people need to take some advanced computer classes specializing in security and settings.







mnn2501 said:


> :umno:* Read it again*. I said one user id/pw for all the junk sites (newspapers, etc) along with one junk email address for them. I also clearly said I didn't use it for important sites.
> 
> I guess some people must only read what they want to read - precisely the reason I don't use blogs, forums and rinky-di nk news sites as my primary sources of information. I'd rather pay (via advertising) for an actual news site with real reporters doing actual research (and yes, even that can be biased, but at least it not made up out of someones fantasy world).



That's kinda how I felt about your post to mine. I never said HT had a moving video. It does have the chaser thing until you login.


I login and logout every time I view here, as well as youtube or any other site. That's pretty much what basic classes teach is good protocol for security, at least with what I remember. I also never use the "remember me" or the "remember password" or any of that.

I never login to sites on my phone. Takes me about as long to accurately type all the right stuff before whatever I wanted becomes not so important LOL! I close every app on my phone immediately when finished with it. I'm a closer. :shrug: That's just how I like it.


But then, none of this is really relevent to Harry's original post.. which I still fully agree with.


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## Nevada

partndn said:


> I login and logout every time I view here, as well as youtube or any other site. That's pretty much what basic classes teach is good protocol for security, at least with what I remember. I also never use the "remember me" or the "remember password" or any of that.


When people use phrases like "you always", "you never", "you have to", "you can't" you are probably getting very basic information. You shouldn't be looking for a set of rules to follow, you should be looking to understand it.

For the record, I don't logout from HT. Why should I? I'm the only person who uses this computer.


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## partndn

If that suits you, that's great Nevada.

I use a laptop for work, as well as personal. I take it lots of places.


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## Nevada

partndn said:


> If that suits you, that's great Nevada.
> 
> I use a laptop for work, as well as personal. I take it lots of places.


When it comes to logging out and remembering usernames & passwords, it's not how many places you take it. It's how many people have access to your system.


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## mnn2501

Nevada said:


> When people use phrases like "you always", "you never", "you have to", "you can't" you are probably getting very basic information. You shouldn't be looking for a set of rules to follow, you should be looking to understand it.
> 
> For the record, I don't logout from HT. Why should I? I'm the only person who uses this computer.


Precisely -- no one is going to break into your home and use your computer to post on HT.

On a public computer - certainly I agree - log out every time, however, on a personal computer, logging out is a waste of time unless you want to hide your doings from others that already have access to your computer.


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## mnn2501

partndn said:


> If that suits you, that's great Nevada.
> 
> I use a laptop for work, as well as personal. I take it lots of places.


How many people have access to your computer? - is it ever left out of your sight while turned on and logged into (I assume you use a password to log into Windows (or whichever OS you use).

If I log into the N.Y. Times using my 'junk' user id/pw -- whats the worst thing that could happen? Yes that's correct, someone could read the news.

I log into a few sites where you have to log in to leave comments, whats the absolute worst that could happen if someone found out my 'junk' user id/pw -- again the only thing they could do would be to leave comments under my user id.

One major problem I see today is that too many web sites have user id/pw requirements when there is absolutely no reason to.


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## arabian knight

Same here why in the world should I log out? I am here alone and being o a desktop I sure don't take it anyplace. I don;t like to be putting in passwords and such even if some places I can do auto password recovery and it fills in the info by itself. The only things I do log out is say Amazon if I order something, my CC website when I pay or even look at my account, but that is about it. I have Yahoo always signed in, MSN signed in never to log out, and of course Google which also does YT. I want to always be signed in.
And in the 15 16 years I have been on the net this is what I have done and not once have I felt the need to do anything differently.

For the first 2 years I was on the net I used WebTV Now that is looking bak in the day.
But I did like the idea of watching and doing things while using the TV~!
But you could not watch TV channels and do it. That was the down side. When I sold my WEBTV unit to my friends they bought a used small tv just for use with the WT. That was cool. But no worries of viruses either as you were not on a computer but a set top TV Box connected to the net. LOL


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## Pearl B

I quite using my laptop to surf Ht. It simply took too long to load. As a result I started using my Kindle Fire, & its all I use on the internet much anymore. It wont load half or more of the videos that are imbedded in many websites. Is a blessing & a curse at times.

Theres very few sites I go to anymore. Not only because of the load times, I simply lost interest in the bulk of them. The bulk of my surfing is done on YouTube these days, which the kindle does good enough. Theres also an option for private browsing on the kindles now too.


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## Shrek

HermitJohn said:


> You for sure have lot more patience than me. I finally had to give up using only dialup last spring and I held out long as I could since satellite and metered mobile broadband were my only other options. No DSL or cable out my way. I could toggle off images, block background scripts, and it was still slow as molasses on most websites. There are still some non-profit backwater sites that are livable with dialup. And pop3 email minus any attachments will work reasonably well. But sites such as banks and such insist on using every novelty eye candy slow down that they can find, and dont know about you but repeatedly reloading such sites (browser times out) for 45 minutes just to get to my account isnt good use of my time.
> 
> I will say dialup did have benefit of keeping me from spending too much time online. It was just too painful.


 Dial up is as much a relaxation tool for me now as it was when I worked at the plant and the engineering PhDs got dibs on the high speed lines.

Back then I would initiate a process on my 28k connection then go check the floor activity and take a coffee break.

On the few times my duties required higher connection my boss would commandeer a terminal or I would go up to the plant server farm to use a high speed terminal up there.

Now I don't have any I.T. tasks in need of high speed connection and do household or garden chores while my cheap and reliable dial up loads and an added value is it keeps my home phone from disturbing me by ringing if my chosen chore is to take a nap while graphic heavy content loads so I can watch it when I wake up.


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## am1too

Ziptie said:


> I agree with the op. On my tablet is is getting impossible to browse the web ..everything is sooo slow to load. They can still do advertising, but I don't need all these videos automatically running or movable graphics.
> 
> Another problem I am having is chrome on my main computer wants me to long into an account to save my bookmarks on my Google profile. I don't want to so now every time I try to run chrome on my desktop computer my bookmarks are gone. :hair I keep loading them back on and then they are gone again. I am about to go back to internet explorer.:walk:


I dumped chrome for reasons stated in this thread. It sure messed me up. Google is related to chrome, I think. I dumped that tool bar. Dang I miss it. Now google auto loads with IE in a separate tab. If I can figure out how to dump it, its toast. I routinely say no to most everything. Wish I had said no to everything.

Can anyone tell me how to get rid of google? It seems to be part of IE. I guess it did like trovi. Trovi also seemed related to google and chrome.

Can I uninstall IE and reinstall it to get rid of the problem? Or will it force me to something else new like windows 8? I think my IE is the current version. At least they haven't made an offer or forced me to something else for a while. 

I'm thinking that I will keep a puter for specific off net use and get one for the net. If I find something I want to down load I can hook my non net puter up and get it. 

I am thinking about an ad blocker. I didn't know there was a script blocker. Both are interfering with my net use. It has gotten real bad since I loaded trovi and dumped it. From now on if I want something and get more than one program, I'll do without. Maybe just start using the library when I go to town.


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## Nevada

am1too said:


> Can anyone tell me how to get rid of google?


Get rid of Google?



am1too said:


> Can I uninstall IE and reinstall it to get rid of the problem?


IE can't be uninstalled from contemporary Windows versions because IE is integral to the operating system itself. If you aren't prepared to reinstall Windows I think you'll have to work with it.


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## mnn2501

am1too said:


> Can anyone tell me how to get rid of google?


If it opens in a seperate tab, go to your Internet options on the general tab and delete it from your home page list.


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## am1too

mnn2501 said:


> If it opens in a seperate tab, go to your Internet options on the general tab and delete it from your home page list.


I can't find what you're talking about. Maybe I don't understand.

When I go to my home page IE opens 2 tabs. One tab is my home page and another separate tab with google. 

This started when I deleted the google tool bar.


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## sniper69

am1too said:


> I can't find what you're talking about. Maybe I don't understand.
> 
> When I go to my home page IE opens 2 tabs. One tab is my home page and another separate tab with google.
> 
> This started when I deleted the google tool bar.


With internet explorer opened press the alt key and the x (same time), this opens up a menu. Then go to internet options, under the general tab there is a spot that says homepage. If one of them is set for google, just highlight it and delete it. Then click apply and then click ok at the bottom of the open box. Then when you open IE, you should be able to only have one tab open and it should be for whatever you have in the homepage section from above.
Hope this helps.


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## mnn2501

am1too said:


> I can't find what you're talking about. Maybe I don't understand.
> 
> When I go to my home page IE opens 2 tabs. One tab is my home page and another separate tab with google.
> 
> This started when I deleted the google tool bar.


Go into your control panel then Network and Internet to find Internet Options, click on it and where it lists your home page (top of general tab) erase Google then click Apply at the bottom right.


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## am1too

Nevada said:


> Get rid of Google?
> 
> 
> 
> IE can't be uninstalled from contemporary Windows versions because IE is integral to the operating system itself. If you aren't prepared to reinstall Windows I think you'll have to work with it.


Ah rats!


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## am1too

mnn2501 said:


> If it opens in a seperate tab, go to your Internet options on the general tab and delete it from your home page list.


Found the rat.

There were to homepage addresses in the box. I thought it was all the same address because of the small box and my MSN address took up the full width of the box making me think it was a wrap-a-round deal.

Thanks


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