COMPUTERS, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

[Tizer]

Our original posts on this were in the Social Media thread and I advised Stanley there: `You can go to the Manage Exceptions part of the Privacy & Security settings (under Cookies and Site Data) and set web sites that you want to allow to put cookies on your PC, e.g. I have OGFB and BBC in there'.

I don't understand Stanley's comment: `some sites are requesting passwords off me'. Or Panbiker's: `If you kill all the cookies it will also dump any saved passwords which are linked to them'. I don't have any such problems. I never leave my passwords with web sites, surely that's insecure?

[Big Kev]

I never leave my passwords with web sites, surely that's insecure?

Depends how secure the device is you're saving them on or, how secure your Google account is.

[PanBiker]

Exactly Kev, saved passwords are cached locally on whichever device you are using. Hence you can view your saved passwords list anytime you want.

[Tizer]

I assume you must be talking about a service to save all your passwords in one place. I thought Stanley didn't trust that sort of thing?

[PanBiker]

Not a separate service, in your browser cache.

[chinatyke]

Not a separate service, in your browser cache.

In Firefox browser click the 'Open menu' symbol in the top RH corner (looks like 3 horizontal bars) and from the drop down menu select 'Logins and Passwords' - All will be revealed!

[Stanley]

Triggered by China I had a look. Firefox is very worried about one Password bu I haven't panicked, it was my old Freeserve email account and god knows how long it is since that was active. I didn't even know it still existed. I've deleted the account and the info.

[Tripps]

Triggered by China I had a look

Me too. As I expected / hoped I found no saved passwords. I will never trust the computer or the interwebthingy with any security information. Why complicate matters? If the evil day comes - then I can truthfully say that I have never shared a password with anyone/anything. I have taken advice from someone who knows, and tells me that a written reminder of passwords , kept securely - is OK. You could read the list and you still wouldn't know the passwords.

When I clear the history and cache memory which I do from time to time to de-clutter, I have to log into sites again. I don't understand it, but assume that clearing all cookies removes the 'keep me signed in' facility. Not to do with passwords.

[Big Kev]

When I clear the history and cache memory which I do from time to time to de-clutter, I have to log into sites again. I don't understand it, but assume that clearing all cookies removes the 'keep me signed in' facility. Not to do with passwords.

'Keep me signed in' uses a cached password...

[Tizer]

Me too. As I expected / hoped I found no saved passwords. I will never trust the computer or the interwebthingy with any security information.

I'm with Tripps on that one. I don't need anything to save my passwords for me. Also, I never use `Keep me logged in'. It might seem old-fashioned and obsessive but when I first started on computers I was working in the next office to computer security experts and spent my tea breaks chatting with them. Their precautions rubbed off on me. By analogy, it's probably also that I'm obsessive about safety having worked with pathogenic organisms, and toxic and explosive chemicals!

[Stanley]

"By analogy, it's probably also that I'm obsessive about safety having worked with pathogenic organisms, and toxic and explosive chemicals! "
Things like that concentrate the mind wonderfully! In a different context I have the same respect for machinery. If you made a mistake in the engine house you were judged and punished immediately. No appeal and no reprieve.

[Tripps]

'Keep me signed in' uses a cached password...

I suppose it must do - thanks. . Just not stored on the Firefox system so doesn't show up there ? Something else to worry about.

[Big Kev]

Firefox does have 'hidden' passwords too

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to ... a-Firefox/

[Tripps]

Firefox does have 'hidden' passwords too

Kev - you're spoiling my whole day I can't be bothered to read all that. If I clear the whole History including caches, every time I log out - will that take it all away, except when I;m actually logged in?

I got Whatsapp to work properly on my tablet last night and got some good family photos. I thought I was doing quite well.

[Stanley]

David, I find it's better to live on in ignorance at times. I see something like that and lose the will to live. Give me 7BA nuts and bolts any day, I hate them but at least I understand them and know my limitations!

[plaques]

I got Whatsapp to work properly on my tablet last night and got some good family photos. I thought I was doing quite well.

Hang on Tripps not many days ago Whatsapp was for the big drop. Never to be allowed through these hallowed halls. Banished for ever. No more 15 minutes of life wasted. So what caused this road to Damascus moment?

[Big Kev]

Firefox does have 'hidden' passwords too

Kev - you're spoiling my whole day I can't be bothered to read all that. If I clear the whole History including caches, every time I log out - will that take it all away, except when I;m actually logged in?

If you're prompted to type in a password, when logging into a website, there won't be anything cached. You should be able to 'uncheck' any 'remember me' boxes when you log in to a website, this will mean your browser doesn't cache the password.

[Tizer]

Is there some confusion creeping in here between two different things? 1.'Keep me signed in'. 2. Remember password. When you click 'Keep me signed in' the web site just drops a cookie on your PC and you'll remain signed in until you remove the cookie. But I assume when you use Firefox Lockwise you're not kept signed but it will remember your password for the next sign in. Am I right? (Probably not!)

[Tripps]

this will mean your browser doesn't cache the password.

David, I find it's better to live on in ignorance at times.

A combination of he above quotes will suffice, and actually, I'm not exactly sure which problem I'm trying to solve. I've never had any issues in (say) 15 years (at least)

So what caused this road to Damascus moment

Good to see someone is keeping up.

I got a text last night from Snowdonia (it's packed out so I'm told) sending me some family holiday photos on Whatsapp. To be sociable I tried again to view them. Phone said I'd need to install Whatsapp. 'Fair enough' says I - let's do it. Playstore says it's already installed, and won't do it. Phone says it's not installed so it can't uninstall it before reinstalling it.
Are you keeping up? Gave up like a gentleman.

Went to Tablet. Started download from Playstore. Got stuck at 71% (twice). Gave up again, and spoke to son and heir, who said he would arrange a different delivery method. 'OK' says I.

Put phone down and found that after I stopped watching it - it had eventually installed on the Tablet! The photos were very good, and my reputation as a Luddite is intact.

[Stanley]

Peter, that must be accurate. For instance I have to log on to OG every day since I activated Lockwise (And BBC Sounds) but Firefox remembers my password so it's no sweat.
I like your style David. I hope you eventually enjoy Whatsapp as much as I do.

[PanBiker]

Passwords used to be the bane of my life when I got paid for looking after hundreds of them. "Please sir, I've forgotten my password" plus the ones that wouldn't say anything until you noticed them just staring at the log on prompt and doing nowt about it.
I don't vex about passwords too much nowadays. I have been using a handful of complex secure ones for years now, never been compromised. Some things though are sent to try us and the Labour Party electoral stuff that I deal with now within the rules of the GDPR means that all attachment stuff moved via email has to be encrypted. Single use complex passwords for any files have to be sent via separate mail or text. Once you get into the routine though and have cunningly installed compression and encryption tools available on a right click it's not really a hassle.

[Tripps]

Don't want to stir things up when I'm 'at peace' with my devices, - but

I started a new email account a while ago, based on a recommendation for here. Proton Mail. based in Switzerland, long established and fully encrypted - so they say. All went well, and I have to use the password every time I log in. Not a problem as I don't use it much. Now I have a specific use for it so installed it on my Phone and Tablet.

I logged in on both and find that now that I get straight to the In Box every time I subsequently touch the icon. That's OK and I'd rather like the PC to do that as well, but there doesn't seem to be a way to do it.

Just as well I've not much else to do

[Stanley]

You keep claiming to be a Luddite David but you are far more adventurous than I am. For a start I only have the one machine, the FM3 and second, I would never dream of changing something like an email server.

[Tizer]

Stanley, you can always set up an alternative web-based email account with a different email address. We have Operamail (now Fastmail) accounts which are cheap but extremely reliable and simple and use those whenever we are dealing with retailers, forums etc so we don't take any risk with our Plusnet account.

[Stanley]

I understand that Peter but the only way I survive in this digital forest is by keeping everything as simple as possible.