COMPUTERS, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

[Stanley]

Talktalk had a couple of bad days earlier in the week but seems to be back on form at the moment....
Remember me saying that Janet told me that 4 big tech companies were trying to take over the world last Xmas? (Amazon, Google and two others I forget) I had an example of it yesterday. I ordered a new point and shoot camera on Amazon and for some reason found I was automatically enrolled in Prime. It took me ten minutes to find my way through to a part of the site where I could tell them not to automatically start charging me for it after a month but I don't trust them, I shall be watching it like a hawk! Mind you, I ordered at 15:00 yesterday and they promise delivery today.....
They want everyone on Prime and I have a feeling I am being railroaded! Big mistake with this kiddie!

[Big Kev]

I used the 'free trial' of Prime when I ordered a few bits and pieces from Amazon, I checked the "Do not auto renew" box and all was good, it expired on the date they said it would. Take advantage and do a bit more shopping with them.

[plaques]

it expired on the date they said it would.

I tried it last year. Then found that they had debited my account for the years service. It only came to light after I saw my monthly banking account. Got the money back but thought it was totally out of order. Don't trust the blighters.

[Tizer]

You can avoid getting enrolled in Amazon Prime when buying stuff but you have to be very careful as you go through the several layers of `Buy' and `Pay' pages. Of course it's a cunning wheeze and they've worked in a number of traps, so you have to play the game and step around them. They know that many people these days rush through things on the Web and they take advantage of that. It's even more dangerous if you try to buy more than one item on Amazon Free Delivery - you have to make sure they are all `Supplied by Amazon' (use the tick options down the L.H. side of the item page) or else you get charged for delivery. It's all part of the cynical 21st Century business model (probably invented by Microsoft) where they try to trick customers rather than helping them.

[PanBiker]

I find I can still buy most stuff without going anywhere near Amazon, so never had the problem.

[Tizer]

You live nearer to shops than we do Ian, and there's also lots of people who can't get about so easily or so often. I buy from other online sellers too but when I use Amazon I find they are excellent and very fast, even with free delivery. I can only recall two times when I had a problem, one was when the courier left the item outside the wrong house (not really an Amazon problem and when I phoned and said the item hadn't arrived they sent out another one that arrived the next day) and the other time (described on here) when I pushed them to breaking point by ordering about 7 items all on free delivery and from different Amazon suppliers!

[PanBiker]

I still buy online but tend to use suppliers that aren't trying to shaft me from the get go. I bought Sally's tablet from Amazon but I think it was before they started the Prime drive in earnest.

[Stanley]

I agree with you all. Normally I avoid the traps but must have missed one yesterday. Thanks for that Kev, good idea! I shall be watching them very closely!

[Tizer]

Amazon are not doing themselves any favours with the launch of their online grocery business. They've been trying to deliver to people who were not at home because there's no way on the Amazon grocery web pages of telling them when you'll be in. You have to take out a monthly subscription to use the service and also pay a delivery charge but The Times newspaper (and perhaps others) have found that you can often buy the same goods elsewhere on the normal Amazon site without a subscription or delivery charge and cheaper.

[Pluggy]

Which idiot mentioned Amazon in the first place ?

[Stanley]

This one..... and while we are on the subject.... I got mail this morning from them that my cancellation of Prime has been logged and it ends on 14th July.
Now, on the subject of Google.... I have a theory that their continual insistence on having me read and accept their terms and conditions is so that they can introduce cunning wheezes in the text which I will unwittingly accept because I have got fed up with reading it.

[Tizer]

I guess the following malicious software just needs the usual judicious use of common sense in avoiding opening dodgy attachments...

`New ransomware strain coded entirely in Javascript'
"Security researchers have discovered a new strain of ransomware coded entirely in Javascript, which could increase its chances of being activated. Unlike executable program files, Javascript documents do not always trigger a security warning on Windows or require administrator access to run. Named RAA, the malware is disguised as a document and starts encrypting files immediately when opened. One security expert said the approach was likely to fool many victims. "It's an interesting approach to ransomware," said Ken Munro of security company Pen Test Partners. "Using Javascript as an attachment to an email is likely to result in many victims accidentally installing it." The RAA ransomware was discovered by security researchers known as Benkow and JamesWT. It is sent to victims by email and if opened on a Windows machine uses the "Windows Based Script Host" to run its code.....The .js (Javascript) file type is automatically blocked in some email packages, particularly Outlook," said Mr Munro. "But interestingly Gmail doesn't appear to block it. Don't open unknown attachments, particularly those with a .js extension. "While we're there, don't open macro enabled Office docs either (such as .docm and .xlsm files) - and keep your anti-virus right up to date." Additionally, Windows can be instructed not to start the "Windows Based Script Host" when a .js file is double-clicked." LINK

[plaques]

I still find uploading into the gallery most frustrating. In the majority of cases, possibly 99% of the time, I will enter all the upload details then click 'continue' Inevitably this will show in the bottom left hand corner some upload percentages, anything from 12% to 91 %, Generally it will the buffer until it times out with 'This site can't be reached'. Sometimes the bottom LH corner will show 'waitng for oneguyfrombarlick.co.uk.' then times out. on rare occasions, and I mean rare,it will accept the upload that it previously rejected several times. My machine says it uploads at .83 mbts. is this fast enough for the time allotted by OG?

[Big Kev]

I still find uploading into the gallery most frustrating. In the majority of cases, possibly 99% of the time, I will enter all the upload details then click 'continue' Inevitably this will show in the bottom left hand corner some upload percentages, anything from 12% to 91 %, Generally it will the buffer until it times out with 'This site can't be reached'. Sometimes the bottom LH corner will show 'waitng for oneguyfrombarlick.co.uk.' then times out. on rare occasions, and I mean rare,it will accept the upload that it previously rejected several times. My machine says it uploads at .83 mbts. is this fast enough for the time allotted by OG?

What size are the images you're trying to upload?

[plaques]

Image dimensions, width 800 height 887 size 2.08 kb. I've never tried to load more than three at a time. It fails on one image and two and three. I've put the picture file into the root of C drive. A mystery.

[PanBiker]

At first look your images are well within the parameters set in the gallery 1280 x 1024 max and the file size is no problem.

The ones you have managed to upload look fine so if it's timeout problem it's likely to be down to the speed of the connection.

What is the claimed speed of your internet package?

For example, when I uploaded all the LTP images I had more than 800 to do, I relaxed the allowed number for batch upload temporarily and set it at 100. I had no problem uploading in batches of 100. I was on a 17mbps package at the time.

There are no timeout restraints set by the gallery. You browser may well have a timeout set for non responsive pages or scripts. You could try using a different browser for a test and see if that makes a difference.

[Stanley]

P, Click on this LINK, it's a very quick speed test which is accurate. You never know, you might have a fault on your line.

[plaques]

I've just tried the trick I think Tizer used. Put the images on a memory stick and used the windows 10 laptop google chrome. Upload three images into the galley in about 2.2 nano seconds. Whatever the original problem is it lies in the old desktop. Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions.

[Tizer]

It wasn't my suggestion Plaques - probably Pluggy or Ian instead - but I'm glad you've got the laptop doing it OK. If you need a new desktop PC get Pluggy to build you one to match your requirements. He did a very powerful one for Stanley and a more normal one for me. I'm in Somerset and he built it for me then sent it by courier.

Change of subject...you'll all be familiar with the scam phone call: "Hi, I'm calling from Microsoft support to help you solve the problem with your computer...". Well now the scam has been developed into a new, mores sophisticated version that's going to trap a lot more unsuspecting victims: `Tech support scams target victims via their ISP' LINK

"A new scam, in which fraudsters pose as legitimate internet service providers to offer bogus tech support, either via the phone or on the net, is on the rise, the BBC has found. It is a twist on an old trick which involved cold-calling a victim - often claiming to represent Microsoft - and charging for fake tech support. The new variants have been spotted in the UK and US. BT said that it is investigating the issue. The online version of the scam involves a realistic pop-up which interrupts a victim's normal browsing session with a message that appears to be legitimate and seems to come from the victim's real ISP."

[Tripps]

"It wasn't my suggestion Plaques - probably Pluggy or Ian"

Actually it was me. I just used it as an easy way of finding the required photo when browsing. The 'browse' on the Oneguy process gave me a different view of my many photos on the computer. I think it's what is known in geeky circles as a 'workaround'.

[Tizer]

Using geeky words, Tripps? Steady on!

[PanBiker]

Browse within the gallery usually takes you to the last folder you visited with explorer. It relies on your operating systems filing system. If you have a definite directory for your pictures and know how to find it, it should be relatively easy to navigate to.

[Whyperion]

My pictures are all over the place, depending on subject, and the device, or borrowed internet, source. Cannot say that I have noted problems in uploading, most programmes either reference a default image location or directory last visted.

[Gloria]

Don't know what is going on with my set up. Got a new bright box, couldn't connect to my orange emails at first, went to library and connected there on iPad, came home and it connected ok at home!!
Now, neither the laptop or iPad will access my emails, but, the iPhone does with no trouble....all through the bright box.
Before I ring Abdul jam butty and he tells me it's iPad and laptop, does anyone have any Idea what is going on???
The problem is it has worked via the new bright box on everything......iPad, iPhone and laptop.

[PanBiker]

Sounds like you could have an intermittent line problem. Do you have a landline that you can listen to the dial tone on? Is your line via the ISP or still directly with Openreach (BT). Either way you could ask them for a line integrity check. If you have a phone you should check the line at the same point you plug your router in and then back at the master socket.