DuckDuckGo Blocks Google's Popups

Have you noticed that websites are offering you a friendly new way to sign-in with Google? Try Investing.com. When you hit the site, Google displays a popup recommending that you sign in the top right. If you’re on a phone, the prompt takes up almost half your screen. And if you’re using Chrome, you can sign in with a single click, the fastest way to make the popup go away. Don’t have an account on Investing.com? Google will automatically make one for you.

It’s convenient if you want Google to harvest data about your behavior, or if you just want an easy way to sign in, or both. But for anyone who’d rather not, this new wave of popups may be an unwelcome intrusion that seems difficult to evade. There’s an easy fix. Download any DuckDuckGo app or extension, and you can kiss those popups good-bye.

DuckDuckGo, the internet’s favorite private search engine, rolled out a new feature across its service on 12-21-22 called Google Sign-in Pop-up Protection, It’s on by default, saving your eyes and your time from Google’s nagging. You can still sign in with Google whenever you want, you just don’t have to deal with Google’s prompts.

“They popups are invasive, annoying and they undermine user privacy,” said Peter Dolanjski, director of product for DuckDuckGo. “Google is employing a dark pattern by pushing you to sign in when you might not have otherwise. When you do, Google is is tracking what you do on those websites and linking it to your identity.”

Google Sign In is nothing new, but the popups are a subtle but pervasive change to the web. You can find them on Booking.com, Pinterest, Reddit, Trulio, Zillo and countless more. “We believe google is pitching the popups to these websites as a win-win,” Dolanjski said. “If they can get more users to sign in, it opens up more data collection both for Google and publishers, and it lets Google better target users with ads.” That means more money for everyone involved, except you.

Is what Google is doing the worst business practice in the world? Absolutely not. But there are situations where it undermines user choice. If you’re using a browser or an extension to protect your privacy (DuckDuckGo, for example), those protections go out the window. When you’re signed in, Google has everything it needs to spy on you.

Credit: gizmodo.com

What Is Cloud Computing?

When you stream your favorite album online, shop at an e-commerce store or answer your work email from your home computer, you’re reaping the benefits of cloud computing.

Cloud computing is a form of computing in which networks, data storage, applications, security and development tools are all enabled via the Internet, as opposed to a local computer or an on-premise server in your organization.

If you use a computer or mobile device at home or at work, you almost certainly use some form of cloud computing every day, whether it’s a cloud application like Google Gmail or Salesforce, streaming media like Netflix, or cloud file storage like Dropbox. According to a recent survey, 92% of organizations use cloud today and most of them plan to use it more within the next year.

Public cloud is a type of cloud computing in which a cloud service provider makes computing resources available to users over the public internet. These resources might be accessible for free, or access might be sold according to subscription-based or pay-per-usage pricing models.

The public cloud provider owns, manages, and assumes all responsibility for the data centers, hardware, and infrastructure on which its customers’ workloads run, and it typically provides high-bandwidth network connectivity to ensure high performance and rapid access to applications and data.

Private cloud is a cloud environment in which all cloud infrastructure and computing resources are dedicated to, and accessible by, one customer only. Private cloud combines many of the benefits of cloud computing, including elasticity, scalability, and ease of service delivery, with the access control, security, and resource customization of on-premises infrastructure.

A private cloud is typically hosted on-premises in the customer's data center. But a private cloud can also be hosted on an independent cloud provider’s infrastructure or built on rented infrastructure housed in an offsite data center.

Hybrid cloud is just what it sounds like, a combination of public and private cloud environments. Specifically, and ideally, a hybrid cloud connects an organization's private cloud services and public clouds into a single, flexible infrastructure for running the organization’s applications and workloads.

Multicloud is the use of two or more clouds from two or more different cloud providers. Having a multicloud environment can be as simple as using email from one vendor and image editing from another. But when enterprises talk about multicloud, they're typically talking about using multiple cloud services from two or more of the leading public cloud providers. In one survey, 85% of organizations reported using multicloud environments.

Hybrid multicloud is the use of two or more public clouds together with a private cloud environment.

Traditionally, security concerns have been the primary obstacle for organizations considering cloud services, particularly public cloud services. In response to demand, however, the security offered by cloud service providers is steadily outstripping on-premises security solutions.

Credit: ibm.com & snhu.edu

Club members can learn more about cloud computing by attending the 12-21-22 meeting at 9:00AM in the Orchid Club.

Executive Board Minutes

Computer Technology Club, Inc.
Executive Board Minutes
December 9, 2022

Alan Marcus, President, called the meeting to order at 9:00AM. Members in attendance: Jim Trimboli, Bob Kenlay, Bob Leiner, Don Forgette, Linda Tingley, Bill Balch, Mike Metelits and Alan Marcus.

The Secretary’s report was read by Bob Kenlay. No corrections or additions necessary.

Jim Trimboli then read the current Treasurer's report. The current balance is $1515.85.

Alan Marcus will contact the DOD for the Holiday party to open the Kitchen door.

Alan Marcus asked if any could assist with the Feb, Mar and Apr meeting topics. Will be determined at a future meeting.

Future meeting topics:

Dec 21 - Holiday Party and Cloud Computing

Jan 25 - Whatsapp, Chat and Browse by Bill Balch

Feb 15 - What to look for when buying a dash cam

Mar 15 - How to participate in a Zoom meeting

Apr 19 - Streaming TV basics

The meeting adjourned at 9:25AM.

Respectfully submitted,
Bob Kenlay, Secretary

Replace Router Without Disconnecting Devices

Upgrading to a new Wi-Fi router doesn’t have to be hard. Here’s how to easily switch all your smart home gadgets and other connected devices in your home to a new router in under a minute.

When it’s finally time to get a new Wi-Fi router, there’s no need to panic. Whether you’ve switched internet service providers or you’ve decided to get something snappier, snazzier, and more reliable than whatever piece of plastic your ISP handed you, upgrading your router doesn’t have to be a headache.

If you have a smart home, you may be dreading the thought of having to manually update every light bulb, light switch, and security camera in your home to the new network. While typing a new password into a laptop or iPad is pretty easy, when it comes to smart home devices, you have to open each app for every smart device and go through the process of updating its Wi-Fi access. This is a real challenge for devices like smart floodlight cameras, which may be on the side of your house, 15 feet up.

But there is an easier way! Here’s how to change out your Wi-Fi router without having to manually update each device.

• Make a note of your current Wi-Fi network name (wireless SSID) and password. This may be printed on your modem or router, or you can access it by going to your router settings page. This page can be found in the companion app or by typing http://192.168.1.1/ into a web browser. (If that IP address doesn’t work, you can find the right one for your router in the network settings of a computer connected to the network.)
• Set up your new router by following the manufacturer instructions.
• When you get to the stage where you have to create a network name and password, use the exact same name and password as your old network.
• Unplug your old router. (If your old router is combined with your modem, you will need to go into its settings to disable the Wi-Fi network there.)
• All your devices should now automatically connect to your new router using the same network name and password. Verify your devices are working properly.
• You’re done!

Credit: theverge.com