This is just a bunch of geek stuff I was passing on to a friend yesterday - but Blurt is pretty geek, so I'll share it here as well!
Because I have lots of accounts on all sorts of websites and platforms, I use five browsers. Brave was my default browser but after trying Vivaldi for a day I made it my new default browser - it's that good
The search engine I was trying out yesterday was Startpage - Duckduckgo have fully sold out so they need to be replaced. Startpage was OK, and the founder is very anti censorship.
https://www.startpage.com
But after more testing this morning I'd say Brave search engine is best by miles - way better results than the all the others I've tried including Startpage - Brave search is really good.
https://search.brave.com
The brave browser is good too (still my second choice browser) but there are a couple of things I've been wanting to do for ages - including some stuff that I used to do on Firefox up until about six years ago when Firefox lost the plot - that can now only be done on Vivaldi
So I'm using Vivaldi browser with Brave search engine - a bit of a piss around but the only way to get it all working how I want on multiple computers and tablets - best internet set up I've ever had, and the first time I can say that in over six years!
For mail I mostly use Outlook 2003 because I still think it's the best one, but I also use Proton Mail (free) because I need mail on Android and Linux too.
https://protonmail.com
But there are things I do all the time on 19 year old Outlook that can't be done in brand new Protonmail - like coloured backgrounds, a full range of font options, and unlimited folders. And I still much prefer the old school Outlook folder system to any modern mail programs.
This week I'm also trying StartMail (free trial) - it looks a lot like a paid Protonmail account - but is very expensive at US$59.99 a year - best privacy, (no compromise encryption and Dutch based) but if I was going to pay for a mail program I'd probably just get a Protonmail full account. Although, Start Mail may have extra features or more security I don't know about yet, they do seem like an on to it company.
Office - I still use Office 2003 occasionally which I think is the best ever Microsoft Office, but I mostly use the latest version of Libre Office. Recently I ended up using Excel to work on an old file, instead of Calc, but I much prefer Calc these days - so I'd say free Libre Office is better than the best Office package that Microsoft ever put out.
https://www.libreoffice.org
And it works on Linux as well, so I can swap between my Windows and Linux PC's using the same spreadsheet file stored on P-Cloud.
I've got accounts on Dropbox and Google Drive too but P-cloud is my main cloud storage - 500gb of space and better security.
This post is for geeks? OMG I totally liked it so am I officially a geek too now? do I get a badge?
I finally bit the bullet and started using Brave just the other day and was amazed how easy it was to swap. Wish I'd done it sooner now, was being all precious about by bookmarks and stuff but Brave was so clever it was totally painless. keeping firefox tho for watching free films on couchguru only as it doesn't seem to work on brave. Brave also has a WALLET!! no clue how to use it yet tho so maybe I can't claim a badge just yet.
Brave is good too - the main extra thing I'm doing with Vivaldi is keeping a really good sync between my computer, laptop, and tablet - I've never had a browser do it so well.
well how decadent of you. All I have is my crappy little secondhand laptop and it's all I need. ;-)
Our combined total household computers are 5 PC's, 5 Laptops, 3 tablets, and 3 phones! - excessive?
unless you live in an Apple store
Is p-cloud free? My G-Drive keeps telling me its full.
Proton mail looks cool but I don't see any real need for it yet. I am pretty sick of google having all my information.
I never used vivaldi browser. I always used Brave. What search engine does vivaldi come standard? I have used duck duck go and had a hard time with youtube results. The popular videos are not always suggestion. There are good and bad points to that. It's good to be able to switch between 2 search engines.
Thanks for sharing. I'm surprised you don't update your microsoft. The new ppt have more features.
P-cloud does have a free option but it's only small - 10gb? - i think I paid about $180 for a lifetime 500gb, which I do fully use (but just up to 450gb max so it has some sorting room)
I have tried out each Microsoft office update since 95 but always prefer 2003. I avoid Microsoft as much as possible but do still use Windows 7 as well as Linux Mint and Android.
Vivaldi has default as Bing but that can be changed to DuckDuckGo with one click.
But DuckDuck has fully sold out now though so I'm avoiding it.
I hate Bing more than Google. I will look into P-cloud.
Yes bing is appalling, i imagine they paid the most to have it as default, but all mainstream search engines suck and need changing asap
I've started using (again) the ancient webcrawler.
https://www.webcrawler.com/
was amazed it still exists.