And if Google takess their bucket and spade?

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

And if Google takess their bucket and spade?

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
Paid the last electricity bill with a cheque, also use them for nieces & nephews birthday presents,

I heard somewhere that the banks were going to phase out cheque books. Has anybody else heard this?

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

Dougwe wrote:

What are others using for Email and Calendar that can be accessed the same way??

I have several email accounts with my Internet Service Provider (ISP), ProtonMail and Tutanota. I use different Android email clients to access my emails in these accounts: K-9Mail, ProtonMail and Tutanota (notice that the Android client apps are different to the email accounts. Hence email accounts, such as Gmail, can probably be accessed via any HTML browser but I'm not sure because I don't use Gmail.). I use the Evolution mail client on my Linux computer to access my ISP email accounts. I haven't yet accessed my other email accounts via computer - my Android phone is closer to hand.

I use Etar calender on my Android phone. I don't use the Evolution calender because I have my phone with me more often than my computer and therefore I get my appointment notifications in my pocket. I think that Etar can synchronise with a Google calender but I've never tried it because I don't have Google calender. I expect that most calender clients can sync with Google calender but I'm not sure for the same reason.

Mike Harding · Guru

Buzz Lightbulb wrote:
Mike Harding wrote:
Buzz Lightbulb wrote:
Mike, you are right with your post except Google does own Android
I don't think so:
Link1
Link2
You should make a distinction between the operating system and significant Google owned application which run under it ie. Chrome, Play Store etc.
Those links and this one :
https://www.androidauthority.com/google-android-acquisition-884194/
Confirms that "Google owns Android".

That's not an authoritative source - although I suspect you spent a long time looking.

Android uses Linux source code - Google cannot own it.

From Wikipedia:

"Android is a mobile operating system based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other open source software"

I fail to understand what *you* don't understand about the above.

I have spent many years writing software and do have a vague perception of my intellectual property rights in this area - and you...?

In any event you seem to be argumentative for the sake of it - which is boring.

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

I was trying to be helpful, not argumentative.

Android is a trademark owned by Google.

developer.android.com/distribute/marketing-tools/brand-guidelines

The Android OS, as you say, is for mobile phones and is written in Linux. That's why I mentioned AOSP to distinguish it from Android.

To answer your question. I've written software since 1978, whilst at uni, until retirement.

I don't want to get into an argument about this Mike.

-- Edited by Buzz Lightbulb on Thursday 28th of January 2021 03:34:03 PM

bgt · Guru

Hey small world. I also wrote spoftware/programs. Started way back in about 1979. Studied for certificate, diploma and degree in data management and programming. Now I'm just a poor dumb user and don't really care who owns what as long as my stuff works. But if anyone tries to abuse their position, ie Google, then they can .... off and I'll move to one of the many alternatives. I do hope the government doesn't fall for their bluff.

montie · Guru

You get big you get arrogant.
Creates the opportunity for the smaller guy to grow.
There are already other search engines waiting to fill that void.

oldbloke · Guru

Hi Douglas,
I'm using the duckduckgo app on my Android. Gmail, google maps and calender are working fine. Today I disabled Chrome and all still good so far.

Edit: for the laptop using Windows 10 there is a duck duck go add-on for google Chrome or you can change the start-up site in bing to duckduckgo.com

-- Edited by oldbloke on Thursday 28th of January 2021 11:04:47 PM

Mike Harding · Guru

oldbloke wrote:
Today I disabled Chrome and all still good so far.

You *may* find odd issues with other apps. which expect Chrome and some of its modules to be there.

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

bgt wrote:
Hey small world. I also wrote spoftware/programs. Started way back in about 1979. Studied for certificate, diploma and degree in data management and programming. Now I'm just a poor dumb user and don't really care who owns what as long as my stuff works. But if anyone tries to abuse their position, ie Google, then they can .... off and I'll move to one of the many alternatives. I do hope the government doesn't fall for their bluff.

Did you start out with punch cards? I once saw a fellow drop his cards. They went everywhere. Poor guy. After that, I always made sure mine were bundled by at least two thick elastic bands and that I always had spares bands. Imagine trying to reorganise those cards?

Sorry to everyone else for the digression but memories are worth catching when they come back. I also don't know how to Direct Message.

bgt · Guru

Yes I did use punch cards. And we used the mainframe to play Hangman.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Half the problem with all these companies is that their software is so bloated that we need vast amounts of memory & processing.

First computer I bought was in the late 90s. A Mac which came with 16mb of ram. I bought Photoshop 4, no history back then. Bought four additional 64mb memory cards at $600 each. The hard drive was 2 gigabytes, had a Zip drive. Bought a rewritable magnetic optical drive which stored 640mb.

IMG_20210129_155933456~2.jpg

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

bgt wrote:
Yes I did use punch cards. And we used the mainframe to play Hangman.

smile We played Star Trek on the mainframe. The output came to the A3 continuous printing paper. One had to find the Klingon ship and could fire torpedoes or phasers at it. Gosh it was slow bit we thought it was fantastic in those days. Fancy being able to play games on a computer?

But we digress.

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
Half the problem with all these companies is that their software is so bloated that we need vast amounts of memory & processing.

First computer I bought was in the late 90s. A Mac which came with 16mb of ram. I bought Photoshop 4, no history back then. Bought four additional 64mb memory cards at $600 each. The hard drive was 2 gigabytes, had a Zip drive. Bought a rewritable magnetic optical drive which stored 640mb.
________________________
I totally agree. I'm a Unix person and I was astounded when I found out that Linux could fit into 2Gb and Micro$oft needed something like 10 times more memory.
Gosh. I think my first computer was in the 90's, when I went back to Uni.?? I used work's before then. I remember it had a 5" floppy disc, but that's about all I remember about it.
"And you try and tell the young people of today that, and they won't believe you!" (Monty Python)

-- Edited by Buzz Lightbulb on Friday 29th of January 2021 05:36:11 PM

-- Edited by Buzz Lightbulb on Friday 29th of January 2021 05:36:51 PM

bgt · Guru

Heavens you guys are young whipper snippers. First computer had 32k of ram and 32k of rom. Loaded programs via a cassette tape. Must have been 1980-81. I learnt Fortran, Cobol, machine and then then whizz bang Basic. And I was in the big time with an amber screen. I purchased a Hitachi for $6000.00 when the basic wage was about $70-80 a week. Had a colour monitor. I was in heaven. A few computers later I purchased an Apricot. Had new fangle 3.5" discs. Had a huge 5 meg hard drive. I was in heaven. Ran CPM and Concurrent CPM. Concurrent CPM was a real break through. It meant you could run two programs at once. WOW.

Then I programed in DBase. That was fun. Right up to DBase iii plus. Then the fire went out. I got sick of folks coming to me asking why their computer couldn't do their business pay roll. What pay roll program did you get? Duh they had no idea. The business became full of sharks and con men. So I bailed out. Now I'm just a dumb user.

oldbloke · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
oldbloke wrote:
Today I disabled Chrome and all still good so far.
You *may* find odd issues with other apps. which expect Chrome and some of its modules to be there.

Yes did get a warning but so far, so good.

oldbloke · Guru

Got a floppy in the shed. Must be about 8 inch. Lol
Our first was an Amiga 500. Still got one.

Craig1 · Guru

Drive Google nuts. Every time you go to do a search, type in " duckduckgo " or one of the other alternatives as the 1st thing.

oldbloke · Guru

Well since running duckduckgo it seems I can no longer open mp4s on this site.
Others are ok so far.

Santa · Guru

I use DuckDuckGo for most searches nowadays without problem, have been doing so for a couple of years, have no trouble opening mp4's on this site.

I use Firefox as a browser, perhaps a browser issue/setting.

Hmmm, just did a search, seems some people have issues with mp4 format not playing on Windows 10, could be another avenue to explore. smile

-- Edited by Santa on Friday 5th of February 2021 04:41:12 PM

oldbloke · Guru

Santa wrote:
I use DuckDuckGo for most searches nowadays without problem, have been doing so for a couple of years, have no trouble opening mp4's on this site.
I use Firefox as a browser, perhaps a browser issue/setting.
Hmmm, just did a search, seems some people have issues with mp4 format not playing on Windows 10, could be another avenue to explore.

-- Edited by Santa on Friday 5th of February 2021 04:41:12 PM

I'm on an Android mobile. I had chrome disabled, but have enabled it again. Still can't access mp4s.

Bloody auto correct.

-- Edited by oldbloke on Friday 5th of February 2021 09:07:23 PM

Possum3 · Guru

Mute point now as Google have backed down after Scott Morrison threatened to move Federal Govt over to Bing.

bgt · Guru

Possum3 that's good if it's true. But I bet Google isn't backing down. Maybe just changing tack.

Whenarewethere · Guru

I use Firefox & Bing on my decade old Mac. Kiwi Browser on my Android phone as it blocks ads.

Use Handcent SMS as you can set confirm before sending so you don't accidentally send a message before it's ready.

Possum3 · Guru

bgt wrote:
Possum3 that's good if it's true. But I bet Google isn't backing down. Maybe just changing tack.

As per Chanel 24 News this am saw it twice. Apparently it would cost Google about $5 Billion pa if they left Google is forced to BACK DOWN on its threat to leave Australia | Daily Mail Online

bgt · Guru

Possum3 I was of the impression that if Google back down in Australia more countries may follow. Don't get me wrong. Google needs a good kick in the googlies.