It's FOSS Friday!

I've been using Libre Office a lot lately and I'm completely impressed with how far it has come and how beautifully it renders documents coming from Microsoft Office. I can actually use templates from MS Office now.

The documents created on Libre office also save and open in Microsoft Office flawlessly. It's super impressive how far the programs in the Libre Office Suite have progressed since the last time I used it years ago.

The Suite includes:

• Writer – word processor
• Calc – spreadsheet
• Impress – presentations
• Draw – diagrams
• Base – database
• Math – formula editor
• Charts

If you have used Libre in the past and been unhappy with it, give it another go. I sincerely think that you will be pleased with it now. Plus, what have you got to lose? It's free and open source.

Download the office suite today and give it a try. It's easy and free.

There is a Libre Office Viewer (editing is still in development) Android Play Store. Google Docs have no problems with files from Libre Office though, so the native Google programs should handle them just fine if you don't want to bother with another program on your phone.

There are paid versions of the suite on the Microsoft Store ($10) and Mac Store ($8) apps - both are LibreOffice Vanilla. (As an aside, this is how FOSS works. The developers took the free and open source software and developed it as an app for the MS and Mac platform stores. Developer then charges for the convenience of having it available on the platform. Yay for Open Source!) Again, Libre and native Microsoft play fine together, so it may not be necessary.

There are other options for the program and plenty in development. If you are interested in Libre Office for business or personal use, but have questions, contact us and we'd be happy to talk about it with you.

Attached find a gorgeous end of summer desktop wallpaper (1920x1080), mobile wallpaper (720x1280) and Facebook cover (851x315 - As specified by Facebook).
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Photo is from https://unsplash.com/@nickeedoo

Today's freebie is a website.

I don't suppose anyone will be thanking me for this, so I'll apologize in advance for your wasted day. Sorry.
One of the problems coming to the Internet soon is the lack of Flash. Most browsers are already reluctant to support Flash and they certainly won't after Adobe stops development of the platform in early 2020.
Flash has been a dangerous component of the Internet for a long time. After support stops, every criminal and their brother-in-law will be drooling over getting into your computer while you are playing solitaire at that Pogo mirror site. So, don't download that pirate extension and don't go to that mirror site.
There are are already new sites that are far, far better than the old flash sites. I'm going to recommend one today.

​Neon Games.

Tons of HTML5 and without the need for Flash. There are loads of clicky games to play that are fun, addictive and simple. Mahjong, Solitaire, Match3, Time Management, Hidden Object, Classic, Action and more. None of them require Flash to work and they all play right in your laptop or desktop browser.
The site is well managed, new games are introduced regularly, the ads are not obtrusive and it runs smoothly on every browser I tested it in.
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Neon Games gets a huge thumbs up from me. And a completely wasted afternoon. Yeah, Maya Bubbles has like 120 levels.

Desktop (1920x1080) and mobile (720x1280) wallpapers. Also, Facebook cover (851x315). Enjoy!

Original photo is from https://unsplash.com/@georgiadelotz

Some bling on black cloth, and a bad hair day. All are 720x1280. Enjoy!

It's Friday! (Everybody cheer!)

So, we all know that unwelcome twitch of seeing a Facebook ad that pops up right after we search for or buy a product somewhere else (or mention it to someone). I've got something that might help you if you are using Firefox or a Firefox fork like Waterfox or PaleMoon.

It's Facebook Container.

Here's what it does:
The Facebook Container extension isolates your FB identity into a tab and makes it harder for Facebook to track you on the web outside of Facebook.

When you visit Facebook it will open in a new blue-colored browser tab. In that tab you can login to Facebook and use it like you normally would. If you click on a non-Facebook link or go to a non-Facebook website in the URL bar, these pages will load outside of the container.

You will not see Facebook links to your account anywhere outside of Facebook because the extension blocks them from linking to your personal identity.

Facebook logins and like buttons will not work outside of Facebook. This can be a HUGE downside for people who use their Facebook login for other accounts online. I do not recommend it for these people.

I also do not recommend this extension for people who like staying logged into Facebook, Instagram or Messenger all of the time. The extension logs you out of these accounts when you close the browser tab and/or your browser.

I know that Google is impossible to contain, but at least Facebook is a bit less present in my inner life because of the fence that I've thrown up around it.

I love this extension.

Let's talk about clones. Really. Facebook clones.

Facebook clone accounts are NOT a hack or an exploit. It isn't a security risk. They haven't hacked your account. It doesn't take great skill to copy and paste information from a Facebook account. Clone accounts are a simple scam that uses trust to fool people rather than technical expertise.

Here's what to do if your account has been cloned:

Search for your name. If you come up with your name, personal information, picture(s) that it isn't you, report it. Here's how to report it:

• Click the “…” icon in the upper right of the cloned profile page
  
• Select “Find Support or report this profile”
• Follow the instructions from there. Facebook generally responds to these requests within 24-hours.

You can also let your friends know that they shouldn't accept requests from the other account.

Here are some tips if you want to avoid being cloned:

Hide your Facebook Friend list. That's where the scammers get their information. They use your public information to get everything. Your friends are their targets. If your friends are private, they've got nothing to use. It's much harder for them to scam people they can't see.

• Click on the upside down triangle at the far end of the blue top bar. Select Settings.
  
• In the left hand menu, select Privacy
• In the right hand box next to "Who can see your Friends List" and select Edit.
• Select the privacy settings. (I have mine set to "Only Me" because I'm paranoid and grumpy.)

Keep personal posts visible to friends only. The only pictures that have to be public are your avatar photo and your cover pic. They can both be hidden from your timeline.

It's always good to check your privacy settings anyway. Make personal photos, contact information available to friends only. I know that a lot of people have their information available because it's connected with their business, but it's easy to make a separate page for a business.

Orange is a lovely color.

​Attached are desktop and mobile wallpaper - Also, Facebook cover. Enjoy!
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Photo by https://unsplash.com/@rosiekerr

Mobile Monday! All backgrounds are 720x1280. Caturday, Avacados, Bikes, Beer. All images came from the Telegram Background channel.