Why do Dell owners have so many problems?

Marie SWE · 2026-08-02T15:44:30-0400

Scannerman said:
Because you're a kind and generous person?

*lol*

not a chance

i even charge my friends to fix their computers

FrancoDT · 2026-08-02T15:45:41-0400

Scannerman said:
I would invite you to give me your social security number, your bank account number, your date of birth, driver's license number and all the particulars. While you're at it you're welcome to give me the passwords to any accounts you have online and the name of each account BUT because I am an ethical individual who supports the idea of privacy and ownership I choose to decline from asking. Keep it private.

Of course we aren't talking that type or level of privacy. We are talking about trying to hide your devices from being seen on the internet or doing any type of browsing or activity on the internet. Basically the only way to avoid this is to not use the internet or allow any device to connect to the internet. That would include your Smart TV's as well.

Scannerman · 2026-08-02T15:45:50-0400

Marie SWE said:
*lol* not a chance i even charge my friends to fix their computers

I refurbish old PCs and give them to kids!

Marie SWE · 2026-08-02T15:48:52-0400

Scannerman said:
I refurbish old PCs and give them to kids!

I stopped doing anything for free with computers the same year i started to hate fixing computers.
The best with when i start to charge for it was that almost everyone stopped asking for help, as they want stuff for free in life.

Scannerman · 2026-08-02T15:55:06-0400

FrancoDT said:
Of course we aren't talking that type or level of privacy. We are talking about trying to hide your devices from being seen on the internet or doing any type of browsing or activity on the internet. Basically the only way to avoid this is to not the use the internet or allow any device to connect to the internet. That would include your Smart TV's as well.

One thing leads to another. Finding that "happy medium" can be a chore. Basically you are correct: There is no 100% safe when you're online. I try to narrow the gap when I can. I don't do television. I don't use a cell phone or smart phone. I don't use GPS. I don't even use WiFi in my house. That's just me. Still, I've seen 100's of examples that validate my choices as being rather prudent.

Edwin · 2026-08-02T15:57:54-0400

Marie SWE said:
Yes.. privacy is a hard and complicated topic..

I have three rules:
• Never conduct real financial or government transactions online!
• Always use a throwaway credit card
• Ensure your entire online identity is complete bullsh*t!

FrancoDT · 2026-08-02T16:08:19-0400

Some of you are way to, errr, we'll say disciplined for me to follow.

Marie SWE · 2026-08-02T16:13:42-0400

Edwin said:
I have three rules:
• Never conduct real financial or government transactions online!
• Always use a throwaway credit card
• Ensure your entire online identity is complete bullsh*t!

I do online banking.. but i have one isolated computer for only that task. That way i never have to worry about malware or anything.
I never order online, as i prefer to go down to the store and look and feel on the products and by them over desk. also for clothes and shoes i want to try them on before buying them so i know they will fit.

I have a bank card, but again i dont live in US so i have to worrying about my bank selling data to big tech. i also use cash.
My online identity is exacly what i want the world to know.. no more, no less.

Marie SWE · 2026-08-02T16:26:42-0400

Perhaps we should start a Privacy thread.

Edwin · 2026-08-02T16:47:21-0400

Marie SWE said:
Perhaps we should start a Privacy thread.

No!!!
All stores are sold out of tin foil hats!!!

Marie SWE · 2026-08-02T16:56:40-0400

Edwin said:
No!!!
All stores are sold out of tin foil hats!!!

Then we can make some money on starting up a new stores around the world selling different sizes.

Scannerman · 2026-08-02T16:57:34-0400

I like my tin foil hat just fine.

Marie SWE · 2026-08-02T17:11:50-0400

Scannerman said:
I like my tin foil hat just fine.

I always need new ones, to keep up with the clothes and shoes fashion.

spapakons · 2026-08-02T17:14:29-0400

SlicEnDicE said:
I have no freaking clue, but there has been a few experiments done with this and the conclusion was that Google will still know more about you than you think. If you do even one single mistake during your boycott, they have enough data to link a lot of online activities to you. Even if you block everything Google, that does not mean the service you are using does not use Google in the background.

This server stuff and tracking is quite complicated...

So Google finds out about your interests and sends you relevant ads. So what? Do you have anything confidential to hide? In my Army service we were told to never connect a computer with sensitive data to the internet. Always keep it offline. Microsoft MSN does that too as well as Yahoo and other search engines. How can you avoid that? The only way is to go 50 years back and leave without internet, without smartphone, even without a smart TV both at home and at work. Like living in the '70s. Watch only free terrestrial channels, use a landline phone or a mobile phone without internet, pay cash, can you do that? I don't think so.

Marie SWE · 2026-08-02T17:19:09-0400

Since websites stopped having local ads in their html code that was stored on their server to start using cloud based... i have not seen ads online since ages now.

XxXxX · 2026-08-02T17:26:46-0400

i use Cloudflare Warp so anyone only sees Cloudflare's IP not mine, not even my own internet provider.
the connection to Cloudflare servers is all encrypted DNS and traffic.

i have 3 extensions to block not only ads but trackers
my browser also has ad and tracker blocking along with another extension to change the browser header
also i have an extension which deletes all cookies unless i save them
webrtc is anonymised and disabled. all AI has been removed and within the browser there isnt any

search engine is duckduckgo with all AI disabled and blocked
all caches are cleared at shutdown along with the page file
i dont do social media just tech forums like this one and a couple of others

i also block JavaScript on most sites with an extension
i try by all means to limit any data that can be collected but also any data that can be cross referenced
my data and privacy is my data and privacy or as best as can be, i try and keep it that way
it isnt perfect but if i try a search engine with my personal details it returns a blank, as if i dont exist.

i tear Windows apart after i install it and remove any and all telemetry i can
thats just my way of doing it, its not perfect but at least i try to limit what data and information i can.
best of luck Steve ..

spapakons · 2026-08-02T17:36:14-0400

Marie SWE said:
I stopped doing anything for free with computers the same year i started to hate fixing computers.
The best with when i start to charge for it was that almost everyone stopped asking for help, as they want stuff for free in life.

Yes, once you help them for free they ask for more, again free. In Greek we say "if you give too much convenience to someone he will eventually come to your bedroom", meaning in the end he will demand that you tolerate his inappropriate behaviour.

Marie SWE · 2026-08-02T17:41:13-0400

spapakons said:
Yes, once you help them for free they ask for more, again free. In Greek we say "if you give too much convenience to someone he will eventually come to your bedroom", meaning in the end he will demand that you tolerate his inappropriate behaviour.

Yeah... So then you have two options.. do a poor job and they dont want to ask again.. or charge them and they get cheap and wont ask again.

Sadly i cant get away with just fake a poor job as in "sorry this was over my head"... no one around me would buy that excuse. so i use the money trick

Why do Dell owners have so many problems?

I almost never bite.......

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

Well-known member

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

Well-known member

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

I almost never bite.......

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

Well-known member

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

♦ ♦

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

Well-known member

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

I almost never bite.......

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

I almost never bite.......

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

♦ ♦

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

I almost never bite.......

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

Well-known member

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

I almost never bite.......

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

Well-known member

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

I almost never bite.......

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

Just a Computer User

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

Well-known member

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

I almost never bite.......

My Computers My Computers

At a glance

At a glance

Similar threads

My Computers

My Computers

My Computer

My Computers

My Computer

My Computers

My Computers

My Computers

My Computers

My Computers

My Computers

My Computer

My Computers

My Computers

My Computers

My Computers

My Computers

My Computers