Ctrl blog (Page 46)

A side-by-side comparison of a detailed high-quality image of a dripping wet man next to a scaled-down version of the same image in lower quality.

Hypertext

Image quality degradation as a hotlink deterrent

You can deter image hotlinking and reduce the associated bandwidth costs by reducing the image quality instead of outright blocking it.

Linux

GNOME web-API dependent apps fail as providers drop support

Some of the default GNOME apps depended too heavily on hardcoded online APIs. They didn’t have backup plans for when those APIs went away.

Android

KDE Connect: Making friends between Android and the Linux desktop

A smart app connects your Linux desktop and Android device. It lets them share files and clipboard contents with each other encrypted over your local network.

A critical warning message saying “This website has been reported as unsafe. phishing-expedition.example.com. We recommend you do not continue to this website.”

Malware and Phishing

Most of alternate web browsers don’t have fraud and malware protection

All the leading web browsers protect you against web fraud and websites known to distribute malware. You don’t get this protection with the smaller browsers.

A warning sign saying “Caution! Avalanche danger.” with a snow-covered hill in the background.

Microsoft Windows

The constant software update tyranny

Software updates should happen automatically in the background without requiring constant restarts or pestering the user.

A stick-figure with a smartphone for its body strolling down a street. A geolocation icon is shown on its screen, and signals are emitting towards it from the surrounding buildings.

Linux

Help Mozilla build out its Location Service by taking a walk

Mozilla is building a free alternative to the big tech companies’ location services. But they need help gathering signaling data from your neighborhood.

The text “ms-windows-store://WindowsUpgrade” against a blue background feature a grid of windows.

Microsoft Windows

Windows Store’s WindowsUpgrade URI

How to link to the special-purpose Windows license upgrade page on the Microsoft Store. Useful when referring people to upgrade from Home to Professional edition.

Review

Review of Linode VPS – 2 GB RAM plan for $10/month

I’ve migrated from DigitalOcean to Linode. I was surprised to learn it used a Unified Linux Kernel (with no SELinux support) instead of the upstream kernel.

A dirty old mechanical pressure gauge resting at zero.

HTTP Caching

Cache-Control plugin for WordPress

Take control over your WordPress site’s HTTP Cache-Control response header directives with my easy-to-use WordPress plugin.

A large stack of worn old window frames in different colors.

Backup

How to encrypt backups using Windows 10’s built-in tools

Windows Backup doesn’t support encrypted backups in itself. However, you can still get encrypted backups using built-in tools in Windows 10.

A set of concrete squares with colored titles inside.

Open Standards

Provide icons for web apps in GNOME Web (Epiphany)

Get the details on how GNMOE Web (formerly Epiphany) uses favicons and other website assets when installing websites as web apps on the Linux desktop.

The Netcraft browser extension toolbar showing the rating and security information for “BankOfAmerica.com” but the browser has loaded “Not-BankOfAmerica.testnet.daniel.priv.no” instead.