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One more reason to hate GOOGLE

CO. Hoosier

CO. Hoosier

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Aug 29, 2001
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I contribute annually to the local food bank. I’ve always done that by looking for the link using Google and going from there. This year I did that, except I donated to some hunger organization located in Washington DC. I didn’t realize that until I received the confirming email. It’s my fault for not paying attention to the link. (Not the first time I’ve made this kind of mistake with Google.) But GOOGLE is morally complicit by monetizing link positioning for charities. When I retraced my steps, the local food bank didn’t even show up on the first page. All the links were “sponsored.”
 
CO. Hoosier said:
I contribute annually to the local food bank. I’ve always done that by looking for the link using Google and going from there. This year I did that, except I donated to some hunger organization located in Washington DC. I didn’t realize that until I received the confirming email. It’s my fault for not paying attention to the link. (Not the first time I’ve made this kind of mistake with Google.) But GOOGLE is morally complicit by monetizing link positioning for charities. When I retraced my steps, the local food bank didn’t even show up on the first page. All the links were “sponsored.”
Click to expand...
Get on their email list. I know year end gets dicey as annual appeals are wrapping up. But if you are on the food bank’s email list they’ll send you a QR Code that’ll link to them or network for good or whatever donor management they use etc
 
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CO. Hoosier said:
I contribute annually to the local food bank. I’ve always done that by looking for the link using Google and going from there. This year I did that, except I donated to some hunger organization located in Washington DC. I didn’t realize that until I received the confirming email. It’s my fault for not paying attention to the link. (Not the first time I’ve made this kind of mistake with Google.) But GOOGLE is morally complicit by monetizing link positioning for charities. When I retraced my steps, the local food bank didn’t even show up on the first page. All the links were “sponsored.”
Click to expand...
Google stock has been very, very good to me though. 😄
 
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mcmurtry66 said:
Get on their email list. I know year end gets dicey as annual appeals are wrapping up. But if you are on the food bank’s email list they’ll send you a QR Code that’ll link to them or network for good or whatever donor management they use etc
Click to expand...

Ha. I’m on their email and snail mail list Totally dumb mistake. Gotta blame somebody.
 
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Only tangentially related, but it does relate to tech...

As of earlier this week, I am now Windowless -- I no longer have a load of Windows at my disposal on any of my machines. I built this box some 12 years ago and at the time loaded it with Windows 7, my primary Linux OS (Mepis 11 at the time), and several other Linux offerings I was following at the time. The W7 load and Mepis 11 load were in the primary 500G hard drive, while the rest resided on an identical secondary drive.

Over the years my interest in the other Linux offerings waned and I ended up cleaning them off the secondary drive, leaving it for backups and storage. Later I installed an SSD and moved to a more up to date Linux offering, which I have been running ever since. The load of W7 and M11 remained on the old HDD.

W7 got booted a time or two over the years just for the helluvit, and was used once a year to do my taxes with Tax Act. Even at that, a couple years ago Tax Act claimed that they no longer supported W7, but that was more CYA than anything else owing to MSFT dropping support for W7 -- the software actually did work.

Earlier this week I started hearing some odd noises from my computer, very faint, and it came and went. Did a few diagnostic things, and when I went to check the file system integrity on the old hard drive, the thing went tits up -- couldn't access or even mount the drive. Catastrophic failure is the term that's used.

If it was necessary, I might be able to do some low level, high tech geeky stuff to maybe, just maybe salvage the data from the drive, but it's not necessary and I don't care -- everything was copied to my Linux load and that's backed up regularly. For all intents and purposes, that load of Windows was only there for nostalgia or my not having any other use for the drive. Other than the tax software, I've been able to do everything I've wanted with FOSS (Free Open Source Software).

And the best thing is I was able to confirm that I can still use Tax Act when the time comes. They have a browser based online version that I was pretty certain would work. I even called them last year and as far as the gal that answered knew, the online version would work as long as you have a supported, recent browser, like Google Chrome (which is available in Linux) -- she said that's what they told Mac users and she couldn't imagine running Chrome on Linux would be any different. Last year I still downloaded the Windows software and it worked, but after the drive died this week I took another stab at finding out for sure and ended up finding an entry buried in their knowledge base that specifically said to use the web based version in Linux. Sweet.

So what's my point? None really, other than it's kind of a watershed moment to be without software that 95% of the computing world thinks is necessary, and to be totally fine with it. Call me a rebel I guess.
 
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UncleMark said:
Only tangentially related, but it does relate to tech...

As of earlier this week, I am now Windowless -- I no longer have a load of Windows at my disposal on any of my machines. I built this box some 12 years ago and at the time loaded it with Windows 7, my primary Linux OS (Mepis 11 at the time), and several other Linux offerings I was following at the time. The W7 load and Mepis 11 load were in the primary 500G hard drive, while the rest resided on an identical secondary drive.

Over the years my interest in the other Linux offerings waned and I ended up cleaning them off the secondary drive, leaving it for backups and storage. Later I installed an SSD and moved to a more up to date Linux offering, which I have been running ever since. The load of W7 and M11 remained on the old HDD.

W7 got booted a time or two over the years just for the helluvit, and was used once a year to do my taxes with Tax Act. Even at that, a couple years ago Tax Act claimed that they no longer supported W7, but that was more CYA than anything else owing to MSFT dropping support for W7 -- the software actually did work.

Earlier this week I started hearing some odd noises from my computer, very faint, and it came and went. Did a few diagnostic things, and when I went to check the file system integrity on the old hard drive, the thing went tits up -- couldn't access or even mount the drive. Catastrophic failure is the term that's used.

If it was necessary, I might be able to do some low level, high tech geeky stuff to maybe, just maybe salvage the data from the drive, but it's not necessary and I don't care -- everything was copied to my Linux load and that's backed up regularly. For all intents and purposes, that load of Windows was only there for nostalgia or my not having any other use for the drive. Other than the tax software, I've been able to do everything I've wanted with FOSS (Free Open Source Software).

And the best thing is I was able to confirm that I can still use Tax Act when the time comes. They have a browser based online version that I was pretty certain would work. I even called them last year and as far as the gal that answered knew, the online version would work as long as you have a supported, recent browser, like Google Chrome (which is available in Linux) -- she said that's what they told Mac users and she couldn't imagine running Chrome on Linux would be any different. Last year I still downloaded the Windows software and it worked, but after the drive died this week I took another stab at finding out for sure and ended up finding an entry buried in their knowledge base that specifically said to use the web based version in Linux. Sweet.

So what's my point? None really, other than it's kind of a watershed moment to be without software that 95% of the computing world thinks is necessary, and to be totally fine with it. Call me a rebel I guess.
Click to expand...
Earlier this week I found my daughter’s Mac at the bottom of her dirty laundry hamper. No charger
 
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UncleMark said:
Only tangentially related, but it does relate to tech...

As of earlier this week, I am now Windowless -- I no longer have a load of Windows at my disposal on any of my machines. I built this box some 12 years ago and at the time loaded it with Windows 7, my primary Linux OS (Mepis 11 at the time), and several other Linux offerings I was following at the time. The W7 load and Mepis 11 load were in the primary 500G hard drive, while the rest resided on an identical secondary drive.

Over the years my interest in the other Linux offerings waned and I ended up cleaning them off the secondary drive, leaving it for backups and storage. Later I installed an SSD and moved to a more up to date Linux offering, which I have been running ever since. The load of W7 and M11 remained on the old HDD.

W7 got booted a time or two over the years just for the helluvit, and was used once a year to do my taxes with Tax Act. Even at that, a couple years ago Tax Act claimed that they no longer supported W7, but that was more CYA than anything else owing to MSFT dropping support for W7 -- the software actually did work.

Earlier this week I started hearing some odd noises from my computer, very faint, and it came and went. Did a few diagnostic things, and when I went to check the file system integrity on the old hard drive, the thing went tits up -- couldn't access or even mount the drive. Catastrophic failure is the term that's used.

If it was necessary, I might be able to do some low level, high tech geeky stuff to maybe, just maybe salvage the data from the drive, but it's not necessary and I don't care -- everything was copied to my Linux load and that's backed up regularly. For all intents and purposes, that load of Windows was only there for nostalgia or my not having any other use for the drive. Other than the tax software, I've been able to do everything I've wanted with FOSS (Free Open Source Software).

And the best thing is I was able to confirm that I can still use Tax Act when the time comes. They have a browser based online version that I was pretty certain would work. I even called them last year and as far as the gal that answered knew, the online version would work as long as you have a supported, recent browser, like Google Chrome (which is available in Linux) -- she said that's what they told Mac users and she couldn't imagine running Chrome on Linux would be any different. Last year I still downloaded the Windows software and it worked, but after the drive died this week I took another stab at finding out for sure and ended up finding an entry buried in their knowledge base that specifically said to use the web based version in Linux. Sweet.

So what's my point? None really, other than it's kind of a watershed moment to be without software that 95% of the computing world thinks is necessary, and to be totally fine with it. Call me a rebel I guess.
Click to expand...
All this for better access to Pornhub?
 
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UncleMark said:
If I had young kids they'd be getting cheap Android TracFones and Chromebooks. And they'd fvcking like it.
Click to expand...

I think my kids will be fine w Chromebooks bc that’s what they use in our lowly public school.

CO. Hoosier said:
I contribute annually to the local food bank. I’ve always done that by looking for the link using Google and going from there. This year I did that, except I donated to some hunger organization located in Washington DC. I didn’t realize that until I received the confirming email. It’s my fault for not paying attention to the link. (Not the first time I’ve made this kind of mistake with Google.) But GOOGLE is morally complicit by monetizing link positioning for charities. When I retraced my steps, the local food bank didn’t even show up on the first page. All the links were “sponsored.”
Click to expand...

This is unfortunate. You’ve hit that point in your life where you are soon to be this guy


deletes-computer-old-man.gif
 
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JamieDimonsBalls said:
I think my kids will be fine w Chromebooks bc that’s what they use in our lowly public school.



This is unfortunate. You’ve hit that point in your life where you are soon to be this guy


deletes-computer-old-man.gif
Click to expand...
They use Chromebook at my daughter’s school too. When you go in there’s a movie screen with CHROMEBOOK REPAIRS on it
and her and about four other kids names under it. Always….
 
Last edited:
CO. Hoosier said:
I contribute annually to the local food bank. I’ve always done that by looking for the link using Google and going from there. This year I did that, except I donated to some hunger organization located in Washington DC. I didn’t realize that until I received the confirming email. It’s my fault for not paying attention to the link. (Not the first time I’ve made this kind of mistake with Google.) But GOOGLE is morally complicit by monetizing link positioning for charities. When I retraced my steps, the local food bank didn’t even show up on the first page. All the links were “sponsored.”
Click to expand...
Look in the mirror.... there's your problem. 🤣 🤣 🤣

Seriously, just add a location when you search. Otherwise why don't you bookmark it?
 
NPT said:
Look in the mirror.... there's your problem. 🤣 🤣 🤣

Seriously, just add a location when you search. Otherwise why don't you bookmark it?
Click to expand...
Yeah, I’m well aware of how to prevent this mistake. I did use location as a search term but it didn’t matter. I expect this kind of search response in the commercial world. When I book out of town lodging for example, I never use third parties for that. The internet is full of that and their ability to disguise themselves is pretty good.

What gripes me in this case is 501’s paying Google and Google selling search result preferences to them. everybody monetizes everything, including feeding the hungry.
 
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CO. Hoosier said:
Yeah, I’m well aware of how to prevent this mistake. I did use location as a search term but it didn’t matter. I expect this kind of search response in the commercial world. When I book out of town lodging for example, I never use third parties for that. The internet is full of that and their ability to disguise themselves is pretty good.

What gripes me in this case is 501’s paying Google and Google selling search result preferences to them. everybody monetizes everything, including feeding the hungry.
Click to expand...

I wonder if the EU has this problem. They are far ahead of us in respecting individual rights over corporate. Online, the use of cookies is a great example. I know we have disagreed long ago on store cards, just another way of a corp monetizing you. People don't fully understand what they are giving up. An angry father contacted Target about his teen daughter getting ads for baby stuff. Target's computers had figured out she had purchased items that a pregnant woman would. I don't recall what, I seem to recall vitamins in the mix. Of course he did not know she was pregnant.

We give Kroger and WalMart far more data about who we are than we would dream, just so they can monetize it.
 
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Marvin the Martian said:
I wonder if the EU has this problem. They are far ahead of us in respecting individual rights over corporate. Online, the use of cookies is a great example. I know we have disagreed long ago on store cards, just another way of a corp monetizing you. People don't fully understand what they are giving up. An angry father contacted Target about his teen daughter getting ads for baby stuff. Target's computers had figured out she had purchased items that a pregnant woman would. I don't recall what, I seem to recall vitamins in the mix. Of course he did not know she was pregnant.

We give Kroger and WalMart far more data about who we are than we would dream, just so they can monetize it.
Click to expand...
Google is trying to do away with cookies...

www.techtarget.com

Will Google kill third-party cookies? | TechTarget

Google third-party cookies have been on the chopping block for years. Will the company finally eliminate them, and what happens if it does? Find out here.
www.techtarget.com www.techtarget.com
 
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NPT said:
Google is trying to do away with cookies...

www.techtarget.com

Will Google kill third-party cookies? | TechTarget

Google third-party cookies have been on the chopping block for years. Will the company finally eliminate them, and what happens if it does? Find out here.
www.techtarget.com www.techtarget.com
Click to expand...
Google began with the motto, "do no harm". Maybe they are returning to those days. Or maybe they have found a new tech to replace cookies they can monetize until others catch up.

The contextual advertising listed in that article makes sense to me. If I am reading an article on exercise, selling me running shoes or a treadmill makes sense. And our personal choices aren't spilling out everywhere.
 
I have no idea how much Google knows about me. I never see ads beyond a smattering of static displays. The uBlock Origin browser addon stops them cold. And on my phone I have the DNS set to use dns.adguard.com, which made a huge difference.
 
CO. Hoosier said:
Yeah, I’m well aware of how to prevent this mistake. I did use location as a search term but it didn’t matter. I expect this kind of search response in the commercial world. When I book out of town lodging for example, I never use third parties for that. The internet is full of that and their ability to disguise themselves is pretty good.

What gripes me in this case is 501’s paying Google and Google selling search result preferences to them. everybody monetizes everything, including feeding the hungry.
Click to expand...
I love Google. Use it every day, makes my life much better, and I don't pay a dime. Oh, but they have my anonymized data? Great. Take it. Use it. Just keep telling me 2024's must-have flatbills, and give me unlimited access to images of Selma Hayek.
 
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CO. Hoosier said:
I contribute annually to the local food bank. I’ve always done that by looking for the link using Google and going from there. This year I did that, except I donated to some hunger organization located in Washington DC. I didn’t realize that until I received the confirming email. It’s my fault for not paying attention to the link. (Not the first time I’ve made this kind of mistake with Google.) But GOOGLE is morally complicit by monetizing link positioning for charities. When I retraced my steps, the local food bank didn’t even show up on the first page. All the links were “sponsored.”
Click to expand...
Maybe you need help on how to use Google...

image.png
 
UncleMark said:
Only tangentially related, but it does relate to tech...

As of earlier this week, I am now Windowless -- I no longer have a load of Windows at my disposal on any of my machines. I built this box some 12 years ago and at the time loaded it with Windows 7, my primary Linux OS (Mepis 11 at the time), and several other Linux offerings I was following at the time. The W7 load and Mepis 11 load were in the primary 500G hard drive, while the rest resided on an identical secondary drive.

Over the years my interest in the other Linux offerings waned and I ended up cleaning them off the secondary drive, leaving it for backups and storage. Later I installed an SSD and moved to a more up to date Linux offering, which I have been running ever since. The load of W7 and M11 remained on the old HDD.

W7 got booted a time or two over the years just for the helluvit, and was used once a year to do my taxes with Tax Act. Even at that, a couple years ago Tax Act claimed that they no longer supported W7, but that was more CYA than anything else owing to MSFT dropping support for W7 -- the software actually did work.

Earlier this week I started hearing some odd noises from my computer, very faint, and it came and went. Did a few diagnostic things, and when I went to check the file system integrity on the old hard drive, the thing went tits up -- couldn't access or even mount the drive. Catastrophic failure is the term that's used.

If it was necessary, I might be able to do some low level, high tech geeky stuff to maybe, just maybe salvage the data from the drive, but it's not necessary and I don't care -- everything was copied to my Linux load and that's backed up regularly. For all intents and purposes, that load of Windows was only there for nostalgia or my not having any other use for the drive. Other than the tax software, I've been able to do everything I've wanted with FOSS (Free Open Source Software).

And the best thing is I was able to confirm that I can still use Tax Act when the time comes. They have a browser based online version that I was pretty certain would work. I even called them last year and as far as the gal that answered knew, the online version would work as long as you have a supported, recent browser, like Google Chrome (which is available in Linux) -- she said that's what they told Mac users and she couldn't imagine running Chrome on Linux would be any different. Last year I still downloaded the Windows software and it worked, but after the drive died this week I took another stab at finding out for sure and ended up finding an entry buried in their knowledge base that specifically said to use the web based version in Linux. Sweet.

So what's my point? None really, other than it's kind of a watershed moment to be without software that 95% of the computing world thinks is necessary, and to be totally fine with it. Call me a rebel I guess.
Click to expand...
Rebel? Nah. Geek? Absolutely!
 
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BradStevens said:
I love Google. Use it every day, makes my life much better, and I don't pay a dime. Oh, but they have my anonymized data? Great. Take it. Use it. Just keep telling me 2024's must-have flatbills, and give me unlimited access to images of Selma Hayek.
Click to expand...
I also use Duck Duck Go and I'm amazed at how many different items come up when I use the exact same search terms.

Google really does censor stuff out.
 
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BradStevens said:
I love Google. Use it every day, makes my life much better, and I don't pay a dime. Oh, but they have my anonymized data? Great. Take it. Use it. Just keep telling me 2024's must-have flatbills, and give me unlimited access to images of Selma Hayek.
Click to expand...
I use Google every day too. It’s a great tool. But . . . . I hate it. It’s way too greedy. It f*cks with objective opinions, and it‘s ruining the human ability to think.
 
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You must be careful with Google. The distorted worldview they are trying to impose on the masses is carefully curated.

For every day items it’s fine. Restaurants, directions etc.

If you delve into the world of politics, healthcare, News you can go down some real scary rabbit holes. They’ll start offering disreputable and discredited sources like the CDC, FDA, AP News at the top of the search page.
 
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NPT said:
Google is trying to do away with cookies...

www.techtarget.com

Will Google kill third-party cookies? | TechTarget

Google third-party cookies have been on the chopping block for years. Will the company finally eliminate them, and what happens if it does? Find out here.
www.techtarget.com www.techtarget.com
Click to expand...
Yesterday Google started disabling 3rd party cookies for 1% of Chrome users. That's something like 30,000,000 users. The goal is to have the rollout complete sometime mid year.
 
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GigGoo said:
If you delve into the world of politics, healthcare, News you can go down some real scary rabbit holes. They’ll start offering disreputable and discredited sources like the CDC, FDA, AP News at the top of the search page.
Click to expand...

If you search for "LeBron James born on Mars" you'll get a bunch of positive hits, but they will all be from crazy sources. None of the reputable sources have even covered that. As a result, this "research" will lead certain people to conclude he was, since a majority of the hits will be positive.

This was an example on NPR today from an academic who studies how politics and the Internet intersect.
 
CO. Hoosier said:
Ha, I talk about Google and you talk about me. That’s a tell.
Click to expand...
Nah...you talked about your Google results. I talked about mine. You whined about sending money to a spot 2/3 across the country. My search resulted in maps and addresses, all of which were within 20 miles of my home.

If searching Google is a skill, you don't have it.
 
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