not know that Firefox and Chrome can run right alongside Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge, with absolutely no confusion between the two. Err, four. In fact, they don’t even interact — Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Google Chrome were designed to operate completely independently, and they do not mess with each other in any way, except when trying to promote themselves over their competitors.
One unwritten rule for the World Wide Web: All web acronyms must be completely, utterly inscrutable. For example, a web address is a Uniform Resource Locator, or URL. (The techies I know pronounce URL “earl.” Those who don’t wear white lab coats tend to say “you are ell.”) As I said earlier, the HTML acronym means HyperText Markup Language. On the web, a gorgeous, sunny, palm-lined beach with the scent of frangipani wafting through the air would no doubt be called SHS — Smelly Hot Sand. Sheeesh.
Who pays for all this stuff?
"Who pays for all this stuff?" is the 64-billion-dollar question, isn’t it? The Internet is one of the true bargains of the 21st century. To get online, you probably have to pay AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, Mediacom, Evan, Cable One, CenturyLink, some other cable company, or another ISP a monthly fee. The fee you pay varies depending on the speed you want for your Internet connection and the services bundled with it, such as TV and online streaming subscriptions.
Others involved in your security may be selling your personal information. AVG, an antivirus of fame, announced in September 2015 that it would start selling browsing history data to advertisers. Avast — another free antivirus owned by the same company, has similar practices. Your ISP may be selling your data too.
Most websites don’t charge a cent. They pay for themselves in any of these ways:
Contract advertising: Google has made a fortune. In 2019, advertising accounted for $134.81 billion in the company’s revenue.
Use display advertising: Many sites run ads, most commonly from Google, but in some cases, selected from a pool of advertisers. The advertiser pays a bounty for each person who clicks the ad and views its website — a click-through.
Use affiliate programs: Many sites may also participate in a retailer’s affiliate program. If a customer clicks through and orders something, the website that originated the transaction receives a percentage of the amount ordered. Amazon is well known for its affiliate program, but many others exist.
Increase a company’s visibility: The website gives you a good excuse to buy more of the company’s products. This is why architectural firms show you pictures of their buildings and food companies post recipes.
Reduce a company’s operating costs: Banks and brokerage firms, for example, have websites that routinely handle customer inquiries at a fraction of the cost of H2H (err, human-to-human) interactions.
Draw in new business: Ask any real estate agent.
Some websites have an entrance fee. For example, if you want to read more than a few articles on The New York Times website, you have to part with some substantial coin — $12 for twelve weeks — for their most basic option, the last time I looked. Guess that beats schlepping around a whole lotta paper.
Buying a Windows 10 Computer
Here’s how it usually goes: You figure that you need to buy a new PC and spend a couple weeks brushing up on the details — price, storage, size, processor, memory — and doing lots of comparison shopping. You end up at your local Computers Are Us shop, and the guy behind the counter convinces you that the best bargain you’ll ever see is sitting right here, right now, and you’d better take it quick before somebody else nabs it.
YOU MAY NOT NEED TO PAY MORE TO GET A CLEAN PC
I hate it when the computer I want comes loaded with all that nice, “free” crapware. I’d seriously consider paying more to get a clean computer.
You don’t need an antivirus and Internet security program preinstalled on your new PC. It is going to open and beg for money next month. Windows 10 comes with Windows Security (formerly known as Windows Defender), and it works great — for free.
Browser toolbars? Puh-lease.
You can choose your own Internet service provider. AT&T? Verizon? Who needs you?
And trialware? Whether it’s Quicken or any of a zillion other programs, if you must pay for a preinstalled app in three months or six months, you don’t want it.
If you’re looking for a new computer but can’t find an option to buy a PC without all the “extras,” look elsewhere. The big PC companies are slowly getting a clue, but until they clean up their act, you may be better served buying from a smaller retailer, who hasn’t yet presold every bit that isn’t nailed down. Or you can buy direct from Microsoft: Its Surface tablets and laptops are as clean as the driven snow. Pricey, perhaps. But blissfully clean.
Microsoft’s online store sells new, clean computers from major manufacturers. Before you spend money on a computer, check to see whether it’s available dreck-free (usually at the same price) from the Microsoft Store. Go to www.microsoftstore.com and choose any PC. The ones on offer ship without any of the junk.
If you bought a new computer with all that gunk, you could get rid of it by performing a reset or reinstall. See Book 8, Chapter 2 for details.
Your eyes glaze over as you look at yet another spec sheet and try to figure out one last time whether a RAM is a ROM, whether a solid-state drive is worth the effort, and whether you need a SATA 6 Gbps, or NVMe, or USB 2 or 3 or C. In the end, you figure that the guy behind the counter must know what he’s doing, so you plunk down your credit card and pray you got a good deal.
The next Sunday morning, you look at the ads on Newegg (www.Newegg.com) or Best Buy (www.BestBuy.com) or Amazon (www.Amazon.com) and discover you could have bought the same PC for 25 percent less money. The only thing you know for sure is that your PC is hopelessly becoming out of date, and the next time you’ll be smarter about the whole process.
If
