Tasks for the Weekend

Topic

New Reply

Tasks for the Weekend – November 21, 2020 – YouTube (link above hosted on Youtube)   I’m trying something out new.  I’m doing a small video tip a
[See the full post at: Tasks for the Weekend]

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

Total of 24 users thanked author for this post. Here are last 20 listed.

RetiredGeek, Elly, wavy, jburk07, G, The Surfing Pensioner, Sueska, LH, SueW, HiFlyer, Douglas, AlphaCharlie, howardagoldberg, Dave, CADesertRat, scoobydoo, Pepsiboy, Myst, E Pericoloso Sporgersi

Reply | Quote

Replies

Great! Really useful tip with a nice explanation and examples.

Is it possible to post the links to sites you’ve used? A sort of “further reading” section.

cheers, Paul

1 user thanked author for this post.

italiangm

Reply | Quote

I thought this was great. I like the video being available on the AskWoody site.

I had no surprises.

Reply | Quote

Good idea, and very well done.

Reply | Quote

Susan, I have watched your first video here in AskWoody and it looked pretty good, so I imagine that whether it is shown here or in YouTube the videos can be watched quite well.

Now I have a question: in Chrome’s Notifications there is a button to choose either to allow sites to send notifications or not. It looks like it is set to “allow” by default, as this is the first time I had gone there, following your instructions, and seen it set in this way.

Is it OK to have it set to the opposite: “sites can’t ask to send notifications”? I can’t remember having ever received a notification from a site while using Chrome and I have been doing that for more than three years by now, first in my Windows 7 PC and now in my Mac and with Linux in dual boot in the same Windows 7 PC. (Chrome is not my default browser, that is Waterfox. I’ll probably replace it with Vivaldi as the default in the not too distant future.)

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

Reply | Quote

It’s up to you to lock it down and say no to asking for notifications.  I personally don’t like them, but I haven’t purposely blocked that setting – at least not yet.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

1 user thanked author for this post.

OscarCP

Reply | Quote

Oh Susan, yes. I think it’s a wonderful idea.
Nevertheless I have two suggestions.

1. You should start each “Task for the Weekend” with a short footage of you yourself announcing the theme or subject, and 2 or 3 times a shot of you asking a question. That very much amplifies the impression for each viewer that you are addressing her/him personally.

2. You should speak slower. Compare your commentary with how the documentary narrators or the news readers on TV read their texts and you’ll see/hear what I mean.
It’s very important for AskWoodynizens not native to English.

Love and wishes from far away,

Francis

1 Desktop Win 11
1 Laptop Win 10
Both tweaked to look, behave and feel like Windows 95
(except for the marine blue desktop, rgb(0, 3, 98)

Reply | Quote

I will speak slower (sorry about that) but as far as a shot of myself… well I did this recording with messy hair, no makeup, wearing a sweatshirt after working on putting up the Christmas tree today (and I’m not done yet).  You’ll see me in videos, but not without a lot more planning (and a shower).

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

9 users thanked author for this post.

G, LH, CADesertRat, Fred, Barry, Myst, E Pericoloso Sporgersi, Kirsty

Reply | Quote

The video was fine by me even without your picture gracing it. I found the speed at which you spoke exactly right too, but I am bilingual and English is one of my two languages and have decades of practice using it. Slower might help people whose language is not English, as Mr. Spongersi (*) has pointed out. The Voice of America used to have “the news in special English” for those who were still learning, or for other reasons were still not very fluent in this language: the announcers spoke slowly and used simple words. I hope the latter is not necessary; avoiding acronyms and technical terms as much as possible always helps.

(*) Joke.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

1 user thanked author for this post.

HiFlyer

Reply | Quote

[Fred]

Great idea’s Miss Susan, but is anyone noticing this all?  Or are techy things covered by outlooks aswell?

To me it will be very handy if the posting can be followed in writing and links aswell; It’s great to look (back) at things in a written way….. Is that very old fashioned?

By the way, from this new posting (thread announcement) I did not get any notification by email, is this a glitch, or is there a setting I can switch-on myself?

Please keep up these good works  💐  .

* _ ... _ *

• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Fred.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Cee Arr

Reply | Quote

Do you like the videos on youtube or on the askwoody.com site itself? Or both?

I like the video on Youtube, as it saves having to waste the bandwidth when it autoloads on each homepage load. This can be a major hassle and cost, when it is being accessed from a mobile device on pay-per-mb (still common in many parts of the world) plan, and at some times of the month, can be on page 1 of the home page for several days.

I echo Francis’ comments above about the accent being unfamiliar to some, and taking into account many of our site visitors have English an a second (or other) language, when recording 🙂

2 users thanked author for this post.

Fred, E Pericoloso Sporgersi

Reply | Quote

I hate videos. I don’t have two expensive computers so I can waste time (and learn nothing) watching a stupid video. If this site goes to doing a lot of videos then I won’t be coming here anymore. I am a READER. I’ll turn on my TV if I want to watch something.

(Sorry if I sound grumpy but I see more and more websites resorting to videos rather than actual written articles and if that gets too bad then I won’t bother buying new computers when these are old). I already have a dumb boob tube and don’t want the internet to descend to that level of idiocy also).

1 user thanked author for this post.

Cee Arr

Reply | Quote

No the site isn’t going to go all videos.  Don’t worry about that.  But there are times where a video will much easier show where a funky setting is.  It also allows me to show what happened to someone that I helped them removed the funky spam notification from their computer.  Next time I’ll make sure I put the gist of the content in the text as well.

https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/3220216

The key item to check is Chrome notification settings.  As the site Krebs on Security discusses, bad guys can trick you into allowing notifications and then they can be used to spam you.

 

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

3 users thanked author for this post.

Elly, HiFlyer, Tarma

Reply | Quote

Love it! Works for me

MacOS iPadOS and sometimes SOS

Reply | Quote

Not grumpy, but, if you go the video route, please do so in addition to the written word!  I am not a video person and find it easier to just copy or print screen information from text.

Aside from everything else, consider the bandwidth used when millions (!) of people look at your video clips!  🙂

2 users thanked author for this post.

jburk07, Cee Arr

Reply | Quote

[NaNoNyMouse]

Sorry and all, but put me firmly in the “anti-video” camp

It’s ok for the kidz, but us old gits usually prefer the written word. We can take it at our own pace, speed-reading if necessary, absorb the bits that need absorbing, and skip the rest

For the stuff that I do on a daily basis it sometimes seems like people have forgotten (or simply can’t be bothered with) the art of making proper documentation. It’s all on the ootoob, and most of it is just unwatchable

It wouldn’t be quite so bad if there was some kind of an index that you could refer to, or even if you could bookmark important bits and come back to them later

The other time that written documentation comes into its own is when the posters have to correct errors. Easy enough to correct errors in a posted document, but nowhere near so easy to correct errors in a posted video, because you either have to re-record the whole thing, or edit it to somehow highlight the errors in the original

• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by NaNoNyMouse.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by NaNoNyMouse.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Cee Arr, SteveG, Fred

Reply | Quote

Much rather watch videos with inserted text boxes rather than speech, taking into consideration people with limited accessibility. A short synopsis of what is being done in blog form as an accompanyment.

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

3 users thanked author for this post.

Elly, HiFlyer, Myst

Reply | Quote

NaNoNyMouse wrote:

It wouldn’t be quite so bad if there was some kind of an index that you could refer to, or even if you could bookmark important bits and come back to them later

That’s why written text is so important, so much less misunderstandings

* _ ... _ *

2 users thanked author for this post.

Cee Arr, NaNoNyMouse

Reply | Quote

“That’s why written text is so important, so much less misunderstandings”

Agree!  And I’m neither grumpy nor hostile .. I’m just expressing my humble opinion!  😉

1 user thanked author for this post.

Cee Arr

Reply | Quote

Susan Bradley wrote:

The key item to check is Chrome notification settings.

Chrome notifications? You actually think I am stupid and naive enough to have ANYTHING to do with Google? I was Netscape all the way until Fx was in beta. I block all Google, all Microsoft (unblock only long enough to get daily Windows Defender definitions) anything to do with Chrome. You couldn”t pay me to sell my soul like so many have done by cozying up to Google. Ugh.

I’ve ignored the pro Google c*** so prevalent here out of respect for Woody but he’s gone now.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Cee Arr, Fred

Reply | Quote

Firefox also has website notifications:

Web Push notifications in Firefox

Say goodbye to annoying notification requests (unless you want them)

4 users thanked author for this post.

OscarCP, SueW, dmt_3904

Reply | Quote

Fantastic idea, Susan, and very worthwhile. Your simple advice on notifications immediately enabled me to spot where an intermittent but unwanted pop-up has been coming from these past few weeks. Thank you!

More please!

Reply | Quote

I agree with Fred above – videos are great for all those who like them. Everything seems to be going to videos these days. People like them and that’s fine, for them. I prefer written text, mainly because it is silent. It makes no noise and uses way less bandwidth. If you’re going to do videos, please also include a transcript option. I really miss my favorite cable TV news prime time programs that used to also be available as transcripts a day or two later. I can’t watch the broadcast and used to be able to just read the transcripts, but no longer. For some unknown reason, that cable news network has stopped posting links to the transcripts.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Cee Arr

Reply | Quote

Great idea & concept, please continue and thank you.

IT Manager Geek

Reply | Quote

Totally agree.  We’re not doing away with the written word. Videos have their place. Thank you Susan, great job!!! Happy Thanksgiving 🙂

Reply | Quote

And btw, I appreciate that you are trying to be creative and innovate – not that Woody was not those things. But you are taking it and making it your own, which is what should be done when the responsibility passes on.  As much as we all appreciate Woody and what he has done, no one, nothing lasts forever and it’s a natural process for someone else to take the helm.

Reply | Quote

Add me to the list agreeing with Fred. When given the option I almost always choose reading rather than a video. If I want a recipe, I want to read it in a few seconds rather than watch someone slowly give me the ingredients in a video. In this particular video of 3:45 I could have read and understood the tip in a minute or less.

That said, I do understand videos work better for some.

3 users thanked author for this post.

HiFlyer, Cee Arr, CAS

Reply | Quote

Most annoying. Not a good trend for this site. Clear text with link to a video if you must.

Reply | Quote

Hello Susan: Approached the “Tasks” video with apprehension, as Ask Woody speaks to so many different uses for Windows–from IT professionals to elderly dweebs, like me, at home. But then I remembered a friend who just spoke of a pop-up issue on his PC. He uses Chrome. (Why does anyone use Chrome?) Txtd him and he solved the matter going into permissions/notifications. So, thank-you. The screen shot component of “Tasks” is helpful. And, BTW, the sound of your voice is pleasantly reassuring, in and of itself. Be well.

Reply | Quote

Susan, this is a great idea.

Reply | Quote

Regarding Tasks for the Weekend video:  I would prefer if you would also give a quick written description of what’s in the video in addition to the video link.  I try to avoid following video links as much as possible–even from trusted sites like yours.  Also I learn better from the written word than from a video.  You could do the written summary the next day if you don’t want to give away what’s in the video.

Thank you.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Cee Arr

Reply | Quote

Susan:

I thought this was a great idea and well executed!!  I also prefer the video being available on the AskWoody site.

 

Reply | Quote

“Tasks for the Weekend” is a fine idea. However, I’m weary of seeing authors take the easy way out by presenting a video when a slideshow would be a better means of providing instructional information to the end user. After all, it is the end user who is to benefit from the instruction. Why not maximize the benefit?

Reply | Quote

Thanks for the short video Susan, I like having it posted for watching here on AW, saves from opening another tab on Chrome. Fine job 🙂

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

Fred wrote:

That’s why written text is so important, so much less misunderstandings

Fred wrote:

To me it will be very handy if the posting can be followed in writing and links aswell; It’s great to look (back) at things in a written way….. Is that very old fashioned?

Anyway, what’s better than prose written in Kings English?

* _ ... _ *

1 user thanked author for this post.

Cee Arr

Reply | Quote

Website push notifications can apply to ANY browser (except on iOS so far, or IE without a plug-in), but they don’t “sneak in” or “wiggle in” as a user must have clicked approve while viewing the site.

Reply | Quote

If you ask the person they never know how they got there… ergo why I say they wiggle in.  and to others on this thread, yes this occurs both for Chrome and Firefox.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

Reply | Quote

… and Edge (old or new) and Brave and Opera and Safari and …

Reply | Quote

I think the idea of highlighting tasks that should be done is a good one. I’m open about whether text/video/slideshow for best presentation method. If the topic is pretty simple (few steps, etc.) then videos are probably fine. For more complex tasks maybe text or slideshow would be better. Anyway I appreciate the basic idea and hope it continues.

But a question: Susan, don’t you already have enough to do?

2 users thanked author for this post.

Cee Arr, PKCano

Reply | Quote

I like the clean screens, the orange blocks, major points bulleted, screen shots, repetition of steps at several points as a review.   The speakers on my laptop are terrible and I don’t have auxiliary speakers, b/c I am not a regular video watcher, so these techniques help.  How about arranging for closed captioning?

I look forward to more of these.

Reply | Quote

I just checked the link to it on YouTube and closed captioning is offered on the video there.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Elly

Reply | Quote

I think it is a fine idea, whether you use video or text. I had no trouble following what you were saying. Including the links to sites you refer to would be helpful. That Krebs article is very good.

I normally run updates and cleanup on my system early every Saturday morning. I am retired now, but when I was still working M-F it was the quietest and most convenient time of the week. A good time to sit in front of the screen with a cup of coffee and get it done. I too try to keep my system as clean and uncluttered as possible.

I looked in that Notifications section and found more sites blocked than listed under allowed. I don’t know why all the blocked ones are there. Some I have heard of and others I haven’t. I don’t suppose there is any need to remove any of the blocks.

Under allowed I found 8 sites. A couple I have never heard of before and will delete, while others I have heard of and sometimes visit, but have no idea why they are there. One of the allowed sites is AskWoody!! It says ” https://www.askwoody.com:443 ” and when I expand it, it says ” 47 B · 1 cookie ” under Usage and under Permissions it allows Notifications. All the other settings are set to the default. Why is AskWoody listed there? Should I just leave that one alone?

Another allowed site says ” *://mail.google.com/mail* embedded on *://mail.google.com/mail* ” and is followed by a little symbol that means “This setting is enforced by an extension”. It does not have a way to see any other info about it, and I don’t know what extension it refers to. I only have a few extensions enabled and none seem to have anything to do with Gmail. But I do have a Gmail account, so perhaps that is why this is under allowed? I am not sure whether to touch this one.

Anyway, I think your new Tasks for the Weekend is a good idea. Thanks.

Reply | Quote

Notifications for AskWoody allow you to receive a notice when you get a Direct Message (DM – messages between logged in Registered members).

3 users thanked author for this post.

OscarCP, Sueska, Douglas

Reply | Quote

I’m not sure about that… I get notifications, of course, but I don’t see ” https://www.askwoody.com:443 ” and when I expand it, it says ” 47 B · 1 cookie ” under Usage and under Permissions it allows Notifications”
???

Reply | Quote

Bravo! Great idea.

Reply | Quote

Glad you’ll be keeping written posts with videos as needed. I occasionally find video instructions faster than written, especially when a visual helps avoid confusion.

While I don’t have the Google-specific Chrome browser, this post prompted me to review Chredge and Firefox settings to see if anything snuck in. Thanks for the reminder!

Reply | Quote

Thanks for the tips.  Good idea.  Couldn’t locate the youtube link.  Hard of Hearing.  Best for me is highlighted steps on displayed screens and text.  If it is possible a slower speed option on settings would be nice.

 

 

Reply | Quote

I prefer text articles because I am a foreigner and so not really good at English. =(

I am self-taught in English.

I would appreciate it if you understand my reason. =(

2 users thanked author for this post.

HiFlyer, Fred

Reply | Quote

On the matter of videos in AskWoody possibly taking an excessive use of bandwidth with consequent detrimental effects affecting the site’s use and accessibility, I think that Pointedly’s suggestion ( #2313474  ) of showing a series static slides (maybe with a voiceover?) would go a considerable way towards avoiding this potential problem. But it will mean more work for Susan, who will also have to prepare the slides.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

Reply | Quote

I absolutely love it.  Please keep doing these videos!

Reply | Quote

May want to consider whether “Tasks for the Weekend” is the right name. Might seem like a good idea now but will that be the case long term? Very early days. How about a survey for something more unique?

Reply | Quote

Susan’s Computer Tips sounds better – whether it be week days or weekends. If a particular piece of information is important to me I tend to print a copy and keep it where I can get it quickly if and when needed; not to go  hunting through links and videos during a crisis. Plus I can read same any time without the need for a computer, internet of the all invasive, all interferring Google. On a lighter note re videos, I’d much prefer Monty’s gardening programme to Windows any day- period.

Reply | Quote

Many thanks. I’ve been forgetting to look after my backup browsers.

Reply | Quote

I also prefer text article versus video.

Reply | Quote

why is the video linked to a Dr.Web advertising tracker?
+1 for askwoody hosting of videos with text instructions.

Reply | Quote

Great idea Susan! I am happy with the video approach as it is something that you can do pretty simply. Fully documented text with screen shots would take you longer and your time is precious, especially as you have now taken on AskWoody. Good for you!

Arthur J Davis
UK

Reply | Quote

Great idea!  Please continue.  I  appreciate your insight and tips in whatever format you use.

I help “maintain” family computers at different locations and look forward to more tasks “-)

 

Be safe, Happy Thanksgiving.

Reply | Quote

Of course one does not necessarily do ‘tasks’ every weekend 😉

Re bandwidth issue, is it possible to set the embedded video to NOT preload?

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Reply | Quote

While I did not read every post from members, I did read enough of them to certainly agree this was a very cool, helpful and well presented idea that will help many of us.  Thank you!

I do not have a clue where you find the time to take on this project though.  And lastly, maybe some will howl at me for writing this next line, but your voice and delivery is very soothing and sexy.

Reply | Quote

Sorry. I will not be update my browsers. I like my outdate browser for Firefox 52 ESR since the extension in the new browers do not work. I use Adbolker and the new Firefox version of it makes the extension useless. Plus I use Flash which has issues with new Firefox. I will not follow your advice. Plus MS edge is too much spyware and have put a nail thru the space on hard drive to prevent windows from install it. Thanks for the advice but I will pass on it.

Reply | Quote