Monroe

Just for reading but it sounds good ... After Outcry, Firefox Promises “Kill Switch” That Turns Off All AI Features Victor Tangermann / Dec 27, 2025 https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/outcry-firefox-promises-kill-switch-ai-features The backlash against AI invading almost every aspect of the computing experience is growing by the day. Particularly as an onslaught of lazy AI slop subsuming news feeds, the tech is starting to feel like a massive distraction — and huge parts of the internet are disillusioned or even fuming in anger. For instance, a vast number of Windows users refused to upgrade after Microsoft announced it would turn the operating system into a so-called “agentic OS.” ..... the article came from here, it's fourth down the list at this time. https://citizenfreepress.com/ ...

Thanks to a post by LordGarfio in 'My Browser Builds (Part 5)' - 'Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 v16.7 Redistributable v14.27.29114 XP' - I was able to install 'Win32 OpenSSL v3.6.0 Light' from the above website into my Windows XP system. This download worked: from the post by LordGarfio. I will see how everything works over the next few days. I was not able to install Win32 OpenSSL v3.6.0 Light before. October 8, 2025 - OpenSSL 3.6 is available. Users should currently install a 3.x series and generally only need a Light edition. All application developers should have migrated their applications to use the OpenSSL 3.x series. Note that 3.5.x is a LTS release series while 3.6.x is not. Installs the most commonly used essentials of Win32 OpenSSL v3.6.0 (Only install this if you need 32-bit OpenSSL for Windows). ... They have the full version (x32, x64) there also but they mention that the light version (x32, x64) should work for most people. Add ... I want to add the exact link for Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 v16.7 Redistributable v14.27.29114 XP. I stumbled across it someplace and I still think it was in the post by LordGarfio. I can't seem to find the exact link but I saved it to a folder. https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/2883-microsoft-visual-c-redist-2015-2019-for-windows-xp/ About This File This is the official installer for Visual C++ Redist 2015-2019 downloaded directly from Microsoft's website. This version is the last one to support Windows XP, even though Microsoft links to an older version. There was never a 2015-2022 redistributable installer for Windows XP. This is intended for Windows XP since that Operating System is good for older games and EAX support. This will ensure the latest redistributable is installed on the system for those games to use. Zip file contains installers for x86, x64, and arm64 systems. Just run the one you need. For x64 systems install both x86 and x64. What's New in Version 14.29.30139 Released March 22, 2024 Provided a newer version than what the Microsoft website linked to by default, I have confirmed it installable on Windows XP. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As the person mentioned above ... this file did install on my Win XP setup also. I came across this file somewhere, just not sure where but I usually save all my links when searching around till I find what I am looking for. Sometimes I get lucky and stumbled or trip over it. ...

Thanks for the additional information about Panda Dome. I will pass on trying the program out for now. Will hunt around for something else for WinXP. The Kerio Personal Firewall v2.1.5 is good and I may work with it again. I have used an older version of Zone Alarm for years but this past August I started having problems with the True Vector service frequently shutting down. Just in the last week I may have that problem solved ... will know in a week or two using the computer. I came across a post by a lawyer from 2010. He mentions Kerio Personal Firewall v2.1.5 and other various programs he likes. It's interesting reading. My list of useful and free/open source computer programs https://www.crookston.ca/wp/2010/05/07/my-list-of-useful-and-free-computer-tools/ Networking, Firewall Malwarebytes Firewall. Kerio Personal Firewall v2.1.5. ONLY WORKS ON WINDOWS XP AND LOWER. – Free firewall. The best version of this program is an old one: v2.1.5. It is quick, fast, customizable, and runs with a low memory footprint. It is the same program as “Tiny Personal Firewall”, just with a different name. You can find it out on the Internet. The current version of Kerio is 4.x. That version is offered for a 30 day trial of its advanced features which get locked out after that period (which you don’t really need anyway), after which it is free. – It’s good, but more memory intensive than v2.1.5. – NOTES: 137-139 (NetBIOS); 135 (RPC endpoint mapper), 445, 593 (DCOM-Distributed Computing) Just to add ... Kerio Personal Firewall v2.1.5 can be downloaded here if anyone is interested. Searched around and this link works. https://www.emule-security.org/download.php?view.3 ...

That is about the time I noticed this happening. I was going to inquire about it but figured it was a simple glitch that would be fixed after it was noticed by more members or a supervisor. It is nice to see a count of some sort, even if there are no 'humans' on the site these days. ...

Thanks for the list ... I downloaded 5 files, from newer to older and will see if any actually install. I hope one download will install, if not I will download more from the list to find one that will install. No, I just wanted to install OpenSSL on my XP setup.

I am looking for an OpenSSL version that can be installed on Windows XP. The latest version that will actually install. I have come across these two web sites that list Win XP but the downloads will not install. Shining Light Productions / Win32/Win64 OpenSSL https://slproweb.com/products/Win32OpenSSL.html Recommended system requirements: Windows XP or later 128MB RAM 500MHz CPU 300MB hard drive space ... and this site: OpenSSL For Windows https://www.softpedia.com/get/Programming/Components-Libraries/OpenSSL.shtml#download runs on: Windows 11 Windows 10 32/64 bit Windows 8 32/64 bit Windows 7 32/64 bit Windows Vista 32/64 bit Windows XP 32/64 bit They indicate that I need the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable 14.50.35719.0 (x86) which I downloaded but it wouldn't install. From that download Visual C++ runtime for XP/2003 I was able to install 'vcredist2013_x86' on Windows XP. Anything higher would not install. ... just found this site on a search: Latest working Visual C++ 2015-2019 runtime for XP/2003 https://board.eclipse.cx/viewtopic.php?t=386 someone posted this link in the discussion, I have seen these names in the MSFN forum - MilkChan and K4sum1: Visual C++ Redistributable Runtimes All-in-One Dec 2025 https://www.techpowerup.com/download/visual-c-redistributable-runtime-package-all-in-one/ and there are many older download versions shown. Just would like to know what is the latest OpenSSL version that will install / work on Windows XP? I have downloaded several x86 versions but they don't install. Thanks ...

VL ... Thanks for that information. I did not know that.

Ran into a small problem after downloading your 'offline installer' download. I got offline to run the download and found out that I need to have .NET Framework also installed. I did have .NET Framework 2.0 installed years ago but removed it. Didn't seem to have much use for it on Win XP at the time. If there were any programs that might require it I was always able to find another program that didn't need .NET Framework to run. I have all the .NET Framework versions that worked on XP stored on a DVD backup with other old Win XP programs ... in case needed one day. I think at the time .NET Framework 3.5 was the last version to work on XP but after getting back online to search around I now see that there is a .NET Framework 4.0 that will install on Win XP SP3. I have now downloaded that version but I may just try .NET Framework 2.0 first out of curiosity and see if that works. If not then I can jump to version 4.0. That version from MS is dated from last year: 07/15/2024 ... I will put the MS link here in case someone else has need for it. Microsoft .NET Framework 4 (Standalone Installer) https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17718 Date Published: 07/15/2024 Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7, Windows 7 SP 1, Windows Vista SP 1, Windows XP SP 3 Windows XP SP3 Windows Vista SP1 or later Windows 7 Windows 7 SP1 Supported Architectures: x86 x64 Thanks ...

I was having many problems with Mypal68 74.1.2 shutting down on many websites ... after updating to Mypal68 74.1.3 in early December, all those problems have gone away. Mypal68 74.1.3 is very stable for my WinXP system with only a 'very rare' shutdown. I also use New Moon but it has problems with some websites. Mypal68 74.1.3 has now become my main WinXP daily browser. Thanks for your work and this newer update. ...

AstroSkipper ... Just came across you're updated information dealing with Windows XP and Panda Free Antivirus. Around two weeks ago I was actually looking for any antivirus programs still working with WinXP in 2025. Didn't find any after doing a quick search on some programs that worked many years ago and reading your earlier post on the subject. Thanks again for the update on this valuable information for Windows XP users. ...

Yes WS addressed that and the court case being dismissed. I have searched the WS Reddit page but all that has been pushed further back with newer questions and replies. From memory it was the fault of the company supplying the server. They were in the process at the time of changing servers over to a 'no logs' policy. Then the court case was thrown out this year. They have been growing in the last ten years, people seem to like the company. They still do offer 10 GB free every month on the free plan. That's why I signed up 5 years ago ... at the time they had a nice Win XP app which went away about 1 1/2 years later but people already signed up could still use Win XP for the 'free' or 'pro' service. https://old.reddit.com/r/Windscribe/ For newer computers you might want to check them out. Then I just came across another company that also offers free 10 GBs every month also but they have nothing for Win XP that I can find, but it may be of value for newer computers or phones. https://privadovpn.com/ Download Free VPN App for Windows Get 10GB of data for free every 30 days No payment details required, no strings attached, and no hoops to jump through PrivadoVPN is committed to protecting your privacy for free Is PrivadoVPN a no log VPN? Yes, we ensure that we never log browsing history, traffic destination, data content, IP addresses, or DNS queries. We encrypt all data over our VPN connections, and we do not inspect or record the contents of what you are viewing, browsing, or doing through the PrivadoVPN connections. Free VPN (10GB/month) | Unlimited Devices - PrivadoVPN https://privadovpn.com/freevpn/ So that may be another option for some people. I still like the Japan VPN that I mentioned in my first post. It sets up everything very easy and Win XP works very good plus in 2025 support for people still using Windows 98 SE can be a plus. Most of the servers are located in Japan but there are others scattered around other locations ... but most seem to be in Asia. ...

Yes I have used Windscribe service for six years now. I went a few months with their 10 GB monthly free plan and paid for a year Christmas special and then a 3 year Black Friday special twice. A paid service is better but I still have over a year of time left on the plan and I am not paying for another service. The 'free service' will be OK in my situation. I went to the VPNBook web site and will check that out more. It might be better. I like the one that I mentioned earlier. My Win 7 notebook still works with the paid service. My time with Win XP is slowly coming to an end anyway. I had four Win XP notebooks in 2010 and now I only have one left ... the best of the four which I rarely used till the last few months. When my paid subscription finally runs out next year, I will just use 'free' service. I have heard from customer service several times but I am not able to connect. They sent this info ... not sure what the 'extension tunnel' is ... might not be for my situation. ..................................................................................................... Our browser extension tunnels your browser traffic, not your entire device. That means your Chrome (or Firefox, Edge, whatever) traffic goes through Windscribe’s servers, while your other apps (Steam, Netflix app, etc.) use your normal internet. But it’s not just a mini VPN - it’s loaded with cool features, like: Ad & tracker blocking (because ads are the fungus of the internet). WebRTC Slayer - prevents your real IP from leaking. Time Warp, Location Warp & Language Warp - fakes your timezone, GPS and language to match your connected location. Cookie Monster & Split Personality - nukes cookies and rotates your browser’s fingerprint so trackers lose you faster than your last ex. It pairs beautifully with the desktop app for Double Hop, where traffic goes through two separate Windscribe locations for extra privacy. You can read more about the extension here on our website. (Scroll down until you see it) You can also get the extension from here: Chrome - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/windscribe-free-proxy-and/hnmpcagpplmpfojmgmnngilcnanddlhb Firefox - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/windscribe/ Edge - https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/windscribe-free-proxy-a/dkkdbpgldnmkhcliffjpajcfdjkcaddf For windows XP, you can probably get our old MV2 version browser extension to work. But this is not guaranteed. ...................................................................................... Maybe some others need a 'free VPN service also so they have this information now. Monroe ...

This may be of some use for Win XP users in today's world with Win XP being phased out more everyday ... this service is also listed to work with Windows 98 SE / ME also. I used it about 6 years ago myself and now am being forced to use it again in Oct 2025 to be able to get my Win XP computer on the internet with a VPN. The paid service I was using has finally cut off all Win XP connections. They warned two years ago it was coming and the service still works for my Windows 7 computer but I still mostly use my Win XP computer for everyday connecting. As I said above ... I used this free VPN about 6 years ago and I have hooked the XP computer up to the service again. I will say that they have really improved things and the service is great in 2025. Perhaps some of you know about it already but if not ... then you can check it out if you need a VPN for Win XP. https://www.vpngate.net/en/ https://www.vpngate.net/en/download.aspx VPN Gate - Public Free VPN Cloud by Univ of Tsukuba, Japan Welcome to VPN Gate. (Launched on March 8, 2013.) - You can get through your government's firewall to browse restricted websites. (e.g. YouTube.) - You can disguise your IP address to hide your identity while surfing the Internet. - You can protect yourself by utilizing the strong encryption while using public Wi-Fi. More Details... - TunnelCrack protection implemented in SoftEther VPN Client (August 31, 2023) Supports Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android. Compatible OS: Windows, CPU: Intel x86 and x64 (Windows 98 SE / ME / 2000 SP4 / XP SP2, SP3 / Server 2003 SP2 / Vista SP1, SP2 / Server 2008 SP1, SP2 / Hyper-V Server 2008 / 7 SP1 / Server 2008 R2 SP1 / Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 / 8 / 10 / Server 2012 / Hyper-V Server 2012) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It looks complicated but it really isn't. Spend some time reading everything and you should be good to go. I'm impressed from using it 6 years ago to how it has improved. One word about connecting, if you need an US connection for banking, Tubi or whatever ... they are not always there, just at various times. You will figure all this out as you get familiar with the service. ...

I thought this article about the internet past and present was a good read. A warning ahead on 'language' ... maybe not for the 'faint of heart'. Most people might use the word 'crap' in their article. It goes up a notch in this article but it gets to the point. I myself miss the old internet from when a person didn't have to prove they were a human, had to solve a puzzle by moving pieces around, check all the squares with butterflies or whatever. Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish? https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/oct/05/way-past-its-prime-how-did-amazon-get-so-rubbish Cory Doctorow Sun 5 Oct 2025 ...

I assume that you are talking about the version of Supermium in the 'Web Browsers / Browsers working on Older NT-Family OSes' section. That version does not seem to be portable or am I wrong? I am using Win XP and would like a portable version that is Google free for Win XP. I found a version at Major Geeks: Download Supermium Portable - MajorGeeks / Supermium Portable 132.0.6834.226_R5.02 Date: 08/26/2025 Size: 192 MB License: Open Source Requires: 11|10|8|7|Vista|XP https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/supermium_portable.html Then at PortableApps.com: Supermium Portable 126.0.6478.261 R7 (web browser with legacy support) Released A new version of Supermium Portable has been released. Supermium is a web browser based on Chrome with legacy Windows support (XP/vista/7/8). https://portableapps.com/news/2025-01-27--supermium-portable-126.0.6478.261-R7-released and there appear to be at least a couple versions at Github ... but they seem to be only for Windows 7 and 8. I've been wanting to try Supermium for a year or so but just not sure which version to work with and if a portable version would work. In the Supermium topic in 'Web Browsers' there is never any talk of a portable version. Would that portable version at Major Geeks be OK to go with? ... I've read the talk about using only an 'ungoogled' version. Thanks ...

Thanks AstroSkipper ... got the link and it installed with no problem. I don't know why I had problems earlier ... just kept saying it was 'corrupt'. All is well again. ...

I have decided to try this new version of mypal just released a few days ago. I had not used it for awhile. I can't find the right version of uBlock to use with this new version. Have tried a couple downloads and it won't install ... message say ' was not installed, appears to be corrupt.' Also, some websites have ads popping up that never happened before. Is there anything else or another program also to wipe out ads. I've always read (I think) that uBlock should be all that is really needed on a browser. Does everyone agree with this or is there also another program that could be added for ads to also work with uBlock? I had a version of uBlock working on an older version of mypal but I lost all that information. thanks

Yes, I'm sure there might still be some things hanging around. However, I had never gone after any Windows 7 telemetry in my setup. I was looking for an easy way to get rid of whatever I could since I did not want to spend a lot of time hunting each item down from a list. So the 'script removal' tool and Blackbird looked OK to me to start with. I ran Blackbird without removing anything and was amazed at what was found ... so I ran it again letting it remove everything and also ran the script download in case it found anything additional. Hopefully I have a better system now but as you mentioned there are probably some items still there. With Windows 7 no longer getting updates I guess in one way is good since no new telemetry will be installed. Not sure about Windows 10 and 11. Probably Blackbird and other telemetry tools will have to be run again with any downloads from M$. ...

Having finally got Windows 7 to my liking, I decided to look into any telemetry that the OS has installed. From what I read it's not as bad as Windows 10 and 11. I found this article discussing '11 Free Tools' to use. 11 Free Tools To Disable and Stop Windows from Spying and Tracking You https://www.geckoandfly.com/25083/free-tools-disable-stop-windows-spying-tracking-you/ Number 2 on the list is a tool called Blackbird ... Blackbird v6 (64bit). It works on Windows 7 as well as higher, they do also list Vista. Nice write-up about it here and other places. It will make a backup before removing anything. I also have my own backup on a flash drive before using it. It seemed to work really good and appears to be safe to use and run. MajorGeeks has it listed to work on Windows 11|10|8|7 but I can't be sure how accurate that information is. Just wondering about any thoughts on Blackbird? It seems to be really safe to use. I used it almost two weeks ago before I posted about it here and have not noticed any problems. It does remove a lot of items and all the items changed or removed are posted. Information from the link above does not list it working on Windows 11 as MajorGeeks does. I put their information below: Blocks Telemetry Completely – Block Windows spyware, on both the application and network level, without editing the HOSTS file or firewall settings and remove all Windows telemetry updates. Supports Wireless and Ethernet connections, IPv4/IPv6. Removes Windows Ads – Remove all Windows built-in advertising and any pre-installed app you want. Stop your PC from downloading and installing sponsored software in the background. Restores Privacy – Prevent diagnostic data, passwords, contacts, URL, SMS, handwriting, location, and P2P-update sharing. Remove all unique ID tracking tokens. Disable 60+ data collection tasks and consequently speed up your PC. Portable, Restorable, Flexible – No installation, with a focus on leaving the smallest possible footprint, Blackbird is a single, portable exe with granular switches available. Want to restore everything back? They got you covered. Works on Windows Vista, 7, 8/8.1, 10 (Home/Pro/Ent/Edu) How Blackbird Works Without going into too much detail, Blackbird employs some known and less-known techniques to fully disarm Windows while leaving the smallest possible footprint. For instance, Blackbird does not edit the HOSTS file in any way, nor does it mess with your firewall settings. It does not run in the background, instead relying on persistent routes and resolving hostnames to IP addresses each time Blackbird is applied by the user. After usage no new files are left behind on your computer and you can safely delete blackbird.exe. Blackbird has succeded when you forget it was ever there. Everything our software does can be restored using the software itself or manually by hand. *Dev.notice: Please don't do this manually, it will take forever and is confusing. There are other tools that claim to block Windows spying but they are cumbersome to use and not as powerful or are limited in scope. So we took Windows apart, piece by piece, analyzed web traffic, system calls, file changes, etc, compared different configurations, designed and built a stand-alone tool and spent hundreds of hours on beta testing so anyone can use it and it gets the job done right. What Blackbird Does > Disables OneDrive > Disables Cortana > Disables Bing-integration > Disables all AutoLoggers > Disables Wi-Fi Sense > Disables system-wide telemetry (on all editions of Windows 10 and older) > Disables all OS advertising (tips, pop-ups, suggested apps, etc.) > Disables all Xbox Live services > Disables web content evaluation ("SmartScreen") and prevents URL check-in > Disables Windows Media online DRM > Disables Windows P2P Update sharing > Disables hidden Windows metric startup tasks > Disables all diagnostic tracking services > Disables all application metric-data collection agents > Prevents system read access to already collected diagnostic data > Prevents any location/contacts/messages/handwritting/password sharing > Prevents cross-device synchronization (ie; Windows Phone auto-syncing with PC account data) > Removes GWX and Windows 10 upgrade pop-ups > Removes Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) > Removes your unique ad-tracking ID token > Removes a bunch of Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 telemetry updates (View full list here) > Removes Superfish, eDellRoot, HP Touchpoint Analytics, VisualDiscovery and other security risks > Removes all pre-install Windows 10 Upgrade files/folders on Windows 7, 8, 8.1 > Blocks 500+ different tracking/telemetry/ad servers (View full list here) > Patches various data leaks (IE/Edge, Explorer, Defender, MRT, SMB) > Applies various network tweaks (enables RSS,ctcp,tcp-offload,ECN) INCLUDES: > Blackbird App Manager (Windows 10 only) : Block any system application the easy & user-friendly way. > Blackbird STD : Force removal of stubborn spy tasks. > Backup & Restore : Save current system settings to an external file restorable at any time. Try Blackbird Windows Privacy and Security ... Blackbird is THE BEST! *** I also found a 'ready to use' script at this link discussion. Remove ALL telemetry updates from Windows 7 & 8 and 8.1 https://windowsforum.com/threads/remove-all-telemetry-updates-from-windows-7-8-and-8-1.228360/ ... there is a list of items removed and at the bottom is a link to get the script ready to download and use. I also ran this script after running Blackbird and so far everything seems to be OK on my computer. I'm many years late getting involved with Windows 7 but with Windows XP ... which I still like, the web pages are really becoming a problem with daily use. It can be OK with Javascript disabled but I'm sure it will only get worse and not better with XP. So maybe there are others here that can use these tools and script on Windows 7. I'm sure it's not 100% but it has to be better than what I had before after running Blackbird and the script download. ...

Just my 'two cents' ... www.rt.com has no problem on my Win XP setup with the New Moon release of 26/Jul/2025 ... however, over the last month or so I do seem to be having problems with New Moon at some sites and I get the message: "Palemoon.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience." I can't pinpoint any problem or web site because it just seems to be random and those web sites seem to work just fine the next time. Just something I am noticing over the last several weeks. Have no idea what's going on ... just a fluke or these web sites making more changes. I almost have to have 'javascript' disabled most of the time with most web sites with my computer running very hot from the strain of opening these sites. Javascript being disabled most of the time except when needed does still let me use Windows XP online in 2025.

Windows is getting rid of the Blue Screen of Death after 40 years. Microsoft is saying hello to the Black Screen of Death error message instead. https://www.theverge.com/news/692648/microsoft-bsod-black-screen-of-death-color-change-official ...

This is from her site yesterday, 14 February 2025. It's about a company that had a massive 1.17TB database online for anyone to see. There was no encryption and no password required. The database contained 2,734,819,501 sensitive records. https://www.komando.com/news/devices/your-wi-fi-was-part-of-2-7-billion-records-leaked/ The location of this company is interesting and they specialize in LED lights and hydroponics equipment. ...

Thanks feodor2 for the additional link and information. With AstroSkipper and your help, I can see why I had a problem. ...

Thanks AS for the detailed explanation of the steps in setting up a new profile that you use. I will do the same ... it sounds like the way to go after reading your post. ...

Today on my Win XP notebook I put a backup on to have a clean Win XP setup installed. Some things seemed a little sluggish. I put the newer version of Mypal68 on and copied the Mypal68 profile folder that goes with this version into the \Application Data folder. However, nothing worked. I ended up having to install Mypal68 and redo all my settings and extensions again. I had saved the Mypal68 profile folder earlier to a flashdrive. This is all that needs to be saved ... am I correct or am I missing another step? Just wanted ask if this is what everyone else does? I am wondering why the profile transfer didn't work or maybe it was just a fluke of some sort. Thanks ...