NotHereToPlayGames

Only 16 years old? Knock on wood! But I think I may outlast you My ThinkPad T43 is from 2005 and is also 16 years old. I have to set the BIOS clock every time I turn it on but other than that she's humming along in third gear.

Too funny. Did they catch the colsed typos versus closed? Or Colse versus Close? Or Backuo versus Backup? Or clouds (plural) when you back up to the cloud (singular)? Or bookmar versus bookmark? Or just the total misuse of SPACES? My complete rebuild notes and a copy of my "base" with all modifications and untouched by a "first run" is provided below. https://www.dropbox.com/s/5twje35tkzfh8ay/360ChromePortable.zip?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/obhxz6smkkt6030hn90ks/13.0.2250.0.xls?dl=0&rlkey=3i1ghxtckjhzw67t0nxpkoq94

DITTO !!!

Why abandon XP? IF you must abandon XP, I've had performance-success with Win7 Enterprise and Win10 LTSB. But they were also both provided by place-of-employment - with a license that allows me to install at home due to remote work. I haven't taken the leap to test-drive Win11 yet, I haven't even looked at if these copies floating around are "legal" or "leaked".

I used to have a program that would TIME my startup. Like @j7n pointed out, just because a service is delayed to start, it still has to start. That's the oldest trick in the book - instead of hammering the CPU(s) with EIGHTY startup processes, you hit it with 20, wait a minute and load 20 more, et cetera. A computer user turns his/her computer on, he/she can't DO ANYTHING when the CPU is trying to load EIGHTY startup processes. But only load 20 instead and now the user gets that warm-and-fuzzy feeling that they can open their web browser 15 seconds after hitting the Power On button versus 80 seconds after hitting the Power On button. Doesn't matter that three minutes later the computer is STILL loading startup processes, at least the user was able to load his/her web browser before all of those startup processes were fully loaded.

I am starting from scratch on a version 13.0.2250.0 build and putting all of my steps in a tabbed .xls spreadsheet. I'll provide access to the spreadsheet once I've completed all of my steps. I'll also provide access to a .zip'd download of my 13.0.2250.0. The way I build mine is to disable wi-fi completely and modify files without any internet access. My version never connects to the internet until after I've made all my changes. But it is executed so that it undergoes its "First Run" process.

I'm showing the v13.5 branch to use the same Chromium as the v13.0 branch. The modifications for the Speedup Utility are inside "en-US.pak". There are a total of six files that I made changes to that all pertain to the Speedup Utility -- 5662 --- Optimizing the memory ==>> Optimizing memory… 5663 --- Clearint the cache ==>> Cleaning cache… 5666 --- speedup percent:$1 ==>> Speedup percent: $1 [note: there is a space BEFORE the S in Speedup (this puts a gap between Speedup and the checkmark on the completed screen) and between the : and $1] 5673 --- (Can release:$1) ==>> (Can release: $1) 5674 --- (Released:$1) ==>> (Released: $1) 5685 --- more setting for speedup ==>> More settings for Speedup

Based on some of the Chinese/Russian update logs, it appears that the May 13, 2021 Build 2250 is the last of the v13.0 branch (ie, version 13.0.2250.0). It appears that upstream has moved on to the v13.5 branch (June 8, 2021 = version 13.5.1020.0). I'm pulling the release dates and update logs from here - http://forum.ru-board.com:9000/topic.cgi?forum=5&topic=50612&start=0&limit=1&m=31 I'm seeing this as a good time for me to officially upgrade from the 13.0 Build 2206 that I have been using and port all my mods to 13.0 Build 2250. I'm not sure of where to find the "official" update logs and I've seem some v13.1 releases - but even those indicate that 13.0.2250.0 is going to be the last in the 13.0 branch. I'll attempt to document all of my mods along the way a bit better than the last time around.

Here is one (among dozens) of English issues I have with 360 Chrome. I screen-cap'd this from the modded v9. This spelling error (call it obsessive if you like) exists in ALL versions of 360 Chrome. This spelling error is one of the messages that is displayed when you run the Speedup utility. But it IS fixable. Here is a screen-cap from my modded v13 build 2206. Note that I also put a SPACE between Can release: and the actual number (again, call it obsessive if you like). I also capitalized More and Speedup in the More settings for Speedup link at the bottom of the Speedup Utility and the Speedup count messages along the right (yes, again, call it obsessive if you like).

Google Voice doesn't work with an untouched original v9, v11, or v12. It requires v13 and it's not dependent on whether we mod v13 or not. I haven't tested with untouched Chromium versions to see which minimum Chromium version is required.

Scratch that experiment. I'm still most-satisfied with Build 2206.

TOTALLY COOL !!!...

Good point! But the "average city" then HAS TO rule out some US cities. In the world of statistics, we have bell-shaped curves. Virginia is not an "average city" and is part of that bell-shaped curve "extremes" - and West Virginia is also an "extreme", to the opposite side of that bell-shaped curve. West Virginia's poverty rate was 16.0% in 2019. Virginia's poverty rate was 9.9% in 2019. We have States here in the US that find their own way to send the poverty OUT of their State and into other States. Legal or not, it happens. Best States with fewest in poverty -- New Hampshire, Utah, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Washington, Virginia, Nebraska, Connecticut -- all 10.0% or below Worst States with highest in poverty -- Oklahoma, Alabama, West Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky, New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi (, Puerto Rico, American Samoa) -- all 15.0% or higher Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_poverty_rate

The modded v9 works well here also. Google Voice does not work as far as making calls in v9, v11, or v12. v9 (at least the modded) does download .csv files from Google Sheets (v13 does not). I have started using v13 Build 1006 for testing purposes. I do not prescribe to the "newer is better" paradigm and most of v13's "updates" have little (if anything) to do with the "rendering engine". Build 1032 was the next build after Build 1006 and that is when the I-would-not-recommend "Security Options" settings/"feature" tab appeared and also when the default skin started its own telemetry DNS connection(s).

Oh yeah, I guarantee it that it's that "median value" that is WAY OFF !!! Here in the States, no matter what State, there is ALWAYS a "poverty district" where the "bottom tier folks" CAN ALWAYS find a house for "pennies to the dollar". You can always spot these "districts" because the house will be run-down and look like it should be condemned as unlivable, but the vehicle parked in the driveway will be brand new, spit-shined, and worth twice the value of the house. You'd think I'd be exaggerating - but I'm not

Centered taskbar!? YUCK! That's got APPLE written all over it!

Agreed. Where are you finding first bottom tier prices? I'm not well-traveled nowadays, but I've been to 26 of the 48-contiguous States. I'm finding it difficult to fathom on how West Virginia and Virginia would be so drastically different - unless you're in the Washington, D.C. area of Virginia.

Minimum wage in 1984 was $3.35/hr. Again assuming a 40hr work week, that's $134 per week or $6,968 per year. Having to "qualify" for a mortgage started here in the US in 2010 (subprime crisis was 2007-2010) under the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation. While "qualifying" for mortgages is relatively new here in the US per Federal Laws, it's been around since at least 1970 based on this -- https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/pdf/Trends_hsg_costs_85-2005.pdf What is now Federally mandated as far as qualifying for a mortgage (28-29% mortgage-debt to income ratio), in the '80s that apparently ranged anywhere from 25% to 42% but 30% was the "standard". But I'm also showing that the "standard 30%" in 1984 also included utility payments, property taxes, and PMI (insurance). So 1984 versus 2021 here in the US is actually pretty much identical - you could only get a mortgage that would cost you roughly 30% of your total net income.

1984 Italy => 73,500,000 / 750,000 = 98.0 2021 Italy => 200,000 / 950 = 210.5 The federal minium wage in the US is $7.25 per hour. Assuming a 40hr work week, that's $290 per week or $15,080 per year. That puts you in the 12% Tax Bracket so net income would be $13,270 per year or $1106 per month. It's more about Debt-to-Income ratio and not monthly income here in the US. The highest debt-to-income ratio that qualifies for a mortgage is 29% and that is what we call an FHA Mortgage (Federal Housing Authority) [most mortgage lenders use 28% but 29% is available]. Different formulas apply to Veterans but the percentages are not that far off, Veterans are allowed to add total debt differently but house+debt is still limited to 41% in total debt and FHA is also 41% total debt. The 29% is part of that 41% total debt. Not to confuse, but it is that 29% mortgage debt to income ratio that determines if you even qualify for a mortgage. So if you only make $15,080 per year, you only qualify for a mortgage where the payments add up to $15,080 * 29% = $4,373 per year, or $364 per month. Using the default 4.04% interest rate for a 30yr and no down payment, that equates to a $75,800 home price (I used this calculator - https://wallethub.com/mortgage-calculator/ ) So for an apples-to-apples, the 2021 US Jaclaz Ratio (home price / monthly net income) => 75,800 / 1106 = 68.5 (this would be the highest valued house that you can qualify for as far as getting a mortgage). So that still kinda tells me that the US is better off than Italy. But I don't remember if that was the question we were trying to answer, lol. But you can easily buy a house here in the US for less than that. If you wanted to buy one for $60,000 that would put the 2021 US Jaclaz Ratio at 54.2. So the "worst case scenario" as far as that ratio is to buy the biggest house possible that our mortgage laws would even qualify you for a mortgage - and that gives me 68.5. I'm still curious of doing a 1984 US Jaclaz Ratio (just to give it a name), I'll have to dig that data up later.

Allow me to recap so I can follow easier -- 2021 Italy -- 190,000 Euro for nothing-fancy, small flat in an average city, in an average buiding, suitable for one or two people 1,850 Euro per month for low range of a good wage The Jaclaz Ratio (home price / monthly net income) => 190,000 / 1,850 = 102.7 1984 Italy -- 73,500,000 Lire for nothing-fancy, small flat in an average city, in an average building, suitable for one or two people 1,525,000 Lire per month for low range of a good wage The Jaclaz Ratio (home price / monthly net income) => 73,500,000 / 1,525,000 = 48.2 Am I correct in my recap? If so, I'll then do 1984 versus 2021 for a nothing-fancy, small flat in an average city, in an average building, suitable for one or two people for a US City.

I use the same approach for web browsers. I want a "benchmark" ("statistic") that tells me this browser is faster than that browser, not somebody's "gut feeling".

I shall publicly apologize if I offended. Was certainly not my intent. But I will add this, I *love* statistics so from "my side", you struck first So taking a few steps back then, how would you propose a demonstration on whether home-ownership has "improved" MORE or LESS in the US versus Italy for 1984 versus 2021 ???

Unsure. I don't get that error. As a general practice, I DISABLE any-and-all "certificate checks", "revocation", and the like. To me (I know everybody has their own preference on the topic), but TO ME, "certificate errors" are USELESS and akin to "shouting fire in a theater when there is no fire" or akin to "antivirus errors that are false positives".

Looks like I didn't take notes beyond what I posted in this thread -- https://msfn.org/board/topic/182370-extreme-explorer-360-a-how-to-guide-converting-remaining-chinese-to-english/ Hope that helps.

Et tu, Brute? We have MORE THAN ENOUGH "people" on this forum acting as "police" and TELLING us which direction the thread discussion "can" or "can not" go, let's PLEASE not add you to that list, my friend. We only have maybe 20 to 30 active members in the XP threads. There really is no need to "police" such a TINY user-base. If a thread goes "off-topic" (within reason, of course), SO WHAT, there is only 30 of us, "on a good day", the thread will make it's own way back to "on-topic" without a small percentage of those 30 actiling Holier Than Thou. But I digress...