24 August 2015

The Problem of Corporate Advertisers Abusing our Internet Technology

Hmm . . .  Facebook (FB) doesn't remove many of my posts . . . but my short post about being absent from FB for a rather lengthy period of time because of computer issues, has been removed.   Wondering why, and the inconvenience of S-L-O-W loading has fueled my inner problem solving nature.  I know why the loading is slow and it is equipment problems on my end that I can resolve.  But there are issues beyond equipment problems.  Those I can not resolve - they are problems that can only be resolved collectively.

I don't always rant, but when I do it's because it will get worse for everyone before it gets better.  This is a case of that, as much or moreso than it is about my own computer escapades.

I needed to reinstall Windows 7.  But first needed to get the old XP up and running properly.  Haven't used it for a long time, also needed to do a reinstall on the XP.  Windows does a truly lousy job of uninstalling programs which results in the registry filling up with unnecessary trash and left over unnecessary junk files strewn around in a variety of directories and folders.  So it is good to do a reinstall periodically.  Not having had the storage space to do much in the way of creating backup and recovery I sprung for an external drive for that purpose to avoid all the updating and configuring that takes so much time, otherwise, when doing an operating system (OS) reinstall.  I need a stable dependable system to do some online courses and am simply not willing to commit then have the system screwup and become inefficient, dysfunctional, and/or unusable.

I've really missed the old XP which doesn't have all the "permission" problems of 7.  What a joke 7 is for that reason!  It prevents the simplest of reconfigurations for ease of use, even on a one-owner/user personal computer!  People say Windows  8 is worse!  Does the problem remain with Windows 10 or has microsoft come to its sense and created an accessible, secure but user friendly environment for home users with 10?  We'll see.  

Of course using the XP to access the internet is problematic because it is over a decade old with much less memory and storage than the 7.   It is minimally doable though not without a heavy time commitment . . . doable that is until trying to access FB . . . or any social website for that matter . . . actually almost all websites.

If anyone needs a reminder of how many resources advertising uses (bandwidth and computer resources) try accessing FB with less than a Gig of memory!  Doing so is an overwhelming reminder.  Current versions of tablets and phones are more powerful all the way around (processors, storage, memory) than the old XP.

The XP is useful and necessary because of numerous programs (including some games of course!) which simply will NOT run on 7 and above.  It can even be configured to do a good job with 98 and earlier software.  Anyone with the Home edition of 7 installed knows there are several missing programs which could otherwise be used to *perhaps* solve the problems of using older programs, not solved by any of the "compatibility" choices. 

There is no room in my 7 compact case to add the hard drive from the XP or I would have done so long ago.  At this point it is easier, and entails less fooling around, to simply connect them - at least for now, until I decide whether or not to get a larger case and move everything from the compact case.  For research and writing I find it necessary to have and use a desktop.  Without a full sized keyboard (ergonomic) and screen, research and writing is near to impossible.  The dual tablet/computer is tempting . . . but I don't need it, and don't want it either until or unless a full sized ergonomic keyboard is standard issue with it.  Then . . . we'll see what, if anything, it might offer that fills a need not already being filled.

The 7 machine hardware is still powerful enough to not be upgraded for a long time which was the intention when upgraded.  But recent experience using the XP online has reconfirmed a problem assuaged in the past few years by use of the more powerful 7 -  that of the internet being overwhelmed with advertising, a problem that is becoming increasingly worse.  Of course it is the typical vicious circle of interrelated issues associated with corporate profits at cost of the public being gouged.  Most folks ignore the problem of overwhelming internet advertising that controls internet resources. 

I ignore the ads too, though it is difficult to do when some pages serve up more ads than content.  (Don't let me  get me started on the types of stereotypical "targeted ads" one's age generates!)  However, if enough people would ever wake up and get on the FCC's case to do something about preventing unwanted advertising from taking priority bandwidth on the public airwaves, then everyone's computer resources would be adequate - almost indefinitely - and would not need upgrading to keep up with the resources used and abused by advertisers.  Not everyone can afford to purchase a "bigger and better" computer every other year or so because of the internet being overwhelmed with advertising!  And not everyone who can afford to wants the inconvenience of fooling around with a so-called "new and improved" version of an OS that is more trouble than it's worth. 

Who profits from the unwanted spam/advertising that is served on almost all websites?  Well, all the companies which manufacture computer hardware and software because of the need users have for upgrading to more powerful systems for the purpose of handling all the cr_p that bogs down macro and micro computers (from industrial size to cell phone size and smaller).  ISPs also profit.  The symbiotic relationship between ISPs and corporate spammers/advertisers is profitable for both.

That brings us to "The Cloud" which is a joke as far as I'm concerned.  Are there corporate cloud server companies not engaged in overwhelming the internet with advertising (as requested by ISPs and businesses with a web presence)?  Not likely.  I avoid the cloud as much as possible, even though there is little or no opportunity for anyone to avoid it.  It serves a proxy function with the priority function of all corporate cloud servers being to serve ads.  Ad serving always takes priority to serving useful content on webpages.  But the kicker is that companies which offer cloud services started out as some of the most notorious servers of internet spam (back in 90's).  In their new incarnations they are now profitable corporate entities.  It seems foolish to imagine priorities have changed when, demonstrably, they have not.  Instead cloud corporations have became more sophisticated about manipulating internet providers, and companies with a web presence, into using their services.  Doing so frees up resources for ISP servers and businesses doing business on the web.  However, because the priority of the cloud corporations is to serve up spam/ads before serving webpage content, there is an increased demand on personal computers/tablets/phones resources that leaves the consumer, as usual, paying a high price for corporate success that is not of useful value to the consumer.  As a result we see a pervasive increase in spam/ads everywhere online because the cloud uses and abuses the resources of everyone's personal tech to load all the spam/ads before loading webpage content!  

So what do we do about it (other than using browser Ad Blockers)?  We haven't been doing anything effective; nothing cost effective, nothing that conserves resources.  Instead we buy into a superimposed "need" to buy bigger and better tech.  The process of "commercialized America the lazy" has been a long, slow, and painful journey visible all around in every aspect of our lives.  "New and improved" is not always better except for corporations that fleece a public which either naively knows no better, or can afford to choose perceived "convenience", does so, then buys stock in the corporations that are fleecing the public! 

We see all around us, in every aspect of our lives, the results of what allowing the abuse of technical resources has done to our nation . . . to the world of nations.  It extends far beyond the internet.  For example the use of wireless utility meters, and of course phones, tablets, gps, t.v., . . . ad infinitum.  You name it.  If wireless access doesn't exist today for a piece of equipment, it will tomorrow.  There has always been a problem, collectively, for those who have access to new technology, associated with learning to use new technology ONLY in appropriate non-damaging peaceful ways . . . a problem that has probably existed at least since the time humanity first mastered the use of fire.  But if we thought today's issue of inadequately researched GMO/GE was a problem prior to efforts that have foisted GMO produce on an unsuspecting public since the 90s, how about the EMF problem which has been inadequately researched for a much longer time prior to increasingly widespread usage that has us all connected wirelessly one way or another in so many aspects of our life with and without our knowledge whether or not that is our choice.  Credible, useful research is ignored by a combination of government/corporate interests . . . at negative cost in many ways, to we the people.  We are talking evolution (and devolution) over time here folks, because of environmental influences that are damaging to dna.  Is is absolutely a matter with huge potential to increasingly affect posterity in a myriad of negative ways.  But posterity, it seems, is no longer of interest to most, including government which has become much more short-sighted with a seeming inability to look at the entire big picture in realistic and practical ways.    

The public and corporate obsession with every new electronic gadget in the computer age, that has online access, is all hijacked, steered, and fueled in some way or another by advertisers with priority access to the internet.  That has changed the quality of life in our nation all the way around for both good and bad - truly.  Some of us still long for the days when only the military, government, and universities had internet access, before browsers and commercialization.  Can we clean up the internet to that point?  It's doubtful.  But at some point we must make it a priority to work at minimizing and eliminating the bad opportunistic and corrupt abuse of online wired and wireless technology so the good use is able to, and can continue to thrive.  That point was yesterday rather than tomorrow.

So, that's it - why I have not been online much for a while.  With limited memory on my XP, many pages simply do not load because the advertising that is served first uses up all available resources . . . and IF the content does show up it's like "molasses in january" before it does.  Thus, I found myself unwilling to remain silent about the underlying problem of bandwidth and computer resources being hijacked by the corporate spammers/advertisers used by ISPs, and blessed by government (still worshiping at corporate alters).  So I've said my piece.

Now I must finish up getting my machinery squared away and on the same page so it works for me rather than creating extra work by being obnoxious!  It's necessary to do it right, and that takes time.  Whenever I have to do an OS reinstall I acquire much more sympathy for the folks who do it for a living.  It is tedious and time consuming work.  I suppose it is not so bad when it is one's source of income, and puts food on the table.  And surely it is easier with all the extra hardware and software resources the pros use.  (Hoping that access is NOT via "the cloud"!)