Tag: Chrome

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Windows Vista; time to move on

by Colin BowenLeave a Comment on Windows Vista; time to move on

Google’s Chrome browser is warning that Windows Vista is no longer supported. Here’s what you should do. For TLDR, see last paragraph of this post. Click here to find out what TLDR means.

Chrome support ending on Vista

The exact message is “This Computer will soon stop receiving Google Chrome updates because Windows XP and Windows Vista will no longer be supported”. Well, if you’re using Windows XP, stop it! Now! If you’re using Windows Vista, now is a good time to think about an upgrade or a new computer.

Google’s Chrome blog here states that they’re removing support for Chrome on Windows Vista  this April (2016) “since these platforms are no longer actively supported by Microsoft [snip]. Chrome will continue to function [snip] but will no longer receive updates and security fixes. [Snip] We encourage you to move to a newer operating system to ensure that you continue to receive the latest Chrome versions and features.”

Well, that’s not strictly true, Microsoft will issue security patches through Windows Update until April 2017. Google will not be updating the security features of Chrome on Vista from this April. Microsoft haven’t updated the security on their Internet Explorer on Windows Vista either. Maybe you could install and use Firefox from Mozilla as an alternative, but that’s just a temporary fix.
I think Windows Vista and the software running on it will become less secure from now until the end of Microsoft support for Vista in April 2017, after which I would not recommend using Windows Vista for anything financial certainly, for anything important to you, and for anything password-based like email or Facebook as these passwords could be leaked on insecure Vista.

TLDR and the bottom line: For Windows Vista users, over the next year I recommend either upgrading to a new version of Windows, or buying a new computer, and making a gentle transition to the new system rather than waiting until the last minute. I can advise and help with the purchase and the transition.
IT Tips

Tip for fast account switching in Chrome now the user icons gone (again)

by Colin Bowen1 Comment on Tip for fast account switching in Chrome now the user icons gone (again)

Old User IconI wrote in January 2015 here about Google removing the user avatar icons from the top-left of Chrome which allowed fast switching between Google (Gmail) accounts (and having multiple accounts open at once). Included in my post was a way to switch back to the old icons. Unfortunately, I’ve just noticed that Google has changed it again and I can’t figure out a way to change it back. However, I have a tip to make it easier to switch between the accounts.

New User TabLook for the new user tab at the top right of Chrome, right-click it, and then select the account you want to open. This should open a new instance of Chrome signed in with the other user.

If you have come here looking for a way to be signed in to two or more Google accounts at once, please let me know and I will reply with a tutorial to set it up (if I get round to it). Alternatively, if you’re in a rush, contact me and we can set up a remote support session and I can do it for you.

IT Tips

Revert from Chrome’s New User Tab to Old User Icon

by Colin Bowen1 Comment on Revert from Chrome’s New User Tab to Old User Icon

Edit: This changed again in August 2015. For the new post please see here
New User TabGoogle Chrome has a new User Tab interface, removing the old user icon from the top-left of Chrome and replacing it with a User Tab on the right. If you use a lot of tabs, the new user tab takes up valuable browser tab space, and switching between users takes three clicks instead of one. Old User IconHere’s how to revert from the “new avatar menu” (as they call it) to the old icons:   Open a new tab and type/paste “chrome://flags/#enable-new-avatar-menu” (without the quotes) where you would normally type in a website address, hit Enter/Return. Disable new avatar menu In the top drop-down box, select Disabled. Then close that tab. Next time you open Chrome, the new User tab will be gone and your your old icon will be back. If you have any problems, please get in touch and we’ll arrange a remote support session for me to do it for you. Please Like, Share, etc