jon

jon, 1 month ago to windows

Congress in the US has banned Copilot for security reasons. I would take it further. Really the way Windows is coded now, it is a significant security problem. The idea that it is unclear whether you are using local data or online data is unacceptable.

This includes:

• Login. Login should be local. You are not logging into a service. You are logging into a computer. The service should be separate from the computer.

• Copilot. Clearly another case where you may not realize that you are sharing data by asking a question.

• OneDrive. Another case where local data is backed up in the cloud, without active actions by you as a user. Backup is great, but you should have to explicitly enable it and there should be a warning that your data may be scanned.

• Windows. In reality even Windows is now a problem given the login issue and any tracking that is happening.

Online cloud services can be great, but one should never be forced into online services or lured into them. Any computer should work fine without having to use OS online services, except basic services, like updates and the like.

#Windows #Linux #Microsoft

https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-congress-bans-staff-use-microsofts-ai-copilot-axios-reports-2024-03-29/

jon, 3 months ago to random

Question : Do you know how Norwegians fill out their tax returns?
Answer : They don´t.

This is an oversimplification, but years ago Norwegians started to get pre-filled tax returns in the mail. Later they stopped getting them, but instead had to do an OK online. Now even that is not needed. No comment means it is is OK. You can rectify and modify details online, if needed.

The reality is that the government already had most of the data needed for most individuals. Your salary is reported by the company you work for. Your bank details, including anything you have in your accounts, any loans, stocks, bonds, etc., is reported as well. Your kids are known as well. There might be details to add, but most is known. Why waste people´s time filling out details that are already known and risk people making mistakes?

When will the US get there?

jon, 2 months ago to Vivaldi

We at @Vivaldi continue to be the only browser company all in on Mastodon and the Fediverse.

We have made our own instance, Vivaldi Social. Any user that has a Vivaldi account for sync or other services, can easily enable a presence on Vivaldi Social.

We have integrated Mastodon as a Web panel into Vivaldi.

We include links to Vivaldi Social into Vivaldi.

We also work on integrating our blogs and forums into the Fediverse.

We hope others will follow. Mozilla has talked a lot and we hope they will join us fully soon.

#Vivaldi #browser #Mozilla #Linux #Windows #Android #iOS #Macos #fediverse #Mastodon

jon, 10 months ago to Bulgaria

Meta has to stop surveillance based advertising... in Norway.

The Norwegian Data Protection Authority imposes a ban on Meta carrying out behavioral advertising based on the surveillance and profiling of users in Norway.

This is an important first step, although temporary. What we really need is clear regulation and no way to opt in, as that is always misused.

#Regulation #EU #Norway #Meta #Facebook #Instagram #Spyware

https://www.datatilsynet.no/en/news/aktuelle-nyheter-2023/temporary-ban-of-behavioural-advertising-on-facebook-and-instagram/

jon, 10 months ago to mastodon

@Vivaldi continues to be the only browser maker with a #Mastodon server for users (Vivaldi Social).

@mozilla announced, more than 6 months ago, that they would follow in our footsteps, but the server has still not been released.

I want to see the #fediverse grow. Thus I hope that Mozilla will release their server soon.

jon, 9 months ago to twitter

Elon Musk continues his quest to drive everyone away from #Twitter. Be ready for more people joining the #fediverse and #Mastodon.

jon, 2 months ago to fediverse

I have been waiting for this moment. Every public broadcaster should join the #Fediverse and #Mastodon. IMHO, you should set up your own servers, but that is not hard either.

https://www.ebu.ch/news/2024/03/public-broadcasters-of-europe-lets-all-join-mastodon

jon, 10 months ago to Vivaldi

Nice of Elon Musk to address the problem with people spending too much time on Twitter. It is not good for you. 🙂

Instead you can spend some more time on Vivaldi Social and Mastodon.

#Vivaldi #Mastodon #Twitter #TwitterMigration

jon, 10 months ago to twitter

RIP Twitter. The birds will now fly away. Some might fly here. Please be welcoming.

#Twitter #Mastodon

jon, 2 months ago to ai

You may or may not like AI, but I think we can all agree that AI should not be integrated into your browser or OS.

We cannot have a situation where what you are doing on your computer, suddenly is feeding into some AI.

#AI #Computer #Windows #Macos #Linux #Browser #Vivaldi

jon, 1 month ago to random

The Norwegian government wants to ban Crypto mining. I hope they do and that others follow. It is time for this nonsense to stop.

https://www.tu.no/artikler/energiministeren-vil-ikke-ha-kryptovalutautvinning-i-norge/545850

jon, 7 months ago to microsoft

Try the browser that #Microsoft is desperate for you not to try!

@Vivaldi #browser #Windows #Mac #Linux

jon, 3 months ago to Vivaldi

The DMA is having an impact and the choice screen is coming! Soon you will be asked to select your browser of choice, when setting up a new phone or updating it. This only applies in the EU and Europe, at this time.

@Vivaldi will be there. On Android and on IOS.

Make sure to look for Vivaldi and make it your choice!

#Vivaldi #browser #Android #ios #DMA #EU

@EU_Commission

jon, 1 month ago (edited 24 days ago) to Vivaldi

I have been building browsers for 30 years now. First Opera and now Vivaldi. My estimate is that more than 1 billion have used one of my browsers or both. Have you?

Feel free to share your story!

#Vivaldi #Opera #Browser #Android #iOS #Windows #Mac #Linux

jon, 10 months ago to random

#Introduction

I have been working with Web technologies since 1992. I have co-founded two browser companies, Opera Software and Vivaldi Technologies. I was CEO at Opera and I am CEO at Vivaldi.

I am a strong proponent of open standards. I believe in building feature rich products that can be adapted to the needs of users without collecting information about usage. I believe no company has the right to profile their users.

jon, 4 months ago to apple

Soon it will be possible to run browsers on iOS that are not using Webkit. That is a big deal.

Apple is trying to frame it as dangerous.

Sadly it will only possible to run those browsers in the EU and browser makers need then to provide different browsers in the EU and outside. This requires more resources, which makes it harder for smaller developers.

Apple also wants developers to pay for the right to provide downloads from other app stores, which now become possible in the EU, and directly.

IMHO every user on an iPhone, as well as on any other device, should be allowed to run the browser of their choice!

#Apple #DMA #Regulation #Android #Windows #Linux

jon, 3 months ago to Vivaldi

This is a big story. In a way the idea of a antivirus company or a browser company actively gathering user data for marketing purposes just feels so foreign, but still it is far too normal.

Most of the largest browser companies are also ad companies.

https://uk.pcmag.com/antivirus/151015/ftc-bans-antivirus-provider-avast-from-selling-users-browsing-data

#browser #Vivaldi #Android #Windows #macos #Linux

jon, 1 month ago to Vivaldi

This month it is 30 years since I started working on browsers. April 1994 is when Geir and I started working on the Opera browser. We founded the company a year later.

Initially I made the UI, while Geir did a lot of the core.

Since that time I have dedicated myself to making the Web live up to its potential. First at Opera and now at Vivaldi.

If you ever used Opera and you have not tried Vivaldi, I invite you to give us a try!

If you never used Opera or Vivaldi, you are invited as well!

@Vivaldi #Vivaldi #Opera #Browser #Windows #Mac #Linux #Android #iOS #History #Technology #Computer

jon, 3 months ago to web

This article, written by Tim Berners-Lee, is as good a read today as it was in 2010. Read and learn.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/long-live-the-web/

#Web @w3c #Browser #DMA #Vivaldi #Windows #macos #Linux

jon, 8 months ago to Vivaldi

One day after launching Vivaldi on iOS, Vivaldi is the top iPad app in Norway and #5 on iPhones. Not a bad start at all. We are on the list in many other countries as well.

Make sure to share the great news with all your friends! @Vivaldi is now available!

#Browser #Vivaldi #iPhone #iPad #Norway #Android #iOS

jon, 10 months ago to linux

This is worth a read for all you geeks out there!. So impressed with @thomasp , @Hlini , @isak and the rest of the team.

Great thanks to @Gargron, Claire and @renchap.

Happy System Administrator Appreciation Day to all the sysadmins out there!

#Linux #sysadmin #Vivaldi

https://thomasp.vivaldi.net/2023/07/28/what-happened-to-vivaldi-social/

jon, 10 months ago to random

Our take on the new Google DRM for the Web:

https://vivaldi.com/blog/unpacking-googles-new-dangerous-web-environment-integrity-specification/

jon, 10 months ago to mastodon

More and more of us are noticing it. The level of interaction on #Mastodon is a lot larger than that of #Twitter and #Facebook

There are many good reasons:

1. On Mastodon you are more likely to see what those you follow post, as there are no algorithms in the way.

2. If you do not have a blue tick on Twitter, you are basically blocked.

3. On Facebook algorithms get in the way as well.

This is the reason why I believe we must all embrace #Mastodon and the #fediverse .

jon, 4 months ago to Iceland

Lava flowing into Grindavík. First house being eaten by the lava. Hopefully the flow will stop soon.

My thoughts are with the residents of Grindavík.

#Grindavik #volcano #Iceland

jon, 4 days ago to windows

ICQ is closing down. It was really at its height in 2000 and that is when we integrated ICQ into Opera. We made a small (5k) client and it worked really well.

AOL had purchased ICQ and they were concerned about MSN taking users from them by connecting to their service, so they stopped supporting 3rd party clients. We contacted them, to see if they would make an exception for us, but they did not.

They said that if we removed our 5k client, we could maybe discuss bundling their client, but it was bigger than Opera, so that was not going to happen.

#Windows #Computers #PC #ICQ #AOL #MSN #Vivaldi