Chrome’s Built-in Password Manager & a Bonus Tip
Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 – Google Chrome Browser Installed

As you know, we are adamant about using strong passwords and a good password manager like LastPass.

However, we know that no matter how much we harp on something some people are not going to use LastPass or RoboForm or any password manager. So we offer this as alternative – but not instead of. A password manager like LastPass has more features, is more secure, and is not tied to one browser.

If  you use Chrome, and you don’t have a password manager and you don’t want to install one, we suggest that you use Chrome’s built-in password manager. It’s not as robust as LastPass, nor as secure and it only works in Chrome.

But it’s not only better than nothing, it’s a whole lot better than nothing. It will store your passwords and automatically fill in user names and passwords on sites which require you to log in.

Here’s how to use it. Open Chrome. Click on the Chrome menu (click on the 3 vertical dots icon at the top right). then click Settings. In Settings scroll all the way to the bottom and click on “Show advanced settings”.

Under the heading “Passwords and forms”,

Click on “Manage passwords.” Turn Google passwords on and turn Auto Sign-in on by moving the switches to the right. See the red arrows?

Also note, if you save your passwords in Chrome, and you have a Google account you can access your passwords from any device.

Now whenever you visit a site that requires you to log in, Chrome will save it for you. The next time you visit that site, Chrome will automatically fill in the username and password, for that site, for you. And it will store as many log-ins as you have.

Another nice feature is that you can see what the password hiding under the dots is – just by clicking the “eye” icon. But for your security, when you click the eye icon, you’ll need to type in your Windows password to see the password hiding under the dots. Good security feature.

We only recommend using Chrome’s built-in password manager if your Windows user account is password protected.

Bonus tip: How to enable the hidden Password Generator in Chrome

1. Type chrome://flags in the URL bar to access Google Chrome’s flags page. When you do this you’ll see all the experimental features that are not yet included in the released version of Chrome.
2. On the flags page, use the “Password Generation” and change its value to Enabled . Finally, click the Relaunch Now button that appears at the bottom to restart Google Chrome and save the changes you just made.

That’s all there is to it. From now on, when Chrome detects a password field on a webpage, it will automatically suggest a random password for you in a drop-down menu. You can simply click on the generated password to use it… and if you have Chrome Passwords turn on, it will save the password for you as well.; Pretty cool!

Create a Password Reset Disk
Windows 10

If you're not using a Microsoft Account to log in to Windows 10, a password reset disk is important . It’s the only the way you'll be able to reset your password and gain access your PC in the event you forget your Windows password. Of course, you'll need to create a password reset disk BEFORE you forget your password. It won't do you any good to create one after you forget your password...capiche?

You can use a USB flash drive or a memory card - but remember a memory card only works if your computer has slots for memory cards. If you're not sure, use a USB flash drive.

Here's how to make a password reset disk (drive) for Windows 10. This only works if you are logged in with a Local Account.

Right-click the start button, open Control Panel. (In Windows 10 Creators Update, right-click the start button, click on Run, type CONTROL and press Enter). In Control Panel, click User Accounts > User Accounts > Create a password reset disk.



The Forgotten Password Wizard opens. Insert a USB flash drive into your computer. Then click Next.



Choose the USB flash drive you just inserted then click Next. Type your current user account password and click Next. When the process is completed, click Next and then Finish to close the “Password Forgotten Wizard”. Congratulations, you've made a password reset USB flash drive In Windows 10. Now be sure you keep it in a safe place - and don't forget where you put it.

If you change your password, you will need to make a new Password Reset Disk (drive).

Remember, this works only if you are using a local account. If you log in using a Microsoft account (any email address ending in @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, @live.ca, @msn.com) you don't need a password reset disk (in fact you won't even have an option to create one if you're using a Microsoft account). Why is this? Because if you're using a Microsoft account to log in to Windows, you can reset your password by resetting your Microsoft account password online. We think this is an great advantage, and it's a great reason to use a Microsoft account to log in to Windows 10.




Donations help us continue our mission to keep you informed, separate the truth from the hyperbole, and help you stay safer online. We provide support to thousands of people. Every week we help dozens of people via email at no charge. Thanks to donations, we do a lot more than provide this free newsletter. We help you recognize online threats, fight for your online privacy, and provide you with the knowledge you need to navigate the Web safely, and help you get more out of your PC.

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The More Things Change [the more they stay the same]

We wrote our first “Your Computer Won’t Bite” e-book back in 2005. Windows XP was just a few years old and some folks were still hanging on to Windows 98 and Windows ME.

A twelve years ago we told you that your computer won’t bite, and though things have changed so much in those twelve years, the basic theme of that old outdated e-book is still true even though twelve years have passed. It is so true that the more things change… the more they stay the same.

The following excerpt originally appeared in the introduction to our 2005 “Your Computer Won’t Bite” e-book. Let’s take a look back 12 years to what we wrote in July 2005:

You control your computer; your computer doesn’t control you.

A good working knowledge of computers can help keep you safe.

No software program in the world is going to provide you with 100% protection from every evil on the Internet.

No software program can or will ever replace your brain.

No software program can or will ever replace your common sense.

The bad guys rely on the trusting nature of people. Whatever sounds too good to be true most always is.
You don’t need to be a computer guru to avoid someone taking advantage of you on the Internet.

Continuing education is a must. You don’t need to be a guru to stay safe, but you must continue to learn about your computer and the Internet because its always changing and evolving.

Don’t give your trust away – make those who want you to trust them earn your trust. Don’t trust strangers on the Web. Be wary.

The Internet can be a magical, fun and wonderful place. On it you’ll find the sum total of humanity’s knowledge; it’s an invaluable source of entertainment, knowledge, beauty and fun. If you are constantly worried about the boogeyman lurking in the hills and canyons, you’ll never get the maximum enjoyment from your computer or the Internet.

Your computer is your window to the world regardless of your age. It can take you backward or forward into time; it can take you on incredible journeys from the depths of the oceans to breathtaking nebulae thousands of light years away. You can learn to sail, to fly, to write; you can learn a foreign language or get a college degree. And the most amazing thing about computers and the Internet? You never even have to leave you house. You can explore the entire world and tap into the knowledge of humanity all without leaving your home...

Read the rest of our essay here.

I Love PDF

I don’t necessarily “love” PDF. I love chocolate chip cookies.  But I Love PDF is the name of our site pick today. So, gotta love it! This site will appeal to those of you who work with PDF file quite often and who find some of the free PDF readers lacking.

Now, first of all, if you have Windows 10 (any version) you can create and read PDF files with ease. But, Windows 10’s PDF feature are not as robust as those found in some of the better PDF readers, like Foxit Reader (free version), Sumatra, and others. Read more about creating and reading PDF in Windows 10 without third-party programs of any kind.

Recently,  while looking for something else, I stumbled upon a site that looked interesting,  This morning I finally had a few minutes to take a look at it and test some of it’s features. Needless to say, I was very impressed, otherwise it wouldn’t be named a Cloudeight Site Pick!

The number of useful free PDF services that this site offers, combined with its speed (but remember site speed is dependent on your internet connect speed too) got my attention.

As I’ve mentioned, the site is called “I Love PDF” (more correctly ilovepdf.com ) and it offers a number of free services without requiring that you register and without any discernible tricks, tricks or subterfuge. The site appears to be financially supported by non-intrusive ads and by the products/services it sells.

But all of its PDF tools are free to use and do not require registration. Here’s a list of the free PDF tools you’ll find on I Love PDF:

Merge PDF – Combine PDFs in the order you want with the easiest PDF merger available.

Split PDF – Separate one page or a whole set for easy conversion into independent PDF files.

Compress PDF – Reduce file size while optimizing for maximal PDF quality.

PDF to WORD – Easily convert your PDF files into easy to edit DOC and DOCX documents. The converted WORD document is almost 100% accurate.

PDF to POWERPOINT – Turn your PDF files into easy to edit PPT and PPTX slideshows.

PDF to EXCEL – Pull data straight from PDFs into EXCEL spreadsheets in a few short seconds.

WORD to PDF – Make DOC and DOCX files easy to read by converting them to PDF.

POWERPOINT to PDF – Make PPT and PPTX slideshows easy to view by converting them to PDF.

EXCEL to PDF – Make EXCEL spreadsheets easy to read by converting them to PDF.

PDF to JPG – Convert each PDF page into a JPG or extract all images contained in a PDF.

JPG to PDF – Convert JPG images to PDF in seconds. Easily adjust orientation and margins.

Page numbers – Add page numbers into PDFs with ease. Choose your positions, dimensions, typography.

Watermark – Stamp an image or text over your PDF in seconds. Choose the typography, transparency and position.

Unlock PDF – Remove PDF password security, giving you the freedom to use your PDFs as you want.

Rotate PDF – Rotate your PDFs the way you need them. You can even rotate multiple PDFs at once!

I Love PDF couldn’t be any easier to use. You choose the PDF file on your computer you want to edit/convert/change. Then you upload it to I Love PDF by selecting it or dragging it to the I Love PDF page. To perform the task you’ve chosen, all you have to do is click a button. In a few seconds (or minutes depending on how many pages you’re working with and how large they are) the task your chose is completed. Next just download the modified files to your PC. If you’re working with multiple pages, you will download the files in zip format.

If you work with PDF files often, then we think you will find I LOVE PDF easy to love.

Visit I Love PDF now and give it a try.

Version 8 Latest Release!

What's New in Reg Organizer 8.0?

• Ability to clean the cache of the installed applications.
• A new Private Data Cleanup tool was added. It is designed for cleaning the data of a personal nature emerging in everyday use of your PC like browsing history and the drop-down lists with the paths of files you recently opened in Windows or applications.
• The new System Cleanup tool combines the functionality for cleaning the disk and the registry allowing for effective freeing up of disk space and correcting the system problems like invalid shortcuts.
• Ability to clean the jump lists (recently accessed application files and actions).
• Ability to clean the Run dialog (opened using the Win + R keys combination) history.
• Switching between the Maximum cleanup mode and the Everyday cleanup mode in the System Cleanup tool. The Maximum cleanup mode can be used, if it is necessary to free up the maximum possible amount of space on the drives. This will be done at the cost of removing old restore points, emptying the Recycle bin, etc. Enable this mode to view more information to make a decision.
• Recently Used Files section: More files and folders you recently opened in Windows or applications are now displayed here.
• Check for update: You may disable notifications about beta and alpha versions.
• The Settings window can be resized.
• It is now possible to open Express Check directly from the Tool Selection Panel located at the left part of the main window.
• The Startup applications tool: Now you may permanently exclude the applications from the optimization. To do this click on the cross at the right of the application in the recommendations window.
• Note for Cloudeight subscribers : If you purchased or renewed Reg Organize through Cloudeight within the last 12 months, you're entitled to a free version upgrade to Reg Organizer 8.0.

What is the Internet of Things?

The world is full of cool names for things; I suppose it has always been so. I know for a fact our grandparents had cool names for things. For instance, I can remember when people say – “Hey get Gary on the horn.” The Horn was a cool name for a telephone. And speaking of cool names, what about the word cool itself. It’s a beatnik word from the 40’s and 50’s when it was usually used in conjunction with “man”- as in “That’s really cool, man.” Words like Fridge and Mike and Cell and all the rest of the cool words – usually shortened versions of the original word – are testament to the human need for speed. For example: I can say Fridge faster than I can say refrigerator.

So it should not surprise anyone that we now refer to things which are stored on Web servers — the way things have always been stored on Web servers — as being stored “in the cloud: . The cloud is just another name for Web, Web servers, and Internet. So I guess it’s easier and faster and cooler to call it the cloud than to call it the Web, a Web server, Web servers and/or Internet.

When Darcy and I were taking our first baby steps on the Internet back in 1995 – twenty-two years ago – it was a different place than it is today. It was more a curiosity then and it had some really dedicated fans like us who extolled its virtues to everyone who’d listen. I can people used to look at us like were insane when we told them we building a Web site for email stationery. Most people barely knew what email was in those days – and building a Web site was something reserved for geeks or introverted hermits who rarely if ever saw the light of day. But we were on the Internet as much as our day jobs would allow – some said we were addicted, and that’s probably true.

Today the Internet is no longer a curiosity – it’s a necessity. Banking, credit card systems, stock markets, online stores and even brick and mortar stores depend on computers and the Internet. If the Internet were to simply disappear the world would be in a state of chaos. Having come from the days when we were freaks because we spend our spare time hunched over computers downloading as much freeware as we could – before the days of ubiquitous malware – and building our very first Web site called “Thundercloud & Eightball’s Christmas Graphics” we never stop being amazed by the growth of the Internet, particularly in the last 10 years.

The Web has evolved from a curiosity, to a necessity, controlling many facets of our life. And so it is because of the nature of technology to grow exponentially, that we have now call the Internet – The Internet of Things.

No longer is the Internet accessible only by people hunched over a computer – it’s accessible from phones and tablets as well as many other things. Things like thermostats, watches, refrigerators, automobiles, ovens, pacemakers, and more things. And it is all these things that comprise the “Internet of Things“.

To us an internet refrigerator or internet oven or an internet thermostat seem a little bit over-the-top, but for those who never knew a world without computers, without the Internet, and without cell phones, those internet-connected gizmos are probably pretty ho-hum.

And to think we’re just at the threshold of this Internet of Things. Cool-speak for Internet of Things is IoT. We cannot imagine what the Internet of Things will be in fifty years, not that it will matter to us – we’ll be long gone. EB's going to frozen and put in orbit around the IoT.

As for us, we liked the Internet better when it was the Internet of one thing – when it was new and when it was just a curiosity. Like looking back on things usually does, it brings with it a sad sense of nostalgia.

But it is what it is.

So whether you’re reading this while hunched over a computer or on the menu screen of your Internet refrigerator, or on the dial of your Internet-connected smart watch or any other Internet-connected “thing” – you are part of the Internet of Things. And that's whether you know it or not and whether you like it or not. IoT don't care. Doesn't care?

Did I mention the Internet coffee maker? The Internet light bulb? Your car? Your garage door? Your front door? Your rice cooker? Your slow cooker? Your pacemaker? Your lawn sprinkler? Your snow blower?

EB you are certainly one of the THINGS on the Internet of Things! EB-IoT.

Donations help us continue our mission to keep you informed, separate the truth from the hyperbole, and help you stay safer online. We provide support to thousands of people. Every week we help dozens of people via email at no charge. Thanks to donations, we do a lot more than provide this free newsletter. We help you recognize online threats, fight for your online privacy, and provide you with the knowledge you need to navigate the Web safely, and help you get more out of your PC.

Help us keep up the good fight with a small donation.

After you donate, you will receive an invitation to become a Cloudeight Booster.

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