We keep getting scammer calls

This time it's someone calling from Telstra. I decided to play with him for a few minutes as I was bored.

Scammer (in very heavy New Delhi accent): I am calling from Telstra, to tell you your internet will be turned off tomorrow for 20 days.

Me" Uhh that's interesting. Why?

Scammer: Because your computer has sent out a message to Telstra that is wirused and because of that your internet access will be cut.

Me: Ok, but why will it be shut off for 20 days?

Scammer: It will take about that long to de-wirus your computer and any other devices connected to the internet. Phones, tablets, laptops.

Me: Hmm, really. There's a problem here.

Scammer: What is that?

Me: I don't have Telstra Internet, which you should be calling BIGPOND.

Scammer: Oh, no no, you see all the internet services are part of Telstra.

Me: Actually, that is incorrect. All internet services might lease lines from Telstra, but there is no way my computer would call Telstra about viruses. I would get notifications on my own computer, as I have BitDefender, and Malwarebytes.

Scammer: (getting angry) Oh, those do not stop wiruses.

Me: Ok, I've had enough fun for today, my system isn't virused, you aren't from Telstra, and I don't subscribe to Telstra internet. I've worked in the Tech field, and I know you're full of shit. Computers NEVER contact Telstra regarding anything. You really need to update you lame ass script.

Scammer: *angry sputtering and words I can't understand*

Me: Buh bye now! *click*

The dramas of Windows 10 never seem to end

Where do I start...  We all know that Windows 10 disables some software Microsoft deems unworthy, and ignores hardware it considers too 'old'.

But when updates not only remove programs, but then suddenly decide to red flag software you've been using for months, it screwed up hardware configuration that's been used since day one. 

I've had my DeathAdder 3.5 has been working just fine, plugged into the USB port on the keyboard, for years with Win 7, and for months with Win 10.  An update, and suddenly, nope. Not only won't it recognize the Adder, if I roll back and install the OLDER version of Synapse, it'll work fine, but the the other two Razer devices won't.  ARGH!

Then, the Windows 10 update disabled Windows Media Center. Didn't uninstall it, just disabled it. There's nothing inherently dangerous regarding WMC, so this really pissed me off.  I use a TV capture card in my computer to watch TV. Sure, I could use that poorly designed software that came WITH the card, but Windows Media Center works better.  Plex is useless for what I want, so no suggestions of it please.

After a few hours of websearching, trail and error, I got WMC reinstall and working. This will probably last until then next unnecessary Windows 10 update.

And then there is the sudden "An administrator as prevented this App to run!"... Dafuq?  Not only have been running the program for months, I am THE ONLY AND ONLY ADMINISTRATOR!!!  No amount of 'un-nannywaring' would help.  So, found an alternate program, that is ugly AF, but does the same thing.

Redmond, you suck. I want to control my PC. NOT have my PC control me!

Yesterday with counselor

I'm not going to say it's all weeping, or thrashing about, sometimes, there is humor involved. 

I had a questionnaire thing to fill out.  They were all multiple choice, three choices.  Never, sometimes, and always.

I got to one of the questions, and none of them actually fit. So, I wrote in the word OFTEN and circled it.  And on another part about being superstitions (believing in magic or other supernatural things)  I wrote "Abracadabara"  and the word NO underneath it.

Then we got down to the brass tacks.  D did agree that my childhood ticked off all the "at risk of" (insert drug abuse, alcoholism, self harm, abusive etc etc) but I surprisingly came through it without being any of them.  Some people will just shrug and think that's no big deal, but it is.  It made me strong, and stronger than most.  Put it this way, my first husband was a controlling abusive SOB. He put his hands on me ONCE in anger, and he bullied my youngest son, and that was it!

I left... packed three suitcases, and my young son, and we were out of there.  I was so sick of his whining, I cut him the check to pay to file for no fault divorce.   A lot of abused partners/wives/husbands stay because they're too afraid to leave.

Was I scared? Yes, but I did it. I won't let ANYONE abuse me or my child the way he did.

I still have depression, it hasn't gone away.  But I find reasons to enjoy life. I will go out of my way to do so.

Yesterday with counselor

I'm not going to say it's all weeping, or thrashing about, sometimes, there is humor involved. 

I had a questionnaire thing to fill out.  They were all multiple choice, three choices.  Never, sometimes, and always.

I got to one of the questions, and none of them actually fit. So, I wrote in the word OFTEN and circled it.  And on another part about being superstitions (believing in magic or other supernatural things)  I wrote "Abracadabara"  and the word NO underneath it.

Then we got down to the brass tacks.  D did agree that my childhood ticked off all the "at risk of" (insert drug abuse, alcoholism, self harm, abusive etc etc) but I surprisingly came through it without being any of them.  Some people will just shrug and think that's no big deal, but it is.  It made me strong, and stronger than most.  Put it this way, my first husband was a controlling abusive SOB. He put his hands on me ONCE in anger, and he bullied my youngest son, and that was it!

I left... packed three suitcases, and my young son, and we were out of there.  I was so sick of his whining, I cut him the check to pay to file for no fault divorce.   A lot of abused partners/wives/husbands stay because they're too afraid to leave.

Was I scared? Yes, but I did it. I won't let ANYONE abuse me the way he did.

I still have depression, it hasn't gone away.  But I find reasons to enjoy life. I will go out of my way to do so.

Quirks of Windows 10

Beside the constant "You do not have permission to view this fold. Click here to have permanent permission" even with the UAC set to the lowest it can go, I have found interesting things.

Make sure you have your wireless/blue tooth tablet already powered up before starting ANY graphics program, especially Photoshop. Program just sits there doing nothing and you have to restart it.

Color schemes - they just go from bad to "WTF? Is this Windows 3.1?"

Forced updates whether you want them or not, will overwrite any customizations you may have set up. And since some of them require registry editing, make sure you have saved how you did it the first time. (This holds especially true with Surface Pro tablet. Some of the menus are so microscopic, you don't have to be Mister Magoo to not be able to read them).

Still not a fan of the floating tile interface. Which is why with some customizations, I have it set up to a more User Friendly configuration.

Microsoft didn't include updated camera codecs. Which is why you seen nothing but thumbnails of raw files with just Icon for RAW/CR2/NEF/ORF etc etc. Inexpensive solution is Fast Picture Viewer Codec, on sale for $9.99. Make sure you KEEP that download link handy because when there's updates, you will reuse that link.

Also something not quite Win10 related, but system related. Don't bother using Microsoft Windows back up making a full system image. Get EaseUS, and make an exact copy of your HDD or SSD. Should something go wrong with your drive, you just swap it out with one ready to do. Might have to contact software companies to tell them about the change of drive, and to reset or reissue your license but it will take a helluva lot less time.

Quick fix for everyone with Win10 explorer not showing Camera Raw thumbnails

I present to you!

Fast Picture Viewer Codecs

For the HUGE currently on sale sum of $9.99 for a single user license, you can once again be able to view your camera raw files in Win10 Windows Explorer, and in programs that rely on Window Explorer to select and view CR2, ORF, NEF  etc etc etc… 

I had purchased Fast Picture Viewer and the codec pack years ago to use on my computer years ago to be able to view Camera Raw files because Adobe Bridge CS6 was glacially slow in showing the images. 

Kind of expected this

After a session with a Microsoft Tech regarding not being able to see camera raw files from specific cameras (Olympus OMD EM1mkII and EM5mkII, and Canon 5DmkIV) I was told it was a Canon issue and to contact Canon for 'the fix'.

Three guesses what I got in response... and the first two guesses won't count.

It's a WINDOWS issue.

Meanwhile, some versions of Windows will let you view CR2 files natively (for example, in a folder view). In previous versions of Windows, you needed to download the Microsoft Camera Codec Pack, which provides support for viewing RAW image file format thumbnails and image information in Windows Explorer.  In Windows 10, the default app for opening RAW image files is Windows Photo Viewer. However in some cases, Windows 10 operating system cannot open the RAW files in "preview mode" for images taken using new EOS camera models.

Now the cameras I mentioned aren't 'new'. They are a few years old now.

This was my reply:

Not being snarky here, but I had a feeling this was the answer I was going to get. Microsoft said it was a Canon issue, and Canon saying it was a Microsoft issue. How about you two get together and fixing the problem, rather than fixing the blame.

I don't use DPP, although I do have it installed because I wanted to see if that would install a camera codec in Windows 10 and it didn't. I use On1Photo Raw, which sees the CR2 files just fine. Also, Photoshop CC & bridge with latest camera raw update sees the CR2 images just fine. The problem is OTHER software (Aurora HDR, Luminar, Affinity) rely on Windows 10 native Windows Explorer in program to select and process images.

I will pass this along to Microsoft, and I am going to wager they will once again tell me it's NOT a Windows 10 issue, but a Canon issue.