Firefox UI debacle

How To avoid the ugly, less functional, new Nova UI on Firefox.

In October 2026, without much warning, Mozilla rolled out a substantial user interface (UI) change, called Nova, to Firefox. Unfortunately, Nova is ugly and less functional than the prior refined UI called Proton.

 

Fortunately, there is a simple UI solution (at least for the next year or two), which is to switch from regular Firefox to Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release), which retains the classic UI and is more stable.

 

You can download ESR release 153.4.0 (not the earlier version) here:

https://www.firefox.com/download/all/desktop-esr/

You should then switch Settings > About Firefox > Firefox updates from Automatic (the default) to Check & choose, so that you can get security updates (for at least a year), but avoid a version update as long as possible (or until the new CEO comes to his senses).

ESR

Because enterprise customers demand stability, Mozilla has a separate, more stable release channel called Extended Support Release (ESR) that is updated infrequently except for security updates.

Backstory

Mozilla got a new permanent CEO in 2025, and he set about embracing AI and updating Firefox in an attempt to reverse its market share slide. Unfortunately, Mozilla had laid off and otherwise lost so much of its key development talent that he turned to 'easy' UI changes instead of hard core functionality improvements (like support for Progressive Web Apps) and bug fixes, so he could appear to be doing something. By aping more successful products he could claim to be making 'improvements' but while losing distinctiveness, which never works.

Dump the Un-Carrier!

The Bad News: All 3 major carriers now suck!

Under President John Legere, T-Mobile USA was the customer-focused "un-carrier" that offered great pricing, service and performance. That all changed when he left, and now T-Mobile is just another big evil carrier. 

It was bad enough when T-Mobile first broke Legere's promise to 'never raise your price' but now it has gone full evil by forcing subscribers from great legacy plans to new more expensive plans, along with unbundling taxes and fees for new customers. Worse, it slip-streamed it into the Terms of Service, leaving unhappy customers with little recourse. It's now entirely money-focused.

The Good News 

You can switch to a much better carrier and save a great deal of money without losing great network performance, with much better customer service in the bargain. That escape path leads to US Mobile, an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) with access to all three major carrier networks. (It's even possible to switch networks as desired!)

The best part is that you may be able to at least take advantage of the 'Un-Carrier Guarantee' to get your last month of service free when leaving T-Mobile after a price increase. You may have to fight for it, because not all T-Mobile service reps even know it exists, and resist pressure to get you to stay, but you can get it if you persist and act promptly.

One of the best deals that's frequently offered by US Mobile is a full year of Unlimited Starter for only $199 (just $17 per month) all in (no added taxes and fees): Unlimited Talk & Text, 70 GB of High-Speed Data and 10 GB of Hotspot Data on the T-Mobile network, and more. Plus it often has great deals on devices!

Do it, now, and if you use my referral code, you will get a $25 credit! (I get one too.) 

Save & Sync Passwords

Safe Cross-device Password Sync

Safe Cross-device Password Sync

So you've smartly avoided closed-source proprietary password managers in favor of a good free open-source (FOSS) password manager, and you now need to safely sync your passwords between your devices. The best way to do that, given Internet access, is to store securely-encrypted password data in the cloud, which also provides essential backup. (You just need to memorize one unique secure password for that task. All other passwords are available in your password manager.)

My recommended approach:

Computer 

Setup Google Drive to Mirror (or Stream) between your computer and the cloud.
This approach is also supported by other cloud providers (e.g., OneDrive, Dropbox). 
Save your password file there locally and it will be automatically synced to the cloud.
Makes it easy to access with your computer password manager (e.g., KeePass). 

Android

Directly access your password file using Android Storage Access Framework (SAF), which
supports Google Drive and other cloud document providers (e.g., OneDrive, Dropbox).
making it securely accessible to standard Android apps (e.g., Keepass2Android).

Tips

1. With Google Drive set to Stream, be sure to set "Available offline" on your password file.
2. KP2A Tile is a handy app that launches Keepass2Android from a Notification Tile. 

<<>>

Shared Web Hosting

KnownHost

KnownHost Gets Top Marks in Shared Web hosting!

I got so fed up with my Web hosting provider (who will go nameless) that I decided to switch the hosting of my websites, and I'm glad I did!

After a careful, thorough search I settled on KnownHost, in part because it's fiercely independent, not part of a big conglomerate, and my experience has been stellar:

• Migration was free, fast and efficient, even my tricky legacy apps.
• Support has been outstanding, fast and responsive. 
• Performance has been spectacular. My websites have never been so fast!
• Ownership means they prioritize customers, not shareholders.  

Bottom Line: Premium hosting at a reasonable price point, ideal for those who value quality over the lowest cost. Highly recommended.

Best Consumer VPN 2025-2026

Private Internet Access VPN

Why you need a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

• Encrypts your internet traffic, making it harder for others to read.
• Hides your IP address and approximate location.
• Helps protect your privacy from ISPs, advertisers, and other trackers.
• Adds extra safety on public Wi‑Fi, where networks are easier to snoop.
• Can help you access content or services that are region-locked while traveling.
• Can help bypass censorship in places where websites or apps are blocked.

Why Private Internet Access (PIA) is my current favorite consumer VPN

• Strong privacy: Independently audited no-logs policy and open-source apps.
• Security features: Kill switch, strong encryption, split tunneling, and ad/tracker blocking. 
• Large server network: 90+ countries.
• Unlimited device connections: One subscription can cover all your devices.
• Streaming and torrenting: Streaming-optimized servers and port-forwarding. 
• Extra privacy tools: RAM-only servers and multi-hop options. 
• Solid value: Affordable. 

Caveat 

• Ownership: Kape Technologies conglomerate which is now private.

OpenVPN for Android

Why OpenVPN for Android is now my recommended OpenVPN client for Android:

• Open Source
• Secure (ioXt certified)
• Fast

Related:

• Recommended VPN 2020
• Free VPN
• Secure Wi-Fi with VPN

Transcode with VLC

VLC as a Recorder

In addition to being a great way to play video and audio content, VLC is also a great way to record Internet streams (e.g., radio) -- see Record Internet Radio.

MP3 streams are the simplest to record because they can just be dumped to a "raw" file, but that often won't work with other types of streams. The solution is to transcode (convert) streams into MP3 format with VLC before writing them to a "raw" file. It's also a good way to reduce the bitrate of MP3 streams for speech.

Example of VLC output without transcoding:

--sout="#std{access=file,mux=raw,dst=Recording.mp3}"

Corresponding example with transcoding for speech
(bitrate 48 Kbps, stereo, speech sample rate):

‑‑sout="#transcode{acodec=mp3,ab=48,channels=2,samplerate=22050}:std{access=file,mux=raw,dst=Recording.mp3}"

Corresponding example with transcoding for music
(bitrate 128 Kbps, stereo, music sample rate):

‑‑sout="#transcode{acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:std{access=file,mux=raw,dst=Recording.mp3}"

For the complete recording procedure, see Record Internet Radio.

Stop Xfinity WiFi

Got Comcast Internet service? Then you're probably providing open Internet service to the public, and unless you've read and understood everything very carefully, you probably don't even know it!

When you rent a wireless gateway* from Comcast (as most customers do), by default Comcast enables another wireless network called xfinitywifi for use by other Comcast and Cable WiFi Alliance customers. This is a really bad idea:

• Security and privacy are put at risk by opening up service to outsiders in shared equipment. (Claims that outsiders are completely walled off are disingenuous -- there is always a risk.)
• Internet service is degraded by the additional traffic. The carrier wireless gateway is a cheap low-end device with limited processing capacity (and is a common cause of connectivity problems in general).
• Wireless networking is degraded by the additional wireless traffic. Wireless bands are already crowded and limited in many areas, and this just makes things worse.
• It's not good for guest Internet access (as claimed by Comcast) because it won't work if your guests are not Comcast or Cable WiFi Alliance customers. Set up a private guest network on your own wireless router for your guests.
• Comcast is running its business for free out of your home on equipment you are paying to rent.

It's possible to opt out of this outrageous arrangement (instructions here), but there's no way to be sure you'll stay opted out without continual checking.

The better solution is to never ever rent a carrier wireless gateway. Instead, buy your own:

1. DOCSIS cable modem (from the approved list, like the excellent SURFboard 6183)
2. Wireless router (See Choosing a Wireless Router 2019)

* Cable wireless gateway is a combination of DOCSIS cable modem and wireless router.

To be ethical and above board, Comcast should at least provide a free wireless gateway in return for supporting Xfinity WiFi.

More Info

• Comcast XFINITY WiFi: Just say no
• To Xfinity WiFi we're all hotspots, but you don't have to be
• Are You Sharing Your Wifi?

Comcast

• XFINITY WiFi
• XFINITY WiFi Hotspots

Ad Blocking

uBlock Origin

UPDATES:

1. I now use and recommend uBlock Origin.
2. Firefox (Nightly) now supports uBlock Origin on mobile.

Ads on the Web not only are often annoying and performance degrading, but also can seriously compromise your privacy (by tracking you) and security (as an attack mechanism for malware).

Apologists for ads claim they finance the "free" Web and that some ads are better than others, but those claims are greatly exaggerated, since the Web has many different financing mechanisms including service fees paid by users, and since it doesn't make sense to risk compromising performance, privacy and security.

The best way to deal with ads is to use a blocking extension in the Web brower (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, or Safari).

• The best ad blocking extension (as of this writing) is uBlock, available for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
• If you must use Internet Explorer (not recommended), Adblock Plus is a good alternative, but be sure to configure it to block all ads. (So-called "unobtrusive" ads are not blocked by default.)
• Blocking extensions don't work well on mobile, where ads can be even more of a problem due to data consumption, but Adblock Browser can be used instead of the native browser (Chrome or Safari) to do the job.

Ad blocking extensions won't stop malware on your device from serving ads, so it's also a good idea to scan your device for malware. See Anti-Malware for Windows.

Internet Fax

Use a free personal account at FilesAnywhere to send up to 10 faxes per month. Fully professional quality and service, highly recommended!

For more information, see original post Internet Fax.

Secure Online Transactions

The press is filled with stories on online "hacks" (actually cyber attacks) compromising millions of credit card numbers and raising serious risks of fraud and identity theft. So what to do? Fortunately, it is possible to have very safe online transactions.

Most online risk comes from trusting your credentials (e.g., credit and debit card numbers) to third parties. The best way to avoid that problem is with a controlled payment number service like Citi Virtual Account Numbers. PayPal is another good option. Or use an electronic payment service like USBank Bill Pay Online. Regardless, to minimize this risk, change your credit and debit card numbers at least annually.

Bill Pay Online is more secure than paying by credit card, debit card, merchant EFT (ACH), or even paper check, because you initiate and have control over the entire payment process, unlike a credit or debit card where you can't easily stop someone from charging you.

Online banking is a different matter. If you follow recommended security practices (strong, unique* passwords, changed regularly) online banking through https connections to banks with good security policies does not increase risk over regular banking. ATM machines are actually the weakest link in the banking chain (example).

The best way to follow good password practices is to use a password manager like KeePass, which is free, cross-platform, and open source. (Open source is essential to ensure good security. See Manage Passwords on PC, Android, and more.) Use automatic cloud sync (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive) to backup your password file and sync it to multiple devices. (Because your password file is securely encrypted, there's essentially no cloud risk.)

* Never, ever, use the same password for more than one purpose.

Wi-Fi Troubleshooting

ASUS USB-AC56

The most common cause of poor or erratic download speed is wireless interference, particularly on the heavily used 2.4 GHz band. To troubleshoot the problem:

1. ISP to Internet backbone issue
   If your ISP (Internet Service Provider) has its own speed test site (e.g., Comcast XFINITY Speed Test), run several tests on it. If the problem goes away, you probably have an ISP to Internet backbone issue.
2. Wireless issue
   Turn off wireless in your computer and connect it to the wireless router by Ethernet cable. Run several tests to the ISP speed test (if any) and to The Global Broadband Speed Test. If the problem goes away, you probably have a wireless issue; otherwise you probably have a local ISP issue.

An ISP speed test site is an internal server within the ISP network, so it doesn't test the connection between the ISP network and the Internet backbone, whereas The Global Broadband Speed Test site tests both the ISP network and the connection from the ISP network to the Internet backbone.

If you have a Wireless Issue:

1. Try different wireless channels
   Access the configuration of your wireless router, and manually switch it to channels 1, 6, and 11 (the primary non-overlapping 2.4 GHz channels), thoroughly testing performance in each case.
2. Switch to 5 GHz
   If you have a dual band wireless router (recommended), try connecting to 5 GHz instead of 2.4 GHz because it's usually much less crowded, although it may have less range.
3. Try a different wireless adapter
   ASUS USB-AC53 and ASUS USB-AC56 are two of the best.

See Also:

• Checklist of possible interference sources
• Choosing a Wireless Router
• Extend Wi-Fi Coverage

Record Radio Online

I've previously described how to record Internet radio with a computer using VLC Media Player. (See Record Internet Radio.) This can be invaluable for time shifting programs not available as a podcast.

Recording can also be done without a computer using the DAR.fm Web service.

• With a Free account, you can schedule a single program to be regularly recorded, and (only) listen using a Web browser on a computer.
• With a Pro account (starting at $40 per year), you can record 5 or more shows, and also download them and/or stream them to smartphone.

Recordings are broken up into 15 minute segments. You can play them continuously with a playlist, or by joining (and optionally cutting) them with a tool like mp3DirectCut (freeware for Windows, works without quality loss).

UPDATE (6/2015): DAR.fm prices have greatly increased. The Free account has been eliminated, and the Pro price to record up to 5 shows has more than doubled from $40/year to $90/year. The future of the service is questionable.

To give DAR.fm a try, click this referral link:

Wi-Fi on the Water

Alfa Marine USB Wi-Fi

If you're on a boat, and there's Wi-Fi available ashore, but your computer can't get enough signal for a usable connection, the outdoor waterproof Alfa Marine USB Wi-Fi Adapter can be a good solution.

The pictured module has an integrated 12 dBi long-range antenna. Although the antenna is directional, the pattern is wide enough that pointing is not critical, and a fair amount of boat movement is tolerated. With clear line-of-sight and a good antenna at the other end, range can be a mile or more.

The module mounts to something like a stanchion or mast on deck by means of stainless hose clamps or plastic zip ties, with a USB cable running to a computer below deck. Although the cable is limited to 15 ft (5 m) by the USB standard, a USB extension cable may be used for an additional 15 ft.

Available on Amazon for only $35 (link) as of this writing. Drivers provided for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.

(Beware of cheaper off-brand units with exaggerated claims of antenna gain or range. Most are junk.)

Tip: Only one computer is supported, but if the computer has Wi-Fi, software can turn that Wi-Fi into a hotspot for wireless devices. Sharing over Ethernet (cable) is also possible.

Extend Wi-Fi Coverage

NETGEAR PLW1010 Essentials

Wi-Fi radio signals all too often fail to adequately cover the desired area, not only because radio signal strength decreases with distance, but also because radio signals are attenuated (blocked) by walls and floors.

The first thing to try is to locate the Wi-Fi base station (also known as gateway, wireless router, or wireless access point) as near to the center of the desired coverage area as possible in order to minimize distance, but that may be difficult or impossible, or simply not enough.

If that fails to solve the problem, many people then try so-called wireless range extenders (actually wireless repeaters), but these devices tend to work poorly:

• Additional radio traffic cuts wireless network speed by more than half.
• Interference with other wireless networks may increase, often a problem.
• May be difficult to locate midway between Wi-Fi base station and weak coverage area.

A better solution usually (but not always) is powerline networking, using existing electrical power wiring (instead of radio) to carry network signals between modules, a base module (left unit in accompanying picture) located next to the Wi-Fi base station, connected by cable to a LAN port, and remote module(s) (right unit) in weak coverage area(s), broadcasting secondary Wi-Fi signal(s).

For best results it's important to select name brand products conforming to the AV2 (AV600 or better) standard, such as the TP-LINK TL-PA6010KIT, which includes both a base module and a remote module.

• TP-LINK TL-PA6010 is an add-on remote module.
• TP-LINK TL-PA6030KIT has 3 Gigabit Ethernet ports at each end.
• NETGEAR PLW1010 Essentials has base and ac Wi-Fi remote modules.

It's important to plug these units directly into wall outlets because many power strips and so-called surge protectors interfere with network signals.

Testing powerline networking is easy: plug the modules into outlets at the desired locations, and green "sync" lights will turn on if they work. (In some cases they won't work due to electrical wiring issues, so be sure to get a return privilege.) Then it's just a straightforward matter of setting up the secondary Wi-Fi signal.

Note:

• Best Buy stores often stock Netgear Powerline (link). 
• B&H is a great low-cost source of such products (link).

Safer Online Dating

1. Open a new free Google Gmail account just for online dating (nothing else). You can forward it to your regular email for convenience, but always answer from the dating Gmail account. That way your email can't be used to find you, and you can always close that account if you encounter a real creep.

2. Buy a cheap prepaid cell phone just for online dating (Net10, Page Plus, etc), and pay by cash (not credit card). You can forward it to your regular cell for convenience, but always call from the dating cell phone. That way your phone number can't be used to track you down, and you can always drop it in a dumpster (or donate it to charity) if you encounter a real creep. (Bad guys call this a "burner phone".) Or use the Burner app.

3. Always do a first meeting in a very public place, make it something cheap (like coffee or tea), and buy your own. That way you'll be safe, and able to walk away whenever you want with no feeling of obligation.

4. Always drive your own car or use public transport. Never ever give out your home address until you know someone really really well.

5. Post new photos, not photos you've used anyplace else (Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, etc). Otherwise people can use image search to find and associate these other places.

6. Use a nickname for online dating, not your real name, to make it harder for someone to look you up online.

7. Do not use your real city of residence in your dating profile -- use a nearby city instead to make it harder for someone to look up your home address.

8. Never even start with anyone that doesn't have at least one good photo posted. Having no photos or only bad photos is a big red flag.

9. When someone gives you a phone number, Google it -- you'll often learn worthwhile things. ;)

Vehicle Mount for Cell Phone

Mountek nGroove Grip Universal

Smartphones can be excellent while driving, especially in vehicles lacking comparable electronics, providing such hands-free services as:

• Phone calls
• GPS location and turn-by-turn navigation with voice prompts
• Playing music and podcasts
• Streaming Internet radio

This works best with a mount that holds the smartphone where it can be easily seen and used. Common mounts attach to windshield or dash with suction cups that can loosen over time and which often obstruct the view. Mounts that attach to air vents partially block the vents and can make them hard to adjust.

If your vehicle has a CD player, a better mounting solution may be the Mountek nGroove Grip Universal, pictured mounted in a Volvo S60 holding a Google (LG) Nexus 5 (recommended) with a Diztronic protective case (recommended). This mount is attractive, solid and secure, tilts and rotates, attaches and removes easily, with no need to remove or modify protective cases. (If you never play CD discs, you can leave the mount attached.)

• Cable is power from a PowerGen Car Charger (recommended)
• Connection to car audio is by Bluetooth in the picture, but cable could be used instead
• App displayed is CarHome Ultra, made especially for driving (recommended)

Heartbleed

Heartbleed (CVE-2014-0160) is nothing short of an Internet disaster. Here's why:

1. In a noble effort to clean up OpenSSL, the OpenBSD team is reportedly making hundreds of changes per week. Unfortunately, that means new bugs are being introduced no matter how careful the review. You cannot test in quality — it has to be designed in from the beginning. What we should be doing is starting over from scratch with a robust programming language — C and its progeny aren't suitable for mission-critical programming. (Ada would be a good alternative.)

2. History teaches that a substantial percentage of compromised machines won't ever get patched and will continue to be exploited. Until we all start taking security seriously and come up with a way to rapidly push out a mandatory fix to all affected machines (which ain't gonna happen anytime soon), we're going to have to live with fundamental lack of security. The lesson here is that transmitting sensitive information over the Internet is folly without careful offline strong encryption.

3. Heartbleed is at least partly a consequence of the cruel hoax of free software, where talented individuals are tricked into working without monetary compensation to the great benefit of commercial enterprises. There needs to be some way to fund essential projects for the public good, especially because we can't afford to continue to rely and depend on wishful thinking.

Free VPN

Secure Wi-Fi with VPN is updated with a very good free VPN service:

• VPNBook
  Free PPTP and OpenVPN. No registration required. No bandwidth limits. Privacy protection. Easy to set up. Free Web Proxy. Commercial service available at $8 per month. Headquarters in Switzerland. Servers in USA, UK, and Romania.

Mini Wireless Multifunction Routers

Apple pioneered this category of capable mini devices with the AirPort Express, and now there are less expensive alternatives. Multifunction capability is what makes them special, the ability to be configured as:

• Router (base station)
• Access Point (supplement existing router)
• Client Bridge (wireless connection of wired devices)
• Repeater (extend wireless coverage)

Apple AirPort Express (latest version)

• Pro: Easy setup with AirPort Utility, simultaneous dual band wireless, printer server, AirPlay client for wireless audio
• Con: Expensive, N150 speed, separate power adapter

Satechi Wireless Multifunction Mini Router

• Pro: N300 speed, QoS
• Con: Single band wireless

TP-LINK Mini Pocket Router TL-WR700N

• Pro: Inexpensive, small (like original AirPort Express)
• Con: N150 speed, single band wireless