Wanted to post about O&O Shutup since I just used it on my work computer, and was looking for a preexisting Threadiverse post mentioning it. Found this.

cross-posted from: https://lotide.fbxl.net/apub/posts/8985

The first thing I use is Windows 10 decrapifier.

To use this, open up Powershell ISE as an administrator, and paste the script into a new editor window, then run it. It will automatically remove all the garbage Windows 10 installs by default. It works pretty well with Windows 11 as well.

https://community.spiceworks.com/scripts/show/4378-windows-10-decrapifier-18xx-19xx-2xxx

Next, O&O Shutup10

This tool shuts down a lot of the different telemetry stuff to keep windows 10 your own. It also works with Windows 11.

https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

Finally, I like to install OpenShell, a start menu replacement for Windows 10. Right now it doesn't easily work on Windows 11, I use Start11 on windows 11. Openshell doesn't just replace the start menu with a windows 7 style start menu, it reimplements search so the search works much better and doesn't rely on windows search service.

https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu

Here's a bonus tip that only applies to Windows 11: If you use the open source tool rufus to create your installation media, you can tell rufus to create installation media that bypasses all the new TPM requirements. I have a computer capable of running windows 11, but I don't want to give them access to my TPM, I don't want secure boot, I don't want any of this stuff. I want to run my computer the way I want to, and this install media allows that. You lose some minor features here and there.

https://rufus.ie/en/

Youtube being the dominant video streaming platform, its decisions can have problematic ripple effects. And as it's not unusual for their changes in rules to retroactively nuke videos from the site, a preservation tool such as the one linked is a welcomed one.

Functionally, it's pretty similar to Archive Today in that it's pretty basic and straight to the point.

Also storing videos is hella expensive, so if you find the tool good and you have some spare change, please donate to it.

cross-posted from: https://digipres.cafe/post/99916

SmartTube is a free and open-source YouTube client for Android TV and TV boxes. It removes ads, supports SponsorBlock, works without Google Services, and is designed for large screens and remote controls.

Note: the developer recently disclosed a build environment compromise and has since rotated keys, rebuilt the environment, and added additional verification steps. Users should update to the latest version and verify sources. GitHub: https://github.com/yuliskov/SmartTube

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/47764445

Use !friendica@lemmy.ca instead!

A post initially made for the !drm@lemmy.dbzer0.com, an update of the pinned post there as that one hasn't been updated in a few months now. And posting it here as voting with the wallet is a way to seek deshittification. =)

Quoting the OP:
Additions are welcome! Please post in the comments if you're missing any. While I realize other sources and shadow libraries exist, I want this list to be about supporting the sites, stores and authors that make an effort to supply legal, DRM-free alternatives.

Sources will be divided into categories based on content types available, and so a same source may appear in multiple categories. And if a category becomes too overarching, please suggest how to better divide!

Also some cases of DRM are blurrier. Some may consider DRM-free as simply not requiring validation, while watermarks and other means of tracking the owner if the files are leaked may be seen as DRM to others. When I know about such cases, I will include the source in the list but with a note about the potential DRM measure.

And removing SomaFM until I figure out if it indeed allows downloading contents DRM-free.

Now, onto the list!

Crossposted from https://sh.itjust.works/post/54347872

Hey everyone!

Myself along with a few cross-stitch pattern designers have partnered up to create a free platform for searching patterns!

A lot of what we see on websites like Etsy are full of AI and our aim is to have a 100% no AI, no pattern mill search engine.

Search for patterns here:
https://clickstitch.app/patterns

These are some of the stand-out features, some may differentiate this platform from others that may already exist:

Patterns by Independent Cross-Stitch Designers

All Creators are verified before they are set up that they do not use AI to create patterns!

We have a few Creators already set up, more to come in the future!

Here are the shops for those currently set up:

• BuzyBobbins

• Faierius

• LooseThreadStitchery

Search by Inventory

Find patterns based on threads you may have in your inventory!

Direct App Integration

A one-click feature to instantly start tracking progress when choosing a Creator's pattern!

Fuzzy Text Search

Search by a pattern's name, theme or Creator, the search engine will find the closest match!

This is a new part of the platform, all questions and suggestions are welcome!

Feel free to join the Discord!

Thank you :)

People act in the limits of consequence, and the same goes for companies and their products and services. Accountability helps making the limits clearer and narrower.

Some times, sites appear hoping to help consumers in such regard, like Reclame Aqui, an old Brazilian review site that grew into being an alternative support medium, companies hating having a poor ratio of resolved issues there, and Consumer Rights Wiki, seeking to document cases of consumer exploitation. The former already having a positive effect, and the latter that though I haven't seen tangible effects, could have too.

But it leads me to think, are there other such cases that have already had positive effects, or that could have, be them regional or otherwise?

DRM allegedly is meant to stop distribution of unlicensed copies. Quite novel. However, from what I can observe, usually they seem easy to remove or circumvent, and its main use seems to be to stop legitimate users from using a given product.

For things like music, games and movies, as a response to this, I see hints of interest of going back to physical medias, as back when this type of media was mainstream, DRM, if present, was usually a local nuisance, and not a remote killswitch.

Besides being able to own the physical media, including being able to back them up (including scanning for books and the sort), the experience of using them can be quite nice too.

But something I don't spot quite as frequently is mentions of DRM-free medias distributed purely digitally. And if one is to "vote with the wallet" to try to push for better market practices, or even for ease of backing up or accessibility, I'd propose recommending those too.

Physical media is expensive to ship, harder to store, you can't carry around a rental store-worth of physical medias in your backpack, and due to distribution bottlenecks and licenses, the company can't produce as many copies, making it less accessible. And from what I can observe, people usually prefer contents to be easier to access, adding to the problem.

With digital, those things are dealt with, at worse requiring the user to double-click some file. And if/as DRM-free gets more trending, lack of killswitches starts to be normalized again among those that usually prefer the double-click.

So going back to the point, while there's value in physical medias, I think digital DRM-free may be better to promote, be it by purchasing or recommending, to try to push the market in a better direction.

What do you think?

Posting because I figure it could help you move away from enshittified things that used to be one-time payment but are now ongoing-subscription-only access. Or maybe that is technically a different issue, but I think still adjacent enough that posting helpful alternatives would be nice.

A small site, with a list of existing projects meant to help people disenshittify and some suggestions of projects to take on to help people do that.

Found this before the community was founded and kept the tab open, so glad I've got somewhere to put it.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.cafe/post/28583067

LibreWolf is one of the best browsers for people who don't like generative AI.

Here is the statement posted on Mastodon:

As there seems to have been recent confusion about this, just a quick "official" toot to then pin: we haven't and won't support "generative AI" related stuff in LibreWolf. If you see some features like that (like Perplexity search recently, or the link preview feature now) it is solely because it "slipped through". As soon as we become aware of something like this / it gets reported to us, we will remove/disable it ASAP.

Nintendo isn't the most pro-consumer rights company out there, to say it lightly.

But even they managed to change for better previously, which came after a gradual relaxation from even more draconian policies, as registered here and here, and that as far as I know, the changes remain to this day.

If even a company as Nintendo can be willing to change, who's to say what can or can't be achieved. =)

Alternative upload (Youtube): directly | PreserveTube | Invidious