Changing Software
This time last year I made a decision to replace Microsoft Office or Office 365 as it is currently known. Mainly because I only use Outlook out of the entire suite of software. This project stalled because I couldn't easily import my existing email archive into Mozilla Thunderbird. Hence the status quo has been perpetuated. However, there is an ongoing cost associated with this software as well as some wider considerations about ethics and privacy which is why I have returned to this matter. Although this time I wish to replace not only Office 365 but all the other "production tools" I use to write and browse the internet. I have managed to make some progress towards this goal but it has been hard to adapt. Mainly because I had everything set up to my liking. Although alternatives are available, they're never exactly alike and require a lot of fine tuning to be deemed satisfactory.
This time last year I made a decision to replace Microsoft Office or Office 365 as it is currently known. Mainly because I only use Outlook out of the entire suite of software. This project stalled because I couldn't easily import my existing email archive into Mozilla Thunderbird. Hence the status quo has been perpetuated. However, there is an ongoing cost associated with this software as well as some wider considerations about ethics and privacy which is why I have returned to this matter. Although this time I wish to replace not only Office 365 but all the other "production tools" I use to write and browse the internet. I have managed to make some progress towards this goal but it has been hard to adapt. Mainly because I had everything set up to my liking. Although alternatives are available, they're never exactly alike and require a lot of fine tuning to be deemed satisfactory.
Web Browser
I have used Chrome for years and until fairly recently it has served my needs adequately. However, whether it is due to the various extensions I have installed or some inherent software flaws, I’ve found that several websites that I use regularly do not perform well with Chrome. These problems usually occur when attempting to buy and item or service. As this is not a trivial issue, I decided to try Vivaldi as my default web browser and so far, I have been happy with the results. It performs well, can be easily customised and it even managed to import all my existing Chrome extensions. I’ve had no issues when banking online, or ordering from Amazon or other retailers. Plus Vivaldi is weighted towards user privacy. Something that I am becoming increasingly interested in.
Search Engine
Over the last 6 months or so, I have noticed a decline in the quality and relevance of search results when using Google. There are too many paid or sponsored links which are an impediment to obtaining relevant data quickly. Although Google has taken steps to highlight sponsored search results recently, I would like a means to block them entirely. However, I am not sure if this can be easily done. Having researched the matter all alternative search engines show adverts and sponsored results. It just seems to be an integral part of all search engine business models these days. Perhaps a browser extension may offer a solution. I am currently testing one called “Unsponsored” to see if it does the job.
Office Suite
I stopped using Office 365 (bar Outlook) along time ago preferring the simplicity and immediacy of Google Drive. In the past I had a requirement to be able to access my documents across multiple locations, so Google’s solution was of use to me. However, I now tend to do the majority of my writing at home, so a stand alone solution is now more convenient. With this in mind I installed LibreOffice and it serves all my needs with regard to writing blog posts. I have a convenient shortcut on my taskbar which launches a blank document set to a formatting style of my choice. It does not suffer from an excess of functionality and provides an efficient means to write my blog posts.
Finally I have returned once again to replacing Outlook. Or at least the current iteration that is part of Office 365. I have a copy of Outlook 2021 and a license key, so I can theoretically downgrade to this older version and dispense with the monthly subscription. In the past my main concern regarding changing email clients has been being able to import all my existing emails. However, I can always just export all the old data as a .pst files and keep it as an archive. This then allows me to choose from a variety of alternate email clients as I am effectively starting from scratch. This raises the prospect of using Mozilla Thunderbird once again. Or I may even use Vivaldi as it offers integrated email support. I shall investigate this further in the next few days.
Some people may question my concerns over changing software and which service providers I deal with. Broadly speaking, for those who use the internet casually, using the most obvious and commonest tools is probably the most convenient option. However, I think there are cogent reasons to be concerned about becoming dependent upon specific free tools provided by predominantly US companies with an ever increasing monopoly on such services. I like my data to be a secure and private as possible. I also want to deal with companies that are vaguely ethical. I certainly feel that consumer legislation is better represented in Europe than elsewhere in the world. If this ongoing project works, I would also like to say goodbye to Windows as an operating system, although that has much bigger ramifications. In the meantime, I shall continue to make changes until I find an optimal solution. I am a firm believer in the old adage that it is the dog that wags the tail and not vice versa.
