Category: Web Stuff

A Chrome Password Problem

I found a strange issue with Google Chrome and its saved password list. Chrome will save passwords and you can view the list of passwords that have been saved. If you change a password it will remember the new password and use it to log you into the site. However I found that if you view the password list it shows the previous password not the updated password.

To explain that a little more clearly, say you set up an account at a site with your username and a password of “abc123”. Then you realise that that isn’t a good password and so change it to “xyz321”. You can log out of the site and next time you try to log in, Chrome will autofill the username and password boxes with the current password. However if you look at Chrome’s settings – advanced – manage passwords, it will still show the original value of “abc123” in the password field.

I tried a few things, including resetting the Chrome profile, which is the Chrome help site’s fallback fix for everything, but they didn’t work. The only thing that did work was to delete all the displayed passwords for that site from Chrome’s settings screen. Then log in to the site again, Chrome still remembered the login credentials even though I had deleted everything that was displayed. Then the saved password list was updated and I could view the current password.

A rather strange issue I know. I should mention that I use the beta version of Chrome so that maybe part of the problem but hopefully this will help someone else.

Advertisement

YouTube, Cookies and Comments

Anyone who has commented on a YouTube video recently will be aware that the commenting system has changed. It has been integrated into Google+, not a problem for those of us already on G+ but a nuisance for everyone else. It should be an easy change if you already have a G+ account but some people have had problems.

Most problems seem to involve cookies. Cookies are small files web sites leave on your computer. They can be useful as a way of remembering your preferences and the like but they can also be misused. One of the ways to avoid potential problems is to control the way cookies are set. Chrome has an option to disable 3rd party cookies, that is only the site you are logged into can set a cookie. This may seem straight forward but many sites use 3rd party sites to add functionality, usually quite legitimately like WordPress and Gravatar. Unfortunately the link between YouTube and Google+ is broken by setting this option.

If you use Chrome and find you can no longer comment on YouTube but have already set up a Google+ account check your settings. Go to Settings – Advanced – Privacy – Content Settings, under Cookies check the last option (Block third party cookies and site data) isn’t checked.

Old Reader Follows Google Reader

UPDATE: Old Reader have announced that they will stay open to the public now they have new resources and a larger team – see here for details.

Old Reader set out to be a Google Reader replacement but now they have followed it into history. Old Reader was my prefered replacement for Google Reader. In fact I found it better than Google Reader because it was more like Google Reader used to be, hence the name. Obviously many others thought like me and we overloaded it to the extent it couldn’t cope. Today they announced it is going to shut, at least for most users. Read the full announcement here.

I did use Liferea locally for a while but found I liked Old Reader more but looks like I might go back to a local solution.

 

RIP Google Reader

When Google announced the end of Reader I was surprised. It has been my feed reader for as long as I care to remember. But the end of Reader meant finding a replacement. There have been many suggestions on various sites and I started looking around. The replacements can be divided into a couple of groups.

First group is online Reader replacements, the second group is a local application. Which to choose? I prefer online reader as I can then use them on a number of machines. While a local option means I’m not at the mercy of some site that may disappear, possibly without the warning given by Google, the convenience provided by being able to access it from a number of devices outweighs the risk.

I looked at a few options including WordPress’s own Reader. I guess I was comparing them to Google Reader as that is what I’m used to. I found Wp’s site chaotic it didn’t always show all feeds and there was little organisation. It was gone after one session.

Next I looked at Feedly. It came well recommended. In fact it was the winner of a poll on Lifehacker. It imported my feeds quickly. However I found the interface poor. I gave it a couple of sessions but wasn’t happy.

Another recommendation was the Old Reader. As the name suggests it is a clone of Google Reader as Reader used to be. It is still in beta and currently overwhelmed with the interest Google’s decision has sent its way. It took several days to import my feeds, fortunately I haven’t made any changes since I started the import. When I received the email that the import had finished I went to the site and immediately felt at home. Even though it is in beta it works well. The interface is similar enough to Reader to feel comfortable. It is better than the current reader site. I’ve been using ReaderPlus to improve the default interface on Reader but Old Reader doesn’t need that.

So if you are looking for a Google Reader alternative check out the Old Reader. You will need to be patient while it catches up with the number of imports it is doing but it is worht the wait.

New / Old Fedora Remix

There is a new remix of Fedora that has just been released. Koororaa is based on Fedora 14 KDE. It is actually a return of an old KDE remix but now it is based on Fedora.

It comes preinstalled with popular non-KDE apps such as Firefox and Gimp as well as having extra repos such as Flash and RPMFusion preconfigured. There is also a Lite version which can be used on basic machines such as netbooks or as the base for a customised system. There are 32 and 64 bit versions too. Both run as live versions so can be used without installation.

I have been experimenting with the standard version and was impressed with the included packages even though he has it tagged as a Beta version. I intend to install it on a system in the next few days and give it a further tryout.

The developer, Chris Smart, is an Australian based in Canberra so it is nice to see something this useful coming out of Oz. Have a look at his site at kororaa.org

=-=-=-=-=
Powered by Blogilo

A More Detailed Map

This is one for Australians (and anyone interested in Australia too!) only at this stage. We are becoming used to photomaps with the option on Google Maps and others as well as Google Earth of course. One thing these have in common though is poor quality when you zoom right in.

There is an alternative for Australia with high quality images at least in the capitals and some of the regonial cities. The images are updated regularly and the previous images are easily accesible so you can see the changes to an area. Many areas I looked at have been updated in the last couple of months.

Coverage in the rural areas isn’t as good as some of the alternatives though so you might still need Google Earth.

Where is all this? Go to Nearmap and explore.