Jim Hillier – Daves Computer Tips

How To Check Your PC’s Reliability Score

Jim Hillier — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 06:26:48 +0000

Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 include a “Reliability Monitor” feature that will present a system stability rating from 1 to 10, and also help diagnose problematic apps/processes. However, the Reliability Monitor is tucked away and not easy to locate… unless you know how. Here is a screenshot of my Reliability Monitor in Windows 10 (click the image to enlarge): As you can see from the…

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2015- 2025: Microsoft’s Dismal Decade

Jim Hillier — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:45:07 +0000

I am not a Microsoft basher by nature, but in all my years of working with Windows, I cannot recall a more infamous period. Microsoft’s introduction of the Insider program not only reinforced the company’s lack of regard for the average home user but also signified the beginning of the rot. It’s no coincidence that when Microsoft sacked the team of professional coders, who were tasked with…

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What Is The Most Private Browser?

Jim Hillier — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 05:01:50 +0000

The latest story doing the rounds on tech sites is based on the results of a “study” by a company called Digitain to ascertain levels of browser privacy. According to the Digitain report, Google Chrome is by far the least private browser… well, no sh*t Sherlock. In the study, rankings for browsers were evaluated on how they handled privacy, anti-fingerprinting, tracker and data blocking…

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How To Change Your Gmail Address

Jim Hillier — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 06:25:35 +0000

Up until now, in order to change their email address, Gmail users have needed to create a whole new account. However, Google has now introduced a new feature whereby a Gmail address can be changed without needing to create a new account and without any data loss. The feature is being rolled out gradually, so not all users will have immediate access. Note: The feature is included in your Google…

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Proton Mail’s New Mobile Apps

Jim Hillier — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 05:05:26 +0000

Looking for a secure, full-featured email client for iOS or Android? You need look no further than Proton Mail for mobile. Proton is a privacy-centric company based in Switzerland that has gained a large following within a relatively short period of time (100 million users as at 2023). The company quickly built a solid reputation for its privacy-focused offerings, including the Proton Mail email…

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ReactOS: A Viable Windows Alternative?

Jim Hillier — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 05:08:09 +0000

ReactOS is a free and open-source project that aims to produce a Windows-like operating system that’s fully compatible with Windows software and drivers. When ReactOS was first announced, it created a great deal of interest, including with yours truly. However, after many years of development with seemingly very little headway, that interest has waned considerably. ReactOS was first released…

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AI – Too Much Too Soon?

Jim Hillier — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 05:16:02 +0000

Like it or loathe it, AI is permeating every aspect of the PC. Microsoft, Google, software developers, etc., are all pushing AI at every opportunity. But, the critical question here is… is AI truly ready for prime time? In my opinion, AI has been pushed down our throats ahead of its time, and I’ll explain my thinking. There are two hardware components that are essential for AI to function…

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Will Copilot+ PCs Become The Only Choice?

Jim Hillier — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 05:01:53 +0000

Will the day come when traditional PCs are no longer available, and Copilot+ PCs then become the only choice? This is a question that I often ponder, and with a certain amount of trepidation, I might add. While our politicians seem unable to learn from history, it’s to history I turn when seeking a possible answer. If history has taught us anything, it’s that newer technology usually…

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Windows 11’s Adoption Not Going Well?

Jim Hillier — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 06:02:07 +0000

Tech sites are at it again, posting ridiculous articles with sensationalist headlines announcing the shocking news that Windows 11 adoption has been underwhelming. These headlines are predicated solely on a report from Dell stating that 1 billion users are still on Windows 10; 500 million with PCs that meet Windows 11 requirements but are still running Windows 10, and 500 million Windows 10 PCs…

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What Has Been The Greatest Advancement In PC Specs?

Jim Hillier — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 08:05:31 +0000

When you get to my age, looking back at the history of PCs owned, it’s amazing just how much PC specs have advanced over the years. My very first PC was a TRS-80, which loaded programs via tape cassettes. The programs were written in BASIC, a language I eventually mastered, and each was volume-sensitive. So I kept a list of programs, each marked with the optimal volume for loading successfully.

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Beware Xmas Online Shopping Scams!

Jim Hillier — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 06:07:44 +0000

It’s almost Christmas time again, which means it’s gift time, and many of you will be looking to purchase online. The scammers are well aware of the increased activity at this time of year and crawl out from under their rocks to do their worst. Here then are some tips to help you avoid these scams: Scammers will employ all sorts of devious methods to make their products appear larger…

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Thunderbird Pro: Subscription-Based Email Client

Jim Hillier — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 05:01:43 +0000

In an obvious attempt to increase its revenue stream, Mozilla has announced the release of Thunderbird Pro, a new subscription-based email client. Thunderbird Pro is still in the early-bird stage, meaning that, at this time, potential users must first join a waiting list. According to the Thunderbird Pro product page, this new email service includes the following benefits: Mozilla…

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VideoProc Mega Xmas Giveaway – 2025

Jim Hillier — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 05:22:05 +0000

VideoProc is currently running a Christmas giveaway involving 25 premium offerings ~ Offer ends 25th December. The main giveaway is for the excellent VideoProc Converter AI, with an advent calendar that includes a further 24 giveaways. “One-stop solution to enhance video/image/audio quality, stabilize footage, boost FPS with AI; convert, resize, download, record, and edit any video audio”…

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How To Quickly “End Task” In Windows 11

Jim Hillier — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 05:01:23 +0000

Normally, when an application becomes unresponsive and hangs, we’d need to bring up Task Manager, locate the process, and then end that task. However, in Windows 11, there is a setting that adds an “End task” option to the right-click context menu. The option in my Windows 11 25H2 was enabled by default. To make sure the option is enabled for you: If an application becomes…

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