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Hello! My name is Kevin.

Technology is my passion. Let me draw from my 20 years of experience in the IT industry to help YOU with my FREE blog posts and paid subscriber content to provide complete transparency for the drop off computer repair and remote support services I offer.

There is nothing cookie-cutter here.

Making The Complicated Simple

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How To Guide For A System Cleanup (FREE)

I believe in complete transparency about the work I do for YOU on YOUR computer. Please check out my FREE How To Guide regarding the steps I take during a System Cleanup.

Newsletter (free and paid content)

You can also support me on Patreon for additional benefits that I can't offer via this website. I mostly post blog post teasers there on the FREE tier.

Benefits include:

  • Email and app notifications for new posts
  • A "Monthly Recap" newsletter for subscribers

Subscriber Only Posts

image source: Microsoft

Microsoft Recall: The Backlash, the Misunderstandings, and What Microsoft is Doing to Address It [Subscribers]

In June, Microsoft unveiled Microsoft Recall, an AI-powered tool designed to help businesses and individuals track and retrieve important information from past meetings, conversations, and documents. While it was positioned as a game-changer for productivity, it didn’t take long for the backlash to begin.

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This is a Windows 11 Enshittification Checklist [Subscribers]

I’m not here to defend Microsoft; my focus is on everyday users who often feel ignored by corporate decisions. Let’s take a look at the problems with Windows 11 and find ways to improve our experience with it. Although there have been some positive changes, the overall trend has been disappointing. So, what are the main issues we’re facing.

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Kevin’s Picks: Spybot Search and Destroy [Subscribers]

Tired of pop-ups, strange ads, or sudden slowdowns on your PC? Spybot Search and Destroy is a powerful, free tool designed to root out spyware and protect your system in real-time. Whether you’re a casual user or a tech enthusiast, Spybot offers customizable scans, browser immunization, and reliable spyware protection to keep your computer safe. Curious to learn more? Let’s dive into what makes Spybot a go-to choice for boosting your PC’s defenses!

Latest Paid How To Guides

manage your account

How To Better Secure Your Google Account [Premium]

Keeping your Google account secure is more important than ever—especially since it’s linked to many parts of your digital life. In this guide, we’ll cover two essential steps to boost your security: managing third-party access and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA).

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash.com

What Are Cookies And Should I Keep Them Or Not? [Premium]

In this post, I will talk about what are known as “Cookies”, and how to view or access them in your web browser, in this case, Firefox, and on your computer. I will also talk about why they’re not worth worrying about. Some have suggested it’s a good idea to remove them, and I’ll explain why I disagree with that and why you likely will as well.

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How To Use Mastodon: Part 1 [Premium]

You’ve likely heard of Mastodon as an alternative to Twitter. You’re intrigued and curious. A deciding factor for you may be that Mastodon collects absolutely no data from its users in terms of anything not absolutely required to use it.

First, I’m not here to convince you to switch to Mastodon. I want to go over what I like about it, what it offers, why I prefer it to Twitter, and why I think you will.

Coming Soon:

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My List of Must Have Windows Programs [Premium]

These are the widely used and trusted programs for Windows 10 and 11 that I have used, currently use, and certainly recommend. Some are FREE, and some are not.

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How To Setup and Use Backblaze [Premium]

In this blog post, I will cover to how I recommend setting up Backblaze on your computer as it prepares to start the Initial Backup to your cloud account with them.

QT Win 10 Quick Access

Quick Tip: Pin Folders to Quick Access in Windows 10

In Windows 10 and 11, you have the option of “pinning” folders under “Quick Access”on the left hand pane in File Explorer. I literally use my pinned folders every single day, and the time it saves me adds up over time!

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Quick Tip: How To Disable The News and Interests Widget From Opening on Hover

In Quick Tip, I’ll be talking about how to disable the “open on hover” feature on the News And Interest widget in Windows 10 and why you want to do this.

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Quick Tip: How To View File Extensions in Windows 10

By default, out of the box, Windows, any version of Windows, does not show file type extensions, presumably because most average users don’t care about file extensions. Still, in my experience with on-site and remote work, I have done, inevitably, most people end up wanting to know the file extension of a file that they are dealing with.

QT Win 10 Quick Access

Quick Tip: Pin Folders to Quick Access in Windows 10

In Windows 10 and 11, you have the option of “pinning” folders under “Quick Access”on the left hand pane in File Explorer. I literally use my pinned folders every single day, and the time it saves me adds up over time!

QT_-News-and-Interests-Widget-Win-10

Quick Tip: How To Disable The News and Interests Widget From Opening on Hover

In Quick Tip, I’ll be talking about how to disable the “open on hover” feature on the News And Interest widget in Windows 10 and why you want to do this.

QT_-View-File-Extensions-in-Windows-10

Quick Tip: How To View File Extensions in Windows 10

By default, out of the box, Windows, any version of Windows, does not show file type extensions, presumably because most average users don’t care about file extensions. Still, in my experience with on-site and remote work, I have done, inevitably, most people end up wanting to know the file extension of a file that they are dealing with.

Kevin's Picks

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Kevin’s Picks: PowerToys

Are you looking for ways to make your Windows experience more powerful and personalized? Well, you’re in for a treat!

Today, I’m introducing you to PowerToys—a free, feature-packed utility from Microsoft that adds a whole new level of functionality to your system.

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Kevin’s Picks: Consent-O-Matic – Browser Add-On for Automatic Cookie Management for Every Site

Tired of confusing cookie pop-ups nudging you to “agree” to tracking? This innovative add-on from privacy researchers in Denmark automatically manages your cookie preferences, putting your data security on autopilot. Set it once, and browse freely—no more manipulative pop-ups!

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Kevin’s Picks: Libre Office

If you’ve ever felt frustrated by Microsoft Office’s constant updates, subscriptions, and general bloat, I completely understand. I used to feel the same way, but I found a solution that changed everything for me: LibreOffice.