How to download videos from the Internet

I am asked VERY often how I am able to save videos from the Net (read disclaimer at bottom please)

There are many reasons one might want to download a video for later viewing. To watch while offline or traveling, to study. Maybe because so many videos get removed if they don’t fit the ‘censor lords’ narratives or views. Or sometimes the vids show a happening that would undermine a current narrative or lie.

What ever your reason here are a couple ways.

This extension lets you download most flash videos EXCEPT YouTube (more on that in a moment)

https://www.downloadhelper.net/install

To download YouTube Videos.

First, install Tampermonkey

Open https://tampermonkey.net/ and install the extension for your browser.

Firefox: [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/tampermonkey/]

Then go here https://en.savefrom.net/userjs-setup.php and install the script:

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Or

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Now you can download any YouTube videos as you like.

(you may have to switch your YouTube viewing to the ‘old format’ search google for how. For Chrome you can try this extension here but note some said it doesn’t work or requires authentication)

Head over to YouTube and select a video. You’ll see a button you can click to download files (has dropdown to choose quality too)! See example:

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NOTE: Sometimes you must ‘right-click’ on the download link and choose ‘Open in new Tab’ for the download options to show. Then you can save to whatever location you wish

There you have it. Two ways to get some videos.

[disclaimer: by downloading ANY copyrighted or owned property YOU are responsible for that action and any possible consequences. You may be violating some ‘terms of service’ or other legal shtuff. ALL that is your decision or choice. The information provided is just that – information. Not an endorsement of these methods.

How to export your YouTube channels to a RSS feed reader

To help make my time more productive while online, I use QuiteRSS portable RSS feed reader. Get it here:  https://quiterss.org/en/download (I use the portable version but you can use fully installed version if you like. Or use any feed reader you’re comfortable or familiar with.)

I find it so much easier to check up on what I want to without getting squirrelled onto tangents by being able to have my preferred providers in one spot.
I actually have 50 subscriptions for news and such alone, not including all my YouTube channels.

Okay so how to get all your subscribed YouTube channels into your RSS reader..

Make sure you’re logged into your Google/Youtube account first of course:

Got to: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_manager
At the bottom look for the ‘Export to RSS Readers’ line and then Export Subscriptions.
This will save all your subscribed feeds (feeds NOT content obviously) to an OPML XML file (download and save somewhere) that can then be imported into your RSS reader of choice. Simply open you reader and ‘import feeds’ and BAM all your subscriptions will now be there.

Additional tip for those that actually want to download YouTube videos. (YouTube does not wish you to this and sometimes it’s said you’re not supposed to via copyright or some other T.O.S. – but I believe that for personal has been adjudicated in the positive for individuals)
These two addons allow for a button to ‘Download’ at the bottom of the video. I Simply right-click and choose ‘Open In New Tab’ and have the option to download the video to my HDD.

My default browser it Chrome (sometimes I switch to Firefox) but both have the Tamper Monkey Extension/Add on on both browsers and have these two scripts installed
https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/371817-youtube-best-video-downloader-2
and
https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/33219-fastest-youtube-downloader-video-or-mp3/code

Un-F@#k Facebook

I was logged into Facebook recently to search for and show someone something I saw posted. The person that was with started to freak! They said, “How come your Facebook looks so much different? Where’s all the other shtuff on the pages?”

I explained I use the F.B Purity extension (Available on Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers too) Formally called Facebook Flufbuster. It has been my go to extension to un-f@#k Facebook for some time now. I recommend it to many but they often don’t take the time to read the guides/how to’s on their site or just can’t get it to work as well I they saw on my browser(s).

So for those that are interested or care here you go.

Here’s a view from my timeline:

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Simple easy to read posts and no extemporaneous crap or distractions. Below are my current exact settings:

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WebEx in Chrome security flaw

Recently there have been some pretty big security issues found with several browser plug-ins. Like this huge one for the WebEx in Chrome issue

It is best that, if you must use them, you manually update them. Please always keep your stuff updated.

To force update Chrome extensions:

Open Chrome, then got to Settings – clicking on the three vertical dots in the top right of Chrome.

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Then click on Extensions:

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Next Click on ‘Developer mode’ then click on “Update extensions now”

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For Firefox you need to update addons and plug-ins:

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Then

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And then

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Delete all trash in Google Voice

Delete all trash in Google Voice

I’ve have been using Google Voice since its inception in 2007. I have plenty of spam rules and other delete immediately rules.

This has all led to a massive trash folder.

Google’s method to delete the trash only allows for you to select 10 items at a time, then delete them then select another and so on. For me this was 3000 pages of crap!

I went on a search or method to empty this garbage once and for all. The responses from Google on their forums were pretty much ‘tough luck’ we’re not going to add that functionality. Even though for them that would be, programmatically, an INCREDIBLY simple adjustment.

I finally found a simple and working method!! Thought I’d share.

Here’s how to delete all Google voice messages in trash!

Install Tamper monkey extension in either Chrome or Firefox.

[I had best luck using Chrome for this instead of Firefox]

http://tampermonkey.net/

Then grab the script from here:

https://gist.github.com/gavinhungry/cb0a2b23fe0fd7e352cf

Download the script .zip and extract the file "gv-delete.user.js"

Then Open with text editor and copy all.

OR

Copy the entire script in the github script window.

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Open Tampermonkey interface from Chrome browser (it’ll be on the tool bar)

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Click on the ‘+’ next to the ‘Installed userscripts’

Copy over (or backspace over) any code

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Paste the copied script into the window

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Then press Save

Now

Navigate to your Google Voice page (stay on the Inbox – don’t go to the Trash folder) :

https://www.google.com/voice

And you’ll now see a two new buttons.

One says “Delete ALL” the other “Empty Trash”

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Clicking on the Empty Trash will kick off the script and begin emptying all of the items in your Trash folder of Google Voice. It will take some time if you trash is large BUT it will finish. Just minimize the window and have a cup of tea or coffee or whatever.

And viola’ all gone!

Fix Facebook Annoyances.

I used to use the Firefox and Chrome extension called SocialFixer to unF**k my Facebook.
Sadly however, that extension has not been updated in some time.

I’ve found another extension that works nearly as admirably – F.B. Purity
Check it out if you’d like to wrest back control of your Facebook experience.

I can’t even post this on FB because they don’t like the plugin!!

I’ve removed so much FB crap from my feed it’s actually usable again!

Check it out. install extension, go to FBP options and start hiding (by checking) loads of annoying crap. You’ll be amazed!

Fix hyperlink issues in Outlook Word and other documents and files.

If you are experiencing an issue “Can’t follow links in email “this operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer” error. Or getting the same error in other Office documents, then this should resolve it.

I’ve had a few clients who have had the same problem recently. Two small offices and a larger organization.

It seems they all had one thing in common. The users had recently installed and Chrome recently. And then finding this Browser was unintentionally (or secretively) installed they proceeded to uninstall/remove it. For the small office/home user this problems occurs very often. Most users have to be able to install applications. For the larger organizations this is a failure of the IT department (or their companies SOP and Policies) to properly restrict usage rights in their Active Directory GPOs

This ‘unintended’ install comes from one of my MAJOR pet peeves – software installing other non-essential and unwanted software. I believe this practice of getting unsuspecting or unaware users to install something they did not want or need by tricking them in to ‘just clicking through’ and installation of a needed or required application, plug-in or extension is downright fraudulent. Adobe is one of the worst offenders. When you update your ‘Flash Player or Shockwave Player’ they will usually try and slip in Google Chrome, McAfee or Norton Antivirus applications. And when they install those they are then set as ‘default programs’! All of which can lead to problems of usability and stability. I could go on this rant for a while but just please be warned read carefully what you are agreeing to install when you choose to update your programs/plug-ins. Make sure you ‘un-check’ any other crapware other than the actual application you are actually looking for. Okay, enough about that.

Fix for hyperlinks in email and documents:
You will need to open the registry (Go to Start type in regedit then on the found file right-click and choose ‘run as administrator) then navicate to and change the following keys from “Chromehtml” to “htmlfile”.


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.htm]
@=”htmlfile”

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html]
@=”htmlfile”

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.shtml]
@=”htmlfile”

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.xhtml]
@=”htmlfile”

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.xht]
@=”htmlfile”

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ftp\shell\open\command]
@=”\”C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\” %1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\http\shell\open\command]
@=”\”C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\” %1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell\open\command]
@=”\”C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\” %1″

Note you can also take the above and create a registry batch file.
Just copy the registry information (between the –) and save as a .reg file. That can then be launched and added to your registry.

This registry batch file can also be used to change the HKCU registry entries via Logon Script in Group Policy.
Create Registry.bat file with text:
systemroot%\regedit /s Registry.reg

Open Group Policy object, go to User Configuration > Windows Settings > Scripts > Logon
Click on Show Files (this opens a folder in \\domain-name\SysVol\domain-name\Policies\… ) and copy both files you created to that folder.
Click on Add and select Registry.bat
Deploy Group Policy object where required.

Well I hope that helps some.

SocialFixer fixes Facebook replaces BetterFacebook

Better Facebook extension/Addon has been updated/changed to ‘SocialFixer’

This extension makes Facebook SO much more useable!! It’s just great. I hope you check it out.

If you previously had the Better Facebook! extension installed remove it.

Then go here and install the new version called Social Fixer for your preferred browser(s).

Install the Social Fixer Extension (for Firefox, Chrome, Opera etc.) Then go to https://facebook.com You will then be prompted with the configuration wizard.

Here is what the wizard looks like and here are the settings I chose.

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I don’t like the ‘Light Box’ feature, so I choose to Disable Light Box Viewer:

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I’m also fine with the Default theme

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I also went in and made more changes.

You will see a little ‘Wrench’ where you can access your ‘Social Fixer’ settings:

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Here you can REALLY TWEAK away.

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My advice is to make one or two changes at a time and sees how they work for YOU.

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I hope that helps some of you wrest control of you Facebook back. Peace out.

More on fixing Facebook

I wrote about using the Firefox (Chrome works too) add-on Greasemonkey and the super script BetterFacebook and I have been getting loads of requests for people asking me to go into a little more detail of how to use it. You should read that first here.

I am amazed at how well I was able to ‘un-muck’ my Facebook pages!

Here is what my Facebook home page now looks like now after setting up and using the BetterFacebook Greasemonkey Script in Firefox:

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Here are the options as I’ve selected them. Once installed and you restart your browser then ‘re-login’ to Facebook, cancel the set up wizard. Then go to the ‘new’ Options button near your User Name and click on it.

The options I selected give me virtually the same/old layout I’ve been used to and added the ‘feed’ to the right; which I actually find useful so long as it doesn’t try and take over the whole page. Also removed are ads and other garbage I never use – applications being the major one.

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Note above that I selected the ‘Stech the Layout…’ option

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Note that above I selected the ‘Force the main news feed to be ‘Most Recent’..

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And that’s all the settings I chose and hit ‘Save’.

I hope that helps those that asked. You’re all grown ups. I hope that you can take the time and a  chance to experience some ‘pain’ and learn how to do this.

Fix the ‘new’ Facebook feeds

Let’s try and fix some of the ‘new’ Facebook enhancements.

As some of you know I recommended that to get Facebook back to normal. You could Go Account Settings -> Language -> English (UK). And it seemed to work. But Facebook is pushing the crap out globally, so that may only work for a short time if at all now.

I have written many times previously about how to improve your browsing performance and productivity using Firefox and add-ons. Read here please  with special consideration of the Firefox add-on Greasemonkey.
Greasemonkey is a hugely popular add-on for Firefox browsers.
To me this is my most used add-ons the first being AdBlock Plus – Get that here. A GreaseMonkey script could be anything from blocking ads, to adding several different things to Google search, to a bot which basically browses the internet for you. Greasemonkey is most known for Firefox, however many scripts can now be run in the latest version of Chrome!
Get Greasemonkey here.

So on to the Facebook issues. We all now know how Facebook has made radical changes to the way the feed and news are presented, and more are on the way! And it has many in a tizzy. There are a few things that can be done to try and regain some functionality that many of us had been used to. That involves using Greasemonkey scripts and by extension the Firefox or Chrome Browsers.
The first script I would get is one:
BetterFacebook you can read about it here. Note that there are many options you should consider looking at once the script is installed. They will by up in the right hand corner in a drop down menu. I really like this one!
The script install for Firefox is here.

The next is FFixer, you can read about that here. I have noticed that this one requires loads of settings and you my not like it. If you installed it and don’t like it in Firefox go to Tools>Add Ons>User Scripts>then Disable FFixer.

The script install is here.

I also use Facebook Cleaner

As the next few days roll on I am sure that there will be many updates to these scripts and the addition of others to ‘fix’ Facebook. I will keep an eye out and let you all know what I find useful.

I hope this helps some of you.

Here are some articles on using Greasemonkey to improve other browsing:
http://findtricks.com/2011/08/24/top-25-best-facebook-greasemonkey-scripts/

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/ultimate_greasemonkey_guide_google_chrome