Being officially poor (but WAY to rich for any assistance) , as well as keeping my social media presence low, and my phone extremely neutered, I'm having a bit of trouble in the "modern" inter webs.
I do a bit of (VERY) minor surfing with my I 6 se phone (would still be using my old leftover new when bought 4, if it had it gotten damaged) and a cheap android tablet. But simple password. No face id, no fingerprint... don't need any of that - er - stuff.
My newest computer is an acre laptop, that was not cutting edge... when Win7 was old. It works ok, except for the missing keys, and painfully slow with zero battery life.
Oh, almost forgot; a chrome book from a few years ago, for around 100 bucks. It's slow, and no cd/dvd drive.
I imagine there are a ton of modern ways to never need a drive, but I've needed one a few times with it
Just got hung up in a nightmare with one of the states I worked in up north, for what would have been a 5 min call 10 years ago... 6 hours later on the computer trying to prove my ID.
Since I have no inter webs presence, and all our property is on my wife's name, the "smart" computer (not allowed to call them; they are too busy?) says I'm not who I am.
I've only had a pretty high security clearance since 1982 - the federal government knows more about me than my family does. But since I don't have the info that program is looking for (if I could have proved I was an illegal alien, I could have gone right to the head of the line - and I'm not kidding about that!) I'm obviously trying to fake my ID.
TLDR: recommend a REALLY cheap alternative to my slooowww computer.
In reply to 03Panther :
You might not need a new laptop to accomplish this task.
What website are you trying to use?
And what information do they want?
I bet the govt knows a lot less about you than you think. Advertising companies might know more though lol.
Long story on the specific website, and it's ... well long story.
Your right on advertising; I looked a a link (tools, I think) from here on my phone, and an hr later, I was on my tablet, and ads directed at that item were on my tablet.
As to the feds, with my background, no. No surprise. But totally irrelevant, other than pointing out that my identity ain't hard to verify.
Think anyone would have trouble identifying you, considering your background, if you woke up in a hospital with no ID? They wouldn't.
On computer questions, I haven't learned anything new since I built and maintained a few Win 98 machines. This acer is in rough shape physically, and my phone will never do all this new stuff.
Since I'm back to contract work, I could be required to fill out stuff online as much as 5 or six times a year.
Mr_Asa
UltimaDork
11/17/22 9:33 p.m.
03Panther said:
Think anyone would have trouble identifying you, if you woke up in a hospital with no ID? They wouldn't.
Well no, they wouldn't. He's either current or former military (can't remember) so his everything is in a database. Doesn't mean everyone is like that, though.
If you need a new laptop, I'd wander around some pawnshops. Last time I looked there was stuff that was only a couple years old in there, halfway decent specs. You'll want to take it to a tech shop and get them to fully wipe the system, of course. Pawnshops can be shady
Mr_Asa said:
03Panther said:
Think anyone would have trouble identifying you, if you woke up in a hospital with no ID? They wouldn't.
Well no, they wouldn't. He's either current or former military (can't remember) so his everything is in a database. Doesn't mean everyone is like that, though.
kinda my point, entirely, in response to something he said to me, that's not correct.
Irrelevant to my question, but it was in my ramblings. All good.
Mr_Asa said:
If you need a new laptop, I'd wander around some pawnshops. Last time I looked there was stuff that was only a couple years old in there, halfway decent specs. You'll want to take it to a tech shop and get them to fully wipe the system, of course. Pawnshops can be shady
Hadn't thought of pawn shops. The only one I trusted in this area retired, but I'll look.
Next problem I have no clue what to look for, or pricing.
And no tech shop, that I would trust more than the sleazy pawn shops.
The few times I've bought used / refurbished, hasn't worked out well
In reply to 03Panther :
What do you need the computer to do for you?
Do you require internet connection while on the road?
Do you need lots of memory?
Does it need to have a camera?
I bought my son a chrome book and it does most everything he'd need.
As far as govt knowing more about me, I still have to jump through hoops to prove my identity in order to use services that I'm entitled to. Even though I'm currently active duty. Its a PITA to be honest. I still think these targeted ads and spyware know more about me than the govt lmao. The truth is, we're terrible at keeping records, especially on veterans who no longer serve. We have about 9000 personnel data systems in the DOD and majority of them do not share information with each other.
ID.ME helps though, might want to find that a shot.
JThw8
UltimaDork
11/17/22 10:49 p.m.
Im struggling to understand how the speed of a computer at all relates to the issue you've described which appears to be that an online algorithm cannot identify you due to a general lack of online presence. A faster better computer will only mean it fails to identify you faster. Have I missed something?
In reply to JThw8 :
I tried (and failed) to keep the ranting while upset, separate from my actual question. If the mods want to delete the whole thread, I'm fine with that!
So yea, kinda missing something, but my fault!
Aside from the ranting, I do need something better than I have, in this time of everything being tech, better than I have.
You might want to check something like this refurbished Dell - $259. Windows 10, 16GB RAM, and it has an solid state drive which is far less likely to fail than an old style hard drive. The 7490 Dell was released around 2018 and was one of their business line systems, so should be more robust than a consumer model.
When I was still working, I bought thousands of $$$ from Newegg - never a problem.
https://www.newegg.com/dell-latitude-7490-work-business/p/N82E16834343879?Item=N82E16834343879
DELL Laptop Latitude 7490 Intel Core i5 8th Gen 8350U (1.70GHz) 16GB Memory 256 GB PCIe SSD Intel UHD Graphics 620 14.0" Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
In reply to CJ :
I was so frustrated last night, after six hours of dealing with new tech with old equipment, that I didn't think of them.
Never bought a refurbished from them, but happy with all other buys. Good site.
In reply to 03Panther :
What new tech were you dealing with?
If you don't need lots of office applications, honestly a tablet can do a ton of things online these days, would have a camera, stuff like that. I use an older ipad air for lots of 'business' stuff if I'm not doing a ton of typing.
In reply to yupididit :
It's ironic you mentioned IDme. It took me six and a half hours to get them happy online that I had provided them with all the documents they wanted, to verify I am actually me. That's a bit excessive. I can go through each obstacle , but it's a moot point.
Then, the "smart" computer I was dealing with (remember, people don't have time for personal service) decided I was NOT me. So I was set up for a video. To be granted this video, I had to start from scratch, and reload all the documents they wanted.
finally got my video approval today. Took 1 1/2 minutes. She only needed my DL and SS card!
That would have been great, yesterday, when I started!!!!
Thats why the rant.
Aside from the rant, I do need a slightly better computer. The state agency (up north) that required this, also uses pop ups on their website (remember, I'm not allowed to talk to a person; they are busy doing... something.)
neither my old phone (I don't have the money to get the newer phones) nor my tablet will show their pop ups.
So I fired up my pos computer, and , well, it worked, but god, that was painful.
In reply to LifeIsStout :
I do use Word, and Excel, but only for small stuff. And sketch up. But now that it's online only, I haven't been playing on it much.
I imagine that's not what you mean by "lots of office apps", but not sure.
I have no clue what I would use a camera on a laptop or tablet for; I've never used one on either, so far. I do use the one on my phone a lot, but again, only VERY simple stuff. My I 4 had more camera than I'd ever need!
A better tablet MAY be all Iever need, if it would connect to external devices, like storage. My old tab a will not.
Mostly, I don't know enough to ask intelligent questions, as to what I need!
yupididit said:
In reply to 03Panther :
What new tech were you dealing with?
Basically, anything online that I couldn't do with my first Win98 computer!!!
In reply to 03Panther :
It makes sense that ID.me is going to need all that info to be able to use it as a ID agent. So many people steal your identity these days that if they only have 1 factor of authentication, it wouldn't be secure. enough to provide the service that it does. I'm glad everything worked out eventually.
In reply to yupididit :
I should, from my point of view, never needed to go to that site in the first place, but that's a totally different subject, from a old school guy that believes in the importance of privacy. And that discussion goes places we are not going on here!
To farther sidetrack my own thread 
:
My folks took me (and my sister) downtown when I was about 14 or 15 (in the '70s)and we got our social security cards. I did not know that we were not obligated to accept them (or could have given them back at legal age of 18). By accepting at 18, I agreed to certain things that the gov. can do, and that agreement is for life. (Short version; gets complicated after that)
I know a family of ten kids that did not accept theirs. When I met them in 2010, 5 had gotten theirs, in order to make their lives easier. 3 more have since then.
If I had not accepted mine, and given up some of my sovereign rights, I would not have been able to have the clearance I have, or do the things I've done. So I understand giving up some privacy to do XYZ. But I don't have to like it!
yupididit said:
In reply to 03Panther :
It makes sense that ID.me is going to need all that info to be able to use it as a ID agent. So many people steal your identity these days that if they only have 1 factor of authentication, it wouldn't be secure. enough to provide the service that it does. I'm glad everything worked out eventually.
Thanks.
all they needed from the beginning is info I'm glad to give, as I give it several times a year for the low level clearance I need for contracts.
They did not need all the stuff the "smart" computer pushed me through. And it's still the 6 hours (and still fails to Id me) that had me riled. And to prove I'm right, an actual person, did it in 1 1/2 minutes. With only Id and SS.
On a positive note, I worked out a solution. Explanation will follow.
First, I want to thank those that supported and/or opposed me on a rant! Discussing it, fo good or bad, helped me work through a bit of rage against the NWO!!!
But seriously, Thanks.
While thinking through the tech side, the whole time, I never got as far as using MrAsa good advice (thanks again; made me think!)
CJ's link helped as a baseline, and I pulled out the laptop we bought 6 years ago for VERY cheap, and I was not happy at all with. Thought it was a Chromebook, but it was an HP competitor.
Specs are a 1.6 celeron, " only " 2 gb ram (slow today... I remember upgrading to 512...mb!)
and the bad part. 32 GB eMMC flash "hard drive" soldered to mother board!
When we bought it, it was for a specific device needed for my wife's health, and we never let it neat the inter webs.
Did ok, but was the first time I ever used Win10 and HATED it.
It has been online a few times since, but it basically sucked at it. Next to nothing on it, yet it's C:drive took up 98% of available space! (got it down to 50%s since. Whoo hooo!)
Tonight with some research, I was able to delet a lot of bloat, and have been forced to learn a bit of Win10 since then, so it'll be ok. Not great, but free is a good thing.
Also found out I can get rid of edge, sideline IE (keep it, cause some sites still demand it) and use a browser I'm comfy with!
I think, with a sd card installed for extra storage, I'll be able to do better than the other night.
Battery monitor says battery life is good, but it's full of it. When unplugged, the battery lasted about 30 sec. Found a battery online for $48, but it's internal, and I have no clue how the case separates. If I do get in there, I know I can't upgrade the drive, but might can up the ram.
In reply to 03Panther :
With 2GB of RAM, that's not enough for the minimums Windows 10 requires. Why they EVER did that, or thought it was acceptable EVER, is beyond me.
Honestly if you've got the cash, I'd get a newer laptop, transfer all your data and leave your old machines to pasture. So much crap now especially websites, are built with the mindset that you'll have gobs of RAM to toss at inefficient processes instead of actually making a system work properly. What are you comfortable learning, or using? Tons of us can help shop refurbs.
I have to agree with Girthquake. Your current system has such limited capabilities it is not worth investing anything additional into.
The only ways I am aware of that might make it semi-usable is to install the lite version of Windows 10 or a Linux derivative such as Ubuntu. In either case, I think your current system would continue to be miserable to use.
If there is any way to raise the cash for a newer system, I would definitely do that.
Can you post the make and model of your system so we can see exactly what we are dealing with? I may have an old system sitting around that would be far better than what you have...
