By work computer, I mean one that you have very limited control over - can’t install anything, or add extensions, etc.
For example, there used to be a trick where you could run a Bing search of a YouTube URL and the results would include an embed of the video but with Bing’s own video player, and something about that made the ads not work. Which was great - ad free YouTube on a computer I can’t install ad blockers on!
That doesn’t seem to work anymore, but makes me wonder if there are things like that - just little roundabout tricks to make the experience less trash, on a rig where my options are limited to what’s already there.
Asking about any tricks, not just YouTube or ad related ones (but those too if you know any!).
Thanks all!
Can you install user apps (which don’t require admin elevation) or is it truly nothing?
Firefox, for example can be installed as a user by just declining the admin prompt.
Otherwise you can snag a portable version.
May also be worth checking if the company maintains a list of approved software anywhere. Firefox probably won’t even raise an eyebrow, but other software might, depending on your use.
It’s truly nothing - healthcare setting, so it’s pretty strict. Absolutely no installing anything, or plugging in an external drive to run shit from that. We’re allowed to use the work comps for personal stuff so long as it’s not getting in the way of our actual duties. For me this usually means putting some music on while I’m charting, but nowadays it’s more ad than music without an ad blocker.
The bing trick was great - pull up a 2+ hour long full-playlist-in-one-video, and just let it run in the background… but that loophole got closed. But from the hospital’s perspective, they didn’t care if we did shit like that - they couldn’t give a rat’s ass if we slurped up all of Googles ads or not; they just don’t want any liability from a security or privacy standpoint.
There are a lot of music stations and music servers with no ads. You tube is the worst possible way to listen to music.
But the answer seems obvious to me: Run you own server. Then you are just going to your own web page. You can have a music library, movies, tv shows, what ever you want and just use their browser.
Your entertainment, no ads, no security issues.
I hate to break it to you but it may be time to pony up for a subscription to YouTube, Spotify, or whatever music service scratches that itch for you… Probably better than trying to fuck with HIPAA.
Not sure you understand the goal - I’m not trying to pull anything shady with patient data; but to find better ways to use those comps. There are functions protected by HIPAA, and functions that Microsoft/Google/etc have enshittified that I’m trying to make a bit more user friendly - the only overlap in the venn diagram here is that they happen on the same computer.
Fortunately our charting software isn’t loaded with unskippable ads (…give it a few years…), so even if there are ways to fuck with that software, there’s no need to.
Wasn’t saying that was your intent just that most suggestions on here involve running unauthorized software or visiting sketchy websites. There is an alternative though.
When it comes to decisions that could impact your livelihood, $10-ish/mo is a small price to pay.
Agreed, which I won’t be touching. That’s why I opened with the example of the Bing trick to scrub ads off of YouTube: fully compliant with company policy. HR, IT, and Legal could be watching over my shoulder, and I’d be inclined to show off that trick just so they could go back to their own workstations and use it. Zero risk to my career, zero risk to my patients, and zero risk to the company. Win win win. Looking for more tricks like that.
True, @Murse@slrpnk.net could pay for it using the mental health fund their company provides! Wait…
I mean, I could afford a YouTube subscription just fine; nursing isn’t exactly a path to some Scrooge McDuck mountain of gold or anything, but we’re not living paycheck to paycheck either. My refusal to pay YouTube isn’t because I can’t, it’s because they’re Google, and fuck Google. If there was a playlist generator/streamer made by an ethical company who’s product is actually worth using, then fuck yeah point me to their subscription page! Unfortunately, the only options I’m aware of are either shit products or shit companies, so I’ll continue to be a stingy asshole until I find something worth supporting.
…and although it’s not really on topic for this thread, feel free to drop some recommendations - I’m most familiar with music.youtube, spotify, and pandora, but youtube is youtube, and the other two leave a lot to be wanted for the playlists they provide. Or they did at least, it’s been probably over 5 years since trying pandora or spotify… maybe they’re better now? /shrug
Oh, I agree. I intentionally avoid subscriptions to these giants to the point of downloading everything I want for totally offline play. Can you do that, and bring a Bluetooth speaker to play music from your phone in your pocket?