How many ads would AdGuard block if AdGuard would block ads?
So, what sort of job is AdGuard doing at blocking ads and trackers?
Is it living up to the hype?
Is it playing the role of ill-tempered and menacing bouncer and turning away ads before they can invade my web experience?
I believe so, yes.
Other articles of interest:
- Blocking annoying websites (news) with AdGuard
- Using Adguard to block ads in Internet aware apps on the Mac
- AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription for $29.99
- Project Natal doesn’t thrill me
- What’s in a Method?
- Divinity Titles up to 50% off
- SummerFest with DevonThink, DevonAgent and Friends
- Does Peerblock still have a use?
- Who put that Creeper in my living room?
- Last decade’s nerd is today’s mainstream gamer
Why I haven’t upgraded to Apple Silicon … yet
Despite the moronic comments from people like Linus, I’m very excited about Apple Silicon. The performance gains look as good as Apple presented. These entry level machines are running circles around the previous generation and are taking on much higher class and higher priced machines. However, I’m still waiting for my upgrade to appear, and feel it’s just on the horizon.
Despite the Mac mini looking like a great desktop machine, it doesn’t quite have enough of what I need to make it a worthy successor.
Even though my Mac Pro is from 2010, it sports a lot of features I need in a new machine, like 4 internal hard drives for 24TB of storage (2x3TB, 2x8TB), 128GB of ram with 8GB set aside as a ram drive, 8GB dedicated video card powering 4 monitors, and of course multiple USB ports front and back.
This is my development machine, so it runs a ton of web automation in the background. Additionally I run dozens of applications at a time across these monitors. There’s also dozens of background apps like SnagIt, Popclip, Rocket, Karabiner, TypeIt4Me, Alfred, etc. Added to that, I have a local install of Postgres and virtual machines I need to spin up from time to time.
I’m not saying the new hardware can’t handle it, but 16GB isn’t enough ram for me, not to mention the small internal storage compared to what I have. Then there is the lack of monitor support and expansion ports.
These entry level machines are great and I can’t wait to see what comes next. I assume there is a mid range Mac mini coming with more video ports and more ram. You can’t upgrade the ram, “so you gots to think ahead.” Hopefully that will come closer to what I need. If not, there is still the last tier, the “Pro” series. Maybe just the full on, refreshed, Mac Pro in late 2021 or early 2022?
I’ve read a lot of rumor and speculation, and the one I really hope is true is a “Mac mini Pro.” There needs to be a “Mac,” a machine that sites between the Mac mini and Mac Pro. I mean, who doesn’t want to see the G4 Cube make a comeback? That would look so hot!
You can mock the 4 monitor setup I currently have, but I’ve been working this way for more than 3 years. Each screen has the apps I need, and everything is in reach. Going with two monitors would actually be a hinderance. Not having 128GB of ram, or it’s equivalent under Apple Silicon, would be a hinderance. Only 2TB of storage would be a major hinderance.
These new machines are fantastic, and I expect the next generation to be even better with more expandability and the capability of adding bling bling.
Other articles of interest:
- Speculation: Could the new Apple Silicon bring back the Mac Pro 2013?
- Switching from Windows to Mac OS – The Hardware
- Upgrading the apparatus
- The beautiful and powerful Mac Pro 2019
- Let There Be Mojave!
- Notetaking across my Macs with Fiplab Mini Note
- Four Feet of Flat Panel Goodness
- Dual Video Card Dilemma
- Why use a Mac for development?
- Slow progress
Let There Be Mojave!
While the hipsters are rocking their Apple Silicon, and plunging into Big Sur with both feet, I’m taking the slow and easy route by upgrading to Mojave.
Yes, Mojave.
After holding out hope that Apple and Nvidia would kiss, make up, and release some updated drivers for the Titan X card inside my Mac Pro 2010, I’ve realized the love is gone.
That lead me to install the Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 580 because it has Metal support and Apple’s blessing. It’s not a flashed card, but it works out of the box and supports 4 monitors, two in HDMI, two in DisplayPort.
While I was in there, I spritzed up the joint with a few blasts from the air can, which sent some dust bunnies flying, and installed a 4 port USB 3.0 card because USB 4/Thunderbolt is the bleeding edge. No one said I was ahead of the technology curve.
The Mac Pro should now give me a couple more years of spectacular service. By the time the transition to Apple Silicon is complete, there should be a worthy upgrade to my Mac Pro.
Other articles of interest:
- Upgrading the apparatus
- Why I haven’t upgraded to Apple Silicon … yet
- And then the video card went out
- Dual Video Card Dilemma
- Four Feet of Flat Panel Goodness
- Speculation: Could the new Apple Silicon bring back the Mac Pro 2013?
- Underwhelmed by Windows 7
- Switching from Windows to Mac OS – The Hardware
- Slow progress
- Working with Dual Monitors
Black Friday Sales
Right, Black Friday is in full swing. Here are some great apps you really need to add to your collection. I have all of these in my bag of tricks, and they are fantastic. There might be more coming, but I know these are on sale now.
- Escape Motions – Rebelle 3, Flame Painter, Amberlight, Inspirit
- Affinity Photo, Designer, Publisher – Mac and iOS
- JixiPix – Mac and iOS
- Curio
- DevonThink, DevonAgent
- Wondershare – Uniconverter, Filmora
- AdGuard on StackSocial – BFSAVE40
- Mellel – Mac and iOS
- Paprika Recipe Manager – Mac and iOS
- Project Office – Mac an iOS
- 2Do
- Scrivener – nanowrimo
And let's not forget all the games on sale during the Steam Autumn Sale – Nov 25-Dec 1
Other articles of interest:
- AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription for $29.99
- Using Adguard to block ads in Internet aware apps on the Mac
- Paprika for iPad, Windows and Mac – Easy to catalog recipes, shopping list and now a big discount
- SummerFest with DevonThink, DevonAgent and Friends
- FREE Wondershare Video Converter Platinum license keycode for all
- Steam Holiday Sale
- Cool Mac Tools for Back to School
- DevonAgent for Deep Dive Internet searches
- CopyLess and PopClip Jump Aboard the Party Barge
- Quarantine Summer Reading List
Let the Black Friday Sales Begin!
We're off to a good start too. JixiPix just sent out a 40% discount code for their entire product catalog. Because of that, I now own their entire product catalog.
Spektral Art really caught my attention and I've used to dozens of times for login buttons, Slack images and the like. That lead me to Portrait Painter, which turns images into very nice oil paintings. These are awesome as backgrounds and digital cards. For a bit of whimsy and background paper effects, Pop Dot Comics is also a fun one.
I really hoped there would be a Black Friday sale, and here it is. With their entire collection at hand, the possibilities are quite literally endless. These very nicely hook into Affinity Photo and Designer, which makes editing very convenient.
Other articles of interest:
- The JixiPix extravaganza of plugins
- Black Friday Sales
- Paint Shop Pro X5 Ultimate–$23.99 – Black Friday Special at Corel
- The entire Ultima Collection is On Sale for 60% off at GOG.com (Good Old Games) – 3 Days Only!!
- Corel Paint Shop Pro X3 Ultimate–$19.99
- Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher
- Disk Drill 3.x Lifetime License
- Amazon sets up subscription service for Showtime, Starz and others
- Steam Holiday Sale
- Serif PagePlus X5 – Could this be my answer?
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