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  • Is your phone listening – or is it IP based Ad Tracking?

    In my recent blog post about reducing Ad-Tracking by using Firewall rules, I already mentioned that I might dig a bit deeper into the topic of IP-based AD-tracking.

  • RaspberryPi System upgrade vs. Fresh install

    Recently I noticed that one of my RaspberryPIs was running a rather old version of Raspian. I thought it might be a good idea to upgrade and followed the instructions from Upgrade Raspberry Pi OS to the Latest Version (2024) – RaspberryTips.

  • Are you ready to hear the Feedback you were asking for?

    Feedback is a double-edged sword – powerful for growth but tough to hear. Whether it’s improving a skill, leading a team, or refining creative work, feedback is invaluable. Yet, how we react to it can make or break the result.

  • How to enable automatic updates on Linux / RaspberryPi

    I just noticed that I haven’t logged on to one of my RaspberryPIs for quite a while and also didn’t update it. Instead of hacking some root crontab, a quick search brought this thread in the Raspi forums up: crontab update – Raspberry Pi Forums and unattended upgrades – How do I enable automatic updates?…

  • How to reduce AdTracking with Fritz!Box filter lists for mobile devices

    Problem: I am using Pi-Hole on my network to block quite a few ADs and trackers. However, the blocking does not work reliably on Android devices on our WiFi (This thread suggests that this also concerns Apple devices – but we don’t have any at home, though). I noticed this when I was researching some…

  • Avoid commercial (WordPress) Plugins that require annual licences

    One reason to stay away from commercial Plugins is that you might be f**ed when they raise prices: Years ago, I chose the Before-After-Slider from Themefic (like here: https://www.franzgraf.de/blog/2024/discovering-the-bosensteiner-almpfad/ ). Back then for 19$ / year.Now we are at 39$ / year. Yes, the plugin now can do more – more stuff that I simply…

  • How to remove “AMD Software Adrenalin Edition” from Context Menu in Windows 11

    Problem: After installing the AMD Adrenalin Software, a new entry appeared in the Explorer Context Menu. What I find super annoying is that it dows nothing else than opening the Adrenalin Software. There is no Context at all. So: get rid of it.

  • How to fix: Logitech Pebble Keys 2 K380s does not pair with Bluetooth

    Problem: I bought a new wireless Logitech Pebble Keys 2 K380s Keyboard but it refused to connect to the PC. Unfortunately, I do not (yet) own a Logitech Bolt, so I wanted / needed to connect via Bluetooth. With the Phone it was able to connect.

  • How to fix slow network speed with Windows 11 to local NAS via Samba / SMB Share

    Problem: I replaced my Windows 10 computer with a new Windows 11 one. On W10 I usually see a throughput to my Synology NAS of close to 1 Gbit/sec. On W11 the throughput was ways slower: I only got ~300 Mbit/sec when copying to/from the Samba Share.

  • Commander, Leader, Manager – What’s your Style?

    To be honest, I have never really given much thought to defining leadership styles. Over the years, I’ve seen a number of styles that I liked, disliked, admired, and some that I loathed. Recently, I worked on a project with a person whose approach felt very different from what I was used to. It really…