uninstall adobe acrobat. it is malware. it has been malware. these aren't opinions: acrobat meets the definition of malware.
it installs a user-login-time "startup" executable that ignores any windows directives to disable it on startup. doing so only removes the even-more-malicious taskbar-icon-creating advertisement-notification-creating process. no matter what you do, the sleeper "updater" process starts when you log in, and runs perpetually
it sends & receives encrypted network traffic both periodically and non-periodically. both are bad, both are suspicious, and a program doing both is more suspicious than the sum of their parts. and to boot: acrobat will polymorphically edit its code after such network activity
this isn't new: it has always done this. now, it does not even do the thing it is meant to: provide a way to interact with documents, which is amongst the very first features computers were built to provide. you can merely open PDFs and read some of their content in the narrow space between the requests for adobe to give them your money, and interface for features you cannot use (because you don't) or do not, have not, and will not ever need
adobe and microsoft would very much like the user's cultural norms around computers to allow for advertisement built into the local software and even operating system itself. the web being 100% advertisements was not enough! sure enough, acrobat will hijack the windows notifications system thing to give you the 2026 equivalent of pop-ups
i don't really know enough about windows software equivalents, so i'll paypal $20 to the first person that reblogs this with a list of 3-5 PDF reader/editor/etc acrobat equivalents that meet the following criteria:
open source, locally-built executables must match checksum of prebuilt distributed executable
no paid features/premium version/subscription/whatever
not a toy hobby project thing, must be windows-users-proof
Firefox's built-in PDF.js viewer: does everything you could want from a basic viewer, fast enough search, and can now do annotations for filling in forms and such
KDE Okular: is a decent viewer and can also do basic annotations, and is so not-a-toy that you can even download it on the Windows app store.
LibreOffice Draw: I don't ever really like having to open this but if you have to edit a PDF in detail it does work, and doesn't just vomit up a bunch of polygons when you give it text to work with. Better as an authoring tool than an editor.
ATTACK against @cheerchime for Waik ! Surely he is up to no mischief at this very moment! I went a little insane with the outfit, I hope you can forgive me alsdjakdj. Been really into making my ttrpg characters designs based on historical inspo and carried that over here. She seems lovely and I hope they pass all their trials!
Tudor and Elizabethan Fashions - Tom Tierney | Moda de época, Ropa histórica, Renesans
ATTACK against @6footdown for Lynorra and Pandora!! Cooked this one for 3 day straight. Legit learned so much making this and they deserve it. Your Sun and Moon Lesbians are soooo sweet!! I love the little snippets of worldbuilding so much that I made a little fanfic also. Read below:
"You cannot stand guard all evening."
Lynnora had successfully convinced Pandora to come to the Festival, but only in full armor and as her bodyguard. Things had changed immensely in the few years they were separated. Before as teens, Lynnora felt she could be herself with Pandora, forget about the politics and war and constant danger of her childhood. Now Pandora embodies all of those things and carries them everywhere, all the time. Not even a celebration could be free from that risk to her life and the lives of everyone present.
Pandora continues scanning their surroundings. "It is my assignment. You know this well." The response is cold. Her hand rests on the hilt of her sword.
Lynorra huffs in frustration. They cannot venture any further into the festival while armed. So instead they watch from this nearby hill. The music, smells, and light barely reaching them. Lynorra crosses her arms and fumes. She knows Pandora must resent being stuck on bodyguard duty rather than fighting for the good of the realm. Still, must she take it out on her by being so cold and stubborn?
No. She will not be cooped up here when this festival only happens every 10 years. Lynnora quickly unfastens her own blade. Holding it in her hands, she imbues it with a bit of sunlight so it flares if touched by someone else.
"What are you?" Pandora begins questioning quietly before Lynnora hides the blade in a nearby bush and then dashes down the hill and towards the Festival.
"WAIT! LYNNORA!" Panic races up Pandora's body. She will be stopped if she carries her sword down too. Cursing under her breath, she tosses her weapon into the same bush and races after her Sun.
"I PROMISE I WONT REPORT YOU TO THE MILITIA!" Lynnora shouts back, voice full of mirth.
"THATS NOT WHAT IM.. STOP NOW!!"
Soon they both make it down to the town square. The Town guards who had turned them away early, nod to Lynnora, having witnessed the whole scene up on the hill. The entire plaza covered with lanterns and beads that shimmer in the light of the fires and Moon. People dance in the middle and buy food around the perimeter. The Band is beginning a jaunty tune that people get into rows to dance to.
Lynnora makes it to the edge of the dancing crowd when a hand grabs her wrist.
"We are going back NOW!" Lynnora knows that voice intimately and turns around. Pandora looks furious.. and also sad?
"You do not give me orders!" Lynorra barks back. "I know you would rather be anywhere else in the world right now but-"
"There is NOWHERE I would rather be! I WILL NOT LET YOU ALSO DIE!"
Oh.
It was never about resentment was it? Pandora's other hand is balled up into a fist, her hand shaking from the force. Her eyes looks glassy as she tries to suppressing tears. Of course.The last Shrinekeeper fell in front of them both. Neither able to keep her safe. How must Pandora feel seeing Lynorra take up that same title? Knowing she is more actively being hunted?
Lynnora's eyes soften. She knows the feeling. Never feeling good enough. Bottling everything up so you can perform your duties. In retrospect, she should have known the Army would instill similar beliefs in its soldiers. It was foolish to believe any armed force would want soldiers who are actually human.
"Pandora." It comes out as a whisper that should have been lost in the noises of the festival, but Pandora's eyes widen, focusing in on the present instead of the past. She lets go of Lynnora who fully turns around to face her. "I have not a single doubt you will keep me safe, always."
Pandora looks on confused. "But I-"
"Please, do not carry this burden alone. You are not a shield meant only to take blows, as I am not a weapon. We are people at a festival."
Lynorra offers her hand, the light of the lanterns illuminating her hair and making her eyes twinkle.
"Please.. dance with me?"
The corner of Pandora's lip rises as she hums. A faint smile forming on her face. Lynnora cannot contain her excitement as a hand slowly reaches out towards her's.
Pandora's hand is cold. Lynnora's radiates heat. It is apparent to them both as the distance between their hands shrinks. First, fingers slowly interlocking, then their palms fully flushed together.
Lynorra knows she is blushing like a sunset, but manages to look Pandora in the eyes as she raises her right hand, fanning out her fingers like a sun.
"I must admit now.. I actually do not know how to dance. I have only ever watched others do it."
Pandora laughs and it sounds like spring bells. Their hands bob up and down and her chest shakes from the giggles.
"Oh we are in trouble then, I have no idea as well. How shall we survive this then?" Still raising her left hands and cupping it into the shape of the Moon.
Lynorra tightens her grip on Pandora's hand and smiles.
REVENGE against @the-lonely-prince for Yufeng, Aidao, and Huayan!! Its almost been a year since we started talking OCs and your world of Whalefall and Nothing With Wings. I remember unraveling the worldbuilding as you worked on the Webweave of the Finale. Their story is truly one of the finest tragedies I have ever read, so of course I had to start off with some memes alsdkjadj. But as our revenge chain continues, they surely will appear again!!
ATTACK against @6footdown for Lynorra and Pandora!! Cooked this one for 3 day straight. Legit learned so much making this and they deserve it. Your Sun and Moon Lesbians are soooo sweet!! I love the little snippets of worldbuilding so much that I made a little fanfic also. Read below:
"You cannot stand guard all evening."
Lynnora had successfully convinced Pandora to come to the Festival, but only in full armor and as her bodyguard. Things had changed immensely in the few years they were separated. Before as teens, Lynnora felt she could be herself with Pandora, forget about the politics and war and constant danger of her childhood. Now Pandora embodies all of those things and carries them everywhere, all the time. Not even a celebration could be free from that risk to her life and the lives of everyone present.
Pandora continues scanning their surroundings. "It is my assignment. You know this well." The response is cold. Her hand rests on the hilt of her sword.
Lynorra huffs in frustration. They cannot venture any further into the festival while armed. So instead they watch from this nearby hill. The music, smells, and light barely reaching them. Lynorra crosses her arms and fumes. She knows Pandora must resent being stuck on bodyguard duty rather than fighting for the good of the realm. Still, must she take it out on her by being so cold and stubborn?
No. She will not be cooped up here when this festival only happens every 10 years. Lynnora quickly unfastens her own blade. Holding it in her hands, she imbues it with a bit of sunlight so it flares if touched by someone else.
"What are you?" Pandora begins questioning quietly before Lynnora hides the blade in a nearby bush and then dashes down the hill and towards the Festival.
"WAIT! LYNNORA!" Panic races up Pandora's body. She will be stopped if she carries her sword down too. Cursing under her breath, she tosses her weapon into the same bush and races after her Sun.
"I PROMISE I WONT REPORT YOU TO THE MILITIA!" Lynnora shouts back, voice full of mirth.
"THATS NOT WHAT IM.. STOP NOW!!"
Soon they both make it down to the town square. The Town guards who had turned them away early, nod to Lynnora, having witnessed the whole scene up on the hill. The entire plaza covered with lanterns and beads that shimmer in the light of the fires and Moon. People dance in the middle and buy food around the perimeter. The Band is beginning a jaunty tune that people get into rows to dance to.
Lynnora makes it to the edge of the dancing crowd when a hand grabs her wrist.
"We are going back NOW!" Lynnora knows that voice intimately and turns around. Pandora looks furious.. and also sad?
"You do not give me orders!" Lynorra barks back. "I know you would rather be anywhere else in the world right now but-"
"There is NOWHERE I would rather be! I WILL NOT LET YOU ALSO DIE!"
Oh.
It was never about resentment was it? Pandora's other hand is balled up into a fist, her hand shaking from the force. Her eyes looks glassy as she tries to suppressing tears. Of course.The last Shrinekeeper fell in front of them both. Neither able to keep her safe. How must Pandora feel seeing Lynorra take up that same title? Knowing she is more actively being hunted?
Lynnora's eyes soften. She knows the feeling. Never feeling good enough. Bottling everything up so you can perform your duties. In retrospect, she should have known the Army would instill similar beliefs in its soldiers. It was foolish to believe any armed force would want soldiers who are actually human.
"Pandora." It comes out as a whisper that should have been lost in the noises of the festival, but Pandora's eyes widen, focusing in on the present instead of the past. She lets go of Lynnora who fully turns around to face her. "I have not a single doubt you will keep me safe, always."
Pandora looks on confused. "But I-"
"Please, do not carry this burden alone. You are not a shield meant only to take blows, as I am not a weapon. We are people at a festival."
Lynorra offers her hand, the light of the lanterns illuminating her hair and making her eyes twinkle.
"Please.. dance with me?"
The corner of Pandora's lip rises as she hums. A faint smile forming on her face. Lynnora cannot contain her excitement as a hand slowly reaches out towards her's.
Pandora's hand is cold. Lynnora's radiates heat. It is apparent to them both as the distance between their hands shrinks. First, fingers slowly interlocking, then their palms fully flushed together.
Lynorra knows she is blushing like a sunset, but manages to look Pandora in the eyes as she raises her right hand, fanning out her fingers like a sun.
"I must admit now.. I actually do not know how to dance. I have only ever watched others do it."
Pandora laughs and it sounds like spring bells. Their hands bob up and down and her chest shakes from the giggles.
"Oh we are in trouble then, I have no idea as well. How shall we survive this then?" Still raising her left hands and cupping it into the shape of the Moon.
Lynorra tightens her grip on Pandora's hand and smiles.
