Can't attach files to Yahoo! Mail?

I have been having problems with Yahoo! Mail recently and it works fine except for one thing. I cannot attach a file to an email. I click the attach button, select a file, and Yahoo! Mail tries to upload it and fails. Every time no matter what file it is or what size it is. A search of the web found other people with this problem, but no solutions. However, I found a work-around that fixes it.

I've been using Yahoo! for years and have sent a zillion emails with attachments, so it crossed my mind that my mail account might be full. I can't see any usage indication in Yahoo! Mail, so I don't know whether it is full or not. I searched for old sent files with attachments and deleted them, freeing up some space. I still couldn't attach any files.

It crossed my mind that it could be the browser and I normally use Google Chrome. I fired up Internet Explorer, but it was no different and files could not be attached to emails. The problem seemed to be independent of the browser.

The Attach button in Yahoo! Mail is actually Flash. I uninstalled Flash ages ago partly because it isn't needed so much these days and partly because Chrome has Flash built in so you don't need to install it separately. It is also known to cause various problems too. Well, I am also using Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10 has Flash built in too. So both Chrome and IE have Flash and neither browser would attach files to emails. Unlike normal Flash, you cannot upgrade the Flash plugin in these browsers because it is built in and you have to wait for a browser update.

The solution was to use Firefox. This is completely Flash-free because I've not installed Flash in Windows and it is not built into the browser. If you access Yahoo! Mail with it, the mail page detects that you don't have Flash and displays a regular non-Flash button. This attaches files to emails just fine.

So there you have it. If you can't attache files to Yahoo! Mail messages it is Flash and without Flash it is fine.

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Beware of Skype malware and con tricks

I just got a call on Skype that was obviously designed to con people out of money or install malware. I have heard of people being called on the telephone with this sort of scam, but not by Skype. This is new to me. It goes like this:

"This is an important security notice. We have detected that your computer is not running properly and it may be infected with a virus/malware. Your security software has been deactivated and you and your computer are at serious risk. To reactivate your security software and repair the security problem go to www.blah blah..."

No doubt some malware or crapware will be installed that will hold your PC to ransom and cost an arm and a leg to remove. It didn't fool me for one second, but not everyone is as suspicious as I am of fake calls, emails, and pop-up messages.

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Living without Flash

Some time ago I decided to delete Flash from my computer and try to live without it. Is it really necessary? Actually it is, but as I pointed out, you can still live without it because Google's Chrome browser has it built in. This means that you don't need to install Flash separately. It is one less application cluttering up the disk drive and using valuable resources. Even Internet Explorer 10 in Windows 8 has Flash built in. It only works with a few sites though and it isn't as compatible as Chrome, but it's a step in the right direction.

I don't have Flash installed, but since Flash is in Chrome then I can still access Flash websites. It is possible to go a step further and disable the Flash plug-in in Chrome. Click the menu button to the right of the address box and select Settings. Click Advanced settings to reveal the hidden settings and then click Content settings in the Privacy section. In the Plug-ins section select Click to play. Close the settings tab and restart Chrome.

Chrome should be faster (solving a problem that some people have with Chrome running very slowly on some computers). When there is Flash content on a web page you will see a blank space where it should be and when the mouse moves over it, a message says Click to run Adobe Flash Player. If you really need the item, click it and Flash runs, but if it is just an advert then don't bother.

A plug-ins button appears at the right side of the address box when plug-ins are disabled and clicking it enables you to add the website as an exception. This means that you can run Flash on your favourite websites, but have it disabled on all the others. It is one more step towards getting rid of Flash completely. You find that browsing the web is faster and less prone to lock-ups and crashes with fewer plug-ins.

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