# Cool things to do on public computers that you can't do on your own computers **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2021, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577 "2021-06-04T00:06:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Something](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Something](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Something)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577/1 "2021-06-04T00:06:07Z")
Well, are there any? I guess a) you can search for things that you don’t want your S.O. or family to potentially know about, b) you can search and not have google know it’s you so they can’t send you targeted ads, and c) maybe your local public computer(s) have capabilities (free bandwidth, alternate operating systems, et al) that allow you to do things you can’t on your own devices… Ok, pretty feeble topic, but: a) do you ever use a public computer for any reason instead of using your own devices and b) what are cool things to do on public computers that you can’t do on your own tech devices? Enjoy chatting, this is a pretty casual and free-spirited Less Than Important Topic to enjoy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577/2 "2021-06-04T07:21:36Z")
Well, I don’t have a working printer on my mochine any more (and I never had a color printer), so when I need to print something I can do that at the library. And everyone gets two free copies (black and white only) per day! Our library has a much more elaborate printer/scanner/imaging system. An image can be created by printing from a computer or by scanning a document. These images can then be printed, e-mailed, faxed, copied to a thumb drive and maybe some other options. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577/3 "2021-06-04T14:28:38Z")
To the OP, you can search and browse all day long in Incognito Mode using duckduckgoose and you won’t get targeted ads and your family won’t know what you’ve looked for after you close the incognito window. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577/4 "2021-06-04T15:48:52Z")
> **[DuckDuckGo — Privacy, simplified.](https://duckduckgo.com/)** > > The Internet privacy company that empowers you to seamlessly take control of your personal information online, without any tradeoffs. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577/5 "2021-06-04T15:56:54Z")
Ah, yes, duckduckgo, not duckduckgoose. Insert headslapping emoji. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577/6 "2021-06-04T16:16:51Z")
If I’m using an incognito window with Chrome, what reason is there to use something like duckduckgo? Doesn’t the incognito window cover my tracks, so to speak? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577/7 "2021-06-04T17:49:21Z")
Well, you would get targeted ads during the session, of course. I don’t know if there sneakier ways that websites track you that DDG prevents. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577/8 "2021-06-04T18:16:59Z")
I’ve been using DDG for probably 20 years. Or 12, since I just looked and it was founded in 2008. “The company name is a reference to the children’s game duck, duck, goose” so you weren’t so far off RitterSport. Anyway, I just saw something today I had never seen. A local newspaper website has a comment section that is hosted on Facebook. I got the following message: “DuckDuckGo blocked these Facebook comments. We blocked Facebook from tracking you when the page loaded. If you unblock these comments, Facebook will know your activity” ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577/9 "2021-06-04T18:22:52Z")
I guess job searches, travel searches or gift searches if you have a significant other or someone else you share your home computer with. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-things-to-do-on-public-computers-that-you-cant-do-on-your-own-computers/943577/10 "2021-06-04T18:33:27Z")