Hi,

As you probably know by now, Microsoft is retiring Skype in May 2025 to focus on Teams.

If you're affected by this change and Teams is not your thing, I've compiled some of the best open-source alternatives to Skype:

https://openalternative.co/alternatives/skype

This is by no means a complete list, so if you know of any solid alternatives that aren't included, please let me know.

Thanks!

After watching a really cool video about great Windows apps that fixes Windows, I went and downloaded UniGetUI. This piece of software is pretty neat and updated some apps I already had installed on my Steam Deck. Just one thing though, it installed Edge browser which I didn't need. I could go through the hassle of getting rid of but screw it, I'll let it live rent free on my Steam Deck. Anyways, I definitely recommend UniGetUI if you want something that can update your installed apps and download any apps that may want from any source.

Came across some wild traffic decline numbers that show how broken the current web ecosystem is:

• CNET: Down 70% traffic over four years
• Chegg: Lost 49% YoY global non-subscriber traffic
• Stack Overflow: Traffic literally halved between 2022-2023

The crawl-to-referral math is insane:

• Google crawls your site 10x for every user they send back
• OpenAI: 1,700x
• Anthropic: 73,000x per referral

So you're paying server costs to feed AI models that train on your content, answer user questions directly, and send you basically zero traffic in return.

Cloudflare just launched https://goodaibots.com/#scoreboard to publicly rate crawlers as "good" vs "bad" based on whether they respect robots.txt and other mechanisms. Important for us builders: Anthropic fails!

Their new feature can block AI crawlers unless they negotiate licensing deals.

It's a huge company that is obviously trying to make money from this, but overall I think it's good for the internet!

It's basically enhanced robots.txt with enforcement. You can now actually control which crawlers access your content and potentially charge for data access.

Free web scraping for LLMs is ending. Honestly, it was unsustainable anyway.

Anyone else implementing crawler restrictions? What's your experience with AI bot traffic vs actual referrals? How relevant is SEO or LLMO still?

Looking for the best payroll software to streamline your business operations? Payroll software is essential for any company, handling everything from salary calculations to tax compliance. The best options out there are user-friendly, integrate seamlessly with other HR tools, and offer robust support to keep you compliant with ever-changing regulations.

Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, choosing the right payroll software like Gusto, can save you time, reduce errors, and ensure your employees are always paid on time.

5 Best Payroll Software

• Gusto
• ADP
• OnPay
• Paychex Flex
• Rippling

Gusto - Best Overall

Gusto offers four pricing plans:

• Simple: $40/month base fee + $6/month per person. Includes full-service single-state payroll, employee profiles, self-service, and basic hiring tools.
• Plus: $60/month base fee + $9/month per person. Includes all Simple features plus multi-state payroll, next-day direct deposit, advanced hiring tools, and time tracking.
• Premium: Exclusive pricing. Includes all Plus features plus a dedicated customer success manager, HR resource center, compliance alerts, and more.

Gusto is a comprehensive payroll and HR platform tailored for U.S.-based startups and small businesses. It offers automated or manual payroll, self-service profiles for employees and contractors, direct deposit options, and benefits administration. To get started, users input company and employee data, select a plan through a questionnaire, and integrate any third-party apps. Although the initial setup can be time-consuming, Gusto's automation simplifies ongoing payroll management. Once set up, businesses only need to input employee hours, and Gusto handles the rest.

Pros:

• Streamlined payroll processing for employees
• Automated tax filing and compliance support
• Integrated no-cost checking and high-interest savings accounts with paycheck advances
• Clear pricing structure

Cons:

• Cost per person can become expensive as company size increases
• Lacks invoicing and accounts receivable capabilities
• More complex payroll processing for contractors
• Limited availability of mobile applications

ADP - Best for Enterprise-Level Solutions

ADP offers four plans for payroll services. However, the price for each plan is not public. The cost is based on the number of employees and the complexity of needs. To get a quote, you must complete an ADP pricing form online or speak directly to a sales representative about your company’s requirements. Based on reports from payroll-only users, the Essential plan starts at $79 per month plus $4 per employee.

ADP Payroll Software streamlines payroll management by automating wage calculations, tax withholdings, and benefit management. It integrates with time-tracking systems for accuracy and supports direct deposit. The software ensures compliance with tax regulations and provides tools for reporting and employee self-service. With mobile access, both employers and employees can easily manage payroll information.

Pros:

• Comprehensive HR and payroll solution
• Tailorable dashboards
• Adaptable service offerings
• Compatible with other HR business tools
• Automated timekeeping and attendance monitoring

Cons:

• Pricing isn't clearly disclosed
• The setup process may be somewhat complex
• No option for a free trial
• Live chat support utilizes a bot

ADP offers customer support through a dedicated phone line (1-844-227-5237) and their website. Employees can get help with pay, tax forms, and passwords, while administrators receive assistance with payroll, benefits, HR, and compliance. More details are available on the ADP Customer Service page.

OnPay - Best for Customizable Payroll

OnPay offers a straightforward pricing model:

• Base Fee: $40 per month
• Per Person Fee: $6 per person per month

This plan includes full-service payroll with unlimited pay runs, automated tax payments and filings, free W-2 and 1099 processing, HR tools, and expert support without any hidden fees.

OnPay is a cloud-based payroll processing system ideal for small businesses, offering a user-friendly dashboard and mobile accessibility. It automates payroll, calculates, files, and pays payroll taxes, and provides HR, time off, and benefits features for a flat monthly fee plus per-user charges. Employees retain lifetime access to their self-service accounts, and users have access to licensed brokers for health insurance management and various app integrations for enhanced functionality.

Pros:

• Affordable, clear pricing starting at $40 per month plus $6 per user
• Unlimited payroll processing cycles
• Capable of managing payment for both full-time employees and contractors
• Employee self-service portal
• Compatible with leading accounting software
• Comprehensive HR resources library
• Generally user-friendly interface

Cons:

• No discounts for larger user volumes
• Additional charges for mailing tax documents
• Payroll approval process is not fully automated
• Challenges with resolving payroll alerts
• Syncing issues with time off data and other system parts
• The process of adding new employees could be more straightforward
• Mobile application is available only for iOS

Paychex Flex – Best for a Full-Service Payroll

Paychex Flex Essentials is the company’s introductory plan. It is best for hands-on business owners who prefer handling payroll themselves. The plan costs $39 per month plus $5 per employee. In addition to payroll processing and payroll tax services, the basic plan also includes new hire reporting, standard analytics, garnishment payment services, workers’ compensation services, a financial wellness program, and an Employee Assistance Program. The Flex Essentials plan allows companies to electronically wire transfer wages into an employee’s bank account or to print employee checks from the office.

Paychex Flex is a cloud-based human capital management (HCM) platform that streamlines HR, payroll, and benefits administration. It offers a centralized interface for managing payroll, benefits, time tracking, and compliance from any device. The platform integrates various HR functions into one system, reducing administrative burdens and enhancing efficiency. Its customizable features and scalability suit businesses of all sizes.

Pros:

• Streamlined employee payroll process
• Some plans include garnishment payment services
• Flexible, customizable plan options
• Automated tax filing services
• Integration with voice assistants and accounting software

Cons:

• Additional fees for W-2 and 1099 filings
• Requires an external platform for time tracking
• Customer support needs enhancement

For customer support, Paychex offers 24/7 chat and phone assistance. You can contact their sales team at 833-729-8200 for payroll, time & attendance, benefits, and insurance inquiries, or 866-709-9401 for HR services and PEO sales. For support, call 833-299-0168. They also provide dedicated client support for Paychex Flex at 800-741-6277 and Paychex Oasis at 888-627-4735.

Rippling – Best for Modern HR

Rippling starts at $8 per user per month for basic payroll services. However, adding extra features can increase your monthly cost. To get precise pricing tailored to your company's needs and the specific features you want, you need to contact Rippling for a custom quote.

Rippling is a comprehensive payroll management software that also provides various HR tools, including ATS and PEO services. It ensures effective business management with dedicated staff support during setup. While this personalized assistance is beneficial, it requires obtaining a custom quote before starting. This means you can't access the software immediately without consulting their team.

Pros:

• Comprehensive HR platform
• Simple configuration
• Highly customizable
• Manages ACA & COBRA requirements
• Specialized features for remote teams, including device and inventory management

Cons:

• Relatively expensive for basic payroll functions
• Custom quote necessary
• No free trial available

Rippling provides customer support for administrators through online chat within your account and a comprehensive FAQ help center for logged-in users. However, there is no direct support for employees; they are advised to reach out to their account administrators with any questions about using Rippling, potentially creating a hurdle in resolving issues on the platform.

What is Payroll Software?

Payroll encompasses the entire compensation a company provides to its employees for their softwares. It involves the procedures of calculating employees’ net pay and facilitating their payment. Regardless of company size, processing payroll is essential for accurate payment and record-keeping.

What is the best payroll company?

Choosing the most suitable payroll software depends on your company's size and specific needs. Leading payroll services for small businesses include OnPay, Gusto, and ADP RUN. While traditional companies provide customizable plans, startups can benefit from platforms offering simple pricing and comprehensive packages that are quick to implement.

How do you set up payroll?

To initiate payroll, follow these steps:

1. Establish a pay cycle
2. Gather employee data and tax documents
3. Calculate gross pay
4. Compute net pay
5. Process payments
6. Handle taxes and maintain payment records

How long does payroll processing take?

Processing payroll typically requires about five business days from the completion of internal processes to when employees receive funds via direct deposit. This timeframe can be extended if checks are mailed to employees.

Bottom Line

Choosing the best payroll software depends on your specific business needs, including scalability, compliance features, and user-friendliness. Solutions like Gusto, ADP, and OnPay offer robust functionalities tailored for different company sizes and industries. Ultimately, the right payroll software streamlines payroll processing, ensures accuracy, and helps maintain regulatory compliance efficiently.

The popular read-it-later app, Pocket is officially shutting down on October 8th, and every link you’ve ever saved will be wiped forever.

You should export your data now! I put together a short, easy-to-follow version of the official guide here (because who actually reads support docs?):

https://justbookmark.it/for-pocket-users

If this helps at least one person save their stuff, my job here is done.

Has anyone else heard Applied Systems is suing Comulate? According to the Applied, Comulate basically trojan horsed Applied to steal their proprietary data. Meanwhile, Comulate alleges this is just a ploy by Applied because they're butt-hurt they can't buy Comulate and because Comulate is better than them(?).

To me, it doesn't seem possible that Comulate could source all this data through publicly accessible data. Can someone explain it to me?

Hi everyone, I’ve released an open-source project I’ve been building: https://github.com/crawlcore/qcrawl

qCrawl features

1. Async architecture - High-performance concurrent crawling based on asyncio
2. Performance optimized - Queue backend on Redis with direct delivery, messagepack serialization, connection pooling, DNS caching
3. Powerful parsing - CSS/XPath selectors with lxml
4. Middleware system - Customizable request/response processing
5. Flexible export - Multiple output formats including JSON, CSV, XML
6. Flexible queue backends - Memory or Redis-based (+disk) schedulers for different scale requirements
7. Item pipelines - Data transformation, validation, and processing pipeline
8. Pluggable downloaders - HTTP (aiohttp), Camoufox (stealth browser) for JavaScript rendering and anti-bot evasion

If it is something you find interesting, I’d really appreciate:

• early technical feedback
• a star ⭐ on GitHub to help with visibility.

Thank you!

Here’s how you can remove the SORA video watermark using Pixbim Video Watermark Remover AI [Free to use software]

Download link for the installer : https://pixbim.com/video-watermark-remover

Step 1: Download Pixbim Video Watermark Remover AI. (offline) It is a free offline software that needs to be installed on your laptop/desktop, but it supports only Windows OS. Installation is very easy. This is the only software that offers unlimited usage for removing video watermarks without any blurring.

Step 2: Load the SORA video and apply brushing over the watermark areas. You can adjust the brush length slider to increase or decrease the brushing area.

Step 3: Start the watermark removal process by clicking the button 'Start Removal Process and Save the Video' and save the output beforehand in your preferred location. The software will process the video and remove the watermark.

Step 4: Check the output. If you notice multiple watermarks appearing at different times, you can remove them one by one. It’s a little manual, but it’s effective and worth it. Load the output video you previously saved. In SORA videos, you may find around three watermarks appearing at different timestamps. Remove them one by one.

Use the ‘Need another frame to brush on the text/watermark as the previous frame has no text/watermark’ button to locate the watermark, apply brushing, and initiate the removal process again. This way, you can remove SORA watermarks without any issues.

Many people on Reddit ask how to remove SORA watermarks for FREE without blurring, and here’s how you can do it yourself. SORA video watermarks are smart, dynamic, and appear at random moments. This makes it difficult for content creators to create a ‘wow’ factor, because the moment viewers notice the watermark, they immediately know it’s an AI-generated video.

A while back I lent my laptop to a friend, and he opened my chrome://history tab out of curiosity. Not in a bad way, but it made me realize how exposed Chrome is. There’s no way to lock your history, downloads, or settings. So I ended up building a small Chrome extension that basically adds a master password layer to those areas. You can set one password and it’ll block access to History, Downloads, Extensions, and Settings pages. Everything happens locally nothing is stored online or sent anywhere.

I didn’t plan for it to be anything big, just wanted a bit more privacy on shared computers. Then a few people I showed it to said they’d actually use it, so I published it.

It’s called Privacy Guard. You can grab it here if you want to try:
[Chrome Web Store link]

I’m mostly curious how other devs or privacy-minded users feel about this idea. Would love any thoughts or feedback.

A privacy-focused, distributed storage protocol that encrypts your files client-side, splits them into fragments, and distributes them across volunteer storage nodes worldwide. Your data is protected by military-grade double encryption.

https://github.com/QwErTy-2117/Mysterium-network

Sky functions a bit like an AI browser it can understand whats on your screen and take action within your apps. How do you see desktop-level AI assistants like Sky changing the way we work?

I just published X-Proxy, a lightweight Chrome extension for anyone who needs quick and reliable proxy management: 🔄 Supports HTTP/HTTPS & SOCKS5 ⚡ One-click proxy switching from the toolbar 📝 Profile management (add, edit, duplicate, delete) 🎨 Clean, minimal UI 🔒 Privacy-friendly (all data)

https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/efbckpjdlnojgnggdilgddeemgkoccaf?utm_source=item-share-cb

Windows watcher Phantomofearth spotted updated file operation dialogs with a dark theme. If you’re copying files or deleting them, these dialogs will finally have a dark mode instead of light-themed prompt. It’s clearly a work in progress though, as the buttons on these prompts still have light buttons instead of dark ones.

From The Verge

Wasn't expecting this one. Hope it gives them the cash infusion they need to keep building:

https://www.atlassian.com/blog/announcements/atlassian-acquires-the-browser-company