| Tip of the Week - Oct 20 |
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| Use Mnemonics to Choose a Hack-proof Password |
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I was listening to Talk of the Nation on NPR and they were interviewing Farhad Manjoo, Slate’s, technology columnist. Farhad described a very clever technique for creating a very secure password. It’s as simple as this; think of a phrase and then use the first letters of the words as your password. For example, “I work at Plug and Play Technologies in Sunnyvale,” so my password becomes “Iw@p&ptis” What could be simpler? As Farhad points out, “These mnemonic passwords are hard to forget, but they contain no guessable English words.” For his full article click here.
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Comments
JVC KD-SC800 manual download
I tried unsuccessfully to download the manual to my car stereo. What I really need is to know how to set the clock. Your page said it would take 8 seconds on broadband/dsl to download........I have Wild Blue satellite internet.........I let it run for almost 5 minutes with nothing to show for it. I guess I will visit a local electronics shop to see if they can help me. If you think you can email the manual to me please do so at the above address.
A lot of websites require
A lot of websites require passwords and to avoid using the same password on multiple sites, I have devised a password scheme that makes it almost impossible to forget any number of different passwords.
First, think of a simple word (it doesn't matter what it is, but it should be 6 or 7 characters). Now take that word and replace its first letter with the first letter (capitalized) of the site that you are visiting. Add a numeral and a special character at the end for extra security. For example, if the word is "forget" and you are visiting Microsoft's website, your password is Morget@1. For Retrevo, it's Rorget@1. You can use any numeral and special character, but always keep it the same.
Any time I have used this on a site that shows how secure your password is, this always is the most secure. Dictionary hacks don't work because your password isn't actually a word.
It's virtually foolproof. I have used this for years and have never forgotten a password.
Battery consumption
I am facillating back and forth between buying one of the large package super zoom non-SLR digital cameras, like the Lumix FZ85 or one of the very compact packages like the Lumix DMC ZS1. My take is that battery consumption might be considerably more rigorous for the bigger camera but don't want this to be a deal breaker preventing me from getting the FX85's longer focal length lens. Any insight on whether power drain would be much higher with the latter camera?
big vs small
I thought I would comment on your camera issue since every one else was more interested in grammar. I have had both big cameras and small cameras. I now own a Lumix ZS3. WOW 10x size 12x zoom and it fits in my pocket. Comes with a lithium battery and the charge lasts almost all day if I'm taking pics all day. If not it lasts 2-3 weeks. I also own the Lumix FZ18 with 18x zoom also with lithium battery. Both cameras are easy to use and take great pictures, but the ZS3 is so much easier to carry around and don't have to worry about it getting banged up. My daughter and I both have the ZS3 and we are thrilled with it.
Not sure...
Not sure about the camera, but you are "vacillating" not "facillating". Not trying to be a jerk, but if I made a mistake like that I'd want someone to tell me. Cheers.
Facillating
The (F) could have been a simple typing error. F and V are adjacent on the
keyboard and it's an easy mistake on a crowded laptop keyboard. The bigger
mistake would be the redundant 'back and forth' since that is what vacillating
means.
Speaking of keyboard mistakes, I am not a touch typist and sometimes strike
caps lock instead of, or along with, caps. When I look at the screen I may see
a whole line of unintended caps. Solution: Since I seldom need to use caps
lock I stuck a plastic toothpick under it. Hasn't happened again.
Go Small
Don't get a large camera. I have a Lumix Fz28 and the size is very constraining. If I had a smaller camera, I would take it more places, but because it's so big, it hardly ever leaves the house. Also, the USB hookup isn't your standard USB-Mini, so you'll only have one cable you can plug up to the camera. (Really irritating.) I do not recommend the Lumix FZ28.
Big vs Small Camera
This reminds me of the night in 1948 thatt I lugged a 4 by 4 Speed Graphic camera around the night club circuit in Panama City, Panama. A 35 mm would have gotten me far more photos and I wouldn't have been nearly as tired.
The 4x4 Speed Graphic was
The 4x4 Speed Graphic was probably lighter than the 4x5 Super Technica I used. (Gawd I feel old!)