PC & IT 02 (Nov 08 - Mar 10)

[millionairemind]

Feb 12, 2009
'Password'and '1234'
These are the favourite passwords of online users.

WASHINGTON - BETTER think twice before choosing a password for emails, online bank accounts and airline tickets.

Passwords that show no imagination or distinctiveness are easy prey for information pirates, a new US study says.

A statistical analysis of 28,000 passwords recently stolen from a popular US website and posted on the Internet reveals that people often do the easy thing.

It found that 16 per cent took a first name as a password, often their own or one of their children, according to the study published by Information Week.

Another 14 per cent relied on the easiest keyboard combinations to remember such as '1234' or '12345678.' For those using English keyboards, 'QWERTY", was popular. Likewise, 'AZERTY' scored with people with European keyboards.

Five per cent of the stolen passwords were names of television shows or stars popular with young people like 'hannah,' inspired by singer Hannah Montana. 'Pokemon,' "Matrix,' and 'Ironman' were others.

The word 'password,' or easy to guess variations like 'password1,' accounted for four per cent.

Three per cent of the passwords expressed attitudes like 'I don't care,' 'Whatever,' 'Yes' or 'No.' There were sentimental choices - 'Iloveyou' - and their opposite - 'Ihateyou.'

Robert Graham, of the company Errata Security, which did the analysis and published the conclusions, advises that to better protect against cyber intrusions: 'choose a password that is longer than eight characters with one capital letter and one symbol.' -- AFP

[winston]

It's Fun to Know: The Pope's on YouTube

In an effort to reach out to the younger generation, Pope Benedict XVI has launched his own YouTube channel.

The channel, found at youtube.com/vaticanit, features papal news, footage of his travels, and more. It is available in English, Italian, German, and Spanish.

The Pope has called social networks like YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook "gifts for humanity" that help forge friendship and understanding among people. But he is also wary of the online world, because he feels it can isolate people from real-world interaction and unnecessarily expose them to sex and violence.

(Source: Associated Press)

[winston]

Days numbered for phone blocks

TelTech Systems is offering mobile telephone users the power to unmask callers who block their numbers or names from being displayed.

The US-based firm launched a TrapCall service this month with an online posting thanking its development team and declaring ''Get ready for the site to go ballistic.''

To use the service, people register mobile telephone numbers at a TrapCall.com website without having to download software to devices.

Calls from unidentified sources can then be bounced to TelTech computers, which reveal points of origin.

Mobile telephone users can then decide whether to accept the calls.

''All the while the caller hears a normal ring tone, oblivious to the fact that you know exactly who they are,'' TrapCall maintains at its website.

A basic version of TrapCall is available for free.

Premium versions of the service can record mobile telephone calls, transcribe voice messages into text messages, and reveal names and addresses of callers along with their telephone numbers.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

[blid2def]

Stumbled onto this today... some DIY site on Wired...

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/diy/index.html

I like this one... Nintendo Game-&-Watch mobile phone. Awesome man!

[kennynah]

they should add in the car remote key function as well... and if can, double up as a walkie talkie...why not...

[blid2def]

Media Player Classic (K-Lite Codec Pack) + Media Player Classic Web UI
= PC media player + iPod Touch/iPhone remote control (actually any device with a decent browser)
= MASSIVE AWESOMENESS!

Media Player Classic (K-Lite Codec Pack): http://www.codecguide.com/
Media Player Classic Web UI: http://www.appsafari.com/utilities/2567 ... yer-webui/

[winston]

How to Prevent "Scope Creep" By David Cross

You receive an invoice from your website or software developer. You query a charge you didn't know about. The developer tells you it relates to a new feature they developed... one that you asked for.

"I did?!"

I've seen this happen many times. The problem stems from discussions along the way - when you casually say, "It would be nice to have... " or wonder aloud, "Would it be possible to... ?"

In one case, when the developer presented his design for a shopping cart on the company website, the CEO looked at it, nodded, and remarked, "Wouldn't it be good if we could somehow add money-off coupons so we could tie in our printed advertising with the website?" Everyone at the meeting agreed that, vague as the idea was, it would, indeed, "be good."

They forgot about it, but the developer didn't. And they were surprised when he came back with a new design - and a bill for the $7,500 it took to implement the coupon feature.

When you are in brainstorming or "blue-sky-creative-anything-goes" mode, many developers will interpret the "Can we do this?" ideas that are thrown out as "I require you to do this." I've seen it increase project costs by tens of thousands of dollars.

To prevent what project managers refer to as "scope creep" (because it stretches out the scope of the project), tell the developer at the outset that any changes to the original contract must be documented in writing and okayed by everyone involved. That includes associated costs, as well as any effect the additional work will have on the project's timeframe.

Putting every requested change in black and white, clearly stating cost and time implications, helps everyone stick to their budgets and deadlines... and prevents future shock.

[kennynah]

dont worry ...here in singapore.... the project never quite ends bcos requirements to add on continues throughout the life cycle of the project and no increase in billable amount...it's like dat one...

vendor dont do...customer, fed up and change vendor...so vendor, LL...must perform...

[winston]

Does anybody use Yahoo Mail ? Mine has been extremely slow tonight

[iam802]

No problem on my side. Fast.