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Comment Re:Use different passwords for different things (Score 1) 330

I had a thought about this while reading all these insightful security posts. Make things too complicated, and they don't work either as people will knowingly choose to be non-compliant.

It really doesn't matter about your "password" habbits assuming > avg length / complexity.

What does matter is end system security. What's more dangerous... someone has the password to my bank account, or an unauthorized user transfers funds from that account.

Passwords shouldn't be the Only door into a system. Which, despite my hate for the overal company, Chase does pretty well. Unrecognized computer? no login for you until you get a text or call, and input the codes.

Either way, if you are a spearphished target, there's little you can do but freeze your assets until the attacker get's bored and moves on.

Comment Yet another "Me Too" (Score 1) 242

Velcor straps, as used for RC planes & cable management are the way to go. They are awesome in so many ways. For instance, If you want to add a new cable, you can either velcro it to the existing strand for cabeling speed, or simply undo each strap, add the cable and re-close it which isn't much slower. Cabeling is SO easy now! Just don't use too many of them or you may find them obnoxious, I used about 1 strap every 2ft.

My gaming PC has 7.1 surround sound (an old logitech 5.1 plus a stereo kit for the sides...) so I have a 8 individual cables right there...Tons of cables, pluse USB gear (HDD docks, Cell and Mouse charger, etc..)

Velcro / velcro like cabling straps are the simplest most amazing thing I've ever used, really tidy's things up, keeps it looking "Wife approved"

I also second using the shortest cord necessary, but keeping it long enough that you're running w/ the lines of your desk, etc. (nothing worse than a diagnal round of multiple cords shooting across space in a \ line to the power strip). Also, when bundled together, the cords can become quite stiff.

This reminds me, I need to get more of this stuff, I'm down to just a couple unused straps left :)

I think labeling the power cords is a good idea if you have the time, but it's a little overkill in my opinion. I' don't think I've messed w/ power in a LONG time, and I work w/ a popular LAN gaming community so I'm constantly moving my machine. I just have spares, in my kit, so I don't unplug them.

Comment Re:Here's my anecdote (Score 1) 309

Anecdotes are nice, but your situation is RARE in a coprorate environment. However, I'm close to the 6's myself, and am in a similar situation...

To get where I am, I've also worked my but off, and frequently have to jump ship when I'm looked over for a promotion due to my "Condition." Only to land in a sea of work that is often more difficult, with longer hours, shorter deadlines, and marginally better pay.

Comment Lots of people dogging this fun story, but why? (Score 1) 687

A lot of this is actually happening now. (except for me the CID is my phone).

The computer I work on goes into "Standby" when I'm done w/ it. Allowing all I was working on to be right where I left off. My Cell phone has an alarm app that makes me do something to shut it off. I can't talk to my t.v. but I can say Navigate to Work, and get the bet route.

Also, using "TASKER", my phone recognizes where I am, and performs necessary tasks. As I leave my house, it sets auto brightness on and enables keyguard, and turns on GPS. (just in case I'm not in my car).
When I get in my car, it turns off wifi, set's Keyguard off, turns up the media volume to 11, locks in my car dock screens, and fires up pandora. As I leave the car it turns wifi on, kills pandora disables GPS, and set's the keyguard. When I arrive at work, it goes into silent mode jacks up the brightness, and disables GPS & bluetooth if it's still enabled if by chance I arrived via vanpool. Even when I travel to different work sites, based on WIFI SSID, which is the same for each site, it performs these functions.

When I leave work, it set's Bluetooth on, and jacks the ringer up.
As I arrive home, it disables key-guard, turns off GPS, sets WIFI on automatically, sets autobright, say's "Welcome Home" Tells me my battery level, and turns all ringers to max. Finally, as I lay to sleep, it automatically drops the brightness down low, and switches to silent mode.

Best part? If I forget to plug in my phone, and the battery reaches 5%, the phone turns off, leaving me enough reserve power to make a few emergency calls if necessary.

This didn't take any programming knowledge except order of operations.

Comment Re:Field dependent requirement (Score 2) 1086

To quote Winger: "She's only 17" You need math to know wether that's legal in your state or not.
Seriously though....

I'm a lowly IT Analyst. I dont' think of my team as the matrix enlightened, but more like a custom car shop. You bring in a vette, and we tune it into the vehicle that you need, and fix whatever rattles. Sometimes that means stretching it out and adding 2 more doors and some cargo space (recreating a cts-v?) Most often though, it's finding ways to minimize maintenance.

Being one of 2 people on my team that understand stats / higher algebra, I can fake code my way through many of our team's issues just by using Excel and a few Vlookups & compound ifs to quickly get necessary stats on small to medium flatfile data sets in just a few minutes.

I can prove to my manager how much work I'm doing in comparison to my peers by illustrationg ticket closure rates over time, as well as show a function predicting when our team will theoretically hit 0 counting for new tickets. I often find myself Illustrating how order of operations can affect outcomes in all kinds of situations, etc..

Where I'm going with this....
While I'm obviously no math Genius. Math has certainly helped me apply various degrees of logic to solve problems much quicker than my peers. My EMM (english major mgr) is actually an awesome boss, but frequently requires the logic to be presented in an "informal" way not just for her, but for our many customers. In order to do that most easily, you have to understand it! (or use a car analogy).

In conclusion, I'm JUST an analyst, 2nd teir IT up from Desktop, not a DBA, not an unix admin, not an architect, not a coder... and yet I apply math all the time. I can only imagine how much better I could be at my job if I could have gotten through calculus after I discovered Ritalin! I don't believe I could do higher level postions (design / coding) without functional (pun intended) use of math above my current skill level.

Comment STOP!: Time is money friend! (Score 2) 550

If you're leaving otherwise secure employment for greener pastures, is it really worth your time to do an exit interview? If your leaving for money, realize that your time is now worth what you're getting paid at the new place!

I say Politely Decline!
Or if they insist, schedule one for the last day you are there, and don't show up.

Here's why,
1. It's too easy to say stuff you might regret. Your leaving, your shoulders are light, and your tongue is heavy. You never know who is friends w/ that HR guy.

2. Even if you are rational enough to point out exactly what was wrong w/ this company w/o belittling anyone, How can you articulate that in a way that won't burn a bridge or how will HR interpret that?

3. You can't resist telling them off? Write a letter to HR, and whomever else you think might need to know. It'll be quicker than an interview, and you can sit on it before sending it. You will probably have someone actually read it.

4. Plan to leave like you're coming back next year. The grass isn't always greener (trust me, I made a lateral move for a higher end potential only to take a per hour pay cut north of 30%, My former boss only has to slightly hint that one day they'll need additional staff before I tell them I'm ready to come back. In my personal hypothetical future case, it won't be my boss, I'm actually quite fond of their leadership, it'll be the guy 2 levels up, who publicly mocked how we had to work all this OT, but not 1 breath later mentioned he's getting a fat bonus check for meeting our deadlines.
(This really happened in front of > 75 people.)

Comment Re:Who watches the watchmen? (Score 1) 590

Interesting. I think on some level I agree. I couldn't do the X-Alt thing, even though it's in my heart, I know I'd fail. I've allways had a hard time w/ the phrase "The path to hell is paved w/ good intentions." But this is the case where it really comes to light. It takes 1 copycat, improperly trained, to screw something up and get himself or someone else injured or worse.

Though I do have an Idea for a porcupine costume... It'd be funny as hell to watch people try and assault you only to stab themselves!

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