Sunday, May 30, 2010

Software recommendation - Kernel Password Unmask

Kernel Password Unmask program is a lifesaver!  It allows you to see the passwords that are configured in various Windows programs, including Firefox and Internet Explorer stored passwords.

Here is how it had saved my bacon.  Our CEOs laptop had crashed and naturally, the CEO could not remember any of his email passwords.  This means that when I set up his new computer, I won't be able to setup his email.  For a CEO, that's a big problem.  Which means that this a big problem for ME!

Kernel Password Unmask (KPU) to the rescue.  I was able to restart the CEO's laptop in Safe Mode and start up Outlook and go to the configuration screen which showed email passwords but they all looked like this: *******.  That is not very useful to me, so I started up KPU.  With KPU running, I just dragged a cursor to the ****** password, and KPU magically displayed the real password.  Phew!!!!

You can use this same trick to figure out the Wifi password, if you've put it in long ago and cannot remember it.  Firefox saved passwords are also revealed easily.  Many other programs also save the password but mask it with *****, but that is not a problem any more since I've discovered KPU.

If you're wondering why it was me who had to fix the CEO's laptop, the answer is that he did not trust anyone else to touch it but me.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Funny Name of the Week

This week's pick for a funny town/city name is:

Tuggeranong

Friday, May 21, 2010

Winter has arrived

With sadness, I must report that cooler weather has arrived.  I believe that this is what they call winter here.

Daily lows vary between 10 and 15 C, while daily highs vary between 16 and 21 C.  Cooler and warmer days will happen, but the temperature is now staying predominantly in the above listed range.  That means no more t-shirts or flip-flops.  Oh well, it's been the BEST summer of my life, so I can't complain.  :-)

It does not get too cold in the evening due to higher humidity here in Sydney.  The only time that it feels cold is early in the morning.  The rest of the day is tolerable, if you can call above 15 C tolerable.  I know places in the world where 15 C is 'a warm day.'  Wink, wink.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Book Reports - Gang of Four, The Lost Symbol, Connected

I've had a fortune of reading/listening to several really good books.

Gang of Four by Liz Byrski - 5/5
An amazing story of four middle aged women from Perth (Australia), who decide to reinvent themselves.  they discover their inner strength, forgotten talents, and find new love.  I know, not the stereotypical reading material for a computer/action/sci-fi fan, but the book really made you think.  What more can you ask for?

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - 5/5
The usual story of symbols, sects and secrets.  If you like Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, this is a worthy read.  It might even be better than the previous two books.

Connected by Nicholas Christakis - 4/5
The author covers various types of social networks and how these networks affect us.  Very interesting research, and a very interesting book.  Thank's Paulette for recommending it!

I have a few more books in my reading queue, but I only want to share the titles of those books that I think are worth reading.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Funny Name of the Week

This week's pick for a funny town/city name is:

Warrawidgee

Sunday, May 9, 2010

When you are bored

I usually don't like spending my time on the little time waster games, but this game is something else. I found it by accident, but after giving it a try, it has really kept my attention.  It is a very strategic game, where you setup your little tanks (and upgrade them as you get more money) to shoot the aliens that come your way.

This game really makes you think.

Bubble Tank Tower Defense - http://armorgames.com/play/4962/bubble-tanks-tower-defense

Thursday, May 6, 2010

A LONG hike

Since coming to Sydney, we have started going for long walks around the neighbourhood.  The area of town that we live in has quite a few areas with protected bush land (their type of forest), so we have been going out for walks and enjoying the nature.

Last Sunday, we decided to do a bit of a longer walk and, at the same time, to visit the nearby Lane Cove National Park.  We started the walk from our home around 1pm, and we ended it after over 10 kms and 3.5 hours of walking.  Lane Cove National  Park was amazing.  A river runs right through the park, so there was a walking path on each side of the river.  You could rent a boat or a canoe and try out your rowing skills.  There were also a lot of picnic spots with barbecues.  The whole place was really well designed and maintained.

During our walk, we saw a lot of wildlife, including water dragons, and a lot of different birds.  The area was so serene.  I found it hard to believe that this park was less than 10km from downtown Sydney.

This is another reason why I love living in Sydney.  Within a half hour driving distance, you have access to a busy downtown core, excellent shopping, beautiful nature scenery, and a plethora of golden sand beaches!

I have assembled a slideshow of pictures from our walk.  Enjoy!
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/ivanonthemove/2010LaneCoveWalk?authkey=Gv1sRgCOu0y6Hc78bjfw#slideshow/5467913149770175042