http://dannyman.toldme.com/2012/05/24/ubuntu-password-prompt/

http://dannyman.toldme.com/?p=6601

I like Ubuntu. Or at least I liked it a few years back when you got a very nice functional desktop out of the box … but that is a different gripe.

I really like an OS that updates the software for me. Really, downloading and installing updates is for chumps! Way to go, Ubuntu!

But here’s a feature that has been bugging me for years: the system pops up a window saying “hey, I’m going to update the system software for you.”

And I’m like “sure, go ahead, be my guest!”

Then it’s like “okay, please give me the administrator password.”

And I’m like “well, okay . . . but . . .”

Each time the computer pops up a window unbidden offering to do me a favor in exchange for my password, I am wondering when some bastard will get around to writing a bit of malware that offers to do something nice for me in exchange for my password. Maybe a web site can launch a convincing-looking software-update window and prompt me for a password. It is going to be epic just how many users can be convinced to type their system passwords into a malware site.

If you are a part of the system that has access to do heavy lifting, please do not approach the user asking for a password. It teaches the user that “hey, its normal for your computer to pop up some window and ask for a password and when that happens you should totally humor the computer and give it your password.” You want to update my software? Great! You want to check with the person using the computer to make sure its a good time? Great, ask away, tell them your plans. But when they say yes, just fricking do it, and don’t ask them for their password.

tskirvin

I just got back from a combination dual-honeymoon/Dad-Retirement vacation with Rebecca, my parents, and my brother and his wife. I'm not sure what to say about it, at least in between "it was good"/"I am so tired" and a several section treatise.

The trip:

Flying

I want to make less 12-hour flights in my life.

Rome

We spent two days and nights in Rome, including one day and one night with a private tour guide seeing the city and major locations. There was no possible way to see enough, but we did go to the Colosseum, one of the catacombs, and St Peter's Basilica, and all were gorgeous. I could have spent a week here. I really need to get through these pictures!

Our tour guide was especially professional.

We also went to the Vatican Museum, with a separate tour guide. Rebecca could have used with less explanations; I found him useful.

Week-Long Cruise

The cruise was from Rome to Rome:

1. Firenze
2. Cannes (for the film festival, whee!)
3. Marseille
4. Barcelona
5. (Day at Sea)
6. Napoli/Pompeii
7. Rome (and then home)

I could talk about each individual day in great detail if I felt like it, but I don't want to do so right now. Maybe later?

As for the ship: the Norwegian Epic is a monstrously ugly ship, with a capacity of ~4000 people. The ship experience was flawed, mostly because of the sheer scale of things; there were just too many people! The food was good as long as you paid extra for the specialty restaurants, or ate the Indian food at the buffet. The rooms were fine, but so much effort was spent on the balcony rooms that the place was just ugly from the outside. We got acts like the Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil instead of (just) standard ship fare, but the shows had technical problems. And I think I'd rather have gratuities not be included.

Returning Home

I wish that killfile.org hadn't died on Day 3. Grr. It's back now, but now I really have to re-double my efforts to move things to the cloud...

The cats were mad at us for only a few minutes.

Overall Thoughts

It really was great having a vacation with my family. It had been a long time, after all; and we do all get along, even the wives. Our great fear was that the Core Skirvin Clan would overwhelm Rebecca and Celeste, but it went pretty well, and nobody killed anybody else.

I'm not sure if this will the Final Honeymoon for Rebecca and myself.

I am happy, and so, so tired.

http://dannyman.toldme.com/2012/05/22/fb-got-it-right/

http://dannyman.toldme.com/?p=6593

I am skeptical of Facebook’s long-term prospects, but as a guy who has worked at his share of Silicon Valley startups, and as a guy who has taken a modest loss on FB by betting on an opening-day bounce, I have got to give them credit: their IPO “flop” means they got it right, and hopefully made the stock market a slightly better place:

1) By setting their price at, or in this case, above what the market will pay, the company’s investors make the most money off their stock. If there’s an opening-day bump, that means they left money on the table for the underwriting bankers to profit from.

2) By being such a “dud” hopefully they dampen future expectations that a hot IPO should “pop” on the opening day. The true value of the stock market is as a mediator of investment. Speculative trading is just white collar gambling.

And unless the company totally implodes before their lock out period, I am not worried about the rank-and-file employees either. In pre-IPO companies employees are typically awarded options at a very modest fraction of the stock’s future public price. Most Facebook employees are probably looking forward to some windfall in the near future; Some will become rich, many others will be able to afford a house on the peninsula, and more still will be able to zero out credit card debt, student or car loans.

Valley companies that want to succeed look out for their employees. Even at an old public company like Cisco, we get to purchase our public stock at a 15% discount, which means the employees get some nice equity action even in a down market. I won’t be crying a river for Facebook employees any time soon.

http://mike.magin.org/2012/05/20/no-obvious-advantage-to-buying-things-from-target-com-versus-other-online-retailers/

http://mike.magin.org/?p=307

I bought a window air conditioner from target.com, primarly because if I was told I could return it in a local store.

Last Friday (May 11) it arrived, and it was the right tracking number, but it was actually a microwave oven. Was busy with the new house last weekend and with our cat’s health problems (he’s doing much better now.)

So, this Friday (May 18), we decided to return it in the store nearby. Turns out, in this case, their claim that you can return it locally is a lie, they won’t do that if they shipped you the wrong item — and we confirmed this after calling their 800 number and requesting a return (which I’ll have to drop off at UPS sometime after labeling it.) To add insult to injury, the shipping label page doesn’t load completely (tried with multiple browsers/OSes), and we’re going to have to call them up again.

The one reason I chose them over Amazon, or a couple of much better online retailers for buying small appliances was that I was told I could return it in store, so this is why I will be telling everyone I know not to buy things online from Target. It seems that when “brick-and-mortar” retailers get into online retail, they do a very poor job of integrating both operations. This is somewhat understandable if you think about the business. However, as a customer, you either shouldn’t have to care about such things, or they should be explicit about all the common cases where the return in store is impossible. If they are really trying to provide some benefit over pure-online retailers, they’re failing at that.

kismet09

We have arrived in New Jersey. Our stuff doesn't arrive until tomorrow, and our Internet doesn't get set up until Tuesday, so no long post today. Just saying we are here, and it still feels surreal. Went to Princeton, ate at Tiger Noodles, got some groceries, and now mthgeek is out running. I'm sitting on a dog bed on the living room floor. It'll be better once the couch and bed are here.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jensantarelli/7226192984/

Jen Santarelli posted a photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jensantarelli/7225710728/

Jen Santarelli posted a photo:

arvindn

Hello Arvind,

Are you the person responsible for adding web content to the following page: 33bits.org

I am one of a small group that recently began a comprehensive online project focused on educating interested people about computer science. The website started as something small and has since grown to include thorough resources on things like the PERL language, human-computer interaction, computer animation, and even the evolution of computer science as it intersects and changes musical technology. Most of all we aimed to make the project accessible and have seen it put to good use so far.

I'd love to share the resource with you -- would you be interested in checking it out, perhaps offering feedback, and exploring the domain? It would be such a pleasure to hear from you!

Cheers,
Olivia Leonardi

As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.
Bill Gates

Hi Arvind,

I am curious if you are the person responsible for adding content to the following page: 33bits.org/2009/12/02/the-entropy-of-a-dna-profile

If not, feel free to forward me on to the correct person! I came across your page during my research for a project for which I am contributor. It is a research project that examines how biology has evolved from being a scientific study into a practice that has the power to affect global change for the better. The recently completed resource offers articles with an insightful look for anyone considering or currently in the biology field.

I would love to send over more details about this project and partner with you, let me know!

Thanks for your time. I look forward to working with you!
Madison

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. - Aristotle