Rant of the Day v2.

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Fox3WheresMyBanana
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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7021 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Fri Mar 17, 2023 12:15 am

For those of us who've programmed in machine code using paper tape, an operating system is a luxury.
And as such, we know exactly what we want an operating system to do, which is run programs whilst relieving the drudgery of basic interfacing.
And if it doesn't do either of those well, it's not a good operating system.
I use Linux these days, because it does those things. The I/O could be more intuitive, but it doesn't give me the aggro Windows always did.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7022 Post by Hydromet » Fri Mar 17, 2023 1:21 am

I always detested Windows when I had to use it for work. Found it non-intuitive, clunky and unreliable. When I started contracting, D1 convinced me to get a Mac, which I found solved all of those problems. Then, when I had to use a program that only ran Windows, I installed VMware and a virtual Windows machine. Windows ran more reliably on a Mac than it ever did on any other machine.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7023 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Fri Mar 17, 2023 1:52 am

It was Windows being so rubbish that forced me to use it.
All my employers used it, and the compatibility problems if I used anything other programs than the same versions of Windows/Office were simply too much aggro to resolve.
I did like Wordperfect and Supercalc!

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7024 Post by Pontius Navigator » Fri Mar 17, 2023 6:05 pm

I preferred Wordperfect and initialled Borland QuatroPro. Corel bought them both. Now forces me to use Excel and its clubnky against QP.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7025 Post by llondel » Fri Mar 17, 2023 11:51 pm

I've started using a password manager, That way I only have to remember one password. It's not a cloud-based one, it's stored entirely on my machine. Keepass XC is the one I use, but there are others. I always avoided them until we were required to use one for work, so I figured I'd try it out with all the work-related password, then decided to use it for mine. The added bonus is that if you copy the password database to your phone or another PC, you can use it there too, you just need your master password. Of course, if that ever gets compromised, all your accounts are also vulnerable. However, it does mean you have a tidy list of them all to go change passwords to something else.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7026 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Sat Mar 18, 2023 2:53 am

It's not a cloud-based one, it's stored entirely on my machine.

But how secure are your devices if you use public WiFi's / Cellular sources when away from home ? Wot's to stop the nearest five year old "eavesdropping" on your list ?

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7027 Post by llondel » Sat Mar 18, 2023 4:17 am

It's local to whatever device you're using, so unless the 5yo has hacked into the device, they're not going to see it. Also, most internet stuff is encrypted now, so it takes a bit more effort than the 5yo is likely to have around, and the NSA/MI5/KGB probably knows all your passwords anyway.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7028 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Sat Mar 18, 2023 7:57 am

..........so it takes a bit more effort than the 5yo is likely to have around.
Don't bank on it, I usually grab a passing 5 year old to sort out my iPhone when I have a problem.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7029 Post by Pontius Navigator » Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:44 am

I have used a password manager for many years. It was quite open and said anyone, such as a passing 5 Yr old, could do a dive and find it. If I lose the machine I have much more to worry about but would only need to kill about 3 or 4 accounts. I have an insurance company for that, one phone call.

The problem, as you say with Google or some, is not allowing repetition or enforcing a time change.

Why does every little data manager insist on passwords just to shop? Then you go on an infrequently used site and the password does not work. Why? Someone thought to change the paSsw0rd to include a character. How many people simply add @ or £ or whatever symbol is easiest?

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7030 Post by Woody » Sat Mar 18, 2023 9:59 am

How many people simply add @ or £ or whatever symbol is easiest?
You mean that I’m not the only one doing this :-o
When all else fails, read the instructions.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7031 Post by Pontius Navigator » Sat Mar 18, 2023 7:21 pm

BTW, I should not say this, but my BBC password is qwerty123456
Though it might be asdfg12345, I can't remember.

A couple of years ago, say 30, when PGP was all the rage, one passkey, shared with a friend, late editor of the Financial Times, was :

"My old man's a dustman he fought at the Battle of Mons"

I can't remember if we used capitals 😊

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7032 Post by OFSO » Sat Mar 18, 2023 7:57 pm

"No internet connection available" Is a good user name.
"Try again later" for a password.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7033 Post by llondel » Sun Mar 19, 2023 1:43 am

"This is not a password" ought to be pretty effective.

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7034 Post by ricardian » Sun Mar 19, 2023 4:30 pm

llondel wrote:
Sun Mar 19, 2023 1:43 am
"This is not a password" ought to be pretty effective.
Or "your password is invalid"?
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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7035 Post by ricardian » Sun Mar 19, 2023 4:35 pm

Try this password creator or for the truly paranoid try this
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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7036 Post by Pontius Navigator » Sun Mar 19, 2023 4:38 pm

I had to give a verbal password "no idea" or "no eye deer"

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7037 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Sun Mar 19, 2023 5:44 pm

I recall the Dilbert cartoon where Dilbert discovers he is locked out of the system, and the evil IT Manager tells him he's changed the password to the entire text of Lord of the Rings*, minus the bits he doesn't like.


*I think. Something bloody long, anyway.

At the other end of the spectrum....
not long enough.jpeg
not long enough.jpeg (18.53 KiB) Viewed 447 times

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7038 Post by OFSO » Mon Mar 20, 2023 10:54 am

This flat is haunted. Appliances die without warning. This morning the fridge/freezer stopped. No time to fix it before we leave but will still be under warrenty when we return. It's an evil spirit the previous owner Ruth left here. (Still getting her post here, including Guv'ment letters).

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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7039 Post by Ex-Ascot » Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:13 am

When I bought our house in the Cotswolds the previous lady was a natural birth consultant. Used to get loads of phone calls asking for advise which of course I gave =))
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Re: Rant of the Day v2.

#7040 Post by OFSO » Mon Mar 20, 2023 12:39 pm

With wife No 1 our German telephone was one digit off that of a Lady of Pleasure. One day a quivering old voice asked "Are you free?" I answered in the affirmative. "And can I bring my friends?" I agreed that would be fine. Never had another call....

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