Trekkie - get a life. May 29, 2008
Posted by Dale in : Funny Pictures, Humour , Comments
It’s a bit of a blessing that Star Trek is no longer being made.. Saying “Get a life” does provoke responses though. Such as the picture right.
ITmugs.com has sadly gone out of business. Perhaps they were assimilated.
From Miss January to Miss August* in 12 seconds May 28, 2008
Posted by Dale in : Personal , Comments
Readers might remember that I’ve written about the Mazda MX-5 before.
One of you was kind enough to send me the advertisement right.
“Have you driven it?” was the subject.
No, not yet. I have not had a chance to drive the folding hard-top version of the MX-5.
… yet.
* “Miss January” and “Miss August” ARE trademarks of Playboy Magazine. Consider yourself told.
Off-network MBSA 2.1 scanning May 26, 2008
Posted by Dale in : Security, Utilities , Comments
Q. MBSA uses files that it downloads from the Internet, but the computer I want to use to scan my network doesn’t have Internet access. How can I use MBSA in an offline and secure environment?
A. You can either perform the scan using the mbsacli command-line utility with the /nd (do not download) parameter, or you can perform the scan using the GUI. Before scanning you must copy the necessary files to the computer performing the scan. There are three types of files that are required:
..After downloading the files from the Microsoft Web site, copy all files listed above to the following folder on the computer performing the security update scan: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\MBSA\2.1\Cache
…- Question 33, Microsoft Baseline Security Analyser 2.1 FAQ
“C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\MBSA\2.1\Cache” does not exist until you either create it manually OR connect the computer to the internet and have MBSA download the file.MBSA downloading the file defeats the purpose really.
The picture which won’t die - Wile E Coyote ‘Genius’ picture May 23, 2008
Posted by Dale in : Funny Pictures, Humour, Stories , Comments
… it just keeps appearing in my backups.
Back in 1997, a colleague created this picture as a joke. It had his name on it as well, but to protect the guilty, I’ve blanked it out. I would delete the picture and say to him “….., I’ve deleted it”.
And a year later, it appears again in a different location, like a sodding computer virus.
Having evaded my efforts to delete it for the last 10 years, I’ve decided to post it here for prosperity.
21 Things to do when quitting work May 20, 2008
Posted by Dale in : Business Etiquette, Last Job, Resignation , Comments
This is the list I used when I finished up at my last job. Writing in
blue
shows what I did/what actually happened when I tried to complete the task. Might be handy for others.
- Performance appraisal feedback. Finish writing feedback for staff who have asked for it.
- Print out list of training courses I’ve been on.
- Business cards with my new contact details, to hand out to people.
I used ClickBusinessCards.com. See this blog post for the why. - Remove all of my property from the workplace.
Was surprised that no-one asked about my 19″ LCD monitor I had on my desk. - Clear clothes locker.
No, didn’t find any spare charge. - Have security clearances revoked.
This can take time, so it’s better to start the process early.
Comment from supervisor: “They were all canceled when we lost the contract” No it wasn’t. - Delete Telephone Teleconference access.
The company didn’t have a process for this. “”Never had anyone want to do that before.” - Delete Telephone Calling Card.
same as item 7. - Hard reset of PDA to clear all work-related data.
And the subsequent re-add of friend’s details took quite a while
- Cancel cell/mobile phones
The cancellation didn’t go though until the following Tuesday. - Cancel VPN token (Racal SecurID).
- Advise support groups that I am leaving and that accounts/passwords need to be revoked.
“Ummm, why do you need your XYZ account disabled?” Good security practice for a start. - Send final email to co-workers, saying goodbye.
Could have done a better job of this - Secure format/wipe hard disk, and replace with original disk. Repeat process.
Darik’s Nuke and Boot worked well, but it takes hours.
I had my own hard disk in the laptop as I wanted more space. - Remove password from laptop.
Laptop had a hard disk and bios boot password. - Clear down Diners Card and return
I had a credit balance on my Diner’s, which I’m still waiting for Diner’s to refund. - Submit any outstanding expense reports.
- Claim any outstanding allowances.
Should have done this, but didn’t - Return customer security passes and keys.
- Advise facilities to revoke all buildings access.
- Return staff id and building keys.
I miss some of the people, but not the employer.
“Don’t go along to get along; do your best and when you have to, and you will, leave and be something else.”
“ntuser.pol.tmp” May 18, 2008
Posted by Dale in : It's A Bug, WinXP, Windows , Comments
… Or another reason roaming profiles can be problematic …
In the case pictured right, customer was logging onto a Windows XP computer and a Windows NT4 computer. It took us a while to discover what was happening.
The fix? Apply a patch to the NT4 systems.
It was a long time ago.
A miracle occurs here May 16, 2008
Posted by Dale in : Humour , Comments
One of my favorite IT sayings, pictured left.
Been known to say it when looking though some complex source code, or when listening to a Project Manager say something is easy.
One of my colleagues borrowed the original picture to make into the certificate below, for presentation to one of our resident IT guru’s.
Godwin’s Rule - calling vegetarians Nazi’s May 15, 2008
Posted by Dale in : Humour, In The News, Quotations , Comments“Godwin’s Rule of Nazi Analogies: As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.”
A fine example of Godwin’s Rule was this article from Charlie Pickering, in the City Weekly of May 1st.
No, it’s not fair. I am an omnivorous being. I am biologically capable of eating meat or vego pizza. But that choice has been taken away from me by someone who believes their choices need to be forced on everyone. You know Hitler was a vegetarian?
No, I didn’t realise Hitler was a vegetarian, but I do agree that some people do force their choices on everyone.
Learning T-SQL May 12, 2008
Posted by Dale in : Books, SQL , Comments
In my current job, I get to write data extracts.
eg. extract data from an SQL database, using Microsoft Access as the front-end. Not my preferred tool, but it’s what I’ve got.
Thought it would be useful to brush up on my T-SQL, so I purchased the book on the right.
Best darn little book I’ve found on Transaction SQL. The 10 minutes refers to each lesson. And there are 30 lessons all up. This will be a book which I’d going to end up using as a quick reference.
Now if you want to teach yourself T-SQL, I’d suggest the following:
- Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL Server T-SQL
- SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services
- .Net Framework version 2
(if you don’t already have it) - Membership of SqlServerCentral.com (it’s free), the question of the day is worth it for knowledge reinforcement.
Kenny Baker not included. May 4, 2008
Posted by Dale in : AudioVisual, Gadgets, YouTube , CommentsThis is seriously cool, and according to one of the guys at work, cheap as well.
An Digital Audio and Video Projector, in the shape of R2-D2.
Well worth a look at the introductory video:
The Nikko website is here.
* Kenny Baker was the actor inside R2-D2