Recent Posts

8276

fSekrit / Re: Read only password support?

« Last post by f0dder on September 07, 2006, 06:52 AM »

I'm still considering it

Thing is, a user could still copy the text and paste it into a new document. Unless you want to disable clipboard functionality?

A read-only mode *could* be useful though, I guess, for stopping accidental saves and such. I'm still considering it. I don't think it'll make it in v1.2, though - I'm trying not to add *to* much new stuff with each relase, but keeping the program stable. I hope

8277

fSekrit / Re: Brute Force hacking possible?

« Last post by f0dder on September 07, 2006, 06:48 AM »

This is a possible form of attack, yes, but it's going to be slow. You do *not* want to use common passwords, including (but not limited to) words present in a dictionary.

Adding this form of "protection", as Eóin already pointed out, is pretty useless - it's a false sense of "security", and there's numerous ways to defeat it. Besides, it would be a lot faster (though still painstakingly slow) to attack the file directly. At the moment that would require reverse engineering fSekrit, but I'm considering releasing the source when I'm satisfied with it... which would make attacks a lot easier.

But that's actually one of the points of releasing source - to show that security is strong. Security through obscurity isn't a good idea

8278

Living Room / Store Wars

« Last post by f0dder on September 07, 2006, 06:35 AM »

Okay, this is silly... but cute.

http://www.storewars...org/flash/index.html

8279

fSekrit / Re: Search inside Fsekrit?

« Last post by f0dder on September 07, 2006, 06:10 AM »

Ah, the initial window (not maximized) is small and centered as you prob intended. The maximzed window has the characteristics I described when reopened.

-olaer069 (September 07, 2006, 05:55 AM)

Ahhhhhh, that explains it then!

Currently fSekrit only records the window size and tries to center that - it doesn't remember if the window is maximized. I already added that to the ToDo list

Seem I can't attach file to post, it shows a small Fsekrit 1.1 window in the middle of my screen
 :-)

-olaer069 (September 07, 2006, 05:55 AM)

Hm, weird. There's some filesize and filetype limitations on attach, though - but if it's a jpeg or png it should work.

8280

fSekrit / Re: Search inside Fsekrit?

« Last post by f0dder on September 07, 2006, 05:36 AM »

Hm, sounds weird that you get taskbar overlap in 1024x768 - could you grab a shot of your desktop with a default "fresh" copy (ie, no note saved yet) of fSekrit?

Perhaps my window centering code needs some fixing. (The reason for a fresh copy is that the current window size is saved with the note; I'll have to save as "IsMaximized?" flag as well).

8281

Living Room / Re: Think you are safe ? This ought to bump you off your socks

« Last post by f0dder on September 07, 2006, 05:11 AM »

I saw this a couple weeks ago, it's scary indeed.

The scary part is of course that it only takes a couple of seconds to break in, it can be done without attracting attention, it isn't noisy, and it doesn't leave any marks. If you come home and find your home robbed this way, you'd either have to kick in your door or break a window to get any insurance >_<

It's really scary that it is a no-brain operation to use the bump keys, and that you can get them easily from the net.

I'd like some myself btw, it would be interesting to see just *how* easy it is. Would also be handy to help the neighbours; I've seen locksmiths in the building block three times, because the healthy jogging type people often forget their keys 

8282

fSekrit / Re: Search inside Fsekrit?

« Last post by f0dder on September 07, 2006, 05:08 AM »

Thanks for your feedback, Erik - always appreciated!

The search window currently just uses windows default positioning. I guess I could move it to the bottom-right of the fSekrit window? Or top-right? That should be possible without too much hassle.

Firefox-style search is a bit out of the scope of fSekrit, at least for now. It would require a bunch of code, whereas I'm trying to depond on "standard functionality" to keep size down. I do *like* firefox-style search, though

As for the taskbar thing, fSekrit doesn't take anything like that into consideration - it simply tries to center itself on the main desktop. Or at least that's what it's supposed to do . Default window size is 640x480, which fits even in 800x600 resolution, I don't think anybody runs a smaller resolution than that?

8283

fSekrit / Re: Progress towards v1.2

« Last post by f0dder on September 06, 2006, 05:31 PM »

Import and export of text files, because copy/paste can be a bit tedious. Also, it seems that the win9x clipboard is limited to ~12kb of text?, so this is needed for win9x support. (not started yet, should be easy)

-f0dder (September 06, 2006, 05:16 PM)

Would it be possible for it to import other notes, so that updating can be easier? (not a big deal, just scratch it if it's hard to implement)

-jgpaiva (September 06, 2006, 05:20 PM)

It sure is possible and not too hard to implement, but it would add a bit more code "bloat". I've already taken a hit by upgrading to visual studio 2005, it's runtime has increased a bit in size :/

I'm currently at ~100kb (~50kb compressed) for the release build, I hope to either cut off some of that, or remain at the same size, once all v1.2 features have been added. As long as uncompressed doesn't go above 128kb I'm happy enough. But I'm still considering some rewrites that'd enable me to not use the VS runtime...

8284

Living Room / Re: Cool ASCII Banner Site

« Last post by f0dder on September 06, 2006, 05:20 PM »

Whoa, I think it's been almost ten years since I last saw figlet :O

Pretty nifty that someone made an online version 

8285

Living Room / Re: Wikipedia's Lamest Edit Wars

« Last post by f0dder on September 06, 2006, 05:19 PM »

Whoa, long list - looks like it might be a fun read

8286

fSekrit / Progress towards v1.2

« Last post by f0dder on September 06, 2006, 05:16 PM »

First: I hope to have v1.2 (or a beta) ready by the 15th.

Second: for some reason v1.1 wasn't uploaded to the site before now - blame is probably on me. So even though it was done on April 11th, you've all been missing stuff like text-find until today, doh.

What will v1.2 bring?

A better way of saving. Saving to the executable of a running program isn't possbible under windows (at least not without some very dirty tricks), so one has to jump through some hoops. The new way is still a bit bothersome, but better than the old. What this means to you is that fSekrit will not "flicker in and out of existance" when saving. (mostly done, needs extensive testing)

Somewhat more secure, by using a non-zero IV (techy stuff ;P). (done)

Custom font support, as per request. Per-user registry setting. Currently debating with myself whether to add a GUI font selection, or require the user to regedit. (done - unless you people want GUI).

Import and export of text files, because copy/paste can be a bit tedious. Also, it seems that the win9x clipboard is limited to ~12kb of text?, so this is needed for win9x support. (not started yet, should be easy)

Better win9x support. By creating a ~1meg note on NT and loading on Win98, I found out that large notes are read just fine by - but when saving, only ~60kb makes it to the file. (shouldn't be too hard to fix)

8287

fSekrit / Re: Importing text

« Last post by f0dder on September 06, 2006, 05:02 PM »

I'm planning on adding file->import and file->export or similar for v1.2, actually. Partly because it's useful, partly because the win98 clipboard seems limited in how much text it can handle.

I hope to have v1.2 (or a beta) ready by the 15th.

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fSekrit / Re: Search inside Fsekrit?

« Last post by f0dder on September 06, 2006, 04:58 PM »

there is a real problem with putting version # in filename, it breaks all offsite download links, pad file, etc.

ps. i get v1.1 when i download.

-mouser (September 06, 2006, 04:52 PM)

Hm yes, I can see that - bummer. Probably firefox (or fasterfox...) messing up and caching too much. And now the donationcoder DNS is fubar here again, *sigh* - this post is only possible because of agressive DNS caching by... firefox or fasterfox

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Living Room / Re: Article: How Much System Memory Is Really Enough?

« Last post by f0dder on September 06, 2006, 04:51 PM »

Even WinXP is very usable with 512meg ram - adding a gig makes tasking stuff better, and 2gig is a bit overkill but it's nice being able to make a 1gig ramdrive sometimes

Yeah, linux goes by the "unused memory is wasted memory" like BSD, and does extensive caching - this is a good thing, and IMHO not a reason for slowdowns, since filesystem cache is discarded when an app needs memory for other stuff.

Can't see why a linux box would run slow with 512meg :-s

8290

fSekrit / Re: Search inside Fsekrit?

« Last post by f0dder on September 06, 2006, 04:48 PM »

Hm, I still get v1.0 - possibly a cache issue, though?

Btw, could you retain the version number in the zip name? That'd definitely resolve any cache issues

8291

Living Room / Re: Article: Dual-Core CPU Buyer's Guide

« Last post by f0dder on September 06, 2006, 04:42 AM »

Core2Duo ftw *dr00l*

8292

Living Room / Re: Very cool story about an elaborate "virtual heist" in a multiplayer online g

« Last post by f0dder on September 05, 2006, 05:21 PM »

Sounds like Eve Online is a bit more advanced and 'deep' than WoW

8293

Site/Forum Features / Re: A dilemna regarding affiliate fees

« Last post by f0dder on September 05, 2006, 05:04 PM »

I agree with cranioscopical, leave things as they are - other solutions could end up pretty messy and unmanagable. It also sends some signal to companies, I guess...

8294

fSekrit / Re: Search inside Fsekrit?

« Last post by f0dder on September 05, 2006, 05:02 PM »

fSekrit has had search since v1.1 (which is currently the current version), but for some reason this version never got up on the DonationCoder site. I'm attaching it here...

Work on v1.2 is progressing nicely, I hope to have it done by the 15th, or at least a beta. I need a few cleanups and some work on win9x compatibility (what a limited and quirky operating system, *sigh*), and then of course a bunch of bugtesting...

8295

Living Room / Re: raid 0 - lots of fun

« Last post by f0dder on September 05, 2006, 04:55 PM »

i'm not proud of that moment but sometimes i wonder if it's the only solution for such cases..

-mouser

Better than getting ripped off by the company... and them refurbishing your drive and giving it to some other person >_<

8296

Developer's Corner / Re: Turbo C and Turbo Pascal are back!!

« Last post by f0dder on September 05, 2006, 04:53 PM »

I'm not jumping on this...

but WHOA, Jibz made an appearance

8297

Living Room / Re: raid 0 - lots of fun

« Last post by f0dder on September 05, 2006, 04:39 AM »

When you RMA a drive, anything can happen...

1) you could get the same disk back ("nothing is wrong with it"), and risk having to pay some tech fee. Never happened to me.
2) you could get a "refurbished" drive, happened to me twice with IBM (fsckers).
3) you could get a brand new drive (happened with the single maxtor disk I've RMA'ed).

If the drive temperature is off in the second box as well, and there's no firmware update or something, and you're going to replace the drive anyway, go for the RMA. A little trick that makes sure you'll get a new drive is to hook it to a PSU you don't care much about, then short-circuit the drive with a screwdriver until it stops working completely.

8298

Living Room / Re: raid 0 - lots of fun

« Last post by f0dder on September 05, 2006, 03:29 AM »

Try moving the drive to another system and see if the temp readings are unsane there too. If so, backup data and check if there's some new firmware out for the drive :-s

8299

Living Room / Re: raid 0 - lots of fun

« Last post by f0dder on September 05, 2006, 03:14 AM »

Try touching the drive - that'll tell you for sure. Temperature sensor is probably screwy, or perhaps the software. 85C is pretty insane for a drive, IMHO.

8300

Living Room / Re: raid 0 - lots of fun

« Last post by f0dder on September 05, 2006, 02:17 AM »

Crikey :/

If it's failing hard, rush off to get some replacement drive... and either power off and don't turn on till you got it, or keep it running but with no disk activity on the failing drive :/