Even though I set my default search engine to anything but google (usually ixquick, but sometimes its sister engine at startpage) I have occasionally been caught out by firefox’s helpful attempts to intervene if I mistakenly enter a search option in the URL navigation field (or just hit return too early). Firefox’s default action in …
July 2012 archive
Permanent link to this article: https://baldric.net/2012/07/31/avoiding-accidental-google/
Jul 28 2012
too much bling
Avid readers will note that I have reverted to a simpler, two column, layout. Posts and pages are to the left, and additional navigation links are to the right. Some of my friends commented that the three column layout, with several images in the outer columns was distracting (actually, one said “bleah!”). I left it …
Permanent link to this article: https://baldric.net/2012/07/28/too-much-bling/
Jul 24 2012
coercion
David commented on my gpg upgrade post saying: “How does one ensure that they are not coerced into signing a transition statement with a new (but compromised) key?”. Well, you can never be sure I can’t be coerced, and this is why I can’t be sure I cannot be coerced: My thanks as always to …
Permanent link to this article: https://baldric.net/2012/07/24/coercion/
Jul 22 2012
the accidental stupidity of good intentions
For some years now I have used what used to be the freecycle system to dispose of unwanted, but otherwise useful items from my home. In return I have sometimes used the same mechanism to get hold of things like books which someone else wishes to get rid of. A couple of years or so …
Permanent link to this article: https://baldric.net/2012/07/22/the-accidental-stupidity-of-good-intentions/
Jul 20 2012
gpg key upgrade
Following a recent discussion about gpg key signing on my local linux user group email list, one of the members pointed out that several of us (myself included) were using rather old 1024-bit DSA GPG keys with SHA-1 hashes. He recommended that such users should upgrade to keys with a minimum size of 2048 bits …
Permanent link to this article: https://baldric.net/2012/07/20/gpg-key-upgrade/
Jul 07 2012
RBS meltdown
I’ve been away on holiday during the one of the most public, and potentially most expensive, IT screwups for some time. By now everyone will be aware of the meltdown in RBS/NatWest/Ulster Bank systems. Since my return, I’ve been catching up on some of the on-line commentary and analysis. I particularly liked this comment on …
Permanent link to this article: https://baldric.net/2012/07/07/rbs-meltdown/