So, what's a real problem with 5G? The example with electricity.

2020-06-26 19:22:04, In: Other, Rants

I will start this post with a ?newspaper? cartoon from 1890s, criticizing the electrification of country in the early days of electricity, when it was known and more or less used, but most safety measures were non-existent. Unfortunatly, I'm not exactly sure about the source of the cartoon, some sources label it as "An unrestrained demon", and contrary to the source of this information it is probably earlier than 1900 looking from the shape of the pole, bulb and lantern. About the picture, unfortunately, it shows the true, sad state of electricity in the end of 19th century, when it was handled carelessly, without protections and only for maximizing profits. So don't take it entirely as false. Let's see how the electricity looked like in its early stages and why it was quite dangerous energy to use.
One more thing: I will try to write this in a simple words, sometimes neglecting engineering details, but I think that it should be understood by any people familiar with technology, not only these who like...

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Things to note: SyncThing under WinXP

2019-03-28 00:17:18, In: Other

PROBLEM: SyncThing 1.0.1 used to synchronize data on different machines updates itself to newer version, also under WinXP. Newer versions don't work under WinXP, so the program does not start again. Literally it's damaging itself.
SOLUTION: Turning automatic update off does NOT work in 1.0.1 it's specified like "Disabled by administrator" in options related to it. To disable updating manually, open your C:\Documents and Settings\[USERNAME]\Application data\Syncthing\config.xml ("Application Data" may be translated) and change autoUpgradeIntervalH parameter to zero (0). Now downgrade to 1.0.1 and start it. Currently it works, if it will stop there will be a problem with lots of XP machines connected to programmers and similar machinery.
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Installing adNauseam on PaleMoon and the new malware problem

2017-09-02 13:30:12, In: Hack, Other

Recently PaleMoon developer decided to blacklist adNauseam extension, so here is a quick method of re-enabling it:
1. Go to about:config
2. Set extensions.blocklist.level to 3.
3. Install addon, go to Tools -> Extensions and turn it on there. Remember that it takes the function of adblocker so will collide with most Adblocks.
4. Watch your addons as this may allow to install uncertain ones in the future (currently only adNauseam has this level). If you want to know, the list is online-updated and is maintained in blocklist.xml in your profile directory. Configuring adNauseam, if your workflow involves visiting only a set of trusted sites you should turn on exception for non-tracking ads.
And small explanation what is it.
The add-on fights with unfair malware-delivering companies (today re-defined as "advertisement") by hitting their collaborators - website authors. Then, according to ideology called "free market", authors should change malware...

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Weak passwords and weak resources

2017-03-14 20:04:31, In: Security, Other

In the last few years, questions about password complexity emerged from time to time. There are list of common passwords, they are counted in leaked daabases, in hashed and unhashed forms. Blog entries are usually alarming about the poor complexity and length of passwords. Recently, a Password rules are bullshit post on Coding Horror blog shows how password rules are bad idea. However, they seem to be insecure in totally ignored mechanism having nothing to do with their length.

To illustrate this problem, let me tell a story about graphics card drivers. In 1997, to download a new driver to my video card, I could do the following thing:
1. Go to my card manufacturer's website
2. Click Support, then Downloads
3. Connect to FTP in "pub/drivers" directory, or select board from the list
4. Download driver for my OS. Mission accomplished, driver in my disk.

20 years later:
1. Go to my...

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So who made TH99?

2016-10-11 21:30:39, In: History, Other

TotalHardware 99 is a great help for all of those who want to configure unknown PC component, board or drive. It is a website, now mirrored in many copies, which contains jumper settings for 18655 PC-related devices, from 8088-based XTs to Pentium II systems, the best ones in 1999. But who made it? Discovering, describing and documenting so much hardware required lots of time and resources (personally, for me this can be a really big fun). Some group or individual had to work with documentation and even real hardware, as some parts are named "UNKNOWN", usually the manufacturer and type is designated in documentation. Who is responsible for this site?
Let's see the history of TH99 in the Internet. It was popularized ca. 2001-2002 with a website of "A. Haning" (archived copy) who, as he wrote in his History page, found a free version of TotalHardware 99 without images. The file can be still downloaded e.g....

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Hello world... again

2016-07-20 14:23:17, In: Other, rants

Hello again, this time from another hosting. The free hosting which was used for the last 5 years decided to shut down a large part of their servers and stick head in the ground pretending nothing happened. In free hostings' land there is probably no other alternative except sites which try to sell paid hosting by terminating the free one.
In this page a small, usually practical pieces of text will be written. Too small or too modern to be published in Hacks section, but still useful and worth noting. Topics will cover sometimes old computers, Linux, Open source software or just opinions and information about things. As this "Publishing system" has been created in one night (based on my "lab notebook" code) don't expect comments or similar fully-featured things. Well, I care about users' privacy and I don't feel like hogging users' CPUs with tons of JS code nor constantly patching a state-of-the-art CMS made to be maintained by specially hired Open-Source code...

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