Gotcha!

Gotcha!

I love pranks of all kinds, and in honor of the holy prankster day that is tomorrow I am going to offer some pranking goodness. First off, what are the best kinds of pranks? Easy! My very favorite kind of pranks are the simple kind you can play on the smartest people: Geeks!

I found these great pranks at Lifehacker.com:

10. Install the Blue Screen of Death Screensaver


9. Fake a Desktop with Screenshot Wallpaper
A fun variation on these two is to get a Windows or Mac screen shot or capture and replace the background of someone’s iMac with a Windows Vista screen. You might be surprised how long it takes your average user to figure out what is going on, and longer to figure out how to fix it.

8. Schedule a Phone Call with a Text-to-Speech Message from Wakerupper.com
Definitely some interesting possibilities with this one…

7. Fill an Office with Packing Peanuts (Or Make It Look That Way)
I have seen this done. It was unforgettable! However, please have a plan (or at least some help) cleaning up even faking an office with peanuts. Balloons aren’t as messy and have less static cling. Water balloons though, will probably cause more mayhem than you bargained for.

6. Remote Control Your Co-Workers' Computer with VNC
Just make sure you are a qualified network admin (or at least at their level) before attempting this one. Also, it could get you in real trouble with IT.

5. Message Co-Workers with NET SEND
This is a quick and fun surprise, but is generally only clever the first time or two before your cube is stormed demanding how-to instructions.

4. "Break" Your Victim's LCD Screen with Wallpaper
Cute, but looks fairly fake within 3-6 feet.

3. Hijack Firefox with the Total Confusion Pack Extension (Enabled on April 1st Only)
A fun prank to play on all those pesky end-user types… however, who are they going to call when something goes wrong? You. This prank is better suited to the more web literate who may need to take a little time figuring out how you did it and where to uninstall the extension.

2. Customize the Office HP Printer's Console Message
A goodie here! Do not be disappointed if your unwitting office-mates do not notice this right away. They will notice at some point. As the list maker suggests, INSERT COIN is a great one. I also suggest FEED ME, TONER LOW, POWER OFF and HELP ME.

1. Turn Web Pages Upside Down
This is just plain good fun. For more upside down or sideways fun try Ctrl+Alt+Up arrow. Note this does not work on all video cards, but it’s great when it does.

Here’s a simple one I’ve fallen back on over the years: Pry up 5 of the keyboard keys (never on a laptop!) and put them where they don’t really belong! You will be surprised how long it takes some to figure out the cause, particularly if you combine this with any other prank.

A fun one that requires just enough Windows familiarity to be dangerous: Re-assign the shortcut images with their respective targets. Right Click. Choose Properties, re-direct Target to another program.

Or, if you’ve too much time on your hands you can change the image of each icon to something random. Control Panel – Display – Desktop Properties – Customize Desktop – Change Icon. There you will find all sorts of meaningless images to reassign.

More harmless Windows fun:
1. Auto-hide the taskbar
2. Move the taskbar to the top of the screen
3. Speed up or slow down the mouse
4. Change the mouse pointer set (Dinosaurs or kittens anyone?)
5. Reverse the mouse button (look for left-handed accessibility)
6. Set a screen saver password
7. Sticky keys, Filter keys, Toggle keys, Mouse keys
8. Install your own family or pet photos in their My Photos folder and change the screen saver to Photo Gallery
9. If your victim’s monitor is on a universal arm mount, unscrew it, turn it upside down, screw it back in, and then turn the picture on the screen sideways. This works particularly well if it is a flat screen whose cables are routed through the mounting arm.
10. If office-mates have their own local printers, fill it with paper from the recycle box.

Have any ideas to share? I could use some new tricks in my bag.

Technology Q&A

Answers to Your Engineering Career Questions
By John R. Platt

Question: I am 53 years old and due to graduate 12/08. My major is ETIS Industrial Systems and will be a BS Degree. Will my age be a problem finding employment? - Ralph, Tennessee

Answer: Hi Jeff. There shouldn't be a problem for you, as an ETIS degree provides a lot of core, marketable skills that put you in a good place in the job market, no matter what your age.

ETIS (Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies) is a broad category, giving you the chance to work in fields as wide-ranging as environmental science, construction management, mechanical engineering and safety. As an extra advantage, by the time you get out of school, you will have learned some of the most current advancements in your field, and may actually have an advantage over someone who graduated a few years ago. Experience is equally important, of course, but keeping up with the latest technologies and techniques always makes you a more valuable employee.

In addition, as an ETIS graduate, you will also be in a very good place to get your certification in Six-Sigma -- an incredibly valuable asset that will further enhance your employability.

Q: I have two questions: 1. What kind of degree/certification will I need for a career in Computer Security? 2. What program languages would I need experience with to be successful in eCommerce? - Kat, Cincinnati, Ohio

A: A Bachelor of Science degree is sufficient for most computer security jobs. Amazingly, you don't necessarily need to graduate with a Computer Science degree. Other majors of value in this field include Electrical Engineering, Information Science, Information Systems, Physics, and even Mathematics.

Regarding certifications, you don't necessarily need a certification to get started, but they always help your chances at landing a job and often result in a higher salary. The ones you may want (or need) depend on where you want to work. Some of most valuable certifications include Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) and Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP), but there are literally dozens of others to choose from.

As for eCommerce, there are more programming languages than I have pairs or socks, and every company seems to use a different combination of systems and programs, but some of the essentials include JavaScript, J2EE, CSS, XML, XMLST, SQL -- and of course, HTML. You'll also want to have experience using Linux or UNIX, and understand some basic network concepts like TCP/IP. With these basics in your toolbox, you should be able to pick up any other languages you might need quickly and easily.

Q: I've heard that a quick and easy way to start a career in the high-tech industry is to become a systems engineer. And that a six-month course that gives a Windows certification can open doors to entry-level positions. Positions that offer further training and $30K+/yr, for anyone with a 4 year degree. Is this true? - Michael, Madison, Wisconsin

A: Becoming a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) does, indeed, open doors. There are always job opportunities for MCSEs, as businesses will always need people to design and implement core IT infrastructures.

But MCSE certification is not a starting point for your career, nor is a systems engineer position. According to Microsoft's site, "An MCSE candidate should have at least one year of experience implementing and administering a network operating system and a client operating system, and designing a network infrastructure." In other words, you're going to need to get some basic job experience before first, then start thinking about certification.

But don't freak out -- there are other Microsoft certifications more valuable to entry-level jobs. You could become a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist, a Microsoft Certified IT Professional, or a Microsoft Certified Professional Developer to start. Visit http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/certifications.mspx for a full list of certifications and more information about the requirements for each program.

Too many DAT's on the ship

My name is Nancy Kettler and I am a packrat. No, I won’t admit all those boxes in the garage are a problem… I am talking about my files. Diaries in Word, 7 year old budget plans, my taxes from 1993, my dead grandmother’s bread recipe, forwarded jokes that I just had to save, pictures I scanned, pictures I’ve taken, pictures I’ve modified, websites I’ve built, plans to take over the world… you get the idea.

I don’t think I am alone in this digital packrat club… Club? Yes, there is a club! Admitting weakness may be the first step, but I think I’ll stay out here on my own for the time being. I would really like to know what other people do with their files. Me? I used to save them on 3.5’s, later an external zip, then CD’s. Now that I have a home network with 2 dedicated storage boxes, I duplicate.

For example, last week I (finally) sent my beloved laptop in for its long overdue repairs (AGAIN!). But first I had to clean it off, Charlie-Brown-forbid that I take my chances that my precious files would be returned to me just as they left. My solution for this was to put a new dated directory on a partitioned drive on one storage box “Laptop – Date”. OCD taking its full toll, this directory even includes screen shots and README.txt files detailing my set up.

Except… I did not send my precious pal in for repair for 2 months (did I mention HP’s awesome up time even when having to nurse it along?)… because I am a student. More than this, I am a Digital Technology and Culture student. This means, I cannot do my homework without CS3’s Master Collection. Sure, I have other machines here, but none that can handle the load I impose. They’re older, and upgrading my desktops has not been a priority. After all, I have a great laptop (ha!).

My first project in Adobe After Effects as complete as I had time for, I packed up my baby and shipped it off to HP. But first I had to double check that it was file free. After having filled my storage machine to the brim and invading others’ digital storage too, I began to poke around some of the dark corners of my digital storage.

I saw that last spring when I sent my laptop in for repair (same issue!) I did the same thing. Comparing one dated directory to the other I saw duplication. This is where the crazy takes over. I don’t delete the dupe. There has to be something wrong with me – I am This concerned about data loss.

So today I poke around on the tubes for more (more! more! more!) digital storage, see what’s out there. At this point I have a fireproof safety deposit box containing portable hard drives stacked like bullion and guarded by… well, guards. But to be safe, I should probably have a backup… somewhere. Maybe another country. I have 1 of these hard drives and it goes most everywhere with me, especially since my laptop is headed for parts unknown.

Yes, yes, I do obsess over my files; however, I am sure that I am not the only one. I can’t be. Companies like this one are sprouting and blossoming. They say they’re safe, maybe I’ll give them a try. They say they use “the same encryption techniques that banks use”. Hhmm. Bank hacking isn’t exactly unique news. And why would it be? Forbes even tells us how to do it. $50 bucks a year for unlimited, encrypted storage that claims to be convenient, fast and secure. Sounds great to me… but is it too good? How solvent are companies like this and what will happen to my data should their buildings burn down or the top IT guy locks everyone out and moves to an uncharted isle to raise dust mites from harvested sock lint.

Corporate America is with me on tackling this problem. Enter companies like this one aimed at industry and offering some pretty cool specialized services. Clearly the market is ripe, what with all this digitizing with wild abandon. I’m not just talking about your HR file or transcripts here either, some of this data is personal and intimate, and really, not any one’s or any company’s business.

How much is too much? As precious as my files are to me… there was a time in my life when I had no files. No – it’s true… I had no files, no disks and if I needed to play solitaire I had to actually get up and go find some rectangular printed paper things that came in a small box.

Is there a downside to this information deluge? They do say we will someday run out space for digital data. How and who determines which data is important? Somehow, I fear that will come down to the same necessary evil everything comes down to: Those with the dollars have the rights. Thems with the bills come first.

How might so much of this information be used in the future? And should it be?

Calling all inventors!

Duh na na nah na Inspector Gadget Duh na na nah na NA!
Surely I can’t be the only 80’s cartoon geek who loved the inspector and wished for some of those great gadgets. Twenty years later, we are always getting ever-more fun and entertaining gadgetry, but are we as cool as Inspector Gadget seemed to us way back when?

Check out the latest spy-worthy gadgetry here.

Sure, it’s not quite a helicopter that comes out of my hat or an arm that extends 40 feet, but hey, maybe I can work on my secret ambition to become Inspector Gadget in all the free time I save by not needing to vacuum ever again.

Shift Happens

And now, a plug for the makers of this video:



So tell me, did you know? What does it all mean?

As we look back historically, we see the Renaissance, the Victorian Age, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution and the Gold Rush.

What might be said by historians 100 and more years from now when looking at artifacts and sources we now produce? What might they call this age? Granted, the artifacts with which they are able to work might be holographics instead of wear-worn diaries and letters found in attics. What is the result of memorializing ourselves, our time, so completely? Might this be called the Pre-Paperless Age?