kevincox

kevincox , 2 days ago to Asklemmy in What industry secret are you aware of that most people aren't?

There are some password managers where you need to either manually look up passwords and copy+paste or autotype them or select the correct password from a dropdown. Some of these will come with an optional browser extension which mitigates this but some don't really tract domain metadata in a concrete way to do this linking.

Some examples would be Pass which doesn't have any standard metadata for domain/URL info (although some informal schemes are used by various tools including browser-integration extensions) and KeePass which has the metadata but doesn't come with a browser extension by default.

kevincox , 3 days ago (edited 2 days ago) to Asklemmy in What industry secret are you aware of that most people aren't?

The reason I say browser password manager is two main reasons:

1. It is absolutely critical that it checks the domain to prevent phishing.
2. People already have a browser and are often logged into some sort of sync. It is a small step to use it.

So yes, if you want to use a different password manager go right ahead, as long as it checks the domain before filling the password.

kevincox , 3 days ago to Asklemmy in What industry secret are you aware of that most people aren't?

You probably mean TOTP. OTP is a generic term for any one-time-password which includes SMS-based 2FA. The other main standard is HOTP which will use a counter or challenge instead of the time as the input but this is rarely used.

kevincox , 3 days ago to Asklemmy in What industry secret are you aware of that most people aren't?

Tips for being secure online:

1. Use your browser's password manager to generate random passwords.
2. In the rare case you need to manually enter your password into a site or app be very suspicious and very careful.
3. Never give personal information to someone who calls or emails you. If necessary look up the contact info of who called you yourself and call them back before divulging and details. Keep in mind that Caller ID and the From address of emails can be faked.
4. Update software regularly. Security problems are regularly fixed.

That's really all you need. You don't even need 2FA, it is nice extra security but if you use random passwords and don't enter your passwords into phishing sites it is largely unnecessary.

kevincox , 3 days ago to Asklemmy in What industry secret are you aware of that most people aren't?

I'm not an expert on modern alarm systems but it seems that it is very common and fairly inexpensive to have cellular data backup. Not every system has it, but many do. In that case cutting the main connection will likely result in someone appearing on site fairly quickly.

Many cameras also have some form of local buffering. So even if you are gone before someone does show up you still may find yourself recorded.

But at the end of the day just put a bag over your head and you can be gone by the time anyone shows up without leaving a meaningful trace. Other than the very top-end system security systems just keep the honest people honest.

kevincox , 3 days ago to cats in Like the morning dew

toilet water

FTFY

kevincox , 3 days ago to Technology in Microsoft really wants Local accounts gone after it erases its guide on how to create them

They added telemetry. 100% of responses had internet access.

kevincox , 7 days ago to Asklemmy in Can someone explain me USA obsession with prom and similar school rituals?

I don't really mean literally to practice asking people out. But there are times in your life where you need to ask people for things. It is hard to get over the anxiety, risk of social embarrassment and practice showing confidence (even if you are not). These are valuable skills in all sort of social circumstances.

kevincox , 7 days ago to Asklemmy in Can someone explain me USA obsession with prom and similar school rituals?

FWIW I think it is actually a valuable social skill to be encouraged to ask someone out to prom. A lot of people don't have many similar experiences throughout their lives.

kevincox , 7 days ago to Asklemmy in Can someone explain me USA obsession with prom and similar school rituals?

Prom is fun. You get to hang out with all of your classmates, ask someone out. A subset of people are always going to go overboard, but keep in mind that you don't see the "normal" cases. Most people just walk up to someone and ask them out. They find a date from the school or go alone.

I'm from Canada so I don't know if the US is wildly different, but here it is a bit of a big deal, but I think part of that is what makes it fun, you sort of build a bit of hype around what would otherwise be just another school dance.

kevincox , 8 days ago to memes in Too powerful for their Euro arteries

I don't even know if that counts as on at all. It is really just laid on top partially covering it.

kevincox , 9 days ago to DeGoogle Yourself in Newbie Question

If you want to use proprietary apps the best option is probably dumping the APK from your "Googled" phone then sideloading it onto the new phone. However it may be difficult to keep up with updates unless you have a dedicated phone to download them.

kevincox , 9 days ago to Asklemmy in As a new, one year, software developer who retrained late. How do you know when you're ready to apply for a new role with more money?

It's never too early. If you see an interesting job posting reach out and go thorough the process. At worst you learn a bit about what they were looking for and gain some interview experience. At best you get a job offer. Even if you decide not to take the offer you learn a bit about the positions available to you.

It costs effectively nothing to apply. Just a few hours of your time.

kevincox , 10 days ago to Technology in Mozilla Welcomes Anonym: Privacy Preserving Digital Advertising

I don't agree. As a single counter example of many YouTube has a huge wealth of information and content.

Maybe that value isn't worth the ads, that is much harder to say for certain. But it is clear that there is some valuable information on some sites that are supported by ads.

kevincox , 13 days ago to Technology in Japan forces Apple and Google to open their mobile platforms • The Register

Most credit card issuers don't issue credit cards to random apps by solo developers.