Author: Dave Farquhar

Lock the function keys on a Lenovo Thinkpad

Dave Farquhar Hardware , ,
Lock the function keys on a Lenovo Thinkpad

Depending on your age and experience with computers, you may need to find you need to lock the function keys on a Lenovo Thinkpad. Or you may find the opposite, that you need to disable the function keys on a Lenovo Thinkpad.

Here’s how to do both.

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Blu Studio One review

Dave Farquhar Android , , , , , , ,

I needed a phone in a hurry the other day when my wife’s Moto E started acting up. We turned to the Blu Studio One, specifically model# S0110UU. This is my Blu Studio One review.

It’s an inexpensive midrange phone for people who want to bring their own to their carrier rather than (over)paying on a monthly installment plan. It works with GSM providers like T-Mobile and AT&T. It does not work with Sprint or Verizon, since they use the CDMA standard. Some of the smaller carriers also work with GSM. Buying a Blu phone isn’t a bad way to go when you’re looking to save on a cell phone.

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Security+ vs CISSP

Dave Farquhar security , , ,

Someone asked me to compare Security+ vs CISSP, particularly the difficulty. I’m glad to oblige. I have both certifications.

Let’s start by looking at a couple of hypothetical questions. Don’t expect to see either of these on the test; I’m making them up as I go. But don’t be surprised if you see something similar.

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How to fix a garbage disposal

Dave Farquhar DIY , , , ,
How to fix a garbage disposal

If your garbage disposal quit suddenly, don’t fret. We’ve all been there. There are three common ways to fix a garbage disposal and none of them require any special tools.

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Oil for under your mower deck

Dave Farquhar DIY , ,
Oil for under your mower deck

Someone asked me to recommend oil for under your mower deck. If you’re not familiar with this trick, it’s a good idea to oil the underside of your lawnmower deck to keep grass from sticking to it. This helps keep your blade from bogging down and your deck from rusting.

What oil do I like? The person brought up Marvel Mystery Oil. I do like Marvel Mystery Oil inside the mower. But I think it’s too expensive for the deck.

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What garbage disposals cost

Dave Farquhar Landlording , ,
What garbage disposals cost

My realtor called the other day and asked me what garbage disposals cost. The answer, of course, is that it varies, but it’s definitely possible to estimate.

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Commodore 1541-II DIP switches

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing ,
Commodore 1541-II DIP switches

Commodore’s 1541-II disk drive has a pair of DIP switches on the back to let you change its device number. DOS and Windows computers use drive letters to address its disk drives (usually A: and B:). Commodore used the numbers 8-11 to address them. Here’s how to set the 1541-II DIP switches so you can run more than one drive.

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Does HTTPS matter? Yes. Here’s why.

Dave Farquhar security ,
Does HTTPS matter? Yes. Here’s why.

“Does HTTPS matter?” a friend of a friend asked. “I heard it does. Is that still true?” Yes, yes, and yes. Here’s why.

HTTP connections are unencrypted. HTTPS connections are encrypted. You can tell when you’re using HTTPS because the URLs start with https:// instead of http://, and your location bar will have a lock in it. Encryption is good.

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How a dictionary attack works

Dave Farquhar security , , ,
How a dictionary attack works

A dictionary attack is a common way to steal a password. Here’s how a dictionary attack works, in layperson’s terms. More importantly, here’s how to beat the attack.

A dictionary attack is a much more efficient alternative to brute force hacking, but it requires a local copy of the user database to work. That usually means stealing the database first, if a bad guy is doing it. But nothing stops a company from doing a dictionary attack on its own user accounts to make sure people aren’t using insecure passwords. It’s unusual, but not unheard of.

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TP-Link TL-SG1008D vs TP-Link TL-SG108

Dave Farquhar Servers and Networking

TP-Link has two inexpensive 8-port switches aimed at the consumer market: the TP-Link TL-SG1008D and TP-Link TL-SG108. If you’re wondering about the TP-Link TL-SG1008D vs TP-Link TL-SG108, I can sum it up pretty easily.

Who you’re asking for makes a big difference. If you’re asking for yourself, you probably want the TL-SG108. If you’re asking for a friend, the TL-SG1008D may be worth considering. Read on to see why.

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