Author: Dave Farquhar

TCP/IP Manager makes a good companion for DNS Bench for road warriors

Dave Farquhar Software

So you like the results you get with DNS Bench, but you have a laptop you take on the road a lot?

Use DNS Bench to find the best results for the places you go most frequently, then use TCP/IP Manager to save those settings and switch between them. Read more

One road to the CISSP: Do SSCP first

Dave Farquhar security , , , , , , ,

As my crazy week wound down, I had a number of visitors, including someone who’s been on the fence about taking the CISSP. She wanted some advice. The (ISC)² Code of Ethics says to give generously of such things when asked, so we talked for about 30 minutes. Read more

Things got really weird this week

Dave Farquhar Personal

I’m still processing the events of this week. That writing gig I wrote about earlier this week got unbelievably ugly, I felt trapped, then a recruiter called me with an offer I couldn’t refuse, and I ended up quitting my job.

Like I said, weird.

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Bargain potential for AMD Socket FM1s

Dave Farquhar Hardware, security , , ,

Anandtech has an interesting overview of building HTPCs using AMD’s dead-end Socket FM1. I think it has interesting implications for anyplace you’re looking for value, not just in HTPC applications.

Yes, it’s a dead end, because Socket FM1 will be going away in favor of Socket FM2 in the coming months. But that’s one reason why there’s value potential here.
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Change your Linkedin password now

Dave Farquhar security , ,

If you use the professional social networking site Linkedin–which I recommend, albeit now with caveats–you need to be aware that someone stole at least part of its passwords database and leaked it onto the Web. You should assume your password is among the stolen passwords and change it.
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Don’t overthink writing

Dave Farquhar Writing

A longtime reader asked me a few weeks ago about my writing process. Today I’ll finally address the question. He asked me whether I correct as I go, or whether I write as fast as I can and correct later. But my experience over the last few weeks makes me think there’s something a lot more important for me to say.

Do what works, and don’t overthink it.
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Short takes, 5 Jun 2012

Dave Farquhar Uncategorized , , , ,

I’m positively uninspired this morning, trying to recover from a weekend of the most boring writing I’ve ever done in my life–something that, mercifully, only a small handful of tortured souls will ever have to see and read–so I’ll do some short takes.

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How to calculate savings from reduced cooling costs when considering energy-saving improvements

Dave Farquhar Saving money , , , ,

I learned something incredibly useful this week: For every 3 watts of energy consumption you save, you save an additional watt of power in cooling costs during the cooling season.

I bought my first CFL bulb a little over 9 years ago. I knew this was helping my AC costs too, but now I know how much.
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And another nail in Crestwood Plaza’s coffin

Dave Farquhar St. Louis , , , , , ,

The old 10-screen Crestwood Plaza AMC theater closed last month. It took two weeks for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to notice, and probably for many others.

As a sign that I’m getting older, the theater’s obituary called it “dated.” And I thought to myself that it wasn’t long ago that they built it.

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My favorite Phillipe Kahn story

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing , , ,

I just saw Phillipe Kahn (not Khan) in a Best Bait-n-Switch commercial, introducing himself as the inventor of the camera phone.

But that’s not my favorite Phillipe Kahn story.

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