2 is better then 1 ?

DBS Bank have just introduced 2 factors authentication using SecureID tokens together with existing login PIN.

This, I like very much, as it provides a much secured internet banking experiences.

However, something which I noticed different from the regular RSA secured ID tokens which I am more accustomed to, is that I do not need to key in 4 digits before the random token displayed 6 digits PIN.

Also, I do not like the way the login forms are being designed and implemented. One have to log in via the regular login window, using login ID, login PIN. And once authenticated, the token PIN login page will be displayed.

The token PIN fields could have and should be integrated into the initial login page, providing user with 3 fields to fill in. This way, one could access the iBank application as it was after the authentications. I am sure this is faster, and makes users happier. The back end authentications should be as transparent to users as it was before today eh ?

On another thoughts on authentications when I was reading some discussion on DBS's token solution why can't we have a single-sign-on solution in Singapore itself as it is so small ?

Could singpass be open up sets of API for commercial users to makes of it's authentication services? PKI that is.

I am sure it will rocks the world ...

PS: you can say that I am a dreamer ..

Gigantic bug found at rural Germany

Check this out http://xrl.us/ryhb, a link passed on by some friends.

It seems like the satellite pics on Google Map is bugged. is this the Y2K bug that everyone was talking about?

Some speculated that they take a print of the photo and scan it in and the bug was sitting on the contact sheet when the scan was taking place. If not, we are really looking at a serious bug problem.
Bring out the DDT !

life just sucks

Life just sucks. yes it does.

my ex-isp decided to suspend my cable access cos i miss payment for 1 month. yes. 1 month. Cos babyluke was hospitalized for a couple of days and whole life turn upside down. I haven't got time to keep tracks of bills.

so they suspend it.

and i terminate the server with them.


looking at alternativ isp, i found one, which is supposing to be the largest telco in town, with a pretty attractive deal.

i sign up for it.

and guess what? 2 days after i've got my adsl connection up. them came up with a promotion deals that gives away a brand new mac book (THE ONE THAT I WANTED SO BADLY TO REPLACE MY DYING eMAC).

aggrhh .. life just sucks!

pure zsh irc client

Andrew Ruder a fellow zsh user released a pure zsh irc chat client ... it's pretty cool eh !

to rm or not to rm is the question

Wow .. looks like the steps involved in deleting something on windows...

Veritas Freeware ?

Wow! Looks like Veritas is free for home use nowadays! Read more ...

ubergoonz needs to eat uberfood

No sh*t, the buger cost SGD 1-oh-1 $

Manz! I need to eat this überburger.

transitive relationship

Here's a funny one ..
for all x, y and z in X it holds that if xRy and yRz then xRz

My Screen rc

my .screenrc

startup_message off
caption string "%{= dd}"
autodetach on
crlf off
deflogin off
hardcopy_append on
vbell on

silencewait 15
# change escape character to X. I use ^a for beginning of line
defescape ^Xx
escape ^Xx
activity "activity in %n (%t)"
bell "bell in %n (%t)"
vbell_msg " *beep* "

#terminfo screen '@7=\E[8%dm:kh=\E[7%dm'
#terminfo screen 'ka1=\e[7:kc1=\e[8'
#terminfo screen 'khome=\E[7~:kend=\e[8~:ka1=\e[7~:kc1=\e[8~'
termcapinfo xterm 'hs:ts=\E]2;:fs=\007:ds=\E]2;screen\007'
term xterm
defbce on

# Do not use xterms alternate window buffer.
# This does disable the scrollback buffer tho :(
#termcap xterm|xterms|xs ti=\E7\E[?47l
#terminfo xterm|xterms|xs ti=\E7\E[?47l

defscrollback 5000
bind a lockscreen
bind ^A lockscreen
defmonitor on

shell zsh
shelltitle '> |zsh'
#screen 2

bind o title
bind E title ""
bind u title (unknown)

bindkey -k k1 select 1
bindkey -k k2 select 2
bindkey -k k3 select 3
bindkey -k k4 select 4
bindkey -k k5 select 5
bindkey -k k6 select 6
bindkey -k k7 select 7
bindkey -k k8 screen $SHELL
bindkey -k k9 title

hardstatus on
caption always "[SCREEN->%w]                 -=|%m/%d/%Y(%c:%s/%a)|=-"
hardstatus lastline "-.:%w:.  [%n = %h]"

Johari Window

a couple of days ago, i was pondering over the conversation with my fellow SAs. I began to wonder if technical aspect is all it is to unix system administration work.

am i becomming the BOFH?

then a close net fren of mine send me a link to update his Johari window.

I did it and find out that

"A Johari window is a metaphorical tool intended to help people better understand their interpersonal communication and relationships. It is used primarily in self-help groups and corporate settings as a heuristic exercise."

I guess it is really cool if I can see what others think about me and how different it is then what I think about myself. Thus I urge my friends to help in filling it up for me.

The results is at http://kevan.org/johari?view=lesliew .

If you are interested, do hop on to http://kevan.org/johari?name=lesliew


^z