cshen.ca

Similar to the previous post, this is another compilation of my experimentation. Earlier today, I received an Acer laptop to setup for someone. Unsurprisingly, the system recovery disc was laced with irremovable crapware, and support refused to supply a clean Windows image. Fortunately, it’s still possible to do a clean install, if you have the original media lying around.

The easiest way to install Windows without the crapware would be to use a proper installation disc with its corresponding licence key. Some business class products provide the original install media, which makes this process easy. There’s also the option of using another copy, but that would mean the OEM licence – which accounts for about $50 of the laptop price – would go to waste. The last option is to obtain an original install media and make it accept the OEM licence key. This is the most difficult, but the most feasible, and the one I was stuck with this time. Google didn’t reveal much, so I asked Neowin members for ideas.

Gmail has offered the ability to specify different emails that you own as the “From:” address for a long time. This makes consolidating emails easy. When combined with forwarders, one account could handle the emailing of multiple addresses. However, some recipients see a very ugly “From:” address when using this method.

This is because since Gmail is now sending the email instead of the original mail server, it must include the actual Gmail address in the mail headers.

• Delivered-To: recipient@domain.com
• Return-Path: <real@gmail.com>
• MIME-Version: 1.0
• Sender: real@gmail.com
• Subject: email
• From: Chen Shen<new@cshen.ca>
• To: recipient@domain.com

A while ago Google introduced a new function that solves this by routing emails through the actual server of the alternate address. I’ve only recently set it up with my own account, and found the relevant information scattered around the web. This is a compilation of my search results.

Having spent two weeks navigating the slow and cumbersome goSFU system in search of courses to take next semester, I’m now entirely frustrated at the system for being inexcusably slow and hard to navigate, as well as lacking in basic functions which make registering that much easier. Since I have some free time on my hands, I decided to experiment a bit and see if I can design something that’s more workable, and while I’m at it, make it look as if it belonged in 2009.

I should mention right off the bat that this is an experiment only, and does not represent a viable design for goSFU. There are several noticeable oversights that reflect the quick-and-dirty nature of the design, which I didn’t bother fixing because well, it’s just an experiment.

Note: If you only want to see the design and don’t feel like reading the explanations, skip to the very end.

SFUNET-SECURE is a recently deployed network that supports 802.11a/b/g protocols as well as full WPA2/AES encryption. It also requires an 802.1x EAP/TTLS client for authentication rather than a web portal. While an initial setup process is required, users are encouraged to use SFUNET-SECURE where possible.

Actually it’s not all that recent, since SFU Surrey’s setup instructions are already out of date. This is the revised instructions for Windows.

Windows Vista Setup

1. Download and install the latest SecureW2 EAP Suite. This is needed to authenticate to the network.
2. Navigate to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Manage Wireless Networks.
3. If SFUNET-SECURE is already listed, remove it.
4. Press the Add button (with a giant green plus sign beside it).
5. Select Manually connect to a wireless network.
6. • Network name: SFUNET-SECURE
   • Security type: WPA2-Enterprise
   • Encryption type: AES

   Check Start this connection automatically if desired, then click Next.

Today I stumbled by chance across a Facebook flaw, which will show you all the guests of an event, even if the event creator unchecked “Show the guest list.”

It’s pretty simple, actually. To use a random example, I’ll demonstrate with the “University Relations Officer” event.

As you can see, the guest list for this event is hidden.

But that doesn’t stop us from seeing the guest list. Just click “Invite People to Come”.

Use the drop-down box at the top to show guests which might be attending, not attending, and have not yet replied.

Try it yourself!