[請幫手] 我是誰？

請幫忙以短短五十字寫寫我（Dan^2InHim）是誰。

這是個認識自己的活動。

[Action requested] Who am I?

Could you write a short profile about me in a couple of sentences? (50 words max)

It is a game to try to understand my own identity.

生字：放題

http://lwing_yan.mysinablog.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=781571

中午去了日式放題，放題者，任食也（我想這個年代應該沒人不知道這個意思吧）。

http://www.bitex-cn.com/cn/search_result.php?keywords=%E6%94%BE%E9%A1%8C&match=contains&deal_type=jp2cn

放題(ほうだい) [基本会话]
中文 : 随便，自由，无限制地

飲み放題(のみほうだい) [一般]
中文 : 随便喝，乱喝

食べ放題(たべほうだい) [日常会话]
中文 : 随便吃

言いなり放題(いいなりほうだい) [日常会话]
中文 : 唯命是从

伸延閱讀：
日文還是中文?
日漢歧義
不算最好也不算壞的$48放題

ImageStation download software walkthrough

If you have been reading my blog, you should know that Sony's ImageStation web site is closing on Feb 1, 2008. That means the photos and videos hosted by the web site will no longer be available for viewing or download from then on. ImageStation offers a few options for its members to keep their photos available. One of such options is a software that runs on the user's computer to download the originals of all the photos from his/her online albums. I dedicate this post to walkthrough the software.

Software download
Once you sign in the ImageStation web site, you can find a red banner at the top of the page. The link on the banner takes you to the available options for keeping your photos. In particular, you will find the following section:


Click on the "Learn more" link regarding download of full-resolution original photos. You will be sent to a page that lets you download the photo download software according to the operation system that runs on your home computer.


I picked "Windows version" for my computer running Windows Vista. If you use a Mac computer, choose "Macintosh version". Follow the download instructions provided by your web browser.

Software walkthrough
Run the application from where it has been placed. On Windows, you may need to answer to a couple of security warning dialog boxes in order to have the software up and running. Here's the first screen of the software running on Windows Vista. You are prompted to enter your ImageStation user ID and password.


Once you have filled in the information and clicked "Sign in", the software begins to collect information regarding your hosted photos. The screen shows how many albums you have, and how many it has collected information from. The time it takes to complete this step varies by how many photos you have uploaded to the web site. In my case, I had over 300 albums and presumably over 10,000 photos on the web site. It took a few minutes for the step to come to completion.


Once the software is done with collecting photo information, you are told how much disk space is needed to download all your photos. You are also prompted for a location on your local computer to store the photos to be downloaded. You are free to hit "Download" to begin the lengthy download process. Before doing so, you may take a look at the advanced options you are given.


More download options
Clicking at the "Show Advanced Options" checkbox, a host of new options are shown at the bottom of the screen.


The "Organize images into subfolders that match my album titles" option is preselected. Uncheck the option only if you do not want photos to be saved into subfolders corresponding to their albums. I'd not disable this option.

The next option is a bit tricky. The software asks for a prefix for the names of the files to be saved for the photos. Why, you may ask, would I need to care about that? It's at Sony's fault. They claim that once photos have been uploaded to ImageStation, their original file names are removed on the web site. Therefore, the software cannot come up with the original file names for the hosted photos. The software preselects "is_" to be the file name prefix. Yet you can specify a different prefix. I personally think it is a really bad default value. More importantly, I think it is just dumb the way ImageStation handles the file names. When the photos are uploaded, the titles of the photos are by default their original file names. So in case the title of a hosted photo stays unchanged (that is the case for 99% of my photos), the software can correctly reconstruct the local file names of the photos. I will probably make this request to ImageStation afterwards.
You can also find at the bottom of the screen options to specify proxy server information to establish proper network connection to ImageStation. This again I find dumb as this option should be made available on the first screen of the software, it tries to connect to the ImageStation online service.


Conclusion
Well, this software is far from being perfect. But this is the only option you have if you want to get back the originals of your precious memories. A couple more things before I close, I haven't tried proceeding with "Download" yet. That's why I haven't shown you the download progress screen and whatever comes after. Secondly, the way the software asks for a prefix for the local file names suggests to me that the software may not be downloading hosted videos onto the local computer at all! I cannot tell for sure until I attempt the download myself. If you have already tried, please post your findings as comments here. Otherwise, I may create a test ImageStation account (if the web site still takes new registration) and try it out before playing with my eronmous collection of hosted photos and videos. I wonder if it would take days to download them all. That's given the unstable wireless connection my computer uses survives throughout the download!

香汗淋漓

這當然是反話

剛剛出了一身大汗
可惜由於技術問題
未能借機發火發洩

慢慢拖著疲累的身軀回家
記著繼續把心交給天父

HDTV

高清電視勢在必行
有說凸顯出畫中人
從未被看見的瑕疵

如果是這個原故
我不願
從宇宙的一角
看地球這個美麗的地方

我要看清楚自己
那些別人看不見的瑕疵
再大膽走到你身邊

擁抱依神的形像所造的你

（可憐我）

主的原故

眼腫　頭痛
是彼此在主內的原故

幾時也好　先後都好
也是主內的原故
為你以信心以喜樂向主禱告

為著在主內好友們為你分擔
感恩
也將內心的擔子交給主
將心中的難過交給主
將一切都交給主

因為有這一切
是主的原故

讓我真的學會　放低自己　難過

學習的心

學習的心格言
先睡一睡
有祢同路
新的一天 新的喜樂

Rejoice! Rejoice! In Your love, I rejoice!

面書上 小心保管個人資料

玩Facebook 小心資料失竊 BBC記者測試 取得資料夠出信用卡
(明報) 10月 25日 星期四 05:10AM
...各位面書客，接受邀請前要認清楚方可。

揾你笨

香港的信用卡公司都喜歡以贈品吸引顧客。老實說，我也因為贈品的原故開了張新卡。本來我想開的是東亞卡，因為那架實用的Sony數碼相機。詳情：請按此處。但之後發現不但相機價格被跨大，價錢不足千六元竟寫成為二千；網上資料更有失實之處，沒有當面說明要額外付五百多元方能取得贈品。怪不得有人認為我沒有看清楚資料。就是放在東亞分行的小冊子上，也只把補錢的說明放到不起眼的位置。不但如此，新卡的規條更強迫性地要客戶負交一百元手續費啟用他不一定用的透支服務，這也沒有大字交代清楚。這種不盡不實的交代手法，委實令人結氣。

Your computer is unsafe, again

[newscientist.com] Password-cracking chip causes security concerns
24 October 2007
This is major news in the software security community. The hacking team claimed that they could crack a Windows Vista password in 3-5 days with the aid of a not-so-expensive graphics card. And from the screenshot it looked like the password cracking software needs to run in the same local network as the victim. A few things come to my mind:

1. Blocking physical access to your local network is still the safest measure.
2. Always deploy a firewall to block unwanted network traffic.
3. Don't access websites that do not estalish secured log-on.
4. Avoid using public WIFI networks.
5. Always keep your computer up-to-date with the latest security patches.
6. Disconnect Internet connection after use. Unplugging your computer is the only sure way it does not get hacked.
7. Don't create file shares and don't host unneeded network services (including BT, eMule and other P2P services).
8. Don't download or install third party applications (including web controls) just because they look cute.
9. Install anti-virus software. Even free products like AVG or Avast! are very effective. Ask a computer guru friend when your computer begins to act funny.

Gmail now supports IMAP for free

If you have unlimited data access from your mobile device, you may be interested in this.

Gmail has just announced its suppport for IMAP. This allows you to use your phone's built-in email interface to access messages in your Gmail account without the need to go to the Gmail website. The advantages of IMAP over POP are reliability and its multi-device support.

On google.com:

• Supported IMAP Client List
• Getting Started with IMAP for Gmail
• Why don't I have IMAP in my account?
• Recommended IMAP client settings

[qmul.ac.uk] Comparing POP and IMAP

意外‧請代禱

以下是我兩位朋友的訪問。他們沒有在此事上受傷，但損失慘重，而且四處尋覓新住處，收入也受影響。樓上的老翁更因此意外失去一條腿。請為這件事的受害者禱告及表示支持。

新婚住所被撞　小夫妻夜難眠
2007年10月22日

十年一天始一步

聽了多遍的話
突然腦中晴明
由受命到反對
發現我的尺子
中間沒有刻度
缺乏個人位置
企圖馬虎過關
更深層問題是
有沒有盡力做
一天天一步步
回望盼見足印
彼此扶持共往

Facebook privacy policy re: 3rd party applications

Facebook could be a lot of fun. But one should be careful about installing 3rd party applications on it.

Excerpt from http://www.facebook.com/policy.php:

If you, your friends, or members of your network use any third-party applications developed using the Facebook Platform ("Platform Applications"), those Platform Applications may access and share certain information about you with others in accordance with your privacy settings. You may opt-out of any sharing of certain or all information through Platform Applications on the Privacy Settings page. In addition, third party developers who have created and operate Platform Applications ("Platform Developers"), may also have access to your personal information (excluding your contact information) if you permit Platform Applications to access your data. Before allowing any Platform Developer to make any Platform Application available to you, Facebook requires the Platform Developer to enter into an agreement which, among other things, requires them to respect your privacy settings and strictly limits their collection, use, and storage of your information. However, while we have undertaken contractual and technical steps to restrict possible misuse of such information by such Platform Developers, we of course cannot and do not guarantee that all Platform Developers will abide by such agreements. Please note that Facebook does not screen or approve Platform Developers and cannot control how such Platform Developers use any personal information that they may obtain in connection with Platform Applications. In addition, Platform Developers may require you to sign up to their own terms of service, privacy policies or other policies, which may give them additional rights or impose additional obligations on you, so please make sure to review these terms and policies carefully before using any Platform Application. You can report any suspected misuse of information through the Facebook Platform and we will investigate any such claim and take appropriate action against the Platform Developer up to and including terminating their participation in the Facebook Platform and/or other formal legal action.

B1 WiBrain UMPC

Exactly what I am looking for. I'd go for complete functionality over style any second. USD$650 is a decent entry price. It even claims 5 hours of battery life.

Why bother with U1010, Q1U, NX290, OQO ed2?

[AVING.net] Business UMPC ‘B1’ enables you to select CPU and HDD
[UMPCPortal.com] UMPC News : B1 WiBrain UMPC.
B1's official specs is available here.

ImageStation shutdown - action required

ImageStation has recently made available a software tool to let you download all the pics and videos you have on the website. You still have a bit over 110 days to download them all.

忽然一湯

其實這一刻
只想喝一口栗米忌廉湯

Click that has gone missing

Hmm... guess I finally noticed what has gone missing.

It's the distance and thoughts that carry love across.

It's the personal struggles and two listening ears.

It's the little wishes and words that comfort the souls of one another.

我係外星人
I come in peace.

Here I come.

not something I wanna talk about now

I asked myself the question--am I too stupid to do this?
And I asked myself the same question again.
I figured that I could go on and on with more questions.

• Was it justifiable?
• Did I cause troubles?
• Was it my own desire to complete a perfect story?

Guess the bottom line is I did something out of my own effort trying to make things better with my little knowledge and care about how people feel.

I'll admit it was risky. Would I choose to do it, at this point of time? Probably.
But the point is--a stupid person doesn't become any smarter by simply asking. I guess the point of getting smarter is try to experience more and think less. There's a point where too much thinking brings ignorance rather than wisdom out of a person.

When does food-loving turn into gluttony?

Thoughts of gluttony?
[openrice.com] 魚鱻魚海專門店
[openrice.com] Mi Casa Chilean Oyster Bar
[openrice.com] 萬豪咖啡室

What's gluttony?
[wikipedia.org] Gluttony

入股

我像是定期存款
買那一刻已知道
沒有叫人驚喜的回報率

又像定期派股息
因為這個性質的股票
沒有其他方式
叫自己更吸引

明白了這個比喻
我便想做一隻
有股息又升值
的股票

希望
凡事做好一點
好叫股東高興
繼續持冇這隻股票

種瓜

小明的爸爸告訴他
要依循交通燈指示過馬路
小明卻當紅燈亮起時
快步衝出馬路

無論將來如何
爸爸的教訓
為著小明的好處
早已說了多遍


最新研究：懷孕生育可保護母親避免乳癌威脅
(法新社) 10月 03日 星期三 10:05AM

錢唔係錢

八月零售貨值升一成二
(明報) 10月 02日 星期二 04:45PM

按商店類別分析，八月電器及攝影器材的銷貨數量升幅最大，上升37.7%。其次為珠寶首飾、鐘錶及名貴禮物（零售量上升31.8%）、鞋類、有關製品及其他衣物配件（上升19.5%）、汽車及汽車零件（上升15.7%）、雜項耐用消費品（上升10.3%）、百貨公司貨品（上升8.7%）、服裝（上升8.1%）、雜項消費品（上升7.5%）、傢具及固定裝置（上升7.0%）、超級市場貨品（上升5.6%）和燃料（上升4.9%）。食品、酒類飲品及煙草的銷貨數量大致維持不變。

今年你老細有冇加薪一成二俾你？

整體興旺的股票市場，以及訪港旅遊業持續擴張，均有助零售業銷貨量的增長。

股巿和旅遊業，咪全部都係食亞公o既。你估再過幾年又會點？

滿足

嚮往生命中的美好
總想把這感覺留住

但感覺是微妙的
喜歡隨雲漂流
擁有過的人
想抓著不放手
他偏說有緣再會

失落者告訴自己
能守候在岸旁
也都是個美夢

或近乎瘋狂地
買他的糖果
尤其是藥樽那款
自個兒
與淚珠兒同服
直到下一次入眠

說了這些
因為覺得
遇上美好的時候
好為自己說

滿足

一擊即中

盛裝看多會膩。平日素顏示人，偶爾用心打扮。一擊即中，才最叫人驚喜。