Posts made by Rob Dunn

Basically it's a troubleshooting tool that people can use to verify their port bindings with WSUS.

http://pastebin.com/AhLGfGjh

Any takers? I just want to make sure it reports back information that can be used to troubleshoot WSUS problems.

I've used these in the past:
CrystalDiskInfo: http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/index-e.html (some of the versions have extra stuff...nothing awful, just a heads up)
Acronis Disk Monitor: http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/hard-drive-health/

Regarding Spark - that is one clunky, heavy client. Isn't it Java based? In any case, it often slowed our computers down, and we switched to Pidgin. I didn't really like Pidgin a lot better as a whole. It needs to be modularized for specific use IMO.

Although it worked really well, it didn't encrypt the passwords if you saved them...i.e. stashed as cleartext in the user preferences file. For that reason, I had a script that would clear those settings upon system logon. It was the lesser of the two evils (by far). Spark had SSO going for it, so there was that.

@thecreativeone91 said:

Openfire. However because it uses XMPP it doesn't work as well as lync from two locations. For example with lync you could have a laptop and desktop and log them in at the same time and get the messages both places. Openfire doesn't do that.

You can, although it requires making a change on the server. We used it at my last job. We would have a person who could be at their desktop or mobile computer walking throughout the clinic and had to get chat messages wherever she was located.

Ah, here's the info: http://community.spiceworks.com/topic/141087-two-openfire-clients-with-same-user-id-can-i-get-a-message-to-both-at-once?page=1#entry-774097

I happened to notice this over at the Spiceworks Community for the past year - I'm not sure if SCCM is just being used more and more lately, or if more people who are using it are heading to the community to discuss it.

I've always been an advocate of it (so long as it works right). It's a convoluted beast to be sure, but very powerful. As such, I've been working with it in my home lab - the one thing I've never really done with SCCM was OS deployments, which prompted me to install it here.

Have you all been noticing a surge in usage, or is it because I'm interested, I see it more (kind of like when you're shopping for cars and all you notice are other people driving that car you like)?

Although I know nothing about them, Altaro has a free backup solution for up to two Hyper-V VM's: http://www.altaro.com/hyper-v-backup/download-free.php

I've heard lots of great things about Unitrends, although I've never used it. What virtualization technology are you running? VMWare/Hyper-V/Xen, etc.?

@thanksajdotcom said:

@scottalanmiller said:

@thanksajdotcom said:

@thecreativeone91 said:

@scottalanmiller said:

For for reference, if Staples just uses your name and theirs, checking via Duck Duck Go, your Spiceworks and MangoLassi (and some other) hits that are you and Staples together come right up. You are surviving simply on the fact that they are not looking to see what their employees are saying, not that any effort would not tie it together.

And spiceworks people keep coming here just to see this stuff. Look at how many views these types of your topics get. and someone over on spiceworks posted some screenshots of this thread elsewhere online. Chances of this stuff getting see by an employer get higher and higher each time you do it.

Most of us are trying to help, but obviously there are those that just come here to see the crash and burn.

I appreciate that. I have a really easy time empathizing with others' pain, whether physical, emotional or mental. However, I have a very hard time empathizing with how other people interpret what I say. I'm working on that but it's a real struggle for me.

The most important part is to stop saying it. You have recognized that you can't tell how others will see it. Now, how do you action that knowledge in a good way? You avoid the behaviour until you can determine what is safe or not.

Think about it this way, what if you can't tell if the range top is hot? Do you put your hand on it and get burned sometimes? Or do you stop putting your hand on it at all until you figure out how to determine if it is hot or not?

When it doubt, avoid. Play it safe.

The other part of my problem is my own way of viewing myself. If you ever talked to me in person, I could give a more accurate demonstration, but I'm a world-class liar. I know exactly how to work it so that I can make a person totally believe one thing without actually lying most of the time. The devil is in the details. So the odd part is that, while I'm quite amazing at this, I also detest lying. In fact, I think it's pretty obvious I often are a little too honest. The biggest reason I do this has nothing to do with anyone else, but has to do with the fact that it's a coping mechanism for me. I don't do well keeping stuff bottled up. I'd much rather put everything out there and deal with the consequences than keep whatever it might be bottled up. Now the consequences at times are pretty severe, and most people would think I'm nuts. But to me, dealing with that is STILL easier than the feeling and anxiety I get keeping it bottled up. The trick I need to figure out is just knowing when to release that info/those feelings, etc.

I'm not trying to be a dick by saying this...please keep this in mind.

The problem, though - is that you cause other people anxiety & discomfort by doing this. So what you are accomplishing is projecting your own insecurities and anxiety on other people, forcing them to deal with something that should be handled by yourself & possibly a professional therapist/coach. "If they feel that way, that's their problem." - Sure, but their coping mechanism is either to avoid you altogether or make you feel uncomfortable in return.

People don't want to have to deal with your problems; they have problems and anxieties of their own, why should they cope with yours, too? You don't make it everyone else's responsibility to have to deal with the issues you may have because it makes you feel weird to bottle it up.

You need to find a different way to address this and find an outlet that doesn't negatively impact everyone around you.

I think it would be a real problem if your manager was intentionally sabotaging your work/position by falsely accusing you of things and setting you up to fail.

With management, there is a level of respect that should be followed - he's your manager, do what he asks (so long as it is within reason - the singing thing? That's really not an issue, but it sounds like you were provoking him). If it is affecting your job in a real, quantifiable way (and can be proven), then I would say something. Otherwise, it sounds like nitpicking - suck it up and wait for the right situation to complain about.

With all this said, if you and the manager don't get along, maybe it's time to find a place that is more compatible with your work style/ethic. If you can't change the culture, and it's unlikely that a manager would leave, then it's not going to be a place you are going to thrive in. The guy obviously doesn't like you, and it sounds like he might be trolling you.

Finally, I know everyone else is thinking it, but posting here about your workplace isn't a good idea. You could be in breach of some hardly known 'electronic communication policy' - I've seen people get fired for stuff like that.

The easiest test here would simply be to set up her profile on a different system altogether.

I assume OWA works?

I've had Dreamhost for a few years now, and we've never really had any issues with them, but then again, we setup our account back in 2012 or so (I can't remember).

The Control Panel is a bit kludgy, but it works. That really sucks that you had so many problems. I'd bet if I were to sign up today, I'd have similar issues.

@thecreativeone91

That I'm sure of. Like it was stated above, there's enough non-technical users downloading it to make it worth their (Adware companies) while, but your application loses credence with the technical crowd as soon as one PC is infected with something that was completely out of your control as a project submitter.

@scottalanmiller

No no. I have no problem with the source code authors making money, it's the shady tag-alongs that I have a beef with. It's a matter of principle. If I know my particular project is being sent along with a bunch of adware-laden toolbars and potentially malicious apps, what contribution am I really making?

If it were me, I'd pull any and all of my projects from any websites that package my apps with that shit.

@IRJ said:

@thecreativeone91 said:

It's a way for projects to generate income.

I find it annoying, but acceptable for freeware to bundle other programs. I've seen it on software so much that I am trained to always do custom installs and EXPECT them to try to sneak something in. Just be careful when going through the typical next, next, next procedure.

Freeware is one thing, but Open Source, I dunno. Seems like the whole 'making profit' by shady methods is kind of counter to the whole Open Source movement in general. If you want to promote sharing and code maturity via the collective, making money from some profit-centered and possibly harmful utility really accomplishes only the opposite desired effect, IMHO.

@thanksajdotcom said:

One reason I avoid CNet/Download.com. I use Ninite for everything like that nowadays.

Yes, I do like Ninite for this, but on my work PC, that's a no-no.

It seemed like it was ok for awhile, but maybe they'd never changed...? Or maybe they do that with their most popular downloads? I don't know - it just seemed like I didn't notice it until the other day...but then again, I don't download from there terribly often.

What the hell, SourceForge? I go to download FileZilla and Vipre kills it because you've packed in a bunch of adware/toolbar stupidness into your downloads again. I thought we talked about this already.

Yeah, Faildesk got compromised late last week and Dreamhost killed it on Saturday. Had to restore from backup and didn't get to the WP update until today. Had various files in my wp-content and main site directories this AM. Annoying.

Here's hoping the new release will stop the shenanigans.

@thecreativeone91 said:

@Rob-Dunn said:

@thecreativeone91 said:

Here are some open source packages:

http://open-audit.org/

Open Audit hasn't been updated in FOREVER (like since 2007), but it was kinda cool in that the inventory submission occurred via HTTP. I was a big advocate of this before I had moved to Spiceworks.

The latest version was released this month https://community.opmantek.com/display/OA/Release+Notes+for+Open-AudIT+v1.6.4

Ah - I gave up on him, but he's been touting version 2.0 since as long as I can remember...

@thecreativeone91 said:

Here are some open source packages:

http://open-audit.org/

Open Audit hasn't been updated in FOREVER (like since 2007), but it was kinda cool in that the inventory submission occurred via HTTP. I was a big advocate of this before I had moved to Spiceworks.