Daytripper(github.com)
github.com
Daytripper
https://github.com/dekuNukem/daytripper
203 comments
Why do nothing, when you could instead get a second (remote) job and then make 200% salary by doing your second job during your first job's working hours?
True story. When I was an overnight computer operator, the guy working the other nights had a second job working in a package shipping warehouse. He’d come in, fire off a bunch of jobs, go to his second job, return at lunch time, fire off the next batch of jobs, and then be back before any of the rest of the office came in for the day to catch up on the rest.
He got caught because the timing didn’t quite work out and he was always behind in the morning. They checked cameras because of it and he admitted it when confronted.
I remember thinking a simple batch script could have done that job but I was smart enough not to write it. I hadn’t thought of writing it and then just getting a second job...
He got caught because the timing didn’t quite work out and he was always behind in the morning. They checked cameras because of it and he admitted it when confronted.
I remember thinking a simple batch script could have done that job but I was smart enough not to write it. I hadn’t thought of writing it and then just getting a second job...
Had someone do this at a job I used to work with. Bosses never caught on and as far as I know he's still doing it. It's a big company where 80% of the things we made wouldn't ever see the light of day, which is perfect for something like that.
I agree, this is basically the recipe to wither oneself. Getting lazy and doing nothing becomes a habit hard to get rid of...
This is like adding an event listener to door open and providing a callback. It's pretty great
This reminds me of the old boss key:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boss_key
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boss_key
Exactly what I was thinking.
I remember being so confused by it as a kid when I saw it in games. Like, why do you need a key that displays a fake DOS prompt?
I remember being so confused by it as a kid when I saw it in games. Like, why do you need a key that displays a fake DOS prompt?
Dave was fired because every time his boss walked by his desk he was staring at his desktop.
At his next job, Dave tried the custom setup and his boss now thinks he's always writing emails.
What good are all those pretty wallpapers if we don't take a moment to appreciate them?
This is why I built a custom tool to automatically hide all "marked" windows as soon as I switch off of them.
Could be integrated with something like this pretty easily.
Could be integrated with something like this pretty easily.
I'd use a separate virtual desktop for off-topic tasks, then just switch to that. Simple command in Linux, probably also in Windows
I tried this but found the shift between desktops far more jarring, people would definitely know you were up to sow thing if all of a sudden multiple monitors jump to a whole different set of windows, compared to just hiding one or two small ones.
> Execute a custom script
an option
an option
Looks like it doesn't work anymore, but at one point someone styled reddit to look like you were reading a Word document: https://pcottle.github.io/MSWorddit/
This reminds me of https://netflixhangouts.com/
I once did a stealth chat client.
In emission mode, it logs keystrokes and sends them as messages.
In reception mode, it autotypes the replies.
The idea was that you can open your usual work editor (word processor, IDE, spreadsheet, ...) and use it as a chat client.
It was more like a proof of concept, it didn't work that great and wasn't really useful. Also such a tool is likely to trigger all kinds of alerts in antivirus software, for good reasons.
The idea was that you can open your usual work editor (word processor, IDE, spreadsheet, ...) and use it as a chat client.
It was more like a proof of concept, it didn't work that great and wasn't really useful. Also such a tool is likely to trigger all kinds of alerts in antivirus software, for good reasons.
There is also https://github.com/michael-lazar/rtv which lets you browse reddit from a terminal
And of course http://codereddit.com!
Which is unfortunately not maintained anymore: https://github.com/michael-lazar/rtv/issues/696
`rtv` is now `tuir` [0].
[0]: https://gitlab.com/ajak/tuir
[0]: https://gitlab.com/ajak/tuir
Looks like the site depends on yql which was sunset on Jan. 3rd, 2019: https://twitter.com/ydn/status/1079785891558653952?lang=en
similar but styled as code: http://codereddit.com/
Why is there a receiver, instead of running an app on the receiving system to listen for bluetooth/http/etc messages?
This would work on a locked-down corporate PC where one couldn't install random applications.
Exactly; it just emulates an USB keyboard and sends keypresses.
Maybe because something needs to be at each end, to shine a laser at one end and to detect it at the other. Or you could use a reflector, but that's still two objects.
You don't need a reflector in the majority of cases, shining an IR laser onto a wall/door frame a couple of meters away is usually a big enough bright spot to drive a phototransistor pointing at (nearly) the same spot.
It's not using the TX and RX sides to form a beam, it's using a ToF distance sensor.
Usb dongle as keyboard send keys and I think he's using a nrf24l01+ for wireless comms
If you have a web camera and use Windows, you can use this thing I wrote forever ago:
https://rearviewmirror.cc/
https://rearviewmirror.cc/
Do modern notebooks still have vibration sensors? I think old ones had them in the hard drives, to protect them from damage. But SSDs wouldn't need that anymore.
In any case, I wonder if detecting vibrations and recognizing the boss via machine learning wouldn't be more elegant.
In any case, I wonder if detecting vibrations and recognizing the boss via machine learning wouldn't be more elegant.
Well, gait is usable as a biometric identifier. While most approaches use video analysis, I found this a paper [1] that is about identifying people through footstep induced structural vibration using a geophone[2].
It would be quite interesting if it is possible to measure the structural vibration using a laptops or smartphones built in accelerometers.
But I think acoustic sensors would be a better way. Or a combination of both options.
Interesting - can you provide [1] and [2] please?
Yikes, it was a bit too late in my timezone, sorry.
[1]: https://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/shijiapa/documentations/Hotm...
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geophone
[1]: https://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/shijiapa/documentations/Hotm...
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geophone
webcam vibration changing the field of view could be a decent proxy for laptops.
Would the vibration sensors be sensitive enough to detect vibrations from a walking person
I applaud the amount of effort that went in to being this lazy.
A version of this that's somehow aware of whether or not I'm at my desk, then puts the machine to sleep anytime anyone else touches a key would be kind of cool.
Maybe some kind of proximity sensor that you could stick to a badge or in your wallet? It would need to still allow you to login and perhaps offer a password to disable in case you forgot your sensor, but seems vaguely plausible?
EDIT: Read more of the usage guide, seems even more plausible now, although I guess it all depends on the reliability of the proximity sensor.
Maybe some kind of proximity sensor that you could stick to a badge or in your wallet? It would need to still allow you to login and perhaps offer a password to disable in case you forgot your sensor, but seems vaguely plausible?
EDIT: Read more of the usage guide, seems even more plausible now, although I guess it all depends on the reliability of the proximity sensor.
There used to be variations on this that tied to your smart phone or watch. I don't recall if this is currently supported by iOS.
But I got a Symbian phone shortly before working at a place where you had to keep your desktop locked at all times. There was an app that would lock your desktop on loss of Bluetooth connection at that time BT range was for all practical purposes less than 30 feet.
But I got a Symbian phone shortly before working at a place where you had to keep your desktop locked at all times. There was an app that would lock your desktop on loss of Bluetooth connection at that time BT range was for all practical purposes less than 30 feet.
Did it care if there was activity on your machine? I always worry about the system failing with these sorts of things.
It triggered on the edge condition. When your phone died you knew because the screen would lock but after that you were fine.
Someone broke one of the APIs it depended on as I recall. But I know Apple was talking about providing something similar circa apple watch v2.
I thought I really needed that sort of functionality but I think the fact that I haven't been bothered to try to figure it out says that I don't really need it.
Someone broke one of the APIs it depended on as I recall. But I know Apple was talking about providing something similar circa apple watch v2.
I thought I really needed that sort of functionality but I think the fact that I haven't been bothered to try to figure it out says that I don't really need it.
Somewhat related, Windows 10 allows you to pair it to a phone with Bluetooth support. When you log into or unlock the device with that phone in proximity then walk away with the device on your person, your PC/laptop will lock immediately.
Same on Linux using blueproximity, which has been around for over a decade. Any paired device works, including BT headphones and such.
USBKill (https://github.com/hephaest0s/usbkill) lists one approach to solving that problem in its README:
- Set USBKill to watch the status of a particular USB port
- Attach a lanyard to a USB key
- Wear the lanyard on your wrist
- Plug the USB key you're wearing into the port USBKill is watching
Then anytime you step away from the machine, USBKill would notice the removal of the key and shut it down.
- Set USBKill to watch the status of a particular USB port
- Attach a lanyard to a USB key
- Wear the lanyard on your wrist
- Plug the USB key you're wearing into the port USBKill is watching
Then anytime you step away from the machine, USBKill would notice the removal of the key and shut it down.
That is a rather different USBKill than I expected. https://usbkill.com/ sells something that you should REALLY never plug in to a computer you want to keep.
This would just result in my yanking my laptop off the desk every time I got up.
I think with a short USB extension cord it could work. Moving away would angle the cord at just the right angle to pull the device out (from the end closer to you -- the other end would be at an angle and stay inside from friction).
YubiKey with smartcard set up. Set it up if smartcard gets removed, computer gets locked. Works on macOS.
Probably an RFID would be better. There are some articles about doing pub/priv key auth using an RFID device, this would be good because nobody could snoop your RFID signal and replay it.
The YouTube channel being watched in the GIF is Technology Connections. Excellent quirky technical content about old hardware.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy0tKL1T7wFoYcxCe0xjN6Q
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy0tKL1T7wFoYcxCe0xjN6Q
He's watching Technology Connections on you tube, which is an excellent choice. Highly recommended.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy0tKL1T7wFoYcxCe0xjN6Q
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy0tKL1T7wFoYcxCe0xjN6Q
He's also playing Broken Reality, a silly game parodying the internet. It's pretty good.
I remember some guy at Verizon outsourcing his entire job to china. He was consistently getting top marks and promotions while all he was doing was looking at cat pictures all day.
Daytripper is level 1. Outsourcing your job to China is level 2.
Something just clicked in my head. Start up idea!
Daytripper is level 1. Outsourcing your job to China is level 2.
Something just clicked in my head. Start up idea!
Level 3 = Level 2 + WFH.
Level 4 = Level 3 + outsource the status reporting to a local, and simply H instead of WFH.
You have now achieved the goal set by Tim F, and you can replace those cat pics with a real physical cat.
Level 4 = Level 3 + outsource the status reporting to a local, and simply H instead of WFH.
You have now achieved the goal set by Tim F, and you can replace those cat pics with a real physical cat.
Level 5 = create a startup that does this as a service.
Level 6 = Outsource the creation of this startup to management in China.
1st Dan = Single handedly start a tech bubble investing in this kind of startup and startups that provide services to it.
Is this really a ubiquitous thing in the US? Office jobs were you are paid for having your body present, regardless of whether you slack off most of the time?
Who pays for this? Isn't it terribly inefficient?
I mean, if there's just not a lot of work to do, you could also have shorter work weeks. And you would, if your boss could trust you to not slack off every time they turn their backs?
Wouldn't it be more logical to do your work and then have actual time off, instead of pretending the work takes much longer than it actually does?
Who pays for this? Isn't it terribly inefficient?
I mean, if there's just not a lot of work to do, you could also have shorter work weeks. And you would, if your boss could trust you to not slack off every time they turn their backs?
Wouldn't it be more logical to do your work and then have actual time off, instead of pretending the work takes much longer than it actually does?
Okay, that's neat. Now someone needs to figure out how to detect someone walking by using fluctuations in the wifi signal strength.
It's been done, at least something tangentially close. http://news.mit.edu/2018/artificial-intelligence-senses-peop...
Or use the monitor camera and opencv to detect faces/eyeballs in the background lurking or peering at your monitor.
Spinning this up with a bounding box facial detection algorithm and triggering Amazon Recognition against a constrained data set of authorized users is day-projectable :)
[deleted]
Oh hey. I just used some SPI-based Nixie tube drivers that this same tindie user made. I've been super impressed!
Came to say something similar - in the spirit of his/hers exixe tube thing, I made a similar one but with msp430 (since I'm very familiar with it) and cleaner layout of the transistors. Looks good and have baked a couple, but I'm not getting good results on flashing the msp430. For some reason it's flaky as hell, and I don't have the time to investigate more.
I could see real uses for these, but I'd want questions answered first such as whether they're specifically paired, where the programming is stored, what data passes wirelessly, whether there could be any way the receiver could act as an open HID receiver device, what the number of triggers is, etc.
From a quick glance, it's a custom radio packet using a common 2.4 GHz proprietary radio (clone of nrf 24L01), and it doesn't really need more than that. Adding complex pairing and so on would likely kill this fun passion project way long before finishing.
I wonder how far you could get at doing this with no additional hardware. Could a smart enough AI detect the boss's voice with the microphone? Some other mannerism like the way they clear their throat? Face detection with the camera? Maybe something with Bluetooth or WiFi and the boss's smart phone?
Last one sounds the most promising, if clients (rather than base stations) can be uniquely identified, and often enough to be practical. I know that base stations send a beacon out x times per second, but phones probably don't.
Reminds me of Uplink's Motion Sensor.
Such a great game. I still listen to the soundtrack every once in a while, it just nails that y2k atmosphere so well
I could use this going the other way:
Put one of these near an information radiator to kick it out of doze mode.
Put one of these near an information radiator to kick it out of doze mode.
I didn't dig through the code too much but it looks like the receiver just acts like a USB keyboard. So, you could probably modify the script to send some innocuous keyboard "input" that would knock off the screensaver (to show your radiator) instead of sending the close window and lock commands.
This is amazing, and I also would like to make a meta comment about how creative "dekuNukem" is as a screen name.
Re: custom script, can I plug the receiver into, say, a RP0 and fire off an arbitrary webhook?
Re: custom script, can I plug the receiver into, say, a RP0 and fire off an arbitrary webhook?
Adding to your metacomment, "Daytripper" is an excellent name, and a great nod to the Beatles track.
A job is simply the key to the building, what you do after is up to you
I forgot what it feels like to have to hide my screwing around. I've been working from home for the last 6 years.
Nice. Should really use BLE though so you don't need the receiver - nRF52 or ESP32 are the best options.
With that, you'd need a client software on the computer, pairing etc. His receiver acts like a keyboard that just sends win+m when triggered. Neater, imho.
That's what I thought. With an ESP32 and a cheaper sensor (a maybe a simple ultrasonic one) you could hack together something similar for less about ten dollars.
There always comes times when there is not much happening development is going on.
In my earlier company due to the same situation, I started contributing an open-source project and build side projects.
Not as a consultant though, never a dull day/hour in the day.
Anyone here know of a timing- and cryptographically-secured laser tripwire? I've tried it before, but it seems like there's some work involved in tuning these things just right.
Couldn't you do the same thing with a sonic range finder? That wouldn't require a receiver, so you could put everything onto the one USB device.
The idea is to put the tripwire on the path to your approach. That’s the reason a send and receive is needed.
Does anyone know of components to DIY this type of project? I like the idea and its size, mainly the laser tripwire.
Almost certainly using a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor. They became available about 5 years ago for use as smartphone proximity sensors, but they have a range of around 1m.
https://www.adafruit.com/product/3317
https://www.adafruit.com/product/3317
Thanks for the info!
I would really like one of these that did some level of face/gaze detection; open workspaces...
[Boss Walks in]
[Dave intensely staring at the desktop]
Boss: empty deskopt...not suspicious at all.
An iPhone X, or other similar phones, could probably be used as a motion detector as well?
what's the advantage of using two laser sensors vs a single IR sensor for the motion detection? (other than the badass Mission Impossible factor)
edit: I'll leave this comment for posterity, but I previously misunderstood the meanings of the Tx and Rx sensors
edit: I'll leave this comment for posterity, but I previously misunderstood the meanings of the Tx and Rx sensors
And to help anyone else who might be confused, the device comes in two parts, a "transmitter" and a "receiver". But the transmitter detects motion by itself without needing another piece placed on the other side of the door, and the receiver is what plugs into the computer to know when to hide the windows (or execute the custom command).
I wish I could upvote this multiple times. Lmao - amazing!
Good luck if you're in an open office!
Very cool product, but I think $60 for something that looks like max $10 parts is way too expensive.
BoM is only part of the story, though.
I know that the cost of development is not only materials, but the code is already Open Source on github, so a company could use it and sell the devices for $15. I don't know anything about the platform the device is sold on, but
if you want to support the dev you could donate as much as you want, no need to pay for an overpriced product. I assume it is the premium you pay for a "handmade" product.
The best kind of "screwing around" is screwing around in plain sight. Once, I had a fresh grad in my team and I had to get him up to speed. I noticed he was taking more than the usual time to do basic tasks, yet whenever I passed by his desk, he had three terminals open and had c++ code here and there and compilation errors on another window. Two months later, he would move to a different company. Turns out that he was just practicing his programming skills, and all of this time I assumed he was working on assigned tasks.
EDIT: spelling
EDIT: spelling
See also: converting your current Kindle read to plain text and pasting it into your ide or email editor...
We need more "plain sight slacking" tips to be on the lookout for, so we can stay vigilant.
We need more "plain sight slacking" tips to be on the lookout for, so we can stay vigilant.
I feel that it's easier just to have clear tasks with deadlines, using decent project management software like say Asana, Monday, or whatever.
If they're meeting the deadlines and the work is good, why bother wasting time being big bro and treating them like a child? Why not just go by results? (you can check commits as well, and CI not going off will at least tell you nothing is broken)
If they're meeting the deadlines and the work is good, why bother wasting time being big bro and treating them like a child? Why not just go by results? (you can check commits as well, and CI not going off will at least tell you nothing is broken)
If you work in an environment where you're expected to be busy at all times even without much to do - well.. things like this come in handy.
Once had a well paying job that I kind of got tired of not having much to do (long story: tried to quit, offered to be available on contract basis, nope they gave me awesome retention bonus, was asked to just stick around until company does X Y Z). Anyway I came in late, took 2 hour lunch, left early. Still was tired of being bored and was all caught up on YouTube. Got to the point I just told boss I’m not playing this pretend work game anymore, in fact I’m not even going to check my email anymore, call me when you need something from me. I did about 2-4 hours of work per month for several months. Picked up another job, eventually the company had done XYZ and they paid me retention and a 12 month severance. Never understood any of it, but didn’t complain.
I agree. I'm just questioning the management logic of being "expected to be busy at all times even without much to do". I remember some papers linking boredom and leisure activity with creativity. Creativity is important for programming.
I'm expected to appear busy ;-)
Oh god not Asana.
Curious. Why don't you like Asana? What do you prefer instead?
Or, realize how much work you actually need the worker to do, and stop insisting on 40+ hour work weeks. Pay them for the work they are doing, not their hours. That's what salary positions are SUPPOSED to exist for. If they complete their tasks quickly, then let them go home.
In school I'd SSH into my home server and use lynx to browse the web.
(Sshing got me around the firewall at school.)
(Sshing got me around the firewall at school.)
> Two months later, he would move to a different company. Turns out that he was just practicing his programming skills
People sometimes challenge Google's interviewing process as being unnecessarily stringent. What I can say about it is that you won't find BS like this happening at Google.
People sometimes challenge Google's interviewing process as being unnecessarily stringent. What I can say about it is that you won't find BS like this happening at Google.
This is bullshit. Why would any interview process filter out the factors that lead to screwing around, working on other things, or just burnout? They won’t and they can’t, as these are dynamic factors. Also I’m curious as to why you think a white board interview of all things is the deciding factor in at even minimizing this behavior.
A plausible reason why these behaviors are less common at google and Facebook etc is that they are paying much closer to “efficiency wages”.. if you’re working at the typical tech or Corp company you’re probably making shit pay, and why wouldn’t you study to get something better..
Google pays much better than average and is already top resume signaling, there’s just much less incentive to screw around.
Googles process is still not fantastic at filtering for general critical thinking.
Irony: the person referred to in the story may very well ended up at Google.
I know this possibility first hand. I worked for a shit shop nearby a Google office. My own fucking manager did whiteboard practice and ended up at google a few months later.
A plausible reason why these behaviors are less common at google and Facebook etc is that they are paying much closer to “efficiency wages”.. if you’re working at the typical tech or Corp company you’re probably making shit pay, and why wouldn’t you study to get something better..
Google pays much better than average and is already top resume signaling, there’s just much less incentive to screw around.
Googles process is still not fantastic at filtering for general critical thinking.
Irony: the person referred to in the story may very well ended up at Google.
I know this possibility first hand. I worked for a shit shop nearby a Google office. My own fucking manager did whiteboard practice and ended up at google a few months later.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong but google officially gives 20% of your time to screw around.
I don’t think it’s a free pass quite like that.
Nor at many other companies either which are not doing Google or FANG-style interview.
Probably because Google's corporate spyware is better.
[deleted]
I bet Ross Ulbricht wishes he had this.
(context) https://www.businessinsider.com/the-arrest-of-silk-road-mast...
(context) https://www.businessinsider.com/the-arrest-of-silk-road-mast...
> * Execute a custom script
rm -rf /*Reading this written on a screen stresses me out a little bit. Just knowing that you likely typed those letters on your keyboard...
why? the data is easily recoverable.
# dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev
dd's destruction is gated by the device's write performance and so data may be recoverable if the operation is interrupted.
For those of us with SSDs that transparently leverage AES encryption, the following generates a new keypair and marks all cells as empty instantly nuking it (and restoring the device's write performance to factory-fresh):
For those of us with SSDs that transparently leverage AES encryption, the following generates a new keypair and marks all cells as empty instantly nuking it (and restoring the device's write performance to factory-fresh):
# hdparm --user-master u --security-set-pass p /dev/sdX; hdparm --user-master u --security-erase-enhanced p /dev/sdX
I read somewhere this doesn't really work anymore on common distros for reasons I don't remember. Not that I'm gonna test it.
Most `rm` impls default to `--preserve-root` now, so you need to `rm --no-preserve-root`.
it prevents against `rm -rf /`, not `rm -rf /*` does it?
Probably. The star would involve shell globbing. [edit for clarification: I meant that you’re probably right]
[deleted]
I have always been curious.. is there a better way of accomplishing this?
Start by not relying on Full Disk Encryption, which you should absolutely have enabled but should probably, from an OPSEC perspective, pretend does not exist.
On modern operating systems you can generally mount and unmount virtual encrypted volumes that are open (ideally) only when you're actually using them to do work with their contents. There used to be a great macOS tool, called Knox, that did this graphically.
On modern operating systems you can generally mount and unmount virtual encrypted volumes that are open (ideally) only when you're actually using them to do work with their contents. There used to be a great macOS tool, called Knox, that did this graphically.
> On modern operating systems you can generally mount and unmount virtual encrypted volumes that are open (ideally) only when you're actually using them to do work with their contents. There used to be a great macOS tool, called Knox, that did this graphically.
Cryptomator [1], cross-platform as well.
[1] https://cryptomator.org/
Cryptomator [1], cross-platform as well.
[1] https://cryptomator.org/
The nice thing about Knox is that it just wrapped macOS's built in XTS support. XTS sucks, but you didn't have to think much about what Knox itself was doing. Cryptomator implemented their own FUSE filesystem, and it's a strange collection of SIV, CTR, HMAC, and scrypt. I should like it a lot because I generally like filesystem encryption, but I'd have to actually read it carefully before using it.
There's a Cure53 "audit" of it, like for everything else, but to give a sense of how reliable it was, they flagged ECB mode... in the project's implementation of SIV mode.
There's a Cure53 "audit" of it, like for everything else, but to give a sense of how reliable it was, they flagged ECB mode... in the project's implementation of SIV mode.
I run Linux and use full disk encryption, but I also have a few encrypted directories using EncFS. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EncFS
Right now it's just for sensitive documents (i.e., anything that could be used to steal my identity). I used to also store my passwords in an encrypted directory, but now I've migrated to a password manager (which of course has an encrypted database).
If someone steals my computer while it's on and the drive is decrypted, they won't be able to obtain the most sensitive information the vast majority of the time.
Right now it's just for sensitive documents (i.e., anything that could be used to steal my identity). I used to also store my passwords in an encrypted directory, but now I've migrated to a password manager (which of course has an encrypted database).
If someone steals my computer while it's on and the drive is decrypted, they won't be able to obtain the most sensitive information the vast majority of the time.
Use an encrypted disk, and overwrite the master keys (something like `cryptsetup luksErase <device>` on Linux, probably a combo of `fdesetup list`, `fdesetup remove` and `fdesetup removerecovery` for macOS) and then force a shutdown.
I suspect you can leverage GNU Parallel to get this faster
EDIT: Yup, looks like a clever person figured this out https://serverfault.com/questions/46852/doing-an-rm-rf-on-a-...
EDIT: Yup, looks like a clever person figured this out https://serverfault.com/questions/46852/doing-an-rm-rf-on-a-...
ATA secure erase.
https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/ATA_Secure_Erase
https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/ATA_Secure_Erase
More info: http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/secure-erase-hdds-ss...
Also for nvme SSDs.
Also for nvme SSDs.
Haven't tried it, but Google has a "macdestroyer" script in their macops repo which looks interesting:
https://github.com/google/macops/tree/master/macdestroyer
https://github.com/google/macops/tree/master/macdestroyer
I suppose you could try wiring the receiver up to a USB killer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_Killer)...
Though if you do that, you'll want to be extremely diligent about minding where you step :-D
Though if you do that, you'll want to be extremely diligent about minding where you step :-D
You'd need to make sure it actually works, on Macbooks for example the USB ports are all fused so it only kills your USB ports but the rest of the computer is unaffected.
Not sure I believe that. I've watched Louis Rossmann talking about Apple's fuses.
I swear I saw a video of someone doing it but can't find it on a cursory look and it seems the latest macbook has been killed by one. Or at least it turned off, the person videoing didn't try turning it back on to make sure it wasn't just a safety tripping the whole power system.
Use full-disk encryption (presumably this is table stakes for anyone with this level of paranoia) using two factors - your passphrase decrypts a keyfile, then the keyfile is used to decrypt the partition.
If you destroy the keyfile, then even knowledge of the passphrase won't allow you to decrypt the data. This can be used to defeat a rubber-hose attack [0].
Standard security vs. convenience trade-off applies, of course - if you keep the keyfile on a USB key, then if the USB key fails you lose access to your data. If you keep a backup of the keyfile somewhere else, then access to that backup plus a rubber-hose attack to get your passphrase allows an attacker to decrypt your data.
0: https://xkcd.com/538/
If you destroy the keyfile, then even knowledge of the passphrase won't allow you to decrypt the data. This can be used to defeat a rubber-hose attack [0].
Standard security vs. convenience trade-off applies, of course - if you keep the keyfile on a USB key, then if the USB key fails you lose access to your data. If you keep a backup of the keyfile somewhere else, then access to that backup plus a rubber-hose attack to get your passphrase allows an attacker to decrypt your data.
0: https://xkcd.com/538/
I believe reading that Ross Ulbrict's computer was completely encrypted and only accessible with a passphrase. The minute he logged out or closed his laptop's lide, the information was completely locked down.
IIRC, they were able to get his information by an elaborate scheme acted out by plainclothes police where they grabbed his PC while his computer was unlocked. Without looking it up, I think someone bumped into him and one officer took his laptop while another one on the other side grabbed his phone.
IIRC, they were able to get his information by an elaborate scheme acted out by plainclothes police where they grabbed his PC while his computer was unlocked. Without looking it up, I think someone bumped into him and one officer took his laptop while another one on the other side grabbed his phone.
Two plain clothes FBI officers followed him into the Glen Park public library. A third, undercover, agent contacted Ross online and asked him to log into the silk road backend to fix something. The plainclothes engaged in a fake lover's tiff right behind Ross' chair, who then turned around to see what the commotion was. When he did so, the male officer pushed the laptop to the female officer, who took it and began extracting evidence. Ross stood up, and then was arrested without resistance. Evidence gathering happened in the library.
You still need to do something to prevent a cold-boot attack [0].
0: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_boot_attack
0: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_boot_attack
Maybe try sdmem: http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/man1/sdmem.1.html
Put it in a bash script with the above luks commands and profit.
Put it in a bash script with the above luks commands and profit.
Rip the drive out and drop it in a strong degausser
Thermite!
echo 'Hello World' > /dev/sda
or
mv / /dev/null
or
mv / /dev/null
No and no.
Oh yeah, you'll need root ofc., add 'sudo !!' and enter pass.
Joke aside: I misunderstood what was asked it appears. Re-reading the original post I'm still unsure what is asked.
But to be clear, you shouldn't use these commands if you wish to erase sensitive information, albeit if you use full disk encryption it will not really remove or add any value I suppose.
If you want to be sure you could overwrite the disk with random random bits or use a degausser which is properly the most complete/sure method of erasure.
Joke aside: I misunderstood what was asked it appears. Re-reading the original post I'm still unsure what is asked.
But to be clear, you shouldn't use these commands if you wish to erase sensitive information, albeit if you use full disk encryption it will not really remove or add any value I suppose.
If you want to be sure you could overwrite the disk with random random bits or use a degausser which is properly the most complete/sure method of erasure.
execute order 6-6
off-topic, but Daytripper is also the name of a very good graphic novel.
And Beatles song.
Double A side with We Can Work it Out. Immediately preceded and followed depending on territory by stuff like Yesterday, Nowhere Man, Paperback Writer etc. Extraordinary.
On reflection they probably would have had no need for a device like this...
On reflection they probably would have had no need for a device like this...
Thanks for this comment. It reminds me that somehow, I discovered some of those before sitting down with Rubber Soul or Revolver.
great stuff, lol
Handy!
Why not Bluetooth?
Why not Bluetooth?
It still amazes me, to this day, that people have jobs where they have the time to screw around on their computer all day. How do these jobs continue to exist?
I think people screw around for a fraction of the day, as a break from coding all day. It might make you more efficient overall. A bit like HIIT training for 10km vs. sprinting 10km. Also if the work is getting done its probably OK. When you buy that $10/month plan from Netflix, do you want to know that someone was working hard (not slacking) for 10 minutes at $60/hr ... or do you want to reliably watch movies?
I screw around at least 25% of the time as a dev
If you don't mind me asking, how do get all of your work done? Are you standing by on-call in case something goes wrong? Are you waiting on someone to deliver assets required for your next task? Do you lie about how long it takes to complete tasks? Honestly curious as I cannot remember a time where I had the free time to just screw around for any meaningful portion of my day.
A lot of jobs (even as developers) in large companies have a positive correlation between butt in seat time and the perception of getting work done, but there usually isn’t enough work to do to fill the entire time. Most people work jobs that they aren’t truly passionate about.
But again, why lie about it?
To not embarrass everybody else who are also doing it, not least your boss.
Why would it be embarrassing to state "I currently have nothing to do right now, is there anything available I can help with." if you cannot figure out anything productive you could be doing on your own.
Are people's managers actually saying to them, "Yes, there is nothing you can do right now, just sit in your seat and do nothing until I come get you"? I've never had that experience, and is why I'm asking about it.
Are people's managers actually saying to them, "Yes, there is nothing you can do right now, just sit in your seat and do nothing until I come get you"? I've never had that experience, and is why I'm asking about it.
If you don’t enjoy your job, then it might be better to get done what is expected of you and enjoy the rest of the time you have to spend butt-in-chair doing something else, instead of intentionally piling more unenjoyable work on your platter. Especially if the manager isn’t technical: just don’t tell them you’re done and spend that time doing something else.
Of course it completely depends on your work situation and the relationship with your manager, as well as how socially acceptable it is in your organization. I think lots of the people doing it had slacked off in high school and college and gotten away with it.
Your relationship with your work and your time is probably much healthier, so I wouldn’t start screwing around during work hours now.
Of course it completely depends on your work situation and the relationship with your manager, as well as how socially acceptable it is in your organization. I think lots of the people doing it had slacked off in high school and college and gotten away with it.
Your relationship with your work and your time is probably much healthier, so I wouldn’t start screwing around during work hours now.
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Because being "the guy who's always looking for stuff to do" translates into "first guy laid off".
Hey, I thought it was obvious. "Yes, there is nothing you can do right now, just sit in your seat and do nothing until I come get you" is not something a manager want to say. That seems downright incompetent. So the idea is, don't put them in a position where they would have to say this.
I'm not saying it's always like this, but it happens.
I'm not saying it's always like this, but it happens.
So you never find yourself working on a hard problem that you can't immediately solve, decide to get up and walk around to see who else is free then start talking for a bit before returning to your desk to find that your hard problem isn't so hard and now you have the solution? Of course, my problem is I WFH, so I end up talking to the kids stuffed animals. They don't really carry on good conversations.
For sure. But that is working. I'm talking about all these stories of trying to prevent their boss from catching them playing games or surfing the web etc. If I did that I would fall way behind the work that needs to get done.
That's why I wonder if maybe I'm missing something about other people's work days. Because, not only is it kind of sad, it also seems like actual criminal fraud to lie to people about what you are doing while they are paying to be doing something.
That's why I wonder if maybe I'm missing something about other people's work days. Because, not only is it kind of sad, it also seems like actual criminal fraud to lie to people about what you are doing while they are paying to be doing something.
Assuming you are salaried, you are paid to solve problems, not run out the clock.
Personally, I often have what I suppose you could think of as a "priority queue" of things going on in my head. Some of those may not be work related. If I have something "high priority" that I cannot get my mind off of, it is to everyone's benefit that I take care of that item so I can get on to work-related tasks.
I think being distracted at work is not a "stick it to the man" activity for most people. It is just incredibly difficult to be actively providing value for a full work day. Humans need breaks. Same reason why there is the joke about construction crews always just sitting around.
I've heard before as a criticism of Agile that "it's not a sprint, it's a marathon". I would take it even further: Being a professional isn't a marathon. It's a migration. You are going to be at this a very long time, and you need to go at a pace that you can sustain for years on end.
Personally, I often have what I suppose you could think of as a "priority queue" of things going on in my head. Some of those may not be work related. If I have something "high priority" that I cannot get my mind off of, it is to everyone's benefit that I take care of that item so I can get on to work-related tasks.
I think being distracted at work is not a "stick it to the man" activity for most people. It is just incredibly difficult to be actively providing value for a full work day. Humans need breaks. Same reason why there is the joke about construction crews always just sitting around.
I've heard before as a criticism of Agile that "it's not a sprint, it's a marathon". I would take it even further: Being a professional isn't a marathon. It's a migration. You are going to be at this a very long time, and you need to go at a pace that you can sustain for years on end.
> It is just incredibly difficult to be actively providing value for a full work day.
Then go home? Otherwise you are just lying to your employer and perpetuating a false pretense that their employees are being productive for a full day.
If I'm not being productive and I can't finish any more work, I just go home. I don't sit there and lie about what I'm doing and pretend to be doing something I'm not.
I should clarify that my issue is about faking it. Needing a boss button to hide what you were actually doing.
Also, we all know that software developers are not really salaried employees. It was a loophole created after IBM lost a lawsuit. After some lobbying we were made explicitly exempt. So we really are just paid to "run out the clock". We are not managers or administrative people. We just do labor like any other tradesperson.
Then go home? Otherwise you are just lying to your employer and perpetuating a false pretense that their employees are being productive for a full day.
If I'm not being productive and I can't finish any more work, I just go home. I don't sit there and lie about what I'm doing and pretend to be doing something I'm not.
I should clarify that my issue is about faking it. Needing a boss button to hide what you were actually doing.
Also, we all know that software developers are not really salaried employees. It was a loophole created after IBM lost a lawsuit. After some lobbying we were made explicitly exempt. So we really are just paid to "run out the clock". We are not managers or administrative people. We just do labor like any other tradesperson.
You have an interesting view of the world. We must work under very different circumstances.
I'm curious, what do you feel is the difference? Are you saying that you frequently lie to people you work with and that you feel that is acceptable? Or are you talking about having extra free time where you don't actually have any additional work?
>Then go home? Otherwise you are just lying to your employer and perpetuating a false pretense that their employees are being productive for a full day.
I am remote half the time. I'm not lying to anyone about anything. The measure of what I accomplish is our ticketing / planning system and the pull requests I put up to complete the various work tickets.
There is no reason to go home when I have a ten minute task I need to take care of. Same as a construction worker doesn't go home just because he needs to sit and rest for five minutes.
An example of when I would close a browser tab or switch away to another screen is when I'm having a personal conversation or looking into something banking related. I would do the same if someone came into the room even in a non-work setting.
> Also, we all know that software developers are not really salaried employees. It was a loophole created after IBM lost a lawsuit. After some lobbying we were made explicitly exempt. So we really are just paid to "run out the clock". We are not managers or administrative people. We just do labor like any other tradesperson.
Maybe there is a fancy technical definition of salaried that I am not grasping, but I get paid $X / year, with a predictable paycheck each week. I am not paid at an hourly rate. To me that is salaried.
> Are you saying that you frequently lie to people you work with and that you feel that is acceptable?
I never said I was lying to anyone. I don't think anyone in this entire thread suggested lying to your employer.
> Or are you talking about having extra free time where you don't actually have any additional work?
There is always more to do. That is the nature of life. But the truth is that we are people and not machines. You can't turn on a person and expect them to keep going at a steady rate day in day out forever. That is an assembly line mentality and I won't work under such conditions, nor do I think any self-respecting software developer should.
I am remote half the time. I'm not lying to anyone about anything. The measure of what I accomplish is our ticketing / planning system and the pull requests I put up to complete the various work tickets.
There is no reason to go home when I have a ten minute task I need to take care of. Same as a construction worker doesn't go home just because he needs to sit and rest for five minutes.
An example of when I would close a browser tab or switch away to another screen is when I'm having a personal conversation or looking into something banking related. I would do the same if someone came into the room even in a non-work setting.
> Also, we all know that software developers are not really salaried employees. It was a loophole created after IBM lost a lawsuit. After some lobbying we were made explicitly exempt. So we really are just paid to "run out the clock". We are not managers or administrative people. We just do labor like any other tradesperson.
Maybe there is a fancy technical definition of salaried that I am not grasping, but I get paid $X / year, with a predictable paycheck each week. I am not paid at an hourly rate. To me that is salaried.
> Are you saying that you frequently lie to people you work with and that you feel that is acceptable?
I never said I was lying to anyone. I don't think anyone in this entire thread suggested lying to your employer.
> Or are you talking about having extra free time where you don't actually have any additional work?
There is always more to do. That is the nature of life. But the truth is that we are people and not machines. You can't turn on a person and expect them to keep going at a steady rate day in day out forever. That is an assembly line mentality and I won't work under such conditions, nor do I think any self-respecting software developer should.
What's he's really talking about is exempt vs non-exempt employees. (The exemption being from paying 1.5x for work past 40 hours a week). Most but not all salaried positions are exempt, and all hourly positions are non-exempt.
The tool this thread is about is designed with the expressed goal of changing your screen when your boss walks in.
It's a tool designed to run a command when it detects motion from its sensor. It's a clever little doodad and I'd guess most of the positive attention it's getting has nothing to do with "lying to your employer". My personal opinion is that you've taken something far too literally about the text on the landing page and missed the point of it all.
[deleted]
It's not productive to focus on mentally challenging tasks for ~8 hours a day, ~5 days a week, ~50 weeks a year. You're going to burn out insanely quickly. That kind of mindset--that idling is sad/"fraud"--is incredibly toxic, and it's the reason why US employees have terrible vacation time compared to some countries in Europe. You can take an hour-long break from work to do something relaxing/fun. It's really not a big deal, as long as you're being productive the rest of the day.
Elsewhere, you said “if I know I won’t accomplish anything else, I just go home.” What’s the difference between this and surfing the web? The “lie?” I think folks just don’t want their boss to be confronted by the lack of productivity in that moment. Being at home accomplishes the same thing. But I don’t want to go home, because I’m getting back to work in 10 minutes. And, for that matter, I’m probably putting in some time at home, because I like what I do.
Many managers don’t understand creative work because they can do 70 hrs / week answering emails. Some folks don’t have the option of going home early. Some folks are semi-on-call even though their day-to-day is more as a “solve novel problems” kind of gig.
Calling these kinds of activities lies or fraud really pisses me off, actually. You’re being paid to be a technical creative professional. The optimally productive year looks different for different personalities.
Personally, I oscillate. I tend to have an incredibly strong couple of weeks followed by a week of low productivity. Some people thrive on consistency. I do better when I can get my brain into a semi-manic hyperfocus where my task at hand is literally the only thing I’m thinking about 24/7. That also works nicely when we have an upcoming client engagement, because I’ve learned how to trigger that mentality. That’s not sustainable though. So for other weeks I want to be plugged into the workplace but don’t necessarily expect myself to be ON to the same degree. Surfing on HN or whatever gives me creative juice for the next up-week.
I’m lucky enough to have a boss who understands this dynamic. Even folks that understand themselves well enough to be great in their jobs might still have managers who don’t get it, and punish those downcycles. If the job is otherwise great, that would be a reason to tell that “lie” that, like many white lies, is primarily a social lubricant.
Many managers don’t understand creative work because they can do 70 hrs / week answering emails. Some folks don’t have the option of going home early. Some folks are semi-on-call even though their day-to-day is more as a “solve novel problems” kind of gig.
Calling these kinds of activities lies or fraud really pisses me off, actually. You’re being paid to be a technical creative professional. The optimally productive year looks different for different personalities.
Personally, I oscillate. I tend to have an incredibly strong couple of weeks followed by a week of low productivity. Some people thrive on consistency. I do better when I can get my brain into a semi-manic hyperfocus where my task at hand is literally the only thing I’m thinking about 24/7. That also works nicely when we have an upcoming client engagement, because I’ve learned how to trigger that mentality. That’s not sustainable though. So for other weeks I want to be plugged into the workplace but don’t necessarily expect myself to be ON to the same degree. Surfing on HN or whatever gives me creative juice for the next up-week.
I’m lucky enough to have a boss who understands this dynamic. Even folks that understand themselves well enough to be great in their jobs might still have managers who don’t get it, and punish those downcycles. If the job is otherwise great, that would be a reason to tell that “lie” that, like many white lies, is primarily a social lubricant.
I have definitely had jobs where it would have been possible to do this. Largely due to clueless management, endemic to Australian business in my experience. It's such an old boys club, any duffer in a suit with a red enough face and sufficiently sport-versed beery brain remnants can run companies, and they have no idea what's going on 'beneath' them.
I know of a company where someone was getting away with napping for literally hours of the work day. One day, they went to nap in their usual secret spot to find that another employee was already asleep there. They did this for weeks. There was just that much fat in the business. Big profit margins and clueless management tiers.
>How do these jobs continue to exist?
Some businesses turn a profit. They don't need to rush to keep changing everything because they're already bringing in more money (from customers, not investors) than they spend.
Some businesses turn a profit. They don't need to rush to keep changing everything because they're already bringing in more money (from customers, not investors) than they spend.
I am not judging. I've worked at places where I spent 75% of my day slacking off because the management and bureaucracy was terrible. After months of doing that, I started hating the job. I can only check facebook/reddit/pick your poison, for so long before I want to throw my computer out a window out of boredom.