Hi,
My current job requires me keep on checking a specification document for changes and incorporating the changes in the software.. This is good when the specifcation is spawning over a few 10s of pages.. But still, I didnt wanted to do it manually though... Reading the new specification over and over again and identifying the word changes, however stupid it might be... That was a painful job to do it manually.. I wanted to do this automatically. I wanted a program where I can give the two copies of a document and boom, I should get the differences whatever it is....
So far, I have using a cute little software called WinMerge. It was good. I could compare two text files, compare contents of two folders, I could merge the text files in addition to just reviewing them.. Above all, it is a sourceforge project, which will explain its credibility to most of us. But this time, my challenge was a bit different. I had to deal with PDF files... Since Winmerge didnt support pdf files (well, as of July 2006, it didn't), what I did was copy the text contents of the pdf file to a text file and then again use winmerge. Yeah, I can hear you saying "How Stupid!!". Well, I was not so for long. I realized that there should be a utility to compare pdf files as I did with text files.
I googled it and bingo! I got myself into this, DiffDoc. Well, Its not just for comparing PDF files. It has a big list of utillity softwares for comparing different type of files, converting file types to other types you want. Trust me, you might want to take a look at this beauty of a software...
I tried only 'DiffDoc' from that set for comparing my pdf files. The interface is quite simple and neat and above all, very configurable...That is the part I like the most, Configurable. I dont like to stick to the way that somebody liked. I have my own taste and will want to change the way it looks, if not the way it works. Ok then, why dont you go ahead and take a look at it, while I get some work done...
Chill out!!!
Cheers
Joe
PS: Just in case if you didnt know, Sourceforge offers a big list of softwares that you might want to check out. Find it here.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
eSnips - A Cool Sharing Site
Hi,
I had always wanted a cool online storage and sharing tool to keep all my stuff accessible from anywhere, anytime. Mostly photos are the ones that I wanted to share. You know, those fond memories of you with your loved ones. Its good to have access to them always. There might be a lot of photo sharing sites like, flickr and photobucket and ofcourse, many others.
But I got myself very much interested in eSnips.
The reason is its sheer easy to use interface and features. You can not only upload and share photos, but anything you want, if you can call it a 'file', in your PC. You can create albums, you can blog in your albums, share them with the world or with a private group. It also gives you a widget that you can place in your website or your friend's for others to visit your albums. The one coolest feature i liked in eSnips is that, you can upload stuff(again, anything) by email. You get an email with your account and when you send an email to that account with an attachment, the attachment is stored in the folder that you designate, the text portion is ignored.
The possibilities are quite huge. And recently after seeing that the users of eSnips are actually trying to sell and buy stuff online from other eSnips users, the site administrators have added a nice cool eCommerce functionality to the site as well. I havent yet checked that out personally, but it is there for the taking.
I have already uploaded some of the photos and below are some of my albums. If you want,
My Emailed Stuff
Trip to Ooty
Trip to Mahabalipuram
And hey, please dont blame me, if you cant find anything useful in the above albums. Those are pricely treasures for me, not necesarily for ya. Just get the idea of eSnips features.
You can read the techcrunch blog about eSnips, here.
Cool then, try it out...
Cheers
Joe
I had always wanted a cool online storage and sharing tool to keep all my stuff accessible from anywhere, anytime. Mostly photos are the ones that I wanted to share. You know, those fond memories of you with your loved ones. Its good to have access to them always. There might be a lot of photo sharing sites like, flickr and photobucket and ofcourse, many others.
But I got myself very much interested in eSnips.
The reason is its sheer easy to use interface and features. You can not only upload and share photos, but anything you want, if you can call it a 'file', in your PC. You can create albums, you can blog in your albums, share them with the world or with a private group. It also gives you a widget that you can place in your website or your friend's for others to visit your albums. The one coolest feature i liked in eSnips is that, you can upload stuff(again, anything) by email. You get an email with your account and when you send an email to that account with an attachment, the attachment is stored in the folder that you designate, the text portion is ignored.
The possibilities are quite huge. And recently after seeing that the users of eSnips are actually trying to sell and buy stuff online from other eSnips users, the site administrators have added a nice cool eCommerce functionality to the site as well. I havent yet checked that out personally, but it is there for the taking.
I have already uploaded some of the photos and below are some of my albums. If you want,
My Emailed Stuff
Trip to Ooty
Trip to Mahabalipuram
And hey, please dont blame me, if you cant find anything useful in the above albums. Those are pricely treasures for me, not necesarily for ya. Just get the idea of eSnips features.
You can read the techcrunch blog about eSnips, here.
Cool then, try it out...
Cheers
Joe
Learn Unix in 10 mins
A coolest tutorial I ve ever seen for any topic.. its not actually a tutorial. but jsut a web page... yeah, one single page, which can be used to brush up ur unix skills or as a reference point. This page below makes for a good unix tutorial for me, when i dont work much in unix and wanted to recall the commands to do something occasionally.
this is really cool.
Find the page here.
I think I should also mirror a copy of it somewhere... Dont know when someone will blow this off.
update: I have mirrored the page in my googlepages.
Cheers
Joe
this is really cool.
Find the page here.
I think I should also mirror a copy of it somewhere... Dont know when someone will blow this off.
update: I have mirrored the page in my googlepages.
Cheers
Joe
Friday, July 07, 2006
Software Engineering Body of Knowledge
A decent guide to the software engineering for beginners. And I would recommend this as a must read or at the least, a must have reference material.
SWEBOK – SoftWare Engineering Body Of Knowledge.
The software engineering body of knowledge is an all-inclusive term that describes the sum of knowledge within the profession of software engineering. Since it is usually not possible to put the full body of knowledge of even an emerging discipline, such as software engineering, into a single document, there is a need for a Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge. This Guide will seek to identify and describe that subset of the body of knowledge that is generally accepted, even though software engineers must be knowledgeable not only in software engineering, but also, of course, in other related disciplines.
You can either visit the site here.
or
you can go ahead and download the PDF from here.
Cheers
Joe
SWEBOK – SoftWare Engineering Body Of Knowledge.
The software engineering body of knowledge is an all-inclusive term that describes the sum of knowledge within the profession of software engineering. Since it is usually not possible to put the full body of knowledge of even an emerging discipline, such as software engineering, into a single document, there is a need for a Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge. This Guide will seek to identify and describe that subset of the body of knowledge that is generally accepted, even though software engineers must be knowledgeable not only in software engineering, but also, of course, in other related disciplines.
You can either visit the site here.
or
you can go ahead and download the PDF from here.
Cheers
Joe
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Bypass BIOS Passwords
How to Bypass BIOS Passwords
[The original story goes here. I had reproduced it here just in case that page should go off in future.]
BIOS passwords can be add extra layer of security for desktop and laptop computers, and are used to either prevent a user from changing the BIOS settings or to prevent the PC from booting without a password. BIOS passwords can also be a liability if a user forgot their passwords, or if a malicious user changes the password. Sending the unit back to the manufacturer to have the BIOS reset can be expensive and is usually not covered in an a typical warranty. However, there are a few known backdoors and other tricks of the trade that can be used to bypass or reset the BIOS password on most systems.
Backdoor Passwords
Many BIOS manufacturers have provided backdoor passwords that can be used to access the BIOS setup in the event you have lost your password. These passwords are case sensitive, so you may wish to try a variety of combinations.
WARNING: Some BIOS configurations will lock you out of the system completely if you type in an incorrect password more than 3 times. Read your manufacturers documentation for the BIOS setting before you begin typing in passwords.
Award BIOS backdoor passwords:
ALFAROME BIOSTAR KDD ZAAADA
ALLy CONCAT Lkwpeter ZBAAACA
aLLy CONDO LKWPETER ZJAAADC
aLLY Condo PINT 01322222
ALLY d8on pint 589589
aPAf djonet SER 589721
_award HLT SKY_FOX 595595
AWARD_SW J64 SYXZ 598598
AWARD?SW J256 syxz
AWARD SW J262 shift + syxz
AWARD PW j332 TTPTHA
AWKWARD j322
awkward
AMI BIOS Backdoor Passwords:
AMI BIOS PASSWORD HEWITT RAND
AMI?SW AMI_SW LKWPETER CONDO
Phoenix BIOS Backdoor Passwords:
phoenix PHOENIX CMOS BIOS
Misc. Common Passwords
ALFAROME BIOSTAR biostar biosstar
CMOS cmos LKWPETER lkwpeter
setup SETUP Syxz Wodj
Other BIOS Passwords by Manufacturer
Manufacturer Password
VOBIS & IBM merlin
Dell Dell
Biostar Biostar
Compaq Compaq
Enox xo11nE
Epox central
Freetech Posterie
IWill iwill
Jetway spooml
Packard Bell bell9
QDI QDI
Siemens SKY_FOX
TMC BIGO
Toshiba Toshiba
Toshiba BIOS
Most Toshiba laptops and some desktop systems will bypass the BIOS password if the left shift key is held down during boot
IBM Aptiva BIOS
Press both mouse buttons repeatedly during the boot
Using the Motherboard "Clear CMOS" Jumper or Dipswitch settings
Many motherboards feature a set of jumpers or dipswitches that will clear the CMOS and wipe all of the custom settings including BIOS passwords. The locations of these jumpers / dipswitches will vary depending on the motherboard manufacturer and ideally you should always refer to the motherboard or computer manufacturers documentation. If the documentation is unavailable, the jumpers/dipswitches can sometimes be found along the edge of the motherboard, next to the CMOS battery, or near the processor. Some manufacturers may label the jumper / dipswitch CLEAR - CLEAR CMOS - CLR - CLRPWD - PASSWD - PASSWORD - PWD. On laptop computers, the dipswitches are usually found under the keyboard or within a compartment at the bottom of the laptop.
Please remember to unplug your PC and use a grounding strip before reaching into your PC and touching the motherboard. Once you locate and rest the jumper switches, turn the computer on and check if the password has been cleared. If it has, turn the computer off and return the jumpers or dipswitches to its original position.
Removing the CMOS Battery
The CMOS settings on most systems are buffered by a small battery that is attached to the motherboard. (It looks like a small watch battery). If you unplug the PC and remove the battery for 10-15 minutes, the CMOS may reset itself and the password should be blank. (Along with any other machine specific settings, so be sure you are familiar with manually reconfiguring the BIOS settings before you do this.) Some manufacturers backup the power to the CMOS chipset by using a capacitor, so if your first attempt fails, leave the battery out (with the system unplugged) for at least 24 hours. Some batteries are actually soldered onto the motherboard making this task more difficult. Unsoldering the battery incorrectly may damage your motherboard and other components, so please don't attempt this if you are inexperienced. Another option may be to remove the CMOS chip from the motherboard for a period of time.
Note: Removing the battery to reset the CMOS will not work for all PC's, and almost all of the newer laptops store their BIOS passwords in a manner which does not require continuous power, so removing the CMOS battery may not work at all. IBM Thinkpad laptops lock the hard drive as well as the BIOS when the supervisor password is set. If you reset the BIOS password, but cannot reset the hard drive password, you may not be able to access the drive and it will remain locked, even if you place it in a new laptop. IBM Thinkpads have special jumper switches on the motherboard, and these should be used to reset the system.
[The original story goes here. I had reproduced it here just in case that page should go off in future.]
BIOS passwords can be add extra layer of security for desktop and laptop computers, and are used to either prevent a user from changing the BIOS settings or to prevent the PC from booting without a password. BIOS passwords can also be a liability if a user forgot their passwords, or if a malicious user changes the password. Sending the unit back to the manufacturer to have the BIOS reset can be expensive and is usually not covered in an a typical warranty. However, there are a few known backdoors and other tricks of the trade that can be used to bypass or reset the BIOS password on most systems.
Backdoor Passwords
Many BIOS manufacturers have provided backdoor passwords that can be used to access the BIOS setup in the event you have lost your password. These passwords are case sensitive, so you may wish to try a variety of combinations.
WARNING: Some BIOS configurations will lock you out of the system completely if you type in an incorrect password more than 3 times. Read your manufacturers documentation for the BIOS setting before you begin typing in passwords.
Award BIOS backdoor passwords:
ALFAROME BIOSTAR KDD ZAAADA
ALLy CONCAT Lkwpeter ZBAAACA
aLLy CONDO LKWPETER ZJAAADC
aLLY Condo PINT 01322222
ALLY d8on pint 589589
aPAf djonet SER 589721
_award HLT SKY_FOX 595595
AWARD_SW J64 SYXZ 598598
AWARD?SW J256 syxz
AWARD SW J262 shift + syxz
AWARD PW j332 TTPTHA
AWKWARD j322
awkward
AMI BIOS Backdoor Passwords:
AMI BIOS PASSWORD HEWITT RAND
AMI?SW AMI_SW LKWPETER CONDO
Phoenix BIOS Backdoor Passwords:
phoenix PHOENIX CMOS BIOS
Misc. Common Passwords
ALFAROME BIOSTAR biostar biosstar
CMOS cmos LKWPETER lkwpeter
setup SETUP Syxz Wodj
Other BIOS Passwords by Manufacturer
Manufacturer Password
VOBIS & IBM merlin
Dell Dell
Biostar Biostar
Compaq Compaq
Enox xo11nE
Epox central
Freetech Posterie
IWill iwill
Jetway spooml
Packard Bell bell9
QDI QDI
Siemens SKY_FOX
TMC BIGO
Toshiba Toshiba
Toshiba BIOS
Most Toshiba laptops and some desktop systems will bypass the BIOS password if the left shift key is held down during boot
IBM Aptiva BIOS
Press both mouse buttons repeatedly during the boot
Using the Motherboard "Clear CMOS" Jumper or Dipswitch settings
Many motherboards feature a set of jumpers or dipswitches that will clear the CMOS and wipe all of the custom settings including BIOS passwords. The locations of these jumpers / dipswitches will vary depending on the motherboard manufacturer and ideally you should always refer to the motherboard or computer manufacturers documentation. If the documentation is unavailable, the jumpers/dipswitches can sometimes be found along the edge of the motherboard, next to the CMOS battery, or near the processor. Some manufacturers may label the jumper / dipswitch CLEAR - CLEAR CMOS - CLR - CLRPWD - PASSWD - PASSWORD - PWD. On laptop computers, the dipswitches are usually found under the keyboard or within a compartment at the bottom of the laptop.
Please remember to unplug your PC and use a grounding strip before reaching into your PC and touching the motherboard. Once you locate and rest the jumper switches, turn the computer on and check if the password has been cleared. If it has, turn the computer off and return the jumpers or dipswitches to its original position.
Removing the CMOS Battery
The CMOS settings on most systems are buffered by a small battery that is attached to the motherboard. (It looks like a small watch battery). If you unplug the PC and remove the battery for 10-15 minutes, the CMOS may reset itself and the password should be blank. (Along with any other machine specific settings, so be sure you are familiar with manually reconfiguring the BIOS settings before you do this.) Some manufacturers backup the power to the CMOS chipset by using a capacitor, so if your first attempt fails, leave the battery out (with the system unplugged) for at least 24 hours. Some batteries are actually soldered onto the motherboard making this task more difficult. Unsoldering the battery incorrectly may damage your motherboard and other components, so please don't attempt this if you are inexperienced. Another option may be to remove the CMOS chip from the motherboard for a period of time.
Note: Removing the battery to reset the CMOS will not work for all PC's, and almost all of the newer laptops store their BIOS passwords in a manner which does not require continuous power, so removing the CMOS battery may not work at all. IBM Thinkpad laptops lock the hard drive as well as the BIOS when the supervisor password is set. If you reset the BIOS password, but cannot reset the hard drive password, you may not be able to access the drive and it will remain locked, even if you place it in a new laptop. IBM Thinkpads have special jumper switches on the motherboard, and these should be used to reset the system.
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