UWM pantherLINK email - Thunderbird - Extracting AND Deleting Attachments - Review of "Attachment Extractor"

    While I utilized this tool on my UWM email account, one could likely use it on any Thunderbird email account.  Note that some of the deletion options may or may not work, depending on, for example, how your service provider implements IMAP, etc.  The choice to run the tool -- and possibly lose your email messages and/or file attachments -- is yours.

     I ran the Thunderbird add-on, "Attachment Extractor" (http://www.eviljeff.com/?page=moz-extensions) and (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/attachmentextractor/) against 5,174 messages in my IMAP inbox.

My Goals

• Extract the file attachments from my messages to a local folder.
  

• Utilize the option to keep a text (HTML) copy of the message itself, as a file, in addition to the extracted file attachment.
  

• Delete the file attachments, after downloading them from the email messages, while retaining the email messages themselves.
  

Environment

• Thunderbird 8.0
• Windows 7
• Extraction folder set to a local drive
  

    The entire process took about 20 minutes to extract the files and to create the text file copies of any messages that also had attachments.  Surprisingly, I could continue to use Thunderbird and other applications while the process ran.

    I found the tool to be useful.  I particularly liked the ability to include variable keys to include in the resulting file names.

    The first time I ran the utility I opted to use the 'Save message txt to file' option.  Doing so created a separate HTML file for every message in my inbox.  While an interesting backup, I found no real use for the HTML files, so I aborted the process, disabled that option, and simply downloaded the attachments themselves.

    For my UWM account I chose 'Delete the attachment from the message' and its 'Delete with AE's internal (experimental) routine.  This method allowed me to bypass having to okay the deletion of each message's attachments.  Again, just like using the tool itself, the risk of utilizing that option is your choice.

What Next?

    Once you download your file attachments, make sure to back them up to an external drive, a cloud drive, etc., using the desired encryption technique of your choice.  I suggest TrueCrypt, to encrypt containers, or Crypt4Free to encrypt individual files.  Both are free and easily locatable via your favorite search engine.

"Titanium Backup" is a HUGE Time-Saver for Restoring Android Apps to a new OS

I currently have the second incarnation of the HTC Incredible phone (meaning the updated screen, not the 'Incredible 2').  Verizon released the v2.3.4 Gingerbread update, in August, 2011, and then pulled it, citing difficulties.

As of November, 2011, Verizon has a known issue where the Gingerbread v2.3.4 update will offer to install, on some phones, but will fail to install, even after offering to update the phone.  This happened to me four times.  Even though the update claimed to have downloaded, I could never find it on my SD card.  Even though I answered, in the affirmative, to the prompt, "Install Update Now?", the update would not install.

Navigating through the phone's menu, to the software information, and asking for an update would always inform me my phone was on the current version and no updates would be needed.  Then, a few days later, I would again be prompted to run the update, and the cycle would repeat.

Googling this phenomenon, I found that many others were also experiencing this, and that upon calling Verizon, Verizon stated that they had pulled that update back in August.

Tired of all this, I performed the following steps:  [Note you will need to root your phone in order to run Titanium Backup.]

1. Ran 'Titanium Backup' and backed up all my apps and their related data, as well as my system settings.
2. Copied my TitaniumBackup folder, on my SD card, to my DropBox account, just in case something were to happen to the SD card folder during the OS update process.  [Note: Nothing bad happened to the SD card's folder.]
3. Located the Gingerbread 2.3.4 update on the web.  Because I like installing updates via the phone itself (versus via executable via my PC), I opted to place the update to the root of my SD card, then install it via HBOOT.  The update ran with no problems.
4. All my apps were gone, as expected, so I downloaded 'Titanium Backup' and reinstalled it, then ran through the process of restoring my apps.  'TB' found the backup folder without prompting, and I was off and running. Since the free version requires answering the install dialog separately, for each application -- and I had nearly 300 apps -- I aborted the restoration process and paid the $6+ for the full version.
5. I restarted the phone, ran Titantium Backup's restoration process, and all my previous apps installed.  I ran a sampling of 10 of the apps and found all my previous data had been successfully restored.  Note that I chose not to restore my system data, because I did not want to risk the chance that some setting, that changed between Android 2.2 (Froyo) and 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), would screw something up.  It' much easier to just tweak a few things, interface wise, and have the benefit of restored apps and their data.
   

Having the full version of 'TB' meant I was able to enable its "Use Dropbox" mode so that my phone's backups would be uploaded to my Dropbox account.  For good measure I also utilized an encryption key to protect my data in the cloud.

Some Other Tablets - Vizio & Pandigital

    Just because there isn't a lot of buzz about these tablets, right NOW, doesn't mean you shouldn't give them a look.

Vizio 8" (VTAB1008): Under $200 for an Android tablet with an HDMI hook-up and a microSD slot.  Yep.  http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod4130586 and http://www.vizio.com/vtab1008.html for the official site.  Don't believe the price, at Vizio's site, as it's a lot cheaper elsewhere.  For folks with Vizio TV's or phones it offers feature integration, and it's IR Blaster remote control might be fun to use to screw with fellow bar patrons.

Pandigital 7": Under $100 (not a typo) for an Android-based device with a microSD slot, WiFi, and access to the Android market.  Downsides include the 800x600 resolution and the older Android version.  Still, at this price, it is pretty much a disposable thing.  It would make a great first tablet for a pre-schooler or grade-schooler who just wants to play with apps and read books and do some Internet activities.

More Fodder for the Fire-Nook Lightweight Bout

I've come across some interesting comparison information and opinions.  After viewing all this information I am giving the Nook a slight edge, but just as with their old readers, I think both devices are attractive.

• Yes, content is king these days, but the Nook's dual-processor and SD slot support will make it able to run more intense apps as they are released.  Out of the gate the available array is impressive enough to hold me.
• Barnes & Noble (Nook) has a "free repair in-store service".
• The Nook is better for folks longer in between WiFi  hot-spots.  This means people on the go, or in office spaces without WiFi, will be able to access more stored on-board materials than Kindle users, because the device can hold "more stuff" in times that it has no Internet connection.
• The Nook has a superior battery life (per specs).
• The Nook supports the library ePub format; the Kindle still doesn't.

Programmer Info: Good stuff and it includes an embedded Nook promo video, so don't be surprised when you hear a woman talking about the Nook.  Scroll down the page there to see her: http://www.i-programmer.info/news/152-epub/3325-nook-prepares-to-take-on-fire.html

Computerworld: http://blogs.computerworld.com/19254/kindle_fire_and_nook_tablet_what_you_need_to_know

ZDNet: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/kindle-fire-besting-nook-tablet-with-more-third-party-partners/63239

PCMAG: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2396287,00.asp#fbid=jc71b59DClJ

Sub-Pages: 

Specifications comparison of Amazon Kindle Fire, B&N Nook Color, and B&N Nook Tablet: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2395979,00.asp#fbid=jc71b59DClJ

Nook Tablet Hands-On: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2395990,00.asp#fbid=jc71b59DClJ

Kindle Fire Hands-On: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393754,00.asp#fbid=jc71b59DClJ

BizJournals  Slide-shows of Kindle File, Nook Tablet, and iPad: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/blog/2011/11/slideshow-kindle-fire-nook-tablet.html

Chromium OS - Creation and use of a USB Flash Drive Boot

Preface

    Having played a bit with Joli OS, and generally liking it (see 2011-September-17 'Joli OS - A Primer' post), I wanted to play with Chromium OS.

    Chromium OS is the open source version of Google's 'Chrome OS'.  You'll notice it's icon is identical, to Chrome's, except it is four shades of blue, versus Chrome's blue, red, green, and yellow icon.  It is available for devices running Windows, Linux, and MAC OS.

Goals

    My intention was to find a compiled Chromium USB flash boot image that would allow me to play with the OS without performing a full installation.  After some Googling, and a bit of reading on the boards, I opted for 'Flow', built by Hexxeh, found here: http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/ , and versions for Windows, Linux, and Mac devices are provided.

    Hexxeh does a great job of documenting the steps involved.

Experience

    To duplicate my experience you will need:

• 2GB USB flash drive (or larger) that you are willing to reformat
• A current Chromium OS image file (available via the Hexxeh links above)
• A USB image-file writer.  Since my primary OS is Windows XP, I chose to use the writer that Hexxah recommended, 'Image Writer for Windows', available at https://launchpad.net/win32-image-writer/ .
  

Creating and Using the USB Boot Drive

    Creating the USB flash disk was simple.  I downloaded the image (IMG) file, downloaded the disk imager software, then installed the image file to my USB drive.  The formatting of the drive took proximately ten minutes.  Note I used an 8GB drive, as I didn't have a spare 2GB drive available.

    Upon completion of the drive's image installation, I inserted it in my Acer One D255 netbook and turned on the device.  Within moments the Chromium logo and name appeared and my USB drive's light flickered, indicating to me that the drive was in use.  After four minutes I thought perhaps it had frozen, but a few more minutes indicated there was still activity.  After a total of ten minutes (apx.), I was presented with a simple configuration screen.  The time lag was obviously spent with Chromium interrogating the netbook to find the appropriate drivers to use.

    At the configuration screen I was able to select my WiFi network and enter its authentication credentials.  The connection to the network went well and I was soon presented with a Google login screen.  I opted for 'Guest Login', the Chromium browser launched, and I was looking at tabs displaying the contents of the USB drive.  On another tab I navigated to www.google.com and was able to quickly access the Internet.

Trying the Already Configured USB Drive in Another Device

    I then wanted to see how the USB drive worked in my notebook (versus my netbook).  Upon booting the notebook, the configuration seemed to take even longer than it had in the netbook.  Perhaps this is due to the USB drive already having been configured, for the netbook, and the reconfiguration was involving internal "Are you sure this really isn't the netbook?" kind of interrogation.  The system announced "Your system is repairing itself. Please wait." and was nice enough to provide a time estimate, in the upper right corner, of how long the process would take: 12 minutes.  Indeed, the countdown changed periodically, leaping from 12, to 8, to 7, to 5, holding there for a while, etc., but the total time of repair did take around the 12 minutes that had been estimated.  Once the repair was completed, my experience with the netbook was duplicated, in that I chose the network, entered the credentials, and was able to browse successfully.

    Shutting down, via the power button, was extremely slow, with several minutes of staring at a 'Disabling IRQ 7' message in the upper left corner of the screen.  Growing restless, after apx. four minutes, I held the power button in, powering down the notebook by force.  I restarted it, and the USB flash went back through the repair process, estimating another 12 minutes.  I assume this is because I had rudely shut the notebook off without allowing the shutdown process to complete, so perhaps my device settings had not been properly saved.  I bailed out of this process as well, forcing a shutdown.  I removed the USB drive and powered-on the notebook to ensure it's regular OS (Windows7) was intact, and all was well, with one exception:  The system time had lept five hours into the future.  I assume the Chromium OS had been set for some European country, in the image, and that had lived through into my running of the image, and it reached in and grabbed my notebook's clock and adjusted it for the Eurozone.  Pure speculation.  My notebook's clock had not been set to use an Internet time server, so in Windows7, I enabled that, and it set my clock to U.S. Central time, which is what I wanted.

Trying the Boot Drive in the Original Device in Which it Had Been Created

    I then wanted to see what would happen if I returned the drive to the netbook.  As anticipated, I was presented with a time estimate (6 mins) on the 'Your system is repairing itself. Please wait.' screen.  The anticipated time passed and the Chromium OS launched, I selected my WiFi network, and proceeded.  This time, I opted to sign in to my Google account.  I was prompted to choose a picture, to represent my account, and I was taken directly to a browser screen.  Because I choose to sync my bookmarks and history, to my Google account, all my browser history was ready and waiting for me, a nice touch.

    I noticed my system clock was two hours in the past.  I shut the OS down, via the power button -- I was gracefully taken back to a login screen and then chose the 'Shutdown' icon -- and the device turned off within 30 seconds.

    I restarted the netbook, with the USB drive still installed, and the OS booted quickly.  No repair was necessary.  I was presented with a login screen containing the picture I had chosen, along with my previously used login name, as well as the choice of the guest login.  I opted for my login name, and the Chromium splash screen displayed.  After forty minutes minutes, of the splash screen continually displayed, and the flash drive's light fluttering, I turned off the netbook.  After restarting, Chromium OS launched, in just a few seconds, and I was able to again choose my login.  Upon logging in I was quickly taken to the browser and Internet.

Installation of the OS as a Multi-Boot Option on a Device with an Existing OS

    I did not test this option, due to time constraints.  The directions that Hexxeh recommended, though mentioning Windows, were more geared toward devices containing existing LINUX OS's, versus Windows.  Although familiar with various boot loaders, I was not willing to dive into this on a Sunday afternoon minutes away from the start of the Packers game (American football team).  I will return to this, however, as I am a big fan of multi-booting my devices, and I will update this entry accordingly.

Synopsis

It was a fun experiment, but I did not find the OS to be usable, launching and running it from an external USB flash drive.  It certainly is less than ideal to reconfigure the USB drive from one device to another.  Were I to use the OS, via a USB flash, I would dedicate the stick to one device.  My ideal situation would be a multi-boot, as I mentioned above.

The OS itself is fine.  It's a browser and it will run apps.  I expect its load time would meet its advertized lightning fast times were I to have installed the OS as a multi-boot option.  The option to have a guest login, as well as a dedicated login, is what I wanted; Joli OS does not make it easy to lend one's device to another person, since the OS login is basically an admin-level root-access login to the device itself.  [On that note, I think I have a solution, so look to my previously mentioned Joli OS posting for an update on that soon.].

Using Personal Devices to Access Work Resources - Virtual Desktops Are a Great Answer

For the almost OCD security-conscious tech-savvy (a.k.a. yours truly), using one's own devices makes sense, from a personal perspective. They incur no support onus, by the organization, if the individual agrees they are on their own with respect to such matters.

The downside, for the organizations, is their data is no longer within the domain of their control. This implies a level of trust, between the organization and the user. I've always felt that the users need to prove that trust, demonstrating their capabilities of securing and/or preserving their data, prior to being released into the wild. Unfortunately, such an establishment of trust requires resources, from the organization, related to training and perhaps occasional auditing. Many organizations simply choose to look the other way, and then disavow responsibility in the event of a breach.

The iPad is a prime example of a consumer device that fits poorly into the workplace security. If one configures their work email, the only security is the front-end slider lock, on the device itself. Few use that, and if used, it is easily beaten. Many users also use cute little notepad apps, storing their passwords, ripe for the picking if they run to the restroom, at Starbucks, and return to find their iPad gone.

While the consumerization of IT has a lot of great benefits, to both employee and organization, the security concerns cannot be understated. I am a proponent of virtual desktops, where one can login to a work desktop, where the the resources themselves -- files, secure sites, etc. -- exist only on the virtual dt, and the user simply has to securely log in to a window to access them. Those of us who have been around, for decades, have been using this philosophy since pcANYWHERE made this popular back in the early 1990's. It's nothing new...it's just a whole lot better now, with hosted Citrix servers and other various virtual machines.

It's been fun to watch the swing from old Burroughs terminals, to totally stand-alone PC's, to p-to-p networks, to Novell and Microsoft servers, to cloud storage...and back to the "slightly-more-than-dumb" terminal approach.

Control the data centrally. Allow access from everywhere.

And by trust, I am not talking about trust from a personal integrity perspective, but rather, from a competency perspective. Very few data breaches are due to intentional employee malice. Most are due to incompetence, of which inattention is a member of the subset. Brilliance and conscious awareness, in one arena, can often be "deer in the headlights" in other disciplines, and I was speaking solely of data security awareness. But, I acknowledge a colleague's point about hiring practices. Either it is time to introduce a filtering process, related to data security and archive management, at that point, or send them off to something like Records Management training., immediately after they are hired, and prior to them having any real access.

As for email, it is one thing to intercept email, in flight, an exercise that requires specific timing and know-how. It is another to simply walk off with essentially a pile of open documents, which someone's non-secure mailbox is.

As an Enigmail (GnuPG/PGP) user, I am aware of the non-secure nature of email. I do know that, no matter how conscientious one is at not SENDING sensitive information, those same people might not be so good at deleting INBOUND sensitive messages, thinking that perhaps they are not responsible if someone else gets access. They may be right, from a legal perspective, but from an ethical one {eek! He mentioned "ethics" in an IT conversation!}, we all take care, in our personal conversations, not to repeat personal items that friends tell us, at Starbucks, even though we know someone might have overheard said conversation. We usually do not cite that at "was spoken in the public domain, and thus I can tell whomever I like" as an excuse to gossip. I see no reason why this should be different in the text world. 

Decision-Making

By definition, we cannot know everything there is to know, about anything. We can know something's velocity, but not it's location. We can know it's location, but not its velocity.

Eventually, we have to take what we know and assume we know enough about it to make an "educated" decision, and move forward.

Granted, one person's "educated enough" is another's "barely above ignorant", and yet another's "over-thought it to death".

This is the beauty, and the terror, known as "giving it one's best shot".

It comes down to a balance over over-coming laziness, and not missing the boat.