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The story started when my raid disk crashed early this year. I have lost all the passwords stored on that disk. Fortunately, that disk only contained user data. I have Windows system installed on the main hard-drive. Since I mainly use Mozilla as my primary browser and I am used to let it manage my on-line passwords, I still have the access to major web sites, including my personal web site. Hey, otherwise, I cannot post this blog!

But, still, it is important for me to extract passwords out of Mozilla and backup them a little more properly this time. By searching on-line, it took me less than 5 minutes to find this guide.

The path of Mozilla/Firefox password file is {Profile Root Path/{Profile Name}/{Random String}.slt/{String}.s. Each site block text contains 6 lines:

1. Site address containing host and optional port
2. Form login input name
3. Base64 encoded login name wrapped around by ~ and =
4. Form password input name
5. Base64 encoded password wrapped around by ~ and =
6. A period to end the block

After sitting in the chair all day long, thanks to my career as a software engineer, my body hurts. Yes, it is better to have enough exercise. The second best choice is to set up a stand-up working environment, which, of course, depends on the ergonomics department in one’s company. Worse, what if someone has to work at home, due to various unfortunate reasons? A portable computer tripod might be the most easiest and cheapest way to set up a stand-up computing environment in one’s home. I have tried instand CR3 tripod for several weeks, which allows me to do my work almost everywhere within the house, especially when I am tired of sitting. It is a nice laptop stand providing a adjustable working height between 19″ and 41″. It weighs as 26 oz. Its footprint is 2″ x 18 1/2″ when folded. It also could be used as camera tripod. It comes with a lifetime warranty. I cannot be happier with the product, which help me avoid a lot of pain in the butt.

Are digital cameras good enough compared to their film sblings? This question has been around since the birth of the first professional DSLR. Many digital advocates tried very hard to prove it. Clark’s Film versus Digital My Summary signals the new era of digital photography. Pros are adopting DSLRs feverishly while dumping their old film equipment via ebay. Some pros even prefer Canon’s 1Ds over bulky pricey film medium cameras. Though, large format film still rules for serious landscape photography.

As digital cameras prevail, even common people can get wonderful shots. But, on the other hand, pro-photographyers are telling us that digital shots/prints are flat, it is important to have accurate exposure and accurate color balance, and it takes a lot of time to do post-processing. More specifically, we are suggested not to over-expose or even under-expose a 1/3 stop. The article Expose (to the) Right (ETTR) uncovers the major difference between film and digital sensor, dated back to 2003 – 2004. ETTR has been rediscovered in the March/April issue of American Photo.

Each spot on the digital camera sensor can be treated as a bucket for water, where light is water. Buckets are always wet. There is always noise even without any light. Thus, we need enough light to avoid noise. Worse, once the bucket is full — white, it cannot contain extra light. Thus, we need to avoid over-exposure, which would turn everything into white. All in all, we need to push histogram to the right while not to over-expose shots, which is contrarily to film that could be pushed and is more tolerant on not-that-accurate exposures.

The digital new era means new ways of taking photos, and doing dark room processing. It is always important to understand the tools that we are using.