SafeSign and OSX

Updated on Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 22:07 by Willem

After my blog post on OSX and Aladdin eToken I received a phonecall from Haaino @ AET Europe. He offered the SafeSign software for OSX so I could try their OSX software as well.

The SafeSign software is used with smartcards and smartcard readers like the OmniKey smartcard readers. Through my line of work, no lack of smartcards and/or readers. Only the software was missing (up till now).

Click to read more ...

OSX and Aladdin eToken

Due to the nature of my work, and my fondness of Apple products I wasn't able to get my Aladdin eTokens working with OSX. After several months of not trying to crack this I decided to try it again.
The trigger for me was stumbling on the possibility of adding so-called keyfiles to the eToken for accessing TrueCrypt volumes.

First challenge was the eToken PKI software for OSX... Thankfully I'm a Certified eToken guru, so I've got access to their download area (you will have to get your own software). The current version of the eToken software for OSX is v4.55. I installed the Aladdin software on OSX 10.5.5.

Click to read more ...

Adobe Camera RAW update

Adobe released an update for Adobe Camera RAW. The update adds RAW support in Photoshop for the following camera's;

• Canon EOS 5D Mark II
• Canon PowerShot G10
• Panasonic DMC-G1
• Panasonic DMC-FX150
• Panasonic DMC-FZ28
• Panasonic DMC-LX3 :D
• Leica D-LUX 4

The Camera RAW update dosn't include the RAW capabilities for Lightroom. The upcoming Lightroom v2.2 update (scheduled for December 2009) will incorporate the RAW capabilities for these camera's.

OSX Finder Replacement

This week I heard a tip on one of the TWiT podcasts about a OSX Finder replacement. Finder in OSX is what the Windows Explorer is for Windows. You use it to browse around your PC, copy, rename and launch programs.

Ever since I switched to Mac I encountered a couple of drawbacks on the OSX Finder;

• No Cut&Paste option (CMD-X doesn't work on files)
• Pressing 'Return' on a file is opening the rename 'dialog'. (CMD-O to open files).
• etc.

I know that OSX has the ability to remap keys, so that you can still use the (old) Windows commands/keys, but I like things to be as default as it can be.

Click to read more ...

CS4 Action Script Compatibility

Scripts made in Adobe CS3 may not work in Adobe CS4 product. I tried an evaluation version of Photoshop CS4, and found out that my watermarking action 'crashed'.
The crash is triggered by the CS3 version of the 'Fit Image' script/command.

So much for backwards compatibility...

UPDATE: I've updated the watermarking action. This one works with CS4. For CS3 you need this one.

UPDATE 2: New CS4 Watermarking Actions

And Another Reason To Use OSX

Microsoft Windows (no matter what version) is the favorite platform for virusses, trojans, malware and other crap. The way to keep the operating system neat and tidy you should use protection. Protection in the form of anti-virus software and other (required) software to guarantee your survival on the World Wide Web.

Well, protection isn't what it used to be :) . It seems that an update of AVG antivirus recognizes user32.dll as a bit of malicious code. Is this bad you ask? Well.... Windows won't work/boot without it. Ironic?

The solution for this problem is to ask someone with proper knowledge and follow this procedure (dutch forum).

Copyrighted Photos

It's very frustrating if people 'steal' your images when you're a photographer. It's annoying if they 'borrow' them (hotlinking, use them in other websited), and it's downright evil if they are using them for generating money [1, 2, 3].

Anyway, on a 'local' forum, some of the members found out that Hyves.net members (you need to be a Hyves member to view this) were using copyrighted photos. Other 'Hivers' can use these images to create collages, or use them to 'pimp' their personal pages (yuk!!).
Some of the original images still showed the copyright info, while other photos were modified to remove the copyright text (deliberate copyright infringement if you ask me).

The 'fun' part is that people who use these images get mad if you ask them to remove the image due to copyright infringement. The general consensus seems that everything you put up on the Internet is up for grabs.

So, if you don't want others to (mis)use your photos don't put them online. If you have to put them online, make sure other people can't remove the copyright info without 'destroying' the photo (e.g. humongous watermark across the photo). Or just put very small versions of the photos online.

Professional Photographer or Not?

When are you a professional photographer? This was a question I ran into on a forum about photography.

Many people think you are a professional photographer when you're able to create magnificent photographs. But according to the average dictionary you're a pro when photography is your job (your profession).

So, shooting awesome photographs over and over again doesn't make you a pro. It just makes you an awesome photographer. Selling them and living of them makes you a pro.

Free CodeWeavers Software

CodeWeavers (the creators of CrossOver) had a special deal on October 28th, 2008. They gave away their software (CrossOver) to anyone who registered on their special webpage (no longer accessible).

I did my part in registering, and today I received the final instructions for registration code for CrossOver.
CrossOver is a piece of software which enables you to run Windows programs on OSX without the use of Windows itself. The list with compatible applications grows every month

Panasonic Lumix LX3

Panasonic Lumix LX3After a long and extensive search for an additional point and shoot camera (P&S) I bought the Panasonic Lumix LX3.

The reason for buying the camera were:

• Image quality
• RAW capabilities
  (RAW format not yet supported by the normal Adobe product)
• Relative large sensor with only 10 MPixels
• Size (not too small)
• Extensive control over the settings in the camera
• Hotshoe (for an external flash or a 200 euro ViewFinder.....)
  The LX3 with a Nikon SB-600 flash... not that well balanced :)
• 24mm (35mm equivalent) wide angle lens.
• Macro setting
• Good quality movies (in 720p HD format)
• And not to forget; the design of the camera.

Panasonic Lumix LX3 test imageWhen you're used to a semi-pro dSLR it takes a while getting used to. Most of the camera functions are hidden in menu's.

One question for Panasonic-crew; Why the absurd prices on the optional accessories? The optional ViewFinder is HALF the price of the camera.
Guess I'll be waiting for the cheap Asian knock-offs.