.Net and Web Security - Getting it Right!

Getting security right turns out to be a tough problem.  Not only is it fairly complex to implement from a code engineering standpoint, it's also very difficult to get right from a user experience perspective.  Do you have an app on your phone that makes you enter your username and password every time you use it?  Not a good experience is it, especially if your trying to quickly get access to some service.

How about the big boys like Facebook getting hacked?  Pretty interesting right?  After all they are a large company with lots of software engineers, surely somebody is going to get the OAuth 2.0 implementation correct.

I've had some security issues to figure out at work lately, and while our needs are fairly trivial, I've found a great resource in Dominick Baier, his blog and his git-hub projects.    He's also got some great videos on pluralsight, which try to greatly simplify the world of WCF security, and are well worth the time if you have a pluralsight account.

Windows 8 - Where is the love?

I embraced Windows 8, while others ran from it like scared schoolgirls from a garter snake.  What do I get for that?

• Carpel tunnel syndrom from having to mouse twice as much to do anything when using a Modern UI app.
• A headache from the continual flipping between the desktop, where I actually get things done and the Modern UI.
• App tile groups that do not sync between PC's, what???  If your doing sync, isn't that the first thing you'd think of?
• A bunch of applications that are only mildly useful.  Even if I had a touch screen, most of them fall below mildly useful, to I'm never going to use that app again...
• Applications in the Modern UI that fail to open. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME on all three of our Windows 8 machines.  

Well guess what, I'm already looking forward to Windows 9, when they fix all this flakiness and make an operating system that is a joy to use.  At this point I'm fed up with the Modern UI, maybe on a tablet, but on the desktop its terrible.  Why not just have two OS's, and switch between them, have a Mobile OS, and a Desktop OS.  Sure have one device if you want, but allow the user to choose the functionality mode...    

Dear windows development team, if you need some ideas, check out Ubuntu :)

Learn a new language! :)

I wish that the schools would accept computer languages for foreign language credit.  After all, it's more Greek to groke than Greek even for lots of geeks.  Well now you can change that.  Check out Codecademy, it's a great site that lets you learn a computer language through tutorials.  Among the available languages are Java Script and Python, both of which are very useful in the real world.  Are you interested in HTML5, then check out the courses on HTML5, CSS3, and Java Script.

Also, you may not have realized it, but your web browser (if its not IE6) probably has a really cool Java Script Console.  If your using Chrome, go to the menu >> tools >> Java Script Console, or Ctrl + Shift + J. If Firefox is your browser, go to the menu >> web developer >> Web Console, or Ctrl + Shift + K.  Now type in some code with your mad new skills you learned at Codecademy.  If your more like to just crash right in, this will get you started.  http://www.w3schools.com/js/js_variables.asp

Best wishes for learning a new language in the new year!

Workout Hero CrossFit iOS App

In November I started using Workout Hero to see what it is like. The following is a brief description of the app, some of the highlights and a couple things I found that could be improved.

When opening the app you are greater with the above screen. (The calendar changes with the date) From the calendar screen you can add your daily workout. Today's date will be highlighted, tapping the plus mark brings up the "New Entry" screen. This allows adding your own workout or choosing from an existing workout. On the bottom right is a button for heart rate, this button works with the "Instant Heart Rate" app by Azumio.

In the upper left corner of the calander page is a timer button. As one would expect this brings up the timers, stopwatch, countdown, laps, and tabata. Strangley there is a music button in the upper right corner. I guess they have to put it somewhere and once you know it is there it is fine.

Next is the "Log" page. Every WOD added to the calender shows up on in the log. There are some existing logs: read these to learn about the different features. From the "Log" page you can add a random WOD using the "Random WOD" button or chose the one you want with the + button. There is also a sync button. These is where I got confused. Reading the "Free Sync" entry I thought there was more then one option to sync. As far as I can tell Dropbox is the only option. I would like to see iCloud as a sync option also.

 

I like the convenience of the RSS feeds built into the app. This page also allows adding personal favorite feeds and removing feeds.

On the "Workouts" page you can add and remove workouts to customize the app. Tapping on an existing workout brings up a description of the workout, a "View Video" link and an " I Did This" link. "I Did This" adds your workout to the calender and log. Unfortunately not all of the videos work in the app. Some require being watched on YouTube and the link does not work.

The "More" pages has lots of useful tools and links.

Over all it is a great Crossfit app with lots of features. Get from the iOS App Store.

Workout Hero™ - WOD and Fitness LOG for CrossFit , Tabata , and Paleo - Storeboughtmilk LLC