@wrecklass: didn't sound like browser updating would affect fingerprinting too much, since it had more to do with the list of plugins installed, and font lists in flash and java.

@jetRink: Actually, the article finds that user-agent spoofing paradoxically makes you more identifiable and hence more fingerprintable. That's the case because not many people spoof, so those that do stand out. check out the article - it's pretty cool.

@MaxellDVD1: interesting. wouldn't i need a separate router for that? or, can i create multiple vpn's on a router or server?

@MaxellDVD1: right you are. though, a VPN connection would be a little awkward, since then the thief would be connected to my internal network - or the vpn network anyway. I've been reading a bit since my first post, and some solutions I've just come across use an SSH back door (ssh -R), which would probably be the…

@beala: first, how did you know about my foot fetish pictures?

@Mark: cool - thanks. I knew nothing about port knocking - learn something new every day!

more thoughts on security: LH posted a while back about using DynDNS as a lo-jack in case your lappie gets nabbed [lifehacker.com] . In that case, in would be phenomenal to have an ssh / remote access server running. But jeez - i don't want to run that all the time, mostly for security concerns.

@tacotime: thanks for the tip, though that still looks to only support encryption of entire volumes - not files or folders in their current locations.

@GregH: exactly. thanks for clarifying for me.

@mmolo99: You have to point your domain to ghs.google.com, or something like that. Whether or not you can do that depends on how much flexilibity 1and1 gives you in their nameservers. All the DNS info is in google apps help files.

@x3geek: what about screwing one of those metal-mesh inbox thingies to the bottom-side of your desk?

@Tsylord: At many Universities, at least in the US, you can switch around departments and majors once you get there. My suggestion would be to ask current students there about the flexibility of changing majors, etc.

I don't encrypt my sensitive data (other than using a password manager), but i'd like to. However, truecrypt seems to require the use of a dedicated virtual volume (and i'm a little scared to go the route of full system encryption).

how much you wanna bet FB workers are using the NYT chart in house to understand their own system! i'll bet you'd find a few printouts pinned to cubicle walls.

david byrne.

beat you to the punch, kevin! ;-) [lifehacker.com]

Last time I checked, nobody (including picasa) but photoshop elements and lightroom have implemented hierarchical tagging systems. For me, that's a must. Places (sub-tagged by countries, etc - whatever works for you), People, Events, etc. It's also useful for taxonomies if you're into critters.

@jupigare: Interesting tip - thanks! Sounds like the sony e-book reader system has a link with local libraries as well. Cool to hear that local libraries are managing to find new niches in the electronic world - something that the RIAA could learn something from.

@Nick Mooney: You sound mighty sure of yourself. I'd love to see a reference about Google's internal tracking algorithims - how do you know that I am "tracked by IP"? What if I'm behind a NAT, like 99% of most users these days (at least at their workplace, anyway)? IP tracking is one tool, to be sure, but it's not…

@wjglenn: I'm sure it would have been some work to implement two different toolbar systems. I'm also sure it wouldn't have been impossible.