Frequently
Asked Questions
There are a number of questions that I get relatively often; certainly often enough to warrant answering them on this page. I'll keep adding to it over time.
Q Do you have a list of the old newsletters you sent out before I subscribed?
If so, how can I get them? A My number one question! Right now, you can't. But I'm working on it! What I haven't figured out yet is an easy way to make them available only to subscribers. When I started the newsletter, I asked only for the minimal amount of information because I didn't want to either be too intrusive or make it hard to sign up. But that means nobody's got a login to the site. Which means I have no easy way to securely limit access to subscribers only. A bit short-sighted of me, I know. I've tried several schemes, but none of my beta testers liked them so far. I suspect I'll just bite the bullet and go with one soon. My current thought is to just have a sign-up page. You put in your email, I verify it, you set a password, and you're in. That may be the simplest way to do it. Then you just have to remember your password... What do you think of that idea? And, just to whet your appetite, I do have a list of all the newsletters I've sent out.
Q Is it possible to search the old newsletters?
Rather than just reading them, it might be easier for me to search for something I need and then read just that answer! A Again, something I'm working on. I've actually got over 650 questions (both from the newspaper column and the newsletter) in a database, but searching it is not, let us say, up to Google's standard (you either get way too many, or way too few). I'm working on that, too.
Q What happened to the information you had on the old site?
There was some good stuff there, and I miss it. A Much of the good stuff got moved, especially to The Security Tango, where it seemed more appropriate. The news is back, but no one is ever going to mistake me for a Web designer!
If so, how can I get them? A My number one question! Right now, you can't. But I'm working on it! What I haven't figured out yet is an easy way to make them available only to subscribers. When I started the newsletter, I asked only for the minimal amount of information because I didn't want to either be too intrusive or make it hard to sign up. But that means nobody's got a login to the site. Which means I have no easy way to securely limit access to subscribers only. A bit short-sighted of me, I know. I've tried several schemes, but none of my beta testers liked them so far. I suspect I'll just bite the bullet and go with one soon. My current thought is to just have a sign-up page. You put in your email, I verify it, you set a password, and you're in. That may be the simplest way to do it. Then you just have to remember your password... What do you think of that idea? And, just to whet your appetite, I do have a list of all the newsletters I've sent out.
Q Is it possible to search the old newsletters?
Rather than just reading them, it might be easier for me to search for something I need and then read just that answer! A Again, something I'm working on. I've actually got over 650 questions (both from the newspaper column and the newsletter) in a database, but searching it is not, let us say, up to Google's standard (you either get way too many, or way too few). I'm working on that, too.
Q What happened to the information you had on the old site?
There was some good stuff there, and I miss it. A Much of the good stuff got moved, especially to The Security Tango, where it seemed more appropriate. The news is back, but no one is ever going to mistake me for a Web designer!