Face-Recognition logon with KeyLemon

After I was disappointed because I couldn't install the Lenovo's face recognition applications, Veriface on my ThinkPad , then I tried to find a replacement of Veriface-like applications on the web. After a few browsing, I found an application called KeyLemon. 

KeyLemon replaces the standard Windows logon and session lock-out with a face recognition dialog using a standard webcam. This application has the functionality and operations similar to Veriface. The installation is quite easy, we only need to complete four steps of it.

Step 1 : Choose your webcam

Step 2 : Take the correct position of your face

Step 3 : adapt your face

Step 4 : Enter your Windows password

So how about the experience?
Well, I think this application could be used to do some show off to your friends/mate. But for security reasons, I think the KeyLemon is less accurate and can be easily bypassed. Or maybe because I use the free version of KeyLemon where recognition accuracy level was locked to the medium. Perhaps..perhaps....

It seems there's a lot of nice features if we upgrading the licenses. But, you know, I'm still looking for similar applications that are open-source :-)

Interesting ?  You can try and download KeyLemon from here (CNET)

How to make your self-made Dead-Pixels Detector

If you are a person who always dealing with LCD, either a PC monitor or notebook monitor, whether you are a computer technician, (2nd-handed) electronic trading, or an electronic appraiser at a pawn shop, then you will be faced to do some checks for dead pixel on the LCD, to make sure the LCD that you're receive is in good conditions.

So what the hell is dead (or defective) pixels? Defective pixels are pixels on a liquid crystal display (LCD) That are not performing as expected. Of Those, never a dead pixel, light shows, and a stuck pixel always shows light (typically red, blue or green), when the device is active. (Wikipedia)

Dead-pixel(s) on LCD - pictures from Wikipedia

So how do we check them ?. Instead of buying or installing special software, we can actually make our self-made Dead-Pixels tester tool with Microsoft Powerpoint.

Do the following task :

A. Create a presentation contains 8 slides with background color in  RGB + CMYK + White :

• Wait a minute,.. what is RGB and CMYK stands for?  okay, here's RGB stands for : RED, GREEN, BLUE and then CMYK stands for CYAN, MAGENTA, YELLOW, BLACK. Furthermore for what is RGB and CMYK, you can read it at Wikipedia at here and here.
• Create a blank presentation with Ms. Powerpoint (I use Ms.Powerpoint 2007)
• On the first slide, right click on the slide, choose Format Background menu
• Select Solid Fill, and select the RED color, and ensure transparency is at the level of 0%.
• Click the Close button
• Repeat the steps above with creating a new slide, and continue with the RGB,  CMYK, and White colors on slide background

8 slides of RGB + CMYK + white

 B. Determine the resolution of your monitor :

• Still in the Powerpoint 2007, on the Design tab, select the Page Setup
• Select the appropriate ratio with typical kind of  LCD you use, whether in the form 'square' (ratio 4:3) or Wide-Screen (16:9 ratio)
• Save by pressing the OK button

Choose 4:3 or 16:9

C. Save as PowerPoint Show for later use :

• Save type presentation with Powerpoint Show (*. ppsx or *. pps), which later can be directly executed as executable files and without installation.

 
D. Implementations : 

• Clean your LCD screen with an electronic-safe cleaning fluid (I use Mr.Muscle Clear for Electronics from Johnson)
• Run the *. ppsx file that we've just created above.
• In every color, check carefully on your screen if there is black or white dots. If it exists, then the LCD is likely to have dead-pixel.
• Continue checking until the presentation is completed.
• Keep in mind, this methods only to examine the dead-pixel on the LCD, rather than fix it.

My ThinkPad on scanning

 Hope this article is useful,

And if you're too lazy to make it your own self-made presentation detector, here I've share mine for free downloads :

• Dead-Pixels Detector (for square-screen (4:3) LCDs)
• Dead-Pixels Detector (for wide-screen (16:9) LCDs)

Missing 'clear' command in Cygwin

Are you a Cygwin user and do you lose the 'clear' command  to clear up your screen just as we found in the Linux terminal?

Well, here's the solution. Just re-run the setup again. In the Select Packages' dialog , add an application named 'ncurses'

Done! from now on, the 'clear' command is available on your Cygwin!

Pegadaian 111th Anniversary (1901 - 2012)