The Coding Horror today wrote up a disturbing story sent in to them by a reader, who discovered that a (paid) Gmail archive tool, G-Archiver, was harvesting people's Gmail user names and passwords and emailing them to (presumably) the creator of the software. Deeply unethical, and possibly malicious.

It's disappointing to see that the app is still available for purchase from Brothersoft - (shareware $29.95). I'd hope that anyone selling this app will remove it from sale ASAP. It looks like well over 1,000 people had their Gmail accounts compromised - so hopefully an apology and explanation will follow from the publisher of the app.

I did a quick search of the Lifehacker archives, and it doesn't look like we've ever discussed or recommended G-Archiver. But it's worth noting - and remembering to take care that you trust where your apps came from!

A Question of Programming Ethics [Coding Horror]

You might not be able to tell from this photo, but this "laptop" is actually a PDA and foldable keyboard, stripped down and embedded in an old book. It was done by the team over at MAKE. They've got a video demonstration of how to do it (fittingly hosted by a guy in a "I void warranties" t-shirt) which is only four minutes long, so you might want to refer to the PDF for more detailed instructions. You know, I have an old Handspring lying around somewhere... :)

Weekend Project: Make a PDA Notebook [MAKE]

If you use Firefox's autocomplete function, blogger Simon Rumble offers up a quick way to fix entries you've mistyped. All you need to do is select the autocomplete entry with the up/down arrows on your keyboard, then hit the Delete key. Bingo, the mistyped autocomplete entry is gone. Nice and simple!

Firefox tip: Delete an autocomplete entry [Simon Rumble] via Be the Signal [Jeff Waugh]

If your everyday activities are not providing you with any value, skip them, says 43Folders blogger Merlin Mann. How do you determine what time is wasted and what time is valuable? Use tricks (life hacks) to take shortcuts through time consuming processes. When it comes to your online communications, disable email so that you can stay focused on the tasks at hand. Use email filters that enable you to promote only the most important messages to the top of your Inbox. Don't let people boss you around. What tips have you integrated into your routine to take back that precious time? Share your secrets in the comments.

Some of us work extremely hard and never have time for our personal lives, and particularly, our own families. Perhaps, however, it's time to change that. Consider this: it's pretty difficult to be productive for over 80 hours a week. Instead, take a break during the evening and focus on family time (especially during dinner). At the end of the day, you're making that money so that you can attend to your family—but your family should not be put on hold while you're hard at work. What changes have you made to emphasise family over your career? Let's hear your best moves in the comments.

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Never leave a sour first impression again during any type of interview. When you first meet someone who is influential, make sure you're dressed appropriately for the occasion. Give a handshake that exudes confidence. Speak eloquently and articulate clearly:

Speak clearly and at a moderate pace. Work on varying your voice intonation. You don't want to come off as a monotone bore. Also, speak the language of the person interviewing you. Avoid slang and jargon not associated with the job you're interviewing for. Use proper grammar and vocab[ulary] that reflects a higher education. If people can't understand you, it's hard for them to like you.

It is important to realise that during such events, the first impression can make or break your chances of promotion or appointment. Be yourself, but be a person you'll like too.

Become known as an expert in any industry by utilising the tools available to you online. In a particular example illustrated by weblog Dosh Dosh, an art student want to market her skills and become known as an expert in her area of study. It's not that difficult to develop some sort of presence online nowadays, but to become an expert, you need to do a little more. Dosh Dosh writes:

To achieve this goal, you need to develop visibility and industry connections. For people to talk about you, they first need to know that you exist. And so it is important to develop visibility in all the right places through an online persona.

Building credibility requires establishing a home base online, participating in communities, initiating media outreach, and creating ventures to develop your net worth. Also, to see additional tips on how to manage your online reputation once your presence online is known.

Organise your clutter of cables in your corner by storing them all in a container with drilled holes to allow for the flow of air. The container you're looking for is much cheaper than the alternative (about $2 versus $75 or so for a "cable management kit") and doesn't look half bad. The Simple Money Rules blog says:

I think it looks pretty good for the amount of time and money spent. It is definitely better than the mess of cables and power cords owning up the floor space before. Everything is neat and packed into the corner.

For only $3 and 20 minutes, over $50 was saved. If a container is not your desired cable management solution, check out our top 10 ways to get your cable mess under control.