Yet Again, Scheduled Maintenance for TPIA Users on Shaw Cable’s Last Mile Network

This came in from TekSavvy’s e-mail list altering users of upcoming maintenance by Shaw on their last mile network:

Scheduled Maintenance and Upgrades

Date

Window

Expected Duration

April 6

1 a.m. to 7 a.m. Mountain (like Calgary)
Midnight to 6 a.m. Pacific (like Vancouver)

Up to 20 minutes

April 11

1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Mountain (like Calgary)
Midnight to 4 a.m. Pacific (like Vancouver)

Up to 15 minutes

April 13

Midnight to 6 a.m. Mountain (like Calgary)
11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Pacific (like Vancouver)

Up to two hours

During those times posted above, you may experience temporary loss of connectivity until the maintenance has been completed. As for users that are on other third party internet providers that uses Shaw for their last mile connection, the maintenance can also potentially affect subscribers that is also a third party, but not TekSavvy themselves.

Scheduled Maintenance for TPIA Users on Shaw Cable’s Last Mile Network

This just came in from TekSavvy’s e-mail list altering users of upcoming maintenance by Shaw on their last mile network:

Scheduled Maintenance and Upgrades

Date

Window

Expected Duration

March 9

Midnight to 6 a.m. Mountain (like Calgary)
11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Pacific (like Vancouver)

Up to five minutes

March 14

Midnight to 6 a.m. Mountain (like Calgary)
11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Pacific (like Vancouver)

Up to 15 minutes

March 15

1 a.m. to 7 a.m. Mountain (like Calgary)
Midnight to 6 a.m. Pacific (like Vancouver)

Up to 30 minutes

March 21

Midnight to 6 a.m. Mountain (like Calgary)
11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Pacific (like Vancouver)

Up to two hours

March 22

1 a.m. to 7 a.m. Mountain (like Calgary)
Midnight to 6 a.m. Pacific (like Vancouver)

Up to one hour

During those times posted above, you may experience temporary loss of connectivity until the maintenance has been completed. As for users that are on other third party internet providers that uses Shaw for their last mile connection, the maintenance can also potentially affect subscribers that is also a third party, but not TekSavvy themselves.

Dealing With Unfused JCOP Java Cards Sold from AliExpress or eBay

Recently I acquired a set of 5 JCOP J2A040 Java Cards with the intention of loading the GidsApplet on them for Windows Smart Card Logon with an Active Directory Domain Controller.

Upon receipt of the smart cards in the mail, I’ve ran into this error with GlobalPlatformPro:


pro.javacard.gp.GPException: STRICT WARNING: Unfused JCOP detected
at pro.javacard.gp.GlobalPlatform.printStrictWarning(GlobalPlatform.java:184)
at pro.javacard.gp.GlobalPlatform.select(GlobalPlatform.java:213)
at pro.javacard.gp.GPTool.main(GPTool.java:334)

After a few hours spent with Google and various search engines and some trial and error, I’ve put together an explanation on what an unfused JCOP card really is and how to perform the pre-personalization steps that a card manufacturer would have taken to enable the GlobalPlatform Card Manager so a developer can load a .CAP file on to the card for the end user to use.

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How not to pay the $5 YVR AddFare on the SkyTrain with the new Compass Tickets

Since the lovely transit authority here has decided to roll out RFID smart cards, which they call the Compass Cards, they’ve decided that now everybody leaving Sea Island with just only Stored Value on their cards are now subject to the $5 YVR AddFare.

This surcharge has been widely known for years and the most common way to get around it was to just simply purchase a book of 10 1-Zone FareSavers and use them instead. However, since TransLink will discontinue the old paper based fare media and close the fare gates on all SkyTrain stations, trying to purchase or use FareSavers will be impossible.

Keep in mind this work around only works for people commuting to YVR for work or to the newly built outlet stores by Templeton Station; this won’t work if you are not returning from YVR the same day you go there. The way you get around this pesky $5 YVR AddFare is you purchase your return ticket at any Compass Vending machine outside of Sea Island. When you leave YVR, use that Compass Ticket you purchased from the Vending Machine instead of your Compass Card. The reason why this workaround works is tickets sold from the newer vending machines expire on 0400 hours the day you purchase it. The 90 minute transfer window begins when you initially tap in with the Compass Ticket.

Of course, you won’t be enjoying the discount that their Stored Value offers over the full cash fare prices, however saving between $0.60 to $1.30 still beats the $5 YVR AddFare surcharge that TransLink levies on all tickets purchased in Sea Island. However look at the bright side, travel within Sea Island will remain free. As a matter of fact, you can go to any of the newer Ticket Vending Machines that sell the Compass Cards/Tickets and get a free Sea Island only Compass Ticket.

Upgrading from Windows Azure Websites Update 4 to Update 6 with SQL Server Standard

As you may have known, Windows Azure Websites installations that uses SQL Server Standard Edition for data storage will have issues getting updated to Update 6 as the SQL scripts included in this update used SQL Server Enterprise Edition specific features. I’ve reported this issue to Microsoft on the Windows Azure Pack forums and have privately conversed with a few people inside Microsoft who are responsible for the Azure Pack Websites product following the public post.

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