Open letter to Google: Use of tokens for 3rd party management

Dear Google,

I'm a user who is usually paranoid level skeptical about entering username / password in 3rd party software. Though from time to time I see there is no other choice (ie: Sync outlook Contacts with Gmail Contacts) and even in some cases I'm encouraged by Google to use 3rd party software (ie: Other IM Clients).

Even though I change my password sets quite often, Using 3rd party is same as compromising your Gmail account. Following that all other services that you are using your gmail address for communication - even banking - will be in danger. Of course this can't be acceptable.

For solving this issue, I advise the use of 3rd Party Access Management with the use of Tokens instead of password. Tokens are already being used between Google Services and for Google talk using the Gaia Authentication. This same method can be extended to 3rd parties with increased manageability. A user should be able to generate a token for a 3rd party, select the TTL and set the Google services that should be accesible (ie:
"3rdP=Linkedin.com;TTL=10min;Acs=Contacts;",
"3rdP=Facebook.com;TTL=1year;Acs=Contacts,Buzz;",
"3rdP=Fring;TTL=Never;Acs=Chat;").

By this authentication ability, users will be much more in control of their 3rd party software. In case of a service early termination, user can revoke the token and would be safe. Also for Desktop installed Google software like Google Desktop - Google Talk, this method would be introducing another layer of account protection against Trojen - Key Logger based attacks.

For the advantages I mentioned above, I kindly request the introduction of Token Based Authentication and 3rd Party Management.

Your devoted user,

Kaya Ozalp

ps: I also sent a copy of this to Google as a feedback.

long time no see

oy...it's been quite long - the intentions are good but still its not an excuse. A lot have changed in my life obviously. I won't be able to get in any details but just a quick sip should be enough:

For starters did you know that I went to army? If that's new, hear this: I served in the Greek Army! I know it's not shocking enough so as a booster: I can't speak Greek! yea that was a fun 3 months but I can't complain much - it was way more easier than I imagined. I communicated mostly in English - even after 3 months some pll were still thinking I was English. Hopefully I was doing the service close to my hometown in Greece and could sleep at my house - party all night and return to base before sunrise =D

During all this military mess something unbelievably amazing happened - it is so strange and unrealistic that I started believing in faith. //That's another days story

We jump to December 2009 - It's like Fu**ing economy collapsed with my hopes of finding a job - randomly a friend calls that she has been asked to call me by her superior for a position. I meet with 2 Belgian guys (what the *? I thought it would be just an interview with some turkish guy) Its more like a chat than an interview - we talk laught and couple of days later bammmm they call back - They are offering a position in Alcatel-Lucent Belgium working on IPTV solutions as a Field Integration Engineer. And the written objective of my CV was: "My objective is to start my professional life in a multi national company preferably in Europe, specializing on Embedded systems, Networking, IT solutions or Robotic Tele-operation." Am I lucky or what? =D Its been 6 months and I'm quite happy with it =)

My team is in Antwerp, Belgium which is 140km to Aachen, Germany... So the question is "what about Aachen?". They say "it's a small world" - we tested it and that's right as long as you are in western europe =) In just 3 months I've seen Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxemburg --- and also a Spain gig is on the way.

Even this much is more than enough to swallow at once so stay tuned for details and news

Embedded Google Talk for Guests

I've been working on a html webpage and thought I could use the new Google Talk chatback feature. The standard one is a little annoying as it creates a popup windows so I embedded it to my website and added a toggle feature. Here is how-to for creating your own:

Step-1
Copy/paste the customized source code for "Hyperlink and status icon(no frame)" from Google: http://www.google.com/talk/service/badge/New
It should be something like this:

<img style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2px 0pt 0pt;" src="http://www.google.com/talk/service/resources/chaticon.gif" alt="" height="14" width="16"><img style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2px 0pt 0pt;" src="http://www.google.com/talk/service/badge/Show?tk=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX&amp;w=9&amp;h=9" alt="" height="9" width="9"><a href="http://www.google.com/talk/service/badge/Start?tk=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" target="_blank" title="Click here to chat with Kaya">Chat with Kaya</a>

Place it to where you want to show your status message.


Step-2
Take note of the the 3rd address starting with "href=". This is the key to start the chat.


Step-3
Delete the link code

<a href="http://www.google.com/talk/service/badge/Start?tk=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" target="_blank" title="Click here to chat with Kaya">Chat with Kaya</a>

Step-4
and add this one:

<a href="javascript:;" onmousedown="if(document.getElementById('chatIFrame').height==0){document.getElementById('chatIFrame').height=490;document.getElementById('chatIFrame').setAttribute('src','http://www.google.com/talk/service/badge/Start?tk=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX');}else{if(document.getElementById('chatDiv').style.display == 'none'){ document.getElementById('chatDiv').style.display = 'block';}else{document.getElementById('chatDiv').style.display = 'none';}}">Toggle Google Talk Chat</a>

Step-5
Change the part with

"http://www.google.com/talk/service/badge/Start?tk=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"

with the one you took from Step-2

Step-6
Copy/paste this code wherever you want your chat box to be seen.

<div id="chatDiv" name="chatDiv"><iframe id="chatIFrame" name="chatIFrame" frameborder="0" height="0" scrolling="auto" width="250"></iframe></div>

Toggle Google Talk Chat

change

After a storm of emotional impacts I finally started to step on solid foot. To get rid of this pain I tried approaching every aspect of my life with a more logical and clear way allowing no emotions (yes, it helps a lot). This became a test of my soul looking for an equilibrium/stability in my life. I tried many things looking for a solution but life has its way of cause-correcting. I took every shot that came along / even the ones that I didn’t even knew I was capable of. I’ve no regret how I felt for but life at some point reminds me… shows me what I’m inside this shell.

Besides, this shielded loneliness brings up many questions. For example “how I wanted my life to be?” –-- “A life that I didn’t have any uncertainties, which means I had great understanding of my past/present/future, so that I could shape my future” … I think I’ve heard you say “You’re a control freak lunatic”. That might be true but that is who I’m – try at your own risk. If you’ve a slight intention of taking me serious, you might also ask… does this really work? If there are no surprises in life there is no taste and bla bla… The answer is that, I’m aware that I can’t take every variable in control but even leaving them on their own and at minimum planning for the possible outcomes gives you relief.

OK. Still holding on? Hehe not for long =) you will think I’m insane when you heard “how the girl, I want to share my life with, should be?” except from being beautiful, loving, kind and soft of course =) “she should be understanding – understanding what the current situation means and accept a logical resolution, putting some spontaneous girlish wish that has no solid base and just desired coming from nowhere………… she should be clear – that she should know what she wants/needs and should always be able to tell the naked truth ……… she should have faith in me -that I’ll always want what is best for `us`”. Ok I’m one step closer to freak from freakish.

At this point I lived in a limited world in which the limits are my consciousness. I’ve no regrets what I’ve done or will … I did what I was good at; I sought for the next step and followed the path my mind shaped.

Change number 1 – don’t loose hope.... but don’t expect anything... be prepared...

NP: Jewel – Foolish Games