The Daily Parker

As readers have inferred, I've started a new position (more later), and with that I've got to set up a new work computer. I say "computer," but it's actually a MacBook Pro. All of my everything lives in the Microsoft universe. This has caused a slight problem trying to get access to my new company's source code in GitHub.

See, I've used Password Safe for years to manage all my passwords. By "all" I mean that I follow the standard industry practice of never re-using passwords, and generating strong passwords for each asset. This includes my GitHub account.

Today I finally got my existing GitHub account authorized to access the company's repositories. So all I have to do is log in to my GitHub account, and...wait...crap.

So how do I get my GitHub password? Here are the steps I tried:

1. My safe file is on OneDrive, so I can get it off my phone and email it to my work address. No problem there.
2. But PWSafe is a Windows application. There isn't a Mac version available through the same vendor.
3. There is a Mac version through a different vendor—for $15. OK, let me rule out all the free options first.
4. Aha! I have a virtual machine sitting in Microsoft Azure that I can spin up. It has access to OneDrive and it has a local copy of PWSafe already installed.
5. Log into the Microsoft Azure portal.
6. Spin up VM.
7. Google how to connect to it from a Mac. (Microsoft has a client available through the iTunes store.)
8. Go to the App Store on my Mac.
9. Find the RDP client.
10. Attempt to install the RDP client.
11. Dammit. I have to set up a new Apple ID because my personal Apple ID is—you guessed it—in the safe.
12. Set up a new Apple ID for work.
13. Actually install the RDP client this time.
14. Realize that the password for the VM is—you guessed it—in the safe.
15. Shut down the VM for now.
16. Jot down a note to add my GitHub account to LastPass so I can get into it from work.
17. Jot down another note to add my VM credentials to LastPass.
18. Get more tea.
19. Blog about this.

Oh well. I have plenty to do this afternoon that doesn't involve writing software.