17. LooseLocker

LooseLocker is a Windows application that asks for a password on waking only after the machine has been asleep for a set time, as an iPhone does.

Windows offers only two choices on waking from sleep: always ask for a password, or never ask. I wanted the screen to lock only after a set time, as on an iPhone, but was surprised to find no application that did this, so I wrote one on the train during my commute.

Why I made it:

I work on the train, put the machine to sleep, change trains, and work again, so I use short sleeps often, and entering a password many times in a short period felt tiresome. Turning authentication off entirely is a security problem, so I had long wished it worked like an iPhone.

I do not own one myself, but I imagine it is also useful for people using a Windows 8 Pro tablet.

How to install and use it:

Control Panel, then Power Options, then "Require a password on wakeup", then "Change settings that are currently unavailable"; select "Don't require a password" and click "Save changes".
ここからsetup.exeをダウンロードしてダブルクリックし、インストールしてください。Windows8だといろいろ不審なアプリ扱いされます。「WindowsによってPCが保護されました」 → 「詳細情報」 → 「実行」で華麗に回避してください。
When the application runs, it appears as a padlock-shaped icon in the notification area. Right-click it and use "Settings" to set the time before the password lock takes effect.
In the same "Settings", you can choose whether LooseLocker starts with Windows.
If you quit it by mistake, look for the application named LooseLocker.

Please note:

It has been tested on Windows 8.
Because of how it is implemented, the desktop is sometimes visible for a moment after waking. That is by design.
It forces the screen to lock, so it is a somewhat risky application. Please use it at your own risk.