Windows only: Face recognition software Blink lets you log in to Windows through your webcam-enabled computer. It also grabs a shot of everyone who successfully logs in, by face or by keyboard, so you know who’s been up to what.

The login history is useful for seeing who’s used your computer recently, as well as seeing anyone who’s managed to look enough like you to break through the app’s touted recognition algorithms. Food for thought: if you could somehow save the photos automatically to a folder, and have it synced to Dropbox, could you make your own home-brewed tracker for laptop thieves?

Blink claims to recognize you whether you change your haircut, grow a beard, or switch out glasses for contacts. While we didn’t try logging on with a picture of ourselves (similar to what we did with face recognition software Banana Screen, a test involving dark sunglasses under “High Security” mode failed to log us in to Windows, which made us feel better.

Blink is freeware for Windows 32-bit systems only. What’s your ideal, secure login idea for Windows? Does it involve faces, thumbprints, passwords, or something else entirely?We’d like to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Windows/Linux: Open-source image editor MyPaint allows you to draw and edit images in fullscreen mode, on a limitless canvas that grows with your image and eliminates pesky scroll bars. It also works with pressure-sensitive tablets and touch screens for the creative set.

MyPaint includes a wide array of extensively customizable brushes. There’s also basic layer support, color history, and a color palette that includes complimentary colors. Unfortunately, copying and pasting your work directly into external image editing programs isn’t supported, but you can save your images in common formats like PNG to import them into other image editors.

It won’t replace Photoshop if you need a feature-rich program but, being essentially a simplified Corel Painter, it offers an intuitive painting space. MyPaint is open-source freeware for Windows and Linux systems only.