Computer Tips and Tricks

Computer Problems Might Mean Registry Problems

2008-11-30T11:32:00.002-05:00

In theory, the newer Microsoft operating systems such as XP and Vista do not require constant registry cleaning. Because these operating systems are based on Windows NT instead of the registry, invalid or broken registry keys should not slow your PC down.

From a practical perspective, however, you could still experience PC problems because of corrupt or bad registry keys. Even though your operating system relies on Windows NT, removing malware, spyware or adware could leave bad keys in the registry that affect your computer's performance.

If your favorite software programs take a long time to load or are not running correctly, you might need to check out the registry.

A program called 'regedit' that you can access from the 'start/run' command is available on MIcrosoft's operating systems. When you run the regedit program, you will be presented with the contents of your registry folder. Using the regedit program, you can identify the bad keys and remove them directly from the registry.

The average, non-technical computer user may take one look at the registry file, get confused by all the apparent gobblygook, and give up on trying to understand what the registry keys mean. Fortunately, there are some software programs available for free or for a small price that will identify any bad keys. Depending on the program, the registry cleaner software will either delete the bad keys automatically or let you choose which invalid registry keys should be deleted.

Be wary about downloading and installing free registry cleaners or antivirus programs. Some of these programs include adware or other forms of malicious code that will create a lot of trouble for you down the road. If you prefer not to spend money on a registry cleaner, download from a trusted service like cNet that verifies that your freeware is free of malware.

If your software programs are not running efficiently, visit the NotGuru blog's computer tips section, where you will find a step-by-step tutorial on how to clean your registry. To make it simple and printable, the tutorial includes both written instructions and screenshots. Trusted registry cleaner software is also recommended.

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2008-11-24T13:41:00.001-05:00

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The Wifi for Beginners Guide

2008-11-19T11:08:00.005-05:00

There are many images of the future, all showing spectacular technologies which will apparently control our lives. But before we come to grips with these wild and whacky ideas, there is wifi, a technology which is already with us and still seems alien and confusing to many people. There was a point when wifi was being talked about all the time, in the papers, on the news, but at that time it was not available to the average internet user. Now, with the wifi networks popping up all over the place, it seems we are all supposed to understand it, even though many of us are just using it for the first time. So here are a few tips on wifi for beginners, just for those of us who sometimes feel a little left behind.

So what does wifi mean? Wifi is a shortening of wireless fidelity. Wireless fidelity works by allowing the users to log into and use a network by receiving and transmitting signals through radio waves. If you have just bought your laptop or notebook and are thinking of ‘going wifi’ the computer isl probably already be set up for wireless fidelity. If, however, you are using an older laptop then you can still buy adapters which will turn your computer wireless. There's one potential problem with relying on adapters; as more and more computers are produced wireless then the number of computers needing adapters will reduce and before you know it the manufacturers will stop making them, hence forcing people to buy new hardware if they want to come to grips with wifi. Good wifi for beginners advice is to ensure sure that your computer is suitable.

Explaining wifi for beginners also requires explaining hotspots for beginners. Hotspots are places where you can use your wifi prepared laptop. Hotspots are usually located in areas where people congregate, such as airports, cafes, or hotels. A hotspot is a network which is open and hence will allow anyone to log on. Most locations which offer these will be hoping that you will be using other facilities while utilizing their hotspot, such as drinking coffee, eating, or buying drinks.

When trying to cover the basic information on wifi for beginners it is important to discuss security. If you are logging onto a public wifi net then you will be sending information across the airwaves between your computer and the network. Most people who run hotspots are not concerned about your security, they are more interested in how much money they can get you to spend while you are surfing the net. Accordingly the majority of public networks have no encryption at all.

There are however, steps which the user can take to help ensure their security. These include the following; have the firewall on your computer turned on, you should also make sure that any file sharing facilities on your computer are turned off. The firewall is an important measure as it will try to stop other users from accessing your computer. The file sharing is a facility which Microsoft offers and if you turn this off and password protect any files which are confidential then you will be taking steps towards a more secure connection. As you learn more and more about wifi for beginners you will realize that no steps are guaranteed to keep your information private, but all these little adjustments do help.

I hope that this wifi for beginners guide will help you to log on with some degree of confidence. One important thing to remember is that wifi is addictive, once you discover the freedom of wifi there will be no going back.

Nvidia Corp. releases the Tesla C1060 GPU Processor

2008-11-19T11:08:00.004-05:00

Hardware maker Nvidia has announced a new computer that has the power of a cluster of computers at a small fraction of the cost.

Nvidia, working with several partners, Dell, Lenovo, Asus, Western Scientific, and others, has developed the Tesla Personal Supercomputer, using the graphics processing unit based on Nvidia's Cuda parallel computing architecture.

Burton Smith, a technical fellow at Microsoft stated while there have been claims of desktop supercomputers in the past, "this time it's for real,"

Nvidia claims computers using the Tesla C1060 GPU processor will have 250 times the processing power of a typical PC workstation, enabling researchers to run complicated simulations, experiments and crunching processes without the need for a supercomputing cluster.

This so-called "personal supercomputer" will incorporate anywhere from between two to four Tesla C1060 processors, made up of 240 stream processing cores.

Most computer cluster will run a 100 times the cost of one of the Tesla-powered workstations. The Tesla C1060 card, available on computers Tuesday, will sell for $1,699, with desktop computer systems including the card selling for less than $9,995, said Andrew Humber, an Nvidia spokesman. The systems would run at a processing speed of four teraflops, or four trillion floating point operations per second.

"This represents phenomenal price/performance for computational researchers who have typically had to compete for time on expensive and power-hungry clusters," the Nvidia spokesperson said in an e-mail.

Several institutions, including the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Cambridge University,and the Max Planck Institute are already using GPU-based personal supercomputers.

"GPU based systems enable us to run life science codes in minutes rather than the hours it took earlier," Jack Collins, manager of scientific computing and program development at SAIC-Frederick's Advanced Biomedical Computing Center in Frederick, Maryland, said in a statement. "This exceptional speed-up has the ability to accelerate the discovery of potentially life-saving anti-cancer drugs."

With most High Performance Computer (HPC) clusters and supercomputers are powered by conventional CPUs, Nvidia is betting that its general-purpose GPUs can offer the types of performance that scientists, researchers and other workers in the HPC market need now to run these types of massive workloads.

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Data Loss Prevention - Spotting Potential Problems Early

2008-11-15T21:29:00.001-05:00

We would all like to think that we are immune to a system failure and that our trusty computers will just keep on going without a hint of a problem. Sadly regardless of whether you’re are a home or business user, systems are prone to boot up failures and these often result in unexpected data loss of varying degrees.

If you have been here before then at least you will have a vague or depending on your experience a deeper level of knowledge here, but for many potential data loss scenarios are a new computing horror to overcome, so what typically should we be looking out for?

Computer is working but simply won’t boot up properly: Often this can be overcome by starting your computer in safe mode if you know how, and going from there. But this will not always help as you may be suffering from a software issue or conflict or even possible a hardware issue such as a failing hard disk drive.

Computer starts to become slow: When we first get our new computer there is very little on it when it comes to programs and games for example, and over time the operating system due to the way it is designed becomes cluttered. Registry repair utilities can help operating system problems but data loss is always a risk. In extreme circumstances a total ODS re-install is the best option.

Pc virus, malware and spyware: Pc virus and other, malevolent applications can cause untold data loss and problems if not handled in the correct manner from the outset. Boot sector viruses and others will first start to be noticeable when you Pc starts behaving strangely so be on your guard.

So we come back to how we handle a problem when it arises. How do we prevent data loss when we inevitably have to reinstall our current operating system or upgrade to a new one?

The answer to preventing data loss is incredibly simple: backup, backup, backup. You would however be simply amazed at how many computer users at home or work fail to follow this simple protocol when backup today is so simple.

External hard drives can be purchased in most computer shops now days and a quick search online for online backup will also give you a number of remote back up options.

So what options do you have to get your important or vital data back? If things seem really bad and saving the data is crucial, don’t take any risks and contact a data recovery specialist. They will have a whole host of solutions available to save your data and whilst it cannot be guaranteed, they do stand the best chance of success.

You can find more great advice on data recovery and in particular for businesses raid data recovery here.

The Important Developments of Wifi

2008-11-12T11:53:00.001-05:00

It's easier than ever to access the internet and link up with people around the globe. The invention of the World Wide Web has allowed communication to become fast and convenient. All you need is an internet service provider and a few clicks of your mouse.

When the technology developed, companies began to offer wireless fidelity, which is the technology commonly referred to as WiFi. This technology has increased the availability of the internet and allowed work to continue while traveling. To explain WiFi, begin by looking at how the technology helps people communicate.

What is WiFi?

If you like to take your laptop with you to work out of the house, WiFi is a technology that you should know about. It can provide high speed internet connections without confining you to a cord. You can now access the internet from a variety of locations, including around your home. Wireless Fidelity is managed by the Wi-Fi Alliance, who has a goal of improving wireless connections and local area networks.

How to Explain WiFi Uses

Computers are not the only modern technology that takes advantage of modern wireless internet connections. You may own video game consoles, digital cameras, or MP3 players that also have the capacity to use your home or office WiFi connection. You can do anything over a wireless connection, from playing games to making phone calls with voice over IP technology.

The Wi-Fi Alliance is a group of independent companies that all produce compatible products. This is a wonderful idea for the consumer, who knows that any certified item will be compatible with their wireless network. You do not need to purchase all your items from one brand. When you explain WiFi to a novice, this is a major advantage.

WiFi’s Contribution to Society

Life is easier as wireless technology improves and becomes available in more locations. Other items can be more effective, and business can be conducted from anywhere. There are so many different providers and hotspot locations, so that you can take your internet connection around the world with you. There is no need to lose touch when you are traveling. The world is becoming smaller every day.

Explain WiFi’s Advantages

WiFi is not only great for accessing the internet. You can also share files in a peer to peer connection, which is wonderful for gamers and other consumer electronic devices. You can also set up your wireless network with a router to connect to multiple devices and allow a variety of internet connections. WiFi even aids in interior decorating -- there is no need to place your computer near a phone jack anymore!

Drawbacks of WiFi

There is not a WiFi hotspot everywhere yet. You may find that there are dead spots even in your home connection, thanks to the placement of your device in relation to the walls. You may need a booster to fix the problem.

Wireless internet connections may not be perfect, but the consumer is benefiting greatly from the wide availability of access to communication. As the technology continues to develop, so too will the uses.

Getting A Computer Tune-Up

2008-11-08T15:27:00.002-05:00

Tune-up your old PC

If you are having a hard time moving around and multitaksing on your computer then it is time for a check-up. If you suffer from a slow computer don’t worry. This article will cover several tips for you to consider to boost your computer's speed.

One of the first and probably the most helpful thing you can do is to get a computer tune-up. Just like cars computers need maintenance. You would never consider waiting years to change your car’s oil. If you did then your car won’t last that long. Almost every computer should be tuned up once a year. While there are several online tools you can purchase to repair your registry and optimize your computer nothing beats a real expert taking a look at your computer. No tune-up software will tell you if you have enough security protection or if you can add more memory to your computer.

Only a real pro will be able to look at the broader picture and let you know all the things you may need to consider. Even if that news is to buy a new computer. Places like this computer repair Company do a great job at repairing computer right online. This is a California based company and it’s like having the tech right in your home. Once you register you download a quick program that will allow them a one time access into your computer and then you can watch them work and talk to them at the same time. They will also walk through installing memory into your computer if need be. It’s not hard at all with a service like this. It’s also cheaper than you think so check them out first.

Besides hiring a pro to get the job done many tech savvy people are capable of handling it themselves. If this is you then consider a free 30 day trial of JV16 power tools. Just Google that name and you will see them pop up first. These guys offer a free fully functional trial for 30 days. It’s well worth the download.This program is easy to use but not for people who do not have good computer skills. It could do more harm than good in the wrong hands.

Another thing to consider is to max out your computer memory. Over time programs get more and more complicated and this never seems to change, so adding memory tends to be one of the best things you can do. Google 'memory configurator' and plug in your computer model into any memory configurator program and you will be able to see how much memory and what type your computer can use. This is one of the cheaper ways to get a little more life out of your computer.

If it comes down to it and you do need a new computer then consider checking out this computer to computer data transfer site. Its good stuff and they have many guides on how to transfer files from XP to Vista and any computer to computer data transfer.

The Importance Of Not Skimping On The Price While Buying A Backpack For Laptop

2008-11-04T20:12:00.001-05:00

Laptop computers are a major financial investment and they need to be protected when you are away from home. Getting a backpack for laptop computers can help protect your computer from accidents, while freeing your hands to do other things. These computer bags do not have to be boring. You can get a stylish accessory that will protect your computer. Before you purchase a new bag for your computer, consider these points.

Think About Comfort

Don’t purchase the trendiest backpack for laptop computers that you come across. The most important aspect of a laptop bag is how comfortable it is for you to wear or carry. If you do not feel comfortable with your bag, you will soon be shopping for a new one. Make sure to choose a backpack that is easy on your back and adjust the straps for maximum comfort. Most manufacturers design bags with this in mind, but make sure to try them on before you make a purchase.

After you have found a bag with straps that fit properly, take a look at how much padding is inside the bag. If you spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a computer, you do not want to trust it to shoddy padding. Check that it has thick padding within the computer compartment. A good backpack for laptop computers should also have straps to secure your computer in place. Anything that you can do to keep your laptop safe will end up saving you money. Don’t skimp and buy a cheap bag.

A durable, well-constructed bag is more likely to protect your computer in case it is accidentally dropped or bumped. The more frequently you carry your computer with you, the higher the likelihood that there will eventually be an accident. Avoid shoddy workmanship and examine the backpack for laptop computers carefully before you decide to purchase it.

Other Considerations

Before you head to the store, consider which accessories you regularly carry with your laptop. If you need specific cables, software, or even a portable printer, you should plan for them when you purchase a backpack for laptop computers. Take a look at the pockets offered on the different models when you are deciding which one to buy. You don’t want to have to carry two bags to fit all your gear.

Laptop bags do not have to be boring or traditional black leather. There are many color and style options now available. Let your personality show with the bag that you choose to carry your computer in. However, if you plan to take your laptop to the office, make sure that you purchase a professional bag.

Don’t rush to purchase a new laptop bag. Consider all these factors and you will be able to decide on the perfect backpack for laptop computers.Almost every major retailer has a variety of selections available. Consider comfort and protection first, then find something fun. The perfect bag awaits you.

Understanding Registry Repair

2008-11-02T13:09:00.001-05:00

Registry repair is a crucial Windows maintenance process because all hardware, software and user preference information is stored within the registry. Data in your registry is stored in a tree-like, hierarchal structure made up of keys, subkeys and their values.

You need to perform registry repair when the registry gets filled up with loads of unwanted keys and values that clutter it and cause registry bloating. A bloated registry gets easily damaged and creates many errors on your PC.

Registry repair is essential in the following contexts:

You need to regularly perform registry repair if you frequently install and uninstall programs from your system.
Registry repair is crucial if an incorrect method is used to uninstall one or more pieces of software from your PC.
If a virus or some spyware is located on your PC, carry out registry repair to weed out any infected entries from it.
You need to perform registry repair if your system crashes, to repair any corrupt entries as a result of the crash.
It is good to perform registry repair soon after you repair or remove faulty software, a faulty device or device driver from your system because faulty software and hardware tend to cause damage to the registry.

A registry repair method for beginners

Windows computers are equipped with the Registry Editor (regedit) utility that enables users to perform a certain level of registry repair. However, this utility is not simple to use and any user error can cause severe problems with your system.

This is why most industry gurus recommend using efficient and reliable registry repair tools. There are several registry repair tools available on the Internet, and you can search for and download a registry repair tool that meets your requirement from the Web. Some of the essential features that you must look for in your registry repair tool are:

The registry repair tool you choose must be compatible with your Windows operating system.
The registry repair tool should use smart and intelligent scanning techniques to report genuine problems as errors.
The registry repair tool should report errors based on their severity level for better understanding.
The registry repair software must offer facilities like registry defrag and registry back-up.
If your registry repair software includes optional features like a Start-up Manager, Temporary files manager and BHO manager, it is an extra advantage.

It is advisable that you first download and utilise the trial version of the registry repair software you want to try out, and then purchase it only when you are satisfied with how it works.

How to use a registry repair tool

Scan and repair is the most essential task performed by a registry repair tool. However, before starting scan and registry repair, use your tool to backup the registry. A registry repair program will carry this out automatically before repairing your registry. If your registry repair tool does not automatically back up the registry, perform a manual backup using the backup and repair option of your registry repair tool.

Next, use the Scan option to scan the registry. After the scan is complete, all errors will be displayed on the screen. Most of the decent registry repair progams enable you to repair the detected errors automatically. This facility is ideal for newbies who are not well-versed with the registry. Advanced users can go through all the detected errors, and perform registry repair on selected errors only.

Windows Registry Cleaners: Improving the Speed Of Your Machine

2008-11-01T11:34:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately there's nothing we can do about the fact that our computers slow down over time. They get bogged down with unimportant information, files, and registry data. These files are on your hard drive and in your windows registry. They show up from uninstalling old software, hardware device drivers, as well as from surfing the web and adware.

The biggest issues you as a computer user will run into are slow start up as well as slow Windows performance in general, along with errors popping up and possible crashing.

What a Registry Cleaner Does

After installing a Windows registry cleaner it completes an in depth scan of your entire windows registry system. During this scan it looks for potential registry key errors, out of date information, as well as empty registry keys. How exactly does a piece of software do that? Well it knows what items are usually errors or old missing data and what registry keys are valid.

Once a complete scan is done you have the options of removing all the errors found or going through each item one at a time to ensure that what is found actually is indeed an error that needs to be removed or repaired.

The feature of reviewing each item found one at a time isn't something that can be found in every registry cleaner, so before making your purchase decision check out the program on a registry cleaner reviews site to ensure it supports the features you're looking for. By taking a few minutes to read reviews you'll ensure you're getting the feature set you want.

What Performance Increase Will you See?

After a windows registry cleaner has gone through the entire process of scanning your windows registry, cleaning up your start up menu items, and any other scans the program offers you should experience several things depending on how severe your issues were to begin with.

The first thing most people should experience is a faster boot up time for Windows. Other improvements you may or may not experience after a scan and repair of the registry are repaired errors that used to pop up, and improved start up time of other Windows applications and programs.

Of course not every error is repaired by a registry cleaner, but a large majority can be fixed in well under an hour.

There are several registry repair programs that are worth checking out. You can read more about these tools in this Registry Mechanic review.

PC Tools is a top rated PC utility developer and they have a very trusted brand name in the online marketplace.

Get The Best Deal With A Desktop Computer Package

2008-10-30T17:45:00.001-04:00

Desktop Computer Package

One of the best desktop computer deals is going with a package, which commonly includes the tower, the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. With this, the buyer gets everything needed but often for a much better price than if he or she were to buy each thing individually. A desktop computer package is quite popular and therefore, more and more manufacturers are coming up with great bargains.

Regardless of the desktop computer package, there are many different factors a buyer needs to think about to ensure they make the right purchase. After all, there are so many different brands, features, and components that sometimes narrowing choices down can be complicated and overwhelming. The following are some helpful tips when buying a desktop computer package.

Type of Computer

Buyers will find that custom desktop computers are available for both Windows and Macintosh. Both systems are great but they do run very differently. The Macintosh is known for its great stability and robust operating system. In addition, the Macintosh does not typically experience as many virus problems. On the other hand, Windows is the most popular so there are many more choices for software packages.

Central Processing Unit

The CPU inside the tower is one the most critical choices you will have to make when putting together your desktop computer bundle. The Central Processing Unit will determine the speed with which your computer will process commands.

Memory

One of the most important component of a computer is the RAM (read access memory). Having more RAM will increase the performance of the computer. Increasing the memory will also enable you to multitask (run several programs at once) without much degradation.

Hard Drive Performance

The rpm speed and access times affect the hard drive performance. A starting configuration would be approximately 160gb. If you are planning to store a lot of media files a larger hard drive would be a better choice.

The Computer Screen

The computer screens that are included in the best desktop computer deals today are typically a flat screen monitor. The size of the monitor would depend upon your needs. If you are working on detailed graphics a larger monitor would be ideal.

Best Keyboard and Mouse

A wireless keyboard and or mouse is not only convenient but allows a clean looking computer station. There are so many wires connecting all the components together it is hard to keep them neat and tidy. Visit a computer store to find the style, size and shape you prefer before making an online purchase.

More on computers can be found here Custom Desktop Computers

Computer Memory - What Computer Manufacturers Don't Tell You

2008-10-28T17:22:00.004-04:00

Technology never seems to stop racing ahead and before one product has even gone to market quite often it has been superseded by a newer faster model.

Consumers often go out and buy the latest and greatest computers, laptop and gadgets when they don't realy need to, or they simply haven't found the best way to make their existing device work better.

When it comes to the needs of the average computer user, PC manufacturers often gloss over their real needs and pitch the new product in the wrong way.

A majority of computer users do not play games on their computers (they probably have a play station or a Wii), nor do they use massively processor hungry applications like computer aided design packages or finite element (fea) calculation packages.

Computer vendors would have us believe that we all need multi processor cores so we can multi task and have an infinite number of applications running it the same time when in reality, most users will never have more than three or four applications open at any one time.

One fact that is undeniable though is that when you go and buy your next P with all its raw computing power you will probably still need to buy something extra to make it work efficiently within a short space of time.

A well rounded and efficient computer or laptop isn’t just about the processor speed; granted that does help but only up to a point, but your system does need to be in balance and, a majority are not.

What we are in reality talking about here of course is the system memory.

As PC power increases programs get more complex, and as they get more complex they use more computer memory.

The more programs you install even if only working in the background, i.e., anti virus programs, music programs and system utilities the more memory is used and so on.

Simply put, the more memory the programs have to access, the faster and more efficiently the PC will work.

This is all well and good but the problem occurs when your computer runs out of memory and has to start using the hard drive as extended memory instead.

This is magnitudes slower performance wise than the system memory and will not stop your PC from working but will certainly slow it down, sometimes to the point of almost stopping.

Computer memory upgrades are easily obtainable fortunately and something which you can do yourself. You can do an online computer memory scan to ensure and guarantee that the memory is indeed correct for your system and fit it yourself when it arrives a few days later if ordered on line.

To see how easy it is to install extra memory in your computer or laptop, simply visit the computer support and repair and watch the video.

Or you can contact your local computer repair professional who can also perform this inexpensive task if you have already purchased a new PC or if your existing system is running slowly.

How To Permanently Erase Files From Your Computer

2008-10-28T17:22:00.003-04:00

You've deleted a file. So that's it. It's no longer available to anyone, is it?

Err. No. It's still on your hard drive.

You see, computers - and especially computer programmers - take short cuts. And one of the things they take a short cut on is that they don't actually delete a file when you click delete. Sometimes, this is useful because it means you can undelete a file that you've accidentally deleted.

But what can you do if you want to completely obliterate all traces of a file? Maybe you're passing your old PC onto someone else and you don't want the new owner to have access to all your passwords. Maybe you had a number of confidential files from work and you need to make sure that they're not kept on your hard disk any longer than needed. Maybe it's some email correspondence you don't want anyone else to get hold of.

No matter the reason, simply pressing the delete button just won't do the job properly.

Unless you can guarantee that no-one else will ever have access to your computer, you've got to ensure that any files that need to be deleted forever really are deleted permanently.

Far and away the best way to do this is by using a software program. The only other way is to format your hard disk tens of times and hit it with a big hammer until it breaks into so may pieces even the biggest jigsaw addict would give up.

Fortunately you can download some affordable software that will give you the same kind of file security the government would expect to use.

It will overwrite the space occupied by the file you want to delete. Not just a few times (that wouldn't be foolproof) but tens of times. Once it's finished, not even the most powerful computers in the world would be able to read the contents of the file.

Which means if you want to be completely certain that your files are permanently deleted, you need to download this software!

Vundo Really Sucks

2008-10-27T15:42:00.014-04:00

Vundo is one of the worst spyware programs you can be infected with. Not only do you have to deal with all the pop-ups and re-directs but other spyware programs seem to keep getting installed on your computer as well. If you are infected with Vundo we suggest heading over to this dedicated Vundo site.

There you will find several articles on how to remove Vundo from your computer. You should also check out the Vundo removal page they have setup. It lists about 10 free programs that you can use and they are all free.

Remember that this spyware program only gets worse with time. The longer you wait the harder it will be for you to remove and the more it may end up costing you. If you are unsure how to remove vundo from your computer then consider hiring a pro to remove this spyware threat for you. We suggest this Computer Repair company. These guys do an awesome job and at a very cheap price. They login remotely into your computer using screen sharing software and fully remove all traces of not only Vundo but any others you may have. For the cost it is by far the better way to go.

Not all anti-virus and anti-spyware programs are able to fully remove Vundo from computers. Some very popular ones like Norton and Mcafee can not seem to fully remove this strain. There are tools out there however that can get you up and going for those that want to repair their own computer.

Regardless of what method you choose you should consider purchasing software to protect your computer. Chances are you did not have any protection before and that is why you got infected or you were relying on free software to protect you computer. Doing this will only lead to headaches down the road.

Will Registry Easy "Cure" your computers Registry Problems or Will it make things Worse?

2008-10-27T15:42:00.011-04:00

Does your PC crash? Is your system running slow and are you receiving continuous error messages? Unfortunately you have an annoying but easy to fix issue with your computers registry. Should you try to fix it yourself or should you trust the Regcure Reviews and get software to repair it instead?

The Windows registry is a database of information. It contains data linked to various programs on your PC as well as the hardware and software configuration. It is regularly updated with programs that are installed and uninstalled.Any changes made to settings or applications are recorded in the windows registry. Continuous use can lead to problems.

Common errors are:

• Repeated error messages
• Slowing down of start-up speed as well as speed of normal operation
Ongoing stalling and poor performance of your PC
Intermittent system errors and crashes
• Unable to start up Windows properly

When these problems occur, you should clean it out with a registry easy download so that your computer can start working efficiently again. Doing this yourself would involve a very tedious and time-consuming process. you can also take your computer in to be repaired but that is expensive and time consuming.

A most efficient and cost effective way of getting your computer repaired is by using Repair Software like RegistryEasy.

Registry Easy software is the best cleaner on the market today because of its extensive list of features and outstanding level of safety. It is the best performing software program because its results are the best. That’s not saying that the other cleaners are bad, they are just not as good. None can even come close to what Registry Easy 2008 offers. It has many features and allows for deeper scanning than many other products.

One great feature we came across from our RegistryEasy.com review that puts the software at the top is that it allows junk and evidence file cleaning, in addition to a duplicate file cleaner. RegistryEasy has a very easy and simple to use interface. You can scan using 3 available options. The only negative is the fact that it has so many features which can really make it quite overwhelming at first.

The software repairs all the problems it finds, to make your computer run like new again. You don't have to re-install Windows. It is packed with a plenty of functions that are well-performing to help you in optimizing your whole computer system.

Registry Easy uses a high-end detection algorithm that will identify missing and invalid references in your Windows registry fast. The program is even easy for me to use. The various tools, including a backup function in case anything goes wrong, are easily accessible and explained in detail.

Buy Registry Easy, it is absolutely the top best choice for every computer user who wants to cure his/her PC from slowdown and/or instability. Powered by its powerful scanning and fixing engine, registry easy really makes the things simple with only few clicks to automatically fix the problems found in your registry. It will restore, fix and clean up your system files and errors in windows fast and efficiently.

Finding Lost PDF Passwords

2008-10-27T15:42:00.009-04:00

PDF files are a fantastic was to store computer documents. They can be opened on near enough any computer and the file will look the same as it was originally intended. All sorts of computers: Windows, Linux, Mac, even PDAs and mobile phones.

It's also possible to keep your PDFs from prying eyes by password protecing them. Before the PDF can be opened, the person who wants to read the file needs to enter a password.

Which is all well and good until the moment you need to open a password protected PDF file but you've stored the password in a "safe" place. Like in your home email and you're trying to open the file at the office. Or maybe the email with the password has been deleted. Or you thought "I'll always remember that password" and never wrote it down. Maybe the PDF password was set by a colleague who doesn't work for your company any more.

The other products that get protected by passwords are ebooks that you've just bought. For whatever reason, the product's owner is paranoid and thinks that every customer has the ulterior motive of stealing their product. Personally I think that treating customers like thieves will make them more open to sharing files. And I then promptly re-name the file with the password included so that I won't have to remember where the password was stored. I didn't always do this and some early PDFs I've bought are still locked as not only have I lost the email but the firm I bought the ebook from no longer exists.

Often you only realize a password has been lost at the last minute. So you need to retrieve the password quickly.

There are several ways to get around this problem.

You can simply ignore the file in the hope that your failure to open it won't matter.

If you've got time on your hands, you can start to enter all your "favorite" password combinations. Usually in the vain hope that you'll quickly find the password you used to protect the file.

You can download an inexpensive PDF password recovery program that will do all the typing for you and will find the lost PDF password for you in a matter of minutes.

Check out one of the best PDF password recovery programs I've found.

Spyware Removal Tools What To Look For

2008-10-27T15:42:00.007-04:00

Computers which crash on a frequent basis can be very frustrating when we have taken measures to prevent them from crashing. Certainly, all the information technology that is at our disposal is used, but this doesn't necessarily help us. Staring a system off clean and requiring password access is usually the first step.

Then the programs that are needed for the business and the owner are uploaded, and these files are double checked to make sure they did not include any nasty secondary programs. An additional precaution is that any availability to the internet should be severely limited, as to prevent the downloading of harmful programs or connections that will bring additional problems.

While company email and networks are open to most workers, programs like internet messengers or online shared programs are not, which goes a long way in ensuring the productivity of the workforce. Truthfully, it is impossible to prevent employees from using office computers to chat or download files not related to office duties. Cyber industry's major pain is actually spyware and or adware, something that can cause major problems for your business.

Once the internet and computer industries began booming, spyware was not far behind them, the negative ramifications predictably following the positive ones. Sometimes negative actions become so popular that a large swell of people will choose to take part in these negative actions.

Though the person behind spyware may be a genius, they are also a traitor to all the victims, many of whom are unaware of its existence until it messes up their system. Spyware gathers information about a user without them knowing or consenting, and there is certainly nothing right with these actions. The tools used to accomplish this privacy invasion are, unfortunately, completely proliferating.

This software works by sending advertisements to pop up on your system, and material will be downloaded on the system whenever you try to close the ad or type anything in the box. This is a difficultly reality to get out of, and the best you can hope for is that the people responsible can be tracked down and made to stop their nefarious actions. Illicit programs and malware can come bundled with the legal programs and services of an entirely different company.

Though there are many adware spyware removal programs, their efficiency in removing adware or spyware is flimsy at best. You may find an adware spyware removal program that works, but you have a much greater chance of finding one of the dozens of con spyware removal programs that function instead as additional spyware waiting to be downloaded onto your system. Any adware spyware removal program that you have your sights are should be thoroughly researched, and once a keeper is found, that adware spyware removal program should be held on to with dear life, for they are rare specimens indeed.

Three Simple Ways To Make Your Computer Faster Again

2008-10-27T15:42:00.005-04:00

Computers are never as fast as you want them to be. It seems that as soon as you buy them, they start to slow down. Which is actually true - it's not just a figment of your imagination.

Here are 3 ways to get your computer back up to speed:

1: Check your anti virus software is always current.

If you haven't extended the free anti-virus software trial that came with your computer, you need to get up to date. New viruses come out all the time. If one of these nasty programs manages to breach your defenses, you'll be in trouble. Viruses can do anything from slow down your computer to chewing up and destroying your valuable files and data.

2: Keep checking for spyware

Spyware is different from a virus. A virus is deliberately malicious in nature. Spyware isn't always that way. Spyware is designed to spy on your system. It may do this so that it can send you more targeted adverts when you're browsing different sites. Or it may inspect your keystrokes so that it can get access to your logins and passwords. On top of that, spyware can cause system crashes and other programs. It's rare for spyware to be thoroughly tested before it's released and there won't have been a queue of beta testers, lining up to have their privacy invaded.

3: Check your Windows registry

Whilst it is possible to check the Windows registry by hand, this isn't at all recommended. Even die hard nerds don't normally venture there. The Windows registry stores all kinds of information about your computer. Everything from that useful "recent files list" to the position on screen a program last opened at. And much, much more. The trouble is that when a program is removed from your system or upgraded to the latest version, it will likely leave remnants in the registry. Over time these scraps of information will slow down your computer. These remnants may even cause unexpected crashes or there's a chance your computer will freeze (usually just before you were going to save something important). A good registry checker will sort out these problems and speed your computer up again.

Check out these registry checker reviews for the latest recommendations.

Win antivirus xp 2008 removal

2008-10-27T15:42:00.003-04:00

Antivirus popups plague millions of computers everyday. Not having a good virus or spyware blocking program on your computer can cost a lot of money in the long run. Sometimes your issues can be so bad people end up purchasing a new computer or formatting it. If you are already at your wits end then check out this computer repair site. These guys are the virus and spyware removal experts and can remove all threats on your computer. Best of all they can get started right away.

Winantivirus is fake security software that is used usually to get your info off your computer and crash your computer to the point it can not function appropriately. A lot of these types of popups usually come visiting adult sites and sites that offer games that you and download to your computer. Of course kids who really do not know much about these types of things imediatly react to proceed with the download and get their computers bombarded by tons of popups and sometime it ruins their computers hard drive.

To remove Winantivirus 2008 check out this Remove win antivirus xp 2008
site that gives you many different options for removal.

There are so many things that can go wrong with a computer. They can end up being very costly or you may have to purchase a new computer. Buying a new computer for an infection is kind of a waste of money when for only 89 bucks you can have a pro remove it. The only times you really need to purchase a new system is when it’s too far out dated or something hardware wise goes wrong with it.

Besides being infected with Winantivirus 2008 many people tend to be infected with Virtumonde as well. If you have this infection as well then go check out this Virtumonde Removalsite.

Free PSP Music Downloads – How To Download PSP Music Free

2008-10-27T15:42:00.001-04:00

Free PSP music downloads specifically caters to people who are fond of listening music. A lot of websites these days offers totally free PSP music downloads yet, very few are legitimate and considered legal.

Given this kind of state, it is essential that you look for various sites’ performing authorized downloads and not taking the risk at your own expense. There are many free psp music download sites that are illegal and the PSP music files are being ripped from CD on their own computers. The music quality is usually quite low as well.

And so, if you want to download free PSP music in all its legality with a guarantee of high precision and quality then I recommend you join a PSP music download membership site.

These sites provide various files like psp music, movies, TV shows, games and more for a one time fee. It is usually less than 50 bucks. You can also get to acquire downloads that are spyware free.

Oftentimes music downloads provided by free psp music download sites have viruses. The legitimate sites would definitely not give you any forms of disappointment. You wouldn’t want to compromise your computer or laptop for a mere music download therefore, you have to search for those music downloads that are not infected with viruses and spyware.

Moreover, the download speed is much faster and provides you with technical support should there be any cases of unexpected and unanticipated technical occurrences. You can also turn to different forums where a great number of people share their views and personal experiences regarding sites with free PSP music downloads.

Thus, it is of prime importance to consider these kinds of reviews to come up with a great, quality, enjoyable and definitely free downloadable PSP music.

Discover the best site to get free PSP music downloads. Learn where to get the best free music downloads for PSP.

Innovative Sony Vaio Notebook Computer

2008-10-08T23:52:00.001-04:00

Information On The Sony Vaio Notebook Computer

Sony has always made news when they introduce a new product. When they first came out with the Sony Vaio notebook computer they were again making headlines. This notebook computer was and still is considered the best in the notebook computer world.

Among other computer hardware manufacturers Sony is at the top due to its ability to be used by students as well as professionals. It has the features needed to complete the most technical of jobs as well as a simple word document.

The name Sony has remained synonymous with the word excellence. It has been and still is one of the highest selling names on the market. The Sony Vaio notebook computer is no exception.

Being first in the world of notebook computer technology has always been Sony's benchmark. The Sony Vaio notebook computer was the first to build into their notebook computer wireless networking. This feature was available without the necessity of an added networking card or external device. This has allowed Sony to continue to be ahead of the rest.

Security has always been a necessary feature in todays computers and notebook computers. Sony was one of the first to come out with top security features. They also were the first that integrated CD-ROM drives into their notebook computers.

Any Color You Like

The fashion forward Sony company stays on top with custom colors for your notebook computer. The sorority girl can have her pink notebook computer, the football player can have his team's colors, and the visionary company can have their logo on the top of their notebook computer.

In order to keep clients satisfied Sony allows them to be a part of the design process. Their notebook computer can be as custom as they want and have all the features, security and power they may need.

Sony has also been developing external security features that include a tougher outer skin on the Sony Vaio notebook computer. notebook computers used to be extremely sensitive machines and while they still are very sensitive Sony has taken some of the incidental bumps out of the notebook computer by encasing some of their notebook computers in hard carbon fiber casing.

Sony continually updates thier products with the latest technology. If you want to get one of the best out there buy Sony.

To find more ideas on laptops go to Computer Laptop Parts

Preventing Computer Security Attacks

2008-10-06T09:43:00.001-04:00

Adware

Coming up with online sources for her law school thesis on money laundering was a task that was made simpler for a certain student with the help of Google. As you can imagine, this was definitely a great tool to her in the process of writing her thesis. Soon, she began to have the problem of her search terms taking her to pages completely unrelated to money laundering.

Her hopes of it being an easy to repair problem with the internet or the search engine were dashed as the glitch refused to go away, and she was forced to concede that she had likely been bugged. We all hate bugging people us but people we can fend of. What this law student is confronted with is a computer bug that she cannot fend off: she had been infected with adware and spyware programs. The student does not have advanced technology training and like most average students, she uses her laptop only for basic research and the writing of her papers.

The case above is eerily similar to that of an increasing number of individuals who find their computers malfunctioning after being infected with spyware and adware. In 1995, 'spyware' premiered as a phrase to describe an especially nasty type of computer infection, and that term gained increased popularity in 2000. Unbeknownst to many users, these software programs and scripts that comprise this particular computer bug allow access to personal information about the computer user.

Keystrokes, browsing history, and the contents of a hard drive all provide this valuable information. With the advent of spyware, infiltration moved off the big screen of Hollywood movies and into the homes of millions of unsuspecting individuals that can be taken advantage of at any time. Infiltrations such as these are basic privacy violations and the people targeted are indeed innocent victims. Spying on criminals with spyware makes sense because it can help society for the greater good, but too often this program is used to track sensitive personal information, such as credit card information. Because of the hostile nature of these potential infiltrations, every computer should have an updated anti-spyware program.

In attempting to protect yourself, you should block not only spyware, but adware and malware, which are similar programs, as well. Online adware and spyware blocker programs are easily available to help in this endeavor. By not only eliminating the current infiltration programs on a computer system, but by preventing any future ones to be unknowingly installed, these blockers live up to their name. Both the individual programs and the computer itself can experience a drastic decline in speed after the computer has been infected with these programs.

Sadly, many times spyware is such a good 'spy' that it can evade detection as the root of the crime. The best step is always a good offense, in this case a blocker, to prevent your system from becoming infected with the malicious programs.

Spyware Blocker

2008-10-03T12:27:00.001-04:00

Spyware is the biggest threat to your privacy as well as to internet security and unfortunately, this threat is becoming worse by the day. According to studies conducted by America Online it is believed that as many as eighty percent of people that use the computer have computers that are infected by spyware. Even more worrying is the fact that an estimated eighty-nine percent of computer users fail to realize that spyware is present on their systems and ninety-five percent of computer users have never consented to the installation of spyware.

Plays Havoc With Your System

Spyware has some very dangerous and unwanted relations, including adware, spybots as well as Trojans that can play havoc with your system unless you use preventive means such as spyware blockers. It is advisable that you make an effort and install a spyware blocker so that it can prevent spyware from being installed on your computer, and to also stop the spread of existing spyware on your system.

Protecting your system in real time and through manual scanning as well as removal of spyware, are the two main ways in which a spyware blocker works. There is a lot to be said in favor of using real-time spyware blockers because it is the best means by which to prevent spyware applications from installing them on your system.

If you choose to go the manual ways, a spyware blocker needs to be run by you in order to inspect the software installed on your computer and then to find and remove spyware--whenever detected.

It would be irresponsible of you to not install spyware blockers on your system and the fact is, that there is not much difficulty in locating an effective spyware blocker that can be downloaded over the internet.

Becoming aware of the desirable aspects of a good spyware blocker is to ensure that you install the best spyware blocker possible. It should be simple to use, and provides the complete solution against all forms of spyware at the very least; in addition, it should have different options to monitor your system for the presence of spyware and also come with the ability to be frequently updated.

Fortunately, it is quite simple to find online spyware pop-up blockers which are useful in preventing those annoying pop-ups from appearing and perhaps even spreading spyware on your system. You should not then hesitate in equipping and arming your system to get protection against spyware-- malicious and otherwise, as long as you can find a spyware blocker that is easy to install.

Spyware is the greatest threat to your privacy as well as to internet security and this threat is becoming worse by the day, unless you use preventive methods such as a spyware blocker. View more articles at http://www.spyware.jsgenterprises.com.

Beginners Guide to Learning Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing

2008-09-29T12:46:00.003-04:00

cad

You might hear the term CAD-CAM from time to time. It is basically a merging of the two pieces. A software manufacturer tries to pick up more marketshare by doing this. They also keep you locking into their “system” by going with the whole package at once.

A lot of the time, this is a good thing. Same or similar interface on both pieces of software. Quick flow between pieces and easy file management. You have to evaluate it for yourself though. There are many times in life where two or more tools are combined to produce a less then stellar result.

CAD/CAM Article
Here is an article I pulled up that describes the past and future direction of CAD/CAM. I thought it was relevant as there are many times you will hear these two terms used together. They are two different and distinct parts of the process, but some software makers make both products and sell them together.

CAD/CAM: Past, Present and Future
By Katrina C. Arabe
Before CAD/CAM technology, drafts, calculations and product design involved pencil, paper and a seemingly endless succession of blueprints. CAD/CAM's ongoing enhancement has made the process easier, but with the latest slew of features, some users actually find less is more.
Virtually every manmade product has been designed and manufactured using a CAD/CAM program. CAD/CAM, or Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing, is utilized in every facet of industry; from designing phones to plotting out toolpaths in die and mold shops. Although the users of CAD/CAM technology may, at times, feel frustrated by how often its software is updated, the fact is that CAD/CAM has close to five decades of history stretching almost as far back as the computer.

CAD/CAM, like the digital computer, had its inception in the military. In the mid-1950s the U.S. Air Force began testing an air defense system known as SAGE (Semi Automatic Ground Environment) to graphically depict data received on radar systems. The first computer actually rendering a program, SAGE was conceived at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1960, computer scientists at MIT produced yet another project called Sketchpad, an application that is now considered to be the first design program with industrial use. A similar program sprouted up at General Motors soon after. At that time, mainframes were still large enough to take up entire rooms.

During the 1960's CAD/CAM technology continued to evolve and spread to other areas. Automotive companies were the first to adopt the technology, and used it primarily to design automobile bodies. It then quickly spread to other sectors of industry, which were only too eager to abandon traditional pen and paper methods of drafting. By 1973, CAD/CAM was being used to design industrial tools. Midway through the decade, the 19-inch monitor came out, which meant that drawings could be viewed larger than the previous standard of 11 inches. In the last half of the 70's, solid modeling software became available. It allowed users to take "geometric primitives" (basic geometric shapes such as boxes and cones) and combine them using Boolean operations. In 1982, Autodesk made CAD/CAM history when it released the first version of AutoCAD, which soon became the premiere software platform for automobile design.
At times, the history of CAD/CAM seems like the plot of a spy novel. In 1984, a Hungarian scientist named Gabor Bajor, succeeded in smuggling two Macintosh computers into his Communist-controlled homeland. With the intent of writing a 3D CAD program, Bajor and his teenage assistant used the illegal computers to create just that program, and started the Graphsoft Company. In 1985, Diehl Graphsoft introduced MiniCAD to the market, which would be considered the industry standard for CAD on the Mac. The same year Autodesk unveiled AutoCAD 2.1. Complete with 3D capabilities, AutoCAD 2.1 was another breakthrough that transformed design in the auto industry. In the late 80's and early 90's, CAD/CAM giant Unigraphics took its place as a major industry player by partnering with industry powerhouses such as General Motors, UNIX, GE and Boeing.

During the early 1990s, Unigraphics introduced hybrid modeling, which featured both traditional modeling and advanced parametric techniques. By the end of 1994, over one million units of AutoCAD had been sold, and by the end of 1995, there were about 350,000 users of generic CAD/CAM reported worldwide. In 1996, General Motors signed the largest contract in CAD/CAM's history by selecting Unigraphics as its sole vendor for vehicle development software. Soon afterwards, Unigraphics would once again transform the medium by releasing CAD/CAM software that allowed for the definition, control and evaluation of product templates. Another major advance in CAD/CAM occurred IN 1999 when Think3, a "Johnny-come-lately" to the world of CAD/CAM, introduced the first mechanical design software that could fully combine the power of parametric solids, advanced surfacing, wireframe and two-dimensional drafting on the desktop in one environment. Subsequently, a plethora of software vendors has surfaced, inundating the market with competing CAD/CAM platforms AND causing designers to be alternately pleased and confused by the sheer number of options available to them.

At present, CAD/CAM continues its steady path of progress. Much of this progress is in the form of refining past innovations to make them more efficient and user friendly. A groundbreaking CAD/CAM innovation has not occurred for a number of years, which seems to indicate that another sweeping change is just around the corner -- or maybe not. Despite the advent of 3D CAD-CAM, many CAD/CAM users still prefer to render designs in 2D. Thus, recent 3D innovations such as animated "walk-throughs" (a technique that allows designers to visually move in and around the rendered model, and see it from every possible angle) are still largely underused. The same is true of the bevy of collaboration tools currently available to the CAD/CAM user. The ability to combine CAD/CAM, with finite-element analysis and the accessibility of simulation and knowledge management, has yet to be fully embraced. Perhaps, it is in one of these areas that the next CAD/CAM breakthrough will occur. One thing that can be said with a degree of certainty is that research and development are currently ahead of user demand. When, and if, the garden-variety CAD/CAM user decides that they need to expand their range of capabilities, they will find a world of cutting-edge CAD/CAM tools at their disposal.

CNC Information Free Community Site:
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You can join for Free and you get two free CNC ebooks. One is a GCode Quick Guide and the other is the CNC Info Site eBook. You also get access to the Free Video Series...Image to CNC Art when you join the community.

Learning Computer Basics

2008-09-29T12:46:00.001-04:00

My first time with a computer was in eighth grade, but we really didnít do much with them. We made greeting cards which were printed out on printers that have fallen by the wayside a long time ago. When computers became more advanced, nothing that I learned in the way of computer basics applied. Iím not even sure the Windows operating system was in use then. I learned all over again when I went to college, and thankfully, things had gotten much easier to learn since the setup I used in middle school.

Learning the basics of computers is so much easier than it ever was, and it gets easier every few years. I know this because my daughter learned to use the basic functions of one by age three. Perhaps it was just exposure, because I use one for my work, but I think it is just because the computer basics you had to know long ago are no longer valid. The machine does all of that stuff on its own. You can click on things to open programs instead of memorizing and typing in commands. Personal computers are so much more user friendly than ever before.

Opening programs and learning to use the mouse are some of the first computer basics that people learn. They must know what each one does, and mostly the functions of save and open. Those are pretty common early uses and very easy to master. When opening the Internet, computer basics would be about connecting (if necessary), finding web sites, and how to use email. Other computer basics in regards to Internet might include how to keep your computer safe from viruses and spyware. Finding and buying the right programs for these things are essential, because many basic blunders are caught with these.

You can find programs that help with computer basics are well. Some are so good that people are working things on their own, quite well, within a matter of weeks. Once the basics of running a computer are learned, the rest can be a matter of trial and error. If you are learning on your own, making mistakes and learning as you go can be very effective. It can be scary to run a computer at first, but as long as you remember that most mistakes are easily fixed, and that, for the most part, computers rarely blow up if you push the wrong button, things should go well.

To learn how instantt buzz spyware effects you, visit www.adwarespywarenuker.com where you'll find everything you need to know about the instantt buzz spyware and much more.

Plasma TV - From a Historical Perspective

2008-09-27T21:16:00.003-04:00

When considering the history of plasma television screens, you have to understand the history that is behind this remarkable invention. The first plasma screen television has come quite a long way. However, the reason for the invention was not simply to provide men with amazing sports viewing.

The plasma TV developed as a result of the computer generation. It is incredible that the plasma based viewing device is not a new idea. It has been around for quite some time. Perhaps a bit of a history lesson is in order for you to understand how this application came to be available for the masses.

It all began in 1964 at the University of Illinois. At this time, computer monitors were simple televisions. You have to realize that the televisions at this time were cathode ray tubes. They had to continuously refresh themselves in order to display correctly. That was a big problem when using a television as a computer monitor. Sure it was okay for watching tv shows, but the resolution for computers was terrible. By the end of the year the first plasma monitor was in operation.

Today's plasma TVs have millions of cells that comprise the color and resolution of the screen. That initial plasma monitor was only one cell. However, it was still a step in the right direction. There was a set back, though. Liquid crystal displays became the more acceptable method and plasma technology was put on hold. Fast forward a few years and flat screen television sets became widely popular.

Where would the world be without technology constantly pushing it forward? Sure a plasma TV did not put man on the moon or allow for cell cloning, but it was a huge development at the time and has greatly affected the economy. Three years ago a plasma television 42 inch wide was considered only for the rich and famous. Today, many consumers can now afford to own one of these technological marvels.

Thank you scientists at the University of Illinois for bringing men and women everywhere the ability to watch games on a plasma TV. Where would technology be if necessity had not demanded you devise a new computer monitor? We would probably still be watching our big screen television sets and never knowing that a clearer picture was possible at a decent price.

To learn more go to Plasma Screen Tv and at Choosing Plasma Tv Lift Cabinets

Getting Technical Help From Computer Forums

2008-09-27T21:16:00.001-04:00

Most of us are not well versed in what we should do when something goes wrong with a computer. We use computers more than ever, and it could very well be something that becomes more and more important as we move on through time. Sadly, there are many small things that can go wrong, quite unexpectedly, that can mess everything up. Things are complicated to fix, even small problems, and we donít know what to do. Instead of panicking, we can always go to computer forums to get help from those that know what they are doing.

When you visit computer forums, there are some things you should know. You should have written down anything that had happened when you found a problem. That means if you had an error message, you should have written down the error number. That often helps someone give you a fix within seconds. Any other details can help, so have it written down so you can remember. However, before you post on computer forums about what happened, see if it has happened to someone else first.

That means you have to use the search function that you can find on many computer forums. This allows you to add a few keywords related to what your problem is, and then if anyone else has posted, it should come up in the search. Use different keywords before you give up on finding something. That would mean that you donít have to post about your problem at all, but follow the instructions that were left for someone else who came to the same computer forums with their computer problems. If the fix doesnít work, you can then post.

What you should remember about computer forums is that they are going to help you out, but they may not have a lot of patience because there are so many seeking information. If they tell you to do something, be sure to do it. What they ask can help them diagnose the problem, or are essential things you should do to fix your machine. Be sure to thank whomever helps you, as they often do it for free, or for very little cost. It saves you money in costly fixes in computer stores. Donít be afraid to pay a little for help if you canít find free help. A site with a good reputation will always give you what you pay for, and usually, much more.

To learn how instantt buzz spyware effects you, visit www.adwarespywarenuker.com where you'll find everything you need to know about the instantt buzz spyware and much more.

Finding Careers In Computer Animation.

2008-09-26T17:47:00.003-04:00

Nowadays, there are more ways to find careers in computer animation than ever before. Back before the age of cheap and powerful computers, animation careers were hard to come by. The equipment needed was extremely expensive, the technical expertise requirements were very demanding, and the job was time-consuming. For these reasons, becoming a professional animator was difficult. There were few jobs, and it was a difficult field to break into. It was such a time consuming occupation, after all, that it was almost impossible for private individuals to make their own animations in their spare time.

Computer generated animation changed all that. Nowadays, careers in computer animation are readily available to anyone who wants to take the time to study. There are many different ways to go about it. The most accepted way to try to get a career in computer animation is still to go to a respected animation school. There are plenty of art schools out there with excellent animation programs. Some of them focus more on computer animated cartoons, while others have a bigger emphasis on traditional styles. Either type of program will get you where you need to go.

Of course, many careers in computer animation start off with experimentation at home. Anyone can learn to program flash animations, and some of the effects people get are pretty good. Animating your own cartoons is a great way to build up a portfolio and get your work seen. Once you get a following, you can use that to get hired by a computer animation studio. Alternately, you can keep working for yourself. Many careers in computer animation, after all, take place completely on the Internet.

Still, it can't hurt to have a career plan ñ particularly if you don't already have a way to make a living. This is why going to an animation school is the most widely practiced way of getting a career in computer animation. There are so many people who have the skills that animation industry companies can afford to rule out anyone who doesn't have the credentials without even giving them a second chance. If you can't get your foot in the door, you will never become eligible for any of the best careers in computer animation. Going to animation school will give you a broad-based educational program which will teach you a lot more than you could easily learn on your own. All in all, going to a school for animation makes a lot of sense.

To learn how instantt buzz spyware effects you, visit www.adwarespywarenuker.com where you'll find everything you need to know about the instantt buzz spyware and much more.

The Cheapest Laptop and Most Powerful Fun Computers

2008-09-26T17:47:00.001-04:00

Laptop computers are not only convenient,effective, and easy to use, but they are also cost effective and come in many colors. Some of the cheapest laptop computers are comparable to the most costly if you shopwisely. Why spend more money on an expensive mode when you can get the same power and speed in a less expensive laptop.

“The waste of money cures itself, for soon there is no more to waste.”
Famous Quote about money by M.W. Harrison

With the availability of cheaper laptops a person could buy a computer that is adaptable enough to use anywhere in the home and durable enough to take on vacation.

You can also consider buying one of the more posh colored laptops that are now on the market. These colored laptops come in a wide array of colors. If you can’t locate the color or type you like, there are many manufactures that will tailor make your laptop in any color or shade you want. They are available in metallic and pearl finishes and high polish or matte. Your company or school logo can be blasted on the lid.

“A merry heart does good, like medicine…” Proverbs 17:22

I urge you to add a little humor to the work day monotony by downloading some funny computer wallpaper from the web. Imagine, as a stressed fellow worker strolls into your office or cubicle, and he or she sees a humorous picture or cartoon. It would certainly lighten their load and bring a little smile to their face and add some fun and creativity to the working environment.

“The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love color the most.” John Ruskin (1819-1900) British poet, novelist and journalist.

Do you get sick of seeing of gun metal grey, or matte black? Finally, someone has conceived colored laptops! You can to be different from the crowd by selecting one of the new stunning colored laptops that are on the market today. Most of the main brands, Dell, Gateway, and of course the Mac’s are all available in a variety of colors. And, if you have a vintage model, there are manufacturing companies that will colorize it for you.

Be a wise consumer, save dollars, get the most for your dollar when you buy the cheapest laptop on the market. Don’t forget about style, look for a laptop that shows off a little pizzazz with a colored laptop. When your new laptop arrives, look at some funny computer wallpaper to “make your heart merry” as well as your co-workers.

Hard Drive Data Recovery

2008-09-03T11:41:00.000-04:00

by: Mac McClellan

Hard drive data recovery is the method of recovering data from hard drives when it cannot be accessed in the normal manner. This failure to access the hard drive could be caused due to logical damage to the file system or any physical damage that had occurred to the storage device, thereby preventing it from being mounted by the host operating system.

The physical damage to a hard drive could occur due to several mechanical failures such as failed motors or head crashes. The physical damage of a hard drive can always lead to some data loss and in many cases this can also results in damage to the logical structures of the file system. In fact, logical damages to a file system are more common than physical damage. This includes damages caused by power outages, which prevents file system structures from being completely written to the hard drive, system crashes, and problems with hardware (particularly RAID controllers).

Most physical damage to hard drives cannot be repaired by end users. For instance, opening a hard drive in a normal environment can cause dust to settle on the surface, resulting in further damage to the platters. Mind you, normal computer users may not have enough technical experience to make type of repairs. This is where hard drive data recovery companies play a major role in helping the end user to recover their valuable data from a damaged hard drive. Almost all these hard drive data recovery firms use Class 100 clean room facilities to protect your hard drive while repairing, and use the latest tools such as magnetometers to retrieve the lost bits from the magnetic media. The extracted raw bits retrieved from the damaged disk are used to rebuild a disk image, which can then be mounted to have its logical damage repaired.

Nowadays, there are several companies which offer hard drive data recovery software programs which help the end users to recover all their important files or folders lost after an accidental format, partition loss, software malfunction, file or directory deletion, or virus crash. Whether your computer crashes or you accidentally delete the files, hard drive data recovery software helps you to locate, recover and restore lost information from your disk.

Some of the main contexts where hard drive data recovery software could save one from the blues include a formatted drive, deleted file or directory, missing file or directory, drive not booting, inaccessible drive, support copying of system locked files like registry hives, damaged or corrupted partition table, recovery of deleted files and folders on FAT and NTFS hard drive or partitions, retrieve compressed files from NTFS partitions, data recovery on damaged FAT and NTFS partitions, and formatted hard drives.

Most of the hard drive data recovery software programs available in the market are easy to install and use and are virtually self maintaining. It is highly recommended to use any of the popular hard drive data recovery software in your computer along with other programs. The program frequently creates backup copies of all your files so that you need not have to worry of any potential unexpected data loss.

It is better to prevent and prepare than repent and repair later. Check http://harddriveusa.com for additional resources on hard drives.

About The Author

Mac McClellan is the webmaster for Hard Drive USA http://harddriveusa.com, a useful site for information and resources on hard drives.

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Computer Slow? Optimize It With The Right Tools

2008-08-20T16:01:00.001-04:00

by: PC Power Suite

Why does it seem like every time you get a new computer it operates at lightning fast speeds for only a few months before becoming slow and laborious over its tasks? Is this just something that we have to live with or can we do something to keep our computers running at optimum speeds?

The truth is that computers do not get slower as they age, a slow computer is a sign that something is literally holding your PC back and affecting its performance. And the good news is that you can do something about it.

There are many things that can affect your computer’s performance, from low memory to a fragmented hard drive and everything in between. The things that can affect your computer’s performance are usually of your own doing. You see, each time we download a program or delete a program, we affect the way our computer operates. This change in operation can leave holes in our PCs operating procedures or may even leave behind programs that can affect our computer’s performance.

Here are just a few things that could be making your computer slow:

· Running Background Programs – These programs are software applications that are running behind the scenes even when they are not in use. You may not even know that they are running, but they can zap precious memory and slow down your other tasks considerably. To see if you have programs running in the background, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete at the same time. The box that pops up will show you all applications that are running.

· Full Hard Drive – If your hard drive is too full of data, it will not have enough space to perform chores. Your hard drive should have at lease 2MB to 3MB in free space.

· Fragmented Hard Drive – When you download and delete programs, you create holes in your hard drive. These holes mean that your PC has to search for the files it needs over greater distance and not necessarily in the order that it needs them.

· Left Over Parts – When you install and uninstall Windows programs, they leave behind parts or applications that can slow down your computer. You may even unknowingly delete a file needed for other software applications. (Note: Spyware and viruses can also slow down your PC’s performance, but for the purpose of this article we are assuming that the problem lies in application errors.)

Make Your PC Run Like New

While it’s not rocket science, making your computer lightning fast once again will take a little work from you. Sometimes, this is as easy as running your Windows System Tools program. You can find these programs by clicking “start,” “all programs,” “accessories,” and “system tools.” Here you will find several system optimizers to help you free up your disk space, defragment your PC, and detect and repair disk errors.

In addition to tools already installed on your PC, you can opt to download additional programs to optimize your computer’s performance. These optimizers can be purchased as a set with other software programs that can help you get the best out of your computer. Here are just a few of the extra optimization programs that you may want for your PC:

· Memory Optimizer – When you are using your computer, it takes several programs and application to handle everything that you are doing. Each of these programs uses memory. When memory is short, computer response time is slow. Memory Optimizer helps to make the allotment of memory to each program more efficient. This can help you eliminate slow PC execution time, Windows hang up or crashing, loss of data and unwanted shutdowns.

· Registry Deffrager and Optimizer – As mentioned before, a registry with holes results in slow response times as your PC searches for the data it needs. This program improves the system response time and saves memory by creating a smaller registry.

· Windows Optimizer – We all use our computers differently. Some use their computer as a media and entertainment centerpiece while others use their PC for data storage and business purposes. Windows Optimizer allows you to tweak program settings so that they will perform in line with your needs.

Granted, a slow computer is a nuisance and it may leave you wanting to go out and purchase a new model. But before you give up on your current model, make sure that you have optimized it first. You may be surprised by how much life is still in your PC.

About The Author

Brought to you by PC Power Suite The new PC Power Suite is an all in one utility suite for maintaining your Windows operating system. http://www.pcpowersuite.com.

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Small Business Server Business Tips

2008-08-20T15:57:00.000-04:00

by: Joshua Feinberg

Top 3 Ways to Maximize Your Small Business Server Consulting Profits

Over the past 7 years, Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) has gained traction as a widely-respected Small Business Server networking suite.

As a result, many small business computer consultants, systems integrators, and value-added resellers have jumped on-board the Microsoft Small Business Server bandwagon.

However, before you go ahead and bet YOUR company on Microsoft Small Business Server, consider the following three Small Business Server Business Tips… so you can maximize your Small Business Server consulting profits.

(1) Most small businesses in your area have never heard of Microsoft Small Business Server.

Although there may be hundreds, if not thousands, of small businesses in your area that would be excellent candidates for Microsoft Small Business Server, don't make the ultra-common mistake of assuming that the typical non-technical small business owner even knows what Microsoft Small Business Server is.

If you want to maximize your consulting profits and avoid commodity price wars, you're much better off leading off with a pitch for something that's more universally recognized… such as getting rid of computer viruses, stopping SPAM, or preventing computer security breaches.

(2) Sell your small business prospects on YOUR company first.

The real money in Small Business Server is NOT in reselling the Microsoft Small Business Server software. The real money comes from selling the RELATIONSHIP with the small business. So your company essentially becomes your clients' outsourced IT department.

Remember, no small business owner is going to wake up in the middle of the night, in a cold sweat, craving Small Business Server. However, small business owners DO constantly lose sleep over what will happen to their companies if their computer systems fail them. Become the solution to the more primal, survival instinct and you'll get plenty of opportunities to sell Small Business Server, once you've established a solid client/consultant relationship.

(3) Microsoft doesn't value computer consultants as much as they sometimes say.

Little known fact: the first version of Microsoft Small Business Server, planned in 1996 and released in 1997, was code-named “SAM”… because Microsoft's goal was for Small Business Server to completely bypass their reseller channel and be sold at “Sam's Club” warehouse clubs.

So the product team had the mandate to make the Small Business Server product SO simple that a non-technical small business end user could buy Small Business Server at the warehouse club and have the Small Business Server suite running in their office that same day.

Shortly after the first-version shipped, Microsoft realized that the most cost-effective way to reach small businesses with Small Business Server was through their reseller channel. And since then, Small Business Server resources have flowed toward the channel.

However, even today, you can often find 5-user versions of Microsoft Small Business Server in retail stores.

So the point: Microsoft isn't putting all its Small Business Server “eggs” in one basket, so why should you?!? Which brings us back to points one and two: Small business owners aren't actively shopping for a “Small Business Server”. So instead of “selling” Small Business Server per se, you're much better off selling a small business on YOUR company, BEFORE you sell Microsoft Small Business Server.

The Bottom Line

In this article, we looked at three Small Business Server business tips that every computer consultant, systems integrator and value added reseller needs to be aware when selling Microsoft Small Business Server.

Copyright MMI-MMV, SmallBusinessServerTips.com, All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

About The Author

Joshua Feinberg helps small business computer consulting firms get more steady, high-paying clients. Sign-up now for the free training on proven Small Business Computer Consulting Secrets at http://www.SmallBusinessComputerConsulting.com/blog/

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Innovative Business Use of RSS as a Technology

2008-07-20T10:57:00.000-04:00

by: S. Housley

RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, is a new way to broadcast corporate news and structured information. RSS offers a quick, easy corporate communication channel. The RSS contents are published as a feed and the feed's content keep customers, partners and journalists abreast of corporate news and information. The RSS feeds are read using a tool referred to as a news aggregator, or an RSS reader. The aggregator periodically checks to see if the RSS feed has been updated. As the feed is updated, new information will automatically appear in the RSS reader.

While RSS was at one point only considered to be a means to deliver news headlines, RSS has quickly become a powerful medium to disseminate all kinds of information. As traditional marketers are attempting to rein in content delivery, measuring e-mail open rates, click-throughs and conversions, Internet users are fighting to gain control over the content they receive. Savvy marketers and business owners are using RSS as a way to improve corporate communication and increase their external exposure and brand appeal.

What is the enclosure tag?

RSS 2.0 is quickly becoming the definitive RSS standard, all because of its support for the enclosure tag. The enclosure tag is an optional field in the RSS 2.0 specification that allows the feed publisher to include a link to a file. The file can be just about anything. Businesses have seized the opportunity, including tutorials, streaming audio lectures, PDF proposals, Power Pointâ„¢ presentations, podcasts of sales meetings, and advertising portfolios among other traditional uses for RSS.

Many businesses have yet to realize the potential hidden in the enclosure field. The implications and power of how RSS can be used is really awe-inspiring. Consider the following business uses for RSS:

1. PDF Documents - Consider broadcasting meeting agenda notes or documentation as a PDF included with a feed, allowing interested individuals to access information without having to deal with cumbersome e-mail attachments.

2. PPT Presentations - Presentations can easily be distributed in a feed enclosure. The added benefit is that presenters using Power Pointâ„¢ will not have to lug their notebook to a meeting to present - they can manage the presentation from an iPod or similar handheld that reads RSS feeds.

3. Video - Video or streaming video are both possible via the enclosure field. Have lectures or even political debates come to life with the added video component.

4. Audio - Audio content does not mean that feeds are limited to your favorite songs. Podcasting is the coined term for audio content contained in a feed and can include language instruction, talk shows or editorials.

5. Images - Imagine realtors using the enclosure field to display photos of homes to interested buyers. Now they can carry a light-weight catalog with them to show potential buyers at a moment's notice.

6. Downloads - Consider an information technology department in a large corporation conducting proprietary software updates, including executables or zip files in the enclosure field which allow users to update the software at a convenient time.

Feedreaders are playing catch- up

RSS news aggregators were initially designed to receive text-based content. As users find outside-the-box uses for RSS, developers of RSS readers are struggling to release new versions that support the enclosures businesses are eager to use.

FeedDemon, a popular RSS reader, has recently added support for every type of enclosure in their latest release. They have created a safe list that can be customized to include specific types of file types like PDFs. This will automate downloads of files that are deemed "safe". This was clearly designed with security in mind, to prevent automatic downloading of executables.

Businesses are revolutionizing RSS as a communication medium. While some traditional businesses are struggling to include monthly newsletter summaries in an RSS feed and reap the benefits of RSS, other innovative businesses are adopting incredibly creative uses for both internal and external corporate communications.

About The Author

Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for NotePage http://www.notepage.net a wireless text messaging software company.

sharon@notepage.net

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JPEG and GIF the differences

2008-07-20T10:50:00.000-04:00

JPEG and GIF the differences

by: Maricon Williams

JPEG and GIF image formats are both compression based formats. They are the most widely used and supported image formats for web. They take an uncompressed image such as bitmapped image and compress them to a smaller file size. A lot smaller image size is moreover the result of this conversion. It may seem that one compression may result in smaller file sizes, nevertheless that is simply not the case. Now where lays the difference?

JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. It supports 16.7 million colors. It is ideal for photographic images and high quality images. JPEG is a lossless method of compression or in common parlance, when the program that creates a GIF squashes the original image down to ensure not to lose any data. It uses an easy substitution method of compression.

GIF on the other hand, stands for Graphic Interchange Format. It supports only a maximum of 256 colors. It is the only alternative to make an image animated unless you want to use Flash. Between GIF and JPEG, only GIF allows transparency. GIF is good for images with flat expenses of color. It can be use for logos, titles, button, etc. The maximum compression of GIF depends on the amount of repetition there is in an image. A flat color can compress well to even one tenth of the original size while a complex non-competitive color will save approximately 20%.

GIF format is good at compressing images with a small number of colors with no gradations. In actual fact, most web graphics are saved in GIF by contrast when applied to JPEG, it usually results in images which are larger than their GIF counterparts and may appear corrupted.

Each image format has its own advantage. GIF may win out with the non-dithering, fewer color images while JPEG is excellent for dithered continuous tone images. An example to this is a photograph with several colors, shadows and even gradations. All these colors and shades call for the JPEG format.

JPEGs disadvantage is that it throws away parts of an image to save space. Apparently you just can’t discard any piece of information so what JPEG does is divide the image into squares. GIF is short of colors, that’s a blatant fact. Another disadvantage is that, Unisys discovered that it owned several patents to key parts of the GIF compression technology and has started demanding fees from every company which uses the GIF code. This is the reason why progress was muffled. Now that you already know the difference, you can now pick what’s good for you.

About The Author

Maricon Williams

I love reading. Give me a book and I'll finish it in one sitting. Reading is the chance to be transported to a different world and so is writing. I'm more enthusiastic about writing however, since you can relay your ideas to someone else. I can only imagine that feeling when I hear a complete stranger talking about my ideas which read on an article somewhere. To relay my message to as many people is the same as touching people with music. Only mine's less harmonic. I try to make up for it with the color I bring with words. And most of the time, it’s more than enough.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.ucreative.com

articles@ucreative.com

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Reasons For Choosing An Apple Mac As Your Next PC

2008-06-23T17:27:00.000-04:00

Hello again - here's today's featured article:

By Allison Thompson

Generally when a person is looking to buy a new computer either for use at home or at work they will often choose not to purchase one of the Apple Mac range. However before you do choose your next PC or laptop it may be wise to take a close look at just what Apple now have on offer. In fact buying an Apple Mac rather than any other PC or laptop may be the wisest choice you can make when it comes to your computer requirements. As you will quickly discover there are lots of Apple Mac deals you can avail of which will not only get you the computer/laptop you want but will also help you to save money on your investment.

Many people choose not to purchase an Apple Mac PC or laptop simply because they are worried that the system used is not compatible with those used by other PC and Laptop manufacturers. Also they are worried that when it comes to them transferring data, files and folders from their current PC or Laptop they won't be able to do this. But this is not the case and so if you are seriously looking to purchase a new PC or laptop then you may want to consider purchasing an Apple Mac now.

One of the major issues that will prevent a person from choosing to buy an Apple Mac over a Dell or Acer or other PC is being able to transfer data, files and folders from one t the other. Originally this was quite a problem where the Apple Mac was concerned, but today this situation has been rectified. Today when you purchase an Apple Mac if you wish many come with Microsoft Windows Office and other Microsoft Applications installed on them.But along with a person now being able to carry on using Microsoft Office on their new Apple Mac they also have the chance to be able to access other popular software programs as well.

Today all Apple Macs come with Adobe Photoshop, MSN Messenger as well as access to iTunes.In some cases you may well find that you are unable to transfer some of the files, folders and data on to a Apple Mac because it does not have the right software program installed. Where as before this could be quite a problem today there are plenty of conversion programs around that allow you to convert such documents into a format that is easily compatible with an Apple Mac. Once you have the right conversion program on your PC then all you need to do is convert those files and export them in a format that your Apple Mac knows and understands.Although there are some programs such as MS Publisher which does not allow you to convert their files into a Mac Format, Apple have rectified this situation.

Today all Intel based Macs now allow you to boot up directly into Windows and so it allows you to make the necessary transition simply from MS Publisher into a Mac Application instead.Although we have provided some good reasons for owning an Apple Mac PC or laptop there are some disadvantages as well. The main one being that should you wish to upgrade yours at anytime it can be somewhat difficult to do so. This is especially so if you want to upgrade either the hard drive or memory on yours.So as you can see from above when it comes to choosing a new PC whether for at home or work no longer are you restricting yourself. Instead you have the chance to choose a PC from the Apple Mac range that not only looks stylish but works just as well as any other PC on the market today. As previously mentioned there are plenty of good Apple Mac Deals for a person to have today.

Article Source: http://www.computer-articles.com
For many years now Apple has often been considered the poor relation to most PC's yet they have now spent time and effort making changes that now bring them in line with these. If you would like to discover more about what it is that the Apple Mac can now offer please click here Mac Deals

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Recover Deleted Files

2008-06-23T17:23:00.000-04:00

Welcome - here's today's featured article:

By Alex Grant
Lost some important files? Can't find your documents anymore? A folder with photos is gone? The problem of lost or mistakenly deleted files is quite common. Even if you backup your most important files frequently, there's always a chance that something happens right before the next backup. Home computers are often shared with other family members, so some files may be deleted simply as a matter of misunderstanding.

For example, your son may think that you have already those photos and videos from your last vacation burned to a CD. So, he erases the photos and videos to free some space for a new game... Is there a way to recover deleted files? Yes. This operation is known as undelete, or unerase. Many years ago, before the introduction of Windows 95 with its Recycle Bin, small command-line utilities named 'undelete' or 'unerase' were supplied with operating systems to make possible recovering of mistakenly removed files. The undelete feature was also built into File Manager of earlier versions of Windows. In Windows 3.1, if you removed a file by mistake, you could choose to recover it by clicking the corresponding option in File Manager. At this point, you may wonder: why those small utilities aren't there in the modern versions of Windows?

The Recycle Bin offers far better way to deal with removed files. It's safe and user friendly. You don't need to type commands with mysterious keys and switches anymore. Just click your Recycle Bin and recover files, if you need to do so. Starting with Windows 95, files are not really deleted. Instead they are put into a special folder and are preserved there for a given period of time. Settings of the Recycle Bin can be adjusted by the user, including the general capacity and the preservation time. Defaults are pretty safe: files are stored for several weeks, and the general capacity of the Recycle Bin is around 10% of your hard disk's space. When the time is over, files are finally deleted and can't be recovered. Well, if you didn't care about the deleted files for several weeks, most probably you don't need them at all. It's reasonable. Convenient? In some ways, yes. However, you shouldn't forget that the files aren't deleted if they are put into the Recycle Bin. No space is freed. If it's space that you need right now, you should empty your Recycle Bin, or shouldn't use it at all. Windows offers an alternative way to delete files. You can press a "Shift" key (left or right, it doesn't matter) on your keyboard while deleting to avoid putting the file into the Recycle Bin. Thus the space occupied by the file is freed immediately. But with this method, you are risking to wipe out important files. This operation can't be undone. At least, not with the usual recovery from the Recycle Bin. That's where you may need a recovery tool, like Advanced NTFS Recovery. This easy to use utility is able to scan your hard disk for lost and deleted files. If the required files can be recovered, the program will recover them, even if the file system itself is damaged. The program takes advantage of all NTFS features if you are still using FAT, it's no problem, as Advanced NTFS Recovery can deal with different file systems; but you may consider upgrading to NTFS), and it can even access files in the 'raw' mode. Using its preview feature, you can see content of deleted files even without recovering them, which allows to estimate chances. The worst part of it is that, once a file is deleted, your system can overwrite it any time. This can't happen if the file is in the Recycle Bin, but once the Recycle Bin is emptied, a new file can be written in the same area any moment. You can't control the process. You can't tell the system which of the deleted files are more important for you than the rest. So, let's consider the above example with a son wanting to install a new game. If you catch him right after he deletes your pictures, there are very good chances that you will be able to restore all your photos and videos. However, if he has already managed to install his game, some of the valued files (if not all) may be overwritten. If so, they can't be recovered anymore. But don't jump to quick conclusions. File system follows its own rules when writing data, so you may find that although there's virtually no space left on your hard disk, the deleted files are still recoverable. Don't hesitate to perform a scan. Advanced NTFS Recovery doesn't write any data while scanning for lost files, so there is no danger of accidental overwriting. Well, and if you don't have recovery tools on your computer yet? Before using a program you need to install it, which means that program files should be written to your hard disk. Won't they overwrite your valuable files?

The answer is... they may. Every single file, even a small one, can damage deleted files. It is impossible to say what files will be overwritten. Most important? Completely unimportant? At this point, it is clear that if you want to restore deleted files, youshould allow the system to write as few files as possible. If you can prevent the system from writing at all, chances to recover files are about 100%! Yes. If you avoid saving files on the partition where the deleted files were, youmay be able to restore every single file. No magic, just a bit of good programming. But then, what about installing the program? Is there a possibility to install it safely, without damaging the files you need to restore?

Even if your computer has only one hard disk, there can be several logical drives. It's quite a common practice to create at least two logical drives: C and D. If that's the case with your computer and if you have lost files only on one of the drives, you can with no worry install Advanced NFTS Recovery onto another drive. The deleted files will remain absolutely safe.

However, there may be other situations. For example, what if your computer has only one logical drive? Or if you don't remember where exactly the files to restore were? In such circumstances you may install the program onto removable or external media. Your USB memory stick or external hard drive are ideal solutions. The most important thing to remember when you want to recover deleted files is the following: avoid using the drive where you lost files. Don't save anything there. Shut down programs that need to save something from time to time (for example, Microsoft Word creates a backup copy every 10 minutes), but be careful, as some programs save different kinds of files when shutting down. And, of course, don't panic. Your nerves are more important than any documents, even if it doesn't seem so in the moment.
Article Source: http://www.computer-articles.com
Alex Grant is a professional tester and reviewer of shareware and freeware products. Writing is both his business and hobby.

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Cookies Aren't Just For Eating Anymore

2008-05-27T17:34:00.000-04:00

by: Lia Spithas

Confused about cookies? Not the chocolate chip variety; the computer-related kind. Here is some information that'll help you understand what cookies do, why they do it, and how to control them.

First, a definition. Cookies are tiny text files which are placed on your computer's hard drive by a Web server, ready for future access. They have many applications, but are mainly used to personalize your Internet search engine by storing information like passwords, Web addresses, and virtual shopping carts. Cookies are important when you personalize a Web page, register for products or services, or shop, because information becomes easy to access each time you re-visit a specific Web site.

Cookies are based on a two-step process. During the first step, after visiting a Web site, a Web server creates text which contains your personalized information and then transmits that information, in a text file, to your hard drive. The second step is for your computer to transfer the text file (cookie) back to the Web server. Whenever you direct your browser to display a Web site, the browser transmits the cookie back to the Web server. This is why you see local weather on your personal Yahoo page or "Welcome Bob" when visiting Amazon.com.

"We use cookies in our programming so that users have a better online experience," says IdeaStar Software Developer Doug Hayes. "Cookies are especially important for consumer Web sites like the health insurance and performing arts sites that IdeaStar develops. And they are vital to larger consumer and password protected sites."

Some people assume that tracking Web activity and storing information with cookies is a problem, because information is being silently gathered and transferred without any notification. However, for the average Internet user, information contained in cookies only improves the Internet experience. Still, knowing that cookies are working behind the scenes doesn't hurt.

Generally, Web browsers are set to automatically delete cookies after a set amount of time, eliminating the need to manually remove them. Similarly, your browser may be set to automatically replace older cookies with newer ones, so that they are constantly adjusting. However, Doug says "It is a good idea to delete cookies if you are using a shared computer. If you don't, there is a chance that the next person could log on and pick up right where you left off. The main thing to remember is that almost everything will be stored (at least temporarily), so be cautious of what information you are sharing."

Although there are some variations, cookies may be controlled in many browsers in the following way:

1. Select Tools, then

2. Options or Internet Options

3. Click the Privacy or Security tab

4. Then follow the instructions for cookies.

Or, you can go to GetNetWise ( http://privacy.getnetwise.org/browsing/tools/ ) and read the instructions on how to change your browser's setting to customize how it manages cookies.(There's even a link to help determine which Web browser you are using.) Keep in mind disabling all cookies, could limit your use of some sites and can prevent you from accessing others.

About The Author

Lia Spithas works for IdeaStar Inc., which designs, develops, manages, and promotes leading edge Web sites. Read more about us at:

http://www.ideastar.com

http://www.insurance-technologies.com

http://insuratech.blogspot.com/

http://ideastar.blogspot.com/

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Hot Multimedia Tips

2008-05-27T17:31:00.000-04:00

by: Granny's Mettle

Some of HotWired's best web developers and designers have converged to share their techniques to create effective audio, video and animation in the web. Here are excerpts from the pool's tips, tricks and wizardry to help you optimize your multimedia efforts.

• Use layers as often as you want to. Using a liberal dose of layers will make it much easier later when it's time to re-edit and animate. In addition, it doesn't add much to the overall file size.

• Save copies of the file as you work when using Flash. This is especially helpful when you're using a Mac. This will come in handy when you suddenly experience problems in opening a Flash file you've been slaving your days with.

• Use color outline layers and guide layers liberally. Both are found under the layer pulldown menu. The color outline layers show a layer in its outline form--- great for getting quick and precise positioning particularly with scanned drawings. Guide layers are for positioning bitmap guides or for testing layers you may want to remove from your final version. They allow you to keep a layer from exporting.

• Mix and match programs and media to get better results. Experiment and try combinations such as flat color vectors with photographic bitmaps for an interesting and rich output.

• For additional depth and color to vector images, use gradients; but don't overuse so as to avoid adding to the file size and speeds.

• Don't overdo your media. Your audience will definitely get indigestion from your web site.

• Never make your audience wait. Downloading an image that takes millions of years to finish will definitely make your audience cranky. They'd probably clicked to another site even before your banner finished downloading itself. "If people have to wait, be sure it's really worth their while," says HotWired's resident interface designer.

• Design delays that cover the loading process. Flash features full attributes that helps in keeping the audience occupied while that giant sound file is loading in the background. Flash's Bandwidth Profiler is said to provide a big help on this.

• Use the knowledge and wisdom of your friends and colleagues. A good multimedia comes from a diverse source of skills found in people. The adage that two minds are better than one definitely applies here. Talk to other multimedia designers or join groups and mailing lists to share ideas and knowledge. What you think is trash for you might be a goldmine for another artist.

About The Author

Granny's Mettle is a 30-something, professional web content writer. She has created various web content on a diverse range of topics, which includes digital printing topics, medical news, as well as legal issues. Her articles are composed of reviews, suggestions, tips and more for the printing and designing industry.

Her thoughts on writing: "Writing gives me pleasure… pleasure and excitement that you have created something to share with others. And with the wide world of the Internet, it gives me great satisfaction that my articles reach more people in the quickest time you could imagine."

On her spare time, she loves to stay at home, reading books on just about any topic she fancies, cooking a great meal, and taking care of her husband and kids.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.ucreative.com

articles@ucreative.com

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Web Design Illustration Tips

2008-03-06T11:48:00.000-05:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article:

by: Granny's Mettle
Pictures are worth a thousand words. So are illustrations and images on any web page. Your illustrations will either make your visitors stay and read on, or make them decide to skip and click on another web site.

For best results, you could apply the following tips for illustrations in your web pages:
• Use colors from a typical web palette for your illustrations. If you use solid colors for your illustrations, try to stick to the standard 216 colors of the web palette. The colors will have the same look on any type of computers and web browsers. If you want to use color gradients or blends, try it out first on your screen set to only 256 colors. This is to avoid having your colors look very muddied, unattractive, and hard to distinguish. If it doesn't look good at this resolution, try a different color blend that is not as harsh. Furthermore, the colors in your illustrations should also match those used in other graphics of your web site layout. This includes the masthead, sidebar, buttons, icons, image maps, among others.

• Provide thick lines in your illustrations. Results in the printed image differ from images on your computer screen. Small lines that are visible in your printed image will show up more thinly or not at all on the screen. This is because the monitor has a much lower resolution than ink to a printed page. Remember to make your lines thicker and your illustrations will be seen more clearly by browsers, even to the most minute detail.

• Browsers should be able to download quickly. Speed is important for people who browse the internet. No matter that your illustrations are great and worthy of praise, visitors will definitely leave your site in a snap if they are too big in file size and difficult to download. A big file for an illustration takes a long time to download. Test first your illustrations at a smaller file size, either by reducing the amount of colors or provide them with less space on your screen. If they look good then provide a smaller version. Your visitors will be grateful and stay longer at your site.

• Your illustrations should attract attention. Your illustrations should be able to attract your visitors' attention and make them want to read and click on to further pages. A very good illustration also adds perspective and character to your words. So make your illustrations speak for your web site.

• Illustrations are there to compliment, not control. Illustrations are made to compliment your web page and not to overpower other elements. They should be able to attract attention but not so much that visitors become distracted from the content. Allow for some breathing space. Provide white spaces in between images. Also, don't overcrowd your page with too many illustrations. Place them strategically in the whole web site.

• Provide relevant illustrations to the web page content. Your illustrations are worthless if they don't convey the message you want to send out. In addition to confusing your audience, they also take up too much time to download. They need to compliment your content. One look at your illustrations and the visitors should be able to have an impression of what they are about to read.
• Save illustrations in the proper file format. Save your illustrations in their proper file format, such as .gif and .jpeg. If you used mostly solid colors and lines, save your illustration as GIF files for it to look sharp. On the other hand, save illustrations as JPEG files if you used gradients or blends.

• Provide protection for your illustrations. Copying and downloading of images and illustrations are very common. Hence, it is important for you to protect your illustrations from unauthorized use. You could provide a copyright symbol with the name of your company or organization to your illustrations. If you want additional security, you could also subscribe to a digital watermarking service that allows visitors to see your name as author and copyright holder of the illustration. This kind of service also provides tracking of other sites in the web that displays your illustrations without permission.

About The Author

Granny's Mettle is a 30-something, professional web content writer. She has created various web content on a diverse range of topics, which includes digital printing topics, medical news, as well as legal issues. Her articles are composed of reviews, suggestions, tips and more for the printing and designing industry.
Her thoughts on writing: "Writing gives me pleasure… pleasure and excitement that you have created something to share with others. And with the wide world of the Internet, it gives me great satisfaction that my articles reach more people in the quickest time you could imagine."
On her spare time, she loves to stay at home, reading books on just about any topic she fancies, cooking a great meal, and taking care of her husband and kids.
For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.ucreative.com
articles@ucreative.com

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Stealing Passwords And Other Juicy Googlebits

2008-02-14T16:03:00.000-05:00

BEWARE! Read this article for your own protection. Welcome back.

by: David Andrew

Disclaimer: Before we even start, I'd like to let my readers know that I am a full-time information security professional. I do not condone the theft of anyone's personal information including passwords, social security numbers, credit card numbers, etc. Moreover, I condemn such acts as morally and ethically wrong. The purpose and goal of this article is not to assist people with criminal or nefarious intentions, but rather to educate about the type of information that can be easily found with a web browser and a search engine, and by extension, the type of information that should and should not be submitted to web sites.

By now we all know of Google's dominance in the search industry. Although Yahoo and Microsoft remain competitors, neither one of their search engines are as mature as Google's. And beyond the "big three", you're hard pressed to find any search engine worth using anymore. GYM (Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft) have all but eliminated the smaller players in search--including former giants like Altavista, Lycos, and Excite. But even amongst the big three, Google is far ahead of the pack. In fact, Google's indexing prowess and relevancy ratings have become so good that many information security professionals now use Google as a key part to their vulnerability assessment and penetration testing services. Security professionals know that the first step in performing a successful assessment is to gather intelligence about the target. This is known as the "footprinting" or "profiling" phase of the security engagement. And what better way to profile your target than to leverage the power of the world's greatest search engine? By simply using search queries (aka Just Google It, one can quickly locate sensitive and quasi-sensitive company information including domain names, subdomains, network address ranges, mail servers, FTP servers, whois contact information, even e-mail addresses. And the kicker is that all of the above can potentially be found about a target without sending even a single packet to the target's network. In an effort to better automate the footprinting phase using Google, some in the security industry have even written software that will go out and perform various search queries on the target inan effort to obtain an accurate profile.

Of particular interest is Foundstone's SiteDigger and BiDiBLAH by Sensepost. SiteDigger will look for vulnerabilities, configuration problems, and other "interesting security nuggets" by searching Google's cache. Like SiteDigger, BiDiBLAH also uses a Google API license key to query the search engine for various keywords in an effort to determine a target's subdomains. Incidentally, BiDiBLAH is an all-around excellent free tool for professional penetration testers.
Now finding company web sites, domain names, and even e-mail addresses is one thing. But stealing people's eBay passwords? Credit card numbers? All by doing a few Google searches? Yes. And unfortunately not only is this possible, it's often simple to carry out. "But how can you search for someone's password if you don't know what it is"? Good question! The answer, of course, is you do not. Since the unique element is unknown, you need to search on a known, common element. Allow me to further explain.

By its very nature, software contains fingerprints--bits of information that uniquely identify and differentiate that software. For example, when you connect to a Microsoft IIS server, that web server will reply with its server string ("Microsoft-IIS/6.0", for example). Even tiny components of a software application will leave fingerprints. For example, McAfee VirusScan 8.0.0 has a small component called Access Protection which acts as a very simple firewall. But the log file for this component can be easily spotted because of a common, known element that is shared across all instances of that log. Now because this log file does not contain highly sensitive information such as passwords (it actually does contain disk path information though), the risk is not substantial if someone's log file found its away into the wrong hands.

But what about other application log files that have common, known elements? How about configuration files? Spreadsheets? Accounting software? I think you get the point. Searching Google for these known application fingerprints will inevitably bring up "interesting" results. By the way, there are entire web sites devoted to sole purpose of sharing Google queries that will result in juicy googlebits such as passwords, social security numbersand yes, credit card numbers. And although I won't list any of those sites here, they are not hard to find (hint: use Google!).

Incidentally, one of the things that makes these queries possible is Google's support of advanced operators. Google supports a growing number of these operators which help narrow down the output and generally provide a more specific result set. Using Google's advanced operators, you can even limit a searches to a specific domain or even filetype. For example, the following query searches registry files looking specifically for a text string beginning with "Username" and the word "putty" (PuTTY is a free implementation of telnet and SSH for the Windows and Unix platforms):

ext:reg "username=*" putty

If successful, the query would result in a list of username to machine mappings for folks who use puTTY. Armed with this useful information, an attacker could then possibly launch a brute-force password guessing attack against the target (assuming the. target's firewall allowed for inbound SSH connectivity). As you can see, coming up with searches that reveal Googlebits is mostly an excercise of the imagination.

As stated on their corporate website, Google's mission is to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful". So far, I'd say Google is doing an excellent job in fulfilling their mission statement. Are you upset that Google's database contains sensitive personal information such as credit card numbers? Me too. And though I won't give Google a complete pass, the primary parties at fault here are web site operators and web users (you and me). If you operate a Web site, please don't leave config files, log files, and other files that contain sensitive information sitting on your web server! And if you enjoy the many services the web has to offer, please understand that any information you send to a web site has the potential to show up in a Google search. I can't tell you how many forum posts I've stumbled on during a Google search that contained things like cell phone numbers, driver's license numbers, and even social security numbers.

You have been warned.

About The Author

David Andrew is an Information Security Professional specializing in vulnerability assessment and malware analysis. He is the primary operator and owner of Security Tricks, an online resource devoted to computer security and spyware help. If you would like to contact David for interviews or other inquiries, please e-mail him at daveATsecuritytricks.com. If you are interested in learning more about computer security, please subscribe to our free newsletter.
This article may be reprinted or published for free with the condition that the author and site information below is retained.
Copyright 2006, David Andrew, Security Tricks.

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What You Always Wanted To Know About Scanning

2008-01-21T14:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article:

by: Ismael D. Tabije

One of the most useful attachments of a computer is a scanner which has now become indispensable for both home and office usage. Scanners analyze an image and text and process them in such a way that the optical characters can be saved in a file on your computer. These images and text can be altered as per the need and then printed or used on your web page.

Among all the various types of scanners available, Flatbed scanners (also called desktop scanners) are the most versatile and common. The other types are sheet-fed scanners and hand-held scanners. Whereas the sheet-fed scanners are like the flatbed scanners except that the document is moved while keeping the scan head stationary, hand-held scanners need to be moved by the user in place of a motorized bed. Hand-held scanners do not give good image quality but they can capture the text very quickly. Finally, there is another type of scanner called a Drum scanner that is used to capture extremely detailed images and is normally used by the publishing industry.

The following steps describe how a scanner works:

• The glass plate is used to place the document and the cover is closed. The cover gives a uniform background, which is used by the software of the scanner to fix a reference point in relation to the size of the document that is being scanned. The inside of the cover is mostly flat white although some of them are black too.

• In order to illuminate the document, new scanners use a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or a xenon lamp whereas older scanners use a standard fluorescent lamp.

• The scan head is made up of mirrors, lens, filters and CCD array. A stepper motor runs a belt that moves the scan head slowly over the document. A stabilizer bar is attached to the scan head to eliminate wobble or deviation in the pass, which is the term to indicate that a complete scan of the document has been completed, by the scan head.

• An angled mirror is used to reflect the image of the document to another mirror. Whereas some scanners use two mirrors there are others that use three mirrors. In order to focus the image onto a smaller surface, the mirrors are slightly curved.

• The last mirror reflects the image onto a lens, which focuses the image through a filter on the CCD array.

Each type of scanner has its own filter and lens arrangement. In some scanners there is a three-pass scanning process with each pass using a different color filter (red, green or blue) between the lens and CCD array. After the completion of the three passes, the three filtered images are assembled by the scanner software into a single full-color image. However, the single pass process is used by most scanners nowadays whereby the image is split into three smaller versions of the original by the lens. These smaller versions are then passed through a color filter (red, green or blue) onto a discrete area of the CCD array. The data from the three areas of the CCD array is combined by the scanner into a single full-color image.

A newer imaging array technology is contact image sensor (CIS), which has become very popular nowadays. It replaces the CCD array, mirrors, filters, lamp and lens with rows of red, green and blue light emitting diodes (LEDs). However, the CIS scanners are not capable of providing the same degree of quality and resolution as is given by the CCD scanners although the CIS scanners are cheaper, lighter and thinner.

About The Author
The writer, Ismael D. Tabije, runs the website, http://www.bestlaptopnotebookdeal.com, where you can get tips for buying top laptop brands at cheap prices from reliable online merchants.
idtbusiness@yahoo.com

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Public Relations And The Internet

2008-01-21T14:40:00.000-05:00

by: Bernice Ly

Although the field of public relations is quite new, it is seen to be pivotal to many companies when coordinating advertising and marketing campaigns. Public relations, which is often defined as “The art or science of establishing and promoting a favorable relationship with the public” (Answers.com 2006, p: 1) has been increasing in popularity, especially now with the Internet being used as a tool for communication in modern society.

Frequent usage of the Internet has allowed consumers to communicate and access products and services from companies more easily. For example, Jerry Fireman states, “Public relations can be cost effective because the media—rather than the marketer—takes on the expense of delivering the information to the intended recipient.” (Fireman 2006, p: 1). Hence, by advertising on the Internet and promoting good relationships with clients, public relation officers are now able to achieve access to a wider market with a lower expenditure rate. Furthermore, the Internet has viewers from different nations and cultural beliefs; therefore, the scope of campaigns for modern public relation officers has increased.

Secondly, the technology of the Internet has increased the attractiveness and effectiveness of public relations. For example, public relations originated from Newspapers and News reports; however, communication can now take the form of interactive visual graphics as well as creative websites and short multimedia presentations. Techniques that are used by public relation consultants are varied, hence creativity and the impact of the statement on the website is very important in modern communication and public relations. Public relations in contemporary society is now inter-connected with understanding the discourse and the changes of supply and demand in the market, however, it is also about effective corporate ethics used to enhance the status of a company, and to provide effective long-term relationships with clients.

Although some academics would argue that public relations have become advertisement-based focusing mainly on persuading consumers to purchase a product, the effectiveness of these advertising and marketing techniques have also greatly enhanced the needs of the consumer market. The advantages of utilizing public relations on the Internet have also benefited people who may not have otherwise have had access to the advertising of these products due to their lifestyle or the location of their home. The Internet has indeed connected the wants and demands of consumers to the supply and services of the producers. Although the value and importance of the Internet is highly contentious and can be interpreted differently by separate discourses, most societies would agree that the Internet has established a prominent role in the globalization process, resulting in public relations and communication increases.

References:
Answers.com (2006) Definition of Public Relations: http://www.answers.com/
Fireman, Jerry (2006) Successful PR: ‘It’s all about understanding the media.’ http://www.marketingprofs.com/login/signup.asp?source=/5/fireman7.asp

About The Author
Bernice Ly
http://www.m6.net
Bernice Ly is an academic writer working at M6.Net: ‘The web-hosting company for humans.’ M6.Net is working hard to help humanity experience the power and freedom to develop their own part of the Internet, to share their information and connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime.

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

2007-12-01T14:40:00.000-05:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article on a common problem suffered by computer users.

If like a majority of the people, you work n front of a computer for over 8 hours a day, and if you find yourself suffering from pain, numbness of the wrist, and even a stinging sensation in your hands, you could be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome.

Better known as repetitive stress disorder, carpel tunnel syndrome is a crippling disability, that till recently, was viewed more as a shirker’s excuse to stay away from doing her/his work. But over 5 million Americans can’t be shirkers! For that is the number being presented by the latest survey regarding carpel tunnel syndrome sufferers in our nation!

Simply put, carpal tunnel syndrome is a work related injury that affects those individuals, whose work demands that they spend time doing activities that put pressure on the wrist and the wrist tendons. Most users of computers for prolonged periods suffer from some degree of the carpal tunnel syndrome.

Others who are likely to suffer debilitating effects are cashiers in banks and financial institutions, computer operators, desktop publishing professionals, call center professionals, assembly line workers, cash register operators and even writers – all of whom spend their time at work doing repetitive jobs with their wrists, thereby resulting in carpal tunnel syndrome.

But carpal tunnel syndrome is not something that comes about abruptly. It happens gradually, over time. Since it entails a nerve in the wrist to be pressured, causing numbness and associated disability, the process can take years to developed into a full blown case of carpal tunnel syndrome. The typical symptoms of carpel tunnel syndrome begin with a frequent pain or ache in the palms and wrists.

This may lead to numbness and/or tingling and itching. While the hands themselves may or may not appear swollen, they will feel swollen and no amount of heat treatment may make this sensation go away. These symptoms usually occur during the night, when the wrist is resting. If not treated in the initial stages, the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome only become more pronounced, and begin manifesting themselves during the day as well. Some of the symptoms of advanced stages of carpal tunnel syndrome include clumsiness, frequent dropping of items held in the hands, reduced grip capacity of the hands and even problems with dexterity and coordination control.

Having recognized carpal tunnel syndrome as a genuine medical problem, scientists and healthcare professionals have come up with a number of devises and treatments to ameliorate the pain of sufferers. One of the most commonly used among these treatments is what is known as splinting. Just s a fractured bone is repaired using splints to set it in its regular position, carpal tunnel syndrome too can be treated with splinting.

In most cases, it has been found that setting the wrist in a strain-free position and splinting it for a length of time, may remove the effects of carpal tunnel syndrome. There are also a range of oral and superficial medications available to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. The most common medications include anti inflammatory gels and ointments, oral corticosteroids and even local injections of steroids to relive inflammation and pain. In advanced or serious cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, surgery may be required.

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Wireless Security - Getting It Right

2007-11-10T11:40:00.000-05:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article:

by: Vishwadeep Bajaj

It may sound strange but is true that several organisations, which have adopted Wireless networking, are open to severe security breaches. Mostly the reasons are that organisations simply plug the access points and go live without bothering to change the default factory settings. Wireless local area networks are open to risk not because the systems are incapable but due to incorrect usage. The biggest problem lies with inadequate security standards and with poorly configured devices. For a start, most of the wireless base stations sold by suppliers come with the in-built security Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) protocol turned off. This means that unless you manually reconfigure your wireless access points, your networks will be broadcasting data that is unencrypted.

In the old world of wired local area networks, the architecture provides some inherent security. Typically there is a network server and multiple devices with an Ethernet protocol adapter that connect to each other physically via a LAN backbone. If you are not physically connected, you have no access to the LAN.

Compare it with the new wireless LAN architecture. The LAN backbone of the wired world is replaced with radio access points. The Ethernet adapters in devices are replaced with a radio card. There are no physical connections – anyone with a radio capability of sniffing can connect to the network.

What can go wrong?

Unlike the wired network, the intruder does not need physical access in order to pose the following security threats:
Eavesdropping. This involves attacks against the confidentiality of the data that is being transmitted across the network. In the wireless network, eavesdropping is the most significant threat because the attacker can intercept the transmission over the air from a distance away from the premises of the company.

Tampering. The attacker can modify the content of the intercepted packets from the wireless network and this results in a loss of data integrity.

Unauthorized access. The attacker could gain access to privileged data and resources in the network by assuming the identity of a valid user. This kind of attack is known as spoofing. To overcome this attack, proper authentication and access control mechanisms need to be put up in the wireless network.

Denial of Service. In this attack, the intruder floods the network with either valid or invalid messages affecting the availability of the network resources.

How to protect?

There are 3 types of security options – basic, active and hardened. Depending upon your organisation needs, you can adopt any of the above.

Basic

You can achieve the basic security by implementing Wired Equivalent Standard 128 or WEP 128. The IEEE 802.11 task group has established this standard. WEP specifies generation of encryption keys. The information source and information target uses these keys to prevent any eavesdroppers (who do not have these keys) to get access to the data.
Network access control is implemented by using a Service Set Identifier (SSID – a 32 character unique identifier) associated with an access point or a group of access points. The SSID acts as a password for network access.

Another additional type of security is Access Control List (ACL). Each wireless device has a unique identifier called Media Access Control address (MAC). A MAC list can be maintained at an access point or a server of all access points. Only those devices are allowed access to the network that have their MAC address specified.

The above implementations are open to attack. Even when you do turn on WEP, there are still problems inherent within it. The problem lies in the protocol's encryption key mechanism, which is implemented in such a way that the key can be recovered by analysing the data flow across the network over a period of time. This has been estimated at between 15 minutes and several days. The SSID attached to the header of packets sent over a wireless Lan - is sent as unencrypted text and is vulnerable to being sniffed by third parties. Unfortunately most supplier equipment is configured to broadcast the SSID automatically, essentially giving new devices a ticket to join the network. While this is useful for public wireless networks in places such as airports and retail establishments - in the US for example, Starbucks is offering 802.11b access in some of its stores - it represents another security loophole for corporates that do not switch it off. Finally any MAC address can be changed to another (spoofed), so the use of ACL is not foolproof either.

Active

To implement an Active type of security, you need to implement the IEEE 802.1x security standard. This covers two areas – network access restriction through mutual authentication and data integration through WEP key rotation. Mutual authentication between the client station and the access points helps ensure that clients are communicating with known networks and dynamic key rotation reduces exposure to key attacks.

Due to weaknesses in WEP, some standard alternatives to WEP have emerged. Most of the Wi-Fi manufacturers have agreed to use a temporary standard for enhanced security called Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA).

In WPA, the encryption key is changed after every frame using Temporary Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP). This protocol allows key changes to occur on a frame-by-frame basis and to be automatically synchronized between the access point and the wireless client. The TKIP is really the heart and soul of WPA security. TKIP replaces WEP encryption. And although WEP is optional in standard Wi-Fi, TKIP is required in WPA. The TKIP encryption algorithm is stronger than the one used by WEP but works by using the same hardware-based calculation mechanisms WEP uses.

Hardened

There are organisations like banks, which have very stringent security requirements. They need to implement the hardened type of security systems. These are solutions certified in accordance with the Federal Information Protection Standard (FIPS 1.40). Products in this category offer point-to-point security for wireless information communication and include offerings such as AirFortress and IPSec Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). A VPN will increase the cost of your network, but you can base your decision on whether to implement it by using the same course of action that you should be taking with all other parts of your infrastructure. Map the risks against the business data that you will be passing over radio, and assess the financial impact of a breach. If the data is too critical, reassess what should be passed over the network, or use a VPN to enhance your protection.

Summary

The vendors are working towards implementing newer standards and this year we should see products implementing IEEE 802.11i that will further the authentication and encryption gains implemented by WPA. Most notably, it will add a ground up encryption standard known as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) as well as various other enhancements.

Newer standards apart, organisations must understand that achieving wireless security is essential and the good part is that it is easy. An organisation must define its security needs and use the features available in the systems accordingly. Choose a good vendor who can help you implement your requirements through standards based solutions. A good implementation must be supported by a security policy, which is well understood by everyone in the organisation. Make your employees aware that they all are responsible for security and share the cost of security breaches. Assign authority & ownership to few employees for the various parts in the security policy and make periodic reviews of their performance. Most important is to monitor your systems for any possible breaches and adapt if necessary. Never sleep well.

About The Author

Vishwadeep Bajaj is the CEO of ValueFirst Messaging Private Limited (www.vfirst.com), a company, which provides messaging solutions in India, Europe and the USA. Vishwadeep is based in London where he is an active participant in the mobility industry. This Article was published in Mobility Magazine.
webmaster@vfirst.com

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How To Restore Old Photos With Photoshop

2007-10-18T14:08:00.000-04:00

Some very useful information in today's featured article:

by: Michael Wysmierski

There are times that people may have old photographs
they would like to restore to save the memories. Photos
usually get damaged through the times. The pictures may
get blurred, the color fades and the picture might acquire
marks and scratches. Thank the technology of today. People
can now save and restore their old photos with the help of
Photoshop.

Here are some steps to follow in restoring old pictures
using the Photoshop.

1. The person may use the Elements in Photoshop, which are
Dust and Scratch Filter to remove the marks, scratches an
blots in the photo. The Dust and Scratches Filter is
located on the Menu Bar and click on the Filter Tab. A drop
down will list elements and then he can choose the Noise tab
and select on the Dust and Scratches.

2. After clicking on the Dust and Scratches menu, a window
will pop up with two control sliders. The first slider is for
the Radius and the other one is for the Threshold. There
will also be another window if the preview box will be
checked. These are the main options that will be used in
treating the picture.

3. Adjusting the Radius slider may remove the scratches.
However, there is a tendency that overdoing it may make
the edges blurred too. If that happens, the option is to
adjust the Threshold slider and this will allow the details
to go back and make the picture clearer with the scratches
disappearing. The person should be careful not to set them
too far or it will only create blotches on the picture.

4. In removing the marks, selecting the whole photo will
not diffuse these marks. The option is to select only the
part where the scratches are located. He may use the Lasso
to do this.

5. He can then feather the edges of the selected area so
that the selected area will not be obvious on the picture.
He can do this by clicking the Feather option and click
the Scratch and Dust Filter again. He can do the process
again of adjusting the Radius and Threshold sliders to get
the texture needed and remove the scratches.

6. It there are still visible marks on the other parts of
the picture, he can do the technique again by selecting the
areas he would like to adjust. To finish the process and
make the picture presentable, he can crop the image enough
to remove the cracks and torn edges of the picture. The
canvas may be use to equally crop the image.

7. A person may add drama on the picture by adding a drop
shadow on it. This will make the picture appear as if it
has been lifted off the page. The color may also be removed
using the controls Shift+Ctrl+U. He can then add color by
putting a little amount of Sepia. He can do this with the
Hue or Saturation tab. The contrast may be adjusted using
the Levels option.

This is one easy way on how to remove the blotches and
marks on an old picture. This is also a good way to make
the picture look new but still appear classical. It will
be a pleasant and easy way to display pictures kept on old
albums and cabinets for a long time.

About The Author

Michael Wysmierski is the founder of Professional Header
Templates. He can be reached for more information at his
website here:
http://www.ProfessionalHeaderTemplates.com
mw@professionalheadertemplates.com

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Flash USB Drives: Backup Easily, Conveniently And Securely

2007-10-08T10:21:00.000-04:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article:

by: Yuri Filimonov

Tired of switching CD/DVD discs while backing up? Flash USB drives to the rescue!
If you already backup often, you are doing the most you can to secure your files against accidental file deletion and recovery, file damage and what not. Also, you may be considering making your backups as easy and painless as possible. So what may be a remedy to this issue?
Naturally, you need to consider several backup media and select the one suitting your needs and requirements. Among all, CD, DVD and flash USB drives are considered.

You may as well use CD to backup, but you will either need to dump CD-R discs often, or insert a CD-/+RW discs often to make another backup. Someone else can also misplace your backup CD disc or overwrite your backup data with other information. Moreover, a CD only admits about 700Mb of data, which may not be convenient. Nor is storing multiple CDs of your backup copy.

The same can be said about backing up to DVD. Of course, a DVD admits from 4.7Gb to about 18.6Gb of data, but is it really convenient backing up to DVD? An external hard disk drive or a flash USB drive will be speedier, more reliable and easier overall.

Here is when a flash USB drive comes handy. It not only allows faster data copying than CD or DVD, but can also admit from 256Mb to 4Gb of data (or maybe more). Moreover, you can take the USB drive with you anywhere you go and transfer the data between distant computers without resolving to FTP backup. Of course, one of the drawbacks of a flash USB backup is that the drive is only limited to about 100 000 writings, while another slight disadvantage (or an advantage, if you put it nicely) is that the device is so small you can easily misplace it.

About The Author

Yuri Filimonov has been an insider of the backup industry for a few years, allowing him to share insight on various backup issues, both in his articles and his website at http://www.fairbackup.com.

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Tips To Protect Data Loss

2007-09-22T15:47:00.001-04:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article:

by: Jowyne Leong

Prevention is always better cure. In order to avoid data loss situation, you could observe the following steps:

1. Use an Anti Virus software and keep it updated

Antivirus is designed to protect you and your computer against malicious computer virus. Some virus infections can delete, modify your data secretly and cause your computer to crash. So be sure to update your Antivirus software with the latest patch and signature files for maximum security.

2. Protect against power surges with an UPS

An uninterruptible power supply protects your computer and data during a power surge or failure. The spare battery in the UPS gives you ample time to save your documents and shut down Windows properly so that you don't lose any files or damage any hardware components.

3. Keep your machine in a dry, shaded and dust-free area

Never leave your computer near places where it is directly exposed to rain, sun or humidity. Such conditions have the tendency to cause rusting and damage to your hardware parts.

4. Do not attempt to repair or open up your computer without assistance

Without experience, you may damage the circuit boards, hardware components and worst of all, receive a nasty electric shock! Always consult an expert.

5. Do not over-tweak your system

Avoid modifying your system registry or overclock your hardware to yield performance boost unless you're absolutely sure of what you're doing. You don't wish to fry your computer.

6. Store your backups at an off-site location

This helps to protect your backup from damage in case of a fire or disaster.

7. Avoid moving your computer when it is in operation

You definitely would not wish for your power cord to fall off and cause a data corruption and physical damage to your hard disk such as a head crash while working on a project.

8. Do not share access to your computer with strangers on the network

Your computer data can be prone to theft and modification if anyone on the network can access your files freely.

9. Practise disk maintenance

Clean up temporary files, unused files and defragment your hard disk from time to time. This helps to keep your hard disk on top form.

10. Read failure symptoms

You know it's time to start backing up all your data files when your hard disk starts producing funny noises and your system starts getting cranky.

Jowyne Leong

About The Author

Adroit Data Recovery Centre (ADRC) Pte Ltd is the data recovery expert established since 1998. Headquartered in Singapore and Malaysia, we recover data for customers from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Philippines, Brunei and Vietnam.
adrc.net
ss2@adrc.net

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Off-Page Factors Affecting Your Position On Google Searches

2007-09-14T09:43:00.000-04:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article:

by: John Fowler

Different search engines use different algorithms to calculate where you appear on their search results. This article will focus on the factors that we believe affect your results on Google searches. One word of warning, Google does not publish its algorithms and is constantly changing and updating the way it views sites - so these are the guidelines for you to follow, rather than a definitive statement of the processes involved.

We will divide the major factors into two main types, namely, on-page and off-page factors. Basically, on-page factors are those things that you can do to improve your ranking by adapting the actual coding of your site. Off-page factors are those factors mainly relating to incoming links to your site. This article, the second of two will focus on off-page factors.

In terms of off-page factors the areas we will cover are:
IBLs – inbound links to your site
Directory Listings – which directories feature your site
User Statistics – who visits your site and for how long
Inbound Links (IBLs)

Many of you may not be aware that many sites may be linking to your own site and sending new users and traffic to you. You can check who links to your site using an IBL checker, like the backlink checker that can be found on the free SEO Tools site www.datacoms.co.uk.

These checkers allow you to see which sites have linked to you as identified by Google, Yahoo and MSN. Interesting, the Google list is always smaller and more quirky than the other two. This is because Google has decided that pure volume of links is not a good measure of a site’s attractiveness since this metric can be spammed by the use of links farms, where unscrupulous webmasters can buy loads of links for free.

So Google uses other factors to check your site’s IBLs, and one of these is certainly pagerank. The concept of pagerank was developed by Google to rank sites across the web on a number of factors that overall aim to show how attractive a site is to potential viewers. Your site will have a pagerank, even if you don’t know about it. Again you can check your pagerank for free at www.datacoms.co.uk.

Sites with a pagerank or PR of 4 or more are considered worthy sites by Google and so a link from a site with PR 4 or above is more important to your site’s overall ranking. PR starts at 0 and goes to 10, with only sites like Microsoft, Apple, Google or NASA getting a perfect 10.
It is also very useful to get sites to link to you with consistent anchor text; this is the text description of your sites URL. So we try and use SEO Gurus for all out links, but some sites seem to take pleasure in changing this for us. The point is the more consistent the anchor text is the better you will be found. The old example of keying "miserable failure" into Google is a good one to demonstrate the power of consistent anchor text. This search gives George Bush’s biography on the Whitehouse site – no mention of "miserable failure" on the site, but it has many sites linking to it using those words as anchor text.

So try and get lots of sites of PR 4 or above linking to you, especially if the site has a similar theme to your own site. However, don’t grow your links too fast as Google sees this as spammy, and try and avoid reciprocal links where possible (these are links where each site agrees to link to each other). The best way to get links is with consistently good, well-written content that interests people.

Directory Listings

There are many directory listings sites on the internet, but some are much more important than others, because they are big and powerful with a high PR. Top of the list must be DMOZ, with a PR of 9. Also known as the Open Directory Project, DMOZ, is the largest, most comprehensive human-edited directory of the Web. It is constructed and maintained by a vast, global community of volunteer editors. It gets the name DMOZ from the acronym for Directory Mozilla, as it is administered by Netscape Communication Corporation. It costs you nothing to get your site onto DMOZ, except blood, sweat and tears – see www.datacoms.co.uk for more details. DMOZ is important because it is one of the places Google looks when deciding the importance of your site. Hence, a listing on DMOZ almost guarantees better search results performance.

Yahoo is probably the second most important listing, but costs $299 a year to list your site, again a PR of 9. There are many other sites, far too many to mention, that may be useful to you. Some are free, others ask for reciprocal links or a payment. It pays to be selective on your links and we have as yet not paid for any links. Interestingly, even without paying Yahoo you can get high on their searches if you have a listing on DMOZ, so worth persevering.

User Statistics

Google has developed a number of measures to record the amount of visitors your site and individual pages visited. How did they get there (keyword searches), what pages did they visit, how much time did they spend on each page, did they bookmark the site, etc.
After all, a true measure of where you should appear on the search results is how popular and interestingly your site is. The only real way you can have this is by having interesting, or in marketing jargon, “sticky” content. Many sites are trying to add news feeds, puzzles or quotes of the day to try and achieve a greater degree of stickiness. But, in our opinion the reason people come back to your site has to be the quality and quantity of information that you have presented and organised for easy access by them.

Content is king, long live content!

About The Author

John Fowler trained as a Mathematician and has worked in the IT industry for over 30 years, much of the time in sales related functions. He now spends his time between being a partner in SEO Gurus and as a sales and management trainer for ICT companies. John can be contacted via SEO Gurus http://www.seo-gurus.co.uk.

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How To Identify Spoof/Phishing Emails - Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

2007-09-07T15:36:00.000-04:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article:

by: Dan Thompson

What is a spoof email?

Spoof emails (sometimes also called "Phishing") are emails that pretend to be from a company or bank. The most common often come from eBay, PayPal, Barclays Bank etc. These emails will then contain a web link, if you click on this link then you will be taken to a login page and asked to enter your details. Most of these scammers go a long way to try and get your details, most spoof emails contain links to identical websites and users are tricked into entering their personal information. If you submit your information through one of these spoof websites then the fraudster has all of your details and can commit crimes using your identity.

How do they get my email address?

You may wonder how the scammers got your address or knew you were a member of a particular bank or institution. Often it is just good luck on the part of the scammers. They normally do not target individuals, but send out thousands of scam emails to randomly generated email addresses, in the hope that just a few will be successful. They also trawl the web for valid addresses they can use, and swap this information with each other. If you have ever posted on an Internet forum or published something on the web, there's a good chance your address is out there somewhere just waiting to be found. If you have fallen victim before, your address is normally added to a list of 'easy victims', and you are likely to then receive even more scams.
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How can I identify these emails?

Here are 4 simple tests that you can perform on any email you suspect is a spoof. Your email can only pass the test if it passes ALL FOUR of the tests. If your email passes all of the four tests then you can be 99.9% certain that it is a genuine email. If your email passes all four of the tests then we would also advise you to check the "Other Tips" section just to double check that your email is genuine.

If your email fails

If your email fails JUST ONE of the four tests then the email is a spoof and shouldn't be replied to and should be deleted immediately from your computer. Even if your email fails the test, I would still advise you to check out the "Other Tips" page for more good ways to spot a spoof email.

If you are still in doubt

Unless you are 100% sure that your email is genuine, DO NOT click on any links within the email. Contact the company in question (See the "reporting a spoof" page) and ask them to confirm if the email is genuine or a spoof.
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Test 1 - Who is the email addressed to?

Have a look at how the email addresses you. Most spoofs will say something along the lines of "Dear eBay user". This is the very first thing you should look for in a spoof email. Any email that doesn't address you by your name is a spoof. Ebay, PayPal and banks always address you by the name you registered with on their site, they NEVER send out emails saying
"Dear valued customer", "Dear member" etc.

If your email isn't addressed to you personally then it is a spoof! If your email is addressed to you then move onto the next test to see if it is a spoof email. Some more advanced spoof messages have started to include your name or email address instead of the generic "Dear member" or "Dear user". So even if your email were addressed to you I would strongly advise you to carry out the 3 other tests.

Test 2 - Where does the link go?

Most spoof emails will contain a link telling you to verify your details. You can quickly tell if your email is a spoof by hovering your mouse over the link. When your mouse is over the link, look in the bottom left hand corner of your screen and you will see the "link destination". The destination of a spoof link will usually look something like this:
"http://slp.clinker.net.mx/.sh/.a/index.htm?SignIn&ssPageName=h:h:sin:us"

Compare this with a real eBay link:
http://k2b-bulk.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MyeBaySellingSummary

And you can see the difference. You can easily check if you email is a fake by looking at the first part of the link destination, if the destination is a combination of numbers (102.382.54.23) or a link like the one in my spoof link above then the chances are that your email is a spoof.
Any non-spoof link will contain the name of the company in the first part of the link, eg:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk http://cgi.ebay.com http://cgi.paypal.com

Please note: Some spoof links will contain the words "eBay" or "PayPal" in the final part of the link. These are also spoofs!

All real emails will only contain the company name in the very first part of the link; after http://. If you still aren't sure if you have a spoof email, move onto the next test.

Test 3 - Who really did send you the email?

This test may seem a little confusing but don't worry it isn't as difficult as it looks. What we are going to do is find out where the email came from. Most people don't know this but you can trace the origin of your emails in most mail programs. To do this we have to view the "FULL message header", here is how you do this in the following email programs. If your program isn't listed here please contact your email provider for instructions:

Hotmail 1. Click on "Options" 2. Click on "Mail display settings" 3. The 3rd option can be used to display the header settings, select "Full" from the check boxes 4. Click on "OK" to save your settings

Outlook Express 1. Right click on the email and select "Properties" 2. Select the "Details" tab
Now that we can view the message headers, here is how you identify a spoof:

Look in the part of the header that says "Received From". If the email has come from anyone other than the sender it's a spoof. I had a spoof email and performed this test and notice that the email had been sent from a Yahoo account. Obviously a real email from eBay would not have been sent from a Yahoo address!

Test 4 - Click on the link

Only try this if your email has passed the previous 3 tests. Some spoof emails have been known to contain viruses that are activated by clicking on the link. Please ensure that you have a good virus scanner installed on your PC before proceeding. If you have important data on your PC you may also wish to backup that data on a removable backup device.

When you click the link in your email a web browser will open and take you to what looks like a legitimate login page. There are two ways to identify a spoof login page, and I will show you both of them! Have a look in the address bar at the top of the login page. Have a look at the http:// part of the URL. Any genuine login page from eBay, PayPal or your bank WONT start with "http://" it will start with:
"https://"

The "s" in https:// stands for "secure" and is there to show you that you are about to submit data over a secure connection.

Any page not starting with https:// is a spoof. The second difference between the two pages is the padlock icon in the bottom right hand of the screen. Notice that the spoof login page doesn't have a padlock, and the genuine eBay login page does. This padlock appears to show you that you are about to submit data over a secure connection. If your login page DOESNT have a padlock icon in the bottom corner of the screen then it is a spoof!

Other Tips for spotting Spoofs
1. Punctuation Read your email carefully and look for any spelling mistakes. You can be sure that any genuine emails wont contain simple spelling mistakes.
2. Adverts? Real emails from eBay don't contain adverts for burger king!
3. Hotmail identity check A new feature in hotmail now warns you if a senderID could not be verified. Any spoof email will contain this warning. (please note that recently I received a genuine email from eBay that contained this warning, so don't judge an email purely by this method)
4. PIN number Any website asking for your PIN (personal identification number) is a spoof. Do not enter your PIN number! If you have entered and submitted your PIN then contact your bank immediately.
5. Popup boxes Some spoof sites will include popup message boxes like the one below. Genuine sites don't use popup boxes telling you to enter details.
6. False sense of urgency Most spoof emails will make you think that your account is at threat if you don't act quickly. This is not the case.
7. eBay Messages Any genuine email sent to you from eBay will also appear in the "My Messages" section of eBay. To access your eBay messages, login to ebay and click on "My eBay". On the left hand side of the screen you will see a "My Messages" link. Click on this; if the email you received in your inbox isn't listed there then it is a spoof email.
8. Ignore the email address Ignore the email address that the email was sent from. Almost all spoof emails will appear as if they are from a genuine address. Some of the emails I receive are "from":
service@paypal.com memberservices@paypal.com awconfirm@ebay.com safeharbour@ebay.com operator_862736743@halifax.com
9. Download the eBay toolbar The eBay toolbar is a great piece of software that can be used to spot spoofs. As soon as you enter a spoof website from eBay or PayPal the toolbar will give you a warning telling you that web page is a spoof. The Ebay toolbar is FREE to download.
Dan Thompson has been creating websites for over 7 years. You can visit his website and receive 6 free e-books, check out the website on http://www.elpassobooks.co.uk

About The Author

Dan Thompson has been designing and running websites for over 7 years. You can visit his current website to obtain some free e-books at http://www.elpassobooks.co.uk

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Can VOIP Calling Save You Money On Your Phone Bill?

2007-08-31T15:21:00.001-04:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article:

by: Jessica Liu

As high speed and broadband internet connections are becoming more prevalent in homes across the United States, people are asking themselves can VOIP calling save me money on my phone bill? To answer this question you need to take a deeper look at VOIP calling and the expenses related to switching to VOIP.

The first thing to you should know is how VOIP calling works. When you place a VOIP call it works by converting the voice signal that you speak into the phone handset into a digital signal and sending it over the internet. This signal is then converted back into a voice signal and comes out of the earpiece on the other end. By sending the signal over the internet it doesn’t matter how far it has to go, a call across the street costs the same as call across the country. For people who have monthly long distance bills that are over $20, VOIP calling may be able to save you money on your phone bill.
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When evaluating VOIP services you should have an idea of your monthly calling volume. The best thing to do is look at your phone bill for the past three months and figure out how many minutes you are using. If you are using less than 500 minutes a month you will find VOIP calling plans that are probably much less than your monthly phone bill. If you are using over 1000 minutes each month you’ll probably find unlimited calling plans will be more cost effective. If you make a lot of international calls, check to see if those calls are included in the plans you are evaluating.

Some VOIP services require that you update your telephone equipment. This is especially important if you have more then one phone in the house. The key to the VOIP system is VOIP router. It connects your broadband internet access to your new phone system. Some routers only interface with newer VOIP phones, meaning you will have to purchase new phones. Some routers allow you to plug conventional phones into them and keep your existing equipment. This really becomes an important factor if you have more than one telephone in your house.
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Another factor to consider is the length of the contract. Many companies offer month to month contracts, others offer yearly, and some offer two year contracts. While a two year contract may look attractive from a price standpoint, locking yourself into a developing technology for twenty four months is something to give serious consideration to. A one year contract usually provides the best trade off between price and time commitment.

© Copyright VOIPTelephoneSystem.org, All Rights Reserved.
About The Author

Jessica Liu writes articles about VOIP for http://www.voiptelephonesystem.org which cover VOIP technology and VOIP related news.

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Rid Your Computer Of Spyware

2007-08-26T13:12:00.000-04:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article:

by: Sandra Stammberger

Everyone seems to be asking these days: why is my computer so slow? Well, the answer to that question is usually that it’s loaded with programs called spyware and adware. Spyware and adware are programs installed, usually without your permission, on your computer so companies can show their advertisements, log what sites you visit so they know what products you’re interested in and record keystrokes on your computer so they know what you’re talking about. Below are 3 easy steps to take to start protecting and eliminating your spyware and adware problem on your home computer.

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First, stop using Internet Explorer! I know you may be shocked, but Microsoft’s internet browser has more holes in it than Swiss cheese! The best alternative is Mozilla’s Firefox, available for free download at Mozilla.org. After installing the browser, it will automatically transfer your bookmarks/favorites and settings over to Firefox. Also, please make sure Firefox is your default browser. Using Firefox will reduce the amount of spyware and adware on your computer by 75%.

Secondly, download these two free programs: Spybot (safer-networking.org/en/index.html) and Ad-Aware (lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/). These two free programs will search throughout your computer, find the spyware and adware and allow you to quarantine and delete it. To be completely safe, be sure to run and update both of these programs twice a week. This will get rid of all spyware and adware currently on your computer and bring your protection level up to 95%.

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Finally, be sure to use a firewall. A firewall is just what it sounds like, a “wall” between your internet connection and your computer. If you have a high speed broadband connection, a firewall is a must. Most Windows XP systems have a built in firewall that you can simply enable (check Microsoft’s help files if you don’t know how) but if you’re looking for more protection but don’t want to pay, simply download Zone Alarm’s free firewall at tinyurl.com/7cn6a. Zone alarm’s firewall may take awhile to configure, but it is worth it in the long run. With a properly configured firewall, your protection level is now at 100%.

Good luck and be safe!

About The Author

Sandra Stammberger is the owner of Computer Geek Blog. On her blog you will find helpful computer info for anyone. Don't get stuck on a problem again. http://www.computergeekblog.com.

Editor's note: In our next post, Michael Wysmierski gives us a method to restore old photos with Photoshop.

Stay well.
Jim Nettleton

Want To Buy An Inkjet Cartridge? Read This For Tips

2007-08-21T17:28:00.000-04:00

Welcome back - here's today's featured article:

by: Ismael D. Tabije

Since computers—PCs, laptops and notebooks--have now pervaded the entire ambit of our lives, maintaining all its attachments has also become very important. A printer is one of the most useful attachments as it is constantly utilized by the computer users. However, buying inkjet cartridges for your printer can be a daunting task. You really have to know how to choose the best inkjet cartridge so that you are not confused by the various choices.

Some people get stressed when the ink in their printer cartridge show signs of getting over but there is no need to fret over such issues. When you go to the market to buy an ink cartridge you should not get lured by low priced products or by any bargain deals which promise a lot of savings. In all probability such low-priced cartridges would be faulty and would harm your printer. You will spend much more in repair costs than what you would save.

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The first step in selecting the best inkjet cartridge is to check the existing cartridge in your printer and then try to buy a cartridge of similar specifications. If you are unable to get the same type of cartridge in the market you should take the help of the following tips:

• The ink of generic cartridges can be harmful to your printer’s nozzles. So you should avoid using such cartridges.
• If you need the best quality of printing you should use the ink cartridges made by the same manufacturer as the printer. No doubt, these will be most expensive.
• The warranties of some printer manufacturers are not valid if ink cartridges made by a different manufacturer are used.
• It is advisable to check the page yield of the cartridge that you plan to buy.
The precautions needed to increase the life of the cartridge are: the cartridge should never be allowed to dry up fully as this will damage the printer to the extent that it will not be able to print even with a new cartridge, if one cartridge is out the other one should not be run to avoid damage to the jets and the cartridge should be shaken from side to side to utilize the balance amount of ink.

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Now the question is from where can you buy the inkjet cartridges?

Buying online is the best place as it is time saving and less expensive. If you do not have the time to keep running to the store, spending time in buying and then returning back, you can save time by ordering online and the cartridge will be delivered to your home or office.
Moreover, if you buy at a store, the ink cartridge will be much more expensive than if you order online as the online vendors offer substantial discounts. Almost any type of ink cartridge can be bought online and that too at a discount.

If you buy refilled or recycled ink cartridges either from a store or from a website, you might save some money but the damage to your printer will prove costlier to repair. As such you should buy only genuine brands and that, too, from a supplier or website that gives a guarantee.
You might be able to save about sixty percent of the cost of an original ink cartridge if you buy a recycled or refilled cartridge but if you need good quality printing it is best to stick to the same company that made the printer that you are using.

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If you follow the above tips, you will be able to choose the best cartridge from among the plethora of cartridges available in the market.

About The Author

The writer, Ismael D. Tabije, runs the website, http://www.bestlaptopnotebookdeal.com/, where you can get tips for buying top laptop brands at cheap prices from reliable online merchants.
idtbusiness@yahoo.com

Flash USB Drives: Backup Easily, Conveniently And Securely

2007-08-16T16:39:00.000-04:00

Welcome - here's today's featured article

by: Yuri Filimonov

Tired of switching CD/DVD discs while backing up? Flash USB drives to the rescue!
If you already backup often, you are doing the most you can to secure your files against accidental file deletion and recovery, file damage and what not. Also, you may be considering making your backups as easy and painless as possible. So what may be a remedy to this issue?
Naturally, you need to consider several backup media and select the one suitting your needs and requirements. Among all, CD, DVD and flash USB drives are considered.

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You may as well use CD to backup, but you will either need to dump CD-R discs often, or insert a CD-/+RW discs often to make another backup. Someone else can also misplace your backup CD disc or overwrite your backup data with other information. Moreover, a CD only admits about 700Mb of data, which may not be convenient. Nor is storing multiple CDs of your backup copy.

The same can be said about backing up to DVD. Of course, a DVD admits from 4.7Gb to about 18.6Gb of data, but is it really convenient backing up to DVD? An external hard disk drive or a flash USB drive will be speedier, more reliable and easier overall.
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Here is when a flash USB drive comes handy. It not only allows faster data copying than CD or DVD, but can also admit from 256Mb to 4Gb of data (or maybe more). Moreover, you can take the USB drive with you anywhere you go and transfer the data between distant computers without resolving to FTP backup. Of course, one of the drawbacks of a flash USB backup is that the drive is only limited to about 100 000 writings, while another slight disadvantage (or an advantage, if you put it nicely) is that the device is so small you can easily misplace it.

About The Author

Yuri Filimonov has been an insider of the backup industry for a few years, allowing him to share insight on various backup issues, both in his articles and his website at http://www.fairbackup.com/.

A Parent's Guide To Online Gaming, Part 1

2007-08-11T11:39:00.000-04:00

by: Steve Hall

The internet touches every aspect of your children’s lives. Where you might look up an unknown word in a dictionary, your kids are more likely to use dictionary.com. Where you use the telephone, they use instant messenger. An even greater difference can be found in how they play games. Where the games of their parent’s generation may have involved a board, cards, or at their most sophisticated a console system, the games your children play on the net can be far more complex. They mine gold, spread empires, fight dragons and aliens alone or with tens, hundreds, even thousands of their fellow gamers. All of this makes for a confusing mish mash of names, places, jargon and lingo that can leave you with no idea what your kids are actually doing and a vague feeling of uneasiness that some part of it might not be good for them.
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What’s appropriate for your kids is a decision only you can make. How much violence they are exposed to, how much time they spend in front of a screen and how much contact they have with the faceless strangers so common to the net are all questions you must grapple with and, in the end, decide for your family. While we can’t help you make these rough decisions, we can certainly help you get the information you need to understand your children’s hobbies better, both to make informed judgments about what they should and should not be doing, and to help you reach into another part of their lives that may have previously seemed like something of a puzzle box.

The Easy Stuff

The simplest type of online game is the sort of Flash or Java driven game that you generally see running inside your web browser. This type of game tends to be relatively simple compared to the stand alone games discussed later. Common examples include Bejeweled, Zuma, and Diner Dash. These games are almost universally single player and have none of the sort of violent or mature content that keeps parents up at night. Were they movies, they would be G Rated, with perhaps the occasional game stretching to PG. If this is the type of game your kids are into then first, be relieved. Then, try the game out. Many of these games can be very enjoyable for even the most casual of players. Some, such as Bookworm, even have genuine educational content. These games can be as much an opportunity for bonding and learning as throwing around a baseball in the backyard, and have the added bonus of being much easier to get your kids to sit down with you and play.
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FPSs: Finding Something to Shoot.

FPS stands for First Person Shooter. They are First Person in the same since that a story might be. That is, the player sees the world through the eyes of a single character and interacts with the game environment as though he were that character. Shooter comes from the primary goal of most such games, the shooting of whatever happens to be the bad guy. FPS games are among some of the most popular online. Common examples include Doom, Battlefield:1942, and the X-Box game Halo. From a parental perspective, these games can be cause for concern. They vary widely in the amount of realism, degree of violence, language, and general attitude. The only way to get a good idea of the content issues is to watch the particular game. If your kids don’t want you watching while they play, then fire up the game yourself sometime when they aren’t around. There is a sizeable variation in how violent and how personal FPS content can be from game to game. The single player portion of Halo, for example, has players fighting against alien invaders with largely energy weapons and a minimum of realistic human suffering. In contrast, WWII themed games tend to go out of their way to show realistic violence. Given the subject matter, this is appropriate for the game, but may not be for your kids. Online play presents a potentially greater concern. The goal of online FPS games is almost always killing other players. While some games do have various modes where this is a secondary goal, all of them give the player a gun and encourage him to use it on characters representing other people.
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Simulated gore and the use of violence against others to achieve goals may be things you don’t want your kids exposed to. Again, these are your decisions to make, but we encourage you to make them with as much information as possible. Talk to your kids. Find out what they think, in their words, is going on in the game. Make sure they see the line between what happens in the game and what happens in the real world, between what it’s okay to simulate and what it’s okay to do. The answers may surprise you. If your children understand the differences, see real violence as deplorable and simulated violence as part of the game then FPS games, even online ones, can be a perfectly healthy way to have fun and let off steam. In the end, it falls on you to make sure that what your child gets out of the game is good for him or her.

Next time, we’ll talk about RTS and MMORPG, the two other common types of commercial online game and touch on the twin demons of addiction and predation.

About The Author
Steve Hall is a writer for the GrandMatrix website. Download, play and rate full version PC games and puzzles for free. Choose from hundreds of titles, including classics, puzzles and strategy to the latest action, driving and RPG games at http://www.grandmatrix.com/.

How To Get a Good Deal On a Hard Drive

2007-08-03T14:17:00.000-04:00

Here's today's featured article:

by: Mac McClellan
Computer equipment is one of the hardest things to buy if you are not at least somewhat competent in the market. Many people are willing to take advantage of someone who doesn’t have a clue what he or she need. Take the MarketPro Shows for example. Many different vendors frequent the shows in order to sell their wares, and on one occasion, this writer thought the Motherboard had gone on my computer, but I was also interested in upgrading my hard drive as well.

One vendor quoted a price of approximately $350 to replace the Mother Board and include a hard drive of 2 Gb. It seemed like a good deal at the time until shopping in various computer stores showed that a whole system with an 80 Gb hard drive could be purchased for not much more than that. Interesting thought, isn’t it? Why is a person going to pay $350 to get 2 Gb of hard drive memory when for approximately $599, one can get a tower with an 80 Gb hard drive, 512K of RAM, a keyboard, and sometimes even a printer depending on the sale that is being offered at the time.
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How do you know where you’re getting a good deal on a hard drive? One of the things that you don’t want to do is take the first deal that interests you because you think it sounds “good.” Unless you are a computer whiz who knows the prices and specifications of every product in the local area, you need to check around. Find out exactly what it is that you want and get some prices. While you are doing this, do not let anyone think that you are interested in buying at that time because they will attempt to convince you that if you don’t buy your hard drive that day, you will pay much more money for it and not get the same quality. You want to do all of your research before you make your final decision and know that in the end you have made the most informed decision of all.
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When it is suggested that you check around, that doesn’t mean just the stores in your area because often times, an Internet search will yield you a much better price, but this means you will have to know exactly what it is that you want right down to the size of the hard drive and speed of the processor. Even EBay is a good source of value-priced hard drives, but you must be able to read into the seller’s profile, meaning that you do not attempt to place a bid if the seller has a private profile. Again, you must read the description in detail because if you are looking for a new hard drive, you must look at the complete description. Even if your hard drive has taken a nosedive, give yourself an opportunity to look for a good deal instead of simply taking the first one that sounds like a good deal because you’re desperate. This has not yet been mentioned, but one of the most important things about a hard drive is know the potential that it can crash and being sure to have all of your important information backed up so that it’s just a matter of reloading it when you replace the hard drive. Lastly, be sure to keep your virus protection up to date because one of the biggest causes of hard drive crashes is a virus.
Of course most of the work has already been done for you at http://harddriveusa.com/. At Hard Drive USA you can find great resources on hard drives and the best deals on hard drives.

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About The Author
Mac McClellan is the webmaster for Hard Drive USA http://harddriveusa.com/, a useful site for information and resources on hard drives.

Link Relevance

2007-08-03T11:39:00.000-04:00

by: David Andrew Smith

We are constantly being told by SEO experts and the Search Engines that the importance of a link is determined by its page rank and relevance to our own web sites. Consequently when developing a linking strategy we should only be concerned with relevant links. That is other web sites which have some connection to our own. For example I run a web site devoted to providing a variety of cleaning services to commercial clients throughout the UK, so a relevant site would be a cleaning machine supplier or a cleaning chemicals supplier. Not other cleaning companies for the obvious reason they are our direct competitors.

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Now this sounds simple and straightforward and if we did this we would end up linking to about twenty sites. This number is not in any way sufficient for us to compete with our competitors who have many hundreds and in some cases thousands of links recognised by the search engines.

How does Google determine relevance? I would suggest that it is a completely random process. If I look at my own back links which Google are registering then many are relevant in terms of the definition above, but many are not. None of our suppliers who provide us with a back link and incidentally have high page ranks form part of this list and yet they are highly relevant? It may be that these form part of Google’s count but they choose for one reason or another not to divulge these. It remains a mystery.

How does a mathematical formula work out relevance? If I back link to my customers who are a very diverse group to me they are relevant but apparently not to Google. We have many back links from construction and building companies because we carry out builders cleans for them. Yet these are seemingly not deemed to be relevant but a mortgage company is? Builders and construction firms are mentioned several times on the web site and so a relevant connection should be able to be made.

If I look at the back links of my major competitors then the situation becomes even more confusing. Very few would appear on the surface to be of any relevance at all but who am I to judge? I do not have inside knowledge of the workings of these companies and their possible connections.

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To me the whole process seems completely arbitrary and I will continue developing links to sites that I consider relevant. If Google paid attention to its own advice in only developing links to relevant sites then presumably it would only link to other search engines?

It is an easy statement to make for Google and SEO experts, ‘only develop links to relevant sites’ but the reality is that they have no way of knowing what is truly relevant and what is not. Consequently my advice is to continue developing your links to websites that you consider of some relevance either to you or surfers who come across your site and continue to be astonished at what Google considers to be relevant!

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About The Author

David Andrew Smith is the owner of a company which provides cleaning services http://www.wesparkle.co.uk/ to clients across the UK.