Computer&Internet

มาหารายได้ทาง Internet กับ bux.to กันเถอะ

2008-11-15T14:59:00.022+07:00

ที่ Bux.to คุณจะได้รับการจ่ายโดยการชม ads และเยี่ยมชมเว็บไซท์ มีขั้นตอนง่ายๆ แค่เพียงคุณคลิกลิงค์และชมเว็บไซท์เป็นเวลา 30 วินาที คุณสามารถทำเงินได้มากขึ้นโดยการรีเฟอร์เพื่อนๆ คุณจะได้รับ เปอร์เซ็นจากเพื่อน ถ้าเกิดเพื่อนของคุณคลิกชม ads โดย เว็ปไซต์นี้จ่ายผ่าน Alertpay จ่ายขั้นต่ำที่ $10.00 [ แต่จะมีการจ่ายผ่านบัตรเคดิต Buxcard ขั้นต่ำที่ $75.00 เฉพาะ Premium member ]

ตัวอย่างการทําเงิน

คุณคลิกเอง วันละ 15 คลิก 1 วัน คุณได้รับ = $0.15
คุณแนะนำ คนได้ 25 คน คลิกคนละ 15 คลิก คุณจะได้รับ = $3.75
รวม 1 วัน คุณจะได้รับ = $3.90
รวม 1 สัปดาห์ คุณจะได้รับ = $27.30
รวม 1 เดือน คุณจะได้รับ = $117.00
คิดเป็นเงินไทย คุณจะได้รับ = 4,095 บาท ต่อเดือน*

[ ค่าเงินบาท $1.00 = 35 บาท ]
* ตัวอย่างด้านบนนี้ตั้งอยู่บนฐานที่มีเพียง 25 referrals และคลิกวันละ 10 คลิก บางวันคุณอาจจะได้คลิกมากกว่า บางวันอาจจะน้อยกว่า แต่จะว่าอย่างไรหากคุณมี referrals มากกว่านี้และหากมี ads ให้คลิกมากกว่านี้?

วิธีสมัคร

เข้าเว็ปไซต์ http://bux.to/?r=rithirong แล้วคลิกที่ Sigh up แล้วกรอกข้อมูลต่างๆในหน้านี้ให้ครบ

Username : ชื่อที่ใช้ Login

Password : รหัสที่ใช้ Login

Confirm Password : รหัสที่ใช้ Login(อีกครั้ง)

Email Adress : อีเมลแอดเดรสที่เราใช้ (ห้ามซํ้า )

Alertpay Email Adress For Payment : ชื่อบัญชีAlertpay (สามารถสมัครได้ที่ www.alertpay.com )

ดูวิธีสมัครที่นี่ http://boy1000.wgservice.com/alertpay.html

Your Country : ประเทศที่คุณอาศัยอยู่

Referrer : ผู้ที่แนะนํา กรุณาใส่ rithirong

□ I Accept the Terms of Service. ข้อตกลงของเว็ปไซต์ ( อย่าลืมติ้กถูกนะครับ )

Security Code รหัสความปลอดภัยครับ บางทีใส่แล้วยังไม่ได้ให้ลองซัก 2-3 ครั้งครับ

แล้วก็คลิกปุ่ม Register ได้เลย

*จากนั้นทางเว็บจะส่งเมลไปให้ เป็นเมลระบุ ยูสเซอร์เนมกะพาสเวิร์ดที่เราใช้สมัครครับ แต่เราสามารถ ล็อคอิน เข้าไปคลิกลิงค์ได้เลย*

ทําการ Login ได้เลยกรอกตามดังรูปด้านล่างเลยครับ

วิธีการทํางาน

หลังจากคุณ Login เรียบร้อยแล้วก็คลิกที่ Surf ads จะมี Link ต่างๆมากมาย

ให้คลิกทีละอัน อันละ 30 วินาที รอจนกว่าจะมีเครื่องหมาย √ ขึ้น จึงปิดแล้วไปคลิกอันต่อไปได้
(ด้านล่างนี้คือรูปกระกอบการทํางาน)

ห้ามคลิกซ้ำกันและเปิดได้แค่ทีละหน้าเท่านั้น !! ถ้าอยากจะคลิกอีกต้องรออีก 24 ชม. เมื่อคลิกครบหมดแล้วลองกด Refresh ดูจะมีเส้นค่าสีแดงไว้ซึ่งแสดงว่าคุณได้คลิกลิ้งนี้ไปแล้วให้รออีก 24 ชม. ถึงจะคลิกได้อีก หากคลิกแล้วรอ 30 วินาที จากนั้น คลิกลิ้งใหม่

*อย่าลืมLogin ทุกครั้งก่อนคลิก Ads *

การเช็คยอดเงิน

ให้คลิกที่ My Stats (อยู่ข้างๆSurf ads ) และดูข้อมูลครับ

To Refer Other use มีไว้นํา Link ไปชวนให้คนมาสมัครต่อครับ

Your Statistics
# of Website Visits xxx คือจํานวนทั้งหมดที่เราคลิกไป

Your Referral Statistics
# of Referrals (view) xxx จํานวนคนที่มาสมัครต่อ
# of Referral Website Visits xxx จํานวนคลิกที่ผู้สมัครต่อคลิกได้

Additional Credit/Debit
# of Credit/Debit (view) xxx โบนัสที่เราได้รับ

Balance Information
Account Balance (cashout) $ xxx จํานวนเงินที่เรามีใน Bux.to ครับ
Total Amount Paid $ xxx จํานวนเงินที่เข้าบัญชีเราแล้ว
(ด้านล่างคือรูปวิธีการดูยอดเงิน)

การเบิกเงินออก

ให้เปิดที่หน้า My Stats ก่อน และสังเกตุที่ Cash out ข้างหลัง Account Balance

หลังจากคลิกแล้วจะมี ตัวเลือก2ตัวขึ้นมา

Convert to Ads คือ การนําเงินที่มีในบัญชีไปแลกโฆษณาในเว็ป

Convert to Cash via AlertPay คือ การกดเงินออกมาให้บัญชีเรานั่นเอง โดยขั้นตําที่ 10 $
( Standard Member 60 Days Premium Member 30 Days )

*ก็แล้วแต่นะครับจะเลือกอันไหน หลังจากนั้นก็ไปดูว่าเรากดเบิกไปเท่าไรแล้วใน My History

Improved Search Engine Rank: Google Page Rank Misconceptions

2008-02-05T01:00:00.001+07:00

Improved search engine rank is attainable through good search engine optimization, part of which is the maximizing of your Google Page Rank through intelligent linking with other web pages. In this first part of 2 on the subject of Google Page Rank, we will look at the argument for attaining high listings through a linking strategy.

Google Page Rank is a buzz term at the moment since many believe it to be more important to your search engine listing than search engine optimization. If we ignore for the moment the fact that Page Rank is, in itself, a form of SEO, then there are arguments for and against that belief.

Before we investigate these arguments, let’s understand some fundamentals of search engine listings. First, most search engines list web pages, not domains (websites). What that means is that every web page in a domain has to be relevant to a specific search term if it is to be listed.

Secondly, a search engine customer is the person who is using that engine to seek information. It is not an advertiser or the owner of a website. It is the user seeking information. The form of words that is used by that customer is called a ‘search term’. This becomes a ‘keyword’ when applied to a webmaster trying to anticipate the form of words that a user will employ to search for their information.

A search engine works by analyzing the semantic content of a web page and determining the relative importance of the vocabulary used, taking into account the title tags, the heading tags and the first text it detects. It will also check out text related contextually to what it considers to be the main ‘keywords’ and then rank that page according to how relevant it calculates it to be for the main theme of the page.

It will then examine the number of other web pages that are linked to it, and regard that as a measure of how important, or relevant to the ‘keyword’, that the page is. The value of the links is regarded as peer approval of the content. All of these factors determine how high that page is listed for search terms that are similar contextually to the content of the page.

Without doubt, there are web pages that are listed high in the search engine indices that contain very little in the way of useful content on the keywords for which they are listed, and have virtually no contextual relevance to any search term. However, a careful investigation of these sites will reveal two things.

The first is that many such web pages are frequently listed highly only for relatively obscure search terms. If a search engine customer uses a common search term to find the information they are seeking, they will very rarely be led to a site that has little content other than links, but it is possible. The second is that they contains large numbers of links out to other web pages, and it can be assumed that they have at least an equal number of web pages linking back.

It is possible to find such web pages for many keywords. An example is on the first page on Google for the keyword ‘Data VOIP Solutions’. There is a website there that is comprised only of links. The site itself has little content, but every link leads to either another website that provides useful content, or another internal page full of more links and no content. That is how links can be used to lift a web page high in the SE listings.

Such sites frequently contain only the bare minimum of conventional search engine optimization, but the competition is so low that they gain high listings. You will also find them to contain large numbers of internal pages, every one of which contain the same internal and external links.

It is true, therefore, that it is possible to get a high listing without much content, but with a large number of links. However, is that a legitimate argument for those promoting links against content? Could you reasonably apply that strategy to your website? Could a genuine website really contain thousands of links to other internal pages and external pages on other websites, and still maintain its intended purpose?

In the second part of this article, titled ‘Search Engine Rank: Google Page Rank Misconceptions’ wI will explode some myths about Page Rank, and explain how many people are wasting their time with reciprocal links, and perhaps even losing through them. It may be that a linking strategy is not so much an option, as a choice between the type of website that you want: to provide genuine information or to make money regardless of content.

Improved search engine rank might be synonymous with Google Page Rank, but perhaps only if you want to sacrifice the integrity of your website.

Search Engine Rank: Google Page Rank Misconceptions - 2

2008-02-05T00:59:00.001+07:00

Improved search engine rank is difficult enough to obtain without you having to trawl through all that has been written about Google Page Rank in order to find the truth. There are many misconceptions about Page Rank, and Part 2 of this article dispels the most common of them, the first being that Yahoo and MSN have their own version.

In fact this is not so. Yahoo had a beta version of a ‘Web Rank’ visible for a while, ranking complete websites, but it is now offline. MSN has no equivalent as far I can ascertain. The term ‘PageRank’ is a trade mark of Google, which is why I refer to it as Page Rank and not PageRank. A small difference, but a significant one.

If you are one of those that believe that the more links you can get to your website the better, then you are wrong. When Google started the Page Rank frenzy by putting that little green bar on their toolbar, they didn’t realize the consequences of what they were doing. People fought to get as many links to their website as possible, irrespective of the nature of the websites to which they were linking.

That is misconception Number 2. You do not link to websites, you link to web pages, or should I say, you get links back from web pages, not websites. It is, after all, the link back that counts isn’t it? The link away from your site doesn’t count. Wrong! Misconception Number 3. The link to your web page counts no more than the link away from your web page. In fact, it could count less. You could lose out in the reciprocal linking stakes if your web page is worth more than the other person’s.

Let’s dispel that misconception right now. When you receive a link from a web page (not web site) you get a proportion of the Google Page Rank of that web page that depends on the total number of links leaving that page. When you provide a link to another web page, you give away a proportion of your Page Rank that depends on the number of other links leaving your web page.

The Page Rank of the website you get a link from is irrelevant, since that is generally the rank of the Home Page. You will likely find that all these great links you think you have from PR 7 or 8 websites are from a links page that has a PR of ZERO! So you get zilch for the deal. If you are providing them with a link from a page on your site even of PR 1, then you lose! Most people fail to understand that.

No incoming link can have a negative effect on your PR. It can have a zero effect, but not negative. However, if you have an incoming link with zero effect, and an outgoing reciprocal link with a positive effect to the target page, then you will effectively lose PR through the deal. Every web page starts with a PR of 1, and so has that single PR to share amongst other pages to which it is linked. The more incoming links it has, the higher PR it can have to share out.

If your page has a PR of 4 and has three links leaving it, each gets twice the number of PR votes than if 6 links leave it. Your page with a PR of 4 has to get a similar number of PR votes incoming as it gives away to retain its PR. In simple terms, if your PR 4 page is getting links from a PR 8 page with 20 links leaving it, you lose out big time! It’s simple maths.

No page ever gives away all of its PR. There is a factor in Google’s calculation that reduces this to below 100% of the total PR of any page. However, that is roughly how it works. You don’t get a proportion of the whole website ranking; you only get part of the ranking of the page on which your link is placed. Since most ‘Links Pages’ tend to be full of other outgoing links, then you won’t get much, and will likely get zero.

That is why automated reciprocal linking software is often a waste of time. If you want to make the best of linking arrangements, then agree with the other webmaster that you will provide each other with a link from equally ranked pages. That way both of you will gain, and neither loses. Some software allows you to make these arrangements.

Another misconception is that only links from external web pages count. In fact, links between your own web pages can be arranged to provide one page with most of the page rank available. Every page has a start PR of 1, so the more pages you have on your site then the more PR you have to play with and distribute to pages on your website of your choice.

Search engine rank can be improved by intelligent use of links, both external and internal, but Google Page Rank does not have the profound effect on your search engine listing that many have led you to believe. Good onsite SEO usually wins so keep that in mind when designing your website.

Microsoft Certification: Your Career Is Waiting!

2008-02-05T00:51:00.002+07:00

Microsoft, a leader in the IT industry, has developed a number of certification programs for professionals working in the business. The programs allow you to decide which certification is appropriate and best suited for your career. There are over 2 million IT professionals with Microsoft certification. You can join their ranks and greatly enhance your professional career with Microsoft Certification. It's important to note that Microsoft has restructured their programs to be very targeted.

Microsoft provides plenty of support as you study for your various certifications. The training includes classroom training, self-study kits, computer-based training, online classes, and books, and certification guides. You can take advantage of the way that you learn best. Depending on the career path you have chosen, you will find a certification that matches your skill set. Microsoft plans to, over time, introduce exams that rely on simulations and performance items.

You start by taking the appropriate entry- level certification. Prepare yourself with the most suitable Microsoft Certification Guides. You need to choose the right guide. A list follows of the various Certification Guides you can choose from. Match you expertise with these guides.

MCSE certification (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) is an industry standard targeted at the IT professional and provides the skills and training needed to design and implement infrastructure functions based on the Microsoft Windows® 2000 platform and Microsoft server software such as MCSE Messaging and Security.

MCSA certification (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) is for IT professionals who need skills and knowledge to administer system environments based on desktop and server operator systems. This training focuses on managing and troubleshooting system environments. With this level of certification you can now prepare for specializations like MCSA Security and Messaging.

MCDST certification (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician) is for students who need the right skills and training to troubleshoot ordinary hardware and software issues in Microsoft Windows environments.

MCAD.NET certification (Microsoft Certified Application Developer ) provides you with the skills and knowledge that allows you to develop and maintain department level applications for Web clients, desktop client, components, and back-end data services all the way from development to maintenance.

MCSD.NET certification (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developers) is for IT professionals with the skills and knowledge needed for developing and designing leading edge business solutions by using various Microsoft tools, platforms, technologies and architectures. This certification allows you to develop custom .NET-based applications. This training encompasses everything from analysis to design, development, testing and maintenance using Microsoft development tools, technologies, and platforms. You become an expert on all aspects of the application life cycle.

MCITP certification (Microsoft Certified IT Professional Database Administrator) is for IT professionals who need to plan, administer, deploy, support and maintain databases created by using various Microsoft products.

MCITP certification (Microsoft Certified IT Professional Database Developer) gives you the skills and knowledge to plan, deploy, support, maintain and optimize IT infrastructures and databases created by using Microsoft products such as Windows Application Developer, Web Application Developer, or Enterprise Applications Developer.

MCPD certification (Microsoft Certified Professional Web Developer) distinguishes expert professionals who are Windows application developers, Web application developers, and enterprise application developers. Experts with these skills can build targeted applications using different platforms in the Microsoft.NET Framework 2.0.

MCPD certification (Microsoft Certified Professional Developer) is for students who need to distinguish themselves as an expert in comprehensive Windows application development, enterprise application, and Web application development using platforms that use the Microsoft.NET Framework. This certification is a stepping- stone to other Microsoft certifications.

MCTS.NET 2.0 certification (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) is designed fir IP professionals who target specific technologies and demonstrate in-depth knowledge of .NET 2.0 and other specialized Microsoft technologies.

MCTS.NET 2.0 certification (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) is for IT professionals who work with enterprise environment databases. It provides students with in-depth training and skills for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 product.

MOS certification (Microsoft Office Specialist) is designed for IT professionals who need the skills and knowledge to understand and use the advanced features of Microsoft Office software.

MOS MI certification (Microsoft Office Master Instructor) qualifies you to teach MOS courses.

Microsoft Certified Architect Program is designed for IT professionals who can apply successful frameworks and methodologies to create an architecture from beginning to end, through the IT life cycle.

CLC certification (Microsoft Certified Learning Consultant) is a credential for expertise in designing and delivering customized learning solutions for other IT professionals.

MCBDA certification (Microsoft Certified Database Administrators) are trained to design, implement and administer Microsoft SQL Server databases.

MCT certification (Microsoft Certified Trainers) are instructors who are qualified to deliver Microsoft training courses. MCTs are authorized to deliver Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC) or Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN).

Blogging for Fun and Profit

2008-02-05T00:51:00.001+07:00

A blog is an online version of diary where people write and display almost anything - their opinions, photos, jokes, thoughts for the day and more. People also share stories about their pets, their passion for soccer, stamps... the limit is only your imagination!

In the last few years, blogging has emerged to become a much more meaningful activity than simply maintaining a personal diary. People use it to advertise their products and services, in fact, quite a number of companies even create their online presence by using a blog instead of a website.

Create Your Own Blog

Starting a blog is free. You can create one at http://www.blogger.com - a free service from Google Inc. You don't need to register a domain name or buy hosting. When you sign up at Blogger, everything happens online. Your blog will be hosted by Blogger and you get an URL like http://yourdomain.blogspot.com. You simply log in to your account and start to write. This is much easier and cheaper than buying your own domain and hosting, then hiring someone to do the web design, writing and coding.

Another free blogging service available online is WordPress which is also very popular and easy to use. WordPress supports more features than Blogger while allowing you to customize your blog with various plug-in. You can check it out at http://wordpress.org.

Monetize Your Blog

While blogging for your own interest, you can in fact maximize the potential of your blog for many marketing or commercial purposes.

The quickest and easiest way to turn a blog into a money-making enterprise is to include advertising on your blog. This can be done with contextual ad programs like Adsense - an advertising program by Google. Basically, you get paid when people click on the ads displayed on your website or blog. Google Adsense program is free to sign up. You can visit http://www.google.com/adsense to learn more about the rules and guidelines of the program. Other Adsense type ads that you can use for blog monetizing are SearchFeed, AdBrite, and Yahoo's Publisher’s Network (YPN).

Affiliate program is another potential way to make money blogging. By focusing on the subject of your blog post, you can promote relevant products from cost per sale affiliate programs like ClickBank and Amazon. You can write a review about the product or service with your affiliate links embedded inside so you get the commission whenever a sale is made.

Boost Your Blog Traffic

Blogs are quickly indexed by search engines, but you need to update it regularly. Search engines love fresh content and regular update will ensure that your website is indexed and ranked high up as well. The higher up it appears, the more traffic will come to your site, which means more sales. You can actively participate in forums discussion or post comments on other blogs to get more link back traffic.

Whether you use your blog for fun or for work, remember that it’s a highly potential tool any which way. So what are you waiting for? Start blogging away right now!

A Short History of Email

2008-02-05T00:49:00.001+07:00

This may feel like a mini-course in ancient history, but I am only going back 20 years.

Back in the mid 1980’s during University, my email was a mcgill.ca address while my American associates had an “.edu” email address. Access to these systems was through a Telnet session at any of the school’s terminals. From home, I could dial-in to a SLIP server with a 2400 baud modem, and get my email as long as I had a Telnet client.

Those who didn’t go to College had access to a Freenet account, which was also accessible through Telnet.

When I graduated and had to pay for an Internet Service Provider, I accessed email through POP and SMTP with Outlook or Eudora for years until I needed the ability to access the web from anywhere in the world. IMAP helped bridge the gap as long as the mail client was setup on my work and home computer so all my mail, Inbox, Sent Items, and Drafts, were synchronized.

With the popularity of web based emails by the mid 1990’s, the big 3 were MSN's Hotmail, Yahoo! and Google's Gmail. People would change or have multiple accounts as storage space was often the biggest headache. It wasn't long ago when 2 megabytes was the maximum storage space. Gmail was the first to offer 2 gigabytes of storage, and continuously growing.

Most web based email providers had the ability to download POP email, but your email “from” or “reply-to” address was usually your web based email address. This is acceptable for personal use, but not for corporate use.

At a corporate level, Microsoft Exchange combined with the Outlook client was extremely popular, and is still popular today. Exchange is a messaging and groupware server that uses IMAP as one of the many protocols to access email. It also has the Outlook Web Access feature which was more convenient than conventional web based email as it had your contacts, shared calendars and public folders.

Today, I still like using Outlook, as it offers a great “store and forward” mechanism: the ability to work off-line on my laptop. I can easily work in Draft mode on an airplane and connect to the Internet to synchronize my mailbox when back on land. Plus, my Contacts are synchronized with my Palm PDA or Blackberry wireless handheld device.

Sure, I could download my Yahoo or Gmail to my Outlook by using POP, but it wouldn't synchronize any changes. It also depends if my mail was deleted on the server after downloading, or stored on the server. Sorting email can be painfully slow with Yahoo compared to Gmail's lightning fast search algorithm, but you can't sort by file size, for example.

Now that Gmail supports IMAP, by combining it with Outlook, I combine the best of both worlds. There are some features of Outlook I cannot live without, and with the popularity of social networking, integration with LinkedIn or Facebook makes it more appealing.

There is a trend for personal email decreasing in favor of Instant Messaging and text messaging via cell phone. However, Email will always have a place in the corporate world.

E-mail Lists—Keeping Your List Responsive Part 1 By Using Relevant Material

2008-02-05T00:47:00.000+07:00

The challenge many Internet marketers have is keeping people from unsubscribing from their e-mail list. You spend time to build it and your list gradually fades away if it is not constantly updated. The reason why many unsubscribe from someone’s e-mail list is because they no longer see value in the things they are receiving. That is why it is important to give your list relevant material that will keep them interested.

What is relevant material. That is very subjective. It depends on your niche and what your niche is interested in. You must determine what is important to your list and provide it for them on a consistent basis. Many list owners will sell to their list and that is the extent of the contact they have. List owners like this are constantly fighting to keep their list full. They have unsubscriber’s regularly. Think about it, none of us want to have a sales person come to our door every day with something else they are offering to sell to us. Eventually we will stop opening the door.

But if you were to provide relevant material to your list on a consistent basis perhaps alternating free informative niche based information to your list with sales your subscribers will remain much longer on your list. People want to feel as if they are being helped and learning something rather than have their pockets fleeced every time they see your name.

By providing people with good content, informative content your list will start to look at you as someone who is a leader in your field. It gives you the opportunity to cultivate a strong relationship of trust with your readers.

So how do you create relevant content for your list? You can do one of three things, you can borrow it (from someone else who wrote it), you can create it yourself or you can buy it (making you the owner of the content). We will discuss these methods in part 2 Email list--Keeping Your List Responsive Part 2 How To Finding Relevant Material.

10 Simple Ways To Speed Up Your Windows XP

2008-02-05T00:42:00.001+07:00

. Defrag Disk to Speed Up Access to Data

One of the factors that slow the performance of the computer is disk fragmentation. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk when the file is opened to piece it back together. To speed up the response time, you should monthly run Disk Defragmenter, a Windows utility that defrags and consolidates fragmented files for quicker computer response.

* Follow Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter
* Click the drives you want to defrag and click Analyze
* Click Defragment

2. Detect and Repair Disk Errors

Over time, your hard disk develops bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing difficult or even impossible. To detect and repair disk errors, Windows has a built-in tool called the Error Checking utility. It’ll search the hard disk for bad sectors and system errors and repair them for faster performance.

* Follow Start > My Computer
* In My Computer right-click the hard disk you want to scan and click Properties
* Click the Tools tab
* Click Check Now
* Select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box
* Click Start

3. Disable Indexing Services

Indexing Services is a little application that uses a lot of CPU. By indexing and updating lists of all the files on the computer, it helps you to do a search for something faster as it scans the index list. But if you know where your files are, you can disable this system service. It won’t do any harm to you machine, whether you search often or not very often.

* Go to Start
* Click Settings
* Click Control Panel
* Double-click Add/Remove Programs
* Click the Add/Remove Window Components
* Uncheck the Indexing services
* Click Next
4. Optimize Display Settings

Windows XP is a looker. But it costs you system resources that are used to display all the visual items and effects. Windows looks fine if you disable most of the settings and leave the following:

* Show shadows under menus
* Show shadows under mouse pointer
* Show translucent selection rectangle
* Use drop shadows for icons labels on the desktop
* Use visual styles on windows and buttons

5. Speedup Folder Browsing

You may have noticed that everytime you open My Computer to browse folders that there is a little delay. This is because Windows XP automatically searches for network files and printers everytime you open Windows Explorer. To fix this and to increase browsing speed, you can disable the “Automatically search for network folders and printers” option.

6. Disable Performance Counters

Windows XP has a performance monitor utility which monitors several areas of your PC’s performance. These utilities take up system resources so disabling is a good idea.

* Download and install the Extensible Performance Counter List (http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/exctrlst-o.asp)
* Then select each counter in turn in the ‘Extensible performance counters’ window and clear the ‘performance counters enabled’ checkbox at the bottom button below

7. Optimize Your Pagefile

You can optimize your pagefile. Setting a fixed size to your pagefile saves the operating system from the need to resize the pagefile.

* Right click on My Computer and select Properties
* Select the Advanced tab
* Under Performance choose the Settings button
* Select the Advanced tab again and under Virtual Memory select Change
* Highlight the drive containing your page file and make the initial Size of the file the same as the Maximum Size of the file.

Windows XP sizes the page file to about 1.5X the amount of actual physical memory by default. While this is good for systems with smaller amounts of memory (under 512MB) it is unlikely that a typical XP desktop system will ever need 1.5 X 512MB or more of virtual memory. If you have less than 512MB of memory, leave the page file at its default size. If you have 512MB or more, change the ratio to 1:1 page file size to physical memory size.

8. Remove Fonts for Speed

Fonts, especially TrueType fonts, use quite a bit of system resources. For optimal performance, trim your fonts down to just those that you need to use on a daily basis and fonts that applications may require.

* Open Control Panel
* Open Fonts folder
* Move fonts you don’t need to a temporary directory (e.g. C:\FONTBKUP?) just in case you need or want to bring a few of them back. The more fonts you uninstall, the more system resources you will gain.

9. Use a Flash Memory to Boost Performance

To improve performance, you need to install additional RAM memory. It’ll let you boot your OS much quicker and run many applications and access data quicker. There is no easiest and more technically elegant way to do it than use eBoostr (http://www.eboostr.com).

eBoostr is a little program that lets you improve a performance of any computer, powered by Windows XP in much the same way as Vista’s ReadyBoost. With eBoostr, if you have a flash drive, such as a USB flash thumb drive or an SD card, you can use it to make your computer run better. Simply plug in a flash drive through a USB socket and Windows XP will use eBoostr to utilize the flash memory to improve performance.

The product shows the best results for frequently used applications and data, which becomes a great feature for people who are using office programs, graphics applications or developer tools. It’ll surely attract a special attention of laptop owners as laptop upgrade is usually more complicated and laptop hard drives are by definition slower than those of desktops.

10. Perform a Boot Defragment

There's a simple way to speed up XP startup: make your system do a boot defragment, which will put all the boot files next to one another on your hard disk. When boot files are in close proximity to one another, your system will start faster.

On most systems, boot defragment should be enabled by default, but it might not be on yours, or it might have been changed inadvertently. To make sure that boot defragment is enabled:

* Run the Registry Editor
* Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction
* Set the Enable string value to Y if it is not already set to Y.
* Exit the Registry
* Reboot

Hope you find these 10 tips useful. Have a nice day!

Will DirectX 10 Graphics Deliver Better Gaming?

2008-02-05T00:40:00.001+07:00

Right now all the talk in PC gaming is DirectX 10 Graphics. New hardware and new DX10 games have everyone buzzing about a new era in PC gaming. But is all the celebration a little bit premature?

Yes and no!

As with any new technology there is a lag time before everything catches up, before the new technology is truly integrated into the old, in this case gaming systems. The big question on everyone's mind (especially gamers), how long will we have to wait before DX10 graphics delivers the goods?

In other words, how long is the lag time before performance (what you see in your games) catches up with the technology DX10 Graphics will ultimately deliver?

For the ordinary consumer who is not a techie or even a dedicated gamer, all this fuss about X10 Graphics can be downright confusing to say the least. Getting a handle on even the simplest terminology can be a challenge.

First, you have to understand DirectX is a Microsoft Windows technology that lets you have higher performance in sound and graphics when playing games and/or watching videos on your computer. In the past we have had different versions of DirectX... DirectX 8, DirectX 9, and with the introduction of Windows Vista we have DirectX 10.

DX10 Graphics gives us better performance and better looking PC graphics with clearer, higher resolution images with more shading and details. It simply means better overall picture quality and performance, a forward step to true realism in gaming.

At the heart of DirectX are APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), which can be oversimplified as a bridge or way for the hardware and the software to "talk" to each other. These give you multimedia applications such as (3-D) graphics acceleration, sound mixing and sound output and other functions.

We are now seeing higher performing DirectX 10 Graphics GPUs from top makers such as NVIDIA with their 8800 series, including the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX and GeForce 8800 GTS. These GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) will give you better gaming with greater image quality and performance. HD DVD and Blu-ray video playback is even possible.

Top gaming manufacturers like Rockdirect in the UK are now all carrying DX 10 Graphics in their gaming machines. You will also find many of the major gaming specialists such as Alienware, Vigor, and Sager sporting DX 10 graphics.

Present or upcoming games that will have DirectX 10 support include Crysis, Shadowrun, World in Conflict, and Company of Heroes.

Nor should you think DirectX 10 is solely for gamers; the general PC user will also benefit from better graphics and higher performance. For instance, the ability to play and enjoy HD DVD and Blu-ray video playback on their PCs.

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of DirectX 10 Graphics is that it makes it much more easier for game designers and developers to create games. For a more detailed discussion of the technical side of this topic, you can try Microsoft Game Developer Presentations here: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/xna/aa937787.aspx

Or you can read this very good, detailed article on "The Future of PC Gaming" by Tim Smalley presented here: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2006/11/30/directx10_future_of_p c_gaming/1

The question still remains - is DirectX 10 Graphics deserving of all the hoopala or fuss?

Yes, but it will be awhile before the true benefits are fully enjoyed by gaming enthusiasts and the general public. As more DX10 games are developed and as more powerful gaming hardware become available, the full potential of better gaming will hopefully be reached.

But there may be some catching up to do before we see the real benefits. Many gamers complain that presently most hardware is more suited to DX9 Graphics. Here's a very interesting and detailed discussion of this issue done by X-bit Labs entitled: "DirectX 10 Games vs. Contemporary Graphics Accelerators" http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/directx10-games.ht ml

Implementing any new technology takes time, as old technology is gradually replaced by the new. Just compare it to say switching from VHS to DVD and now to Blu-Ray; keeping ahead of the latest technology takes some catching up time. DX9 Graphics will eventually lose ground to DX10 Graphics.

So it may be awhile before DirectX 10 Graphics delivers the full potential of the ultimate gaming experience, but there is little doubt this technology is the future of gaming. It may just take a little while before game developers and hardware makers get all their guns locked and loaded to give you that ultimate gaming experience.

Overcome Your Fear Of Switching Web Hosts

2008-02-05T00:37:00.000+07:00

This is intended to be a hold-your-hand guide, to assist even the least intrepid website owner to get over their needless fear of switching to another web host or web hosting package.

It is important to realize that by sticking to your old web host you may be losing out on better deals, more up time and superior back-up and support. All that translates into more income and after all that is why you have a website. Surveys conducted among website owners show that website owners are paying up to ten times more for their current web host than they would for a cheaper and better web host, just because they fear the switching over process. They believe that changing web hosts will be complicated, have direct cost implications and could even lead to the loss or at least the corruption of their website or group of sites. This article intends to help you get over your baseless worries.

If you, as a website owner, started out on the internet by going to a famous branded name for web hosting and you have stuck with it because you think that if they are big and well-known they must give you value for money, then you should reconsider. The odds are that you are paying a premium for the name without necessarily getting the reciprocal service. Do not choose your host because the name makes you feel comfortable, or for that matter because you think it’s a good deal. Rather look at what you are getting and compare the offerings from other web hosting companies. Here is a rule of thumb. You can easily find adequate space for your site requirements, with all the bells and whistles, for under $10 per month, not taking into account handsome discounts for paying quarterly or annually. Another point to watch is the free domain name carrot that web hosts love to dangle. This is not so important, as you will learn later in this article.

Now that we have established that you should look at the benefits rather than the brand name or the bottom line cost, the rule-of-thumb notwithstanding, let us run through the points that you need to check out when investigating alternative hosting companies and their packages.

First, let’s look at capacity. You don’t really need more than 100 megs of space even if you are planning to build a large community or make uploaded albums part of the mix. It is really not necessary to opt for anything above that for the average or even an above-average website. By resisting the temptation to go for more space you could find yourself switching to a superior host for the same or less money.

Second, I mentioned support earlier and that is something you should look at carefully. You should be able to get answers to your queries in 24 hours or less by email. The very best hosts have live chat facilities available during business hours. It is well worth it, for your peace of mind, especially during the switchover process, to opt for a host that has a reputation for good support. Also check before signing up that the web hosting firm has a contactable physical address and phone numbers. Go ahead and test the support system by phoning them, live chatting to them and emailing them.

Thirdly, look at the number of email Pop3 emails your web host can offer. You should be able to get at least 10 and rest assured you will need these in time, as your business grows. Remember, if staff and family use email addresses related to your site, this is a form of advertising for your website. Also your host should offer web-based emails so you can check your email anywhere.

Finally, have a good look at the control panel which the new host is providing. See if there is a demo so you can try it out and get the feel of how user-friendly it is. A plus factor here is FTP access. Ideally you should have 24-hour FTP access so you can make modifications whenever you like. Also look out for a site builder, bulletin boards or chat rooms so you can interact with your visitors using the host’s services. Also check to see if the new host will be able to handle such popular features as PHP, ASP, CGI, Java scripts, Perl scripting or whatever else you have.

Once you have decided to move to a new host, timing becomes paramount. Make sure you cancel your subscription to your existing host before the end of the billing cycle. If you cancel too late you will end up paying for a month’s hosting you will not be using. Forget about refunds from your old host. You will not get one for periods of less than a month. I also recommend at least a week’s overlap when you will effectively have two hosts, the old and the new. You will use this time to ensure that everything works correctly on the new host and that all the files and email accounts are present.

Right, so you have signed up with the new host. Now you must save the files created for the site on your computer so they can be stored and backed-up. If you created the site yourself with a website builder like FrontPage or Dreamweaver you will probably have those files already. If, however, you used a web-based builder then you should download every page of the site along with their dependent files to a folder on the computer. This is easier than it sounds. You can either use an FTP tool to accomplish this or you can use the File>Save As method, which works as follows. Open your web browser (it can be Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer or Mozilla) then find the file button on the tool bar. Now go to the first page of the website. Once it has loaded, click on “File” then “Save As” and save this and all dependent files to a folder. Do this with each page until everything is saved. Now back this up to a disk.

The next step is to see that any other files on the outgoing web host are backed up. For example, if you have been using web-based mail then forward the emails to an “off-network” email address, or even archive emails to the computer’s hard drive. Remember that once you switch to your new host, all emails at the outgoing host will be deleted.

Now that you have control over the contents of your website, you need to upload all of the files to the new host’s servers. They will provide you with the FTP details required and this is where online and live support is invaluable. Once this is done you should create an email accounts to match each email account from the outgoing web host. This is essential so that there are no bouncing emails later when the switch goes through. This is the point at which you can change the domain name’s main servers, and for this the new host should supply all the information. There will also probably be subsidiary servers.

If you have registered your own domain name then the registrar should have a management area. If your domain name is registered through the outgoing host then you should ensure you have access to change this. It will take a day or two for the name server change to propagate so the domain name points to the new servers. Use the week when you have access to the old host and the new one to make any modifications.

Broadband: Understanding the Jargon and How to Get the Best Plan

2008-02-05T00:35:00.000+07:00

If you find yourself reading this article online, then odds are you are no stranger to the vast wilderness that is the internet. Uploads, downloads, blogs, videos, podcasts, pictures, forums, games, news, email, animation, flash, webmail, webcams and music can all make for a vast and limitless real-time environment that is constantly changing. It is often the seemingly inexhaustible amount of resources that has many net users tearing out their hair due to strolling performance and extended loading time for content. However, in many cases, the real culprit is not the content or the website itself, but rather the combination of an ill-equipped connection speed and an internet plan that does not adequately address specific user needs.

Before roaming free in the World Wide Web, every internet user must first choose a connection plan and connection speed that will be able to accommodate both their budget and their user needs. The following article seeks to outline some of the basic areas that novice users should address when deciding to connect to the internet. For some, it may seem like commonsense, but for those suffering easily avoidable headaches and long load times it may just make a world of difference.

Connection Speeds

Before beginning it would first be wise to explain the two types of connection speeds and how they fundamentally differ. All methods of internet usage around the globe only use either one or the other of these types of connections.

Kbps: Is the common acronym for ‘Kilobits per second’. A Kilobit is one thousand bits of data – a ‘bit’ being the most fundamental form of binary code that makes up all information available both online and on your home PC. Essentially, a ‘bit’ is the building block of all computer technology and communication. In layman’s terms it is simply the combination of 1s and 0s that form the language of computers.

Mbps: A much larger unit of data, Mbps refers to the term ‘Megabits per second’. A Megabit is one million ‘bits’. This form of data transference is used by every internet connection above Dial-Up speed.

Types of Connection

Dial-Up: The most basic connection available, a Dial-Up connection uses the existing phone line in a business or household to transfer data at around 56Kbps. This is the slowest connection currently available in Australia and is in the process of steadily being outdated due to faster connections being more widely and readily accessible for a lower cost.

ISDN: Is anIntegrated Services Digital Network and is twice the speed (at 128Kbps) of Dial-up. It can be difficult to obtain due to its reliance on what is fast becoming outdated technology. ISDN was essentially the technological stepping stone between Dial-Up and ADSL.

ADSL: Stands forAsymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, also most commonly referred to when the term ‘broadband’ is used, and is a one-way connection where the download speed is much faster than the upload speed. This is a common trap for the average consumer because the speed of the connection is always referenced in terms of the maximum download speed (i.e how fast a page loads up / time it takes to save a file), rather than the much slower upload speed (i.e how long it takes to send an email / send a file to another computer)

Cable: The fastest connection available for both business and residential use (Fibre Optic connections, which are the next level up, are currently exclusive to business due to the high cost of installing and maintaining). Cable internet uses a similar system of connections to most pay television providers. It is completely separate to the household phone line and connection speed is substantially faster for both uploads and downloads. However, speed can be compromised by the number of separate households located in close proximity that use the same cable as only one cable is generally provided for a whole neighborhood. Generally cable runs at around 1.5 – 6 Megabits of bandwidth which is substantially faster than ADSL.

Connection Plans and Common Traps

To maintain a steady and consistently fast connection you need to take care in the selection of your plan. Having selected the telecommunications company with which you wish to subscribe for the service you then need to select a plan based on the cost of installing and maintaining your connection, the type of connection you wish to have installed, the speed of the connection, the download limit, if any, and the consequences if that download limit is exceeded.

The download limit or ‘shaping’ of your plan dictates how much information you can access from the internet within a month before being subjected to either additional costs (which can be significant) or slower connections (usually Dial-up).

According to Miles Humphrys, IT Manager for Corporate Executive Offices, one of the largest international chains of serviced offices throughout the Asia Pacific Region, a common pitfall when deciding on your internet plan is, “not knowing what it is that you, or your business, wish to use the connection for”. According to Mr Humphrys, “Before connecting the business or user must first decide what their primary methods of usage will be. Will they be sending a substantial amount of emails? Downloading live videos or music? Or simply surfing for information? All these factors must be weighed up before signing up to a limited connection or one with a capped amount of usage. Nothing is more frustrating for a business, or home office, than being crippled by an incredibly slow connection because they have gone over their download limit during the day-to-day requirements of the business or user.”

If you are unsure of the amount of data which you are likely to download in a month make sure you select a plan that gives you sufficient download capacity to enable you to then monitor your usage without fear of exceeding your limit. Make sure that your plan is flexible enough to then change if your download requirements are either substantially less or more than you expected.

“The one piece of advice that I would give for anyone looking to connect to the internet either now or in the future, above all, is to - read the fine print! The things to look out for are capped plans, download limits, shaping and especially ‘extra charges’. If you see anything that looks a little odd, always ask questions or consult an IT Professional”, concluded Mr Humphrys.

How To Wipe Disk Drives, And Why

2008-02-05T00:34:00.001+07:00

Data security has become a bigger concern as the information age goes into full swing. Computers are becoming more and more commonplace as versatile tools for a wide variety of tasks and uses. This has made digital storage increasingly the data storage format of choice, since digital information is easily accessed and processed by computers.

This has led to a rise in interest in digital information and data storage systems. Apart from developments in hardware technology that allow bigger capacity devices with faster access times, security has also become a prime consideration. Most software and programs nowadays come equipped with varying levels of security options. For instance, it is now possible to protect almost any file with a password such that only those who can provide the correct password would be able to access the information within the file.

However, these software security measures would not stand up to dedicated data extraction efforts, in particular those involving the actual physical hardware. Physically securing the hard drive (or other data storage device) under consideration may not always be possible or practical. Another way of ensuring that important data is not placed at risk is to wipe the disk.

Simply deleting the contents of a hard disk is not enough to ensure that they are not recovered. In fact, there are software utilities that allow the recovery of deleted data. This possibility is because when a file is deleted, it is not actually overwritten or removed from the hard disk. Instead, a marker is just associated with the file to say that it has been deleted, and the space it occupies on the disk is marked available for use. This means that the data in the file remains on the disk for the knowledgeable hacker to extract and view.

Wiping a disk, on the other hand, is a much more thorough process. In a disk wipe, all data to be wiped off is actually overwritten with random data. This eliminates almost entirely the traces that a normal deletion leaves behind, and makes recovery of data practically impossible. (In theory, it would still be possible to reconstruct the data lost after a hard disk wipe, but this would require high-powered microscopes and would proceed much too slowly to be useful!)

Performing a disk wipe is facilitated by the many disk wipe programs available. There are many free options, as well as commercial software options, which may differ in terms of functionality and documentation. The majority of these are available online, which makes it quite easy to browse through and find the most appropriate program for the specific task. Some programs are designed for use on a single personal computer, while others may be designed for use on batches of computers.

Confidential data that needs to be kept from being exposed may best be hidden by using a disk wipe. This simple additional security measure makes the recovery of deleted data nearly impossible. With the many disk wipe programs available, it is easier than ever to perform a disk wipe, even for casual users, making this a real data security option.

Three Great Tips For Handling PDF Conversions

2008-02-05T00:33:00.001+07:00

1. Zamzar launches a pretty nifty file conversion service

I wanted to scrape a graphic from a PDF file and I was searching online for my options. Normally one looks for a packaged option, downloadable, and I was sorting through the free and not so free, the working and not so working and I came across this little gem called Zamzar. It’s a service, rather than software, and they do one or two of the niftiest things going. First, they translate my PDF files into just about any file format I could wish for. This was what I wanted in the first place, but they also offered to do little other things that were neat, like send me a file that they can scrape off Youtube! I like that. Let me go aside for a paragraph and then back to Zamzar.

I pulled Paul Tobey’s Music Box Dancer, which is a jazzed up version of the classic off and now I can listen to it on my PDA when I don’t have internet access. One of the comments said it best for me: “I like both versions. These guys are just having a great jam session having fun with a tune that lends itself to such things.” Over 22,000 views can’t be wrong! Paul is an interesting guy. I met him at one of his Internet Marketing Courses, and after about three hours, realized that he wasn’t just teaching me how to do Search Engine Optimization, but he was also teaching me about copy writing, etiquette, strategy, how to close sales, and just plain Internet business sense. His Music Box dancer is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmqgNKB1uog and you can look over his internet marketing course at http://www.trainingbusinesspros.com/. But that’s not why I’m writing this. Through Paul, I found a great practical use for Zamzar and this is how it fits usefully into my life.

Zamzar is a pretty neat converter. It's free. You go to www.zamzar.com and simply upload your file. Shortly afterwards, Zamzar emails you a link back. You follow that link and download the converted file. It's free, and pretty easy!

Zamzar does the following conversions to PFD and back. The entire list, which includes images, audio and video!

• convert PDF to doc - Microsoft Word Document
• convert PDF to html - Hypertext Markup Language
• convert PDF to odt - OpenDocument Text Document
• convert PDF to pcx - Paintbrush Bitmap Image
• convert PDF to png - Portable Network Graphic
• convert PDF to ps - Postscript document
• convert PDF to rtf - Rich Text Format
• convert PDF to txt - Text document
and

• convert csv to PDF Comma Separated Values
• convert doc to PDF Microsoft Word Document
• convert docx to PDF Microsoft Word 2007 Document
• convert odp to PDF OpenDocument presentation
• convert ods to PDF OpenDocument spreadsheet
• convert odt to PDF OpenDocument Text Document
• convert ppt to PDF Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation
• convert pptx to PDF Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Presentation
• convert ps to PDF Postscript document
• convert rtf to PDF Rich Text Format
• convert wpd to PDF WordPerfect Document
• convert wps to PDF Microsoft Works Document
• convert xls to PDF Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet
• convert xlsx to PDF Microsoft Excel 2007 Spreadsheet

The thing that I really like about Zamzar is that they are new and coming up with new stuff all the time. It also seems to convert WordPerfect documents into Word documents and Word documents into WordPerfect Documents which can be very handy if you are in a WordPerfect shop.

I'll use Zamzar occasionally. However, I'm not sure I want to ship my corporate or personal information to Zamzar or off into some unknown place in the Interweb, but I sure like it for what it does. I'll stick to MyPDFCreator for the business critical and personal stuff, but Zamzar is a great tool in the toolbox!

2. PDF Etiquette: It's the right thing!

Just because you have PDF doesn't mean you have to use it! When should one use PDF and when should one stick to POT (Plain old Text)

PDF is great when you want to send an uneditable document. Examples include quotations, invoices, legal documents, and ebooks PDF is also outstanding for sending documents for which the presentation layout is crucial, like annual reports.

However, anytime that you email an attachment, it requires extra clicks to open it, and people tend not to do extra clicks. They miss the attachment, or they don't want to open attachments for fear of viruses, or, if they are on an old computer, opening up large PDF or other files can slow down and stop a computer. If you are sending a birthday party initiation or something casual, put it in the email. Don't use any attachment at all.

3. In Software, "Feature Rich" can be a "Bloated Pig"!

Make sure that the software you are using isn't loaded down with options you'll never use. If you buy, for example, Adobe Professional for $449.00 you are getting the most complete feature rich, product available. This is great when you want to "Design forms to collect and aggregate data through e-mail or on the web" for example. But if 100% you are going to do falls in the realm of "create a Word Document or a PowerPoint show and convert it to PDF and back" then you don't need to spend most of the $449.00 and you don't need to have to struggle through the myriad of options that the "Feature Rich" software offers you, and you don't need to go on a three day training course. Buy the bacon, not the whole hog!

Fighting Off Viruses: Advancements In Antivirus Software Suites

2008-02-05T00:31:00.001+07:00

Protecting your computer from a virus is getting harder and harder each day. While it may border on the paranoid, it goes without saying that you can’t leave your guard down for one second. Even corporate giant Microsoft has found its own systems compromised on more than one occasion.

Remember the “good old days”, before the advent of the Internet and downloadable programs? Life was simple then in terms of computer viruses. With the primary way in which a virus could be transmitted being limited to floppy disks, the ability to catch and eradicate the virus was a lot easier. By today’s standards, it used to take quite a while before a virus was able to infect a computer and slow down the system. The antivirus software of that time was typically able to identify and eradicate viruses before they caused too much damage. Additionally, computer users were pretty savvy on how to protect themselves in terms of scanning all floppy disks before copying them to our desktop.

The Internet helped change all that. The Internet provided a conduit by which viruses could move from host to host with lightening speed. No longer could a computer user just worry about floppy disks as points of entry, but they now had to worry about email, email attachments, peer-to-peer file sharing, instant messaging, and software downloads. Today’s viruses can attack through multiple entry points, spread without human intervention, and take full advantage of vulnerabilities within a system or program. With technology advancing everyday, and the convergence of computers with other mobile devices, the potential of new types of threats also increase.

Protecting Your Computer

Luckily, the advancement of antivirus software has kept pace with current virus threats. Antivirus software is essential to a computer’s ability to fend off viruses and other malicious programs. These products are designed to protect against the ability of a virus to enter a computer through email, web browsers, file servers and desktops. Additionally, these programs offer a centralized control feature that handle deployment, configuration and updating.

A computer user should remain diligent and follow a few simple steps to protect against the threat of a virus:

1. Evaluate your current computer security system.

With the threat of a new generation of viruses able to attack in a multitude of ways, the approach of having just one antivirus software version has become outdated. You need to be confident that you have protected all aspects of your computer system from the desktop to the network, and from the gateway to the server. Consider a more comprehensive security system which includes several features including antivirus, firewall, content filtering, and intrusion detection. This type of system will make it more difficult for the virus to penetrate your system.

2. Only install antivirus software created by a well-known, reputable company.

Because new viruses erupt daily, it is important that you regularly update your antivirus software. Become familiar with the software’s real-time scan feature and configure it to start automatically each time you boot your computer. This will protect your system by automatically checking your computer each time it is powered up.

3. Make it a habit to always scan all new programs or files no matter from where they originate.

4. Exercise caution when opening binary, Word, or Excel documents of unknown sources especially if they were received during an online chat or as an attachment to an email.

5. Perform regular backups in case your system is corrupted. It may be the only way to recover your data if infected.

Recommended Antivirus Software

There are numerous applications available to consumers. With a little research, you can pick the program that is right for you. Many programs provide a trial version which allows you to download the program and test its abilities. However, be aware that some anti-virus programs can be difficult to uninstall. As a precaution make sure to set up a System Restore point before installing.

Here are a few programs which typically receive high marks in terms of cost, effectiveness, ease of use, and customer service.

The Shield Pro 2005™ provides virus protection and hacker security through ongoing support and updates. When a virus breaks out, The Shield Pro 2005™ promises to provide a patch within 2-3 hours and a fix for the virus within 5 hours. You can set your computer to update viruses weekly and run a complete virus scan.

BitDefender 9 Standard provides antivirus protection, as well as Peer-2-Peer Applications protection, full email protection, and heuristics in a virtual environment. This provides a new security layer that keeps the operating system safe from unknown viruses by detecting malicious pieces of code for which signatures have not been released yet.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal 5.0 program is simple to install and use. The user only needs to choose from three levels of protection. It allows updates as frequently as every hour while promising not to disrupt your computer. The program also offers a two-tier email protection feature and round-the-clock technical support.

PC-cillin Internet Security combines antivirus security and a personal firewall—for comprehensive protection against viruses, worms, Trojans, and hackers. It also detects and removes spyware and blocks spam. It even guards against identity theft by blocking phishing and pharming attacks.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is a free downloadable antivirus program that has received high marks for its reliability. In the past, free downloadable antivirus programs have been viewed skeptically because of issues relating to its reliability. However, AVG from Grisoft, remains one of the best-known free anti-virus programs available. While AVG can not be installed on a server operating system and there is no technical support, it still makes a good choice for many home computer users. The best part is that since it is free, you can try it with no further obligation necessary.

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-

10 Benefits Of Video Games

2008-02-05T00:21:00.000+07:00

Gaming both video and computer has become more than a fad, it is a part of life. First generation video game players have now become adult and carry their passion to adulthood. Parents and teachers worry about games having negative effects on children and a great deal has been written about games leading to violent behavior and addiction. However, all is not negative about gaming, studies by leading researchers have shown that video and computer games have many benefits:

1. Games help children who are ill or have injuries. Absorption in a game distracts the mind from pain and discomfort. Many hospitals are encouraging children and others undergoing painful treatments to play games.

2. Griffiths a professor at Nottingham University wrote in a medical journal that playing games could help children with attention deficit disorders. Research indicates that the children could gain social skills.

3. Many medical departments are using computer games as a form of physiotherapy. Games help people who are recovery from physical injuries gain motor skills and coordination too.

4. Video games and computer games are known to improve hand-eye co-ordination and help players gain many skills.

5. Games induce decision making and tech players to think on their feet.

6. Games create team players and hone social skills too.

7. Games are known to enhance creativity and inculcate a taste for graphics, design and technology.

8. Many games improve language and math skills as players have to move at a great speed along with the heroes of the game.

9. Video and computer games help children gain self confidence and many games are based on history, city building, and governance and so on. Such games indirectly teach children about aspects of life on earth.

10. Games teach players problem solving, motivation, and cognitive skills. Most games inspire players to strive and reach more difficult levels presenting challenges at each stage.

Gaming video or computers has positive as well as negative effects. Anything in moderation is not a problem. Parents and children need to be able to decide how much gaming is permissible and what kind of gaming. Parents must teach their children what is good and what is bad. Gaming is like any other activity in life, too much hamburger or pizza can be harmful too.

The world of gaming is constantly changing. The internet is replete with articles and tips written by experts on gaming, benefits, and disadvantages, it is important to be informed parents and game players. Read up on games and learn how to choose games that are beneficial. Know what your child is doing at all times. Place your trust in your child but ensure that he or she is able to gauge accurately right from wrong.

Basic XML Concepts Search Engine Optimization

2008-02-03T19:54:00.000+07:00

For all websites to receive traffic it is a must to go in for SEO Canada, Internet Marketing Canada is become very popular with all website owners that expect quality visitors and sales from their website. It is also important to have a search engine friendly and user friendly websites. Know more about search engine friendly design read further

XML originate from SGML (Standardized General Markup Language) and is a simplified version of it .it was developed members of w3c and released in Feb. it is an international standard that has been in use as a markup language primarily for technical documentation and government application since the early .it was developed to standardize the production process for large documents like medical records, company data bases and so on marking-up documents using sgml allowed information to be passed form one system to the next without losing any information. Early on, it was thought that sgmi would be used for the web but HTML a very basic subset of SGML became popular for its visual layout and ease of use .the focus next went on creating a language which has the strength and structural power of SGML and is as easy to use as html, the result was xml.

While using html your scope is limited to a specified set of tags. You can use html tags to present your information on a processing web designed page but then you are limited to only these specified tags .in XML on the other hand, you have the liberty to create the tags you want to use .it extends your ability to describe a document allowing you to define meaningful tags suiting your application requirements. If your web site contains many glossary terms, you can create a tag called for those terms. . While creating an XML document it is important that you plan the site very well, know the relationship between different section and items .always remember while using xml you are extending your tags to identify what they men and not to format the appearance of the content.

A simple XML document looks very much an HTML on web design page and search engine optimization. the difference lies in the that are used to create xml page .though they have the same opening and closing tags of an html tag but the names of the tag are very different .these tags actually define what the content is and the developer of the page has complete power to create tags a per application requirement,.

DTD (DOCUMENT TYPE DEFINITION)

A DTD is a set of rules that defines an XML document's elements, their relationship with each other, and the type of data contained within.

XML documents can be created with or without a DTD .an XML document without a dtd allows you to create markup tags without having to define it formally .on the other hand ,if an xml document contains a dtd then it is easier for the browser to internet the document ,as it then understands the document structure via the dtd.

WELL-FORMED XML DOCUMENTS

All XML document must be well-formed, that is, they must follow the XML syntax rules. If all the tags are correct in syntax and follow XML guidelines, then the document is considered a well-formed XML document .All well -formed document must begin with the following XML declaration:

Online Reputation Management

2008-02-03T19:52:00.000+07:00

Within days of registering our new website www.reputationfixer.com we were contacted by large and small companies as well as individuals, who had suffered from a negative search result on Google. One caller described how his reputation was being threatened by an article written over 15 years ago which had recently reappeared in a search for his name. He is concerned that when his job performance is under review, this derogatory news item could serve as a basis for dismissal or hamper his chances for advancement.

His concerns are well founded. It has become common practice for people to surf the web for news and information about people, places and companies. Researching new products and services is commonplace. It is expected that a prospective employer will conduct a thorough online search of any serious candidates for employment. Google has become the online manifestation of Orwell's imagined "Big Brother". If the algorithm has dealt you a bad hand, it is best you learn how to confront it rather than hoping it will disappear by itself.

As a service to the companies and individuals for whom a search yields negative results, or may suffer from this precarious condition in the future, we offer insights into the world of online reputation management.

You are Not Alone

With the advent of bloggers, RSS feeds and web sites, anyone can define a person's or company's identity and challenge a website's reputation and integrity. The rise and expansion of consumer generated media offers the public an opportunity to express their views. And this is being done at an unprecedented rate. People are expressing their views unabashedly, often with no regard for the consequences of what they are writing, and with little for concern for the veracity of their comments.

The more a product, brand or company is exposed to public attention and scrutiny, the greater the likelihood that someone will want to challenge its reputation. This can include dissatisfied clients, customers and competitors, who may have legitimate complaints or rumor mongers and vindictive web site wizards, whose sole purpose is to challenge another website's integrity. For example, 29 of the Fortune 100 Companies have at least one negative postings when "Googled". These postings range from bad business practices and discrimination, to accusations that companies are connected to paramilitary death squads.

Negative postings are not only surfacing on large or even medium corporate search results. Stories, rumors and press accounts that date back a decade or more are also traumatizing ordinary people. Seemingly innocent pranks and mischievous adventures that college students may have engaged in, have appeared in top positions of search engine listings seriously damaging their reputations, careers and lives.

You Can Take Charge

Combating the tribulations of a negative Google listing means taking charge of the search results that come up for your name, company, etc. If left to the vagaries of the search engine's algorithm, you can easily fall victim to the whims of arbitrary conjecture, opinions and rumors. When you decide to take charge, you need to confront the search engines in a proactive and forthright manner, rather than adopting a passive or defensive posture.

Online reputation and search engine optimization professionals will tell you that it is no longer an issue of "if" you should be managing your online reputation, the question is "how" you should be managing it. And don't assume that just because you are happy with the results of your own personal search today, that situation will continue indefinitely. Being on guard means:

1. knowing that the situation can turn against you and
2. having the ammunition to combat the rumor mongers when they strike.

Like the proverbial lawyer who, when deciding to represent himself, discovers has a fool for a client, most people, even those who are comfortable in the world of the internet, are not competent to deal with the major league players when it comes to online reputation management. When you are up against a challenger that has Google on its team, you don't want your teammates to be from the minor league, even if they can boast a relatively high batting score.

Working With a Pro

Successful ORM, focuses on having sufficient links to blogs, articles, press stories and allied web sites so that when a search is run for your name, all of the material you have positioned appears. The problem starts when a stubbornly entrenched negative press story or blog, appears on your page, and it overpowers all of the listings you have put in place, how do you dislodge it?

That's when working with a pro makes a real difference. The team at Reputation Fixer has an aggregate of decades of hands-on experience in working in the Google environment, managing successful web site optimizing campaigns in fiercely competitive markets dealing with the complexity and unpredictability of Google's algorithm. Reputation Fixer is the major leagues when it comes to ORM. They are the kind of teammates you want when your reputation is at stake.

Measuring Success

Regardless of who actually manages your ORM campaign, what is required is distribution of positive content and strategic participation in online discussions which results in the creation and posting of positive content on your site. A successful search engine reputation management program ensures that those looking for information about you or your company will see favorable content wherever your name or your company appears as search results.

The Psyched Up Addict Of Online Gaming Technology

2008-02-03T19:51:00.001+07:00

As most know, a Casino's House Advantage is always very high in any casino gambling game and this includes Blackjack. There are, however, those players that step up against the house with strategies that will lower the house's edge and increase their own. The most common of these strategies is card counting and the player that can dominate this strategy is called an Advantage Blackjack player because they switch the advantage odds to favor themselves.

Traditional card counting is a very technical strategy that takes a lot of skill and discipline to master. Being able to keep track of a shoe of cards holding six, seven, eight deck of cards, sometimes even more, is something a person needs a keen mind for in order to succeed. These hard system players still know, however, that no matter how much skill a person can have, Lady Luck is not always on their side and rough times will come. The fact that they know this keeps them in control and prepared for the storm and enables them to ride it out. They know that if they hold themselves to their system, in the long run, they will come out on top. This makes them responsible gamblers that are prepared for every type of circumstance.

But, like everything that exists, the hard system has a similar "easy" system that mimics its tactics to give the player the upper hand without having to spend all the amount of time a regular advantage player would spend learning an elaborate card tracking system. These so called EZ systems instead offer something that can be taught and learned in a few hours. These EZ systems base their technique on the same card counting principle but focus only on the key cards of the game. Since the rest of the batch is not considered the system becomes significantly easier to master. This system can be a double edged sword, however, for the player that wishes to dominate it because it tricks people into thinking they are now as good as the semi-pros and that is just not so. Although this system does increase the player's advantage it will never be as good as the harder system that works more in the long run than the easy system does. Also, the EZ system fools people into thinking they can now start winning the fortunes and lead them to make foolish bets that would have otherwise not been made and therefore makes for irresponsible gambling if the person is not well prepared.

Online casino is booming rapidly these days. You can download the software and play online casino straight from your computer. But if you don’t want to do all that downloading stuff, there is always another option available for you. Welcome to the world of no-download-casino! This is the site where you can play online casinos without downloading any software. These online casino games offer authentic sound and very realistic graphical images and they were especially created for online casino players who prefer to play right there and then.

But not all no-download-casinos or commonly known as flash casinos are created with the same qualities. Here are some of the best online reviews of flash casinos that may help you choose which online game will suit you best.

Rushmore Casino is one of the best online sites where you can play flash casino. It has more than 26 no-download-games you can choose from. Those choices include almost all of the most popular online games such as video poker machines, blackjack and a great selection of slots. They offer a huge sign-up bonus and an outstanding customer service which you can contact 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

10 Creative Uses for Ecards

2008-02-03T19:49:00.000+07:00

Ecards were once only sent for fun and as special greeting cards, but now online users are finding many creative ways to maximize the benefits of ecards. Ecards are practical, easy to send, and even free or very low priced. So what exactly are ecards? Ecard is another word for "electronic card" and describes any digital postcard or greeting card that is sent by e-mail.

While many e-card services are free, some providers offer custom e-cards for a small fee. Both free e-cards and paid e-cards are created online using sophisticated, interactive graphic software. Let's explore 10 creative ways to use e-cards.

1. E-card Memos for Companies

Companies once delivered memos in print or by fax, but today many are turning to the use of e-mail, especially those with an intranet system in place. Employees each have their own company e-mail. E-cards can be used to send out creative memos to employees. These creative ecard memos can boost morale, remind employees of an event, instruct employees on a daily task, or even give praise for a job well done. The good news is employers can customize the ecards and send them to all employees at once or to only a select few.

2. Birthday E-cards

Birthday e-cards are great for sharing a surprise "Happy Birthday" message to your friend or loved one. You can create a custom e-card for their birthday based on their personality and you can even set the date for the e-card to be sent on their birthday in advance so you won't forget! Birthday e-card messages can be personal, humorous, lovely, or romantic. They can even play music.

3. E-cards for Weddings and Anniversaries

For weddings and anniversaries, there are a number of e-cards to fit your style. These can be sent on the wedding day to the bride or groom as a relaxing gesture. They can be customized with unique themes to reflect the type of relationship enjoyed by the couple. Anniversary ecards can be customized with the date of the wedding and number of years married.

4. E-cards for Holidays

Holiday e-cards can be customized with themes for Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Halloween, and so forth. You can find musical ecards that play Christmas songs or romantic Valentine's Day themes. For Halloween, send a spooky one! For Thanksgiving Day, send a "thankful" ecard with fall colors, pilgrims, turkeys, or harvest themes.

5. Mother's or Father's Day E-cards

For Mother's and Father's Day, customize e-cards with your own photos. You can also create e-cards with your own special designs. If you sign on for paid e-card services, your recipient will be able to print the card as a keepsake. If you have kids, get them involved in creating these special keepsake ecards.

6. E-cards for Kids

With adult supervision, kids can create e-cards of their own with puzzles, special effects, images, and photos. They can send these to their grandparents or other relatives, or even to their friends. Puzzle ecards are usually included in paid packages, but there are also many special effects and images to choose from with free e-card services.

7. Invitational E-cards

E-cards can also be used in place of mailed invitation cards. You can send printable e-cards to invite friends and loved ones to birthday parties, holiday parties, weddings, company parties, summer grill-outs, and other special functions. They're much cheaper than mailing out invitations, and you can always mail a few to those who don't use e-mail.

8. Friendship E-cards

Send an e-card just to say a quick "hello" to your friends. You can send notes of encouragement, funny ecards, and a variety of themed e-cards to let them know you're thinking of them. Some of the themes to choose from include animals, congratulations, friendship, missing you, love, flowers, cute animations, destinations, landscapes, and many others.

9. Note of Thanks by E-card

E-cards can also be used to send a note of thanks to friends or loved ones. Perhaps you received a gift and want to return thanks. You can also create e-cards as a "thank you" note to clients if you own an Internet business or a business with e-mail contacts.

10. New Baby E-cards

E-cards also come with great themes for new babies. Send a boy or girl themed e-card or unique themes such as animals with their younglings or storks carrying a baby. You can write a message of congratulations to the new mother and customize the card with love.

With e-cards, you can send messages quickly through e-mail for almost any occasion. Best of all, you'll save time and money. You won't have to spend countless hours writing out cards and envelopes. You won't have to pay for postage, and you'll avoid numerous trips to the post office! Free e-cards and paid services are definitely worthwhile for greeting cards, messages, memos, and more!

Can Content Syndicators Work For The Benefit Of Your Business?

2008-02-01T18:37:00.000+07:00

A savvy internet marketer should always be aware of the new techniques and tricks of the business and RSS has emerged as the latest alternating messaging medium. With html fast becoming the thing of past, RSS is going to be the next big thing in the web; it is going to become the backbone of the internet by helping share the contents all over the web.

So what is content syndication all about?

This is a technology for sharing content among multiple websites. The characteristic features of this technology are:

* Syndication does not necessarily mean sharing of the full article, images or files.

* Syndication amounts to providing you information about the source website where the full article can be read.

* The information are found in forms of headlines with links to the web pages where the original content can be accessed.

* The syndication file is the basic element of content syndication. These files containing information about the site, the headlines and the links to web pages are located on the web server of the distributor of the content.

A professional webhost allows its customers to participate in content syndication for better business results. So what business benefits are you expected to get from content syndicators provided by your web host?

* Suppose you are engaged in the travel related business. What is the fastest and most effective way of circulating the news about your discounted summer travel package? Just create content with sensational headline and circulate it as RSS feed. Nothing can create speedier impact than this.

* RSS feeds help earn you more reliability from your customers for the simple reason that RSS feeds allow your subscribers to control the flow of information and your customers would trust you more when they are able to control the information they receive. Syndicating increase your online visibility by affecting your search engine rankings positively.

* In the corporate circle and in the intranet, syndication provides a better mode of communications and information about time sensitive issues to the remote employees and clients.

* Finally, its keyword search capabilities empower the marketers in tracking their immediate competitors.

Why not follow the footsteps of such powerful sites as MySpace or YouTube in sharing your contents online? Let RSS be the focal point in your internet marketing and wait for the best to come.

Use EASY Registry Cleaner

2008-02-01T18:35:00.000+07:00

The main benefit of each registry cleaner is its simpleness or not. But not all of them can be called easy in use. These terms are often dismissed. Only that software can guarantee users simple usage which was created special for Internet majority population who often has no time to lean much about software. And this is the fact. All what a user should know about a "cleaner" is that how to scan and fix a PC and the Windows registry. Simple idea: pro soft - for professionals, intro - for home users. All is fair. Some characteristics below prove it.

Easy registry cleaner advantages and disadvantages

From home users:
* Good-looking interface
* Different gratifying to the eye "skins"
* Easy navigation
* Not numerous options
* Easy Help support
* Thoughtful FAQ (frequently asked questions) list
* Easily added plugins for additional scan operations

From professionals:
* Too much colors making program like for children
* Not a lot of functions
* Spoon-fed FAQ and Help support
* Needless "skins"

We can think out much more advantages and disadvantages but the final result - easy registry cleaner will be always better for home users only. I'm sure professionals will like them when they will have a hand in such "cleaner" construction. One way or the other such software should be created in future.

So, we can say that the features of easy registry cleaner allow users to fix and clean safely and easily. These two factors are the most important in case of home user's security and convenience. Professional registry cleaner, in its turn, does the same work but in different performance. But the final choice is user's who have to choose between convinience of easy registry cleaner and multifunctionality of pro registry which is just hidden in easy registry software in order do not make inconveniences for a user.

Grab That Photoshop CS Tutorial

2008-02-01T18:34:00.002+07:00

Photographs have a way of fascinating people. The vibrant colors and the ideas conveyed can surely mean a lot to those who get to appreciate it. Technology has even given people the opportunity to improve on their pictures. You will see magazines all over the place with very fabulous images. Professional photographers are responsible for such. However, with the Adobe Photoshop program, you can do the same magic yourself.

The Adobe Photoshop CS

Many people are aware that there are computer programs responsible for making fabulous pictures. However, they do not know everything there is to know to get around such technology. As such, it is best to be familiar with the Adobe Photoshop CS.

The Photoshop CS is the better version of the Adobe Photoshop program. This has more advanced features that you cannot find in other versions. This is the best way to organize your pictures and make those precious albums. With this software and your computer, you can make as many projects with your images.

The Adobe Photoshop CS Tutorial

Of course, it is not enough that you have the Photoshop CS program installed in your computer. It is equally important that you get to know how to use it and maximize the benefits it brings. There is no need to worry if you feel like you do not know much about Photoshop CS. Just get the proper tutorial and you can surely move your way around the program.

Tutorial Centers

You can find centers in your locality that can give a crash course or a specialized program that can provide Photoshop CS tutorials. You can enroll for a series of session so that you can be trained to do Photoshop CS as well for other programs. You even have the choice to join a class or get a personalized training.

Self-Help Tools

There are also self-help tools that you can buy. You can go to the bookstore and find a material that can give you Photoshop CS tutorial. You can choose to read books to learn. You can also get those releases in cassettes or CD so that you can listen through the instructions. Choose this option if you are more comfortable of studying on your own than getting a tutor.

Go Online

The online community also offers a wide range of choices for your Photoshop CS tutorials. There are web sites that can let you download e-Books with instructions and tutorials in PDF format. You can read the explanation from these together with illustrations so that you can easily identify the commands in the program. You can even choose to get an eSeminar. This setup is just like a classroom method, only you do things through the computer.

You can also choose to explore some sites in their forums and discussion boards. You can ask members for advice and most of them are willing enough to give their help. This serves as a peer-to-peer discussion where specific questions can be answered directly. Try exploring too the site of the manufacturer. They often provide help to their clients to help you enjoy the program you purchased.

Conclusion

Get to learn the basics of the Adobe Photoshop CS. Make sure you develop your skills well with the Photoshop CS tutorial. This way you can do the amazing images through your own efforts and make a project album that you can be proud of.

Improved Search Engine Rank: Google Page Rank Misconceptions

2008-02-01T18:34:00.001+07:00

Social Networking - Do You Practice Netiquette?

2008-02-01T18:24:00.000+07:00

Over the years, the beauty of the Internet has opened many different doors pertaining to socializing, networking, and the overall art of communication. Today, computer users of all ages are exploring the possibilities associated with chat rooms, discussion boards, forums, and online personals. Sending emails, instant messaging family and friends, and relaying text messages across the World Wide Web are also popular forms of contact. Despite the fact that users are unseen behind the guise of their computer, there is still a written and unwritten code of conduct that exists about the Internet.

Even in the world of online communication, one may offend, confuse, and irritate the people they send emails to or speak with in a chat room. Just as you participate in face-to-face communication, you are often aware of the way you move your body, execute hand gestures, or raise your voice. When contacting others across the Internet, there are also certain messages conveyed through the way you type out your thoughts. One of the most irritating online habits involves the use of all-caps when typing to others. Not only are long strings of capped words a strain on the eyes to read, but is often viewed as "shouting."

When typing emails or chatting with others while online, spelling and grammar really does count in not only making people see your side of things, but also promoting intelligent and free-flowing conversation. Usually, glaring spelling mistakes cause a distraction and confusion in correspondences. Additionally, just because you attempt to avoid making spelling errors and lapses in grammar – doesn’t mean you have the right to criticize others for their poor use of the English language. It is highly suggested to ignore the spelling mistakes of others and concentrate on the way you communicate while online.

Additional email etiquette rules include the avoidance of sending or forwarding junk mail and Internet hoaxes, forwarding virus warnings (which are sometimes hoaxes), replying to all recipients of a collectively sent email, and sending unnecessarily large attachments.

There are also plenty of "netiquette" issues to recognize when communicating with others in online communities (chat rooms and forums). One of the first things to do when joining a chat room, forum, or other online group is familiarize oneself with the rules or guidelines of the service. This practice comes in rather handy and helps one avoid any future online confrontations or misunderstandings.

At all times, your privacy should be protected, as well as other members of the online community. It is unwise to use full names in chat room correspondences and is rude to ask the full names of those you come in contact with. Staying on topic is also a rule of Internet etiquette. For instance, if you have joined a chat room community regarding model airplanes, it is often inappropriate to start sharing your marital problems with others. Using offensive language is warned against and is usually punished (suspension or ban).

When chatting, it is also suggested to keep messages short and present information in the most concise manner. Also, a common practice is to use abbreviations, but not everyone is familiar with the current lingo and this should be kept in mind – the abbreviation of your words and phrases should be used sparingly.

Overall, it is suggested to treat communication across the Internet in the same manner that you like to receive correspondences. Usually, the things that irritate you are the same actions others dislike as well.

Save Our Planet, Use Internet Fax

2008-02-01T12:47:00.000+07:00

Do you know more than 17 million trees are cut down yearly just for the usage of faxing papers in United States? Ever thought of cutting down your paper usage, especially in office? Now here's a simple way to do so: Switch from conventional fax machine to Internet faxing machine. Yes, and I mean cut down all conventional fax machine usage!

What is Internet faxing?

In general, Internet faxing is known as a web service that allows users to send out and receive faxes in email forms. Faxes are transmitted via Internet and no fax machine is needed during the process. The very first Internet fax services are started since mid 1997 by PSI Net. Back then, Internet faxing was better known as InternetPaper. The technology then revolved and developed into a multimillion industries where more than dozens of merchant popped up to provide similar services. Nowadays Internet services are available worldwide.

Can I really send fax over Internet?

The answer is yes! In fact there are more than couple ways to send and receive faxes via Internet.

When you are shopping Internet faxing services, your choices are wide. Some service allows you to fax for free; while some require monthly subscription fees. Some Internet faxing services require you to install special software on your computer; while some allows you to send fax directly on the web. The right thing to do is to review and select the one that suits your needs.

What are the benefits of Internet faxing?

When compare to conventional fax machine, Internet faxing is so much easier and more affordable.

Firstly, there's no need to waste money on an extra fax line. Also, no extra cost for fax machine, fax paper, as well as printing ink. All Internet faxes come in as email attachments – softcopies are easier for circulation as well as file organization. More over, do you know according to research, 17 million trees (as said) are chopped down annually just for the faxing paper in United States? Sending virtual faxes save more than just your money, the technology save more trees as well!

If you use a conventional fax machine, you should know that using those old fax machines can be very tiring. The frustrations cause by paper jam, extra phone line cost, cuts off page text, and fax transmission failure are always bothering the users. Isn’t terrible? You bet! On the other hand, while comes in cheaper operation cost, Internet fax provides an easy faxing method where the service is 24 hours ready, no more engage tones, and no more paper jamming.

With Internet faxing services, you can send faxes as long as you have an active Internet faxing account and a computer connected to the Internet. The flexibility and mobility of Internet faxing is a valuable feature for frequent business travelers. Just imagine finishing all your faxing works while waiting for boarding in the airport – you wouldn’t have this done if you are still using the old fax machine, right?

Using Internet faxing services

For commercial usage, setting up an Internet faxing needs nothing more than just an email account (well okay, you do need a computer with Internet connection). Most Internet faxing service providers offer immediate activation – this means you can start receiving and sending faxes right after you register for the services.

Once activated, you can construct your outgoing faxes like how you compose your email with Yahoo Mail or Hotmail. What’s different is on the recipient address bar – instead of email address, you will need to input recipients fax number with fax service name. Say we are sending fax to 1234567890: the recipients will be 1234567890@myfax.com for MyFax; while for eFax, it will be 1234567890@efax.com. Email subject line will be converted to fax header, while email content will be the fax content.

Before you ask, yes, Internet fax service is very much similar to sending and receiving the email. In fact some services allow you to setup your virtual faxing service on popular mail agent like Outlook. For most Internet faxing services, a user friendly GUI (a toolbar or something similar) will be installed in your system during setup. Upon receiving the email to the Internet fax service providers the automated programs convert the email messages to the fax format and send the fax to the recipient fax number. On the other hand, the recipient receives the fax on their fax machine normally.

Shopping for the right Internet faxing services

Now in case you are looking for a suitable virtual fax service provider, here are some names you should know: eFax, Fax Away, MyFax, Ring Central, CallWave Virtual Fax, Max Email, Zip Fax, Fax (UK), Fax Mate, Inter Fax, and so on.

Although these services are offered based on the same technology, their service and pricing could be quite different from each other. Some of these services work perfectly well for heavy fax users, while some are more to small business owners where faxing needs are minor. At the time of writing, standard Internet faxing priced $10 - $20 monthly depends on the number of faxes you can receive and send monthly. Also, shoppers should be aware that not all service providers offer their service world wide. Thus, you need to be very sure that the merchant service is available in your country before purchasing.