BEST ARTICLES

Easy Money earning possible??

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:37:00 +0000

Money earning on the Internet is not a big deal. But for earning you must have the money to invest on-line.

There are very few websites that are giving money for free. They are giving but you have to go through the entire formalities e.g. click on ads, surf site etc. I have tried many website but did not find any thing. And one thing is for sure why somebody will pay money to some one for nothing. The website that are paying to its members are very few and they are paying from 0.5$ to 0.2$ after the one and a half month hard work.

So I am feeling very sorry to say that there is no easy way to earn money fast and free. If you want to earn money without investing then you must wait for one and a half month and after that time whenever you request for payout they will take time to put that money in your pay pal or alert pay account.

In my opinion if you want to earn money fast you should invest something. Without investing it is very much hard to earn money on the Internet. There are many companies online that are paying to its members but after investment. I am also the members of some websites.

But I know some websites that are paying without investment. And that is why I am writing this. For my kind of people who are wasting their time on the Internet like I have done so far. I just want to share my experience here. Because I had spend very much time on searching these kind of stuff. And I found some sites that are paying to its members not so fast but not so late as well. So I am putting some links here. Visit these sites and see yourself. If you like then join these sites.

Hope You will like these links.

If you have any question regarding this please feel free to contact me or leave comments here I will reply you guys.

Links

A best Survey site

Best PTC site

Best 2

Best Peer site (this is a very good site. Just join and download their software. After installing the software in your PC just put your information their and leave your PC on-line. It will run in background and you have to do nothing. Earn money just for leaving your PC connected)

GOOD LUCK

2009 Resume Writing

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 09:49:00 +0000

Details like age, ethnic background, religious beliefs, political inclinations, & marital status are not critical in performing a job. There is no need to include these details in your resumes as well as those details that disclose such information.

These are details that do not impact on the satisfactory performance of the role being applied for. As such, it is no place in a resume & should not be included.

There is been instances , when job seekers include a photo of themselves when submitting a resume. Unless you are , this will be more detrimental than having none. Don't let yourself be judged by looks. Sell yourself with your professional skills & competencies. Photos are not for job resumes, unless necessary. Modelling agencies often need photos but for the corporate world, photos in resumes are inappropriate.

What about your hobbies & interests? Should you include these in your resume? There is been a lot of contradicting ideas whether to include hobbies & interests or not. If you browse resume samples & resume templates from the net, there will be some with hobbies & interests as a section while others won't have any.

Resume Creator Click here

The decision to include hobbies & interests in your resume should be based on whether it supports your resume aim & whether it will provide more information to help an employer select your suitability for a role. Information included in your resume should all be geared on showing the employer that you are the best candidate for the job. You are only allowed a few pages to sell yourself. Do it by presenting relevant information.

If you are applying for an entry-level role as a technician in an electronics firm & two of your hobbies is fishing, do you think the employer will be interested in you if you list it in your resume? Certainly not. But if two of your hobbies & interests is assembling & testing electronic circuits or gadgets & you enjoy doing electronic repairs, then it would be worthwhile to mention this relevant information aside from your employment experiences.

Hobbies & interests are best listed in a functional section of your resume. This is applicable in a functional resume format. Taking the example above when applying as a technician, you might have a functional section about "Soldering Ability" or "Soldering Skills". Under it, you can then provide information on how you mastered this skill through electronics assembly as two of your hobbies.

In closing, hobbies & interests do have a place in your resume. Ensure, however, that these hobbies & interests support your resume aim & help with the performance of the role.

Sales Resume Writing

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 09:32:00 +0000

It is everything about how your company sells except the people themselves.

Sales tools, information system, sales training program, sales compensation program, sales territory plan, sales automation system, sales management support practices, assignments of markets and customers, sales office assistants, these are all major parts of the sales structure.

Now even the best and most efficient sales teams or sales professional can't deliver customers by themselves; they have to be acted upon (using qualifiers, rapport, questions and solutions). An action needs to take place. To implement your sales strategy, you need to structure your company for sales success. This means you should do the following:

• Provide the sales force/team with a set of rules and policies for whom to sell to, where to sell to and how to sell to

Resume Creator Click here

• Create a methodology that allows your sales force/team to maximize their selling potential

• Develop and deploy the most appropriate tools to qualify your prospective clients, maximize deal sizes and communicate your sales messages efficiently

• Store and share sales information among your sales team/force to ultimately improve their sales knowledge and ability to find and close deals

• Create an environment that motivates your sales team/force to succeed

I recommend taking the following steps to improve your existing sales structure or if you are developing a new one:

• Take some time to really understand how the different elements of the sales structure contribute to your specific sales structure (without this knowledge and understanding, you will not appreciate the importance of each element of structure or know how to prioritize any necessary improvements)

• Analyse how your existing sales structure currently operates - if you have one, then, ask lots of questions on each area of structure to understand how decisions are made, what rules, policies and procedures are currently followed and what actually happens in your company, as apposed to what should happen.

• Develop templates and processes for building an improved new sales structure. Understand that change is often painful, not everyone will like what you propose, and then prioritize the areas, which have the greatest impact on achieving your sales strategy

Developing and understanding the sales structure can sometimes be a full-time job in some organizations. However, for smaller companies, it is a periodic task. These can be expensive changes to make, but if done properly, pay big dividends in terms of improved sales.

"You've got to be success minded. You've got to feel that things are coming your way when you're out selling; otherwise, you won't be able to sell anything." Curtis Carlson

Best Resume Tool Click here

The Practice Of Trust

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Trust is the opposite energy from resistance. When we trust, we say we are "going with the flow." But what is the flow? It's the way things are going. For instance, in line with the popular metaphor of a river, the flow is the direction the river is going in. Nothing mysterious or complicated about that. What complicates our getting into the flow is our resistance. This resistance can come in the form of fear, denial, upset, anger, or any number of emotional states, that we then
use as the reasons to resist that flow, and in doing so, immediately feel the effects of trying to stand still in the middle of a fast moving river, with all manner of hard objects racing by us, and of course, smack dab into us. Ouch!

The question then, that is begging to be asked, is "how do we get back into the flow, when there are so many attractive reasons for resisting it?" Attractive, because they're backed up by accurate information, such as "Somebody did something to me that I don't like, and it's upsetting me." Or, "See, see how things are! You would be upset too!" And you would probably be right, what happened to you, if it happened to us, would be upsetting. We're all human, we all get upset. Yet in developing our practice of trust, we have to come to realize that part of the flow of our lives, is sometimes the truth that somebody did something, and we don't like it. There they are, reasons floating right on the surface of the river, slamming into our tense and rigid bodies time and time again, with a pain that is not coming from outside of us, but from inside of us, each time we visualize that upset racing toward us. Get ready, here it comes again! Yet truth is, our upsets don't ever come toward us, they only ever come from inside of us! Humans, we have so many things backwards.

How do we get back into the flow? Especially now that we know where the resistance to doing so is coming from? By being, because being is an inside job. Inside of us! By being totally responsible for having stepped into the way of the way things are going in the first place, we gain back our power. And we do this, we often get in the way of our own busy river, giving our power to be away to others. Our power to be happy, our power to be successful, our power to be calm, centered, and satisfied. Even when not one outside other ever has such power, unless of course we freely give it away to them. And yes, we have been trained to do that. Now may be the time to retrain ourselves, to learn how to stay in the flow, and to trust.

I once had a court case where because of my belief in the direction my own kid's education should have been going in, in order to support them, was different from my ex-wife's belief system, and the judge's similar-to-hers belief system, I was forced to see my kids less of the time than I wanted to. That, you might say, was the flow my life was going in, and at first I resisted it mightily. But then I could see that in doing so, I was simply creating more and more upset over the original upset. The way out of that pain was to as always, go with what was happening, even though I knew I would never like what was happening. To fight it? That would have simply caused my kids, and myself, more pain, and I wasn't interested in that.

What came out of the giving up of my resistance to the way things were going was a relationship with my kids that I would have never had, had I stayed angry. I was forced by law to accept what was happening, but even in the midst of that, I could also see that I was being forced to grow in a way that I wanted to grow anyway, and in being legally supported in developing the power of unconditional love, the sheer magnitude of the good that has come into my life from this practice has been overwhelmingly powerful. The practice of unconditional love no matter what, including an unconditional love for myself, has affected every single area, including my relationship with my kids. The sheer amount of manifestations of friendships, true love, money, career success, and sublime joy, have been incredible. All out of something I didn't want happening. Not the method I would have chosen, but certainly the results!

Was this easy? No. Yet long ago I determined that no matter what happened in my life, I was going to use that circumstance to grow, to become more powerful, and to add to all the joys I have always wanted for my life, no matter what. To in short, trust. Of course, as it is in all of our lives, over the years a few things have happened that I have not liked. Yet no more or less things than any other faces in their lives, because I have worked with enough people to know that we all have our pains, our tribulations, and we are no different from each other in that. I articulate mine, some others do not, yet truth is, no matter what our responses to them are, we all live them out. The difference between living them out and being in joy, or living them out and continuing in upset, is that of trust. To trust that the flow of things is what's supposed to be happening, and in some way benefits all those around you, including yourself. Would Nelson Mandela say this same thing about twenty-five years of imprisonment, now that he's President of the very same country that once held him in chains? I imagine he just might.

Now our situations may not be as dramatic as Nelson Mandela's, but nonetheless, they are our circumstances, and what we feel about them is certainly equally powerful as whatever he felt about his. They are our lives, after all. The time has come to free ourselves from that which chains us down, standing still, resisting the flow of our own rivers, and to allow ourselves to buoyantly float down that river, going with the current instead of resisting it. At times this may seem contrary to what we have been taught, because we have been taught to fight that which is "bad," to not "put up with it," and to take up arms against the enemy. While in some situations this might appear to work well, but if you think about it, if it's us who are generating our resistance to the flow, then just who would we be fighting? Ourselves? And who loses that battle?

It's not to say that the circumstances that we don't like, we will ever like, and that's perfectly okay. Not spending as much time with my kids as I used to is something that will never be okay with me, and I will always be in motion, being, doing, and having, whatever it takes to create the family life with them that I desire. Yet with an irony that The Universe is so famous for, when I give all that upset over the current situation up, and simply trust, I go with the flow. Once in the flow, I am in my power, clear headed, centered, and relaxed, and from there, there is no more powerful place to be to then effect real changes. Changes that are not upsetting, and that support the relationship I have with my kids. And one of the most valuable things I can be in order to support that relationship? Trusting. And in so trusting, to be happy no matter what. Nothing, no state of being, more nurtures us and those around us, and in doing so keeps us in the flow. It even completely changes the course of the river over time. Just ask Nelson.

Why You Need A Low Cost Real Estate Attorney

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:24:00 +0000

Seeking the correct attorney to stand in for you in legal proceedings is further focal than you think. Whether it's a criminal problem or a simple justice for your economic debts, having an able lawyer will at all times be an plus. We know that you are probably spending a portion of your time finding the appropriate attorney to deal with your legal affairs. If you are still looking for one until now, let us help you out with a quantity of of the steps that you need to take in choosing a protection lawyer.

1. The paramount entity that you need to do is to consent to go of your anxieties. You might be vexed about legal proceedings and other things that you need to attend to for the case, however, you ought to not accede to your anxieties overrule you. Be positive and focus on your need to achieve a lawyer. Acquire yourself a shortlist on certain of your friends' referred attorneys in town.

2. When you hold a record to think over on, the next thing that you need to do is to interview your prospective lawyer. You ought to not overlook that you need to get to know the person better as he will be the individual to act for you in court. At this time is not the time to dilly-dally with your emotions and concerns.

3. Look for experience. When it comes to legal proceedings, you ought to always look for a lawyer who has the most experience in a known field. If you are looking for an attorney to assist you with DUI cases, next by all measures get one who has that expertise.

Home Based Business Start Up Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:22:00 +0000

Author: Rowell Hammer

Online marketing is a puzzle to many would be online marketers. They have very little trouble settling on a online business but when it comes to marketing it successfully many times struggle. Marketing your internet business is not as hard as you might guess, it only takes a few steps of planning and pre-thought to be successful.
Ensuing are a few pointers to aid you simplify your internet marketing and get your work at home business off to a fast start.

Internet Marketing Analysis:

Do your internet market analysis. Before you even create your web site or enroll in any affiliate programs be certain to determine exactly to whom you are selling to, and what products and services they need to solve their problems.
Research your most promising prospects or web site customers.
* Who are they?
* What are their ages, class and demographics etc.
* What interests them?
* What are their needs and wants?
* What are their problems and how can your products and services throw light upon them
* Where can they be found?
* What websites and publications they will read.
Make a detailed of your findings and note it down.
Your basic home business plan:
Develop a home business plan to ascertain your goals to keep you focused on the direction your home based business will take:
Develop your goals: For three months, six months and 1 year. Write your goals down and keep them in a visible spot where you can review them daily. It is incredible what our minds can achieve or not achieve. As they say, \'garbage in, garbage out\'. Make a disciplined effort to control what you think about...it is probably the most important factor for success.
Determine on the critical plan you are going to do to achieve your goals.
Educate yourself:
List all the marketing methods you know, then further educate yourself. You can do this with free internet marketing newsletters or ezines, e-books and videos etc.
7 Free Marketing Videos and a 6 Day e-course, \"How To Make Your Living Online\"

Once you have researched and noted all the net marketing strategies determine which ones will fit into your banking account and can be applied to your home based business. Don\'t spend more than you can afford! The #1 reason for internet failure, other than not taking action, is the failure to budget or to overspend. It is very sure way to a strained relationship!
Now using your online marketing analysis information and your list of marketing tactics, write your marketing action plan.
Marketing Plan:

Determine which promotional tactics apply to your web business.
Knowing who your prospects are, seek them out and use direct internet marketing to contact them. Find people or prospective customers who have a passion for a particular hobby, online business, or activity etc. Always begin here first, in other words, don\'t find a product and then search for a market.
Research keywords for your website. Free Keyword Links Optimize your web site content for the search engines.
Lastly is the time to put your marketing plan into action. Work on 1-2 techniques at first, track and test them to be sure that they are effective and result in targeted prospects. Budget very carefully, by beginning small and working advertising. Always try promotions for at least 1-3 months. Note all your results, this will assist you to build on your successes and learn from your failures and mistakes.
With these plans you will be able to leap frog your home based business and put your business on the fast path to a profitable home business.About the Author:
Dan is the author of 10 Essential Steps To Online Wealthwhere he outlines the critical steps your MUST create for online success. Like to make money with Google? New program is the perfect home based business startup Making Money With Google

Terrorism

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:07:00 +0000

Author: Aryan

Definition

Terrorism defines as "the systematic use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective,

History

It’s been some weeks now since many Americans woke up to the news of the successful rescue of the Maerske ship Captain, Richard Phillips, from the clutches of Somali pirates off the Eastern Coast of Africa in mid April. Few international incidents turn out as well and end with such finality and clarity. With three clean kill shots by expert U.S. Navy Seals, this situation appeared to be resolved. Most people in the Western world had
occasion to feel proud, if not a little superior. For once the United States seemed to be able to clearly control a situation and the skill of the military was on full display. In the wake of being bogged down by the War on Terrorism, these pirate guys served as useful symbolic stand-ins and this incident a clear win.
The situation has all the earmarks of a made for Hollywood movie; it was life imitating art. There was action, heroism and a happy ending. In an editorial on April 16th, even the quintessentially liberal New York Times “applauded” the effort of the U.S. Navy and noted Phillips’ noble and selfless act of offering himself as a hostage in place of his crew.

Terror by states has a long history. For example, Aristotle wrote critically of terror employed by tyrants against their subjects. The earliest use of the word terrorism identified by the Oxford English Dictionary is a 1795 reference to tyrannical state behavior, the "reign of terrorism" in France. In that same year, Edmund Burke famously decried the "thousands of those hell-hounds called terrorists" who he believed threatened Europe. During the Reign of Terror, the Jacobin government and other factions of the French Revolution used the apparatus of the state to execute and intimidate political opponents, and the Oxford English Dictionary includes as one definition of terrorism "Government by intimidation carried out by the party in power in France between 1789 to1794".

Later exemplars of state terrorism were the police state measures employed by the Soviet Union beginning in the 1920s and by Germany's Nazi regime in the 1930s and 1940s. The bombing of Guernica has been called an act of terrorism, and other examples of state terrorism may include the World War II bombings of London, Dresden and Hiroshima.

Types of terrorism

Generally there are three types of terrorism, which are described below by some points.
1) Coercive terrorist diplomacy: (eg. discreet and controlled, and makes non-compliance intolerable)
2) Covert state terrorism:

Clandestine state terrorism (eg. direct participation of states, ex. to weaken a governments or intimidate government officials of another state etc)
State-sponsored terrorism (eg. "States or private groups being employed to undertake terrorist actions on behalf of sponsoring state."

3) Surrogate terrorism: (eg. assistance to another state or group that improves their capability to practice terrorism)

State-sponsored terrorism (eg. as above)
State acquiescence to terrorism (eg. group undertakes terrorism and is not explicitly backed by a state but not condemned either.)

Article Source http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/terrorism-1511765.html

The Internet of Things

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:17:00 +0000

by: Cees Links

Our Internet connected world is experiencing a revolution that is still in its early phases. New technologies, applications and online concepts are springing forth every day, changing the way we work with the net and how we connect and communicate with each other. Even though it is hard to predict what will happen next,
the high rate of change and progress of Internet functions and applications indicates the Internet has not yet matured and will continue to develop and evolve in many interesting and powerful ways.

One area of progress that is difficult to predict and that has been seriously lagging – seemingly just waiting in hiding to emerge and blossom – is the integration of the Internet with our physical world. Today’s world of the Internet and our physical world are essentially two standalone worlds with humans functioning as the interface between the two. In the future, these two worlds will become significantly more intertwined, and this intertwining will become a sort of revolution in its own.

Let’s take a practical example. It has been a hard day of work and you are driving home. It’s a cold day, and you want to turn on your house heating system so your home will be nice and cozy when you arrive. Or you are rushing off to work and all of a sudden you start to wonder whether you remembered to turn off the heat before you departed.

Despite all our technology sophistication you are probably best off by calling your neighbor (who has a reserve key of your house) to go inside and do the job. This is an interesting example because most likely you already have a little control network at home controlling your heater with a thermostat and you probably also have Internet access at home.

Still, the lack of integration between these networks leaves you no other option than calling your neighbor. In addition to checking our heating, this is also how most of us check that the whether the door was locked and the windows were closed. Wouldn’t it be great if you could control your house with a few buttons on your cell phone? Interestingly, it does not require any major technology breakthroughs to make this happen.

All of us are using the Internet today for communication and reading the news (with blogging as an interesting new phenomenon filling the hole between the two). We are also using the Internet for shopping, where every brand or store nowadays has a point of access to the Internet. What is not connected to the Internet are all the functions that could be useful for making our lives comfortable and saving energy.

The Internet is like a big nerve center that still has to build a smaller nerve system that connects to all the supporting functions of our lives. The backbone is there but not the final end connections to our senses and muscles.

So far, our view of the Internet has been quite “human-centric”, but that is going to change. It is quite likely that sooner or later the majority of items connected to the Internet will not be humans, but things: heating/cooling systems, health sensors, security systems, central door/window locking systems, remote controls, etc.

It is here where wireless networks will play a major role. There are many more “things” than “people” and to physically “wire” all things to the Internet is just not feasible. The good news is that recently communication standards (like IEEE 802.15.4 and on top of that ZigBee) have been ratified to make this possible. But it is not only wireless technology that is required - “energy harvesting” from the environment will also be an essential element. In addition to removing the data communication cables, it is also important to eliminate the power cable and the need for batteries, along with their negative impact on the environment as well as the huge labor costs associated with charging and maintaining batteries.

Energy harvesting is the rapidly emerging technology that pulls energy out of the environment (IE - a solar cell on a pocket calculator or a kinetic device that converts vibration to electrical power) and can provide the energy needed for the “thing” to have it connected and controlled over the Internet. The development of energy harvesting devices is making big steps forward, but there is still a long way to go, in particular in reducing the cost of the harvesting devices.

Looking into the future, the “Internet of Things” could very well be the next revolution on the Internet where integration of our physical and virtual worlds will be the main driver. The new “Internet of Things” will enable a new class of applications that will make our lives more comfortable and that will help us to reduce our wasteful use of energy.

Building vs. Buying a Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:16:00 +0000

by: Brad Walden

You've come to a point where you need a new computer. Should you head to the local electronics mega-store and see what's on the rack, or should you try and build a system yourself?

First off, you need to ask some fundamental questions. What is your budget? What do you expect from a computer? What will its primary functions be? Do you want it for gaming, or to surf the Web and create documents and spreadsheets? Will you be doing a lot of photo editing and artwork?

These are just some of the things to consider. Also, what kind of money are you willing to spend not only on the computer, but a printer, monitor, security software, separate data storage devices, webcams etc.

We'll take a stroll down both paths, and I'll try to keep things as easy to understand as I can, and limit the techspeak, unless it's unavoidable.

Buying a New System

There are several manufacturers in the computing world, and each one makes several different types of systems. I won't use brand names, as each company has its own merits, and its own drawbacks. Just remember, a good rule of thumb these days is a new computer system is generally obsolete after a year, sometimes sooner.

Another thing to keep in mind is expandability. A key question to ask is can you upgrade components easily? With some manufacturers, you can only use the parts that they make, such as RAM and power supplies. As time passes, the cost of replacing parts becomes a problem, as well as even being able to find them.

Don't let these things throw you, however. Many companies are leading edge, and do their best to stay current, if not ahead, of the game. Just be aware that you'll pay a premium for the newest features, but the cost usually doesn't pay for itself in the long run.

Always do your homework on a particular system that catches your eye. There is plenty of information available on all the devices and gadgets out there, and if something about a system is suspect or faulty, it won't take long to be made known to the world.

Also, don't be shy about grilling a salesperson about features that you don't understand or have heard bad things about. Rule of thumb on this is: If the salesman can't answer your questions, don't be led astray. It's your investment, and any investment is worth understanding fully.

Building a System

Here's where things get really interesting. If you've never put a computer together, it can seem impossible. However, if you have a small amount of mechanical ability and patience, you'll find this to be a very rewarding pursuit.

You'll also get a good understanding of how each component makes up an overall computer, as well as how each one works. I've personally built more machines than I can easily count, and each time out it's always similar, but also very different.

A trip to a bookstore or the 'Net will get you more than enough information for a complete overview of how a PC is constructed.

One of the main considerations on building your own machine is that you can blow your budget quickly on components. Always try to get the most value for the money you're willing to spend, and shop around for the best bargains. Again, do your homework and research before heading to the store.

If you'd like to send questions to me, please feel free to visit my Website and I'll be happy to answer your queries, or point you in the right direction.

Good luck, and happy computing!

Computer Repair Done Right For FREE

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:13:00 +0000

by: James Perrin

This article will help users to perform a complete computer cleanup, which will improve the overall performance of their computers. It's not meant as a substitute for regular computer maintenance, performed by a professional computer technician.

Almost every computer user knows that, from time to time, your computer starts to run a little slower or you notice that you hard drive space is dwindling. So many people shrug this off and choose not to do anything about it. They think that it's normal to have these kinds of computer problems and that there isn't anything they can do about it. Your computer is trying to tell you something...it's time for a cleaning. It's time to clean up the junk and organize the files on your computer, just as you would clean and organize your office.

This step-by-step tutorial will put you on the path toward a cleaner, more efficient computer. You'll learn how to perform a complete computer cleanup and you just may save yourself some money, in the future, by maintaining your computer, instead of just taking it to a repair technician when it breaks.

In this tutorial, we'll only concern ourselves with Windows XP (I guess I'll have to re-write this article for Vista), for a couple of reasons.

Microsoft has ended support for Windows 98, 98SE and Millennium.

If you still have one of those earlier operating systems, your computer is just too old to become "efficient" by today's standards.

Follow these cleanup steps and you just may learn to love your computer, again.

Unused User Accounts If you have any User Accounts that are no longer active, logon as a computer administrator and remove them.

1.Click START, then CONTROL PANEL. 2.When the Control Panel opens, click USER ACCOUNTS. 3.Click CHANGE AN ACCOUNT. 4.Click on the name of the account you want to remove. 5.Click REMOVE THIS ACCOUNT. 6.When given the option to "delete files" or "keep files", choose to delete them. 7.After removing all unused User Accounts, restart the computer. Windows Updates Make sure you have all of the latest Windows Updates installed by visiting update.microsoft.com and following the instructions on the website.

It's critical that you keep your computer up-to-date. Microsoft releases new security updates all the time and it's easier just to set your computer to automatically download and install these updates. Here's how to do that:

1.Right-click on MY COMPUTER. 2.Click PROPERTIES. 3.Click the AUTOMATIC UPDATES tab (reference the illustration, below). 4.Choose "Automatic (recommended)". 5.Click APPLY and OK.

Remove Unused Programs This is pretty basic stuff. Most Windows users have already been through the steps of adding and removing programs, but we'll list the steps for those who haven't.

1.Click START, then CONTROL PANEL.

2.Double-click ADD OR REMOVE PROGRAMS.

3.When the window that opens has fully loaded, scroll through the list of programs and remove any that are unwanted or no longer used.

4.Just a piece of advice...any programs listed that mention anything about "bargain", "cash", "search", "web" or "fun", in the program name, should probably be removed.

Temporary File Cleanup Temporary files are one of the biggest wastes of hard drive space, hogs of computer resources and major causes of recurring spyware and virus infections. They need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Follow these steps to remove ALL temporary files from your computer:

1.Double-click MY COMPUTER. 2.Open the root drive (usually C:). 3.Open DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS. 4.Click TOOLS, then FOLDER OPTIONS. 5.Click the VIEW tab (reference the illustration, below). 6.Under "Hidden files and folders", click "SHOW HIDDEN FILES AND FOLDERS". 7.Uncheck "HIDE EXTENSIONS FOR KNOWN FILE TYPES". 8.Uncheck "HIDE PROTECTED OPERATING SYSTEM FILES (RECOMMENDED)". 9.When the warning message pops up, click YES. 10.Click APPLY, then OK.

***It's recommended that you change the file folder settings back to their default settings after you fully complete the computer cleanup.***

1.With the Documents And Settings folder opened, open a user account folder. 2.Open the LOCAL SETTINGS folder. 3.Open the TEMP folder. 4.Press CTRL+A to select all files. 5.Press SHIFT+DEL to permanently delete all selected files. *Note*: you may be unable to delete ALL of the files and folders because some of them may be "locked" by the operating system or another program. Select smaller groups of folders or files in order to remove as many as possible. 6.Navigate back to the LOCAL SETTINGS folder. 7.Open the TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES folder. 8.Repeat steps 4 and 5. See *Note*. 9.Repeat steps 1 through 8 for all user account folders. 10.Empty the RECYCLE BIN and restart the computer.

Virus And Spyware Scans If you don't already have an antivirus program and two or three antispyware programs installed and updated on your computer, then you're BEGGING for problems. I use Webroot Antivirus/Antispyware and Spybot Search & Destroy (free). If you're relying solely on "free" programs for your computer security, you're likely making a big mistake. I understand that you don't want to pay for software. Nobody does. You just have to look at the value in investing a little bit of money toward preventing the problems that might arise from choosing the "cheaper route". Ok...enough said on that subject.

The most efficient way for antivirus and antispyware products to complete their scans successfully is to run them while the computer is in Safe Mode. To restart Windows in Safe Mode, tap the F8 key about every half-second or so, at computer startup, once you see the manufacturer's logo. You'll then be brought to a screen where you will use the arrow keys to choose the boot mode. Use the arrow up or down key to choose SAFE MODE. Press enter and let Windows do it's thing. When the computer has fully booted, complete FULL SYSTEM scans with your antivirus and antispyware programs. When they are completed, reboot the computer, normally.

Defragment The Hard drive(s) This is the final step in your major computer cleaning. This will insure that the files on the disk are organized in such a way that makes them more quickly accessible, causing less "wait time" and less wear and tear on your drive.

1.Click START. 2.Navigate through ALL PROGRAMS to get to the ACCESSORIES folder. 3.Choose SYSTEM TOOLS. 4.Choose DISK DEFRAGMENTER. 5.Select the main disk (C:). 6.You shouldn't need to "analyze" the drive. At this point, it's better just to choose "DEFRAGMENT". 7.Let the program run through the process and reboot the computer, normally, when completed.

That's it! You should see a HUGE improvement in the performance of your computer.

For More Computer help or advice please Visit http://www.rescuetech.ca

Upgrading Old vs Buying New Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:47:00 +0000

by: Semilore David

The world of IT and computing as come to a point where innovation,new developments,upgrades etc as become the trend. More often than not,most if not all gadgets or equipments only have a lifeline of few months,for them to become old or not good enough.

This as made competition become the in-thing among vendors and this as also affected the pocket or purchasing power of consumers. It as become very common among the consumers of the following items in particular:Computers(Laptop.Desktop,servers and other components),Mobile and Fixed line phones,Motor Vehicles e.t.c
You've come to a point where you need to upgrade to a higher spec of computer but you don't have enough cash to make the change. I have over time used a method to overcome this issue,thereby saving money and getting the higher grade that i want. I will for now limit this to Computers.

The basic components of most systems are: OS,Screen size,Weight,Optical Drive,Memory,Hard disk & Processor. Among all this,the basic ones which determine prices are: Optical Drive,Memory,Hard Disk and Processor.

The catch here is this: If i have a system of about $250 with obviously a lower spec and a new or a higher spec one which goes for $450. what i readily do is to buy (Optical drive,Memory & Hard drive) of a higher spec and install on the old/lower spec system. this normally cost me around $80 - $120,which comes to about $320 - $370,therefore,saving about $80 - $130

This is a simple tactics which could save from hundreds to thousands of dollars on a budget.

A check on the net will get you more than enough information on the above subject.

One of the main considerations on the above mechanism is to know where this components are located and how to fixed them.

If you'd like to send questions to me, please feel free to visit my Website and I'll be happy to answer your queries, or point you in the right direction.

Good luck, and happy computing!

Preventing The Loss Of Valuable Data

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:45:00 +0000

by: Johnny Wilkinson

It’s a known fact that computer system data is the livelihood of any organization. No company can continue business in the event of total loss of data. The loss of data may also affect private individuals to a large extent. Imagine taking photographs while on holiday at an international destination costing you thousands of dollars or losing photographs of a wedding that cannot be repeated.

Therefore preventing the loss of your valuable data should become a major priority. As Imperative Technology, we are experts in the field of recovering lost computer data and have been involved in almost all data loss situations. Although after losing your data, we are able to assist you to recover your lost data. But unfortunately it’s not always possible to help all our clients, as there are situations where storage media may be damaged beyond the level of repair or successful recovery. We trust this article will assist you to prevent losing your data in the first place. We all understand by making backups will prevent you from losing data, but there are many key factors and different options to prevent the loss of data.

This document may be distributed freely. All our services are listed at the end of this document.

KEY POINTS

Ensure that your data is duplicated on at least one other device that is not connected to your computer / server that’s been backed up in any way.

By making a backup of your data is not enough, you need to ensure the data that’s been backed up IS WORKING!
Do not trust ANY software that reports a backup has been done successfully. The only way to ensure that data has been backed up effectively is to test the data. This is usually done by Test Restore Procedures.

Use an effective Anti-virus solution.

Connect a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to all critical computers/servers for protection against lightning and power surges.

Install & configure your computer hardware correctly as described later in this document.

Protect your data from theft by means of Firewall configuration.

Ensure minimum Disaster Recovery Policies & Procedures are in place.

I trust the information in this document will assist you in preventing the loss of data.

Yours truly,

JOHNNY WILKINSON
Data Recovery Specialist

BACKUP SOLUTIONS

With so many backup solutions to choose from, we’ll highlight some of the problem areas and solutions when using various backup options.

BACKUP SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS

When choosing a backup software application, the following considerations are necessary:

The best solution is to rather have a completely accessible copy of your data, as in the complete file and folder structure with individual files being accessible in relevant software applications. This is without needing to restore your data from single backup files, before using the data. For clarity sake, after a backup, the backup files should be immediately accessible as if you were using the files from your local hard drive.

Although the above solution is not always practical, due to data capacity, automation requirements, time frame of backup completion requirements etc. The risk of using backup software applications that create a single backup file, has to be considered:

A large single compressed backup file may become corrupt resulting in no data accessible. This will require specialist data recovery services to repair/re-corrupt the file. Major Research and Development goes into repairing corrupt files. It is obvious that Data Recovery companies develop recovery processes for well-known industry standard type software applications. Therefore choose an acceptable industry standard type software solution for your backups such as normal Windows backup or Veritas Backup Exec etc. where scalable network backup solutions are required. If you choose a proprietary backup solution not commonly known in the industry, chances are no Data Recovery companies have developed recovery and file repair processes for such an application, resulting in huge data recovery costs.

The same software package will be necessary to restore the data, this aspect is sometimes overseen when archiving data, without realizing that software becomes outdated and might not be available at the time a data restore is required. We recommend keeping a copy of all backup software safeguarded when a restore of archived data may be required.

DVD/CD BACKUPS

Burning files to DVD or CD may be a risk, provided that each and every file is tested afterwards by opening the files from the DVD/CD with the relevant software applications. Although this seems to be a tedious task, CD miss-burns is a reality that occurs very often. We recommend the following when storing data on DVD/CD:

Compress the files using a compression utility such as Winzip and burn the ZIP file to CD; the following advantages will be applicable:

Once the ZIP file is written to CD, test the file from CD as if you need to extract the file. If the ZIP file displays the content of compressed files, all files will automatically be accessible.

The CD File System has many limitations such as; long file names, depth of directory path etc. By burning a single ZIP file, all limitations will be ignored.

Time, capacity and number of CD’s, will also be advantageous.

Using DVD/CD’s as an archiving solution is not recommended as the media only lasts for a number of years depending on manufacturer etc. The most effective solution for archiving data is explained under “Archiving Data”.

MEMORY STICKS / FLASH DRIVES

Please note, this storage device was designed mostly for transporting data from one computer to another, using it as a mobile device. A USB memory stick should not be used for data backups and is not regarded as a reliable storage device. Ensure after using this device to safely unplug/remove the device prior to disconnecting the device. (Usually an icon with a green arrow bottom right on your screen)

It’s also recommended not to store files on a memory stick by means of saving it to memory stick directly from within a software application. Rather save files on your local disk and afterwards copy the files to the device using Windows Explorer etc.

EXTERNAL DRIVES

External drives use different interfaces of connectivity such as USB, Firewire, SATA, ESATA etc. USB is the slowest of them all. Although all computers have a standard USB interface, to use most of the other interfaces, an interface card is required for connectivity. External drives are devices with standard desktop and notebook computer drives within the external casing. These drives are acceptable to use for data backups but should only be used as an additional copy of your data.

In the event of electronic failure of the external case, there is a chance that the internal drive might be in perfect working order. This may be tested by removing the internal drive from the case, connecting the drive to a standard desktop computer, as a secondary drive. Please note by removing the drive from the case might affect your warrantee, but as we know the cost of the external device is hardly a comparison to the value of the data.

When using these drives for backup purposes, it is recommended not to use a proprietary software application that is shipped with some of the external drives. Rather use standard Windows backup if that is your Operating System of choice. Even better, create backup folder names by date and manually copy required backup files as separate files & folders to the disk. Although much discipline is required for backups if no automated processes are in place. By having readily accessible files as a backup is a far smaller risk than compressed single backup files.

NETWORK DATA BACKUP SOLUTIONS

Use well-known Industry standard Backup Solutions only. When using a network backup solution to backup multiple servers, a fully automated solution is a critical requirement. Network backup software and hardware depends on very specific requirements. It is necessary to employ the services of a company that specialize in Backup Solutions to suit specific needs as all organizations have different requirements.

When choosing a reliable Software Backup Solution for a Network, the following components and considerations are necessary:

Planning regarding capacity of data vs. capacity of Backup Media / hardware platform

Implementation of suitable network backup software which includes the following backup agents:

Ensure to implement various agents to backup multiple Operating systems in a cross-platform network environment.

SQL Agent – To backup SQL Databases

MS Exchange Agent – To backup all e-mail configurations

Open Files Agent – To backup files that are open while accessed by network users

Accelerator Agent – While doing backups, it’s not recommended to run backups while the servers are being accessed by network users because of utilization of the backup process, which puts an additional load on the server. When backups cannot be completed overnight, an accelerator agent may be added to speed up the process.

Autoloader Agent – Used when more than one backup tape is required during a single backup process.

Disaster Recovery Agent – Various commercial network backup software solutions offer additional components for disaster recovery, these agents allow the booting from diskette to restore directly from backup media without the need to install and configure Operating systems and backup software. This reduces down time.

ARCHIVING DATA

Using DVD/CD’s, as an archiving solution is not recommended as the media only lasts for a number of years depending on manufacturer etc. The most effective solution for archiving data is to store data on a normal desktop type hard drive, preferably multiple copies. Data on these hard drives should be stored in a readily accessible format with separate file and folder structures, in uncompressed format and should be kept in a fire-proof strong room. Off-site storage of data is also recommended. A copy of every software application used to create all data including all serial numbers, access codes to operate the software should be stored on the same disk. This is in the event where software programs become outdated and are no longer in use, at the time where access to old data may be required.

In the event of loose separate hard drives, data should not be spanned across disks where more than one disk is required to restore even a single file.

When using backup tapes for archiving, only tapes with full backups should be considered. Incremental backups of data spanned across multiple tapes are a risk, as all tapes in the backup set are required to do a full restore. Rather store data in chunks as a full backup on a tape-by-tape basis. With damage to one of the tapes, only a partial data loss will be applicable.

The above only applies to environments of small data capacity requirements. There are many scalable Data Archiving Architectures available where large amounts of data archiving are required. Companies that specialize in off-site storage and business continuity will assist you with these requirements.

Example Requirements of most Government Regulations

Records must be stored in their original form without risk of alteration or deletion.

Records must be accurate and complete from the time they are created.

Records should be easily retrievable.

Disaster recovery plans should be in place, such as storing duplicate records off-site.

Tips and Tricks to Keep your Laptop Secure and Safe

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:38:00 +0000

by: Salem Hassan

Introduction

The sure to way to make your laptop secure is to never use them, never bring them with you, never open them nor install software on your laptop. Just locked them down in a fireproof safe place and they will be protected and out of harm's way forever. However, laptops were made for us to use, to help us more productive in our work and make our lives easy.

Keeping your laptop secure and protected is of course is still possible with some efforts on your part and with the use of existing security tools and software, learn and do good practices and most of the time using common sense.

From basics to the extreme, these are the tips and trick that will keep your laptop secure and safe.

1. Install Antivirus. Keep it up to date, regularly scan your computer and let it check your email. Without it, your laptop will surely get infected.

2. Install Anti-Spyware. Some Antivirus have bundled anti-spyware. Use them along with the antivirus and always get them updated. Regularly schedule scanning of laptop for spywares, Trojans, adware and other malwares to make them secure.

3. Keep Your System Updated. Let Windows constantly apply updates and patch security holes in your system. However, it is a good practice to always create a System Restore Point and backup your important files prior to applying updates on your system. You can use them to undo changes if problems occur or in case of update failure.

4. Set a System Password. Most computers have a built in CMOS setup password in its BIOS. This require that a password by typed in before it will boot the Operating System. It will prohibit any access to the computer at all. This is definitely not a password that you want to forget!
Password Protect Your Windows User Account. Windows user accounts can be assigned a password. This means that for a user to log on using an account, she must know the password.

5. Use Strong Password. A strong password mixes numbers, letters and specials characters. There are also websites available online that you can use to generate strong password or an online password checker.

6. Keep Your Firewall Turned On. A firewall helps protect your computer from hackers who might try to steal information, crash your computer or use it to attack other computers. Even if you know that your company is using corporate firewall to protect the computer inside their network, it is a good practice to always make sure that Windows firewall or third-party firewall is turned on specially when you are working on the road.

7. Beware of Pop-up Security Fakes. There will be occasions wherein while surfing or browsing some websites, you will be presented with a security warning that you computer could be infected with a virus or malware. This fake security software will entice you to scan or disinfect your computer by offering you a handy product to do the job for you. Beware of this – it could be rouge security software.

8. Encrypt Sensitive Data. Consider data encryption if you have sensitive information on your computer. Encryption will protect your business secrets.

9. Back Up Important Data. You don’t have to back up everything on the laptop. Just copy the important files you will need to the server. This will ensure that you will have something to look for when your laptop gets stolen on your trip. You just need to download your important files from the server to get the information you need.

10. Kid’s Computing. If you let your children use your laptop occasionally, always make sure that you keep an eye on them. Even if you are extra careful when using your laptop, this could be put at risk by a simple click of your kids especially when you let them browse or surf the internet. You can use parental-control software to prevent internet or computer use during off hours. Vista user accounts have this feature built-in.

11. Consider Insuring Your Laptop. If you laptop is expensive, it’s worth considering getting your laptop insured. Look for insurance providers such as Safeware that offers this type of service
12.Physical Security

Don’t be too obvious that you have them. Some fashionable people carry their laptops in expensive cases and this spell trouble for them. Those cases are hot in the prying eyes of thieves. There are available backpacks that are not too obvious that you are carrying a laptop with you and they’re also slash-proof and shock-proof as well.

13. Bio-metrics. The future of passwords is in your bio-metrics. The most common nowadays is fingerprints, retinas and even the shape of your face.

14. Lock the Laptop. Most notebook computers have a Kensington Security Slot which is a hole for attaching a lock. That was made for the purpose of securing your laptop – use it.

15. Track Your Laptop Anywhere. If a PC or notebook is stolen, you can make use of this technology to track down your laptop. It’s not just for car, it’s also available for laptop. There are open source software that is available for free and also proprietary software to choose from.

7 Must Have Online Data Recovery Tools

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:30:00 +0000

by: Kara Hugg

The entry of a virus, malfunctioning software or a plagued operating system may cost you some important files. Below is a narrowed down list of some helpful online data recovery tools, which you can use to retrieve your important files.

TestDisk

TestDisk complements Windows, Mac and Linux data recovery needs. It is a powerful open-source tool that can ‘undelete’ suddenly lost and accidentally deleted files from FAT, NTFS and ext2 file systems. It also hosts other useful functionality. It helps recover the damaged boot sector from a backup, rebuild that boot sector and find lost partitions in dozens in format to locate the lost data and copy deleted files from partitions.

Recuva

Recuva is a Window-based tool that holds the power to resurrect missing files via its file-recovery wizard or application manual mode. When you are not quite sure of where your files are located or lost, the file-recovery wizard proves to be handy not only in retrieving missing files but also locating long forgotten files. Its manual user mode is helpful in file location.

PhotoRec

This program is a perfect complement to the TestDisk applications. It may not hold GUI capabilities but is certainly is one powerful online data recovery tool. Among its great features is that it does not mess with your computer partitions as it does not tend to rebuild your master boot record. This application is more focused on file types and operating-system agnostic. It offers help in quickly and safely copying all your suddenly lost files to another disk.

Restoration

Restoration could be the most helpful addition to your Windows-based USB toolkit. Not only does it help restore missing USB files but also your personal computer files. While it lacks the advanced functionality of most online data recovery tools, it is a very effective and generally reliable. Despite its meager 406k size, it outweighs any other data recovery tools out there when it simple applications.

Undelete Plus

Undelete Plus is a data recovery application that works on all versions of Windows as well as incarnations of FAT and NTFS file systems. It works by assigning recovery probability to searched files, depending on the severity of the damage. It allows easy file sorting by type and easy setting of filters, which will help sift through every deleted file in locating your missing files.

GetDataBack

This software helps recover lost data from your hard drive’s partition table, boot record, FAT/MFT or root directory. With the use of advanced algorithms, it ensures that all directories and subdirectories are put together and reconstructed properly. Perhaps the greatest GetDataBack feature is its capacity to enable regular users to conduct his own data recovery by guiding him in every step while giving the advanced users the leeway to interfere with the recovery operations to improve data search and retrieval results.

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery

This software will provide you with the complete solution to all your data recovery needs. It works great in retrieving all the data lost after operating system corruption, file system damage, accidental deletion and damage to the USB flash drive. With its improved recovery applications for FAT and NTFS file systems, it helps recover lost logical drives, do hard drive cloning and imaging and recover photo, music and video files from your system.

Given this chance to look over the few notable online data recovery tools, you can now pinpoint which application(s) will assure the recovery of your missing files.

11 Ways Computer Viruses Are Spread

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:43:00 +0000

by: Stephen Mulberry

It is the worst nightmare of every computer user: you wake up one day and realize that you have a virus, and you don’t know quite how to get rid of it. Most people these days understand what a virus is and how harmful it can be, but they are still somewhat unsure how computer viruses spread. The truth is that there are dozens of different ways in which a virus can spread from computer to computer, but let’s take a look at the most frequent ways in which people run into viruses, spyware and Trojans on the Internet.

1. Email attachments. The world became familiar with the phenomena of email attachments carrying viruses thanks to Microsoft’s Outlook Express automatically opening every attachment to every email you received a few years back. Now that email clients no longer do this, the infection rate from email attachments is significantly lower, but it can still be a common problem. The golden rule is that if you don’t know what an attachment is, don’t open it. To this day, many email users never open attachments, no matter what. You don’t have to take such drastic steps to protect yourself, however; simply use common sense when opening attachments in your email.

2. Rogue Websites. It is depressing to know that you may become infected with spyware or a virus by doing nothing more than simply visiting a website, but it is true. Many adult websites, gambling websites and other less than trustworthy websites will attempt to automatically access your computer when you visit them. They often install adware bugs that will cause a flurry of pop ups to appear on your screen. This adware will often allow for other programs with even more nefarious purposes to be installed and before you know it, your computer will be swamped. To stop these rogue websites, adjust the settings on your antivirus software and firewall so that no outside connections can be made and no programs can be installed without your express permission.
3. Networks. If your computer is connected to a home network or if your work computer is part of a larger network, you may find yourself with an infection through no fault of your own. Someone else on the network downloaded a bug by accident, and within minutes, the entire network could be infected. There isn’t much you can do to stop these kinds of infections, short of having your network administrator ensure that everyone’s antivirus software is up to date so that the invading bug can be removed as quickly as possible.

4. Infected Boot disks. Now that hard drives are obscenely large, the overwhelming percentage of us don’t bother to use boot disks anymore, but a virus can still be spread if an infected disk is in your hard drive and you attempt to restart. When you start your computer, your machine will always check your drives to see if a disk with boot information is present. If one is, your computer will likely automatically attempt to boot from the disk and not from your drive. If a virus is present, it will often be activated and you will become infected. Always know the origin of any disk you put into your drive.

5. Phishing Schemes. Learning how computer viruses spread is important to keep yourself, and your personal information, safe online. Phishing schemes are one of the chief ways in which people end up with their identity stolen and a computer fill of viruses. A phishing scheme starts when you receive an email from a website claiming to be your bank or credit card company. You are asked to click a link and log in, but the truth is that you’ve just given away all of your personal information. Often times, when you visit these sites, spyware, adware and viruses are automatically installed on your computer (see Rogue Websites, above). Your lender or credit card will often send out a real notice that let’s you know that a phishing scheme is going around. The smartest thing you can do is to simply call your bank or credit card company if you receive an email saying there is a problem with your account instead of blindly following links in your email.

6. Infected Software. One of the great things about the Internet is how many free games and programs there are out there, but these free programs often come at a price. Too many rogue websites intentionally infect their freeware (like Kazaa) with trojan viruses so that you unknowingly infect your computer every time you download a free game or piece of software. The key here is to only download freeware or shareware from a trusted source like CNet that always ensures your safety.

7. Hackers. The Internet today is a much more law abiding place than it was ten years ago. Not only did most people not have antivirus protection and firewalls that could stop incoming attacks, most people didn’t even know what they were. Today, people understand the value of good online protection, but hackers can still pose a problem if you allow your protection software to lapse. The best way to beat hackers is to ensure that you have a firewall and up to date antivirus software.

8. Instant Messaging. It is difficult to find a computer in this day and age that doesn’t have at least one instant messaging service installed on it. Unfortunately, these programs are often targets of hackers who see an easy way to trick people into clicking links that lead them to rogue websites. Common sense can keep you out of trouble, however. Only chat with people you know and never follow links to sites that you don’t recognize. You should easily be able to keep Internet worms, viruses and other bugs at bay.

9. Fake Anti Virus Software. This is one of the most frustrating ways to become infected with a virus or worm. There are dozens of anti virus and anti spyware programs you can download for free on the Internet and a surprising number of them actually do exactly the opposite of what they claim. The product websites make outrageous claims that their product can protect you from a whole range of threats, when, in reality, their product will only make things a thousand times worse. Only download antivirus programs from trusted sites or from websites that you know are completely legit.

10. From Mobile Devices. A recent story in the newspaper should serve as a wake up call for anyone who is getting ready to plug in a mobile device into their computer for the first time. A family purchased a digital picture frame from a local store and when they attempted to install the software that came with it, they inadvertently infected their computer with a virus. There really is no way to stop such an infection from happening, since we all buy peripherals that work with our computer, but we can ensure that we have the tools ready to go if an infection should happen. Keep your anti virus software up to date at all times and you should be able to wrestle control back from any Internet bug.

11. Friends and Relatives. Often times, we are sent viruses through our email from people that we know and trust. The social networking site Facebook has had to battle this very problem when their serves get a bug and automatically send out emails to everyone on the system that are infected. Often times, these emails are extremely generic sounding and come with suspicious attachments, but people often open them anyway since they have come from a friend or from a site they trust, like Facebook. Remember, if you get an attachment with an .exe extension or a .dll, don’t ever open it.

Learning how computer viruses spread is the best way we can put an end to their reign of terror online. It is only with the right knowledge and the best antivirus software that Internet users everywhere can beat online bugs for good.

Keeping Your Computer Quick And Secure

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:37:00 +0000

by: Justin Williams

Is your computer running slower then it should be? Do you find yourself dealing with Spyware a lot? Do you have computer Viruses on your system? These are some problems that many internet users face. You would be surprised just how many people ask me for advice about these subjects.
And this includes Grandma calling because she has over 50 viruses on her system, no joke lol. I decided to write this article and explain the best way to keep your computer running smoothly and Spyware/Virus free.

Note: I wrote this article with a focus mainly on computers running Windows. Not all of the programs mentioned in this article may have a Mac or Linux version.

Many times, when people go about searching for programs to fix their computer, they often make the problem worse. The reason is that many security software programs may actually be Spyware in itself or otherwise do a really poor job at removing the Spyware and Viruses from your system.

- First off, if you have any computer Viruses on your system, you need to get rid of them right away. The same goes for Spyware. For getting rid of Viruses, I would recommend you download the free version of AVG Anti-Virus. After you download it, make sure and update it before doing a full scan.

- Now, for getting rid of Spyware, I would recommend you use Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware. I recommend downloading them both and running a scan. Again, make sure to update it before you do the scan though. I have found that sometimes one program detects something that the other did not. By using two separate scanners, you will have a better chance of getting rid of the Spyware.

Now that you have gotten rid of the Spyware and Viruses on your system, here are some ways to increase the speed of your computer.

- Run Disk Defragmenter on your computer. This is something that many people forget to do. I could go into a long explanation about what this does, but the short way of saying it is that the time the computer takes to access files will be reduced. I recommend doing a Disk Defrag once a month.

Most people already have Disk Defragmenter on their computer. If you are on windows, you should be able to find it under (Programs - Accessories - System Tools). If you don't have DiskDefragmenter. Try going to Download.com. There are many great Disk Defragmenters available to download there.
- Clean your computer registry. But please don't do it yourself. Use software designed for this. You can really mess your computer up if you don't know what you're doing in the computer registry. There are many registry cleaners out there. Unfortunately, they all cost. However, here is one registry cleaner that I have found to be good. It's called Regdefense. They even offer a free scan so you can see just how much your registry may need to be cleaned before you decide if you wish to buy this software or not. In addition to the registry cleaner, this software offers many other tools for keeping your computer running smoothly.

- Remove unneeded programs that are set to run when you turn on the computer. These include various IM messengers, audio and video programs, etc. I have seen many people with over 30-40 programs set to run at startup. No wonder the computer was taking awhile to load! For me, I have a total of 9 programs running at startup. For a free startup manager to remove startup entries, I recommend Startup Inspector.

- Get rid of the unneeded files on your computer. There are many programs that can do this. I'm going to recommend one you should already have on your computer though. It's called Disk Cleanup. You should see it under (Programs - Accessories - System Tools). It may not have some of the advanced features like other cleaners, but it should do the job.
Now that you have done these steps, your computer should be running a lot smoother. Now you need to keep it this way! Run Disk Defrag, Virus scans, and Spyware scans regularly. Try and keep your computer registry clean and your computer startup items to a minimum. And here is an extra link to a program I recommend to keep your computer secure. SpywareBlaster. Once you install it and update it, you will need to click to enable the protection. It will protect you from thousands of types of Spyware and will block it before it even installs onto your system. A very cool program!
If you are on a high-speed connection, I would recommend getting a firewall. ZoneAlarm has a free firewall. I've used it for years and it has never let me down.

Also, I recommend using a System Utilities program. These are computer programs that offer many tools to keep your computer running smoothly. Normally you might have to download separate tools to do these things. System Utility programs combine all of the tools into one big program. They are very useful. I personally recommend iolo System Mechanic.

Wrapping this up, if you do all of these tips, your computer should stay safe and run smoothly. I have been doing all of these tips for a long time, and it has been years since I have had any type of Spyware or Virus infection. You shouldn't have to deal with these annoyances on the net. Just do these tips, and you shouldn't need to worry. Good luck!

If you would like more tips, check out my website at http://www.EasyTechReviews.com or my blog at http://truthcomputer.blogspot.com/

Five Tips For Staying Safe On The Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:27:00 +0000

by: Justin Williams
For this article, I thought I would give 5 tips on ways to stay safe while on the internet. These are some very simple tips, but you would be surprised how many people fail to do these things. Anyway, let's get right to them.

First off, never give your passwords out to anyone. I don't care if someone instant messages you claiming to be from AOL, you shouldn't give your password out. You also should be careful of websites that look like official websites that ask for your password. If you are uncertain about the website, just type in the regular homepage address. That way you are sure you are on the actual homepage.

Make your passwords difficult for people to guess. This is such a simple tip, but you would be surprised how many people forget to do this. It's usually recommended to pick a password that has letters AND numbers in it. If you just pick a word in the dictionary, it is easier for someone to guess. Putting letters and numbers together makes it much more difficult. Also, putting special characters in your password is also good.
Do not download software from pop-up boxes. I'm talking about those boxes that sometimes come up when you go to a website. Often times they will pretend to be a warning message that says your computer is infected with Spyware. Don't download those software programs! They are most likely Spyware. If you want to know some legitimate Spyware removers, check out my blog where I have some listed. My blog address is at the bottom of this article.
Do not click on links in spam e-mails you receive! I cannot stress this enough. There is absolutely no reason that you should click on a link in an e-mail from someone you don't know. What is the worst that could happen if you do? Well, the link could take you to a website that will infect your computer with a virus through a security hole. That can happen just by visiting a website. Seriously, there is no reason to click on a link from someone you don't know. If you've got an e-mail from someone claiming to be from eBay wanting your password, then log in from the main website. If eBay really needs you to log in so bad that they are e-mailing you, I'm sure there will be a big notice right on your account when you do log in through the actual website.
And finally, be careful with what personal information you put on the internet. Unless you are ordering something, you should not need to give out your last name, home address, or home phone number. If I sign up for a website and they need something like my phone number, I just give them my cell phone number. Even that though I don't generally recommend.
Like I've said, there are a lot of people that are taken advantage of through the internet. If you make sure to follow these tips, you should have no problem.
Stay safe!

For more tips, check out my website at http://www.easytechreviews.com or my blog at http://truthcomputer.blogspot.com

7 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing A Web Hosting Provider

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:25:00 +0000

by: Justin Daniel
If you are relatively new to the world of Internet development and are thinking about purchasing a web hosting package for the first time it can be hard to know where to start. By avoiding the following common mistakes that many beginners make you can increase your chances of choosing the right web hosting provider.

Mistake 1 - Buying A Web Hosting Package From A Domain Registrar.

Don't fall in to the trap of immediately hosting with a domain registrar as many of these companies provide overpriced web hosting packages that are stripped of the most essential features for building a web site. Many of these companies skim the market with their web hosting packages and prey on uninformed clients who ultimately end up with a web hosting package that does not fulfill their needs. I am not saying all domain registrars do this, some do not, but make an informed decision.

Mistake 2 - Choosing A Web Hosting Package With No Refund Guarantee.

Some web hosting companies do not provide a refund guarantee for their starter packages. If you are starting out and only require a moderately sized web hosting deal ensure you do not end up paying for a web hosting package that does not fulfill the requirements of your web site with no option for a refund.

Mistake 3 - Choosing A Shared Web Hosting Package When You Require Dedicated, Or Vice Versa.

The two main types of web hosting packages you can select is shared or dedicated hosting. Shared hosting is best for web sites that are reasonably small or web sites that are only starting out. Purchasing a dedicated server is only required for web sites with really high traffic. You can always switch to a dedicated server later on if required, many companies will do this for you free of charge, and you can save money in the mean time.

Mistake 4 - Selecting A Package With Inadequate Features.

If you are only starting out you don't need every feature under the sun yet there are some essential features that some web hosting companies do not provide on their starter packages. PHP, MYSQL, Webmail and a handful of email accounts is the very least that you will require for even the most basic website. Your web designer will love you and it prevents having to change web hosts unnecessarily later on down the track if you require these features for simple things such as a contact form, news section, database of customers and so on.

Mistake 5 - Not Choosing A Package With Free Support.

If you end up with the right web hosting provider you usually wont encounter too many problems. It's better to be safe than sorry, however, and you should have the freedom to contact the support department of your web hosting provider whenever you encounter a problem or have a question and not have to worry about a hefty fee.

Mistake 6 - Choosing A Package With No Simple Back Up Solution.

Many web hosts do not provide a free back up solution. This may seem unreasonable but it because it would be impossible for the web hosts to back up every single time their clients modified their web sites. This means it is your responsibility to ensure you retrieve regular up to date back ups of your web site and if this is a feature of your web hosting package it will help you out a great deal.
Mistake 7 - Paying The Wrong Price.

The many different prices that web hosting providers use for their products can be quite confusing for the beginner. It is common practise in the industry for companies to advertise a monthly price yet expect you to pay for at least a years worth of hosting. If you keep this in mind and steer clear of the mistakes mentioned in this article you will be well on your way to choosing the right web hosting provider.

I hope my advice has been helpful. If you are about to be involved in creating an Internet presence for the first time it can be a very rewarding experience. Try not to get too overwhelmed by the many things to worry about and give something creative and different to the Internet - your visitors will love you for it. Good luck!

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/computers_and_internet/article_4784.shtml

Five Signs Your Computer May Have A Spyware Infection

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:27:00 +0000

These days, spyware is everywhere. As Anti-Spyware programs get stronger, spyware continues to become trickier. Because of this, in my opinion, you simply cannot rely on running a spyware scanner to tell you if you
have a spyware infection or not. You need to be able to notice other signs that you may have a spyware infection. Because let's face it, unless you have some type of spyware guard that runs 24/7, it's possible you will get an infection between scans with whichever spyware scanner you use. And if you go weeks between scans, the spyware could really harm your computer.
Now, just because you may notice one of these signs doesn't mean for sure that your computer has a spyware infection. It is still possible it doesn't. However, in my opinion, noticing any of these signs is enough reason to run a scan as soon as possible. Anyway, let's get right to the signs. Here they are, in no particular order.

1. IExplore.Exe

Try looking at the list of running processes on your computer. (Ctrl+Alt+Del - Processes (On Windows Xp) ). Do you see IExplore.Exe running? Well, if you are viewing this article in Internet Explorer or have Internet Explorer open in the background, then you shouldn't worry about seeing IEXplore.EXE in your process list. However, if you close out of Internet Explorer or you restart the computer and IEXplore.Exe or IEXplorer.exe is running when you clearly don't have Internet Explorer running, then this is a sign that you may be infected with Spyware. Many types of Spyware and Virus will run as IExplore.exe in the process list to confuse you with Internet Explorer. I have seen this happen many times when fixing computers.

2. Unexplainable Pop-Ups?

Pop-Ups can still be a problem for some internet users who don't use pop-up blockers. It can be common to go to websites and experience many pop-ups. However, if you are getting pop-up windows at times that you don't think you should be any, that may be a sign of an infection. This could be when you aren't surfing the web, when you first turn on the computer, etc. If you are experiencing this, run a scan!

3. Infection Warnings?

Are you receiving numerous warnings of an infection on your computer? If so, the warnings may be the infection in itself! Spyware programs displaying fake warnings to get you to download more spyware is becoming a lot more common these days. Many times they will use pop up boxes from your windows tray to warn you. They do this because these boxes look legitamate and look like they come from Windows. They don't! I can't think of a scenario where you would get any type of box like that unless it is from a spyware scanner you already use. Even if you feel this box may be from your scanner, play it safe and don't click the box. Just open up your scanner regularly and do a scan.

4. Start-Up Items

Another quick way to look for a possible infection is to look at a list of items set to run on startup. Now, you can do this without downloading any programs. But I recommend downloading a program like StartUp Manager that will easily show you a list of what is running at startup.

Anyway, look at the list of items running at startup. Has anything been added since the last time you checked what is running at startup? If there are new items and you don't recognize them, this may be a sign of a spyware infection that is set to run when you turn your computer on.

And finally, if you open your internet browser and your homepage has changed, this is definitely a sign that you may have a spyware infection. Changing your browser homepage is one of the oldest tricks in the book for a Spyware Infection. If your homepage has changed and you didn't change it, run a scan!

If you remember to look for these signs, you just may spot a spyware infection before you find out from your spyware scanner. Remember though, before running a spyware scan, ALWAYS update it first!

Stay safe!

What is a FaceBook Unblock?

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:22:00 +0000

by: Mike Boudet

For frequent users of social networking sites, finding a FaceBook unblock services can be truly valuable. The growth of the internet has lead many companies and schools to install internet filtering software that can
prevent many web surfers from gaining access to desired websites.
Social Networking Sites

One of the most popular types of internet sites that have exploded over the internet over the past several years is social networking sites. These sites were first introduced in
the mid-1990s and expanded with the introduction of Friendster in 2002 and then within the next few years when MySpace was introduced in 2005. In 2006, FaceBook was introduced as a competitor to MySpace and today it is one of the top ranked social networking companies on the internet today.

As membership in social networking sites and internet messaging has grown, more and more companies have installed internet filtering software as a means of controlling web surfing activities and protecting valuable computer networking equipment and work stations.

Filtering Software

As the internet has grown, more and more companies, schools and public computer network administrators have installed filtering software on these computer work stations. The reasons for concerns about the use of internet connected work stations are valid and important to understand.

One of the primary concerns about web surfing is that it can leave work stations and computer networks vulnerable to malware, spyware and computer viruses. These malicious software infections can not only affect the work station that unknowingly downloaded the infection, but the entire computer network. As a result, important and valuable files can be destroyed or corrupted. Efforts to clean the entire system do not only involve cleaning the work station where the infection originally occurred, but also the network server and every work station to which the infection spread.

The other concern that both schools and workplace administrators have is the amount of time wasted by accessing websites that are not related to classroom assignments or work. A recent study found that individuals can waste hours at a time without even realizing it as they surf from website to website following items of interest to them. And social networking sites like FaceBook, MySpace and Twitter fall within the category of time wasting activities for concerned workplace and school administrators, who have a vested interest in keeping computer uses focused on the work at hand.

FaceBook Unblocking

While users of social networking sites may find themselves frustrated at looking at a “blocked website” message on their computer screen, there are ways to bypass filtering software. Proxy services are the way to work around filtering software. Proxy services work by allowing members to sign up for a membership that provides access to a proxy server. The proxy server site is not recognized as a dangerous or malicious website and is not blocked. Once logged on, members can anonymously go to their desired website without being tracked. And good proxy services prevent hacking by encrypting both incoming and outgoing activities as long as the user is signed on to the proxy server.

http://www.gotrusted.com/

Tips on Getting Insurance For Your Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:12:00 +0000

by Tiffany Provost

Just about everything nowadays can be covered by insurance. Auto insurance, health insurance and travel insurance are available, just to name a few. But did you realize that you can also indemnify your computer?
Some people can't function without their home computers. The result is individuals either invest in costly repairs or purchase a new computer. If it's something you can't afford to fix or replace, you're in trouble without insurance. Below is to be considered in assuring your computer.

Whenever you purchase any type of electronics, you must ask about its warranty. As long as the warranty is still active, any claim will be covered. To make sure these companies don't push you off, it is best to remain all written documents, especially proceeds. In order to guarantee coverage, you will typically have to provide receipts to your carrier. Don't forget this receipt is your proof of purchase.

Sometimes homeowner's insurance can include items like computers, so check to see if this is possible under your policy. Go for all inclusive coverage. If the homeowner's insurance does not include enough for personal digital devices, it is an option to adjust the amount of coverage up to include the value of these items as well. At the very least, you need to have sufficient coverage for your personal property.

Get a specific computer insurance policy if you use a computer while staying in a dorm or other type of school property. Contact your educational institution's administration office to make the request. Computer insurance policies also cover peripherals. You might inquire the coverage of your purchase rules to be certain of this.

Laptops may also be covered by insurance if you are familiar with exactly when and how to purchase it. Read over your insurance policy for your home to confirm. If you have valuable electronics, you should find an insurance company that will cover them. Be careful to pick the right policy to cover your laptop.

Computing or calculating the quantity you in fact need for your coverage is as well an excellent thought. If you do this, you won't have an overwhelming amount of choices. Checking insurance company websites will give you information related to the types of plans and rates they offer.

It is extremely realistic for someone to make sure all the significant things they make use of. Portable items insurance is on the cheaper side. It may be possible to combine a first-time payment on your digital property (i.e. a home computer) and your homeowner's policy at once and you should ask your agent about this option. It is always wise to carry insurance for any eventuality, whether it be human error or accidents.

How to Reset Your Home Network

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:55:00 +0000

This article describes how to restart a home network the proper way. Do this when your internet is not working before you call Tech Support. You may need to print this page for if your internet goes down / when you switch your computer off..

10 Easy Steps ..

1.Shut down your computer.

2.Unplug the power to your modem. This is the box from your cable or DSL provider.

3.Unplug the power to your VOIP phone adapter. If you don't have one skip this step.

4.Unplug the power to your router.

5.Wait 45 seconds.

6.Plug in your modem and wait for lights to stabilize on a specific pattern. (Usually takes about 1 minute)

7.Plug in your router and wait until the lights stabilize or the router has started up.(Usually takes about 30 seconds)

8.Plug in your VOIP phone adapter (if you have VOIP service) and wait until you have a dial tone on your phone again. If you don't have VOIP or know what VIOP is, skip this step.

9.Start your computer.

10.You have now completed a power cycle and you should be able to get back online.

Maximize the Speed of Your Internet Connection

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:52:00 +0000

This article describes how to speed up your Internet connection without use of web accelerators, and is geared towards Windows and Internet Explorer.

There are some easy steps to Follow ..

1. Do some basic maintenance on your Computer. Run Disk Defragment, a scan disk, a virus scan, a malware scan, and clear your recycle bin. An unusually slow Internet connection experience is often the only sign that your computer is infected with viruses or other malware. Delete old files and temporary internet files. Never allow the free space on your C: drive to be less than 10% of the total size or twice the installed RAM (which ever is larger). A well maintained Computer will operate much better than a Computer that has never had any maintenance. Google or your local computer repair store should be able to help you with this if you don't know how.

2. Reset Your Home Network. Sometimes restarting your home network if you have one will drastically increase the speed of your connection.

3. Optimize your cache or temporary Internet files. These files improve your Internet connection performance by not downloading the same file over and over. When a web site puts their logo graphic on every page your computer only downloads it when it changes. If you delete the temporary files it must be downloaded again. if you disable the cache, it must be downloaded every time you view a page that uses it. This can be done by opening Internet Explorer, clicking on "Tools" at the top and choosing "Internet Options". On the General tab, click the "Settings" button next to Temporary Internet Files. Set Check for newer versions to "Automatically". Set amount of disk space to use to 2% of your total disk size or 512 MB, which ever is smaller. On Firefox, click "Tools" then "Options," and go to the privacy tab. Then click on the Cache tab within this.

4. Never bypass your router. Most routers include a firewall that is very difficult for hackers to defeat. If you don't need to use Wireless then hook your computer directly to your router. Routers will only slow down your connection by a few Milli-seconds. You won't notice the difference but the hackers will.

5. If you are using a Wireless router, make sure it doesn't conflict with a cordless phone or wireless camera. Wireless routers come in two varieties; 802.11bg (2.4Ghz) or 802.11a (5.8Ghz) If you are using a 2.4Ghz Cordless phone and 2.4Ghz Wireless router then your Internet connection speed will slow while you use the cordless phone. The same is true of wireless security cameras. Check on your phone and camera, if it's 900Mhz then it's fine. If it says 2.4Ghz or 5.8Ghz then it could be the cause of your slow connection speed while they're in use.

6. Call your Internet service provider (ISP). Sometimes you just have bad service. They can usually tell if your connection is substandard without having a technician come to your home. Just be nice and ask.

7. Upgrade your computer. If your computer is slow, it doesn't matter how fast your Internet connection is, the whole thing will just seem slow. You can only access the Internet as fast as your PC will allow you to.

8. Replace your old cable modem. Any solid-state electronics will degrade over time due to accumulated heat damage. Your broadband modem will have a harder and harder time 'concentrating' on maintaining a good connection as it gets older (signal to noise ratios will go down, and the number of resend requests for the same packet will go up). An after-market cable modem as opposed to a cable-company modem will frequently offer a better connection.

9. Often your connection speed is slow because other programs are using it. To test if other programs are accessing the Internet without your knowing, Click Start, Click Run. Type "cmd" (without quotes). Type "netstat -b 5 > activity.txt". After a minute or so, hold down Ctrl and press C. This has created a file with a list of all programs using your Internet connection. Type activity.txt to open the file and view the program list. Ctrl Alt Delete and open up the Task Manager. Go to the process menu and delete those processes that are stealing your valuable bandwidth. (NOTE: Deleting processes may cause certain programs to not function properly)

10. After you have tried all this try your connection again and see if it's running any faster.

Top 10 easy ways to speed up your computer

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:34:00 +0000

The list below describes the top ten ways you can speed up your computer through either general maintenance or hardware upgrades. I tried to list some things other than just the obvious ones most places always list. Now there are of course many more.

First Off, Install
PC Power Suite and let it scan and optimize for you. This will save you loads of time and really give your computer a boost of energy!

10. Check your initial hardware for possible memory, CPU, or hard drive upgrades.
9. Insure your paging files is set to one and a half times the size of the amount of ram installed. If you are using 2 gig or more of ram memory simply turn off the paging file. (To review your paging file right click my computer and choose properties -then choose the advanced tab – Then select the performance settings-slect the advanced tab and modify the virtual memory file size)

8. Run monthly system maintenance such as disk cleanup, disk check, or disk defrag.

7. Clean out your temporary internet files and cookies. (To do this open Internet Explorer and choose the tools menu- Select options- on the main page you can emty the temp files and delete the cookies.)

6. Empty the c:\windows\prefetch folder.

5. Scan your system weekly for spyware.

4. Delete any unused programs by using the add/remove programs utility.

3. Groom your Windows start up file by using the msconfig utility. (This can be done by going to start\Run and typing msconfig then select ok and choose the start up tab)

2. Update your device drivers. If you are using an OEM computer simply visit the manufacturers website for updated software and drivers. If using a custom built computer you will need to visit the hardware manufacturers support site one device at a time to obtain the latest software.

1. Turn off unnecessary services in the services manager.(To access this control panel go to control panel\administrative tools\services)

This little tid bit should allow you to boost your PC performance somewhat. The major improvements will come with hardware upgrades especially increases in system memory (RAM).

Feel free to leave me some of your ideas below in the comments section.

I also highly recommend using PC Bug Doctor. This software has thousands of common fixes built in and they will help you fix just about any computer problem via their helpdesk. Simply the best support team online.

SocialTraffic - How you can Profit

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:42:00 +0000

by: Derek Armson

Social Traffic, Social Marketing, Social Bookmarking, Video Sharing...to many people it's a thorny subject...And rightly so because the entire social "arena" does tend to suffer somewhat from "smoke and
mirrors" syndrome!

With a bit of luck I can bring a bit of much wanted light to the topic.

So, what is social traffic / marketing?

Essentially it's getting traffic from using "social techniques"! Sometimes called "Social Traffic" as well.
To answer the question fully, we need to
look back at a small bit of history. So, let's descend in to the mists of time, back to the era of the dotcom boom and then crushing bust!

We may all look at Web1.0 through rose tinted glasses these days, but it was a very unexciting place! The www was a one-way street back then. As a website proprietor, you could tell people things, give them information...But there was no socialisation, no interaction, no "social thing" happening!

And, in my view that is where Web1.0 broke and the reason so many "dotcom" companies went bust. They did a terrific job in creating the buzz surrounding the dotcom boom but, when it came to actual delivery time - there was not much to deliver in terms of sales or benefits for the user.

In essence, the technology and know-how hadn't quite arrived. Add to that a complete lack of in depth market investigation in to what people wanted from the world wide web, and with that old 20/20 vision, it's easy to see why it all went so wrong!
So, the moneymen and technicians delivered a combination of what they believed people wanted and poor technical wizardry.

However, those new technologies required for Web2.0 were starting to emerge. Sadly not quite in time to save the dotcom companies at the time though!

Many of the finest technicians joined the dotcom bandwagon, I remember the investmant banks being totally flumoxed by the brain drain to the dot coms! But, when the dotcoms went bust, these technicians were left "high and dry". Highly skilled and motivated by how far they could push the technology (rather than make loads of money), something very interesting started to transpire.

Many very small highly technical companies sprang up and started to deliver the truly interactive technology that we now rely on for Web2.0 and social traffic.

It started with Blogging and then video sharing, social networking and more recently social bookmarking - what we now know as the social traffic fabric.

So, why is this so crucial now?

The bottom line is thatl any web business must have traffic to continue. Think about it, more traffic = more sales = more profits! It's what I believe is called a "no brainer"!
Indeed, for any organization looking to maximise sales over the Internet, having a social traffic / social marketing strategy has grown to be more and more important.

Why?

Well, have you checked on your Adwords expenses recently? Contrary to claims that PPC costs are falling, the costs for competitive keywords that return genuine sales are on the rise. PPC costs have rocketed over the last two years or so.

And, whilst fundamental SEO is relatively easy, a commitment to SEO as your sole traffic source becomes more and more marginal the deeper into the rabbit warren you go.

That leaves social marketing and social traffic generation as the only chief viable alternative.

When the phrase "social traffic" is mentioned, it conjures up a whole plethora of images.

YouTube, Wikipedia, My Space, Technorati, Blogger, Digg, Squidoo and of course recent rising star "microblogger" Twitter.

It's true, these are all "Social" properties (as they are called).

But what exactly is "social marketing" and how does it work?

Well there are a number of different "branches".

Firstly there is blogging. With great programs like Blogger and Wordpress it's now simple to to publish a blog in very little time.

What is a Blog? Basically it's an online journal. Nothing new, people have been writing journals for years and a Blog is an online journal. It's the merger of the words "Web"and "Log" = Blog!

It's a place where you (and anyone else for that matter) can air your views and sell your products. Value is built by the interactivity of the platform. Your readers can add views and comment that help build value, similar to the comments on properties such as Squidoo, My Space and Hubpages.

Secondly there is the social networking aspect of social traffic. This tends to split into two categories, truly social, like Facebook and Friends Reunited and business oriented sites such as Hubpages and Squidoo.

Twitter now sits somewhere sandwiched between.

>From the business view these sites are significant because Google treats them as "authority" sites and gives them peak weighting as far as organic search engine results are concerned.

What I really like about these sites is that they also offer you the ability to tag your articles for a wider marketing effect (as opposed to the strict use of keywords required for PPC).

Social bookmarking is the glue that holds all this in sync. A social bookmarking site is simply a way of creating lists of favourites. You then intermingle with other users with related interests and permit them have access to your bookmarked catalog of sites.

If your "social" friends like the sites you bookmark, they pass them on to their other friends and so on and a momentum builds. That's when and how your social traffic starts to really come through.

Now, it does take an investment of time and effort to set up all of your social marketing accounts. There is NO way around this - sorry if you wanted a quick fix!

And, you do need to go wide with your social bookmarking. It's no good setting yourself up with just one account at one property. You do need to have an account at as many social sites as you can!

Sorry, yes you do have to do some work! But hey, it's not exactly hard is it? Beats sweating on a production line or in a City office!

The final "strand" of social traffic generation is the video sharing sites. YouTube is undoubtedly the most famous, but there are many others like Vimeo and also Google, Yahoo now have video sharing properties.

Video has become more and more crucial as a selling tool online. You simply have to use video in your online sales effort if you crave success today. I heard it suggested that a sales page with video is 85% more likely to end up in a sale. Now that is a statistic that it is well worth stacking in your favour!

So, to generate a flood of social traffic you need to use the social networking sites to be the source of your content. Then link them to a related article on your blog or other social property...Then socially bookmark both links as well as including video content.

You do this for a highly relevant keyword, then wash rinse and repeat for an additional closely related keyword.

Again, I must to stress that you cannot just have one keyword and expect success. Yes, you can get on to page one of Google for any certain keyword.

However, to generate a real flood of free social traffic you have to put forward a series of pages on associated keywords as well.

That is how social marketing works.

One final thing, remember you have to respect the duplicate content rules. I know you may be tempted to moan about the these rules as I did when I first started the social traffic generation "thing"!

However, it is because authority sites like Hubpages maintain these strict rules that Google treat them as such...Authority sites. In turn, we, as users, get the benefit in terms of great, high profile listings (quickly)!

So, spend sometime configuring your social marketing and traffic infrastructure and you will get massive long-term, quality traffic to your pages and web properties. And, it's an overnight near instant flow of traffic - instant social traffic!