PC Solutions Area

The Fact About Traces Left in Your PC Even After Deletion

2009-11-07T18:04:00.000-08:00

Are you aware that your computer may have Cookies, footprints or other traceable paths from deleted files? Allot of people think by deleting the files any traceable evidence that they were once there goes with the file. Every file leaves some kind of footprint to their previous existence.

These invisible files, even though you may have deleted them, remain on your hard drive and take up space causing your computer to run slower, take longer to boot up and can even cause fatal errors and crashing which can cause you to lose valuable files and programs. Finding these invisible files and deleting them is nearly impossible for the layperson because most people have no idea where to look.

But there are software programs that will find them for you.These programs find the hidden files for you and delete them from your hard drive forever. If you are interested in protecting your privacy, it is important to ensure that old emails or files are permanently deleted because one never knows who might find them later. Anyone, your boss, spouse or even a total stranger can access and view your deleted history at anytime, which is a worrying thought, isn't it?

There are a number of cases where wives have used these details against their husbands. Precaution is necessary for those need it, needles to say that a clear person has nothing to worry.

These files can be found on your registry in windows very easily. It is very important you know what you are doing before attempting to delete any of these files. You very well could crash your entire system by deleting the wrong file. How embarrassing would it be to explain to your boss why or how you just deleted your operating system on your work computer by deleting the wrong files.

Catching these hidden footprints from anywhere in your computer is made possible by programs called the Privacy Controllers. There are very few Privacy controller programs really effective. You may find a number of these programs which ends up with only big words for advertising and sheer waste of money. Many an internet scammer tries to get your details like the credit card number by making you buy his product (his Privacy Controller Program) with his charming advertisement.

For getting more information on getting these hidden footprints removed totally from your entire computer, you can download a free detailed report which puts light on the process of creation of these hidden files, how it is saved into your computer and its permanent removal. As precaution is always better than cure, it is always good to keep your computer clean from these hidden footprints even if there is nothing to hide.

About the Author:

Susan Reynolds is the webmaster for a leading Spyware Removal Software brand. For more information visit: http://www.spywareremovaldoc.com

Building A PC

2009-10-26T21:46:00.000-07:00

Many people simply go to the retail store and get sold to when it comes to computing equipment. You would be very surprised how easily you can pick up all the core components and assemble yourself or get a friend or family member in the know to do it for you. All the top brand PC manufacturers such as IBM, HP and Fujitsu Siemens offer you pre built PC’s, Dell on the other hand will take your order and build to your own style. Off them all Dell will come across more flexible with the specification, however, building your own will not only save you many dollars but make you aware of just how much profit these guys are making.

What are the core components of a PC?

Well let’s start with the basics you will need no matter how high or low spec you want the computer:

PC Case – Motherboard – Processor Chip – Fan – Power Supply – Hard Disk Drive – Memory (RAM) – Power Cord – Keyboard & Mouse – Graphics Card (may come on the motherboard) – Sound Card (if you require one). All these components will get you started. Remember build the PC to your own needs. Gaming PC’s generally need a good graphics card with 3d capabilities while general office PC’s do not need such powerful cards.

Processors:

Intel and AMD are the key players when it comes to processors, Intel offer the Pentium chip or Celeron while AMD have their range such as the AMD Athlon and Sempron. While both companies have their benefits Intel’s being that they are the largest selling globally but AMD seem to have the faster processing capabilities. When looking at the processors think sensibly and ask yourself do you really need the latest and greatest or would you notice the difference in point two of a processor e.g. 3GHz compared to 2.8GHz.

Remember keep the cost down, basic components such as the PC case comes in a number of different styles such as Mini Tower, Desktop. Choose what suits you. RAM (memory) will depend on what you plan to do, some games and simulators require large amounts of memory so check before you buy, and the graphics card will also depend on your PC plans. If you are generally using the PC for home and Internet browsing remember to purchase a modem or if you are planning broadband arrange with the installer and get yourself on the waiting list.

Building the PC

Building a PC is not as daunting as it seems. If you have not attempted to do this before it is a good idea to have supervision. Some of the components such as the memory need careful handling due to static electricity. Get an anti static wrist strap to protect the components, they cost very little and could save you a lot of money. There are plenty of cheap books out there to guide you in assembly but you will also find free articles online with diagrams for assembly.

Software:

Hardware is one thing but you also need the software such as the operating system and anti virus software for protection against viruses. Depending on what you want and what you are used to using before you can get free operating system such as Linux. Most of us are used to Microsoft Windows but you will require a licence to use this software. You may also need some office software such as Microsoft Office XP or 2003 standard or Professional edition. The anti virus software is essential and Norton’s or McAfee are some of the better known brands. There are also free downloads that will help protect your PC such as Stinger and Ad-Ware.

In Brief:

Building your very own PC gives you the flexibility that most manufacturers do not. The price is greatly reduced if you can assemble yourself and it will give you a great insight to all the components and key terms in computing. You will be surprised to find that not all is as technical as first seems.

Some quick notes: Do not forget the following: Modem – Make sure you also have enough USB ports for external devices such as a printer or digital camera. Always back your files up such externally on the off chance you have a problem with the Hard Disk Drive and your files are not transferable, something like a usb keyring would be ideal.

Repairing a Damaged CD

2009-10-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

Why compact discs get damaged. Compact discs are all plastic. Compact discs are even not sensitive to magnetic fields as in case floppy disks, which never used to retain data when even a slight magnetic field is crossed with floppies. Then what is the reason why CDs get corrupted?

CDs work on the principle of reflection of light. CD drives have a built in laser that is used to read data. When laser is focused on to the CD the beam get reflected to a point when there is some data on that are i.e. 0 or 1 the points where light beam lands back is different which symbolizes the bit value.

When something on the CD breaks the path of the laser light, something like dust particle or something else like a FINGER PRINT!!! Finger prints are nothing but natural oil from skin that sticks to the surface in contact with the skin in a pattern of skin cells. This oil or say fingerprint helps in refraction of light and loss of data to the reading source i.e. laser.

When CDs don't run the reason is because something is interrupting the laser to read the shinny side of the CD. But I have important data what should I do now?

Most of the times it is because of dust or fingerprints, you need to clean the CD.
You can clean your CDs with plain water or a bit soapy water. And it is better to clean the CDs after some time. But this doesn't mean you should start putting your CDs in dishwasher or washing machine every week.

All you need to do is to wipe the shinny side of the CD with a clean moist cloth and try running it again make sure the CD is dry before you run it.

People say about using all different sorts of things to clean CDs like toothpastes, wax polish etc but I would recommend you to buy some CD cleaning kit. But if you still want to go trying, do let me know the results.

And one thing I must add is that DVD work on the same principle and are bit more sensitive to dust and fingerprints. You can also use the above mentioned procedure for DVDs. But you still need to be careful with DVDs.

A Close Look at DVI Cables

2009-10-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

We all have many times heard about DVI, but what does it really means and what it does? What is the main function of this tiny white port on a video card? How it can benefit you and your personal computer? Do you know which DVI is suitable to meet your requirements?

Digital Video Interface is created by Digital Display Working Group to solve the problem of accommodation analog and digital interfaces just by using single connector. It was developed because of insufficiency of standardization in digital interfacing.

Three types of standards can be seen in DVI cables. It is very important to know how each type looks like before buying to upgrade your DVI. So it is very important to know how DVI cable works and which one will be most beneficial for you.

However, DVI cables are still in the phase of development. Hence there is no specific standard for the DVI cable. In ideal circumstances, DVI home theater cable is capable to create ' digital to digital' connection between the data or video sources and home theater projectors.

The standard rule for DVI cables is that it should have maximum length of 5 m for trouble free operation. It is very typical to decide a DVI cable first time.

There are two types of DVI connector and each has its own characteristics. The flat pin denotes whether the cable is analog or digital. A flat pin with four surrounding pins denotes either DVI-A or DVI-1. A single flat pin denotes DVI-D. The pin sets depends upon whether the cable is single link or dual link or analog.

To choose a perfect Digital video interface cable you should remember these tips:

1. Check both female DVI plugs to make sure what type of signals they compatible with.
2. One or both connections should be DVI-D if you are choosing a DVI-D cable.
3. One or both connections should be DVI-A if you are choosing a DVI-a cable.
4. If one of the connections is DVI and other is VGA, and if the DVI is analog compatible, then you must buy a DVI/VGA adaptor or a DVI to VGA cable.
5. when both connections are DVI-1, you are advised to use any of DVI cable, but better if you use DVI-1 cable.
6. If one connection is digital and the other is analog then there is no possibility of connection between them.

Understanding Compression

2009-10-04T00:08:00.000-07:00

What It Is and What’s Involved

Downloading files from the Internet has always been one of the most popular activities on the Internet – third to sending email and browsing the web. We download files from software libraries, ftp directories, YouTube and Google Video, MP3 sites, and we download files sent to us as email attachments.

Being so popular an activity, it’s imperative that you compress the files destined for another computer. File compression combines a number of different files into one file, and it can also significantly reduce a very large file to a smaller one. As a result, the transmission of a compressed file across the Internet is faster and smoother. This article looks at compressed files a little closer and it describes how to compress and decompress them using two of the most popular archiving programs.

Identifying Compressed Files

Most files are compressed in .zip format (if you’re using Windows) or .sit format (if you’re using a Mac). The two most popular software programs used to compress and decompress files are Winzip and StuffIt respectively. There are other programs that do the same thing and there are even programs that can compress and decompress files for both the Windows and the Mac system. However since Winzip and StuffIt are the most popular, we will assume you will use either one to compress and decompress your own files.

If you download a compressed file from a website or file library that ends in an .exe extension, take note that although the file is compressed, it’s typically a file that will install a program onto a computer. .Zip or .Sit files don’t install software – they merely archive a collection of them into one, or they significantly reduce the size of a larger one.

Decompressing Files

Assuming that you have Winzip or StuffIt installed on your computer, you can access the files archived inside a .zip or .sit file by simply double-clicking the archive (a file ending in a .zip or .sit extension). Double-clicking one of these kinds of files will open up a window that displays the contents of the archive. In most cases, you can double click a file inside this window to use it, or you can select it and drag the file to a folder to view later.

Depending on how you elected to install Winzip or StuffIt, you may be able to right-click a .zip or .sit file and have the program extract its contents into a new folder for you.

Compressing Files

When you want to upload a file or email a collection of files to a friend, it’s best to archive it as a .zip or .sit file first. This will decrease the time it takes for your computer to send it elsewhere, and it will also decrease the time it takes for someone else to download it.

To create your own .zip or .sit file, you can select a single file or a group of files from within Explorer, and right-click the selection. Again, depending on how you installed Winzip or StuffIt, you can click the “Add to Zip” or “Add to Sit” option and have these programs automatically archive the file(s) into one.

Some files compress better than others and in some instances, you may not notice that much of a difference. The files that compress the best are images, documents, and multimedia files. Executable files (files that end in an .exe extension) don’t compress that well, however when they’re archived with a sizable number of other files, they compress rather well. Go figure!

Autoresponder Access to Secret Pages

2009-09-29T00:32:00.000-07:00

People love to have access to things that other people can’t get. It makes them feel special, and it is a marketing tactic that really works. Granting access to secret pages works well on the Internet. It works best when it is limited. For instance, you can grant access to only a lucky few, or you can have a time limit for accessing the pages. You can grant access to secret pages on your website with an autoresponder.

The way this works is quite simple. You create a directory on your website that is password protected, with one login and password that everybody can use. You then create some valuable content for that directory. You can call this your secret vault or your private stash or anything else you want to call it – as long as it sounds like something that your visitors may really want to get their hands on. For instance ‘the secret tools that helped me earn thousands each month’ would probably entice many people who want to learn how to make money.

Once you get the directory and the pages set up, put the URL of the pages and the login name and password in an autoresponder. Write a sales page and distribute it to your opt-in list, or have other list owners distribute it to theirs. Make sure you ‘limit’ the offer. Don’t let people assume that you are going to share this secret information with the rest of the world – they want to be the only ones with this special access!

Keep access to the secret pages free. The goal is to get people to those pages, so that they can purchase your products or services. However, remember that you’ve advertised secret tools or secret information. Therefore, when they get to those pages, there must be something of value there for them to collect – for free in most cases. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will be losing money by giving
something away for free – you won’t. In fact, you’ve already gained by collecting the names and addresses of the people who were interested in your secret information!

Again, this is a marketing tactic that really works, and it is a great way to use an autoresponder. Once people have requested the information for your private pages, you can email them periodically, using your autoresponder, to let them know about updates to the secret site. While you are updating them, you can also tell them about other specials or new products in your line.

Links for 2009-09-24 [Digg]

2009-09-25T00:00:00-07:00

Baltimore Firm Sues Facebook for Patent Infringement
A tiny Baltimore tech company is suing Facebook, alleging that Facebook infringed on a key patent it holds. The case could cut to the heart of the online social networking giant's business.

Microsoft Certified IT Training

2009-09-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

The costs of training can be large and consequently off putting for many would be IT professionals. To take part in IT training courses for Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco etc can cost too much for many people, who then miss out on the benefits that a certified qualification can bring them.

There are low cost training options for people who feel that the costs are too high for them. You can train for your IT qualification off shore and gain your qualification for around half the price that you would doing it in the UK. It is the qualification at the end of it that matters, where the course takes place is not important.

The most important decision to make regarding your training is that you choose a company that has a proven track record of top class results, but also at the reduced cost of studying abroad. Obviously it is important to make sure that the quality of the training is just as good as any UK training provider, and so thoroughly checking that your chosen company offers genuinely first class tuition is essential.

A certified Microsoft trained person will hugely increase their employment prospects as these qualifications are highly respected worldwide. The same can be said for Oracle and Cisco qualifications. Exactly how much you will save by studying abroad obviously depends on how long your course lasts, but as previously stated, the courses can usually be carried out for half the price of what they would in the UK.

A massive benefit of carrying out your training off-shore is that 1 to 1 tutoring is often available and so you can complete your training much faster than you would if you were to take a large group course like is common practice in the UK. So off shore training is a very cost effective way of completing your training in the quickest time possible. You can receive off shore training in many countries but most good training companies are located in or around India.

The decision to go and train abroad can be a huge and potentially life-changing one, so before you commit yourself to a particular company, you should ensure that they can deliver on all of their promises by checking their history of students and their pass rate, and that their training is fully approved and certified.

About the Author:

For more information on Cisco Training or CCNA Training visit koenig-solutions.com

100% Office Safe Amusing Animated Backgrounds

2009-09-14T00:59:00.000-07:00

Desktop backgrounds and wallpapers are one of the easiest customizable options for any computer user, however inept. Most people choose a picture of their favorite celebrity, car or escapist destination. Others choose animated wallpapers, often depicting an idillic mountain stream or a white sand beach with breathtaking ocean views.

A new style of simple, safe, tasteful and incredibly easy to install animated wallpapers are on offer from many art . These GIF animated wallpapers are 100% office safe and can provide entertainment or inspiration for anyone viewing.

Often when working with a computer for hours on end, and the monotony associated with office life (generally), people become bored and listless. These wallpapers aren't going to change your office into a club 18-30 party, but they are tailored for office staff amusement because they were designed by office staff.

Each original animation displays a series of amusing quotes, phrases, captions, anecdotes, facts or brain teasers. The animation runs constantly and can be seen whenever all your windows are closed or minimized. With many variations, regular updates and new animation's added weekly there is no shortage of material, there's even one for quitting smoking!

GIF animations are similar to traditional cartoon animations - both comprising of a series of frames put together and displayed at set intervals. Because a GIF is just an image - no unknown files to download - they can be set as a desktop wallpaper by even the most devoted technophope.

The simplicity of GIF animations and the easy downloading process - just save it as an image and then set as desktop background - means many wallpapers can be downloaded and set as your mood desires. When you need a need a change, go back and get some more, there's always new ones.

Now Albert Einstein, Richard Nixon, Bob Dole and Mr. T can lend you their opinions on the world, however inaccurate. Fascinating facts can amaze you, quotes can amuse you and riddles can puzzle you, all of this while your 'working'.

Is it Good to Use Remanufactured Toner Cartridge

2009-09-11T23:20:00.000-07:00

Having used discount toner cartridges for twenty years, there have been a lot of changes in the toner cartridge market. The market today is approximately a twenty billion dollar business. The savings today are significant. The quality of the discount cartridges is unsurpassed. To insure your complete satisfaction in purchasing discount toner, take a minute to make an informed choice.

Discount toner cartridges were originally sold as recycled toner cartridges. The basic recycling method consisted of drilling a hole in the cartridge and refilling it with toner. Once the cartridge was filled, the hole was plugged. This toner cartridge was then sold to the consumer as a great deal or a "discount toner cartridge".

The problem was that the drill and fill cartridges produced poor quality and printed fewer pages. They were very inconsistent from cartridge to cartridge. In short, there was no quality control. One discount toner cartridge might perform great and the next may not.

However, things have changed significantly. Today, discount toner cartridges are brand new cartridges made from brand new parts... the same parts specified in your OEM printer manual. The technology is the same as that used by major printer manufacturers. Today, a reputable discount toner company uses the same components as major printer companies. Their toner, drums and rollers are the same quality and specification.

Know What Type of Toner Cartridge You Are Purchasing

Discount toner cartridges sometimes has a dual meaning. When some companies use the term discount toner cartridge, they really mean “remanufactured” toner cartridges. When other companies use the term discount toner cartridge, they mean a “new” toner cartridge manufactured by a third party merchant. Both types of cartridges could be a good buy.

Learn About the Toner Company

Be sure you learn about the company you buy toner from. All companies are not the same. Remember, a remanufactured toner cartridge can be as good of quality as a new discount toner cartridge. Both types of toner cartridges will save you a significant amount of money.

The best suppliers of discount toner cartridges have a quality control process in place. They insure that their toner cartridges are checked and double-checked so that you get high quality printing and the same number of pages or more. If a cartridge is remanufactured, any parts that do not meet their standards are replaced. You should be satisfied with the first and last page of printing.

You may not know everything about a printer company before you purchase, but you can find out exactly what type of discount toner cartridge you are buying. Look at our section on purchasing discount toner cartridges online. This will give you some basic information on what to look for in a toner cartridge merchant.

Good companies offer good warranties. You should always get a strong money back guarantee. If a company does not warranty their toner cartridges for one year, you haven't found the right company.

Do your homework. Visit the websites of several reputable toner companies. Find your exact toner cartridge. Compare prices, warranties, shipping, service, etc. If you can talk with someone that has purchased from the company, do it. Once you've done your part, purchase a discount toner cartridge and test it out. Discount toner cartridges are better than ever and will reduce your printing cost by half or more.

Links for 2009-09-10 [Digg]

2009-09-11T00:00:00-07:00

Tech Companies Push to Digitize Patients’ Records
The economic crisis has opened the door for an ambitious step — $19 billion put into the recovery package to encourage doctors and hospitals to install and use electronic health records
Early Risers Crash Faster
Night owls belie slacker reputation by staying alert longer.
Question a doctor and lose your child
Parents in the UK are being threatened with having their children taken into care after questioning doctors’ diagnoses or objecting to their medical care. “Very often care proceedings are used as retaliation by local authorities against ‘uppity’ people who question the system.”
Alzheimer's Gene Alters Brain Function in Young Adults
The gene most closely linked to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease affects brain activity in young adults -- much earlier in life than previously reported -- according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center and The Pennsylvania State University.

Links for 2009-09-09 [Digg]

2009-09-10T00:00:00-07:00

How Honey Curbs the MRSA Superbug
MRSA exposed to manuka honey loses the ability to reproduce, according to a new study that shows how the dark, bitter honey fights staph infections.
Doctors: 1-Year-Old Girl Carrying Her Twin
A 1-year-old girl is waiting to have an operation after doctors discovered she was carrying her parasitic twin.

Links for 2009-09-08 [Digg]

2009-09-09T00:00:00-07:00

Function Of Neglected Structure In Neurons Revealed After 50
Fifty years after it was originally discovered, scientists in Switzerland have elucidated the function of a microscopic network of tubules found in neurons. This structure modulates the strength of connections between two neurons, thereby contributing to our ability to learn and to adapt to new situations.
New Research: Explosions Cause Unique Damage to Brain Tissue
This new research also begins to resolve a controversy in brain-injury research - whether soldiers who are near an explosion but don't get hit in the head can still suffer a unique type of brain damage.
"AIDS is a Mass Murderer" Germany's New Ad Starring Hilter!
A new German AIDS-awareness campaign that uses steamy sex and Adolf Hitler to shock people into wearing condoms is drawing fire from activists who say it demonizes those who are HIV positive... The viewer only sees the back of the man's head until the very end, the camera pans to his face revealing Adolf Hitler! quoting "AIDS is a Mass Murderer"

Links for 2009-09-07 [Digg]

2009-09-08T00:00:00-07:00

Twitter turns you into a twit but Facebook makes you clever
Avoid Twitter and YouTube but sign on to Facebook if you want to get smart, a scientist has claimed. Facebook,..requires us to use more memory and information and makes us feel part of a social group, helps train our brains. "Twitter can cause harm because it produces a stream of information every second with no opportunity to process or

Links for 2009-09-06 [Digg]

2009-09-07T00:00:00-07:00

How to Cure Gout? | HealthMad
Gout is a disease caused mainly by the deposit of uric acid and urates in the body tissues. All acids are painful, and uric acid is not the least of them in this respect, while the alkaline urates have a crippling effect, but in themselves cause little discomfort. It is usually located in the big toe. However, it is less frequently in the palm of t

Answers to 6 Common Questions About Ink Cartridges

2009-09-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

Inkjet printers produce great quality prints, but buying inkjet cartridges can take a big bite out of your budget. The good news is that there are inexpensive ways to maintain the life and quality of your printer. Here are answers to six common questions about printer cartridges and toner cartridges.

1. Do I Have to Buy Brand Name Ink Cartridges?

Printer manufacturers have a vested interest in convincing you that buying brand name inkjet cartridges is the only option. The truth, though, is that compatible inkjet cartridges are a cheaper alternative to branded printer cartridges.

2. What are Compatible Print Cartridges?

Compatible print cartridges are generic ink cartridges that are made with entirely new components. They are manufactured to meet or exceed the standards of brand name cartridges, thereby retaining the quality and reliability of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) inkjet cartridges - at a fraction of the cost.

3. What are Remanufactured Cartridges?

Remanufactured printer cartridges are essentially recycled inkjet cartridges. They have been inspected, cleaned, and refilled with ink. They are typically print tested before they are sold to ensure that they are in excellent working condition. Remanufactured cartridges are usually less expensive than compatible print cartridges, which in turn are less expensive than OEM brand name ink cartridges.

4. Are Compatible and Remanufactured Cartridges Made for All Printers?

The availability of compatible and remanufactured toner cartridges and inkjet cartridges varies, depending upon the brand and model of your printer. Cartridges are made for most models of Epson, Canon, HP, Lexmark, Samsung, Kodak, Brother, Compaq, and Dell printers.

5. Won't Compatible Cartridges Hurt My Printer?

If you select the right supplier of ink cartridges, you can rest assured that the ink cartridges will be rigorously tested and that the ink used is of the highest quality. Compatible cartridges won't harm your printer, and the print life usually meets or exceeds that of OEM cartridges.

6. How Do I Find a Good Source of Ink Cartridges?

If you want to save money by buying compatible or remanufactured cartridges, the best place to look is online. Not all online ink cartridge suppliers provide equal quality, though. Look for a supplier with a track record; one that has been online for at least seven years and that has supplied cartridges to schools and government bodies is a good choice. In addition, make sure that the supplier you choose will guarantee the quality of its products. Further, to save more money, select a supplier that offers free UK delivery and VAT inclusive prices. Finally, look for service that includes same day dispatch, no minimum order, and secure online ordering.

Cheap and Fast Software: Are They Reliable?

2009-08-27T23:48:00.000-07:00

An Introduction to Shareware

Visit any computer store today and you'll find what seems like miles and miles of software on sale. Certainly enticing buys, there are a few problems with buying software off the shelves. On the shelf, software - otherwise known as "commercial software" - can be expensive, and incompatible, and outdated when compared to what's available online. Fortunately, there's an alternative to commercial software and although it isn't new, it's one of the most under-exploited opportunities in the computer industry.

We're talking about shareware - software that you can try before buying.

Shareware has a long history and was rather popular in the days where BBS (bulletin board systems) reigned the online industry. It hasn't gone anywhere, but its competition with commercial software is fierce - so fierce that it tends to fall on the back burner among new computer users. This is unfortunate because shareware has so many advantages over commercial software.

One of those advantages is its cost. On the whole, shareware is generally cheaper than commercial software. But don't misinterpret the cost. With shareware, cheap does not equal low-quality and there are plenty of examples that prove shareware often outperforms the quality of commercial software time and time again. How much savings are we talking about? You could purchase a quality word processor, spreadsheet, database program, or system utility anywhere from a mere $15 to under a hundred. This is almost unheard of in stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, or Egghead, yet the shareware programs offered within this price range rival even Microsoft's Office suite.

Another advantage that shareware has over commercial software is its compatibility. We're not saying that shareware is compatible with all operating systems. What we're saying is that since we can try shareware before paying for it, we can determine if the software is completely compatible with our systems first. In other words, we can discover whether the software performs the way we want them to and should anyone try to do the same with commercial software, they'll be in for a big disappointment.

Commercial software policy doesn't even allow for returns, let alone "borrowing" them to try them.

The last advantage that shareware has over commercial software (but certainly not the least) is its applicability. Plain and simple, shareware is the best bet when you want to keep on top of the latest release of a particular program. Sure, computer stores do their best to keep their inventory up to date, but when you can download version 5.6042 of a shareware program as opposed to buying a commercial 3.0 version from the local computer shop, there's just no comparison.

Which brings up our next point. Just where does one get shareware? Shareware is all over the Internet and it's really hard not to bump into it. The most popular places to find shareware is within thousands of download libraries, however the companies (and even independent programmers behind shareware) are increasingly offering shareware from their own websites. A simple Google or Yahoo search for a particular type of program will yield all sorts of results that point you toward items that you can try before you buy.

Be aware however, that because shareware is not commercial software, you may not experience a full program the way you would if you bought the software out of a box. Shareware may or may not be limited - meaning that some functions may not be available to you until the program is paid for. These limitations are often small and don't interfere with the way its full version operations. They're really just implemented as a way to prompt payment. Remember that shareware is not freeware. You shouldn't try to use shareware as commercial software without paying for it.

About the only thing that's similar between shareware and commercial software is the way in which they may be bought. With a credit card, you can be the new owner of your own software within minutes.

A Must-know About Computer and Internet Glossary

2009-08-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

Computer-related things tend to have a language all their own. While you do not need to know all of it, there are many confusing words and phrases that you are going to come across sooner or later.

Bandwidth. Bandwidth is the amount of data that your website can send each second, as well as the amount of data that the visitor to your website can receive. If either one does not have enough bandwidth, then the website will appear slowly.

For this reason, you should choose a host with plenty of bandwidth, as well as testing that your site doesn't take too long to download on slow connections.

Browser. A browser is the software (see below) that visitors to your site use to view it. The most popular browser is Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which comes with Windows.

Cookie. Cookies are data files that your site can save on the computer of someone who visits that site, to allow it to remember who they are if they return.

FTP. File Transfer Protocol. This is a common method of uploading (see below) files to your website.

Javascript. A common language for writing 'scripts' on websites, which are small programs that make the site more interactive. Another common cause of problems for visitors.

JPEG. Joint Photographic Experts Group. This is the name of the most popular format for pictures on the web, named after the group that came up with it. If you want to put pictures on your website, you should save them as JPEGs.

Hardware. Hardware is computer equipment that physically exists. It is the opposite of software.
Hosting. If you've got a website out there on the Internet, then you'll be paying someone for hosting. It is the service of making your site available for people to see.

HTML. HyperText Markup Language. A kind of code used to indicate how web pages should be displayed, using a system of small 'tags'. The 'b' tag, for example, causes text to appear in bold, and the 'img' tag displays a picture.

Hyperlink. A hyperlink is when a piece of text on a website can be clicked to take you to another site, or another page on the same site. For example, if clicking your email address on your website allows someone to email you, then your email address is a hyperlink.

Programming. This is when the computer is given instructions to tell it what to do, using one of many 'programming languages'. Programming languages for the web include PHP and Perl.

Server. The server is where your website is stored, and it is the server that people are connecting to when they visit the site. Note that server refers both to the hardware and software of this system.

Software. Programs that run on the computer, or that make your website work. Microsoft Word is software, for example, as is Apache (the most popular web server software). Opposite of hardware.

Spider. Do not be scared if a spider visits your website! Spiders are simply programs used by search engines to scan your site and help them decide where it should appear when people search. It is good to be visited by spiders, as it means you should start appearing in search engines soon.

Upload. Uploading is when you transfer data from your own computer to your website. For example, you might upload your logo, or an article you've written. Opposite of download.

URL. Uniform Resource Locator. This is just a short way of saying 'web address', meaning what you have to type in to get to your website.

Why Cooling Your Hard Drive is Important

2009-08-19T19:47:00.000-07:00

For several different reasons, storage is a very important part of a computer. These days, computers do far more than they ever have in the past. From businesses to family photo’s, storage is the ideal way to keep documents on your computer. The most popular method of storage is the hard disk drive, which we all count on for keeping our data safe.

Even though the hard drive stores data, it isn’t perfect by any means. Hard drive failure is very common with all computers, with no real way to prevent it. Although there are several different reasons why a hard drive can fail, the most common is overheating. Viruses and crashes are common as well, along with theft and accidental deletion.

With the older style and mechanics of hard drives, the RPM speed was low, meaning that the drives wouldn’t overheat. The hard drives we use now days, have speeds between 7,200 and 10,000 RPM, meaning that they can get quite hot when they start working. Computers of this day and age come with fans to cool everything down, with most hard drives including temperature sensors as well, so you can keep track of just how hot your hard drive becomes.

With hard drives today, overheating is a very common problem. The faster hard drives come with speeds of 10,000 RPM, which can make the temperature soar above 70 degrees F, really heating things up inside the drive. The mechanics on the inside are built to withstand the heat, although if things become too hot, you’ll encounter problems. If a drive becomes too hot and ends up losing the data, it may be next to impossible to retrieve the information - no matter how good your data recovery specialists may be.

One area that suffers from the drive overheating is the platters, which are magnetic media. Platters are what carry the data throughout the hard drive. Platters are constructed from optical glass, aluminum, or ceramic and normally coated with a layer of magnetic material. Once the hard drive begins to heat up, the platters will start to expand, which changes their size. When this happens, the magnetic surface on the platters will get destroyed, which results in a loss of data. If the physical area of the platters are damaged, it will result in unreadable sectors.

Other areas of the hard drive that can be damaged due to overheating are the read and write heads, head actuator, and the controller chip. Hard drives are very sophisticated pieces of hardware, and can’t handle overheating. The read and write heads are a common example, as they can easily render the drive useless if they become damaged. If they get too hot, they don’t make any contact with media, which pretty much stops the flow of transfer from information to the computer.

To prevent your hard drive from overheating, you should always make sure that it is cooled properly and well ventilated. You can always get additional fans and coolers, which will improve both ventilation and the flow of air in your computer. You can buy fans and coolers at very affordable prices, which makes them an ideal investment for keeping your hard drive or hard drives cool.

You can also get software that monitors the temperature of your hard drive as well. Whether it’s software, or additional fans, you should always ensure that your hard drives are kept cool. By keeping them cool, you’ll greatly reduce the amount of crashes. You’ll also increase the stability of your hard drive as well, which will make your entire computer perform much better.

Break Free With VOIP Mobile Phones

2009-08-15T00:49:00.000-07:00

There was a time when we thought that the concept of mobile communications was very advanced and that we would not likely see it any time soon. Fast forward to today and we don't know what to do without our cell phone. Technology has enabled advances that we would never have dreamed of and we certainly have a considerable level of freedom today. This freedom is expanding as technology gives us even greater capability and VOIP mobile phones provide an example, using the Internet to transmit data for even greater efficiency.

VOIP is also known as voice over Internet protocol and represents a huge leap forward in cell phone technology. In addition, it is likely to make service more affordable. Data is now sent via the Internet rather than through a variety of traditional telephone networks. Our mobile phones can accept a host of other applications and receive data in a way that was once thought to be only a pipe dream. The phone has come a long way from its traditional function of pure voice communication.

As analog signals are converted to digital, VOIP mobile phones are a lot more efficient at streaming a compressed signal. Systems of old seemed to rely on analog voice signals only, but the new protocol ensures that data and voice can be transmitted and received more cheaply.

VOIP mobile phones will easily handle e-mail, video, texting, even broadband Internet and television, in addition to the basic voice call. You will be able to check your voicemail through a web browser or from a phone and can specify that calls be sent to a variety of different numbers at the same time.

No longer will services such as international and roaming be classified as premium through the new VoIP mobile phones protocol. Reliable, fast and efficient methods of communication are now available using either landline or cell phone units.

As could be expected in such a volatile business, new carriers are emerging all the time who fully support this cutting-edge technology. Now it will be possible to get VOIP mobile phones with unrestricted calling capabilities, open plans, complete flexibility with regard to exchange of data, e-mail and Internet access, irregardless of your location.

As the consumer wants real flexibility and is not interested in those lengthy contracts, carriers who want to ride this wave are making no contract plans available which do not require either a security deposit or a credit check.

In future, we will refer to Internet access and availability in terms of bandwidth as opposed to the use of expired time and this will result in big cost savings. Imagine international calling rates as low as a couple of pennies per minute and forget about all those costly roaming charges.

About the Author:

Seasoned writer Daniel Stouffer is an authority on the subject of VOIP mobile phones. Click over to his site at www.mobi-Business.com for all the latest information.

Ten Benefits of Smarthphone Bluetooth

2009-08-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

10 Benefits of Smarthphone Bluetooth below, are 10 benefits and reasons to use Bluetooth technology.

1. Wireless As you probably already know, there are many benefits and advantages to using wireless devices. Along with improving safety as a result of eliminating wires you don't need, wireless also offers you plenty of other advantages. When traveling with your laptop or other wireless devices, you'll no longer have to worry about bringing connection cables.

2. Bluetooth is actually inexpensive The technology of Bluetooth is cheap for companies to implement, which results in lower costs for the company. These savings are then passed from the company on to you.

3. Bluetooth is automatic Bluetooth doesn't have you set up a connection or push any buttons. When two or more devices enter a range of up to 30 feet of each other, they will automatically begin to communicate without you having to do anything.

4. Standardized protocol Bluetooth is standardized wireless, meaning that a high level of compatibility among devices is guaranteed. Bluetooth will connect devices to each other, even if they aren't the same model.

5. Low interference Bluetooth devices almost always avoid interference from other wireless devices. Bluetooth uses a technique known as frequency hopping, and also low power wireless signals.

6. Low energy consumption As a result of Bluetooth using low power signals, the technology requires very little energy and will use less battery or electrical power as a result. This is an excellent benefit for mobile devices, as Bluetooth won't drain the battery.

7. Sharing voice and data The standard for Bluetooth will allow compatible devices to share data and voice communications. This is great for mobile phones and headsets, as Bluetooth simplifies driving and talking on your cell phone.

8. Instant PAN (Personal Area Network) You can connect up to seven Bluetooth devices to each other within a range of up to 30 feet, forming a piconet or PAN. For a single room, you can also set up multiple piconets.

9. Upgradeable Upgradeable is the standard for Bluetooth. There are newer versions of Bluetooth in the works, which offer many new advantages and backward compatible with older versions.

10. The technology stays Bluetooth technology is a world wide, universal wireless standard. With it being as popular as it is, you can count on it being around for years to come. As more and more devices start to use Bluetooth technology, more manufacturers will be eager to make their products compatible. A chain reaction will occur, making Bluetooth the standard for cutting edge wireless.

Cutting Out the Secrets About Paper Shredders

2009-08-05T23:33:00.000-07:00

Paper shredders are machines that allow the shredding of any paper to tiny pieces or very fine strips. Paper shredders are commonly used by individuals or groups that need to destroy classified documents that may prove to be of danger to themselves or to their group. These documents are cut into tiny pieces so that no one attempting to read them will succeed in doing so. Experts in the field of privacy will often advise individuals to destroy some of their personal documents like account statements, bills or other important files that cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of anyone.

1. Avoid Identity Theft

Another reason why important personal records and files must be destroyed is to avoid identity theft. Identity theft is simply when another person is assuming the persona of another person. Important records and files shredded through a paper shredder will be impossible to read - thus eliminating the possibility of identity theft.

Though paper shredders have given us the security of destroying files that we don't want anyone else to see, our carelessness can take away that security. In situations where a person merely leaves shredded paper from the paper shredder lying just about anywhere or at the garbage bin, the pieces can still be collected by nosy people or investigators, maybe even spies. To enable maximum security, when using a paper shredder make sure that documents are fed in a horizontal way and that they are perpendicular to the blades of the shredder.

2. Easy Cleanup

Many modern paper shredders come with their own waste bin, and those that do not have one are designed to enable them to fit over or next to another waste bin. Paper shredders are categorized depending on their size and shape of the shreds that they produce.

++ Strip Cut ++

A strip cut paper shredder uses knives that rotate that cut long narrow strips as long as the original size of the paper. The product of this paper shredder is the easiest to reconstruct for determined and patient investigators or spies. This is also the least secure type of paper shredder.

++ Cross Cut ++

This type of paper shredder uses drums that contra-rotate to cut the paper into parallelogram or rectangular shaped shreds.

3. Particle cut

The product of this paper shredder creates tiny square or circular shreds.

4. Granulators and disintegrators

These are paper shredders that randomly cut the paper repeatedly until they are no more than little particles that can fit through the mesh

5. Pulverizers or hammermills

Huge devices that simply make dust out of your paper

6. Alternatives

Some alternative paper shredders not just shred the paper but are also sometimes equipped with chemicals, burning materials or composting materials that completely destroy the document after shredding it. For paper shredders that do not protect up to maximum security, like the strip cut - it will still be possible to unshred the document by reconstructing and pasting the shredded pieces together. This was fist spurred with the Enron accountancy scandal, where documents containing altered information were fed through the paper shredder in the wrong way, enabling the investigator to reassemble the original document.

7. Reconstruction

As difficult as it is to understand, shredded paper is possible to reconstruct. Undisturbed shredded papers tend to stay in close proximity with each other unless acted upon by an outer force, especially if these shredded materials belong to the same document. Also, as with the Enron accountancy scandal, confidential documents were fed through the shredder in a wrong way. When paper is fed in such a way that its lines are not at right angles with the blades of the shredder, it creates shredded paper containing longer and readable texts.

Shredded paper can even be reconstructed without the use of any machines. In 1979, just after the Iranian revolution, the U.S government hired local Iranian carpet weavers who with patience reconstructed the documents found in the Tehran US embassy. Because of this, paper shredders made a step further in creating paper shredders that can pulverize, pulp and decompose the shredded.

Seven Tips For Buying Cheap Laptop

2009-07-30T19:56:00.000-07:00

Laptops are gaining in popularity these days. Almost everyone is carrying one now either for work or entertainment. Laptops with the latest technology are introduced to the market everyday and these new laptops come with a huge price tag. However, that does not mean you cannot get a good and cheap laptop. I have put together a guide that may help you out in your hunt for a cheap and good laptop.

Buy cheap laptop with older technology

Rapid advance in technology makes it meaningless to buy the latest technology at a high price. When laptop with wireless capability first came to the market, a unit with this technology can cost up till US$2500. Now after 2 years, you can get a relatively fast centrino laptop for less than US$1000

Buy used or refurbished laptop

The depreciation of a laptop value is so high, that after one year in the market, a laptop can easily lose half its value. So if you are looking for a cheap laptop, look for one which is close to one year old. Not all used laptop are in bad condition. You will be surprised to find that some used laptops are still in good condition because their owners are power users or gamers.

Buy laptop from power users or gamers

I like to buy electronic gadgets including laptops from hard core power users or gamers. Let me share with you why. Gamers or power users usually require the latest and most powerful technology to run their games or power hungry applications. They often will not settle for second best. They also have the tendency to chase after the latest technology. So after one year, they will be bored of what they have and will look to sell off their laptops so that they can buy a new one. Now if you are looking to buy cheap laptops with up to date technology and you happen to have friends who are gamers, do ask them if they are looking to sell off their laptops. Who knows, maybe you can buy a good and cheap laptop from them.

Scan through gaming forums and local gaming community

If you do not already have friends who like to play computer games, then scanning through gaming forums on the internet is another way to get good and cheap deals for used laptop. Internet makes it easy for you to do this. Go to google.com and start searching for gaming forums. Visit each and everyone and see if they have a Trading Section. You will definitely find many post from gamers looking to sell their gaming laptops.

Scan through local bulletin boards

Do scan through local bulletin boards near you for cheap deals on laptop.Especially if there are software companies around the area. Software companies do offer their used computers or laptops for sale when their software projects end. I personally had gotten a few good deals for my family and friends.

Look for cheap laptop with at least 512mb memory

This is especially important for used laptop. If the processor speed is slow, then having more memory can compensate for the lack in speed. In fact, The size of memory plays a big part in determining how fast a laptop runs an application. Just by increasing the memory size, you can see a huge difference in speed. A cheap laptop with at least 512mb memory can run most non graphic intensive application easily.

Get cheap laptop from reputable manufacturer

This is very important because if you are buying used laptop, then the chances of requiring servicing is higher than a new laptop. So if you buy from a reputable manufacturer, you will save alot of trouble and time if your laptop do require servicing.

Seven Great Computer User Tips - For Windows® Users Only

2009-07-29T18:50:00.000-07:00

An Easy Performance Enhancement

If you’re using the NTFS filing protocol on your system, instead of FAT32, you can get a bit more speed by disabling Windows® Indexing. The downside to this is that searching your drive for a specific file might take a moment or two longer, but everything else should run faster.

To disable this feature open My Computer and then right click on the drive you wish to reset – usually C-drive. Now click on Properties and then uncheck “Allow Indexing Service.” It will take Windows® a few moments to accomplish this task, based on your processor speed. If you have other hard drives, perform the same process for them. After this is done, it’s a good idea to empty the Recycle Bin and then Defragment your hard drive(s).

FREE Software

If you have a system and it does not have an office suite, such as Microsoft Office, and you don’t want to pay several hundred dollars to have one, try Open Office. This is a great alternative to other suites, and it’s free! Simply direct your browser to www.openoffice.org and follow the instructions for downloading and installation. Make no mistake, this free office suite is an extremely powerful set of software tools – easily a match for any competitor.

Internet Explorer (Microsoft’s Internet browser) is unarguably the standard in computers. This is why hackers develop so many malware applications to invade it. If you use a different browser, you have much less chance of an invasion by malicious software. There is a great alternative available, and it’s free. You can download a copy of Firefox at www.mozilla.org/products/firefox. You can even move your Internet Explorer settings into Firefox automatically – so you don’t lose your Favorites, etc.

Laptop Printer Fix

If you’re using a laptop that is running Windows® ME, and you’re having trouble printing through the USB, try this simple fix. Go to the website for the company that manufactures your printer. If you use a Hewlett-Packard, for example, go to www.HP.com and download the appropriate drivers and install them. ME has drivers that recognize the USB printer is present and attached, but not the drivers needed to make it print. Which drivers you download and install will be dependant on your printer. After installing new drivers, update the printer as necessary in the Control Panel.

Save $$$ When Shopping On-line

If you’re making a purchase on-line, and you know the item you want to buy, you can easily compare pricing all across the Internet. This can amount to a very substantial savings.

At this writing, I went to www.mysimon.com and typed in that I wanted to buy a printer: a Canon PIXMA iP4000. The service instantly checked the Internet and returned prices ranging from $62.00 up to $286.00. This kind of price spread is not at all unusual, especially for computers and electronics.

The My Simon website service only checks pricing, it does not provide a platform for purchasing anything, though it does link to such places. It also gives a rating for the sellers and other users’ input regarding their experiences with the company. You can order the results of the search for your product by price, so that you can quickly find the lowest price from the highest rated dealer.

Windows® XP Professional Only

A feature of Windows® XP Professional, that is not available in the Home Edition, is the ability to encrypt files. This encryption prevents others from opening the files in the folder you encrypt. To encrypt one or more a folders, follow these easy steps.

Click Start, then My Documents. Now locate the folder you wish to encrypt and right click on it and choose Properties.

On the General tab, click on Advanced. Put a tick mark in the box for Encrypt Contents to Secure Data. Click okay two times and the confirmation dialog box will appear allowing you to select the folder, the folder and all files, and/or the subfolders within it.

Now you'll be able to place files in this folder (or folders) and since they're encrypted, others will not be able to access them.

Internet Safety

You should never reveal your username or password to anyone who e-mails you and asks for it. This information is frequently asked for by an Internet scheme called “phishing.”

In a common phishing scam, you receive an e-mail that looks quite official. It usually appears to come from a bank or credit card company. A common title for these e-mails is “We need to verify your account information.” Another is “Please logon to your account and verify your settings.” If you do click where instructed, you’ll end up on a site that appears to be the real one. If you fill in the username and password for of your on-line banking account, you can expect serious problems within twenty-four hours.

If you believe that a company or business that you do on-line business with really does require your information, then simply contact them. This way, you will know where you are sending your information, and what it will be used for.

CD Burning Error Fix

Burning music, video, and data CDs has become quite popular over the past few years, and the evolution of the supporting technology has yielded hardware and software that is better than ever – and very reasonably priced. CDs offer a great place to store substantial amounts of data in a small, easily retained format. They also give us new control over aspects of our entertainment.

A relatively common error received during CD burning informs you that the CD cannot be burned, or that there was an error during burning. Of course, you could actually have a defective CD drive, but this is usually not the case.

If you receive a message indicating that your CD cannot be burned, go to the website of your CD drive manufacturer. Look for the list of CD types (manufacturers/numbers) that are compatible with your device. Most often, you’ll find that your CDs are not listed. The two types that seem to have the least difficulty being burned are manufactured by Sony and TDK. These cost a bit more, but they burn very reliably.

Along the same lines – H-P has introduced a new CD burner. This new burner requires the use of special CD blanks, but after you burn your data into the CD, you can flip it over and close the drive again. Then you can use the laser to burn a title for the CD directly onto the CD itself. It’s new technology, but perhaps it will catch on and we’ll see newer, better such devices in the near future.

Four Necessary Steps You Should Take When You are Online

2009-07-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

When you connect to the internet you can harm your PC. That is a fact. The reason antivirus software and other similar products where created is to protect your PC.

It is not your fault that you got viruses, however you should take the precaution methods to stop this from happening again.

Keep PC Clean: It is important that your PC stays clean if you use the internet. Clean from the 'bad, harmful objects' that are also known as spy ware, adware or viruses.

There are many different types of harmful objects but luckily there exist also cure to keep your PC protected.

A must use Software: The two most important software you must have are an antivirus and an anti adware. There is no need to purchase 30 different kinds of anti spy ware software...

However you must choose two software which will protect your PC. These will work in the background automatically. Some anti adware products also heal spy ware not just adware.

Schedule Maintenance: The software will block spy ware and adware. However you should also use the software when you are offline. You should scan your
PC using both software at least once every three weeks. That will clean any harmful objects. These objects can make a lot of harm to your PC.

Safety Measurements: We already mentioned that you need two software to keep ongoing protection on your PC.

If you download software/movies/images/videos or any other thing from the internet it is recommended that you scan those items. Before opening them right click on them and use your antivirus to scan them.

Go to Control Panel to turn on Firewall. Firewall is also an ongoing protection which is very important.

Once you have your software installed these protect your PC and you get back the freedom you deserve. Remember that prevention is better than cure.

Steps to Protect Your Children from Computer Weirdo

2009-07-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

It's an unfortunate fact of reality, but children are the most victimized computer users on the Internet today. The good news is that there are some practical steps you can take to protect your children from sexual predators, hackers, and other seedy individuals who want to cause harm. This article will describe a few of them.

The first step in protecting your children at the computer is to prevent their access to passwords. This will keep them from sharing passwords with others and inadvertently enabling hacking into your system. If you think about it, there's no reason why a five, seven, or even twelve year old needs to know the passwords to sensitive areas on the computer unless you've given them permission! In fact, children don't need to know the password used to access the Internet either. It may be a hassle to type it in each time they want to get online, but it's better to know the times that they connect than to have them sneak online without your permission and knowledge of their activities.

The second step towards protecting your children online is using the computer together. Siting next to your child while he or she peruses the Internet, you can guide him or her to make safe and intelligent decisions. You can approve websites and bookmark them together. You can monitor the conversations your children have with their friends and teach them appropriate online behavior at the same time. You can make recommendations and create a private time for quality time as well.

The third step involves blocking access to inappropriate areas altogether. You and your children may not always agree about what's appropriate, but as a guardian, you're in control and you're ultimately responsible for their safety. Take the time to investigate software tools that put you in control and allow you to block access to certain websites. If you use an online service like AOL (America Online), you can use its internal Parental Control settings to block access to various chatrooms and websites. You could even block instant messaging and email from anyone who isn't a fellow AOL user.

Other tools available online operate similar to the way that AOL's Parental Control settings work, however no collection of tools could replace the reinforcement of mom and dad. Never let your children speak with strangers and never leave them alone at the computer unattended. Children just don't have the experience that adults have and they don't have the skills required to handle inappropriate conversations, emails, or images found online.

NOTE: Some of these tools include kid-specific web browsers that will visit pre-approved websites. Others include browser plug-ins that won't allow access to online areas that contain forbidden keywords.

Another step requires teaching your children to never ever volunteer personal information. Under no circumstances, should children give their personal names, home addresses, phone numbers, or school information to anyone over the Internet regardless of the situation. In the even this information is required to enter a contest of some sort, be sure that you're the one who makes the decision to supply it and that you're the one who does it.

Performing all of these steps won't be easy. However you can help minimize resistance to your monitoring efforts by explaining why you're taking these precautions. Smaller children will probably enjoy the time you spend together at the computer, but older children and pre-teens may resent it. To help build a case for your concern, you might want to show your older children a few news stories that exemplify the dangers that unsupervised children are exposed to. The newspaper is unfortunately full of examples but with your help, we can reduce them world-wide.

Do You Think Your New PC Has a Good Programs?

2009-07-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

Programs Included With a New Computer
Are they good enough to stand on their own?

The Windows operating systems already comes with a useful collection of pre-installed programs and even some games. But one of the first things that people do is download a butt-load of new programs as soon as a brand new system is plugged in the wall and connected to the Internet. This article looks at some of the programs that are included with most new systems and then asks the reader to consider if they're sufficient.

NotePad and WordPad. All Windows systems include the two text editors, "NotePad," and "WordPad." Notepad is a plain text editor while WordPad is a rich text editor. Both files are capable of opening plain text, however WordPad can open Windows Write files (an earlier version of WordPad) as well as rich text files. WordPad can also save documents as plain text, rich text, and MS Word documents. So with WordPad having the ability to read and create rich text; embed objects (sound, pictures, and video); and manipulate fonts, we have to wonder if other word processors, which do the same thing, are really necessary. Although WordPad is certainly no match for Microsoft Word's internal spell and grammar checker or Word's Internet linking capabilities, we believe it's a great introduction to word processing in general for computer novices.

Address Book. There are hoards of advanced contact database programs floating around the Internet and on store shelves, but Windows provides a completely competent contact database of its own simply known as "Address Book." This small compact utility allows users to organize contacts by name, location, group, or number and it give users ample space to fully describe each. Compared to Microsoft's Access database program, its user-friendly Address Book is a Godsend to new computer users.

Calculator. Calculator has been a Windows accessory even from its first debut in Windows 1.0. For the life of us, we can't figure out why anyone other than a rocket scientist would want to install a different version than this free one that comes pre-installed. Windows calculator has two interfaces: an easy one, and a scientific one. So perhaps a rocket scientist could fare well with Windows Calculator after all!

Paint. Windows' Paint program allows users to make changes to existing graphics, or create brand new ones at no additional cost. Interestingly, we can count at least ten different graphics packages that are more popular and widely used than this free one. While it doesn't offer as many editing tools, it does provide the essentials and it can open/save graphics in .bmp, .gif, and.jpg format (the latter two being the most commonly format used for Internet eye candy).

Media Player. Real Player and QuickTime are the first programs we think of when we think about multimedia. But Windows Media Player, also free and pre-installed, does a fine job at transmitting Internet-bound sound and video. With this application, you can easily listen to .wav files, .midi files, and even tune into a little Internet radio if you like.

System Tools. Although there are too many to list here, Windows provides more than a handful of useful utilities that will monitor system resources, organize files, repair damaged disks, and more. Yet and still, you can easily find similar tools for sale at computer outlets and download libraries.

What's going on here?

The truth of the matter is that the programs pre-installed are great tools for the beginning computer user. At some point down the road, usage will dictate a need for more powerful applications. We may need a word processor that can convert a document into an HTML page or PDF document. We may need a calculator that solves geometric problems. Or we may need a multimedia tool that lets us create our own videos as well as watch them. These capabilities aren't included with new systems, but there's no reason why we can't exploit the tools that we're given to their fullest.

Autoresponder Training Sessions

2009-07-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

Autoresponders work very well when it comes to training others. This is why autoresponders are the perfect way to conduct email courses. But there are other types of training that can be done with autoresponders as well.

Even college professors have found a use for autoresponders. They can use them to remind students about upcoming tests, or to deliver study guides. Since the information in that professor’s course is taught over and over again each time a new class comes in, this saves the professor a great deal of time.

Autoresponders are also used by colleges to remind faculty and students about upcoming events. Because events are scheduled in advance, these autoresponder messages are set up in advance, and nobody has to depend on a secretary to get those notices out!

Many businesses use autoresponders to keep their employees trained. When new equipment is brought into the office, and employees need to know how to operate it, an autoresponder can be set up with training instructions.

No matter what kind of business you are in, there is a way that autoresponders can be used. The use of an autoresponder will save quite a bit of time, and it can also serve to make the people in your organization much for effective.

Autoresponders and Spam – What You Need to Know

2009-07-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

There are laws against sending spam. There are even laws that you must adhere to when you send out email that was requested. No matter what type of email you are sending out, the chances are good that the anti-spam laws apply to you in some way.

In order to be in compliance with the anti-spam laws in various states in the US, each commercial email that you send must include your name or business name, your street address, city, state, zip code, and phone number. You must also include instructions that will allow the recipient to remove themselves from your mailing list. If you fail to do any of this, you are essentially breaking the law in various states – no matter what state or country you live in!

Protect yourself from spam complaints in any way that you can. Make sure that when a customer requests any type of information from you that an email is sent requesting confirmation before any other email is sent. If someone is placing an order from you, include a check box on the order form, asking for permission to send them periodic emails. Never use your autoresponder to send unsolicited commercial email!

Is Computer Firewall Your Primary Defense against Virtual Attacks?

2009-07-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

If you have any personal information on your computer at all and access the Internet it is vitally important that you consider the benefits of a computer firewall. Many people lock their homes, lock their cars, keep a watchful eye on their children, and yet leave the bank accounts, personal information, and all kinds of other information vulnerable and exposed through their personal computers.

A virtual attack can be just as devastating financially and emotionally as someone breaking into your home. They are allowed access to secrets you may have shared in confidence with online friends or even offline friends that you correspond with online, they will have passwords for financial and banking accounts, they will know where you buy your coffee; they can learn where your children go to school. The information we have on our personal computers is staggering in terms of personal security nightmares and yet so many people take no steps to secure this information from prying eyes by investing in a simple computer firewall.

The amazing thing is that you can even find free computer firewalls available online if you know where to look. I highly recommend paying for a computer firewall though if you have little knowledge of the inner workings of your computer. If you’re going to secure your families secrets you may as well invest in a very good program with constant updates in order to do so.

A computer firewall isn’t just a nice thing to have on your computer; it is a vital line of defense for you and your family. Keep this in mind when choosing the best computer firewall for you. Remember you want to have a service that will provide updates and keep up with evolving technology that would harm your computer or steal your personal information.

How to Surf the Web Anonymously

2009-06-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

So you're trying to surf a site like myspace, hotmail or yahoo mail from work or school and its blocked by your school, work or government. Or maybe you want to go on a site without anyone knowing what you're doing. The simplest way to do it is by using a web proxy. A proxy is another computer that is like a mask your computer puts on when it connects to the Internet. It's also a private gateway to blocked sites because the site you are actually surfing is hidden behind the proxy, which is unblocked. For example, if you go to a web proxy in London and surf the Web, every other computer in the world thinks you are from London!

There are plenty of free web proxy sites that you can use. The problem is that many of the popular ones also get blocked by people at your school, company or government. However, once you find one that is not blocked, all you do is go to the proxy site, enter the URL you want to browse and click go! It's that easy. You can then click on any links in the page you are browsing and you're still anonymous to the outside world. Just remember that if you go to a proxy and its blocked or no longer works, its no big deal, there are thousands of them. Just try another one and eventually you will find a web proxy that lets you browse freely and privately. Part 2 of this article will show where to find more unblocked working proxies that you will ever need!

Links for 2009-03-16 [Digg]

2009-03-17T00:00:00-07:00

Climate change makes us boiled frogs, says Prince Charles
Prince Charles has compared human inactivity over climate change to frogs being boiled alive, and says we can't see the way the environment is changing because we're too close to it