Tips and tricks :: Tutorial :: Information Technology :: Gadget Lover

Drum Meister for iPad

2011-06-08T10:59:00.007+08:00

Looking for a realistic game drum application?
Want to organize components as you like?
Would you like to slide and play features with great responsiveness?
That meeting needs all at the same time?
Here is a perfect solution for your ideal drum.
Drum Meister battery will provide you with realistic playing environment at hand.
Play drums with your MP3 songs into your iPhone / iPod.

FEATURES:
* 4 different kit sounds (rock, jazz, dance, electronic)
* 10 basic components of the drum with 12 different sounds played simultaneously
* 8 extra components (4 brushed, side-stick, 2 extra dishes, and a cowbell)
* Organize drum components for comfortable finger
* Edit (Add / Remove / Resize) components Auto
* Drum roll (4, 8, 12, 16, 32 beats)
* Mix the high-quality audio without clipping a telephone pole-end
* 3-D sound positioning
* An adjustable metronome on / off, BPM, beats
* The characteristics of the open hi-hat fast shutdown
* Record and save your own beats
* 40 pre-recorded beats (Rock, Hip Hop, Jazz, Latin, Ballad, Dance, etc.)
* Slide and play
* Turn the motion sensor to play bass drum and cymbals
* Large capacity to respond to fast beats and bass
* Animated visual effect

Turn on your favorite song and enjoy!

Ubuntu promotes OpenJDK

2008-08-21T17:06:00.002+08:00

Users Java and Ubuntu will be happy to know that OpenJDK 6 has been migrated the main repository of distribution "human", becoming the Java Run-Time Environment (JRE) and Java Development Kit (JDK) default Ubuntu 8.10. OpenJDK is the free version of Java born from source version 6 and the work of the community (but also companies like RedHat).

The official announcement of the list architectures affected by this change have been registered in the mailing list ubuntu-devel-announce.

Dell Inspiron 910: Killer Eee PC use Ubuntu

2008-08-21T17:02:00.002+08:00

Missing a few days to the marketing of new netbook Dell, the Inspiron 910, and they are beginning to get the first indiscretions on its technical specifications. Driven by an Intel processor Atom, the mini-Inspiron boasts a 8.9-inch display (capable of a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels), is equipped with 1 GB of RAM and boasts solid-state disks of varying sizes (from 4 to 16 GB). Completing the entire VGA output, a memory card reader, network adapter wi-fi and three USB ports.

The most interesting aspects of this netbook must be sought elsewhere, however, more precisely in the price and the operating system: the Inspiron 910, in fact, should be sold starting at $ 299 (one hopes that is not used at the exchange between 1:1 U.S. dollars and euros) and will be available only with Windows XP, even with Ubuntu 8.04.

We hope that at least this time Italy will not be treated as in the past…

Tips: free for scanning PC errors

2008-06-26T12:15:00.002+08:00

An update of memory may be one of the least expensive methods to improve your computer performance. In addition, an update of your computer's memory can be very simple, even for inexperienced users.

How do the computer's memory is currently?

When the computer starts, it should say how much RAM is installed.
If your computer has already started in Microsoft Windows, you can view your computer memory the following steps:

* start Click.
* Click control panel=""
* Click performance and="" maintenance=""
* Click system
* Search your memory near total at the bottom right of the window. For example, you might say "1.00 GB of RAM."
system>performance>control>start

What kind of memory not to use the computer?

The main key to success for an update of memory is to know what kind of RAM motherboard is currently in use.

This can be very confusing, because if there are many different types of computer memory, including SDR SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, DDR2 and RDRAM.

In addition, each type of RAM will be assessed with a speed. Adding memory fastest computer will work, but you can pay more than necessary for your memory upgrade. Adding slower memory may make your computer work properly or not at all.

One way to determine what kind of RAM your computer is currently in use is to open it and look for the memory stick.

This computer memory, most likely like this DIMM:
DIMM

Reading the mark from your computer memory usually say what type and speed of your computer's memory has.

Another way to discover what kind of memory your computer has is to use the memory Crucial search database. This easy to use tool will help them discover what kind of RAM you should update with.
Your motherboard has opened a memory slot?

If you know what kind of RAM motherboard is currently in use, and if your motherboard has opened a memory slot, then you can just go out and buy a new compatible memory stick and plug into the motherboard.

If the motherboard has not opened a memory slot, then you must take out the current memory and replace it with greater memory capacity. For example, you can replace the DIMM 256 MB to 512MB DIMM, or 512MB DIMM's a 1GB DIMM.

Tutorial: RAM Memory Fundamental

2008-06-26T11:51:00.002+08:00

The RAM is the memory of computers that are the data used during normal use of software. The more great Ram memory of a computer and much more will be fast software installed, which should not store the temporary data on the hard drive. Being a volatile memory the contents of the Ram is temporary and reset for each new turn on your computer.

What Ram for your computer?

Fundamental choose the Ram depends on will of the computer. The choice side technology out there, a computer media power has a memory of 128 MB Ram (Mega Bytes = one million characters) to 256 MB. There are still configurations available with 512 MB or higher. For normal use of Office or other applications commonly used (Internet, email, etc.) is sufficient focus on memories from 256 MB RAM, now considered the minimum needed for modern computers. For more demanding activities such as photo editing and video games is advisable to invest in superior solutions, buying directly from a RAM 512 MB or 1 GB (1024 MB) or on other words you need to add computer RAM (if you are IMAC addict, sure you need to add IMAC memory too)

The amount of memory choice for your computer is very important because the RAM choice will depend most of the performance of the system.

Today, the memories are DIMM RAM type DDR (Double Data Rate). The speed of RAM currently on the market partly by 333 MHz (DDR PC2700 Memory) to 466 (PC3700). The memories modern use the same bus for data transfer in both ways. A big step forward compared to the old RAM "one-way alternating" (eg: SDRAM) in trade a few years ago.

To understand the importances of observing enough RAM access times. The speed of memory varies from 6 ns for the RAM to 333 MHz (PC2700) to 4.5 ns for the RAM to 466 MHz (PC3700). Obviously, a faster equal’s faster performance in software and less waiting time for users of computers.

For the more demanding in terms of performance are also available memory cards type of DDR RAM at speeds of 550 MHz with no loss of stability of calculation and access times reduced to just 3.5 ns, or RAM memories with a great storage capacity, up to 2 GB (2048), particularly suitable for computer graphics and photo professional.

The price is in constant change. It ranges from 30-40 euros for solutions RAM medium and no-brand to 150-200 euros for complex solutions and more efficient. Between the two extremes there is a wide choice term for combining performance with your portfolio.

Tips Tricks: Watch DivX Hollywood/Bollywood movies online for free

2008-06-04T17:26:00.000+08:00

In the mood to watch a full movie online for free? You can use Joox.net to watch Hollywood, Hindi, Anime, Cartoons, TV Shows, Music videos, Documentaries, and foreign movies streaming online with subtitles for free! The site does not actually host any videos itself, but instead bookmarks videos from the site Stage6, which is a video sharing site like YouTube, but for high resolution DivX videos.

In order to watch the videos on Joox.net, you will need to install the DivX plugin from Stage6. Of course, since some stuff may by copyrighted, Stage6 will remove it and it may not work on this site. However, from playing around with it, all of the movies I’ve played so far work fine. The resolution in very high and you can even watch them full screen.

It doesn’t have the latest movies or anything like that, but if you’re in the mood for Casino (1995), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), Psycho (1960), or Schindler’s List, then this is the place to go. Also, I liked their selection of Bollywood movies and comedy/stand-up videos.

You can also download the videos to your computer if you life. And if you know how to create DivX files, you can upload them yourself by creating an account on Stage6. Of course, you can also go to Stage6 itself and watch a host of other high resolution movies and videos there.

Stage6 has many more categories and allows for search by tags or lookup through “channels”, such as Anime, move trailers, music videos, etc. Using Stage6, you can download videos for playback on your computer, TV, or portable media player like the iPod, etc. Lots of free video at very high quality! Enjoy!

Tips: How to convert a PDF file to Word, Excel or JPG format

2008-06-04T17:15:00.002+08:00

One common question I’ve run across a lot these days in the office is how to convert a PDF file to Microsoft Word format (doc), Excel format (xls), or JPG picture format. Usually, people want to know how to convert a file to PDF, but it’s also nice to be able to convert back the other way. Converting to Word is actually pretty simple and can be done directly using an online file conversion service called Zamzar. Going to Excel or JPG is a two step process, but nothing very difficult to follow.

Update: There’s a much easier way to convert a PDF to JPG image format than the method I have mentioned below. Here’s how you can do it using Zamzar.com.

Convert a PDF file to JPG - Easy Way

Go to ZamZar.com, browse for your file and choose PNG format for the format to conver to under Step 2. PNG is another newer picture format that is slowly replacing the JPG format. Most programs that can open JPG files can open PNG. Zamzar automatically converts each page in the PDF document into it’s own PNG picture file. Now you can simply open Microsoft Paint (yes, all you need it Paint!) and choose File - Save As from the menu and choose JPEG from the drop down list of formats.

That’s it! By the way, if youare interested in how to extract the text from a PDF document or how to convert Word files to PDF, etc, check out the links.

Convert PDF to JPG Format - Second Way

The first thing you’ll need to do is download a free software (the only one I could find) that converts PDF documents to JPEG image format automatically. Go to the Omniformat download page and download both Omniformat v8.3 and the PDF995 app. You will need to download and install PDF995 first before installing Omniformat. Once you have both programs installed, go to your Start Menu programs, find the program group Software995 and click on Omniformat.

The only annoying thing about this program is that it requires you to view some ads for about 30 seconds! However, it’s better than paying $20 or $40 for a program just to do a simple conversion! It does pop up another instance of your browser window for the web site of each of the sponsors, but it does not install any spyware onto your computer (no popup ads). Once the program is loaded, you’ll see it has a section called “Watch Folders” and then a button at the bottom titled “Start Monitoring” and “Single Pass“.

Basically the way it works is that you need to COPY the PDF files you want to convert to JPG format to the C:\omniformat\watch folder and then press Single Pass. The program will look in that directory and convert each page of each PDF into a separate JPG file. If you click Start Monitoring, you can keep dropping PDFs into that folder and the program will automatically convert them into JPGs as long as the program is open. Note that the program DELETES the original PDF document that it uses, so that’s why you need to COPY the PDF document to the watch folder, not move it! You should now see your converted files like below:

Convert your PDF to a Word document

Go to Zamzar.com and click the Browse button next to Step 1 and choose your file. By default, Step 2 will be set to DOC format, but you can choose to convert your PDF to other file types such as TXT, HMTL, RTF, etc. Type in your email address for Step 3 and click Convert.

You should receive an email within a few minutes with a download link to your converted file. I have tried out this service on some pretty complex PDF documents with text in multiple columns, multiple images, etc and have been very impressed with it’s conversion accuracy.

Convert a PDF file to Excel format

We will again follow the steps above using Zamzar, but this time choose TXT as the format you want to convert to. Unfortunately, you can’t convert straight to Excel format, so we’ll have to go through the intermediary TXT format. Once you have downloaded the TXT file and saved it on your computer, open Microsoft Excel and go to File - Open and change the Files of Type combo box to All Files.

Now you should see the converted text file in the list of files. Choose it and click Open. You’ll now be brought to the Text Import Wizard. You have to open the file in this manner because if you simply right-click and say Open With Excel, all of the text for each row will appear in the first column and not be separated.

For Step 1, choose Delimited from the two options listed.

Click Next and check off the Space checkbox as one of the delimiters. Each value should now be separated by a vertical line, indicating it’s going to be in a separate column.

Click Next and then click Finish. You can now save the file as an Excel file by going to File - Save As. There are a few drawbacks, however, as this conversion does not always work perfectly! For example, if the original Excel sheet had a column where there was text with spaces included, each word will be separated into it’s own column! Also, you won’t see any formulas or functions that may have been in the original Excel sheet, only the text.

It’s as easy as that! You can use many other image editing programs also such as Photoshop, Corel, etc, etc, but I chose Paint because that is universally available on just about every Windows computer.

Any questions, post a comment!

Tips: Buliding computer for game

2008-05-25T16:57:00.000+08:00

Are you the construction of computer games on a tight budget? Want ideas on how to save some cash? The following tips will help you build a system of play for less.

Reuse your old parts

A good way to save money on your new computer is to reuse the old part where possible. Strip out all the good parts from your old computer, May be able to use these parts in your new PC.

Components such as monitors, keyboards, mouse, disk drive, CD-ROM drive, and computer case are good candidates for reuse. In some cases, may even be able to keep your old video card and sound card, leaving you with only the basic components for substitution, CPU, motherboard, RAM, hard disk.

Expect Sweet Spot in the market

Another good advice for building a cheap computer games is to watch for the 'sweet spot' in the market. The sweet spot is in fact point to specific parts of which are still far behind those with top performance, but which are already at the price drops.

Keep in mind that new hardware releases on the market will cause the old components of a drop in prices. You should hunt for high-quality components that are through these price drops.

Shop Around for components

This is common sense, but there are people who are there do not do that. To get the best bid on your components you need to shop around and compare prices. Avoid buying impulsively, what to do. Instead, become informed and intelligent buyer.

If you want the best bid that will need to put in little effort. Try to compare prices from different sellers over time, perhaps several weeks or so to get an idea of where the hot deals.

Gaming PCs can be quite expensive. If you're like most people, you will not have all the money in the world to spend on your new machine. In this way, use these tips to your advantage and build games on the computer smart way. Always remember, be smart, patient and informed consumer. The money is worth saving.

Tips: Optimizing your computer performance - Again

2008-05-25T16:56:00.000+08:00

Consumer laptop and desktop to the purchase of an all-time low due to the declining economy. Even the company's purchase of these items has been at a record low. With the exception of Apple. Their sales will continue strong. For those of us who are not a luxury that will go out and buy a brand new Apple Computer, or any other computer that matter, let me give you some tips to help you keep your computer running smoothly and quickly.

First of all, seems to one program at a time on your computer. If this is not possible, to carry out less. Cutting down even one or two programs at the same time, can improve the performance of your PC. When you're finished, the program gives you certainly close to it. When you click on the link and it opens a new browser, close to the previous, if you're ready with it.

Another way to assure that your computer is still running efficiently, it is to keep the anti-virus and anti-spyware up to date.

Thirdly, check the programs, the start-up, when you log in to your computer. You can find this information under the Start menu and then click on the "All Programs, then Startup. All the programs will not run automatically every time you log in to your computer. If you do not need the program begins immediately, remove it to this folder. The more programs, which have been in this folder, the longer it will take, a computer is ready for use, when you log in to.

A fourth pointed tip to improve computer performance at cleaning up the computer's registry. That is, if the files have been maintained, that you tell your computer how to run. Over time, these files can be corrupt. Search for the registry cleaning software and download it on top of a computer. This would be in contradiction to, after scanning the computer for viruses.

Finally, the update of RAM (this is the memory of your computer). If there is not enough memory, your computer slows down.

The most important thing is, do not give a declining economic situation prevent you from having a computer, which effectively. Try these instructions, and the computer's performance is guaranteed to improve.

Tips: Optimizing your computer performance

2008-05-25T16:54:00.001+08:00

Sometimes your computer is running slowly. Actually, this happens because of various reasons. Below are some of the reasons and tips for improving the performance of your computer.

1. Spyware, malware and adware

This is one of the reasons why your computer is running slowly. During the installation of suspicious software, these things will also install in the background without you know. Some of these things can be removed if you removed the software that comes with it.

There are also software to remove spyware. As Spybot Search and Destroy. You can use this software for free.

With the help of only one type of spyware removal is not very effective. If you want your computer secure and free of spyware, software use two or more.

Windows Defender is a good option. Use Windows Explorer to your monitor ongoing programs.

2. Registry

Another reason why your computer is slow, because your computer registry is not stable and must be kept clean. To do so, you must register a cleaner software. There are a lot cleaner registry free of charge. I encourage you to use RegSeeker

3. To remove the software that you do not need

You can improve the performance of your computer by deleting the software that you do not need.

Free software can be found somewhere on the Internet. Some of these free software also comes with an attached piece of text such as spyware and adware. So, be careful when installing free software.

4. Get rid of your temporary files

You can use all your temporary files on your computer by rotating the disk cleanup tool. Or you can delete all the files in your "temp" folder. Do not remove the folder. If you can not find it, you can go to My Computer-> Local disk (where your Windows operating system) -> Documents and Settings-> your username-> Local Settings. Sometimes this folder is hidden, you can map your body so you can see this file.

5. Adjust for best performance

You can use your computer so it can be carried out for the best performance. But the appearance will not be very good. If you have Windows XP, you can do so by visiting the panel-> system-> advanced-> performance of the institution-> apply for the best performance.

Tips: Repairing Windows XP Computer

2008-05-25T16:51:00.000+08:00

It is late in the evening and that you are at home, using a computer to update the document you need to work on the next day. You make final changes, save the document, and send ga print. Turn on the printer, only to find nothing there. You print the document again, and again get nothing. Thinking that maybe there is something wrong with the printer connection, you decide to restart the computer. But you are getting error messages that you've never seen before. After clicking on two or three dozen "OK" buttons, your computer is booting finally begins again, and you sigh of relief. Until you start getting error message that certain files are outdated or can not be located. At the end of your computer comes back up, but it seems that all that has gone wonky. Programs load with errors, or loaded and everything. Utilities, which worked fine last night lock when you try to run them, including virus-scanning your software. In short, something very, very wrong.

Ordinarily this would mean taking on your computer and repair the site have tech look at it to determine the problem. Repair could be as simple as running utilities on several computers, or as complex as well as the reconstruction of the hard drive from scratch. Even the simpler solution can be expensive. But if you use Windows XP operating system as yours, May you do not need to go in blind panic. A utility included in Windows XP called System Restore allows you to recover your hard disk from a previous point in time. In effect, turn back the clock to a point in the past in which your computer is working correctly.

Give me a reason

Why would you restore your computer to, say, yesterday afternoon is the setting? There are many reasons you might want or need, in order to do this. The incident described above could be caused by a virus that got through your computer's firewall installed itself on your computer. Remember a new game on a computer installed late last night? This could have a system file was overwritten in the operating system, replacing them with older files, or delete files needed altogether. Maybe someone got a little trigger-happy with the mouse you choose to delete files from the system, deleting the file system required. Then there is always the possibility of "God's work", such as power outage or power surge, which have corrupted the system May data on the computer.

Convinced? Good. So how System Restore? Let's take a look.

Start at the beginning

When Windows XP is installed on a computer system, the utility System Restore is turned on by default, so you do not have to do anything to start the process. System Restore and automatically creates "restore points", a point in time, you can choose a refund of his computer. They usually worked when the new program is installed, or upgrade existing systems are implemented (usually via the Internet). Good news. Unfortunately Windows XP is not consistent with the frequency of creating these restore points. You may go two or three days before the incident occurs where an operating system, believes that it is necessary to create a restore point. No-so-good news. However, you can go in yourself and manually create a restore point for any time you like, say, just before installing the new program. If you are going to do on a regular basis, even once a day, you'll have a good number of points from which to return if ever need.

Good place for recovery

May you want to create a restore point on his own, or need to find a point to restore to the recovery of your system. In both cases, you can begin the same way. In the menu bar at the bottom of the desktop, click on Start, then Help and Support (blue question mark icon). Under the "Select the task" in the right column of the window that appears on the screen, select the option marked Undo changes to your computer with System Restore. This runs the utility System Restore, ga bringing in a new window.

If you want to create a new restore point, select another option in the menu and click on Next. You can enter the appropriate description for this restore point, and then click on Create. Windows XP automatically attaches your description, and date and time from your computer system to restore point, adding that the list of calendars. Click on the Close and that's it - you've created a restore point. You can go on with their work (or play).

When you are, you need some restoration

If it is necessary to restore the system in an earlier date and time, the System Restore menu select the first option in the menu and click on Next. You can use the calendar on the left side of the window and restore points is described on the right side of the window to select a particular point of recovery you want to use. Once you've selected your desired restore point, click Next, Next and then restart the process of returning. Do not power down your computer during this process, as you could end up with some serious issues, if the process does not end up returning. (Helpful tip: Do not do a return, if there is a possibility you might have a power outage, such as during the storm!) Once the return is done, the computer reboots, when you sign up, and there you are - your system is the way in which to the date and time for the restore point.

Useful advice

You will avoid many of pain if you follow a few guidelines when using the System Restore.

Regularly to create a manual restore points. It only takes a minute to create a restore point. Even if you have done so only once or twice a week, it gives that much more options to choose from when it was necessary to select the restore point.

ALWAYS create a restore point before adding anything new to your computer! Whether you're adding a new printer, installing the second hard disk, or upgrading your favorite program for software, to create a restore point before starting the process. If anything happens to a problem, you can go back to your PC so that before the installation began.

Save important information before departure on a single return. Keep in mind that all that has changed in the time between the computer and restore point and the beginning of time and return will be reset to the way in which at the time, and return point. If your restore point is of ten days, every program and data files you added to your computer in the ten-day period will be gone. Files that were on the computer at the time and restore point and that you have cleared since then will return to the computer after returning. So, if you have the files on your computer that you want to keep, copy them to a floppy disk or a stick of RAM, or burn a CD before we start the process of returning.

Not bad for a Freebie

There are commercial programs available, such as Norton's Go-Back, who perform this function much more smoothly and have many more opportunities. But if you do not want to pay $ 50 for the price tag-Go Back, or does not expect that he will recover on your computer on a regular basis, and then XP is the utility System Restore will work just fine for you - and May to finish saving you both time and money in computer repair costs

Tips: Speed up your computer easily

2008-05-25T16:42:00.000+08:00

There are few things in life that are so frustrating as when the computer is grinding along with the speed of a snail. For a few years ago, we did not really have this problem, which was before the computer came true in most houses. The problem of slow computers is not running frustration that most of us have to deal with ever day. Think of when you call someone about some business relationships on the phone, how often they have to hear that you have to wait because their computer is running slow? Here are the most common reasons why your computer is running slowly and how to solve these problems.

1. Spyware Problems - This little invasive programs are such a problem that needed a new word to be added to the dictionary when they arose. It does not matter if you call them spyware or scumware or just a plain ole 'pain in the ass, these programs spring pop-ups in your face, slow your computer to a crawl and cause you to bang your head on the desk repeatedly. Fortunately, there are many programs that are available to download, which will help you to this scourge on your computer, and keep it at a distance.

2. Running Too many at once - Sometimes you shoot yourself in the foot, so to speak. If your system tray (the area next to the clock on your computer) is so full of icons that looks like Grand Central Station in time to stop then you can probably no longer too many programs at once. Try right-clicking on a number of these icons to see what they are and so it is possible that you could live without them.

Keep your computer clean is more or less a full time job if you try to do. Search and find a large number of software to keep your computer clean and running smoothly, and that means that one less thing in life more difficult.

Misc Computer Tips

2008-05-25T16:38:00.000+08:00

Your company need to retain the services of a consulting firm, but you have no idea how to really evaluate "competence"? In the first part of this two-part series on Computer Consulting 101 councils recruitment, we examined why small companies find it so difficult to hire good consultancy firms, as well as four basic questions that you must be addressed when searching for a new computer consulting vendor. Now in his second and final episode of this two-part series on Computer Consulting 101 hiring tips, we'll see how you can evaluate the real, often confusing expenses of the use of a computer consulting company, and how to examine more thoroughly the computer consultancy firm professional credentials and experience.

Dealer, "Pure" Computer Consulting Company, or supplier of hybrid technology

Your company sell various products such as hardware and software? Is it a profit center or do you mind if we shop for our products elsewhere? And if we do shop elsewhere, can we still buy your needs analysis and procurement services?

Are there other providers, such as Internet service providers or telephone companies, that your firm is acting as an agent or partner? In other words, do you accept commissions or referral fees for doing business to certain suppliers?

The costs, hidden fees and billing procedures

What are your payment terms, rates and billing hourly minimum? What is billable and what is not billable?

Do you charge your travel time? The hotline? E-mail/online support? Remote?

Are there any hourly rate billing for the premiums after working hours or emergency service? What constitutes "after hours" or "emergency"?

Do you offer contracts support? What are the costs and benefits?

Accounts reference client, case studies and testimonials

Can you tell me about one of your longer-term small business accounts receivable?

Can you tell me about one of your most-recently signed on to customers? Can you tell me about small businesses a customer who has not worked and why?

Can you provide references?

Research / development of skills and keeping Sharp

How do you keep new technological developments?

What do you invoice customers and what do you absorb it? Are there grey areas?

Approaching the training and knowledge transfer

What do you think of hand and in-depth training with users?

What type of user and technical training can you provide?

Will you train our internal computer administrator to become more self-sufficient, even if it takes away your "job security" and opportunities to bill more hours?

Ultimately,

Do not fall into the ultra-common trap of hiring an independent consultant computer or computer consulting firm that is not a good way for your company. Use the Computer Consulting 101 recruitment and selection issues as the basis to make a more informed hiring decision for your computer consulting suppliers. And if you have any doubts, do not be afraid to seek a second opinion with another computer consulting firm.

Tips before buy a computer - again

2008-05-25T16:36:00.001+08:00

Buying a new PC can become a tedious task these days as many of us tend to be confused or simply do not know how to choose the best computer from a wide spectrum available. Here are 6 tips for how best to buy a computer:

1. The first and logical thing to do is to determine exactly where you will be of use to your computer. Do you plan to use ga at home, or do you travel frequently with the business? After you answer this question if you want to know desktop or laptop computer.

2. The next thing to do is determine the budget. There is a wide range of desktop and portable computers choice in order to cover any budget. Desktop computers can cost anywhere between $ 500 and $ 2000 (Keep in mind that many Web sites do not monitor the list price, so read carefully before you click the button checking), while computers are between $ 800 - $ 2000 +. Decide on how much money you are willing to spend and continue to the next step.

3. Now is the time to determine what shall be used for the computer. Are you buying for your kid to play video games, watch movies or do you plan to use ga for work or surfing the Internet? Of course, you can buy a computer and use ga for all of these things, but for example if you plan to use only for business, then you do not have to buy a computer with the best video cards on the market.

4. Are you going to store photos, Microsoft Office documents, MP3 files, video files, etc.? You must think about how to determine what the hard drive of your computer needs. If you'll be using ga for storing photos and Office files, then you need something in the range of 60GB, but no more. If you plan to store lots of video and audio files and then a 220GB hard drive would be more appropriate.

5. Another very important thing to consider, that many people have, how often you replace your PC? This is very important because most new computers come with a special OEM license for Microsoft software. As this license can not be used in any other computers, if you change your computer often then would be waste of money to buy each end of each of them with software and pay for it every time. If you change your computer often that it would be wise to buy a retail copy of Microsoft software and save money.

6. Buy a ready made computer or the creation of a new PC selecting all parts of yourself? In my opinion, if you have people who change their computer then often buy ready made one is the perfect choice for you. If you do not plan on changing the computer then would be wise to create a local store or even on some Web sites on the Internet. This is because all large companies are using proprietary computer components, and if you are willing to buy no one is usually more difficult to upgrade later.

Tips before buy a computer

2008-05-25T16:35:00.000+08:00

How to choose when buying a computer - is asking "What is the most popular computer" right question? First of all, I found that many people thought the project with a request to do so by "What is the most popular computer?" and rental of a response that will determine the issue for them. This is not necessarily the best idea.

Just because something is popular does not necessarily mean that is the best - for example, fast food restaurants are popular places to go, but I think we all know that does not serve the best food in the world. Here's something to remember when thinking about how to choose when buying a computer - you should generally avoid the big brand names. Yes, this may surprise you but in my opinion, this is usually not a good idea to buy from one of the big companies, brand (there is one exception that I will receive per minute).

Here's why: Dollar for dollar, you will usually get worse deal than if you go with a good reputation "generic" or "white box" store. Many people have a low price because the first thing on their list when we try to figure out how to choose when buying a computer. So they go with the cheaper brand and spend a few hundred dollars for it, and they think that you are a good deal. But what they do not realize is that it is common for many large companies to sell marks that many outdated computers in their lower price ranges, and from what've heard, they also often sell computers with parts they know are bad!

I am not kidding about this - most of the big computer companies in them when they are least expensive computers sold, trying to unload old inventory, which has been collecting dust on their shelves for a long time. They sell it to you, as if this is new, and perhaps this is in effect, never purchased from before, but it is difficult in terms of new technologies. And as in other part of this is that from what they've heard, these computers often have parts in them which are known * * to be bad parts!

You see, when one producer as Intel processor chip makes the computer (for "brain" of the computer), they test to make sure that it works. Makes sense, right? But inevitably, many of them fail these tests. Now maybe you think these bad parts will be discarded, but not - what've heard, what happens is they still sell them in large computer companies in a discount, and those companies that put them in their computers anyway.

What you can do with very bad processor time is set to work slowly, and while he may not run at full speed, it works well enough to undergo the tests. But parts are still bad! Of course, they may work OK for a while (maybe just long enough to do so during the warranty period), but they are less "glitches" and graduated to breaking down as quickly as possible. So if you can find a reputable local company that sells computers to do myself, will get a well-built computer for much less because you are not payments for brand.

Family owned store like this is the only place I would buy a Windows PC, personally. So earlier had mentioned one exception among major brands - if you have been reading my articles or my email newsletter for some time, perhaps already guessed, which is one - Apple.

Apple is the only major brand of computer, I personally to buy (I am writing this on MacBook Pro). To do so, partly because I used many different types of computers over the years, and really do not enjoy much use of Windows. But I also do this because Apple has not knowingly put bad processors in their computers, or try to sell out-of-date computers as new. Some people complain that Apple are Macs overpriced, but it actually does not happen - compared apples with apples (excuse of a pun) they tend to be in that price range as Dell and HP in the same general gallery.

So the bottom line is, here's how to choose when you buy a computer: If you want to stick with Windows, and then support local business and go to good, which is stored on the computer along to you in part. And make sure you ask them to put Windows XP on it, not Windows Vista (for reasons I covered in the previous 3 - part article about the problems with Windows Vista). Or finally away from Windows and switch to Mac.

Anyway you are receiving a better deal. Hope that makes sense and helps with your decisions about how to choose when buying a computer.

Tips: Buying Vista Computer

2008-05-25T16:33:00.000+08:00

As we all know, Computer technology changes rapidly. For this reason, we all run to the nearest trade to a new computer when our machines are obsolete. No matter what financial resources you have, you are not exempt from the obligation to participate in this ritual. Unfortunately, if you're in a tight budget, you have to take into account the decision to buy a new computer, because it will have a greater impact on you economically. Whereas the Vista was released, many people decide to buy a new computer because the operating system is out and need to upgrade anyway. It is time to look at the essential information for anyone who is in this situation, and wonders if that Vista is a reason to upgrade now.

It's all about reports that Vista has its problems. For example, if you use some wireless adapters, you might be zasekl with a computer that can not be connected to the Internet, because the patch or update has not yet been released. Many "experts" warned against purchasing a computer with Windows Vista because it has many bugs and compatibility issues. It is said that everyone should discard the transition from XP to the updated version is based. In addition, many say that Vista takes up entirely too much computer memory and processing capacity. Luckily, someone who decides to buy a new computer with Vista will have enough RAM and other components are perfectly to run Vista. This is the dilemma void for you.

Glitter and the graphics are glorified by all who have witnessed and experienced Microsoft Vista. This is the main attraction of this software. These functions are only in the Home Premium version of Vista. The basic version has a few features and the most exciting optically are not present. Buying software consists of warehouse and modernization of the current machine would mean a lower price for the purchase of basic addition. Luckily for anyone buying a completely new machine, get into practice everything Microsoft has to offer, because they usually come with Home Premium installed. Other features also show through when you talk about Vista. New entertainment features and enhancements to games and other aspects of computer use. With any operating system enhancements are inevitable, and Vista is no exception.

Now that information is set out in simple terms, the decision can be made. Depending on your situation, you can choose to buy a new computer today, and Vista, or you can wait and have the updated version included. In fact, some people say that Vista will be forgotten, as well as Windows ME, which left as quickly as it happened in the These days, nobody can await the outcome of new technologies. If you run an old machine, begging to be upgraded, by all means do so, but if you can wait for the update exercise a little patience. If you are too impulsive, remember computers do not come cheap, but all and you may later regret. On the other hand, if you can afford the cost, by all means go to upgrade, have fun and enjoy.

Tips: Choose good computer

2008-05-25T16:11:00.001+08:00

Are you ready to buy a new computer? Great! The choices can be daunting, though. Just
looking at the price aspect, you can spend anywhere from three hundred to a few euros
one thousand euros, quite easily.

The first choice you have to do is that you buy a desktop or laptop. If you need
any amount of mobility and all, which would suggest a laptop. If you do not plan on moving
about computers or using away from your home or office, you may want to desktop. Desktop
computers are easier to repair and cheaper for what you get.

Next, you'll have to make a choice on some of the main features and components of
computer.

Memory is a big factor in determining how quickly your computer performs tasks - I
do not buy a computer with less than 512 MB of memory. 1 GB of memory will be even better. If
you are planning work on a lot of multimedia work or other tasks which require a lot
operational resources, you should probably get 2 GB of memory. Also keep in mind that memory
speed is classified, as well as the size of storage.

You will also need to decide on what you want to processor and / or needs. If you are not familiar
with the technical aspects of computer processors, and you will need a processor
which is more powerful than standard, you may want to consult a computer expert
Help you make the selection.

You will also need to choose the hard drive size you'll need. This is simply any choice to make
-- Just see how much hard disk space you're using now, add in any increases are expected to
necessary, then add some space for expansion.

There are many, many different components of a computer that you'll have to choose. It's
worth a little time to think about exactly what you need to make the right choice for
the first time.

Tips on computer recording

2008-05-25T11:16:00.000+08:00

Recording your audio is just about like using a cassette tape recorder. There should be a red record button and play, forward, and rewind buttons like you have been used too seeing for years.

Most of the software recording programs works about the same way. The look may be slightly different in each program but most of the basic functions should be similar.

If you are using Audacity there are tutorials all over the Internet. Go to your search engine of choice and type in free Audacity tutorials and you should find an abundance of tutorials to help you along.

Here are some tips to help you create a professional recording.

Try not to get too nervous, it is natural to be somewhat uptight but be as calm as you possibly can.

If you make a mistake don’t stop, you can edit out your mistakes when you edit your recording.

Focus your speaking on getting your listeners attention; you have one shot to get your message across.

Print and read your copy before you hit the record button

Make a test recording, don’t worry about any mistakes

Listen to your recording and decide what sounds good and what does not.
Rewrite your copy using your test recording as a guide.

Rerecord your audio using your improved copy.

Listen to the recording and make sure it has the feel you are looking for.

Recording your own audio on your computer is not nearly as hard as you may think. The main thing is to take action. As long as you are moving forward toward your recording goal it will happen.

Useful keyboard shortcuts

2008-05-25T11:13:00.000+08:00

Alternatives To Using A Mouse All The Time:

Using a mouse 100% of the time is not always a good thing. Studies show that a great deal of people will have "carpal tunnel" within their wrists before they retire from their desk jobs because of the consistent use of a mouse. Learning how to use both hands will help to minimize this risk by offering an alternative to always using a mouse for everything you do.

MICROSOFT KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS:
• Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition

• Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition

• Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition

• Microsoft Windows 95

• Internet Explorer

• Mozilla FireFox

Manipulating Information:

Copy, Cut, Paste, Undo, Redo

When using a computer, we are all subject to copying, pasting, and cutting information from one program to another. The most widely used method of doing this is by highlighting all the information you want > right clicking on your mouse > hitting "copy" > finding another destination for the information > right clicking on your mouse > hitting "paste". All of these steps are done with your mouse only.

Here are some keyboard shortcuts to help ease this process:

1.1) Highlight the information with your mouse

1.2) On your keyboard use these commands instead:

• CTRL+C : Copy

• CTRL+X : Cut

1.3) Find the destination for your information

• CTRL+V : Paste

• CTRL+Z : Undo

• CTRL+SHIFT+V : Redo

As you can see here, we only used the mouse for 2 operations; 1) Highlighting the information, 2) Finding another location for the information. The rest of the work was done with your left hand which relieved some of the work load for your right hand. This may not seem like a lot of work, but if you perform these steps over 100 times a day, it makes a huge difference in the use of your wrists on a consistent basis.

Manipulating Information:

Bold, Italic, Underlined

When creating a word type of document within multiple software's, you can use a certain set of standard shortcuts that help to manipulate the font for you.

Instead of always using your mouse, try to get used to using these keyboard shortcuts:

• CTRL+B : Bold

• CTRL+I : Italic

• CTRL+U : Underline

Manipulating Files:

New, Open, Save, Save As, Print

Creating new files, opening new files, saving a file, or printing a file is usually done by clicking on "FILE" within the top menu and then selecting the option from the drop-down menu. Did you know that there are shortcuts for these tasks as well?

When using a word doc, or another form of file program software, try getting used to using these keyboard shortcuts:

• CTRL+N : New File

• CTRL+O : Open File

• CTRL+S : Save File

• CTRL+P : Print File

These simple shortcuts will allow you to save your information quickly without touching your mouse ever! This is a great tool when writing a lot of information, you don't want to stop typing every time you need to grab your mouse in order to save your file. Simply use CTRL+S and you're done.

Are you starting to see the value in using shortcuts all the time???

Above and beyond these simple shortcuts, Microsoft has an even bigger list of keyboard shortcuts for all sorts of commands, please refer to this page for the entire list:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449

MAC COMMAND SHORTCUTS:
File Menu:

Shift-Command+N : New Folder

Command+O : Open

Command+S : Save

Shift-Command+S : Save as

Command+P : Print

Command+W : Close Window

Option-Command+W : Close all Windows

Command+I : Get Info

Option-Command+I : Show Attributes Inspector

Command+D : Duplicate

Command+L : Make Alias

Command+R : Show original

Command+T : Add to Favorites (Mac OS X 10.2.8 or earlier)

Shift-Command+T : Add to Favorites (Mac OS X 10.3 or later)

Command+Delete : Move to Trash

Command+E : Eject

Command+F : Find

Edit Menu:

Command+Z : Undo

Command+X : Cut

Command+C : Copy

Command+V : Paste

Command+A : Select All

View Menu:

Command+1 : View as Icons

Command+2 : View as List

Command+3 : View as Columns

Command+B : Hide Toolbar

Command+J : Show View Options

Go Menu:

Command+[ : Back

Command+] : Forward

Shift-Command+C : Computer

Shift-Command+H : Home

Shift-Command+I : iDisk

Shift-Command+A : Applications

Shift-Command+F : Favorites

Shift-Command+G : Goto Folder

Command+K : Connect to Server

Window Menu:

Command+M : Minimize Window

Option-Command+M : Minimize All Windows

Help Menu:

Command+? : Open Mac Help

Command+Space Open Spotlight (Mac OS X 10.4 or later)

Command+esc

Above and beyond these simple shortcuts, Mac's have an even bigger list of keyboard shortcuts for all sorts of commands, please refer to this page for the entire list:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75459

In Conclusion:

Start using shortcuts to speed up the work you do on your computer, and to save your wrists from carpal tunnel due to consistent use of the mouse. In time, you will appreciate using keyboard shortcuts, they go hand in hand with using a mouse on a consistent basis.

Tips to improve computer game performance

2008-05-25T11:11:00.000+08:00

There are a few simple maintenance tips that will optimize your game experience. These tips are for the computer amateur! Minimal technical details to follow!

* Keep the discs themselves clean. You can purchase disc cleaner/repairer. But preventative maintenance is the better alternative! If you are also using downloaded games it may be necessary to uninstall and reinstall the files after repeated use.

* Close any programs that are not being used. If your computer is trying to run too many programs, use too many of its resources, when also trying to play a graphic intensive game, the graphics will be choppy, and figures will move slowly.

* Download CCleaner for free from www.ccleaner.com. CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your internet history. But the best parts are that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and incredibly simple (double click the icon and then click run). CCleaner contains no spyware or adware. You can run it as often as you like depending on your frequency of computer use.

* Disable anti-virus software. Anti-virus programs can slow down the loading and playing of games. You can disable the anti virus software by right clicking on the icon and choosing disable. Remember to turn it back on when you log back on to the Internet!

* Shutdown your computer properly. By not shutting your computer down using the start button you run the risk of losing data and in turn making files not work as efficiently.

* Take advantage of free operating system updates. Often times you are prompted but in the event that you are not you can easily do a quick search for the latest updates.

Tips and Tricks to Improve Computer Speed

2008-05-25T11:09:00.000+08:00

A Little Bit of My History

The very first time I have my hands on computer was almost 18 years back or so. It was an Apple computer given by my uncle who thought that I might be interested in it. The computer had no hard drive but with two 5 and a half inches floppy drive. The colors supported were black and green. All I did with the computer is to play games.

Later on, my father bought a 80286 system which came with a DOS system menu. I am particularly interested in games and since we had a DOS system, I started borrowing games from my friends. The computer was not considered fast because there were 80486 in the market at that time. Thus, some of the games are either not compatible or too slow to play a 80286 system.

At that time, I discovered that memory is one of the important components to increase the computer speed. Knowing that it was impossible for me to buy additional RAM to add-on, I started looking at DOS utilities. There was a Memory Maker tools which aimed to increase the memory similar of having a virtual memory but there was no significant improvement or I should say there was no improvement at all.

Later on, my father bought a Pentium 133 system with Windows 95. I upgraded it to Windows 98 myself. I went on to study computing in college and had another Celeron 300A system. I tried overclocking but the system just hangs after 333MHz. An increase of 33MHz did not improve much to the overall speed.

THE TOOLS

MSCONFIG

This is one of the most common tools that you can find in all Windows system. Run the tool by typing 'msconfig' from Start Menu --> Run, and a system configuration windows will appear. Click on the startup tab and it contains a list of startup program on your computer. Thus, one of the ways to improve your computer startup speed is to have the least programs to startup automatically with Windows.

Of course, you will want your antivirus to startup together but other than that, I believe that MSN, Skype and other similar tools will slow down your startup tremendously. You might be saying that you will always need to run MSN and Skype but a good practice is to enable them in the startup but prevent them from signing in automatically.

I like my system to startup fast because sometimes I may just want to type some documents or playing games without using other tools. Thus, shortcuts at the desktop are good enough for me as I can choose to launch any programs after startup.

After a fresh installation, the startup tab is normally blank. Hence, you are safe to untick all the programs listed. If you find that your system is not working properly after that, you can always run the system configuration and tick all the startup programs.

Windows Defender

This is a free spyware tool from Microsoft itself. Other than that, it is also a startup manager. Browse through the tools option, and there is a Software Explorer link. It works like a combination of startup manager and task manager. You can view currently running programs, network connected programs, winsock service providers and startup programs. You can choose to remove, disable or enable the programs listed.

However, Windows Defender is available for Windows XP and Vista only.

CCleaner

As time goes by, your copy of Windows may work slower and slower. This is because of the amount of software and games that you have installed in your computer but are not removed properly during uninstallation. During an of software or game, not only the files are installed in the specified folders; several records are also added into Windows registry. Unfortunately, not all the records in the registry are always removed during uninstallation.

"The Windows registry is a directory which stores settings and options for the operating system for Microsoft Windows 32-bit versions, 64-bit versions and Windows Mobile. It contains information and settings for all the hardware, operating system software, most non-operating system software, users, preferences of the PC, etc. Whenever a user makes changes to Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or most installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the registry." - Wikipedia

CCleaner is a piece of freeware which can be used to check any broken links from the registry and thus, offers the option to remove the invalid registry entries. A lot of people are saying that it is dangerous to change registry settings. Indeed, it is dangerous. But I have been using this piece of freeware for quite sometime and I have not encountered any serious problems with it. However, I do notice some improvement in my system speed especially during startup.

As I am using Vista at the moment, I reckon that the software does not work quite well with Vista because some of the options a greyed out.

System Mechanic of IOLO Technologies is a piece of software that done a better job than CCleaner. Well, of course because it is not free. If you manage to get hold of a copy of System Mechanic, you will be surprised how it performed and all the functions it has.

Advance System Properties

If you like the fancy appearance of your Windows right now, you may choose not to change any of the settings here. But there are a few options which you might want to disable and it does not affect the overall appearance of your Windows. To go to the Advance System Properties, right click My Computer and click on properties. For Windows XP, click on the Advance tab while Windows Vista users need to click on the Advance System Properties link at the left column.

In the advance tab, there are three frames, Performance, User Profiles and Startup and Recovery. Click on the Settings button in the Performance frame and you will be shown the Visual Effects tab. To choose for the best performance will untick all the options below and mostly likely, you will get better speed when navigating through Windows. However, if you prefer to have the fancy appearance, you may want to just untick the options for fading and sliding or untick everything except the bottom two options to keep the option of having drop shadow for icon labels and visual styles for windows and buttons.

Files in Desktop and User Account

The size of you user account has some effect on the speed of your computer during startup. You can view your user account size from the User Profiles frame mentioned above. Click on the Settings button in the User Profiles frame and you will see a list of users and the size of each of the users.

My own practice is to avoid storing files such as documents and pictures in my user account folders. Even though the user account has come pre-created with different folders for different types of documents such as the musics, pictures, bookmark favorites, documents and saved games, but I have dealt with problems that resulted from corrupted user profiles and the only way to recover the files is to connect the hard drive to another working machine. Well, that is way too troublesome for some people. In addition, some viruses attack through user profiles.

Desktop files are stored in User Profiles. The more icons and files stored in the desktop, the slower startup you get.

Thus, it will be wise to store the files to another drive or partition which will secure your files and also speed up your system slightly.

Disk Cleanup

Using Disk Cleanup will help you to clean your Internet Temporary Files, Downloaded Program Files, setup Files and compress files. This is another step to clean up your system and it may not help to speed up your system. Well, at least that you know a place to find the files that can be deleted safely. By the way, having enough of free disk space is equally important for your computer to run smoothly.

Tips to improve computer performance

2008-05-25T11:07:00.001+08:00

These 8 simple tips will help clean up your computer and you'll be surprised at the performance improvement!

CLEAN UP YOUR WINDOWS REGISTRY

This essential task is often overlooked but will remarkably improve PC performance. Most PC users don't even know there is such a thing as a Registry much less that that it should be regularly cleaned. In fact, Microsoft doesn't even include a cleanup tool in Windows.

Every time a program is installed or uninstalled changes are made to the Windows Registry which is a huge internal database of Windows' settings. All programs, as well as Windows itself, store a huge amount of information in this database and these entries control the way everything in the computer looks and behaves.

Many times, changes to a computer are not handled correctly leading to conflicts and the slowing of the computer due to a corrupted Registry. Some things which can cause this are:

* frequently installing or uninstalling programs
* removing a program and leaving traces behind
* leftover entries from a hardware uninstall
* power failure or system crash in the midst of updating the registry
* unused drivers on the system
* Spyware or Adware type programs that come back every time the PC is restarted

The Registry can be edited manually using a Windows program called RegEdit, but woe to the novice; this is really a job best left to the experts. Instead, you need to use a special program which makes the cleanup for you.

EMPTY THE RECYCLE BIN

Regularly empty the Windows' Recycle Bin thereby releasing hard drive space and helping to improve performance.

When you delete a file, instead of removing it completely from your computer, Windows puts it into the Recycle Bin. You then can restore these flies from the Recycle Bin back to their original place on your computer if you should need to.

REMOVE UNNECESSARY PROGRAMS

If you're like me and download a lot of free programs or free trials, after a while your computer might begin to slow down. That means it's time to remove some of the old programs you don't use any more (and most you probably only used once just to see how they work).

After installing a program, if you decide you don't need it and won't use it, get it off the computer thereby freeing up system resources. Most programs come with their own uninstaller but if it doesn't you will have to use the Operating System's Add/Remove Programs feature which you can get to through The Control Panel.

Uninstalling unused programs will help speed up your computer, but removing the wrong files can cause you some really big problems. NEVER, NEVER EVER just delete a program file by using the delete key; this can really mess up the Registry. Be careful and if you are not sure, ask for help from someone you know who is more experienced. If you are unsure whether or not to remove a program, it's best to leave it.

Some programs leave uninstalled junk all over the Windows Registry! Therefore, to improve PC performance AFTER AN UNINSTALL, IT'S ESSENTIAL TO CLEAN THE REGISTRY.

RUN DISK CLEAN UP

Windows Disk Clean Up is a great built-in utility that automates regular maintenance tasks to improve PC performance. Whenever you "surf the net", open file attachments, delete files, etc., your computer saves a record of your activity. Most if not all of these files are harmless, and are very small. But if you spend a lot of time on your computer, before long they will use up enough space to slow your computer down a tad.

Double-click My Computer, right click on the 'C:' drive, then click Properties, then click Disk Cleanup. The PC will then spend a few moments analyzing.

When it has completed analyzing, Windows will give you a list of areas where it has found files to cleanup. To clean an area, check the box next to it. To leave something intact, such as Temporary files, just remove the check mark next to the item and click OK.

Your computer will then begin the removal process which can take a good while.

DISK DEFRAGMENTATION

When Windows stores programs and files on your hard disk it saves fragments of files in the nearest empty spaces and then links these pieces together. When the computer needs to retrieve a file, it has to go through the process of chasing these links hunting down the fragments and piecing the file back together. This can really slow down a computer, especially if it has small internal memory and has to do a lot of caching and file swapping.

The cure is to routinely run the Windows Disk Defragmenter which gathers together the fragments of files and puts them back in the right order in as near contiguous space as possible.

This makes it far easier for your computer to find what it's looking for on the hard drive, enabling programs and files to load more quickly.

To defragment your hard disk click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools and then Disk Defragment. When the program has loaded, click Defragment. Before starting you need to run "scandisk" which checks for disk errors. Without scanning your disk first for possible errors, defrag may refuse to continue its defragmentation routine.

The process can take over an hour. Because defragmenting your hard disk takes such a long time, you really don't want to go through the process very often; maybe every 3-4 months and it's best not to use the computer while defragmenting

GET A HIGH SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION If you spend a lot of time on the internet, a high speed internet connection is a must. It is more expensive, but for most people the savings in time and effort is worth the added expense.

Some of the advantages to having a high speed internet connection: faster surfing, web pages open more quickly, files download faster, and if you send or receive large files, like pictures or video, they will open in a flash when compared to a slower dialup connection.

If you're already spending money for your dialup connection (through your phone line) then you'll find DSL to be comparable in price, and a lot faster.

A cable internet connection might cost a little more, but it is usually the fastest type of internet connection you can get from home.

REMOVE SPYWARE & ADWARE

If you've ever had spyware or adware on your computer, you know how frustrating it can be. All kinds of strange things happen: your homepage changes seemingly on its own, unwanted and inappropriate popups, unfamiliar icons, and the list goes on.

Spyware or Adware are files that are often downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge (or at least without you knowing what they really are).

Unfortunately, many of these programs "sneak" their way onto your computer, and avoiding them entirely is difficult, especially if you spend a lot of time on your computer, surfing the Internet and downloading new programs and files.

There are ways to remove these unwanted files from your computer.

Check out these 2 adware/spyware removal programs that are simple to use (both are free):

Ad-Aware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/ Spybot http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

Adware/Spyware continue to be such a problem because most of these programs make money for the people creating and spreading them. If you find these unwanted intruders on your computer, don't panic. In most cases, it is not vicious like a Virus or Worm. You just have some extra "junk" on your computer. However, keeping it off of your computer will help it perform more efficiently.

ADD MORE INTERNAL MEMORY (RAM) AND A LARGER HARD DRIVE

If you have done all/most of the above and your Computer's performance is still so bad that you are thinking: Gee, I guess I am going to have to buy another computer! If everything else about the computer is satisfactory to you, then you might consider an Upgrade. If the PC is only a couple years old, it can easily be upgraded.

If you still have the manuals that came with it, you can determine the type of memory it uses and buy it off of the internet at a good price. If you don't have the manuals, take it to Best Buy or Circuit City and ask them if it can be upgraded (or take the model and make info to them). Their upgrade cost is not that bad and certainly cheaper than buying a new computer.

Another alternative: if you know a High School Kid who has taken some computer courses, he/she can probably do it real cheap.

I have personally maxed out my computers memory and added another hard drive. Together with the items above, my computer runs like a "Tiger chasing a Scared Bunny".

Tips: Don't try this at your computer

2008-05-25T10:56:00.001+08:00

Stop use of the normal power strip - to buy and install high-quality surge protector

Electrical storms, lighting strikes, power outages and traffic accidents with the participation of all lines can cause immediate surges or voltage spikes. Such uncontrolled spikes may adversely affect the smooth flow of power to your computer (ie smažit components!)

This is why you have to buy and install high-quality surge protector. Good protector should have at least insurer in the Lab standard rating of the 1449th Look at the plate with the inscription: "transient voltage surge suppressor and UL 1449th

Stop "forgetting" to at least weekly backup

The next question I usually ask is "Do you have any backup?" More hang-dog looks and shock of the head, no.

You can recover from 90% to the main computer is not working properly, if (and this is a big "if") you have a backup copy of your operating system and data files. Without the advances, your dead PC is becoming very expensive metal door stop. Remember, the richest man in the world (Bill Gates) made all his wealth with the software ... no hardware.

Buy a good backup program, such as Acronis True Image Home or on-line services such as Mozy.com. Well ... Let's be frank here ... "The best you can do for yourself and your computer is set up a backup system and to hold him!

Stop downloading, installing and uninstalling lots and lots of programs, especially unknown freeware and beta applications.

I know that this is a toughie. The Internet is just full of cool, free and useful software products and services. Hi, I could not run my little home, without some of them. But people, spammers and spyware, the Kings have long since known that all are happy smlouvat. Then write in their "products", as well as free!

Some of the most persistent and difficult to remove spyware / virus I have ever come across from me was getting the case of pigs and download by clicking around the net trying to save money here or there on the "freeware". Certainly I have a murderer freeware, but I also got a murderer adware too!

Then, after I downloaded it I had to go through the pain and difficulties uninstall or running some anti-spyware removed. If there is not freeware from an established as a source of Download.com or SourceForge.net then be very careful what you click.

Stop letting hard drive to obtain full fragmented software files.

The other problem with downloading everything you see that your hard drive fast becoming a full programs, lost snippets of code and blind alley registry files (the registry files are what Windows uses to keep track of what software is installed.)

Uninstalling the program, most of the heavy lifting, but no program really is removed clean. So, time hard drive will become cluttered minefield of broken bits on the use of encryption.
So once a week, if not more, depending on your withdrawal activity, you defrag your hard drive. Now, Windows has its own "Disk Defragmenter" utility built in that this tool works well, but it can be příšerně slow running. So you defragging late at night when sleeping, or in the course, when you are away from home.

Stop the harvest and using weak passwords

Hi, my to do this. We all know that a strong password should have a combination of the lowercase letters, large letters, numbers and symbols, such as this, "2Tech Sign #!" But who the hell could remember some pass word like that?

And so we all just plug into something like, "techlog" that tech savvy 15 years with a free code cracking from the Internet, it may have broken down under 30 seconds. And because we use the same password for email, everything from eBay to bank records, anyone who cracks the password now has access to your entire on-line financial life and identity.

Hackers, crackers and other online thieves are super-geniuses of evil, are to be portrayed in books and films. Certainly, most are smarter than the average man, but as everyone else that they like easy pickings. Why waste all that energy to hack into the bank when you can easily hack Bank Vice President notebook home because they like us, uses the same personal password again and again and again?

So here is what to do. Create different passwords for different functions. Create a really strong alone on your bank, eBay, PayPal accounts. Then use a completely different one for those "subscribe to free offer" website.

Tips to keep ypur computer stability

2008-05-25T10:54:00.000+08:00

There are several ways to streamline the computer performance and functionality. I will show you five very useful methods that I have learned in the area to help your computer running high. Some are free, but there are some, a small investment that is worth the costs. I have some links at the end of this article to help you decide what instruments to invest in. This article is available for Windows 2000/XP users only.

1st Cleanup your Start Menu-This is perhaps the fastest way to improve the overall performance and start-up speed. To do this, go to the Run command "line in the Start menu and type msconfig. Use only the Startup tab at the top! Go through the list of startup programs and disable messengers, updaters and applications that are not used any ie. (Quicktime task, WinZip, Ituneshelper). The rule of thumb here is to disable you know what you do not need and do not touch anything you do not understand or recognize, they are most likely drivers and system files.

2nd To defragment a hard-If you find that your applications are a long time to load or are not running as smooth as you used to defragment a hard disk. This is basically organize your hard drive to more efficient. To run, go to your Start menu, program files, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter. Click on the button analyze to see if you defragment and if you do that, click the Defragment. Please note that during the implementation of this programme should be no changes to the system, including saving and deleting files, installing and / or uninstalling of programs or move files on your hard drive. It is best to just start and run. It may take up to 5 hours, depending on the size of the drive and the amount of fragmentation in the volume. This is the easiest to start before you go to bed.

3rd Use anti-virus I can not stress enough the Internet if you need anti-virus. Not only will it protect against attacks, but it will actively scan all the files that you open and stops most viruses before they infect your computer. You need to purchase this for your computer and I have some useful links to good anti-virus programs. These should be set to be executed at any of the settings of the anti-virus program and updated weekly, if not daily.

4th Run Spy-Bot scans regularly Spy Bots are not the same as viruses. A virus must be taken to deter and infect your computer running properly. Spy Bots can steal your data, passwords, logins, and are generally in bad faith. I consider this dangerous than viruses, because they literally steal your identity without you know, and open the door to automatic download viruses on your computer. I also have the links for an effective spy bot removal tools. These should be twice a month.

5th Registry cleaner A little-known tool for making a huge performance boost on your computer is a registry cleaner regularly. Basically, what they do, remove all unnecessary piece of your registry left behind, either by updating your software, remove a program or delete directories. In this way it will help your computer, go the right way it needs to commands, to help and avoid "confusion" by removing "broken pieces" in the registry.

Tips: Computer Maintenance

2008-05-25T10:52:00.000+08:00

Blue and help files for Windows XP

Computer maintenance tips: Here's help for Windows XP. Well, we all know that sudden changes in the computer May be a sign that something is wrong: perhaps a virus or spyware program infected computers, computer or PC should check the health identify systematic errors. So I was a little alarmed banda on my Windows XP with the names of the files suddenly turned blue. Fast (though a little angry) about online showed that no, XP is acting up: blue file names point to files that are available at this time and are compressed using the Disk Cleanup tool.

Clean the computer screen

When cleaning your computer monitor, you should make sure that ga disconnect from power. You can clean dirt and fingerprints are normal household glass cleaner sprayed on the lint free cloth, do not spray directly on the computer screen. It is important that the fluid in electrical components. Be sure to keep the air vents results from waste and paper. Ztížena monitor ventilation openings monitor May cause overheating and even catch fire. Net once a month or as needed.

Our Turn off the computer peripherals

USB ports and other computer peripherals should be treated with caution, to avoid serious damage to your computer. Never plug or unplug peripherals, and the computer is switched on. In doing so, May in a short connector plugs, which causes serious harm to your computer. You can switch to the computer before adding or removing and excluding computer peripherals.

Weekly virus checks

As viruses are becoming more and more complex and more aggressive, a good antivirus program, he became the absolute necessity to protect your computer. Many people, however, often do not know how to scan their computer for viruses. Planning weekly virus scan is a good routine preventive measures. Complete scanning is also recommended if the antivirus program, the word was discovered and cleared of the virus.

Viruses can make changes to your computer's system settings and cause errors that May will remain in force after the antivirus programs remove the virus. As a result, the health system, scan your computer from viruses after scanning helps keep your computer in tip-top shape.

Disk Cleanup in Windows XP

Temp files downloaded Internet files, and the old, unused files can take up to a room in your system drive and regular cleaning and maintenance should be part of your regular computer maintenance. Click open the My Computer "and" single-click on Local Disk right mouse button. Select Properties and click Disk Cleanup. XP will scan your system looking for areas that need cleaning. When it made its chosen areas of the things you want to clean them by clicking on the provided list, then click OK. Disk Cleanup will remove some files, and other coverings. As to changes in your computer, it's a good idea to use the PC as a medical scan further step on your computer maintenance.

Tips: Troubleshootin PC Power Supply

2008-05-25T10:42:00.000+08:00

Surge protectors are often the last asia, most people buy when setting up a new computer system. Computer? Check! Flat Track? Check! The printer? Check! Now, plug everything. Oops, you do not have enough market for different power outlets. Do not worry, you can not prevent local retail store and take a cheap power strip.

In stay there ... By using the power strip (a piece of fantasy) the place surge you're setting up accidentally damage your computer.

A surge has two functions. As a power strip, it provides an extension of the equipment market, but its main task is to minimize the damage caused by random fluctuations in the capacity as a result of power.

This is a power surge?

An outbreak is any short-term high-voltage pulse, which is more than the normal 120-volt standard for the USA in homes and offices. The recent surge in nanoseconds (1 / 100, second or less), but in that short time, they can easily give rise to internal parts of the computer. No, the increase may be a part of the smoke out of hand, or shorten its life span of several years of months.

One way of thinking it is to imagine that electricity "flows", such as water. And, like water, electricity may be placed "under pressure" in this case, known as the "tension".

So, see, the more tension, the greater the "pressure electric." And as water pipes in winter, the chip inside your computer can become overloaded and "break".

What are the causes?

Electricity companies have done much research in this field, and they discovered that there are two main types of electrical appliances variants: internal (inside the house), external (outside the house). Let's look at the causes of those in the home or office first.

It includes research 80% of total waves occur in the equipment is located in Oman home or office. The biggest villains are air conditioning and refrigerators. Both are large electric motors that are regularly cut, then the "surge" of return.

This "power", which is behind all these massive, loud and flashing or flickering lights. Other "engine monsters" hairdryer, power tools and printers.

Sources external culminated in a car accident utility poles, small animals, processors, lightning strikes, construction, Boo-Boos, dead branches or trees swaying, power and wind or storms ice. As you can see a good surge protector is very important to the long-term health of the PC.

What to look for a surge ...

Choosing the right guard is easy for a few simple tips. People often think that the power of "massive violations", "high" and "flashing" or "flashes" are all the same. If the profane, they are close enough that it is "Cousin cousin", but technically, the differences are significant.

A surge lasts as long as the announcement 3 nanoseconds, although the hard edge of 1-2. A flashing light or flickering is even less than that. A cheap protective May relate to minor flashes, and the top.

But in order to protect your computer, you can find the address that the real growth. So, to seek, with at least Underwriters Lab opinion "UL1449" and the words "Transient Voltage Surge Protector." Now, we do not receive the sticker shock here. You get what you pay, when it comes to surge protectors.

Hey, come on, it would be foolish to try to protect the $ 1000 computer system with $ 10 a piece of scrap, is not it? Now, do not surge is to protect the system of millions of volts to create a direct hit, lightning, but a good protector, you can make the system more than the normal day-to-day problems of power.

What should be done now ...

In this article, you learned what the power surges are and how they could damage the engine. What is needed now is the junk you all the power to edit tapes that you have the whole house and replace it with "UL1449" nominal surge protectors have a maximum of life away from the computer and other electronic devices.

Tips: Boost up your Computer Speed

2008-05-24T17:07:00.001+08:00

There are several reasons that the computer starts to slow. Unfortunately, it is reality that computer rather full of a lot of junk files. This is one of the main reasons why you'll notice the computer starts bog down as it gets older.

There are some good ways to clean the mess and the return of PC, as well as a new condition.

Clean up your Desktop

Desktop icons can suck a lot of resources and cause the computer a little run, the slow side. This is particularly true of computers with less memory.

Clean, all of the icons and you can enjoy a higher speed and less hangups.

Remove the Desktop Wallpaper

Another Asia, people do not realize that the desktop background is a huge drain memory, especially because these wallpaper images can be deceptively large viewing angle of the file size. A 1 meg Wallpaper image can huge outflow to the system of resources.

Clean the Registry

A clean Windows registry is necessary if you want the computer is used, it is a peak power. Did you know that the Registry is one of the main causes of the common computer problems, including the Windows PC? Most people do not even know that they have a firm, not to mention that it can cause problems.

The firm has a tendency to full obsolete and empty the register files and folders. These outdated labels can cause the computer bog down as he tried to read and re-read them.

Fortunately, the elimination of disorder in your register, it is very simple. It is also one of the most effective means of speeding up a slow computer. Use the registry repair program to work, and it only takes a few minutes.

Tips: Keep your computer clean

2008-05-24T17:05:00.001+08:00

The computers must be updated if you want the long term. Part of the maintenance is cleaning your computer. Below are some tips for cleaning your keyboard, CD-ROMs, computer parts and mice. Cleaning your computer on a permanent basis, the cooling and the performance of the components. Cleaning prevents your computer from damage and keep the dust from your heating system for any breach of your equipment.

Place the computer on the ground is not good. Instead, make sure you place it on a shelf or table. In the cleaning of your computer, remove the power of your system first. All cables and connectors must be eliminated at the back of your computer.

Use a vacuum with compressed air for cleaning the back of your system. Use a damp cloth or slightly cooked dry cleaning and hand towel to remove it.

Not cleaning of the board or within a part of the computer with glasses of clothing. Do not eat or drink to your computer to cause food to get into your keyboard or on your system.

Dirty CD lens can read or write errors in your CD and cause interference, so you have to clean the disk. Here are some tips for cleaning your CD-ROM:

Make sure that your information will not be removed and you're not as good.
To clean the objective reader, make sure you always use laser lens cleaner
Set the lens of his own laser disc and play at least two minutes.
If your hard disk still has problems, you must May to open and use a cotton swab to clean the lens.

If your keyboard looks dirty or appears does not work, may need to be cleaned. Cleaning the keyboard requires that your computer and unplug the keyboard. Use the same compressed air, vacuum and clean the keys. Use a damp cloth dress your keyboard. Maybe you want on your keyboard at night to prevent dust.

Cleaning your mouse is a requirement, because it is so widely used and is a show of hands. If the mouse is the exercise slowly, it is time to clean the mouse. To clean the mouse, you at the back of the computer and read the manual from the manufacturer for cleaning advice.

Was the ball inside your mouse and thoroughly with a dry cloth. Remove dust in the cabinet where the ball is to eliminate any dust on the rolls. Use a cotton swab. Dry weather, then put back together and reconnect to your computer.

Your computer should also supervise the cleaning. Like the other components, make sure you pull the monitor and use a damp cloth to clean the screen. You can now use a dry towel to dry your hand and then again on your computer.

Tips: Computer Troubleshooting

2008-05-24T17:02:00.001+08:00

One of the most dreaded questions a PC-tech hears is: "How do I fix my PC slow?" You begin to explain various fixes but then the client shaking his head and says: "No. .. I am not doing everything you ... what software can I buy?"

If you have any time on the Internet, you have seen the ads and Web sites claimed that this "software" or the "Registry Fix," "auto-magically" fix your slow PC. Now the truth is people that most of these programs are simple, old-fashioned "snake-oil" healing and not worth the money.

In my experience, are among the five leading causes of the slowdown in computer and the best way to resolve ...

Cause 1 - Spyware and adware

If this is your problem you have already seen a growing number of nasty little pop-ups. Or your home has been kidnapped and replaced some weird site, and now you see a little strange "symbol" sit on your desktop that your "virus" is not activated! Yes, you already slammed with a heavy dose of spyware / adware.

The FIX - Download and scan your computer with a good spyware / adware killer as "Spybot or Ad-Ware."

Cause 2 - Not enough RAM

Their machine had done its best, what with RAM (computer memory chips) it came with, but recently has been overwhelmed. They were upgrading your operating system faithful and have added several new programs that you let your new scanner / printer. And all this is simply too much for the original memory.

The FIX - Check the user manual or consult your computer online to find out what type, size and speed, RAM you need.

Cause 3 - Virus

Your PC crashes and restarted by itself every few minutes or it simply locks up and stops running. Programs that you use daily are not working properly or may no longer work together. You can no longer print, and now you are always a lot of strange error messages and warnings. You are officially infected.

The FIX - Download a good anti-virus program such as Norton, McAfee or AVG and scan all your files.

Cause 4 - Program overload

You just have to junk. Like a clearer closet you have downloaded too many applications without cleaning the old one. Use the "Add / Remove Programs" feature to get rid of all old programs you no longer need.

Cause 5 - Dying Hard Drive

If you always keep hearing strange "tapping sounds" or "clicks" from your hard disk can be done quickly to a backup because it might soon shuffle from this mortal world. In contrast to the elephant graveyard, a dying hard drive will not lead to a hidden treasure. More like a very nasty surprise in lost files and high repair costs.

The FIX - Perform a full backup as soon as possible and buy a new drive, with "Drive Image" software, so you can create a "mirror" copy of your old drive to your new one.

Tips: Computer Optimization

2008-05-24T17:00:00.000+08:00

As you work and a lot of surfing the Internet, the first Asia, you have to learn is that the computer optimization technologies. It is far better that you take a little extra effort to look after your computer regularly, on the other hand, it is a freeze, lock up or crash, when they will lose everything, and in that case you will have to pay much of it has been confirmed. Not to mention you now have lost all data or information that he was still at work. Follow these computer tips, and you've got a lot safer.

1. Set checker anti-virus software updates itself automatically. This has always been updated in the latest protection.

2. Run scans your computer's day, when you are ready to deal with it.

3. If you download files, e-mail or just surf the Internet, scan the product before you open up its anti-virus software.

4. Using Registry Repair software to scan your computer once a week.

5. Use the adware / spyware software once a week. You can set it to run automatically, which will help you to keep this updated.

6. Do not ever open attachments, e-mails from people you do not know. In particular, if the file is. Exe-file. This is an executable file, and the ability to launch all forms of the virus.

7. Do not open attachments, even from people you do not know if you do not expect any of them.

8. If you do not have anti-virus software, the virus can copy itself to all, address book and send itself out via e-mail without the owner's knowledge, this has been done. This is what happens when the computer has been abducted.

9. Do not download free music from the Internet - these free sites are always infected. If you do not, run a virus scan and repair registry, and even anti-spyware software.

10. As mentioned in the statement, you do not get any free games via the Internet.

11. Steer clear of the adult sites, as they are particularly susceptible to the virus.

12. You can install the software, which will come back to all your information on a daily basis. Use a flash drives, memory sticks, and even DVD's, etc.

13. Even if you get the statements and complete the forms electronically, print contracts, payment forms, contracts and all the legal documents and file them away, binders.

14. Be very careful if you have any of your finances Details of the payment, payment processor, passwords, credit card information, etc. on your computer. Hacker easily accessed by all this information, if they are in any computer.

If you can keep track of 14 tips for computer optimization listed above, you will have a better than perhaps 99% of the population. Just by using anti-virus software, anti-spyware software, and the Registry repair the software, you can keep your computer will run at the optimum speed, and to keep the mistakes and problems to a minimum.

Tips: Try before maintenace your computer

2008-05-24T16:58:00.000+08:00

Before you begin, errors that could cost the life of your valuable computer, you had better learn how to take care of your new arrival. The things you do to your computer now will determine how long your computer will last without crash.

Below are some tips you should know when your computer:

1st Never turn off your computer without Windows on the computer. This can lead to permanent disk defects caused by the heads of the hard drive on the surface of the CD drive and cause a variety of Windows problems.

The only time you can force a shutdown, if your hard drive "depends" or refuses to answer. In this case try CTRL + ALT + DELETE keys at the same time and wait for Task Manager to start. The Task Manager window is a tab you can press so that you shutdown normal. If Task Manager is not, then you can turn off your computer and turn it back after about 3 minutes. Run emergency shutdown only if absolutely necessary.

1st Connect your computer to a UPS (uninterruptible power supply). This will prevent sudden surges in power, in cases of low and high incidence. A UPS protects your computer from any kind of power disaster.
2nd Backup important files as soon as possible. Buy a CD burner for storing files (at least 2 copies of the same files on CD). Do not wait until the next day, if you can help. A crash can occur at any time.
3rd Use Scan Disk Defragmenter and at least once a month. Just as you need a check up once in a while to catch all diseases can be formed, your computer must also be given to keep it healthy and crash-free.
4th Not drag peripherals, as long as they are on. This may cause damage to your motherboard.
5th Keep at least 100 MB folder C: free for Windows. Maxing your drive can cause Windows-dumping data on your hard drive or your computer is running really, really slow.
6th Do not let a lot of programs load when you start your computer. Uninstall or delete programs as soon as you start your computer.
7th Use an antivirus program. You really need, if you want to keep your computer running smoothly. Downloaded attachments from friends, installed programs downloaded from the net and a variety of other ways could infect your computer. An anti-virus program make sure that no "bad" stuff is allowed in the system.
8th Use a firewall if you have a high-speed Internet connection. A firewall prevents your computer from "gekapert". They may not be aware of it, but the computer may have been hacked at least once. Hackers use programs to search for computers to be random. Get a firewall program and use it.
9th Not away Installer software once installed the program. You need to reformat your computer for some time and all data on the hard drive will be deleted and you have to reinstall your software.

Tips: University Computer

2008-05-24T16:56:00.001+08:00

Department of the College for the first time can be scary enough without the added inconvenience additional materials such as computers can provide. Learn to use your computer properly can help you avoid a lot of wasted time and money. In college, you should worry about making the grade and do not make your computer work.

Setting up your computer is not as difficult as you think it is. Your brand new computer usually comes with software installed, you will find very useful as you work at it. If you use the PC, you probably have an operating system installed, such as Windows XP or Vista. Some even throw in the Microsoft Office programs like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc. all of which will be very useful in writing and creating presentations. Another feature that is usually already installed is your Internet browser such as Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera or any other application used to surf the Web for research and e-mail.

If you do not already have the software you need to do your tasks on the campus, you must purchase and install themselves. The software comes with easy to install instructions. But you have to make sure first that your computer can handle each software system requirements. Take note of processor speed, operating system, memory or RAM and hard disk space.

Another very important program, you need an antivirus program installed. Whether it's AVG, McAfee, or any other application, it is always good to be protected. Updates are usually available online from the merchant site so it is better to check for updates once in a while.

Apart from the software needed to perform certain tasks, college students should also invest in the following computer peripherals:

* Printer. You need a to print reports, essays, term papers, and ultimately your thesis. Hard copies are still the norm in schools despite Green's peace bid on a "paperless society". Although some merchants give you a free printer, if you buy a computer for them, you would still have to buy ink cartridges and paper.
* CD / DVD drive. Most computers ship with a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. It is important to have one when you need to install software that usually comes on a CD. Can also consider investing in a CD burner or writer, so you can store your files on CDs and clear out space in your computer for faster processing speed. This would also prevent the loss of files, so the computer crashes.
* USB drive or Stick. This little baby comes in handy to copy and store files from your computer. Faster than to burn your files on CD, USB drives, depending on the brand, can store up to 4 GB, you need to copy. Since it no longer anything new, they're not at all expensive and can be carried around your neck as a necklace with a 2-inch appendage. Please note that that if you remove the drive without stopping first use all of your files in the drive may be erased or damaged.

Tips: Try before you buy computer hardware

2008-05-24T16:54:00.000+08:00

If you are trying to decide how to buy a computer, you have quite a bit capabilities. There are so many possibilities that I do not know which one to go May.

One of the best ways to reduce confusion computer shopping is that you know what it is that you look for first place. They need to know what to do with your computer to find out how much money you are willing to spend and how much space you have to reserve your computer

Once you have all of this, then you're ready for a more savvy shopper. Now you can do your research. It is a great place for your research to find a computer brands and prices that meet your needs.

Since you mentioned are what you need to use your computer if you can search online for computers with these features. For example, if your computer is used for many games, of course, you are looking for something that is compatible with this aim.

In addition to this large can Comparisons online price without breathing intrusive door salesman. You can do this, shopping research directly into the privacy of their own home, and you do not have to feel pressured to buy before you make your choice.

Once your on-line research with a list of demands and you know exactly what types of computer systems work best for you, you may or shopping online, or even go into the actual store to see the computer Do you choose to buy first, and then make a purchase .

Just remember that if you are prepared and know this May will be a very pleasant shopping experience for you.

Tips: Computer Online Shopping

2008-05-24T16:51:00.001+08:00

Buying the right computer, you can be a learning experience, if you're willing to take a little time. Price is an important factor, but it is not good to buy a computer for a low price, if it is not the features you need to oman lifestyle.

First and foremost, to determine what is the most important task on the computer. If it is for commercial purposes, it may require a complex accounting applications. It is perhaps a large data storage. Your computer can be used primarily for entertainment, which require specialized in the cards, and more memory. It is in your interest to know what software you plan to install so you can verify that the new equipment meets all the requirements.

Once you've secured in their own wishes and needs, you're ready to go shopping. Shoes and jacket are unnecessary, because online shopping is the ultimate way to compare the various brands, prices and functionality. You can visit the large chains, they have to offer something good from the sale or discounts. And, online shopping, you can check the retailers that sell products exclusively for online, such as Tiger Direct.

Once you have decided on the computer, you will, it is important to ensure that you buy all the accessories you need. You may have to buy cables, connectors, additional or other accessories. Sometimes they are a part of the package. If not, you can always add them to their own line to avoid problems when you have installed.

As the last step before on a purchase, check to see if the retailer's return policy, and maritime damage and faulty equipment. If you are not sure what their politics, do not hesitate to ask the dealer for clarification. Without prejudging what the computer guarantees would not be able to save you a lot of headaches in the future. It is important to keep all receipts, and all the paperwork for approval of contracts.

After finishing your purchase, and the computer is in your new home, you have to read the instructions on installation and records. By taking a few minutes to do it properly is the first time, you can save hours of being frustrated at a later date. If you find a small error or damage to the product you can put all the packing materials and documents on the one hand, if space is available.

A computer program that fits your budget and needs is a perfect fit for you. Online shoppers can help you to compare the prices of various models, and will also help you find the perfect model for your needs. This can be done at least noise on your page.

Tips for Wise Computer User

2008-05-24T16:49:00.000+08:00

When the computer starts slowly, it can be very frustrating. When you want your computer to work, sometimes it will not. Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can make your computer to run fast again. Follow these 5 simple tips on computer and get your computer running fast again!

5 tips for computer users:

1. Pure disk space error: When the computer is suddenly off, or a program suddenly crashes, errors are written on the hard disk. In the end, they can delay your computer. Fortunately, Windows comes with a free tool to scan the disk and fix these errors.

Click on the Start menu and then click My Computer. Right-click the hard drive or a petition, you want to check for errors (his usually drive C), and click Properties. Click on the Tools tab and click on Check Now. Make sure that all the boxes are checked, then click Start. This may take as long as an hour, depending on disk size and the number of errors.

2. Remove the temporary files: When you surf the Internet and use programs that create temporary files on your hard disk. The record of disk space and can slow down your computer. If you want to delete these files, simply do the following:

Click on the Start menu and then click My Computer. Right-click the hard drive or a petition, you want to check for errors (his usually drive C), and click Properties. Now click on the disk cleaning. If all the fields and click OK.

3. Defragment your hard drive: I do not have a plan to try to confuse you with all the technical jargon to explain why should defragment the hard drive, but let me tell you: Windows PC, it is important that often Defragment. I will propose at least once a month. Windows comes with a free public utility defragmenting the hard disk.

Click on the Start menu and then click My Computer. Right-click the hard drive or a petition, you want to check for errors (his usually drive C), and click Properties. Click on the Tools tab and click the Defragment Now. Choose your volume to defragment the hard drive (probably C) and click Analyze. The tool will tell whether to defragment after analyze your car. If she tells you to click the Defragment Now. This process may take much longer, depending on the size and fragmentation of your disk.

It may take a long time, so I would recommend you at night, when they go to sleep or when you are about to leave for work and do not need to use the computer.

4. Optimize Internet Explorer: Internet Explorer is not very well-written program, and consequentially can run very slowly. These are the two options you can tweak to speed it up:

From Internet Explorer, click the Tools menu bar and then Internet Options. In the history section, determine the number of days in order to preserve the history of 1. As a great history could delay the program. Now, click the Advanced tab. According to the security check, "Do not encrypted pages to disk save" box.

5. Copyright automatic Windows Update: Microsoft press often patches and fixes to close the gaps in Windows. These are very important to your computer so that the best form for Windows to download them automatically if it is not already.

Click on the Start menu and then Control Panel. Click the Automatic Updates and make sure the automatic updates are selected. Click OK.

Tips: Simple way to backup your Computer Data

2008-05-24T16:39:00.002+08:00

The problem with the backup is that sometimes we are too busy with our work and forget the security of our digital data, from time to time, which can lead to serious consequences.

The second question is that most people do not believe in a hard disk crash will happen to them. This mentality can have devastating effects. It usually starts something, "My hard drive has failed." And the end of the day, "How can I get my photos in my children?" To avoid this nightmare again, you will have to sit down and ask, "what are you doing, to prevent something about this in future?

Listed below, are simple and quick tips for you to make your backup is easy.

1) The backup has been created disaster option may expedite the healing process oman the system after a crash hard drive failure, or even when the data has been lost. A fully restore the system without installing one of the original software or operating system.

2) If you only have the record, to go to buy. The disks are relatively cheap nowadays, which allows you to save a copy of the information.

3) in another form, the backup that is becoming very popular is the use of so-called key players. Keys are small hard drives that can fit in your keys, but will still be able to contain no more than a gigabyte or more information.

4) is added to the security of important files have been copied, the external hard drive or a flash or a CD player, or sent to another computer.

5) When you make in writing, e-mail to you, regardless of what has been written up to a certain point, using web-based e-mail accounts such as Yahoo or Gmail.

5) System Restore can help you restore your computer's configuration, the driver's data and applications a previous state, but leave your data intact. Use of this option is usually correct the problem, if it is not related to defective equipment.

Tips: How To Chose Good Laptop

2008-05-13T11:23:00.001+08:00

Recently, I decided to buy their own laptops, portability and mobility benefits with my own more attractive.

Yes, with great enthusiasm and expectations I came to the Internet to help me decide. I thought I would to my mind quickly. Unfortunately, it is quite a long time before they found a laptop to satisfy my needs and preferences. The main reason is the quantity and variety of information (both commercial and technical), I, presented on the Internet.

I hope that the rest of this article and visit your blog below will help you save your valuable time and effort into finding the best notebook for you.

Decide what features you need:

Before you begin your search on the Internet, I suggest that you notes to your favorite features and reason. This will allow you to focus and will help you save time in their searches.

An important factor to consider is modernization. Even if you choose a notebook may be ideal for its current requirements, can (or will) need upgrade. You do not want to invest in a laptop that can have on the sale or waiver in a relatively short time, because more is needed.

The two most important factors into account when upgradeability memory (RAM) and hard disk space. For some laptops can upgrade the processor.

These are important elements that will need to consider:

CPU (processor)
Memory (RAM)
Hard drive (HDD)
Screen Mobile Computing
External devices (such as external USB devices, PCMCIA, audio)
Reading and writing CD-ROM or DVD
Video Processor

Tips: Read before you buy LCD Monitor

2008-05-08T16:58:00.002+08:00

Sometimes buy new toys for yourself, your home and your computer can be quite a daunting task. You want to make sure you get the most bang for your Buck, right? You'll also see that this is what you can buy to do with the task that will be used, and every day. And you want to, and to ensure that there is no quality of damage, or no production or manufacturing problems that can lead to errors. To buy an LCD computer screen is just another buyer decision that you will do well. There are many aspects and specifications of LCD computer monitors, who must pay particular attention, because they determine how well your LCD screen provides a specific task to play a game or see the movie, because not all computer monitors made the same.

LCD Monitor Specifications
Screen size: It is very important, I am sure you can say why. In the larger screen, the more they watch on the screen, referring to the larger screen for more movies, more games, and the main web site. Even larger screen sizes support higher resolutions. LCD computer monitor sizes vary from 17 inches up to 26 inches. A 26-inch LCD computer monitor is a nice piece of technology. But the higher they go the more cash you end up spending. Most computer users stick with the 19 ", 20" and 22 "monitors. Right now this size are sweet seats for the best bang for the buck. Trenutku up to monitor deals with the focus on these models.

Widescreen: Yes. Widescreen means that the computer has a screen ratio of 16:9, which is growing in popularity in the last few years. Widescreen is better, because it allows you to see the whole picture, as was intended in the movie. This provides a wider screen, which is very important because it is non-widescreen or 4:3 movies movie large part of this site is cut, and it may dramatic change some of the films to non-so - the dramatic part. With computers, widescreen allows you to get more sideways room for your applications, in the overall use of computers is not really have any side effects, and it seems only as a cool look. Most LCD monitors computers today are sold in widescreen aspect ratio, you must specifically looking for a LCD screen with a 4:3 format.

Native resolution: The native resolution maximum resolution monitor that can show images built. This is a decision that the screen is built to be. If you use other resolutions of the original resolution screen will stretch, and reduce the image to fit the aforementioned solutions, which results in quality and loss of detail. Native resolution offers the best image quality than any other decision. Good native 1920x1080 resolution monitor include (HD 1080p), 1280x720 (720p HD), and 1680x1050.

Contrast: The contrast ratio is the interval between the brightest and darkest on the computer screen. The higher the contrast ratio the better. If the monitor has a high contrast ratio has a greater range of hues, improved details and zoom in depth.

Tutorial: What is Mobile Marketing?

2008-05-01T09:56:00.001+08:00

There are a lot of models of marketing. Many ways used by a company or market player to promote and advertise their product.
Former method is using e-mail media, web site or even spamming, popular but have many competitors and not innovative enough.
On this article, I want to describe one way to promote your product and
collecting certain costumers market trough what people say, mobile marketing.
Text messaging or SMS, voice and WAP are media for this advertising method but on this article,
I want to focus on SMS solution marketing.
Like this name, SMS solution marketing use text messaging media to develop a communication between a large company
or small business and their costumer.
SMS which is loaded by product info, catalog, brochure and other kinds of advertisement can be received
by costumer by demand or while they have subscribed before.
There are many providers who are offering mobile marketing services like this,
you can search on Google to find more info about them. I have found one, Cellit Mobile Marketing.
I’m interested with many types and features of their products, like:

Cellit Studio

Cellit Studio is the main product of Cellit Mobile Marketing.
This product is offering you complete solution of mobile marketing tools.

House 4 Cell

If your business is related with real estate agent or property marketer this product is suitable for you.
House4Cell is offering you good facility to gain your property sales.
Trough this product you can send property information, pricing info, photo,
square footage and all about your property directly to your costumer cellular phone
(by costumer request, so don’t worry because this is not seem like spamming).
You are interested? Try to get more info.

Cellit Surveys

Cellit surveys help the marketers to make a decision for their costumer based on costumer polls or survey.
I think, this is important way to make a good relationship between marketer and costumer.
Costumer satisfaction is very considered and appreciated here.

Cellit properties

You are real estate broker or condominium developer? Try to use Cellit Properties mobile marketing tools.
Trough this product you can easily advertise your product directly to costumer cellular phone.

CouponZap

CouponZap is suitable for your small business. With low monthly fees, you can get powerful mobile marketing tools.
Feature like trackable mobile coupon campaign, appointment reminders etc is also powering this product.

Cellit Alerts

Actually Cellit Alerts is not similar with mobile marketing tools and probably more seem like disaster management media
(based on my opinion). One of the advantages of this product is you can deliver short message on
critical time directly to many recipients.

Radiologic Technology: an IT invansion on Medical world

2008-04-17T11:00:00.001+08:00

Nowadays, the invasion of Information Technology has reached on every life aspects. You can easily watch Manchester United FC live match though you're now on your vacation on Bali.
We can't run away from the fact that we need to make our life more secure and easier with Information Technology. But, when we talk about more secure technology we need someone who has special ability or expert to operate hardware or software which is one of Information Technology products.
Medical world is one of life aspects that make information technology is the most important things. For example, x-ray technology. This imaging technology plays important role in medical-diagnose and healing. But once again, technology must be combined with an expert. X-ray technician is someone who has responsibility to operate this tool.
There are lots of X ray technician schools or academy which are graduating good Xray technician, either skill or attitude. As an addition, usually it’s need at least 1 year till 4 years to complete Radiologic Technology program.
For more information about how to get certification on this program, I have surveyed some web site about it, like www.medical-career-training.com/

Tips: Chose anti-spam software

2008-04-13T22:11:00.002+08:00

Spam is a problem that most people face when it comes to the use of computers. This is the unwelcome receiving e-mails and pop up windows automatically unwanted. As such, actions that the fight against these technological risks arise. This is where the technical term, antispamming comes in.

Anti spam defines the various actions that are being taken to combat these types of cyber-risk. They can be manifested by an antivirus and antispyware software. A version of this county would be the stuff antispam antispyware Microsoft. However, no encompassing all anti-spam law has yet been enacted. Although some countries have already acted on such matters, the fight against spamming is still a problem experienced by the cyber world. This is not because the world cyber law has been passed yet.

Common antispam software, or even the anti spam Microsoft, functions in a very generic. First, it allows the user to define the definitions of spam. Once the boundaries were established, antispyware will now begin antispam in his comments. Once the review is finished antispam, you can now begin to clean your system. Thus, your computer systems will be free of the net fouling caused by spamming. Without spamming, you will be able to take advantage of the Net without interruptions. It will help you optimize your e-mail, Web pages, Web and other personal information. In addition, you will not be at risk of accidentally deleting your emails with spam. It's good does it?

Unfortunately, this peace of mind is not intended to last forever. Like viruses and other mechanisms to pop up, spamming student also at levels more stringent than by the passage of time. More advanced techniques of spamming are created every day. As such, the new became undetectable for earlier versions of Microsoft antispyware, anti spam software, anti-spam and other material consideration. You may find that the sick, but it's true. Unless you do not want to use the net, you will have to bear with these measures to combat spam at all times. Do not worry about those though. If you choose the right program, so you do not have to worry about paying a lot for your updates. Since its net basis, it would take not even take as much time.

To combat the advanced techniques of spamming, any user will connect to the Internet. This will provide the necessary updates, which will elevate the status of your antispyware to the next level. Doing so will empower your computer systems against the latest spamming. Most of these techniques are antispamming free software so that you do not have to worry about anything. As long as you are in terms of your service provider, then everything is A-OK!

With all these measures to protect against spam, your cyber experience will be as enjoyable as ever. You should try it now and surfing experience without spamming. We guarantee that it is a useful experience to fight for? What are you waiting for? Start the fight against spamming now!

SAP using SAPGUI Scripting tutorial

2008-04-10T14:54:00.003+08:00

SilkPerformer offers recording and replay support for the load testing and functional testing of SAP systems that use the SAPGUI Scripting interface. SilkPerformer’s unique content verification feature enables you to verify application functionality even under real-world load conditions—and thereby intercept application errors that occur only under load. Test scripts created for functional testing can be reused for load testing purposes, without requiring any changes.

Together with its outstanding support for the load testing of Web applications, SilkPerformer supports load and functional testing of SAP R/3 4.6C, SAP R/3 Enterprise (4.7), and mySAP Business Suite (and higher) via SAPGUI Client 6.2 (and higher) for Windows and HTML, as well as with mySAP Enterprise Portal.

Download full tutorial book (Legal and free)

Short SAP Tutorial for beginner

2008-04-10T14:45:00.003+08:00

Welcome to the NAU-CBA SAP tutorial. This guide will take you through some of the basic SAP user functions including:

System Logon
Common controls
Navigation
Favorites
Transaction codes
Graphical user interface (GUI) customization

System Logon:

To access the SAP system start Citrix and logon (if you are using a computer in a CBA lab, start SAP by going to Start, Programs, SAP Front End, SAPLogon). You will see a folder labeled SAP. Open the SAP folder and double click on SAPlogon. After a few moments, you should see a logon screen similar to the one below. The server names in the description column in the list you see will be different than those below.

Download full document tutorial

VLC installation dependecies problem

2008-04-08T09:18:00.002+08:00

Having problem with VLC installation dependecies? Have you ever try to disable 'enable' script on configure file?

This is an example of a typical VLC configure line. ./configure --enable-x11 --enable-xvideo --disable-gtk --enable-sdl --enable-ffmpeg --with-ffmpeg-mp3lame --enable-mad --enable-libdvbpsi --enable-a52 --enable-dts --enable-libmpeg2 --enable-dvdnav --enable-faad --enable-vorbis --enable-ogg --enable-theora --enable-faac --enable-mkv --enable-freetype --enable-fribidi --enable-speex --enable-flac --enable-livedotcom --with-livedotcom-tree=/usr/lib/live --enable-caca --enable-skins --enable-skins2 --enable-alsa --disable-kde --disable-qt --enable-wxwindows --enable-ncurses --enable-release

Try to disable it, if it is can resolve the problem, ill follow you :D

Find your favourite MAC games

2008-04-03T08:52:00.000+08:00

Anyone does not like computer game? From children to adults like the computer game. In this short article, I wish to comment about mac games or computer games for MAC OS. Like Windows PC game, Mac Games also give a lot of title or type game choices. Popular Game like Mahjong, Solitaire with a few addition and interesting feature is available.
I try to search in some mac games provider web sites and I get some web sites which allow you to download the trial edition, like midoritech.com. You can download some title games which I mention above for free. Others, I also meet interesting software that is global warning. This Software invites us to participate in solving environmental problem like global warming and others. Want to know more? Just try to download the trial edition.

Seven Abilities Which Must Be Owned By It Professional

2008-03-28T10:36:00.003+08:00

by. Cak Momon

Besides skill and knowledge in IT area, a Computer or programming expert has to own the ability of IT Professional. For example:

1). Writing ability. In order to write better, need the intensive practice and enough preparation.

2). Ability to phrase the idea and think creatively. Phrasing idea and think creative also need in designing IT solution. Each company have to own unique IT strategy, ability to think creatively from an IT professional is required here.

3). Presentation Ability. After writing and thinking creative, presentation ability is the most difficult part because an IT professional have to look out on direct with the audiences to phrase his creative idea.

4). Computing Ability. This represents the elementary requirement an IT professional, especially at graphical design and spreadsheet.

5). Processing Information ability. Information Processing mean how to present the newest and correct Information at one whom precisely.

6). Ability to make decision. When we converse the IT, every risk is always occult on each decision taken, this is IT excess.

7). Team work Ability. In real world, we will never meet there is a 100% effective IT solution or is not effective at all. Oftentimes sophisticated solution, precisely and give a lot of advantages to us not yet of course give the same benefit for others. Soft-skill is required here, that is we should be able to comprehend that each and everyone will see each problems from the aspect of approach which different each other.

A Computer or programming expert does not have to always sit behind the computer desk. With seven abilities above, career of computer expert will really go up to become an IT professional.

Update IT News - Computer Tips And Tricks

Tips - Preventing Notebook Hard Disk Failure

2008-03-28T10:26:00.003+08:00

by. Eko Riduwan

Specification of Notebook Hard disk Drive is lower than Desktop PC Hard disk Drive. If Desktop PC Hard disk Drive can standby for the usage of 24x7 hours, Notebook Hard disk Drive can only about 8 hours per day. Heat and convulsion is Hard disk's arch-enemy.

Though laptop now have been provided with more sophisticated cooler but most laptop remain to be hot in its interior, this matter because of performance of processor and graphical chips which progressively heavily.

Fujitsu have performed an analysis that high temperature will cause of electron movement in parts of semi conductor to cause the sudden failure. Therefore, paying attention to following tips to prevent the sudden failure because this heat:

Reduce temperature.

If your workplace is not equipped by Air Conditioner (AC) or you work at hot place, you can reduce laptop temperature by degrading processor performance. In fact some laptop vendors have equipped its product by applet which arranging the processor speed and performance pursuant to temperature, work load, electricity power etc. On the other hand, we also can reduce laptop temperature by giving additional cooler accessories.

Avoid the convulsion.

Convulsion has a big effect at Hard disk, because convulsions which ossify or often can result the head Hard disk fall at its disc which can cause the permanent damage. Some laptop vendors have equipped its product with vibration censor which capable to prevent this matter, but you remain to have to take a care with this.

Two tips of above in fact is first step to take care of your laptop in order to have the long life cycle. Although in fact, price of notebook is relative alight time by time, but the sudden damage can cause you loss important file in your hard disk.

Windows Mobile, Pocket PC, Smartphone Technology and Programming - Mobile device and Gadget review

Quaero againts Google

2008-03-12T11:47:00.001+08:00

Domination of United States of America (USA) internet search engine, Google, making to itch a lot of party to compete with it.Nowadays nations Europe Union via Europe Commission, agreeing to fund US$ 152 million to French. This Fund is used to assist the mission of search engine for the internet 'Quareo', to punch the domination Google
Project of ' Quareo' or in Latin Language mean 'I look for' that, entangling 23 company led by a French technological company, Thomson. But because fund limitation, this project do not also expand.
This term due to in five first years its developing is just required fund until 199 million Euro. French even also only ready to fulfill the half from this total cost
Commission of Europe describes that having taken steps analyze that project of ' Quaero' will bring the big benefit for society.

Download Video-Audio File Streaming Easier

2008-03-06T09:06:00.000+08:00

This tip will explain how to enjoy the film trailer easier. You can enjoy the trailer without worry about your internet slowly. You have find the 'URL' link, where it's not easier to find the location. Much of us can't located the 'URL' link of file streaming. Now, u can find the located with add tool "HTTPDetect" where you can download it from www.effetech.com.
Download this program and install to your PC then open the program. click "Sniffer-start", leave the program for awhile. Open website film trailer, choose one of the film that you want to see. While it's loading, open "HTTPDetect". Look to the upstairs windows in 'URL', you will see the link file when processed in webpage. if you find file extension like MPG, AVI, or MOV in link line right click on that file and "copy URL". Open the download manager, and start the download.
When the download done, you can see the film trailer from media file that you have. "HTTPDetect" can do the same thing to the other file that not easier to download. Last, u can store it to your hard disk.

PS: There is an easy way to download from youTube.com, you can follow this step: 1) Copy destination link from youTube video (eg:http://youtube.com/watch?v=KWIFU_Ackuw). 2) Open http://vixy.net in your browser and paste your link at the URL text box 3) Choose your final video file extension 4) Click START and wait till conversion process finish. 5) Download the conversion result.

End of Netscape Navigator

2008-03-05T08:21:00.003+08:00

Old Web browser, Netscape Navigator, finally meet the death. Browser own the American Online (AOL) is informed will not operate again after date of 1 March 2008
News fall down this browser non merely figment. This matter is shown with the recommendation released by its company to all its consumer for upgrade of their browser become the Firefox or Flock, what have technological is equal to Netscape Navigator.

If beholding to return rear, in 1990s era, Netscape have glorious with wash raw-gold the consumer as much 90 gratuity after developed by Marc Andreessen 1994. At a period of this, Netscape play role important in the world of internet
Netscape Navigator era have to end in to come others web browser like Firefox and Internet Explorer ( IE) which nowadays still predominate with the market compartment of about 80 gratuity Firefox representing especial competitor of IE, longer its action even also becoming make surprise non-stopedly of compartment of market IE. For a while Flock name itself as ' the social web browser', what try to exploit the growth web 2.0.

Devoted consumer of Netscape confess disappointed with its death browser darling. They confess to shy at to change over to Flock and or Firefox. Even, there is devoted consumer of Netscape which assure that this browser will awaken again later.

Just blink your eye to operate new iPOD

2008-03-04T16:46:00.004+08:00

Enough with the eye-wik, an iPod can be operated. A system joining between computer chip and a couple of infrared censor squeeze to enable this matter to be conducted. This system later can be clung beside eyeglasses
If the user wish to animate the iPod enough with the eye blink during one second, while to kill the iPod enough by winking again. Right eye-wik will arrange the iPod to next song, so also on the contrary if we like to turn around the song previously, winking left side

This system is called "Our Kome Switch" or "Temple Switch". This System earn easily differentiate between intentional flicker with the normal flicker, "When You wink normally, its movement is very quickly and light. But, to operate the iPod with this system, you have to wink strong with interest," say the Taniguchi, a researcher from Osaka University’s Graduate School of Engineering Science. This System Attendance can become the ' ministrant hand' for people who his arms stir or do not function better, for example for the motorcyclist of, bank climber, astronaut and or fab clan. For one who are difficult to blink one eye, this system can be programmed to give the command when eye wink twice brief.

Its excitement, Our Kome Switch do not only can be used to operate the iPod but also earn to operate the television, AC, lamp and also other electronic apparatus. Expected later this system applicable to operate the cellular phone, wheel chair and robot. Its plan this system will what consumer during two or three year come
In this time Taniguchi still develop the variant of differ from the system namely a system which can operate by using sound of tooth.

Internet Explorer 8

2008-03-03T16:31:00.000+08:00

Development of Internet Explorer 8 (IE 8) almost reaches the final phase. Its Test-Drive version (beta-red) will immediately launched by June “Beta version of Internet Explorer 8 of released in the middle of the 2008," explicitly one or the other of developer Microsoft in company blog. Some improvement figured at this popular browser internet, inclusive of support for the programming of Ajax and better security system
IE 8 able to operate well at different standard web. Equally, problem interpretabilities claimed have been overcome at this browser. IE 8 also mentioned over and over have fulfilled the standard of World Wide Web Consortium, a laboring consortium to develop the standard for the World Wide Web
Until this news is degraded, Microsoft not yet given the date of opening of launching IE 8. But seems, Microsoft will demonstrate the ability of features IE 8 to public in conference MIX, Las Vegas, March come.

Waiting for Intel ATOM

2008-03-03T16:24:00.001+08:00

Processor Intel introduces the newest brand of their products with carrying name ' Atom'. This Intel Atom is previously recognized with the code of name of Silverthorne and Diamondville
Intel Atom will sit side by side with the previous brand like Celeron, Core and or Xeon. Intel Atom will run at clock speed until 1,8 GHZ. This new brand, according to Intel will be marketed in the middle of 2008.
Intel Atom represent the newest microarchitecture designed for the peripheral of fairish minimize and ultramobile. This microprocessor is consisted of 11 chip provided with 47 million transistor
Others, there is also product of have brand of Intel Centrino Atom addressed for the peripheral of internet mobile. This Intel Centrino Atom previously has the code of name Menlow.

1. Optimize WLAN connection & reaches with external antenna

2008-03-03T08:07:00.001+08:00

WLAN Router produces says that apart reach can be 100m. In fact, it’s less than the theory because of the barrier such as wall, wood substance, or metal. The barrier will block the signal; hence it can’t be reach 100m. Signal just effective no more than 20-30m.
If you use WLAN Router for transferring big data in apart more than 100m or blocked by the wall, it much better if add external antenna like wireless router DI-514 from D-Link. With add this antenna, u can build wireless communication once floor up.

The Benefits of Linux

2008-02-28T17:19:00.000+08:00

Crash-Free

A primary benefit of Linux is that it doesn’t crash. In years and years of using Linux, you will never experience your mouse cursor freezing on screen. A strange error box won’t appear and not go away until you reboot. It’s possible to leave a Linux system running for years without ever needing to reboot (although most desktop Ubuntu users shut down their PC when they won’t be using it for a while, just like the rest of us).

Security

The next benefit is that Linux is far, far more secure than Windows. Linux is based on years of proven computer science research. It works on the principle of users who have permissions to undertake various tasks on the system. If you don’t have the correct permission, then you cannot, for example, access a particular piece of hardware. Additionally, privacy can be ensured because the files on the PC are “owned” by individual users, who can permit or deny others access to those files.

Free and Shareable

Another big benefit is that Linux can be obtained free of charge. Once it’s installed, the latest updates for all your programs are also free of charge. Not only that, but if you want any new software, it will also usually be free of charge (and normally just a download away). Is this starting to sound attractive yet?

Compatible with Older Hardware

Another benefit of Linux is that it works very well on older hardware and doesn’t require a cutting-edge PC system. The latest version of Windows XP requires high-powered hardware, to the extent that upgrading to that operating system usually means buying a new PC, even if your old one still works fine! In contrast, Linux works on computers dating back as far as the early 1990s. This book was largely written on a five-year-old Pentium II 450 MHz notebook running Ubuntu. Although it would be an exaggeration to claim that the computer is lightning-fast, there’s little waiting around for programs to start. On the same machine, Windows 2000 (which came installed on the computer) grinds and churns, and using it can be a frustrating experience. Linux encourages an attitude of both recycling and making the most of what you have, ather than constantly pgrading and buying new hardware. You can pull out that “old” PC and ring it back to life installing Linux. You might even be able to give it away to a family member or riend who does not have a PC. Perhaps it’s time for grandma to get online, or perhaps you can live the kids their own PC so they will stop using yours.
Alternatively, you might consider turning old hardware into a server. Linux is capable of
just about any task. As well as running desktop computers, it also runs around 60% of the
computers that make the Internet work. Linux is extremely flexible. You could turn an old PC into a web server, e-mail server, or firewall that you can attach to a broadband Internet connection. If you were to do this with Microsoft software, it would cost hundreds of dollars, not to mention requiring an advanced computer. It’s free with Linux.

How to install Adobe PDF Reader with Plug-in for Mozilla Firefox

2008-01-25T10:32:00.000+08:00

Adobe Acrobat was the first software to support Adobe Systems’ Portable Document Format (PDF). It is a family of software, some commercial and some free of charge. The Adobe Acrobat Reader program (now just called Adobe Reader) is available as a no-charge download from Adobe’s web site, and allows the viewing and printing of PDF Files. It is a major component of the Adobe Engagement Platform, and is widely used as a way to present information with a fixed layout similar to a paper publication.

Several other PDF-editing programs allow some minimal editing and adding of features to documents, and come with other
modules including a printer driver to create PDF files.

Install acrobat reader with firefox plugin in Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install acroread mozilla-acroread acroread-plugins

This will complete the installation

If you want top open acrobat reader go to Applications -> Office -> Adobe Reader

Once it opens you should see the following screen

Adobe Reader support with SCIM

Note: If you have added additional language support (SCIM) you will have trouble with running Adobe Reader 7.0. There
is a fix for this outlined below:

sudo gedit /usr/bin/acroread

Within that file change:

#!/bin/sh

to:

#!/bin/sh

GTK_IM_MODULE=xim

Save the file.

At this point Adobe Reader should work alongside additional language support (SCIM).

How to associate Adobe Reader for .pdf files in Ubuntu

This will explain how to set Adobe Reader as the default program for .pdf files on your Ubuntu system.

Right-click on any .pdf file Select “Properties”

Once it opens you need to select “Open With” Select Adobe Reader

This should now associate all .pdf files with Adobe Reader on your Ubuntu system.

Install VLC Media Player in Ubuntu

2008-01-25T10:12:00.001+08:00

The VLC media player is an open source media player, distributed under the GNU General Public License. It is a highly portable multimedia player that supports many audio and video codecs and file formats as well as DVDs, VCDs and various streaming protocols. It is able to stream over networks and to transcode multimedia files and save them into various different formats.

It is one of the most platform-independent players available, with versions for Linux, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, BeOS, BSD, Windows CE, and Solaris.

Install VLC Media player in Ubuntu

You need to make sure that you have a “universe” mirror in your /etc/apt/sources.list

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install vlc vlc-plugin-esd

This will complete the installation

If you want to open VLC You need to go to Applications—>Sound&Video—>VLC Media Player

Once it open you should see the following screen

VLC Media Player Version Details

VLC Media Player Skins 2 interface

VLC Media Player Skins

If you want to download VLC Media Player Skins check here

Install VLC Plugin for Mozilla Firefox

sudo apt-get install mozilla-plugin-vlc

How to Install Java Runtime Environment (JRE) in Ubuntu

2008-01-25T09:40:00.000+08:00

Java is an object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems in the early 1990s. Java applications are compiled to bytecode, which at runtime is either interpreted or compiled to native machine code for execution.

The language itself derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities. JavaScript, a scripting language, shares a similar name and has similar syntax, but is not directly related to Java.

Currently Ubuntu has the following Java packages

sun-java6-bin - Contains the binaries

sun-java6-demo - Contains demos and examples

sun-java6-doc - Contains the documentation

sun-java6-fonts - Contains the Lucida TrueType fonts from the JRE

sun-java6-jdk - Contains the metapackage for the JDK

sun-java6-jre - Contains the metapackage for the JRE

sun-java6-plugin - Contains the plug-in for Mozilla-based browsers

sun-java6-source - Contains source files for the JDK

Installing the Java Runtime Environment

<

p>First you need to check multiverse repository enabled or not after that open a terminal window. Since you are going to be installing the JRE and the web browser plug-in, you’ll be using the following command from a terminal

sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin sun-java6-fonts

Once it downloads the packages and begins the installation, you’ll get a screen that contains the Sun Operating System Distributor License for Java and hit Enter to continue. You’ll see a dialog that asks you if you agree with the DLJ license terms. Select Yes, and hit Enter; the JRE will finish installing.

Testing Java Runtime Environment

You’ll want to confirm that your system is configured properly for Sun’s JRE. This is a two-step process.

First, check that the JRE is properly installed by running the following command from a terminal.

java -version

You should get similar output

java version “1.6.0″
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0-b105)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.6.0-b105, mixed mode, sharing)

Testing Java Plugin for Firefox

open Firefox and typing about:plugins in the address bar and check for java plugin

Source: www.ubuntugeek.com

Evaluate Microsoft SQL Server 2008 today

2008-01-24T17:23:00.000+08:00

SQL Server 2008 is a secure, reliable and scalable platform for your business critical applications that reduces the time and cost of managing any type of data. SQL Server 2008 simplifies development of data driven applications, while delivering the right information to all users, anywhere. And when you download the latest software, you're automatically registered to access valuable resources assembled in one convenient location. Be sure and provide valuable feedback too! Your experience can make a difference to future versions.

Please review the SQL Server 2008 system requirements before you proceed. Actual requirements and product functionality may vary based on your system configuration.

Download page

Menghidupkan kembali SWAP yang ‘hilang’

2008-01-24T16:18:00.000+08:00

Berikut ini salah satu cara menghidupkan kembali partisi SWAP yang tiba tiba hilang.

Mengecek UUID dari masing masing device hdd kita dengan :

~$ blkid /dev/hda1: UUID="2f842d03-6725-4e84-8b6e-a558f41a6b9b" SEC_TYPE="ext2" TYPE="ext3" /dev/hda2: UUID="02256835-3354-46ae-a3fc-0783623be670" TYPE="swap" /dev/hda3: UUID="75de2520-5035-4d96-aedc-bb9f0dac8ee7" SEC_TYPE="ext2" TYPE="ext3"

dan ternyata setelah di cek kros dengan UUID pada /etc/fstab hasil pada /dev/hda2 dimana swap terdapat disana berbeda… langsung aja edit itu UUID di fstab hda2 menjadi sama persis dengan hasil blkid, kemudian save dan

$ sudo mount -a

Source: ubuntu-semarang.org

10 Advantages of Ubuntu over Vista

2008-01-24T09:51:00.000+08:00

I converted from Vista to Ubuntu a little over 2 months ago and am soooooo happy with it, best decision of my life. I am going to tell you my top 10 advantages of it over Windows Vista. Please remember these are my own opinions, if you have more advantages and indeed any disadvantages (if you can find any) then please post them as comments.

1) Eye Candy
If I am completely honest, the biggest reason why I converted was the eye candy. Sure Windows Vista comes with lots of it, but it just isn’t as good. Ubuntu 7.04 comes with just a few of the effects seen a lot nowadays, these effects include the rotating cube desktop and wobbly windows, it just makes it much nicer to use. I have installed Beryl on my computer to give much more eye candy. I base a lot of my judgments on looks first, features later.

2) Easy to Install Applications
Installing new programs in Ubuntu is a doddle, far easier than in Windows, because there is one program that basically gives you access to most applications available to Ubuntu, simply click the program you want and it will install, you don’t need to accept agreements because its all open source so there is no need to click Next 20 times before the program is installed. Simply select the program and click OK, wallah! done.

3) Secure
In Windows Vista, to change a setting requires a ridiculous amount of dialog boxes and passwords, in Ubuntu, you are never logged in as an administrator (root), you are logged in as a simple user, you can change options that are only applicable to your user area but for changing options that affect the system you are required to input the administrator password, one dialog and you’re in, simple and secure. There is also the added bonus that there are very few viruses for Linux, I haven’t ever come across one yet so you can feel safe, imagine not having any virus protection software installed in Windows, there is no need for it in Linux, freedom from the threat of losing all your data.

4) Easy to change options
Ubuntu comes with a control panel but also comes with a menu next to the Applications menu where you simply select the thing you want to change, be it the Desktop background or the network settings. Everything on the windows that appear is simple and there are just the options you need so it is easy to change the options.

5) Community
The community behind Linux, especially Ubuntu is what attracts many people to the operating system. People in the Linux community are mainly ex-Windows users so they know what it feels like to be new to an operating system, so they are happy to help. Whenever I had and have a problem with Ubuntu I simply post on the Ubuntu forum and within minutes there are answers to the problems. I never got put on hold or had to phone up customer service and wait for hours if I had any problems.

6) Free
Everything about Ubuntu is free, the operating system (you can even have them send you a free copy of the operating system, they even pay the postage charges), the software installed is free (including all the software you can download) any help and support is free. The whole experience is 100% free, because it is open source. Open source means that you can distribute and even edit the code behind the program.

7) Simple Networking
The other day I was amazed with how easy it was to connect my Ubuntu laptop to my Windows XP PC. I simply plugged in my laptop to the network hub and it immediately connected with no problems, I didn’t even have to configure it.

Mozilla Firefox
OK, I know that you can use Firefox on Vista as well, but on Ubuntu, there is no Internet Explorer that keeps popping up and cant get rid of. Mozilla Firefox is the number one web browser (remember, my opinions).

9) Fast
Windows Vista is slow and takes up a lot of resources which means you need a pretty decent computer to run it, I know with my 1GHz computer with 512MB of RAM it was too slow to work with. Ubuntu is just fast, it doesn’t slow down in performance when it has been on for a couple of hours, it just keeps on going and everything opens literally a second after you click the icon, and closes when you click the X, with Windows Vista you have to wait for like 30 seconds before a program starts and try shutting down a program like Word 2007 or Visual Studio after using it for a couple of hours, it takes forever.

10) Updates
Ubuntu gets updated every 6 months, well as close as it can do, and whenever I turn my computer on there are updates for the programs installed. Compare that to Windows, how often does that get updated, well the 5 years between Windows XP and Vista sort of answers that question.

source: thecomputingexpert.com

11 Things You Haven't Seen Yet in Ubuntu Feisty Fawn

2008-01-23T10:14:00.000+08:00

A lot of websites have jumped at the chance of showing you the latest pieces of Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn. But they all have focused on the same things, the very same features that Ubuntu has touted as being the staple of Feisty Fawn. Yet there's a lot more under the hood that really makes life in Feisty a lot easier. Most are due to the enhancements of Gnome 2.18, but since they're not really covered well, especially in the context of Ubuntu, I think it's worth noting. None of these features alone make or break the system, but they most certainly add that little bit of personal touch to the system, removing many of the little frustrations, even adding some of their own in the process. See the screenshots and the details as I walk through each feature that I find adds real value to the Ubuntu name.

For reference purposes, I'm running the absolute latest version of Feisty Fawn, originally installed from the Herd 5 alpha version, but updated and patched beyond the Herd 6 beta. The test system is my Dell XPS m140 laptop with integrated Intel Centrino wireless, sound, and video running at 1280x800 resolution; it's pretty standard for laptops from the past two years.

Refresh: Network Settings

To go with the new integration of Network Manager for handling wired and wireless connections, an update to the old Network applet was made. Now, when editing the settings for an interface, there is the option "Enable roaming mode", which determines what interfaces are available to Network Manager, and what interfaces should use the old style of boot-time configuration. By checking the box (the default for all interfaces), Network Manager knows that it can take control. This is a good addition, because I never liked giving absolute control to Network Manager in previous versions of Ubuntu, and having the choice of which it handles at least makes me feel better inside.

New: Restricted Drivers Manager

For those with devices that require binary drivers, like Nvidia or ATi graphics cards, or certain wireless cards, installing the proper support has been a process of running to Synaptic or the command line and installing a few packages, usually including linux-restricted-modules. Well, there's now a new applet in the Administration menu call "Restricted Drivers Manager" that will supposedly take care of installing everything for you. It's also helpful enough to detect your hardware and decide what needs to be installed, or in the case of my laptop, understand that nothing needs to be done.

-OR-

New: Desktop Effects

Following in the same form as Fedora Core 6 and other distros, Feisty Fawn now includes the Desktop Effects applet, which enables the Compiz compositing manager. You get a simple On/Off button, and a choice of two features to enable: wobbling windows and a cube desktop. Now, I know Compiz is a bit behind on the features race when compared to the likes of Beryl, and I know Compiz seems the more stable of the two. But the desktop effects applet seems really weak to me,

Is there really only two options available for Compiz users? I assume there is much more to choose from, but we're limited to these two choices, and the cube does not always work for me either. Ubuntu took the time to add a nice warning message (see below) in the latest Beta, I would certainly appreciate if they could take the time to add at least two more choices for Compiz. But maybe I've been too spoiled by Beryl. I'm not sure, but the desktop effects applet leaves me wanting more, and I'm using them only until I can take the time to get Beryl installed again.

New: HPLIP Toolbox

For users like me, with an HP scanner/printer combination, configuration and usage of the extra features has been pretty limited. I have a Photosmart PSC2110; it's a few years old, but it still works great, and the drivers for it have been available since Hoary. However, I have been out of luck when trying to tweak the printer to run at higher quality output. But now, we have the new HPLIP Toolbox to the rescue. Once your printer is installed with CUPS, you can use the toolbox to check on ink levels, set more detailed profiles, and more. Personally, I haven't dealt much with HPLIP yet, but it should be a great addition for all the HP printers in the world.

Of note is that the PyQt packages must be installed before using HPLIP, and are not included by default with Feisty Fawn. And you don't realize that's the problem, because choosing the item from the preferences menu yields absolutely nothing; no error messages, just a desktop that sits there doing nothing. The only way to see the problem is by running it from the command line.

jreese@...: ~$ hp-toolbox
error: PyQt not installed. GUI not available. Exiting.
error: PyQt/Qt initialization error. Please check install of
PyQt/Qt and try again.

How helpful. To fix this is pretty simple, but shouldn't be neccesary as far as I'm concerned. Open a terminal window, and type this command to install the necessary package to enable the HPLIP Toolbox:

sudo apt-get install python-qt3

Refresh: Keyboard Preferences

The Keyboard applet has gotten a set of fresh functionality, adding the ability to choose your keyboard model as well as your keyboard layout. It's got plenty of keyboard models to choose from, and it is supposed to aid in setting up the special multimedia keys on your keyboard. However, on my Logitech diNovo keyboard at home, I am still unable to get the media keys registering to the system at all, even with the new keyboard model options, but I think that is a Logitech issue, not a Gnome issue. The "layout options" tab also has a lot of options to choose from now; almost too many, as it seems a bit cluttered in my mind. Lastly, there is a new Accessibility button that links to the Keyboard Accessibility applet, a nice addition for the lazy or confused.

Refresh: Keyboard Shortcuts

While there's nothing new in the interface itself, there is the added functionality that changing hotkeys will take effect immediately now, regardless of hotkey type. This is as opposed to previously, when changing some of the more advanced hotkeys, like media keys, would require a restart of the X server to take effect. This was a minor, usually one-time annoyance, but I am glad they got it fixed.

Refresh: Screen Resolution

While I still find it annoying that the Screen Resolution applet cannot add or modify your list of resolutions in any way, they have at least improved it slightly for us LCD users. There is now a third dropdown box, which allows selection of screen rotations, useful for LCD screens that can be rotated to portrait modes. Any bit of customization no longer requiring editing the xorg.conf is fine in my book.

Refresh: Screensaver

The only thing added to the Screensaver applet is a Power Management button that starts the respective applet. This is a great addition for when editing screensaver settings, and then realizing the other options are elsewhere. It also helps Windows users who are used to that implicit way of moving from one to the other. However, I still notice a conspicuously absent "Settings" option, which I feel is one of the worst "features" of this new screensaver applet since they dropped the XScreensaver version. And where is the option to choose what screensavers appear in the Random rotation?

Redesign: Sessions

The reworked Sessions applet is lightyears ahead of its preceding version, boasting a much cleaner interface, better customizability, and more features to boot. The "Startup Programs" tab has now been moved to the primary position where it belongs, and now only looks cleaner, but allows you to have a custom name for each item, and gives you the choice of disabling or even deleting all the default entries. Current Sessions has stayed relatively the same, but the biggest changes is in the Session Options tab. Gone are the options to ask on logout and show splash screen (mostly useless), and gone is the (absolutely useless) list of different sessions. Instead, we now have the option to save our current session as it currently looks, and the choice of automatically saving on exit. This was a much-needed simplification, and the ability to save the current session without logging out will make things much easier.

Refresh: Sounds

The Sounds applet has received a new Devices tab, which allows the user to choose their default sound devices, and test their choices before closing. This goes a long way to making things more friendly for owners of computers with on-board and add-in sound cards. Selecting the proper inputs and outputs is a breeze, although the sound tests emit a brutally annoying tone that only stops after you click OK. Couldn't they have chosen some sort of calming / comforting ambient noise, or at least something that won't suck the life from your brain the moment it stars playing?

Refresh: Theme Details

When customizing a theme in the Themes applet, the Theme Details dialog box now has a new Colors tab, which allows you to set various color settings for your theme, assuming the control set has the proper information to take advantage of this feature. Ubuntu's Human theme does not, for instance, but the included Clearlooks theme does. This is a very minor feature, but an addition for theming power tweakers no less.

Get the Word Out

So now you know that Feisty Fawn is about more than just the applications changes. It's got plenty of changes behind the scenes as well. I hope we can get the word out; too many people feel that Gnome is going nowhere, and too many review sites are missing the important changes that really change the overall user experience for the better. New applications are useful, and new artwork is snazzy, but none of that really affects the minor annoyances that people face on a daily basis. Gnome has been doing a lot of work on the little details, and I applaud the developers for that type of discipline and focus when everyone is complaining of not seeing and new big items. No amount of polish on the fenders and trim will make a car run smoother or faster, and the same goes for Gnome. Let's let people know what's really going on with Feisty Fawn and Gnome 2.18.

Source: http://leetcode.net

Free Download Ubuntu 7.10 Desktop Course E-book

2008-01-23T09:14:00.000+08:00

OK folks the long awaited Ubuntu 7.10 Desktop Course is ready, waiting and all yours for the taking!

Thanks to all the community members who slogged over writing, reviewing, editing, proof reading and fixing the layout. This is just the beginning of the project which we hope will live and evolve with each new Ubuntu release. Yours to develop, enhance and branch off to your heart's content!

Few points to mention about the course:

It has been written in Docbook using xml stylesheets and the bzr revision control, accessed through Launchpad.
There are 10 lessons in total with the last lesson covering Partitioning and Booting optional. The course is modular - 2 days if all lessons are covered however, topics and lessons can be selected as required.
There are 2 versions of the course:
- An Instructor Guide which has instructor notes and answers to the exercise questions together.
- A student guide which does not have instructor notes; answers to the exercises are provided separately.
pdf versions of the student guide and instructor guide are attached here: Student Guide attachment:student.pdf and Instructor Guide attachment:instructor.pdf. In order to retrieve the actual code and contribute or modify the content, you will need to have a launchpad account and bzr set up on your computer. The launchpad branch is: http://launchpad.net/ubuntu-desktop-course

In order to create a:

Student guide: make booksg
Instructor guide: make book
Q&A for the student guide: make questions

There will also be a book version of the courseware which you will be able to purchase online. This will be formatted slightly differently to reduce the page numbers and make the content overall ready for print production, but the content and copyright will remain the same.

The course content is released under Creative Commons: BY-NC-SA. For more information on this, please refer to: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Other than that, enjoy, and we look forward to receiving your feedback.

Source: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Training

Ten tips for new Ubuntu users

2008-01-22T08:15:00.000+08:00

Ubuntu has become the most popular Linux distribution for new Linux users. It's easy to install, easy to use, and usually "just works." But moving to a different operating system can be confusing, no matter how well-designed it is. Here's a list of tips that might save you some time while you're getting used to Ubuntu.

1. Getting multimedia to work

The default Ubuntu install contains free software only, which means that it doesn't support some popular multimedia formats straight out of the box. This is inconvenient, but the Ubuntu folks have good reasons for not shipping with support for MP3, DVDs, and so forth -- including that software could cause them some legal headaches, or incur some serious fees.

Fortunately, as a user, you don't need to worry about fees (though some of the packages may not be legal due to patent restrictions or restrictions on circumventing copy protection, depending on where you live). The Ubuntu wiki has a page on restricted formats that explains how to get the packages you need. However, if you run Ubuntu on AMD64 or PowerPC hardware, you'll still be out in the cold for some of the packages, since some multimedia formats depend on proprietary software that's not available for those hardware platforms.

2. Changing the defaults

Ubuntu comes with a number of defaults that may or may not be to your liking. For example, the default editor is set to Nano, which isn't optimal if you're used to Vim.

The easy way to change this is to use the update-alternatives program, which maintains the symbolic links under /etc/alternatives that determine the default programs for FTP, system editor, rsh, Telnet, window manager, and so forth. Look under the /etc/alternatives directory to see what programs are managed.

To change the default editor, run sudo update-alternatives --config editor. You'll see a dialog like this:

There are 3 alternatives which provide `editor'.

 Selection    Alternative
 -----------------------------------------------
       1        /usr/bin/vim
 2        /bin/ed
 *+    3        /bin/nano

Press enter to keep the default[*], or type selection number:

Just type 1 to switch to Vim. Note that on my system, I don't have Emacs or many other editors installed; if I did, the utility would offer the other editors as choices.

3. How to install packages

Most of the application software you'll want to add to your system will be available through the Ubuntu repositories using Synaptic, Adept, or another package management tool. What if you want to install something like Opera that is available as a package for Ubuntu, but isn't in the repositories?

In that case, download the application's Debian package (.deb) and right-click on the file. At the top of the context menu, you should see an option to open the package with the GDebi package installer. GDebi will provide a description of the package, what files are included, and other details about the package. The package installer also has a Install Package button; just click that and it will install the package. Note that the package installer also checks to verify whether it can install the package -- if it has dependencies that can't be satisfied, GDebi will give an error and refuse to install it.

If you prefer to install packages at the command line, just use sudo dpkg -i packagename.deb.

4. Sudo and gksudo

If you've used Linux for any amount of time, you might be used to running programs as root directly whenever you need to install packages, modify your system's configuration, and so on. Ubuntu employs a different model, however. The Ubuntu installer doesn't set up a root user -- a root account still exists, but it's set with a random password. Users are meant to do administration tasks using sudo and gksudo.

You probably already know how to use sudo -- just run sudo commandname . But what about running GUI apps that you want to run as root (or another user)? Simple -- use gksudo instead of sudo. For instance, if you'd like to run Ethereal as root, just pop open a run dialog box (Alt-F2) and use gksudo ethereal.

By the way, if you really must do work as root, you can use sudo su -, which will log you in as root. If you really, really want to have a root password that you know, so that you can log in as root directly (i.e., without using sudo), then run passwd when logged in as root, and set the password to whatever you want. I'd recommend using the pwgen package to create a secure password not only for root but for all your user accounts.

5. Add users to sudo

When you set up Ubuntu, it automatically adds the first user to the sudo group, allowing that user to make changes as the super user (root) by typing in their password. However, it doesn't automatically add additional users to the sudo group. If you want to give someone else superuser privileges on your shared system, you'll have to give them sudo access.

To add new users to sudo, the easiest way is to use the usermod command. Run sudo usermod -G admin username . That's all there is to it. However, if the user is already a member of other groups, you'll want to add the -a option, like so: sudo usermod -a -G admin username .

If you prefer the GUI way of doing things, go to System -> Administration -> Users and Groups. Select the user you want to add to sudo, and click Properties. Under the User privileges tab, check the box that says "Executing system administration tasks" and you'll be all set.

6. Adding a new desktop

Many users aren't sure what packages to add in order to run KDE or Xfce window managers on a stock Ubuntu system -- or what packages to add to run GNOME on Kubuntu or Xubuntu. You could add all of the necessary packages one at a time, but there's a much easier way to go about it.

To install all of the packages that come with one of the flavors of Ubuntu, such as Kubuntu, run apt-get install kubuntu-desktop (or edubuntu-desktop, xubuntu-desktop, or xubuntu-desktop).

If the GUI is more your style, the *desktop packages can be installed using Adept, Synaptic, or another package manager.

7. How to reconfigure X.org

Most of the time, X.org -- that's the software that drives your video card and provides the foundation for the GUI, whether you're running GNOME, KDE, Xfce, or another window manager -- "just works" when you install Ubuntu. In fact, I'd wager that most Ubuntu users never even have to think about their video settings.

But, sometimes you need to reconfigure X.org because Ubuntu hasn't detected your video card and monitor properly, or maybe you've just purchased a shiny new video card and need to get it working with Ubuntu. Whatever the reason, it's good to know how to reconfigure X without having to edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf by hand.

To run through the configuration, use dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg at the console or in a terminal window. Then you'll have a chance to specify your monitor and video card, the resolutions and color depths you want to run the server at, and so forth.

Since every setup is different, it's hard to give concrete advice for configuring X, but it's generally OK to accept the configuration defaults. Also, you'll be given a choice between Advanced, Medium, and Simple methods for giving your monitor's specifications. As a rule, it's probably best to go with Simple unless you really know what you're doing, or the Simple method doesn't work for you.

8. Log in automagically

By default, when you boot up the computer, Ubuntu will give you a login screen before you get to your X session. From a security perspective, this is a good idea, particularly in multi-user environments or in any situation where other people have physical access to your computer. Still, many users are used to just being logged in automatically, and don't want to fuss with logging in each time they reboot their desktop.

To set this in Ubuntu, go to System -> Administration -> Login Window. You'll need to provide your password, then you'll get the Login Window Preferences window with five tabs. Choose the Security tab and click Enable Automatic Login. If you have more than one regular user, make sure to specify which user should be logged in automatically.

Again, and I can't stress this enough, this is only a good idea for home computers where only one person has access to the computer. I don't recommend this for work computers or laptop/notebook computers, when someone else might have access to the machine.

9. Compiling from source

Ubuntu's package repository is huge, particularly when you factor in packages in the Universe and Multiverse repositories. However, many users find themselves needing to install packages from source, either because they want to use a newer package than is available in the repository, or they want to try something that's not in the Ubuntu repository at all.

If you want to install packages from source, you can use a few shortcuts to make life easier. First, you'll probably want to get the build-essential meta-package if you haven't installed any developer tools. Run sudo apt-get install build-essential; it will grab GCC, the Linux kernel headers, GNU Make, and some other packages that you'll probably need.

Next, if you're going to compile a package such as Gaim because a new version is out, you might be able to satisfy the new version's dependencies with the old version's dependencies. To do this, grab the package's build dependencies with sudo apt-get build-dep packagename . That will grab all of the development packages you need to build the package that's currently available in Ubuntu, and will probably satisfy dependencies for the new version you're compiling.

Finally, don't make install when you compile from source -- use CheckInstall instead. CheckInstall will create a Debian package and install it for you, so you can remove or upgrade the software more easily later on.

Grab CheckInstall with apt-get install checkinstall. After you've run ./configure ; make, just run sudo checkinstall and answer a few simple questions. Note that if you compile packages on AMD64, CheckInstall will select X86_64 as the architecture rather than amd64 -- which will cause the package install to fail, since Ubuntu expects amd64 as the architecture rather than X86_64.

By the way, the packages created by CheckInstall also make it easier to deploy the same package on several machines, if you happen to have several systems running Ubuntu. See Joe Barr's excellent CLI Magic feature on CheckInstall too.

10. A new kernel

Ubuntu will install a 386 kernel for x86 machines, which probably isn't what you'd want if you've got a Pentium II or better CPU. The 386 kernel is compiled to work with just about any x86 CPU, but extensions that appear in later CPUs can give your system a boost, if they're taken advantage of. To replace the kernel, open Synaptic or Adept and search for linux-image. You'll see several choices. Pick the one that best suits your CPU -- probably the linux-image-686 package for Pentium II and later CPUs, and linux-image-k7 for later AMD processors. Note that if you're using the AMD64 line (or Intel's x86-64 CPUs) you should be using the amd64 images.

Of course, once you install the new kernel, you'll need to reboot. Another benefit to the 686 kernels is that they have SMP support, which is a bonus for multi-core and Intel HyperThread CPUs.

If none of the tips cover questions that you have about Ubuntu, try checking out the Ubuntu wiki, forums, and mailing lists. As a rule, the Ubuntu users are a helpful lot, and you'll usually be able to find someone who's run into the same situation that you have questions about.

Linux Common System Commands

2008-01-11T06:00:00.000+08:00

There are a number of very useful shell commands that will give you a wealth of information about your system. These commands are useful for either a system administrator monitoring a system or any Linux user wanting to examine what is happening on his machine.

Command	Purpose	Windows Equivalent
ps	This command will list all currently running processes. Any program or daemon is a process.	No Windows equivalent.
top	This command lists all currently running processes, whether the user started them or not. It also lists more detail on the processes.	No Windows equivalent.
ifconfig	This will list information about network card.your	The Windows equivalent is ipconfig.
ping	This command is used to see if you can reach a specific IP address.	The same command works in Windows.
traceroute	This command will trace the route to a specific IP address.	The Windows equivalent is tracert.
finger	This command is used to get information about a user.	The same command works in Windows.
who	This command will tell you all the users currently logged in system. This is useful if your Linux to your machine is being used as a server for an office.	There is no Windows equivalent.
date	This command will display the current date and time.	The same command works in Windows.
uname	This command displays the name of the current system.	There is no Windows equivalent.
whois	This command is similar to finger and gives information about a targeted user.	There is no Windows equivalent.
env	This command will list all environmental variables.	There is no Windows equivalent.
kill	This command is used to stop a currently running process.	There is no Windows equivalent.

HD Video Recording Gets More Affordable

2008-01-07T08:10:00.000+08:00

DXG, a company that most folks have never heard of, is making some waves with its announcement of a new HD video camcorder with up to 1280 x 720-pixel recording, 5-megapixel still image capability (rising to 8 megapixels with interpolation), SD memory card storage, and a 3-inch flip-out LCD. All for just $150.

The DXG-566V shoots at 30 frames per second (fps) at both of its resolutions settings: HD 1280 x 720 (16:9 aspect ratio) and standard definition 720 x 480 (4:3). Other features include a 2x digital zoom and USB 2.0 connectivity. DXG notes that the camcorder should be available shortly after CES.

Remote Desktop Connection Web Connection Software Download

2008-01-06T16:43:00.000+08:00

The Remote Desktop Web Connection ActiveX control allows you to access your computer, via the Internet, from another computer using Internet Explorer. You must be running Windows XP Professional and using its Internet Information Services (IIS) to host a Web site on the Internet to use this feature.
Remote Desktop Web Connection provides most of the same functionality as the Remote Desktop Connection software; but it does not require a private network, or virtual private network connection.
You can download the software on this page and run setup to install the ActiveX control and sample Web page on your Windows XP Professional computer running IIS.

Windows XP Professional users must specify an installation directory.

When setup asks Where would you like to place the sample web pages directory? enter C:\Windows\Web\TSWeb. Click OK.
If the TsWeb folder does not exist, setup will ask if you want to create it. Click Yes.

To download and install the Remote Desktop Web Connection on Windows XP Professional:

Select your language from the drop-down list on this page, and then click Go.
Read the License Agreement. If you agree to the terms, click I agree.
When the File Download dialog box appears, select Save this program to disk.
Choose a location on your computer to save the file, and then click Save.
Go to the location where you saved the file and double-click the file to launch the Setup program.
When setup asks Where would you like to place the sample web pages directory? enter C:\Windows\Web\TSWeb. Click OK.
If the TsWeb folder does not exist, setup will ask if you want to create it. Click Yes.

Remote Desktop Web Connection for Earlier Versions
The Remote Desktop Web Connection software update on this page may be installed on Windows 2000 systems, and Windows NT Server 4.0 systems that are running IIS version 4.0 or later.
To download and install the Remote Desktop Web Connection on earlier versions:

Select your language from the drop-down list on this page, and then click Go.
Read the License Agreement. If you agree to the terms, click I agree.
When the File Download dialog box appears, select Save this program to disk.
Choose a location on your computer to save the file, and then click Save.
Go to the location where you saved the file and double-click the file to launch the Setup program.
Setup installs the files in the directory you specify. The default installation directory is C:\Inetpub\Wwwroot\Tsweb.

How to uninstall
To uninstall the Remote Desktop Web Connection:

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
Click Add/Remove Programs.
Select Terminal Services Web Client, and then click Change/Remove to uninstall.

Game Trailer of the Day: Burnout Paradise

2008-01-05T17:42:00.001+08:00

Fans of the mobile carnage genre playing on Xbox 360 and PS3 can indulge their Appetite For Destruction in more ways than one starting January 22nd, with Burnout Paradise. The soundtrack sounds like it should be pretty rocking, featuring the likes of N.E.R.D., Faith No More and Seether, and Guns and Roses leading the way.

Game release is still a month away, but if you need a little taste to get yourself in gear, and who doesn't every now and again, check out the GnR trailer below.

Click the airborne beast below to see the trailer:

Click here to check out the full soundtrack and get more game details.

Game Trailer of the Day: Burnout Paradise

2008-01-05T17:42:00.000+08:00

Click here to check out the full soundtrack and get more game details.

Usefull Links for LINUXer

2008-01-04T05:44:00.000+08:00

Distributions
Red Hat Linux: http://www.redhat.com/
Debian Linux: http://www.debian.org/
Mandrake Linux: http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/
SuSE Linux: http://www.suse.com/index_us.html
Slackware: http://www.slackware.com/

Linux Tutorials
Linux Online: http://www.linux.org/
Linux Planet: http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/tutorials/
Linux Guru’s: http://www.linuxguruz.com/z.php?id=2

Linux Software

Open Office: http://www.openoffice.org/
Star Office: http://wwws.sun.com/software/star/staroffice/6.0/
Opera Web Browser: http://www.opera.com/
Mozilla Web Browser: http://www.mozilla.org/
Netscape Web Browser: http://www.netscape.com/
VS FTP Server: http://vsftpd.beasts.org/
Apache Web Server: http://www.apache.org/
GIMP: http://www.gimp.org/

Linux Games
Linux Games: http://www.linuxgames.com/
Loki Games: http://www.lokigames.com/
Games for Linux: http://games.linux.sk/
Tux Games: http://www.tuxgames.com/
Happy Penguin: http://www.happypenguin.org/

Find IP Address Location Searcher

2008-01-03T11:26:00.000+08:00

A computer system, being an electronic device can be uniquely identified when hosted in a network by utilizing the exclusive facility of IP addresses. This IP address can very well be classified as IPv4 and IPv6, where the latter provides greater assistance or advanced support for the diverse purposes met by a computer system. The IP addresses will have a form of a group of bits and period (.) which separates these bits. This separation is done to meet very specific requirements.

Searching of IP address could be done through Ip Tools for the identification of real time information of IP address. A database is globally maintained and this database contains all the IP addresses assigned to each and every system. The global management of IP addresses is too vigilant in updating the database every now and then. Searching the IP address could be done by examining this database. Effective measures had been taken to get the country wise Internet Service Providers and even the cavernous end details like city, country, country range, latitude, longitude etc could be obtained. This is facilitated by IP to location.

The domain naming system assigns a name to each and every IP addresses so as to make the users feel friendly in understanding it. Domain name could be found from IP address and at the same time, IP address could be found from the domain name in any network. IP Finder is employed to find the IP addresses of each and every computer connected through a logical network.

Collection of information in relation to an IP address has attained great importance. To meet this requirement, IP lookup facility can be employed. Functioning of this entity find its platform on TCP/IP protocols and through domain naming services. The DNS system gives IP addresses, when domain name is given.

The IP lookup facility helps in tracking the IP address of systems that visits the websites. When employed as a marketing strategy or technique, this tool proved to be extremely worthy for the marketers or business firms in receiving a feedback, by calculating the reach of their websites. Certain application demands extremely secure identity verification where they can't allow a second person to interfere. Free IP lookup facilities are provided by numerous website hosting companies.

Certain other application requires the IP address to be hidden from the network. Subnet mask is a method to achieve this. Security can be enhanced by employing subnet masking methods. Make the computer free from network problems, avoid the misuse of websites etc are examples of some useful needs of subnet masking.

My Mobile Senses Are Tingling

2008-01-03T11:05:00.000+08:00

As Star Trek was just beginning to air, the idea of a ubiquitous personal communicator was taking its baby steps into the realm of science fact. Now, forty years later, mobile phone use has completely saturated modern culture. However, the ability to contact someone across the globe from the comfort of darn-near-wherever is fraught with its own share of health concerns.

While it may not be life threatening, "Phantom Ring Syndrome" affects many of us who are tethered to our cell phones. Also known as "ringxiety", it's the sensation of hearing or feeling your phone ringing when it isn't. UK company LM Technologies has designed a line of Bluetooth-enabled vibrating watches to alert you to incoming calls and messages. They even show caller ID information. And if your P.R.S. wanders up to your wrist, at least you don't have to fumble in your pocket or purse to see if

Windows Vista SideShow Coming Soon to More Devices

2007-12-04T16:32:00.000+08:00

It seems the world all but forgot about SideShow, the Vista component that acts as a kind of mini operating system to integrate compatible devices with your existing PC setup, but the recent release of an upgraded SDK (Software Development Kit) supporting Bluetooth and QVGA may see SideShow powering more devices like remote controls, pocket PCs, and smartphones in the very near future.

The advantage of SideShow is that it's an OS designed to operate in a very low-power state; it's minimal required resources make it not only useful for quick access to your powered-off laptop via a secondary screen, say, but also for devices like universal remotes and digital photo frames that don't carry the powerful chipsets of PCs and smartphones.

As more and more home consumer electronics go wireless and start "talking" to each other to form a kind of ecosystem in your living room, a standard platform like SideShow could bridge the gaps between normally unrelated electronics and "close the loop", so to speak. There's not much to show for all this yet, but it'll be worth keeping an eye on in the coming year; at the very least, we can probably expect to see a Windows Mobile-flavored version of SideShow soon.

Send In the Touchscreens

2007-12-03T09:12:00.000+08:00

With Apple's iPhone leading the way, cell phone makers are releasing more and more models with touchscreen navigation to capitalize on this new dance craze. The latest entries into the field come from LG by way of Verizon: the Voyager and the Venus.

Sporting a split screen design, the Venus relegates its interactive capabilities to the lower, smaller screen, and this is where controls for a variety of functions, including the music player, appear when activated (see image at right, via Gizmodo). The phone's face also slides up to reveal a standard numeric keypad. Speaking of tunes, Gizmodo is joined by Wired and Mobile Magazine in calling the Venus a better cellular audio player than LG's Chocolate.

But the phone that's getting most of the props is the Voyager, with its large 2.8-inch, iPhone-like touchscreen on its face, and it improves on Apple's screen by providing haptic (vibrating) feedback when touching onscreen functions and the virtual keyboard. But wait, there's more... the Voyager opens up to reveal a real QWERTY keyboard--for longer emails and for those who aren't fans of T9 predictive text entry (which powers the virtual keyboard)--and an interior 2.8-inch screen. The Voyager supports the AIM, MSN, and Yahoo! IM platforms and POP3/IMAP email accounts. But the Voyager isn's just Verizon's version of the Sidekick--it's also enabled for V CAST Mobile TV.

Both phones are also capable of accessing Verizon's optional GPS service, and they run on the 3G EV-DO data network, which is a definite improvement over AT&T's pokey EDGE.

~Agen G.N. Schmitz, Amazon Current

Gifting the Traveler

2007-11-30T08:49:00.000+08:00

Aside from things like a great backpack, sensible clothing, a good camera, various inoculation shots and a pile of paperwork, one of the most important things a traveler can have at the ready is the ability to speak the local language. At the very least, you owe it to the countries you visit to know how to ask where the restroom is, or perhaps where the beer is (though usually it’s in the reverse order). It’s rewarding when you get it right, no matter how bad your accent is, and people genuinely appreciate the effort.

With that in mind, the world traveler in your life would likely be pleased with the gift of Rosetta Stone software. Immersion is the word, with the software helping you learn a language the way you learned your own: naturally, without the crutch of translation.

Granted, for a while that world traveler may still have to reach for the phrasebook when discussing, say, quantum physics. But why not put them on the path to--at the very least--catching the right train, plane, bus, moped, cab or camel? Help get ‘em home in one piece.

Announcing The Best DVDs of 2007

2007-11-23T09:25:00.000+08:00

2007 - It's been a great year for DVD lovers.

This is the time of year when all the "Best of" lists come out, and we're no exception (hey, we watch a lot of DVDs every year and we like to give credit where it's due). A few weeks ago, the DVD staff of Amazon.com got together, cast their ballots, and overwhelmingly voted Planet Earth as the Best DVD of 2007.

What else did we pick? Well, we invite you to check out all the best DVDs of the year, including your favorites--the top 100 bestselling DVDs of the year--picks for TV DVDs, best packaging, and even a list of DVDs we're glad to see finally get released this year.

Check it out and let us know what you think. What did we miss? What did we hit? What were your favorite DVDs of the year are, and why? We always love to know what people are watching. Here's to more great DVD enjoyment in 2008. --Dan

How Quickly Mobile Learning Has Progressed In 5 Short Years!

2007-10-30T11:02:00.000+08:00

The first mobile learning workshop took place in Birmingham, UK in 2002 and the 6th International Mobile Learning Conference just concluded in Melbourne Australia. In five very short years we have gone from 'playing' with toys to planning the future or our infrastructure to accommodate mobile delivery in all its forms...

I have been involved in mobile learning since 2003 and it is interesting to reflect on the way in which it has grown and been taken up over what is really quite a short time. As a person who has worked hard to introduce mobile learning I am very aware that the reaction to my efforts has moved from "what on earth are you on about?" to "please come and help us get it happening!".

For those who are asking the question, mobile learning is the delivery of teaching and learning by means of portable, handheld or mobile devices as a part of the overall mix in the way in which teachers and students interact. But like all new concepts there is a flow in the evolution and reflecting on each of the mobile learning conferences I have mapped it as follows:

2003 - mLearn in London:

The theme was 'New Possibilities' and we looked at mobile phones and some personal digital assistants (PDAs). We talked about issues like navigation on such small devices and texting and some of the games that already existed on mobile phones. We also started talking about knowledge management and the types of learning that might apply.

The state of mobile learning was best summed up at the time by John Traxler who is currently at Wolverhampton University in the UK:

"mobile learning is at a stage of small scale projects working to extablish aspects of techninal feasibility in specific educational settings"

2004 - mLearn in Rome:

Holding a conference dealing with leading edge technology in a 12th century castle in Rome was an interesting experience!

The theme this time was "The Potential is Significant" and we started to discuss shifts in pedagogy, the impacts of using portable devices and usability of the digital learning materials that were being developed. We were starting to see the newer smart phones and wireless was starting to appear in some places which would immediately expand the concept of mobility.

We were now talking about using PDAs and mobile phones for delivery of materials in a way that suited different learning styles, in context and overcoming some of the earlier barriers.

2005 - mLearn in Cape Town:

The theme "Learning is in your hands" was particularly appropriate in a country where internet coverage is minimal but mobile phone coverage is almost total!

At this conference we started to hear about convergence and mobile content management. We looked at practical examples of how people were rolling out mobile learning to larger groups and organisations and we started to talk about the strategies required for teacher training and student learning support by means of and for these technologies. Wireless was now available and expected.

We were now really seeing how mobile technology had the potential to break down the barriers of location and time.

2006 - mLearn in Banff:

OK, so we did manage to go from one great location to another but we are supposed to be mobile and learning - right?

The theme in Canada was "Across cultures and generations" and in context of the then small but growing social computing revolution this theme picked up on the way in which communications technology was breaking all barriers for those who wanted to stay in touch.

We heard about the $100 laptop and the desire to see every child with a laptop. We talked about digital libraries where every book was being converted to digital format and therefore accessible anywhere on any device. We talked more seriously about audio as part of teaching material mix and explored the evry increasing means by which delivery could take place and the ever increasing variety of devices that offered mobility.

We started to understand the 'Net Generation' who have hypertext minds and who approach learning in a totally different way to those who left school a longer time ago!

This conference opened our eyes to the way in which exploring mobility was shrinking the world and making access to learning a reality for anyone from anywhere.

2007 - mLearn in Melbourne:

The theme we chose for this conference was "Making the Connections" and connectivity was certainly the flavour of the conference!

Even before the first keynote speaker had finished her comments and the reaction to those comments was being blogged, twittered, ninged, wikied and otherwise posted into cyberspace! Speakers were asked questions relayed through attending delegates from places all over the world.

We explored infrastructure issues and we talked extensively about pedagogy incorporating technology and how the devices themselves are now evaluated less for their 'wow' factor as for their usability in the teaching mix. We talked about intergration and embedding and the way in which social computing might be used on mobile devices as well as the fact that mobile devices now incorporates laptops with wireless connections.

And we closed the conference looking forward 10 years and speculating what we might do now to make sure we continue to delivery quality education by means of the new and emerging technology.

So where are we now: Mobility is simply a reality and we expect to be connected at all times on all devices. Technology, no matter how marvelous it is, will not fix bad pedagogy but it will give massive impact to good teaching practice.

At the end of the Conference we officially launched the International Association for Mobile Learning. Find out more by following the links at my website.

The area continues to grow and develop and I am busier and busier working with those who want to go down this road - contact me via my website www.caryloliver.com

Solar Power for Notebook and Laptop Computers

2007-10-30T09:54:00.000+08:00

This may seem incredible and impossible to do, but many computer technophiles are going "green" when they travel with a laptop in tow these days. If you are familiar with "extreme" or remote computing this may not seem too far fetched. Let's not forget that many professionals enjoy rugged recreational activities, but just can't always leave the office behind.

The idea of solar power for remote computing is finally catching on. It is working for everyone from the cross-country cyclist and weekend camper, to regular working stiffs that have to rough it on the job.

Solar power is not just a possibility, but could be a necessity for those that go remote. Solar panels are used to collect solar energy for direct use or storage in batteries to power up later.

Here is how solar, or photovoltaic energy is realized from the "How Stuff Works" website. If you are not an electrical engineer or scientist of some sort, don't be surprised if this does make light bulbs go off in your head. You can always come back and do further research on the Internet.

"The solar cells that you see on calculators and satellites are photovoltaic cells or modules (modules are simply a group of cells electrically connected and packaged in one frame). Photovoltaics, as the word implies (photo = light, voltaic = electricity), convert sunlight directly into electricity. Once used almost exclusively in space, photovoltaics are used more and more in less exotic ways. They could even power your house. How do these devices work?

Photovoltaic (PV) cells are made of special materials called semiconductors such as silicon, which is currently the most commonly used. Basically, when light strikes the cell, a certain portion of it is absorbed within the semiconductor material. This means that the energy of the absorbed light is transferred to the semiconductor. The energy knocks electrons loose, allowing them to flow freely. PV cells also all have one or more electric fields that act to force electrons freed by light absorption to flow in a certain direction. This flow of electrons is a current, and by placing metal contacts on the top and bottom of the PV cell, we can draw that current off to use externally. For example, the current can power a calculator. This current, together with the cell's voltage (which is a result of its built-in electric field or fields), defines the power (or wattage) that the solar cell can produce."

To continue, we will discuss the smaller hand held devices for cell phones and PDAs, all the way to powerful self-contained and fully remote commercial solar systems. Here are several links that describe the use of solar power for mobile computers and other wireless devices from the Do-It-Yourself perspective.

How-To-Green-Your-Electronics:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/how-to-green-your-electronics.php
DIY Solar System for $180:
http://blogs.experience.com/Patrick/2007/01/portable-solar-power-for-1_.html
How To - Laptop Solar Power:
http://rmowe.home.att.net/photovoltaic.html

It is amazing what is already available and out in the marketplace for solar power options. As energy costs and energy conservation continue to garner interest as mainstream issues, we should see the rapid development of solar integrated design features. Soon it may be a standard feature and part of everyday portable computers.

Let's hope so, because going green is good for everyone, not just an intriguing proposition for rugged notebook users and remote computing,

Hand Held Solar Kits

Solar kits are designed to be self-contained. They combine solar cells, rechargeable batteries, and a wide selection of cables. These won't power a portable laptop yet unless it's a miser on energy, but they will keep you connected with a limitless power supply for your cell phones, Smart phones, PDAs, and smaller devices. As long as the sun is shining, or the batteries are charged up, you will have power.

Many purists will argue anything solar is not really "green", either because it will never be energy positive (will never generate more power than it took to manufacture), or because it has a battery, making it environmentally unfriendly by default.

Arguments aside, at issue for rugged and remote users is a reliable power source, and having some sense of being connected. So, solar charging devices can be considered either as "convenience efficient" or "emergency efficient". Don't take this as a challenge to engineer types that will want to get their slide rules out, just a notation that these solar kits are an honest attempt at the "plus" column for reducing the human carbon footprint. Wider adoption and acceptance of new technology usually results in greater efficiencies.

Two promising examples that have had good reviews are the reasonably affordable products from Solar Style Dot Com, and the pricier Solio Dot Com. Do a search on YouTube and you will find many videos of Solio in action. If it did not work, we would know it by now.

Portable Solar Power Docking Stations

The idea of using solar power in remote situations is nothing new. The question for us is how well, and how fast, a solar power station will power up your notebook or laptop. Other considerations are the size, weight, and portability. You will find many products in this category, but few online reviews that confirm that these products will actually perform as advertised. The best source I have found for honest reviews in this regard is TreeHugger.com.

There are very few winners in the category of a portable solar power docking station to efficiently run a laptop computer. One that does get good reviews on the subject is the "PowerDock System".

Do an online search for PowerDock System, and you will find many retailers and dealers at different price points. So be patient and shop around. Your Mobile Desk Dot Com is the best resource for a complete descriptions of the PowerDock product line. These include from the least expensive to the most expensive: PowerDock Lite, PowerDock Basic. PowerDock Executive, and PowerDock Elite.

Power Dock Systems are relatively expensive, and range in price form a few hundred dollars on up to $450.00. The PowerDock is an attractive product design an weighs in from 5 to 13.5 pounds.

Another potential winner is the Notepower Solar Laptop Charger from Sierra Solar Systems. You will see the Notepower Solar Charger pop up along with the PowerDock in a search engine query for these type of solar products. Plug in the SmartAdapter with extended 10 foot cord included, and start charging or topping off your computer battery as long as sunshine is available.

Once again, this is not a review recommendation, but the Notepower has had favorable comments by TreeHugger.com and other reliable sources, giving no pause to mention it here. The 3 lb. Notepower is not designed with a storage battery, but the 20-30 watts of power will charge and run most laptop computers, according to the specs.

You may not consider the Notepower as a true solar docking station, but it is an attractive portable solar package for a temporary power solution. Originally priced around $250.00.

Commercial and Military Grade Solar Power Systems

Some of the best remote solar power systems are designed to meet military standards. You could even say that anything designed for military use is pretty much guaranteed to perform. These systems will compliment anything in the fully rugged notebook computer category.

Energy Technologies, Inc. in Ohio, USA makes a wide assortment of military standard power equipment for field use. Things like field deployable inverters, converters, UPS, engine-generators, along with solar power stations with the trade name Tactical Solar Products.

The product features for these Tactical Solar Products include various combinations of charge controllers, power storage batteries, AC/DC power adapters, multiple DC outputs, and a large selection of folding solar panels. The specific product line is the Solar Suitcase I, Solar Suitcase II, Solar Suitcase III, Solar Suitcase IV, along with the folding SolarTacticalPanels.

Solar Suitcases I-IV can charge Lead Acid, Li-Ion, NiCad, NiMH & other types of rechargeable batteries. The nearly bullet proof folding solar collection panels are available from a 15 Watt to a hefty 330 Watt output panel set. This is "green power", but you are out of luck if you prefer a color other than the two camouflage patterns available.

You will have to call ETI for costs, as product pricing is not published on the ETI websites.

Computing Solar Power Wrap-up

We have looked at several of the many possibilities for solar power, and going "green" with remote computing. The possibilities are becoming more reliable and starting to make more economic sense. You can try to go solar and Do-It-Yourself, or for the less technically inclined there is a wide range of retail and commercial applications for sale. We have attempted to highlight a few of the proven DIY options, and find some of the readily available products, and systems from various online reviews.

Some of the solar power resource websites you might want to keep an eye on include: Altapower.com, RadioLabs.com, and CTSolar.com. There obviously are many more you will find now and in the future with your favorite search engine.

As computing devices become smaller and more mobile, and with nascent technology soon to push the boundaries of wireless networks, solar power could prove to be a factor in your computing future.

Michael Beck is a blogger, author and digital nomad. He writes The Digital Nomads Blog and The Rugged Notebooks Blog, and contributes to other blogs that deal with the paradigm shift to mobility and wireless technology.

http://digital-nomads.blogspot.com

http://www.ruggednotebooksblog.com

How To Configure Wireless Internet Access For Your Laptop

2007-08-31T08:49:00.000+08:00

Here's what you need to know (and do) to connect your laptop to a wireless network and get Internet access.

First off, let's talk common sense. Before you access any wireless network, especially one in a public place, you must have anti-virus software installed and up-to-date on your laptop. Your laptop should also be current with all Windows Operating System Updates.

That said, the next thing you need is to have a laptop with wireless networking capabilities. If you’re not sure whether yours does, do the following to check it out:

Click on Start | Connect To | Show all connections, or
Click on Start | Settings | (Control Panel) | Network Connections
Under "LAN or High-Speed Internet" you should see a wireless connection icon. (If not, see below about installing a wireless network card).
Assuming you have wireless capabilities, continue on doing the following:
Right-click on the wireless connection icon.
In the pop-up menu, select "View Available Wireless Networks."
In the "Wireless Networking Connection" window, click on the appropriate wireless network.
Check the box that says "Allow me to connect to the selected wireless network."
An icon in the lower right hand corner of your desktop should eventually appear stating that you are connected.
Open your browser and visit any website you want. If authentication is required on the wireless network, you will be redirected automatically to a login page where you'll have to log in using an approved Network User Name/ID and the correct password.

That's all it takes.

Note: If your laptop does not already have built-in wireless networking, you will need to purchase and install, or have installed, a Wireless Networking Card. There are many brands of wireless networking cards. Just make sure you buy a card that is 802.11b or 802.11g compatible. Linksys cards are an excellent choice and I recommend them highly. If you choose another brand, be certain that the card is WiFi Certified. (For a list of 802.11b and 802.11g certified cards, please visit the WiFi Alliance website.)

Electronic Gadget Gift Ideas

2007-08-31T08:48:00.000+08:00

What about electronic gadgets as gifts, well, you can think about it for minutes. For all occasions the electronic gifts will make difference feeling for your gift receiver, I will provide you some great ideas for your next gift, It will be the coolest one you have given.

Mp3 sunglasses, the perfect one for the active life style people, It will let you enjoying your favorite music during you ordinary day, they have a high technology built-in mp3 player. In addition to the mp3 player option you will have a perfect UV coated sunglasses, to protect your beautiful eyes.

Mp3 alarm clock, what about waking up with a special message from your lover, it will get you in very good mood, there are many types of alarm clocks that can download the mp3, wav files from your computer, they also can record a voice message to replay it at the morning.

Video sunglasses, they can take you in the magic world, you are within events of the movie, you can watch your ipod or DVD movies like a wide screen, very cool gift for everyone like movies. They will be more expensive than mp3 sunglasses but you or your lover will have the maximum enjoyment.

Wireless security camera, to monitor your home, office, garden, backyard. To watch your children while playing, the best gadget for these issues is the wireless security camera. By the way, you can access your wireless camera from anywhere and at anytime by using IP address.

Mp4 watch, a great watch to watch your favorite movie, your favorite complete movie. Nowadays, watches can download anything from small music files to complete movies, you can enjoy your time while watching films, clips, personal recordings anywhere.

I was trying help you to find a special gift for yourself or for your lover, there are many other gift ideas I will write on them in the next articles, do your search about some of those electronic gadgets to give a nice electronic gift.

How Do I Download Music to My PSP

2007-08-31T08:47:00.000+08:00

How do anyone like I download music to my psp device from the personal computer? All you need simply is a USB cable to connect your psp device to the personal computer. Yes, it’s that simple and here are the main steps, I like to share with everyone, on how do I download music to my psp device.

A. PSP device to personal computer connection
Firstly, use the USB cable to connect your psp device to your personal computer. Then press on the psp “home” button, which is at the lower left of the psp screen. Look for the “settings” selection by using the left-right directional buttons to navigate and then from there, search for the “USB Connection” on the psp device by using the top-down buttons and then press the X button (round bottom marked X) to confirm your selection. You should now be able to see a USB connection on your psp device.

B. Create a download folder
By now, your computer has already detected a new USB device on the hard drive. Click the drive, usually will be your last alphabetical drive, which corresponds to your psp memory card. Create a new folder inside that drive and you can name the folder as “music download” or any other title you want to use.

C. Download Music from your personal computer to psp
You can now start to copy your favorite music files from your personal computer onto the new folder that you have created in your psp device.

NOTE: Please take note that psp’s using the older software runs only on mp3 format. And also the older software runs inside the psp device does not support the WMA & WMV music formats. We will discuss more later.

Once you have completed downloading the music to the new folder, press O on the psp to exit the USB connection mode. Then on your psp device, look for the “memory stick” at the music section by using the up-down arrows for navigation. Then press the X button again to enter your selection. You should be able to find all the music files, which you have downloaded.

Note that you need to upgrade your psp firmware if you really needs or wants to play the WMA and WMV audio files. Newer firmware versions of Sony for example, can play WMA & WMV files directly on your psp. Otherwise, you can also convert the files to mp3 format. There are many ways to do this. An easier way is to use free Windows application Switch. This is easily available in the Internet. First, in the windows media player, rip the music file that you want to convert. Then you need to run the Switch software, create a new folder or output folder and select the output format. In the output format, you will have a choice to select mp3. Once you are done, you now have converted your WMA audio file to an mp3 file.

Now you can enjoy listening to the music that you have downloaded to your psp. Just repeat the easy steps above whenever you have additional music to download onto your psp device.

Why African Governments Should Bring Mobility To Their Operations

2007-08-31T08:45:00.000+08:00

African governments face the challenge of drastically transforming their countries by reducing poverty levels and growing the economy. This will in turn grow the countries’ wealth and improve the citizens’ lives.

In South Africa, Information Communication Technologies have been identified as a key enabler to accomplish this objective.

As a result, the government is putting in place a number of initiatives that will encourage stronger adoption of ICTs by government officials and civil servants, and efficient use of technologies to deliver social services to citizens.

One of the technologies that is being officially added to the mix is mobile technology. South Africa already has 89% of mobile phone penetration, and there is a growing prevalence to use text messaging and access of the Internet using mobile phones.

As a result, the State IT Agency South has partnered with mobile operator MTN to bring mobility to government departments.

Essentially, MTN is to create a virtual private network through which government employees will be able to access government’s internal network. This mobile network will be available to local, provincial and national departments.

Here are some of the benefits this move is expected to bring:

Government employees can access their offices 24/7 using any devise (PC, laptop, PD
A and mobile phone) to access the Intranet and emails.
Increased access enables employees to use their time more effectively, reducing “down time.”
The network provides users quick access to relevant information for effective decision making.
The network is secure, and users do not have to go through the public Internet to connect to their offices to access confidential government information.
There are cost-savings due to economies of scale ( bulk buying).

Not limited to South Africa This kind of mobility is a strong option for other African countries. Mobile phones are becoming pervasive across Africa, with Nigeria punted as the fastest growing mobile market in Africa. Also, mobile phone companies in Africa generally subsidise handsets, ensuring that African government departments do not have to shoulder the bulk of the expense where new devises are needed.

Lastly, South Africa is already acting as a test case for other African countries. Should this initiative be wildly successful, MTN can easily customise the concept for local conditions.

MTN operates in 21 countries in Africa and the Middle East. The countries are Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Islamic Republic of Iran, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Afghanistan, Benin, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Liberia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Here's The Safe Way To Use A Wireless Laptop to Reach The Internet

2007-08-31T08:43:00.000+08:00

If you're reading this article, then you probably just got a new laptop with wireless capabilities. Or perhaps you just set up a wireless network in your home or office and want to know how your laptop can connect to it easily.

Here's what you need to know:

For the purposes of this article, I'm going to assume some basic things about your equipment and layout. If your home network looks a bit different, you'll still be able to make things work, but it may not be quite as simple and straightforward.

Hardware

Most home and small office systems will have a cable/DSL modem. Plugged into that will be your wireless access point or router. Your model may have a few wired network ports as well as the wireless antenna. In addition all this, you have all your computers -- some of which may be connected by wires and some of which are wireless.

Network Security

One of the first things you'll want to do is increase the security of your network. There are a number of things you can, and should, do to accomplish this goal.

Make Your Wireless Network "Invisible"
As a convenience, wireless access points "announce" their presence to nearby wireless-enabled computers. This is called "identifier broadcasting." It is turned on by default, purely as a convenience. For example, it is nice if you are in a hotel or coffee shop -- it makes it easy for your laptop to find their network and use it quickly.
However, when the network is in your home or office, you don't want everyone nearby (e.g., outside or next door) to know you're there. So consult your access point’s user manual for instructions on how to disable identifier broadcasting.
Rename Your Wireless Network.
The wireless network access point/router will be configured with a name, or "service set identifier" (SSID). The wireless manufacturer sets this up at the factory; it is a case-sensitive name that uniquely identifies the network. You'll want to change that name because intruders can scan a neighborhood using the default name to find your network. In other words, until you change your SSID, you might be giving an intruder a head-start on hacking into your network from out on the street somewhere. Consult your manual and change that name. Choose a name that won’t be easily guessed by others.
Encrypt Your Network Traffic.
Your wireless access point/router should allow you to scramble, or encrypt, data moving between the device and your computers. By encrypting your wireless traffic, you are changing it to a format that can only be read by computers with the correct conversion-key for that format.
Change Your Administrator Password.
In order to do the things I mentioned above, you need to log on to your wireless access point/router. At the factory, it was given a default password. These passwords are widely known and can be used to gain unauthorized access to your network. Be sure to change your administrator password.
Use File Sharing with Caution.
Sometimes all you want to do with your wireless network is share an internet connection with others. If that is the case, you may not have file sharing turned on.
But if your network is set up to help you access files and folders on other computers, you'll need to have "file sharing" turned on. The downside to this is that it makes it easier for outsiders to steal information from you.
To stop them, you may want to consider creating a dedicated directory for file sharing, and move or copy files to that directory for sharing. Then you should password-protect that directory and the files in it. Note: Never open an entire hard drive for file sharing!
Keep Your Access Point Software Up to Date.
From time to time, the manufacturer of your wireless access point/router will release updates to the software (or patches to repair bugs). Be sure to check the manufacturer’s web site regularly for any updates or patches for your device’s software.

Convenience

Once you've taken care of the security issues, the rest is relatively easy.

After you set the SSID on your access point/router, you may want to add it (and any other wireless networks you use) to your preferred network list if Windows XP Wireless Auto Configuration is enabled. Follow these steps:

In Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections.
Right-click the Wireless Network Connection, and then click Properties.
On the Wireless Networks tab, click Add.
In the Wireless network properties dialog box, enter the SSID you configured for your wireless access point/router.
Fill in the rest of the fields, including the necessary authentication and encryption information based on the configuration of your wireless access point/router.
Click OK and your home network will be added to the list of preferred networks.

Now, your laptop should automatically see the desired wireless network and connect to it.

Enjoy!

Protect Your iPhone

2007-08-31T08:42:00.000+08:00

Surely, when Apple formally introduced iPhone into the world at the end of June, many came up lining, wanting to be one of the firsts to get hold of the revolutionary cell phone called the iPhone. However, it came as it is: naked.

Apple has also created some accessories that people can purchase and enjoy together with iPhone. But if you were to shed a few dollars off your pocket, then you better buy one that will make your newly acquired phone long lasting: iPhone case.

Because iPhone now uses the touch screen technology, there’s hardly any room for scratches. Yet it doesn’t necessarily mean that it should remain unprotected from harm and that it still is possible to get dings and scratches.

There are about three types of iPhone cases sold today. One of them is iPhone skins. Skin usually refers to the cover that will cover the phone entirely. You can access the navigation and side buttons, screen, camera, and charger through its cutouts. Skins are flexible but rugged, thanks to a perfect blend of silicon and plastic. What’s good about skin is that they can completely protect the surface of your phone. However, if your skin is mainly made up of silicone, then it can’t offer you so much just in case you accidentally drop the iPhone. The iPhone skins spells variety, you can buy them in different colors, even with some added accessories like neck straps and screen protector.

A tiny piece of silicone that protects an iPhone’s front side is called a screen protector. It also possesses a circular cutout that allows you to utilize the primary navigation button, found at the bottom portion of the iPhone. You can then put a skin on top of the screen protector. However, if you want to get a good deal on screen protector, go for those that can resist dust and contain anti-glare properties. Or you can simply opt to buy an iPhone skin with a screen protector.

Lastly, there are what you call as iPhone cases and wallets. These are covers that you can attach on your jeans or on your wallets. You can place your iPhone inside them. The main difference between cell phone holsters and cases is that the latter can protect your phone even if it’s not in use. Leather is a typical material used for cases and wallets. And since they come in different styles, you can simply choose what fits your personality.

Think of an iPhone case as a worthwhile investment.

WildTangent's Comments on Vista May Have Been Too Casual

2007-08-29T08:29:00.002+08:00

It appears that comments earlier this week by WildTanget CEO Alex St. John that Windows Vista "breaks" casual games will not go unchallenged.

A notable presence in the online casual gaming market, WildTanget according to St John, spent the better part of a year patching its network in preparation for the combination of Vista's vaunted security capabilities and the propensity for casual games played online to come without ESRB ratings. According to St John:

"Parents who choose to use Vista's parental controls are likely to accidentally block access to hundreds of very popular family friendly games that happen not to have ESRB ratings."

Some of those family friendly games include those hosted by the likes of Yahoo, AOL, RealArcade, and yes you guessed it, Microsoft - via MSN Games. There hasn't been much of a response from the first three, but Microsoft has managed to strap on its mouthpiece and in a response posted on TGDaily.com and penned by Rich Wickham, director of Games for Windows, calls the claims "Grossly Overstated." Wickham goes on to say:

"...Of the more than 100 web-based games currently available on MSN Games, only five do not run on Windows Vista as of January 30 and nearly 100% will be fully compatible by week's end with an update to the Windows Vista installer."

Okay, looks like MSN may be covered. We'll have to see what the other players in the industry have to say. Pogo, AOL, Yahoo, care to step up to the mic? ... Just an afterthough, Joystiq included in its initial post on the subject the caveat that WildTangent is often regarded more or less as spyware by many anti-spyware programs on the consumer market.

Me thinks that Mr. St. John protests too much.

~ Hobson's Choice, Amazon Video Games

World of Warcraft Figurines Coming This Fall

2007-08-29T08:29:00.001+08:00

It's well-known that some of us take our love affair with games to places deemed obsessive by the rest of society. For us there are books, fan art, conventions, clothing, and--certainly not least of all--toys.

So rejoice, fellow World Of Warcraft nerds, for beautifully detailed figurines are on their way from the folks at DC Direct (DC Comics affiliated). No price or release date details are available yet, but exciting news nonetheless--at least for some of us.

~ Garaphin, Amazon Video Games

P.S. - Somebody please let me know when they finally make World of Warcraft bedsheets. Although that would likely guarantee I would be sleeping alone for awhile as punishment, I still think that would be pretty cool.

(from ToyFare, via the talented chaps at 1UP.com)

Gaming Consoles Go Online

2007-08-29T08:28:00.001+08:00

Our former "guestblogger" Traintruction has written up a great summary on how each of the big three gaming consoles utilize (or will utilize) the Internet for your gaming pleasure over at GameInformer.com. It's a good, comprehensive read for people on the fence about what system to buy, or maybe just not fully versed in each's online offering.

He's certainly correct in that this is the generation where what you can do over the wire with your console will be almost as important as what discs you can feed it.

~ Garaphin, Amazon.com Video Games

Novint's Crazy "Mouse" Gets Price, Release Date at CES

2007-08-29T08:14:00.000+08:00

This year at CES Novint finally announced the price and date when customers can purchase their much talked about Falcon "mouse." Why the quotes? Well it's about the furthest thing from a traditional mouse that we've ever seen. It's more like the freak child of a camera tripod and a doorknob, latched onto its base like the face-hugger from Aliens. At least that's how it looks to me. It's actually an incredibly advanced input device that allows you to move around in 3D and that uses it's arms and force feedback to simulate things like weight, resistance, and shock. Imagine sensing real recoil when you fire the shotgun in your favorite FPS. Take that cheap, lousy rumble!

The Falcon will be available on June 18 for $249(MSRP) and will come with 24 minigames that show off the immersive technology.

Check out this video of the Falcon in action. Looks like a good time to me.
http://www.novint.com/images/WebsiteArt/FalconProm o.mov (3.9 MB)

More details here.

~ Garaphin, Amazon Video Games

Using Windows Movie Maker for Viral Marketing

2007-08-27T09:08:00.000+08:00

Viral Marketing is a relatively new type of marketing method that is designed to get people to promote your products for you. As you put these videos into web-o-sphere at places like You Tube, MySpace, Associated Content and other places people get to see your products and if they like them put them on their own site or send them to their friends in email.

The key to viral marketing is to make it funny and yet still professional. Funny and exciting is what people want to see and if they are going to invest their time to upload it up to their email and send it to their friends. They want their friends to laugh; not to see a commercial.

Most computers come with Windows Movie Maker for free. The method of using the system is relatively easy. You up load your video and you can split it, put in text frames and dub over it with music. Once you are completed you can change the format to AVI or MPG and send it out to your friends or upload it.

The type of equipment you use for your video will change the overall quality of the video. For example a cell phone video isn’t likely to take as good a quality picture as a digital camera. However, you are likely to have a cell phone camera with you when funny things do happen.

The higher the quality of the picture the higher the quality of the video and the more professional it looks. However, professionalism isn’t always the goal if you want the video to look like it was taking on the fly. Sometimes this can be good if it is something funny and unrehearsed. The truth is that many of these videos are rehearsed and practiced many times. What your audience doesn’t know won’t hurt them.

In the end of the video you can roll your credits or direct people to your website. By leaving this message up for at least 10 seconds it will give the readers a chance to see your web address. Once they have done this there is anywhere from a 3 to 10% chance they will actually visit your site.

The great news is that viral marketing is free. There are a number of companies that don’t spend a dime on this type of marketing and the audience does all the work for you. The better the videos, the funnier the videos the more people will enjoy them. The typical video is less than 30 seconds and can come in all types of imaginative forms. Have fun and don’t spend a dime.

Replacement Windows Horror Story With Fairytale Ending

2007-08-27T09:07:00.000+08:00

I cannot think of a home improvement project I hate more than buying replacement windows. If I can take care of a home repair project with my hammer and cordless drill, so much the better. But window installation is a difficult task that requires the intercession of professionals. The professionals, though, often make the work harder than it should be. Here is a replacement windows horror story, and how I turned it into a fairytale.

It began in 2000, when my wife and I were renovating a 100 year-old house near Washington D.C. The house was in bad disrepair and almost every of its 25-30 windows needed to be replaced. Because of the high costs that we faced, my wife and I called at least 5 windows companies to come over and give us an estimate. Remember, we were pretty much home improvement naifs at that point.

One salesman for a large, local window company visited, along with the protege he was training. It took several trips for him to move all of his sales aids into our house: a sample window, lightbulbs, light meters, literature, etc.

After one hour, he was still demonstrating how window coatings could help reduce our energy consumption. We did not need to be convinced of this. We knew the basics of replacement windows. All we wanted was an estimate on our windows. Despite our polite throat-clearings, the salesman plowed on ahead into the second hour.

By the third hour, he finally gave us an estimate. It was outrageous. We began to shoo him out. "Wait," he said, "let me check with my sales manager and see if I can give you a special deal." The window salesman got on the cell phone and called his manager, who graciously agreed to cut a special deal. Miraculously, the price dripped 30 percent. However, we would have to sign on the dotted line by 5pm today.

Hour three turned into hour four, and we were hungry and anxious to get back to the floor sander that we were renting by the hour. The salesman would not take the hint. Finally, we said, "Okay, we don't want your windows. Go away. Leave. Now." It took several statements like that for the guy to finally leave. We had just wasted four hours of our lives, $45 worth of floor sander rental time, and our patience on this window company guy.

What did we learn from this? Plenty. First, the customer is in control. Especially when you are hosting the sales call in your house. You can control the length, nature, and tone of every single aspect of the replacement window salescall--but gather up your strength and do it, and certainly don't ask the saleman for permission. Second, since you are gathering estimates from many window companies, you do not have time for these 4 hour salescalls. One hour is the max. Third, because much of this terrible salescall was devoted to cross-selling us on other products such as gutters and siding, make it clear from the start that you are interested only in windows. Not only will that reduce the salescall's time, you are asserting your rights to the saleman and taking the reins. It is important to show early on that you are in charge, not the salesman.

Learn About Windows Vista Registry Cleaner.

2007-08-27T09:03:00.000+08:00

Just keep in mind, you can keep your vista system is perfect operating state by regularly cleaning it up and Registry Cleaner is one of the tools that will help you do so. Application error messages are reduced hence increasing the speed of the Vista operating system as well as its performance. Adware and Spyware leave behind a whole plethora of errors that the Registry Cleaner removes. Therefore, for a complete and secure Vista experience, get a Windows Vista Registry Cleaner.

Microsoft Windows Vista is the most sought after operating system now-a-days. What is most fascinating about Windows Vista is its interface. The interface is comprised of an animated see-through window that has a touch of graceful and subtle color along with a brand new Start menu. While this many be the case, keeping the system efficient and effective is still the key interest of users and computer professionals. Windows Vista Registry Cleaner is one such utility that is needed to maintain the operating system in good shape.

The registry is catalog of all information about the software, hardware and preferences of the user along with all the settings details. A registry key in Vista operating system is created or modified or deleted every time new software program has been installed or uninstalled. This is the case even when software programs are used.

Any error that occurs during installing or uninstalling of software in Windows Vista is also stored along with the error application in the registry. This causes the registry to be crammed with orphaned or corrupted entries. The registry also gets stuffed with invalid programs that you may have removed from your system long ago. This causes the resources of the system to choke and this considerably slows down the Windows Vista computer.

Registry Cleaner is, often, used to counter software problems in Windows Vista based computers as well as to optimize the system performance. It basically removes the invalid entries from the computer. But the problem that goes with badly developed Registry Cleaner is that it may remove useful programs keys, which may be useful for running your favorite software. Hence a good Registry Cleaner would scan the system for any dubious entry that may harm your system. It would also make sure that the suspicious entry does not affect any software that has already been installed and ones that are in use.

If any problems are detected by the Windows Vista Registry Cleaner after it analyzes the vista system, you can view each of these issues and ask for a detailed explanation of that particular problem. On the other hand, you can choose for an automatic correction of the errors. But you must remember to take a back up of all registry keys that you require to delete before you run the Registry Cleaner to make sure you are always safe.

Just keep in mind, you can keep your vista system is perfect operating state by regularly cleaning it up and Registry Cleaner is one of the tools that will help you do so. Application error messages are reduced hence increasing the speed of the Vista operating system as well as its performance. Adware and Spyware leave behind a whole plethora of errors that the Registry Cleaner removes. Therefore, for a complete and secure Vista experience, get a Windows Vista Registry Cleaner.

What Is Windows Service and Its Relation To Registry

2007-08-27T08:58:00.001+08:00

A windows service is an executable program that has been specially designed to communicate with the SCM (service Control Manager) of windows operating system. The service Control Manager (SCM) maintains a database of installed services and driver services in the Registry, and provides a unified and secure means of controlling them.

Before we understand the relationship between Windows service and a registry cleaner, let us understand what is Windows Service. Windows services are executable programs that run in the background to make the whole operating system stable and efficient. If the user were to click on 'start' and then click on 'Run' and type 'msconfig' into the dialogue box. The system would call up the registry window that would display various tabs one of these tab will be named 'services' click on this tab and you will see the number of services running in the back ground of your operating system. All these services that run in the background are stored in the registry. When any changes are made to these services or how they are implemented, these changes are recorded in the registry of the system. These changes have to be undone from time to time with a windows registry cleaner.

Need To Clean The Registry

Sometimes the changes are made so often to windows services that the old entries to the related service are not deleted. So when the system calls up the service the entire services section of the registry has to be scanned to locate and configure the service being called up. The search will include past changes that were made as well. This process drastically slows down the system and makes it sluggish. A main symptom that will indicate the need for a power registry cleaner is that the system will take a very long time to boot up and shut down.

How the Registry Builds Up

When the system shuts down the changes that are made during the operating time of the PC will have to be recorded in the registry. The registry will have to search the registry sequentially until it comes to the spot that the entry has to be made in. This can take very long depending on the size of the registry. The same process is carried out when the system boots up. Good registry cleaner software can solve this problem by periodically cleaning the registry of redundant entries. You can download a free windows registry cleaner to assist you with the process.

When you download programs from the Internet they are recorded in the registry. You will delete the program or uninstall it after some time but he entries in the registry will stay. This will buildup and make the registry very large for the system to operate efficiently. The registry will need a thorough cleaning with a trusted windows registry cleaner.

A computer registry cleaner is not a complicated tool to use. It is a very handy tool that keeps your PC working efficiently day after day. Once you have downloaded the free registry repair cleaner it will install itself and offer you two options to clean your PC registry. One will be 'Scan Registry' and the other will be 'Repair Registry'. This takes a few minutes and your PC will be running like new. So go and get yourself a free windows registry cleaner today.

Windows Vista: Secure Or Just Frustrating?

2007-08-27T08:56:00.000+08:00

Modern operating systems such as Mac OS X operate under a security model where even administrative users don't get full access to certain features unless they provide an in-place logon before performing any task that might harm the system. This security setup protects users from themselves, and it is something that Microsoft should have added to Windows several years ago.

Here's the good news. In Windows Vista, Microsoft is indeed moving to this kind of security model. The feature is called User Account Protection (UAP) and, as you might expect, it prevents even administrative users from performing potentially dangerous tasks without first providing security credentials. Sounds good, right? Before you agree, remember this is Microsoft we’re talking about. They made a royal mess of UAP.

The bad news, then, is that UAP is a sad, sad joke. It's the most annoying feature that Microsoft has ever added to any software product, and yes, that includes that ridiculous paperclip character from older Office versions. The problem with UAP is that it generates an unbelievable number of warning pop-ups for even the simplest of tasks. The frequency with which these warnings pop-up for the same action would be comical if it weren't so amazingly frustrating. One could almost laugh thinking of the millions of people rushing into computers stores to purchase a new PC preloaded with Vista, completely unaware of what they are getting themselves into. It’s almost criminal in its insidiousness.

To fully appreciate just how frustrating Vista’s implementation of UAP truly is, we’ll look at a simple example. One of the first things I do whenever I install a new Windows version is download and install Mozilla Firefox. Overlooking, for a moment, the number of warnings during the download/install process still leaves us with one glaring issue. Once Firefox is installed, there are two icons on my Desktop I'd like to remove: The Setup application itself and a shortcut to Firefox. I simply select both icons and drag them to the Recycle Bin. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. Here's what you have to go through to actually delete those files in Windows Vista. First, you get a File Access Denied dialog explaining that you don't, in fact, have permission to delete a ... shortcut?? To an application you just installed! Seriously? OK, fine. You can click a Continue button to "complete this operation." But that doesn't complete anything. It just clears the desktop for the next dialog, which is a Windows Security window. Here, you need to give your permission to continue something opaquely called a "File Operation." Click Allow, and you're done. Hey, that's not too bad, right? What's the big deal?

What if you're doing something a bit more complicated? Well, lucky you, the dialogs stack right up, one after the other, in a seemingly never-ending display of stupidity. Indeed, sometimes you'll find yourself unable to do certain things for no good reason, and you click Allow buttons until you're blue in the face. It will never stop bothering you, until you agree to give up and leave that file on the desktop where it belongs. This will happen to you, and you will hate it.

The problem with Vista’s security implementation is that lots of warning dialog boxes don't provide security. Users get frustrated and eventually stop reading them altogether. They think of them as annoyances, an extra click required to get a feature to work. Is Windows Vista really more secure than the operating systems that preceded it, or simply more frustrating? Since Microsoft left us with no choice but to buy a PC with Vista pre-installed, we’re inevitably stuck with it. Let the frustration begin.

Safari for Windows Beta

2007-08-23T08:59:00.000+08:00

I'm sure Agen will check in shortly with the full wrap-up of today's Apple announcements, but I wanted to point out one link now. Apple's Safari browser is now available in beta for Windows users. You can download it here.

As you'll see on the site, Safari's big claim to fame is speed. Pages will reportedly load up to 2 times faster than in Internet Explorer 7 and 1.6 times as fast as Firefox. Versions are available for both XP and Windows. It will be interesting to see if this move greatly increases Safari's market share of 5%.

--Chris B.

New Software Doctors Photos For You

2007-08-23T08:58:00.001+08:00

Have you ever had a vacation photo that would be perfect except for just one element? Here comes your chance to cleanly erase that hapless dope who wandered into the foreground just as a friendly stranger exhorted a chorus of "Cheese" out of you and your family. A grad student and his adviser at Carnegie Mellon University have designed software that will help users to easily doctor their own photos. [i.e., this program can "automatically" edit digital images, rather than users editing photos themselves via software such as Adobe Photoshop. --Ed.]

Their algorithm uses millions of online photos to suggest fills based on the image data of your photo. In the example they show on the project website, a rooftop is cut out of the foreground of a photo of a bay. The software analyzes the colors and shapes of the photo--the sky, the land, the water--and finds a set of similar images from which to choose a believable fill. In this case, the roof is replaced by moored sailboats.

If their software is as good as it appears, we may never be able to trust a photo again.

--Porter B. Hall

Eye See You...

2007-08-23T08:21:00.000+08:00

In the "Why didn't we think of that?" department, one of the coolest new toys this year is the EyeClops Bionic Eye. It's kind of like a high-tech, interactive version of the old-fashioned microscope. You plug the EyeClops into your TV (no software required), point the lighted "eyeball" at any object (like bugs or hair or your sister) and it lets you see the object, magnified up to 200 times. To get a better idea of how it works, watch the video here. -- E. Christian Moore

How Important Is Wikipedia In The Grand Scheme Of Things?

2007-08-22T17:20:00.000+08:00

Wikipedia is the center of the online encyclopedia universe. Millions of entries on every conceivable topic makes this website an authority source that many young students and adults turn to from all corners of the globe.

The widespread popularity of Wikipedia has made it an easy target for quite a bit of controversy and critique. Many academic institutions disapprove of any use of unverified Internet sources, including Wikipedia articles. Ironically, Wikipedia prides itself on the idea that its information is verifiable. Read more about Wikipedia's Verifiability policy here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability

Wikipedia Basics

Founded in 2001, Wikipedia is a free content resource that anyone can submit information to according to certain submission rules. Articles are written and submitted by anyone interested in the topic being discussed.

Authenticity is supposedly ensured by the ability of others to edit previously submitted information and correct any errors. Grossly inappropriate or incorrect articles can be nominated for deletion. Wikipedia users are given a week to vote on the appropriate response to a deletion nomination.

These safeguards have been built into Wikipedia's design as a way of preserving both its credibility and authenticity. While Wikipedia's systems of checks and balances are not failsafe, they do eliminate quite a few of the errors that would otherwise occur.

The fact that the website's content is made up exclusively by donated content and that it has over 2 million topic articles is a testament to the popularity of this style. While there are no basic rules for submitting articles, there are basic guidelines that Wikipedia asks submitting authors to follow.

Maintaining a neutral tone and presenting the information in a fair unbiased way are the perfect tones that dictate encyclopedia articles. Authors and editors are expected to be respectful of the work of others and not to modify anything without a good reason or verifiable references.

Controversy

Academic institutions and authority reference sources such as encyclopedia companies have been less impressed with Wikipedia than the general public. There are many reasons for the less than enthusiastic response from institutions of higher learning and professional reference companies.

The publishers of Encyclopedia Britannica became enraged when a study claimed that the accuracy of Wikipedia was comparable to the accuracy of Britannica's long-standing published encyclopedia. They widely disputed the results, insisting that their publication is by far the more superior publication.

Public opinion sides with Britannica. The majority of most people, when polled, have great faith in the reputation of Britannica and hold it in much higher regard than its online counterparts.

The convenience of the Internet encyclopedia version is where a lot of its competition with Britannica arises. Being able to access any information with the click of a mouse brings research to a whole new level.

Wikipedia and Academics

Studies are regularly inconsistent on the accuracy of Wikipedia. There is a wide range in the quality and accuracy of the Wiki articles online.

Articles are constantly being modified and improved upon. When doing research, it is very important to double-check all information. Wikipedia is a great resource, but it should never be trusted as the final word on any topic.

Members of academia are prone to carry negative feelings towards to the use of Wikipedia. Most become agitated when their students source Wikipedia, because they feel their students are not able to tell the difference between a good resource and a bad one – a truthful fact or an erroneous statement.

A commonly held belief is that a student lacks the common sense or ability to differentiate between a good article and a biased, inadequate presentation of a story as fact. Academia also points to the general lack of solid research supporting most Wikipedia articles.

Lazy Research

There is no excuse for laziness, but the blame for it is often placed on the presence of technology instead of where it actually belongs – on the people who rely on technology to provide them the shortcuts they take.

The modern age is one of advanced technology and many students are more than willing to take advantage of the ease of relying on computers and minimal online research.

The primary function of schools is to teach children. Not only are they responsible for teaching them facts, but also for teaching them how to think and solve problems for themselves. When students are no longer able, or willing, to logically decide something, academics are quick to blame the ease of access to technological advances, separating themselves from the blame.

Unfortunately, schools hold as much blame as the technology they bash, for the falling ability of students to produce results on their own. When I was in high school during the early 1980's, calculators were prohibited in all classes except for the advanced mathematics classes that required the use of scientific calculators. By the mid-1990's, the children of friends were telling me that they were required to bring a simple calculator to the classroom to assist them in their basic math calculations.

Academia is generally as responsible for the falling academic performance of students as website sources such as Wikipedia. Although academia shares in the blame for falling academic performance with poor resources like Wikipedia, this shared blame should not excuse Wikipedia's less than ideal service record.

One Thousand Monkeys Typing The Next Great Novel

Wikipedia and all of its sister projects are not perfect. They are websites dedicated to providing knowledge to everyone. Those willing to share what they have learned donate to this knowledge base in hopes of helping others. At least, that is what they do in theory.

The Wikipedia frontier has real possibility for the future, but behind the scenes, it is rife with "monkeys learning to type the next great novel," as sourced in the Infinite Monkey Theorem at (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_monkey_theorem). There are some areas of the Wikipedia that are definitely lacking in information and credibility, and yet when someone makes a gesture to add to the Wiki knowledge base, some editors frame these new contributions as unsupportable and unacceptable additions to the Wikipedia world.

The Wikipedia world relies upon its published Code Of Conduct to drive the decisions of its editors. Examples of the Wikipedia Code Of Conduct include: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:BIO

The Wikipedia Monkey Brigade

One extreme example of the "Wikipedia Monkey Brigade" is the story of how Danny Sullivan noticed the attempt by some editor to delete the Matt Cutts chapter in the encyclopedia.

For those involved in the study of search engines, Danny Sullivan is one of the most recognized experts in the field of search engines, and has been since 1997. As the founder of Search Engine Watch, and now the editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land, Danny even has his own page in the Wikipedia world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Sullivan_%28technologist%29

It seems some Wikipedia editor decided that Matt Cutts was not notable enough for his own chapter in the Wikipedia. For those of us who work in the search engine optimization community, such a suggestion is absolutely obscene. As a quality control engineer for Google and the voice of Google's spam detection department, people in the search industry pay close attention to what Cutts says about the future of search placement within Google.

Sullivan suggested that the attempt to delete the Matt Cutts page was at the very least an example of how "inept" the Wikipedia editors have shown themselves to be. You can read Sullivan's heartfelt argument here: http://searchengineland.com/070108-170335.php

Almost as interesting as Sullivan's blog post about the suggestion to delete the Matt Cutts page from the Wikipedia, was the page where people argued the decision about whether the page was worthy of deletion. You can read that interchange here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Matt_Cutts

Those supporting the deletion of the page were quick to point out the Wikipedia guidelines on Notability at: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:BIO) Strangely, I had read the guidelines myself and I felt that Matt Cutts was a slam-dunk for inclusion.

The Good Faith Argument

Much to my own surprise, the fellow who originally suggested that the Matt Cutts page should have been deleted got into the fray that resulted from his action. He even made reference to having read Sullivan's comments and chose to use them as a springboard to belittle Sullivan:

"The sources provided by Sullivan in his blog are interesting and some would even make great additions to a number of AfD-submitted articles to help fulfill notability (it's a shame he spent the time to make personal commentary about me on his blog than to improve these poorly drafted articles, but to each his own)."

For a guy who quotes the Wikipedia guidelines about "assuming good faith" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:AGF) as frequently as he does, I think his own comments about Sullivan betray his double standards about "good faith".

It is true that one would not expect anyone who studied Bioinformatics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioinformatics) in college to understand who the players are in the search industry, but then one would also not expect a person who knew nothing about an industry to judge who is notable in that industry either. It would be like me assuming to be able to identify notable people in the bioinformatics field... Yep, that would be dishonest and silly.

Final Thoughts

The one thing that makes the world of Wikipedia both great and terrible is the same; it is the ability of people to make corrections to the Wikipedia encyclopedia when they see the need to do so. But, the truth is that any monkey with a keyboard and an Internet connection can create and edit documents in the Wikipedia community.

Even I am a Wikipedia editor... I may even be a monkey editor, but at the end of the day, I don't monkey around editing information about which I am clueless.

Green With Envy In The Google Game

2007-08-22T17:19:00.000+08:00

Beginning on April 14th, 2007, a firestorm blew through the Internet community with the search engine optimization (SEO) community burning the hottest. The embers were warm and waiting for a strong wind to blow and kick up the flames, but it took Matt Cutts, the Google engineer extraordinaire to fire the flames with an off-the-cuff comment about "paid links."

The flames raged and in most forums, the wind quickly shifted moving the firestorm back towards Cutts and Google. Thread Watch offered the most biting rebuttal to Cutts' comments: http://www.threadwatch.org/node/13925 and http://www.threadwatch.org/node/13941

Aaron Wall at Thread Watch is a respectable fellow, and he tore into Google with a ferociousness that I had not anticipated. Matt Cutts tried to answer some of Aaron's questions, but it seemed that Cutts' rebuttals only added more fuel to the fire.

I would not have wanted to be in Matt Cutts' shoes that week. Oh my, it was brutal!

Even on Cutts' own blog where the "paid link" comment originally surfaced (http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/hidden-links/), Danny Sullivan posted a question that went unanswered, so Sullivan commented about it on his site: http://searchengineland.com/070420-111550.php

Search Engine Watch even mentioned this issue and linked to additional forums where the debate was raging: http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/070416-020746

What Most Readers Took From Cutts' Comments

There were only a few readers who took Matt Cutts' comments to be brotherly-advice.

The vast majority of people were screaming that Google intended to exercise their "monopoly control" over the Internet to run all of their competitors out of business.

Generally, I am not a "reactionary" type person. But for about an hour, even I had a ball in the pit of my stomach.

The ball passed from the pit of my stomach when I read a post that mirrored an opinion I have openly written about numerous times before: How does Google determine the "intent" of a person making a link? They can't!

Understanding The Nuances Of Similar Items

Some people suggest that I should be ashamed of myself for speculating about the future of Google's algorithms. There is even one clown, who has suggested that I should fear mentioning Matt Cutts' name in an article, because I am bound to draw Cutts' ire against me and my businesses. But, I am not worried.

I am simply laying out my "speculative" opinion about what Cutts' comments might mean to my business and yours. You are free to use your own brain to judge the value of my words.

Am I playing a double standard when I say that Google cannot determine the intent of the person placing a link, and then I comment on how I interpret the future of the Google search algorithms? I don't think so, and let me tell you why.

Google uses algorithms (software programs) to make distinctions about what a web page is about, how they value that page, and to judge the nature of a link.

I use my intellect (or as some would suggest, my lack thereof) to make a judgment about what Google has told us we should expect from them in the future.

I trust software to a certain extent, but software cannot always read the nuance that separates two very similar items. So, how can the Google algorithm be expected to determine the intent of a person who placed a link?

It has always been my contention that humans are "required" in any process that must make an interpretation of nuance. In my businesses, we refuse to trust computers to make judgments of nuance, because they can't. That is the reason we employ human beings to process orders.

What Is Google's Intent Behind The Paid Links Issue?

The whole of Cutts' argument seems to hinge on nixing "paid links" that are designed to manipulate or "game Google's PageRank" and to a lesser extent, their organic search results. Google seems to be really agitated that webmasters are "selling links based on the PageRank value of a page."

The problem is that webmasters are selling an intangible asset that is wholly owned by Google and maintained for "Google's benefit." Webmasters are selling this Google asset, but Google will not receive any of the proceeds from that sale.

As a result, Cutts suggested that webmasters should use some method that Google's spider can use to recognize and distinguish "paid links" from "given links." Since Google's algorithm is based on the theory that links are given to websites that deserve those links, the paid links on high PageRank pages can really skew Google's PageRank values and its organic search results.

Here Is Where It Gets Ugly

Both honest and dishonest people inhabit this Internet.

Google wants webmasters who are selling links to distinguish paid links from given links, so that Google can ignore "links purchased to influence PageRank."

If honest people distinguish paid links in a way that Google can recognize, then the market demand for those links will dry up. Once the PageRank value of a link is taken away from the buyer, the buyer will be forced to purchase links based only on the traffic that the specific web page receives. If all paid link decisions were based only on a web page's traffic, then the market value of a link would be decimated.

Once a webmaster tells his link-buying customers that his or her links will no longer carry PageRank value to the buyer's website, then the value of that link will drop in most cases by 80% or more. Why would a webmaster want to reduce the market value of his links by 80%?

Although Google's links do not pass PageRank to the websites that are in their index or paid listings, we have to ask ourselves one thing. Would Google be willing to take a step that would reduce the market value of their own links by 80%? They certainly would not do anything that would cut their own bottom line that deeply, yet they are asking webmasters to do just that.

This is the reason people are teed off at Google. At least 80% of the market value of a link is driven by the PageRank value of the web page where the link will be placed.

Dishonest people don't care to play by the rules; they will continue to sell their PageRank value, as long as they continue to have buyers. Only the honest will suffer.

Link Buyers Are Green With Envy

Link Buyers are envious of the PageRank value given to other web pages, and they want a bit of that value passed over to their own websites.

Link buyers are green with envy, because they can see that little green bar in the top of their browser that tells them how much value Google gives a web page in its algorithms.

If Google were to keep PageRank as a private value, known only to them, then "paid links" would not be an issue for them to manage.

If the public cannot see what a page's PageRank value is, then link buyers would not be able to use PageRank to influence their link buying decisions, and webmasters would not be able to market their PageRank value to other websites.

How Simple Is That?

All Google has to do to solve this problem of theirs, is to take away the indicator people use to buy and sell PageRank.

Someone suggested to me that Google would never do away with the PageRank indicator in their toolbar, because Google feels that it is the only thing that ensures that people will keep the Google toolbar in their browser. Personally, I will continue to use the Google toolbar for my searches, even if the PageRank indicator was not there, because I like the search results Google gives to me. But that is just my opinion, and I am only one person out of millions of Google toolbar users.

What it boils down to is this. If Google is serious about nixing schemes to buy and sell PageRank, then they would simply take their PageRank indicator away from us. But will they take it away? Only time will tell.

What Is DSL?

2007-08-22T17:18:00.000+08:00

DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. It is a service that makes the use of existing copper telephone wires for delivering data services at extremely fast speed rates. It does not hamper the existing telephone line. You can surf the Internet and talk on the phone, simultaneously.

DSL offers speeds that are around 5 to 25 times higher than a typical 56Kb dial-up connection. It is an always-on type of connection. This implies that websites would load quickly, downloads would be faster, buffering of videos would be fast and smooth and the domain of Online games would be illimitable.

Based on the types of service, DSL can be can be categorized in three divisions which are ASDL, IDSL and SDSL.

ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. It offers download speed of 1.5 Mbps and upload speed of 384 K. In order to acquire a ADSL connection, your location has to be within 3 miles of your local telephone office. Also, a DSL router is needed for this type of connection.

IDSL is a ISDN Digital Subscriber Line service which requires an ISDN router. It provides a connection speed of 144 K. in this type of connection distance is not a component to be considered.

SDSL means Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line. The speeds available under this type of DSL connection depends on the distance between your location and your local telephone office. The speed of downloads and uploads can go up to 1.1 Mbps.

Advantages of DSL

No installation of new wires is required. DSL uses the present telephone line to connect to the Internet. It provides extremely fast connection. Depending on the offer, you would not even have to pay for the DSL modem installation charges, since it is provided free by some of the companies on selection of the appropriate plan. The download rate is much higher in DSL connections. Many business organizations have gained the benefits of DSL. A DSL connection is very secure.

Disadvantages of DSL

The quality of your DSL connection depends on the distance between the DSL providers office and your location. Nearer you are, the better quality connection would you get. So, consumers located far from the local DSL office may face some trouble. DSL provide high speeds for downloading stuff but upload speeds are not that good.

DSL vs Cable Modems

The services provided through a cable modem can sometimes slow down or get hanged. It depends on the number of users accessing that particular service. But, in a DSL connection there is no such problem. The speed of DSL is consistent and high. This does not allow any kind of conjunction on the network. It provides more security than the cable modem connections. The popularity of DSL has risen to new heights which has resulted in disconnections and up gradations of the cable modem connections.