Monday, December 31, 2007

Searching For The Free Software Directory

If you are constantly browsing the internet in order to find Download free software, you will have to take your time because its finding is not likely to be an easy task. Most business companies are likely to consider thus type of free payroll software as the perfect tool in order to increase their selling opportunities. This software should be regarded in a whole new light because it is not the perfect solution when there are some businesses involved along the process. The payroll software is used in order to process all the employee payrolls in an e3asier manner without having to worry about too many details. The software will also help the company in order to track the vacation time and tax withholding; there are plenty of benefits when it comes to using the Free software directory on a regular basis.

But if you are interested in finding a Download free software just for your personal use, you should be aware that this finding can be transformed into a daunting task in case that you do not provide yourself with all the available resource that are to be found on the internet. You will also have to make sure that you can rely on a particular program without being scared by the potential viruses that can be brought along when downloading a particular program.

For instance, you may search for the so called open source software that can provide you with all the programs you need for your personal computer; this software is normally free when it comes to its usage and all the source codes will also be available for you. These codes are available for every user who is interested in redistributing, modifying or using them for his personal needs. The user can also take advantage of the unlimited freedom when it comes to using these open sources; but they are plenty of people who remain quite reluctant to using the online open sources on a regular basis. The Free software directory is not to be regarded as a menace anymore; on the contrary, you should become fully aware of all its opportunities.

The traditional idea that states that a value of every piece of software is likely to depend on the price you pay in order to get it is totally wrong; this is simply not the case when it comes to the modern techniques that can be provided by the internet. The Download free software is to be use without having to worry about its value; it is going to work for sure because it is especially designed in order to provide quality services for every user who is confident enough in order to use it. The Free software directory is not likely to come along with inferior quality; on the contrary, the open source is to be trusted for its quality services because they can be even better than the ones being provided by the paid sources.

The open sources will allow the constant sharing of information as well; the computing community will be able to stay in close contact to everything that is likely to happen in the virtual world because it will take advantage of real freedom when it comes to customizing the already existing source codes. These changes will be performed according to the user’s preferences and every user should be aware that free does not stand for inferior. The Free software directory is to be used relied on because it can provide you with all the information you need.

The open source is also blamed for the opportunities that can be provided thanks to its services; people are not familiar with the concept of free usage. On the contrary, they are used to pay for all the intellectual rights n order to use a particular program. They are not likely to rely on an open source that is free because they do not trust this type of service that can actually spare their time and money if properly used. But sometimes the open source is not as free as you might think in the beginning; there are some cases when this source will have to advertise a certain company in order for the users to be able to take advantage of all its programs and source codes. The open source can also advertise a particular product in order to sell it to the visitors who are accessing the Free software directory on a regular basis.

Actually, nothing is likely to come completely free of any charge; even the simplest articles that are used in order to create the web content are not totally free because a company is likely to use them in order to advertise its services or products. However, you will have to learn to appreciate the quality things and you will not have to stay away from a particular directory that can be very helpful for you just because it is free of charge. You will have to learn how to trust the free directories that are offering downloads in order to enjoy things that are not likely to be available forever.

By: Ckint Jhonson
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Thursday, December 27, 2007

An Introduction To Storage Software

All businesses face the challenge of storing their data easily, inexpensively and in a timely fashion. Initially, companies used tape-based systems to store data. There is now a rapid change to disk-based systems. At the same time, there has been a change in the software that supports this function and manages the stored data.
With rising numbers of branch offices, servers and amounts of data, storage needs are continually increasing. Organisations need to invest in systems that will save and back up data. This is where storage software comes in. It performs a threefold task:
• It simplifies control and management of hardware resources (devices and networks).
• It assures backup, archival and recovery of data.
• It takes care of replication and copying of data as it is created or downloaded.
While older systems of storage were more time intensive, the newer ones are more investment intensive. Many new storage software tools aim to reduce the cost of disk-based storage to encourage adoption of the newer technology by all sizes of organisation. Some providers also offer hosted services that are more scalable and affordable for small and medium-sized businesses.
Most storage software solutions rely heavily on hardware options. The ideal combination is a system where the software and hardware work together for an optimal performance and high level of flexibility. Many software storage providers partner with hardware manufacturers such as Dell, IBM, Fujitsu and HP to offer solutions like this. Larger players have acquired storage specialists such as Veritas and StorageTek so that they can offer these services.
This consolidation is not necessarily a bad thing. It means that more established players will offer bundled products that include additional features such as content management systems within the storage software to allow integrated retrieval and archival processes.
By: Paul Howe
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Wireless Networking: Do You Need It?

There has been so much hype about wireless networking that it is sometimes hard to get to the important question: do you need it? To determine whether your notebook computer needs to have wireless networking capabilities, you need to understand what it is first.
WLAN
WLAN stands for Wireless Local Area Network or Wireless LAN. Wireless network cards use the IEEE 802.11 standard of wireless transmission. There are other wireless networking standards, such as Bluetooth, but the 802.11 standard is the preferred networking solution. The Wireless Network interface was developed originally for interfacing among computers connected through a local area network, but it is now also being used for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and internet access, just like the standard Local Area Network interface.
A Wireless Networking environment has no need for complicated wiring to accommodate data sharing and internet access. The wireless network uses one or more Wireless Access Points or Wireless Routers to transmit the signal. An Access Point has an antenna and an Ethernet port, which must be connected to a broadband modem for internet connectivity. A Wireless Router adds several more Ethernet ports to allow a combination of wired and wireless connections. The Access Point or Router acts as the radio frequency transmitter and receiver (radio frequency electromagnetic waves are the medium through which data packets are sent and received). This Access Point interfaces with devices (computers, PDAs, IP Phones, and other Access Points) which use 802.11 wireless adapters.
Wherever there is an 802.11 wireless access point, a wireless networking-capable device can access that network and, generally, the internet.
Do You Need Wireless Networking in Your Notebook Computer?
Whether you need wireless networking depends entirely on you. Wireless networking capability is always a wonderful feature to have in a notebook computer, but there are scenarios where wireless networking is definitely necessary.
If you want to have a tidy office or home network, wireless networking is for you. Moreover, if there are many users in your local network or if the number of users is expected to increase, a wireless router is not limited by the number of Ethernet ports on the router. Please note, however, that a wireless network connection is not as reliable as traditional Ethernet connections, and wireless connections are susceptible to radio wave and electromagnetic interference.
If you are a freelancer, a reporter, or in another position where you frequently travel, Wireless Networking is invaluable. Wireless Networking is the most widely used form of public internet access all over the world. With a wireless networking card, you are guaranteed an internet connection, as long as you can find a wireless hotspot.
For interfacing with personal devices like PDAs and cellular phones, Bluetooth is a more common option, but Wireless Networking is absolutely necessary for wireless internet connections.
By: Roberto Bell
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Wise Steps To Buy Laptops And Other Electronic Products

In 2008, it will be very normal if you buy electronic products in the internet world. I think it’s not modern anymore if you go to a mall and review each product there. If you want to buy a new PC or notebook, try to find the review in the internet. There are plenty of full reviews there so I think you will learn much more than if you go to a mall or electronic dealers in real world. What more interesting is, you don’t need to go out from your home. You can read about different products, different brands in front of your computer.
I always went to electronic malls when I had time to check new products. I checked their prices and performances but I realized I was just wasting my precious time. Start from early 2007, I always buy everything online, start from games to new notebooks. Even if you do not want to buy electronic products online, you could at least try to find out what you want with your internet browser.
If five years ago new PCs or other electronic products are designed for children and nerds, these days it is easy to find new computers for your need. Many companies like HP or Dell produced their own business laptops. With cheap prices, you could get the best performance from new notebooks. It is the same with PCs. You do not need to search for old PCs if you have a tight budget, you can expect PCs which specially designed for people like you.
Computer companies know people have different objectives. There are people who buy new computers for games but there are also people who buy new computers for their jobs. However, there are too many products released every day so I think the best option for you is to search in the internet what suits you most. It will be pretty hard and very time consuming for you if you try “traditional way” (i.e.: go to mall and search for new computer, etc.). Buying new electronic products online is the most effective way at the moment.
By: Punkman
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Monday, December 17, 2007

Some Of The Latest Information On Fiber Cables

Everyone knows that there are countless cables in the world today and they all do different things. One cable that everyone can´t live without is the fiber cable. This is a super sweet cable because this type of cable is composed of one or more transparent optical fibers enclosed in a protective covering and strength members. I bet you didn´t know all that did you? Do you know what fiber cables do? Well if you said no, let me tell you what it is. Fiber cables are the awesome cables that transmit data by the mode of light. There are several different types of fiber cables so let me try and explain a few to you.
There is the duplex fiber cables, single mode simplex fiber cables, single mode duplex fiber cables, and the plastic optical fiber cables. Whatever you are looking for, whether it be a multi mode, simplex, duplex, or multi strand fiber cable, you can easily find it because so many manufacturers make fiber cables. Fiber cables come in a variety of types depending on there usage. Take for example the zip cord or the simplex fiber cable. These fiber cables are used for desktop connections. The distribution fiber cable is a small cable which is required for dry conduit run panel boxes. Another fiber cable is the aerial fiber cable which is usually used for outside installation. These are just to name a few of the fiber cables we use to improve our everyday lives.
You may not know it but cables are what run this world. Fiber cables are very important because they can be used in so many different ways. So the next time you think about cables, think about the fiber cable because it so cool and it does so much to help our lives.
By: Grant Foster
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The Features And Benefits Of Pc Cables

For all those individuals who have a personal computer, or what is called a PC, you know that you have to have cables for your computer to work. It seems like everything in this world is run off cables right? A PC is no different. When it comes to PC cables, is can get pretty complicated because technology is constantly changing and new cables are always popping up out of nowhere. Even though PC cables are changing at a rapid pace, there are still those cables that every PC needs.
Every personal computer is different. Some are newer than others and some are just simply better than others as well. Whatever personal computer you have, one thing that they all share in common is that they all use coaxial cables, twisted cables, and the optic fiber cables. Coaxial cables come in two forms. Regular coaxial cables and thick coaxial cables. The twisted cables usually connect your PC to a phone line. They come in different forms as well. Twisted cables come either in an unshielded or shielded form. The shielded cable protects the cable better than the unshielded. The optic fiber cable is probably the most important cable out of these three and it is the most expensive as well. This cable has the ability to send information at a 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps speed. This cable is vital to your computer working well and properly.
There are several cables that make your PC function at full capacity. The three explained above are just to name a few of the number of cables that connect your PC and make it work great. If you wan to know about other PC cables, look online and get all the information you need about the particular PC cable you are looking for.
By: Grant Foster
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Saturday, December 15, 2007

How Important Is A Cpu Fan

The computer may look like a very powerful and intelligent device but without the help of the various parts, the computer is absolutely nothing. We all know about the hardware and software parts of a computer but among them also there are such minute things which do not comes in our notice easily but are something very indispensable. These are very small and useful objects which sometimes prove to be very important for even performing the major tasks. In this context, variety of things being used in the PC can be uttered like the RAM, hard disk, CD ROM, motherboard, CPU fan etc. Let us pick up one object from among these and discuss widely how important even the minute parts of the computer are.
The use of the CPU fan perhaps could have been denied but that is not possible. CPU is the most important organ of the computer without which the operating system can not be run. It is the CPU that makes the computer operator to write, store, send, download and make project etc. very easy. What does it take to make your tasks happen? Stating them is the first step towards its realisation, the realisation of the importance of the CPU. For the CPU to run what is vital is the CPU fan.The CPU fan is the most simple and ultimate thing that keeps the CPU cool and workable. Due to the excessive pressures and heat, the CPU becomes very hot and under such circumstances it is the CPU fan that makes the CPU capable of working properly. This small part is fixed in the inner part of the CPU and starts working as soon as the CPU is started.The CPU is a combination of a number of parts namely the motherboard, memory, the arithmetic and logical components etc. the task that is performed by these components of the CPU are no doubt the very important ones. Therefore when all these will work continuously and together, it is very natural that these will get a high temperature. Probability is also there of these components being burned due to extreme heat and work load. In order to keep them cool and to give them sufficient air to cope up with the situation, the CPU fan is a must. The price of the CPU fan, if bought alone and not altogether as a CPU, will be less. Based on the function and size though it is very important, but still there are facilities of availing these in reasonable prices. The used CPU fan is also another thing that can be had in very low prices and that too in workable conditions.For a computer user the importance of the CPU fan is not at all a new thing to describe and he also is well aware of the utilities of this hardware part. Therefore from now onwards you too can lower the price of your computer parts to make your computer purchase in a reasonable rate.
By: Victor Epand
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Cd Duplication - Way To Protect Your Valuable Data

In this fast growing world, maintenance of data has become a necessity and a major concern. In order to protect your data conveniently, you need to ensure your data conservation method positively. CD duplication is known as the best data conservation solution. CD duplication refers to the method of copying of data from one CD to another. This method involves burning of large commercial quantities of CD in order to produce small runs of discs. CD duplication method involves burning of CD surface which is mainly carried out by CD Duplication Companies with a help of a device called CD burner. Being cheap in nature, CD Duplication is the perfect solution for replacing of data in small budgets.This process is a very popular way of producing small runs of discs. It gives the advantage including timescale and the ability to produce a sample print for approval before the full run commences. That is why, the prices of CD duplication very much depends upon the quality that the company providing your CD duplication services. So, the kind of services you are availing, you need to pay accordingly. Nowadays, the alternative of cheap CD duplication is also getting popularity and considered as a booming market in the market. CD duplication uk services can vary from high-resolution inkjet printing, to labels, thermal printing and thermal transfer print as well as screen printing.
Benefits of CD duplication:The concept of CD duplication has lots of added advantage over using a normal CD. Practically, if you consider CD duplication, you can gain an upper hand in CD duplication market. This easy process saves a lot of your precious time than the other method of data conservation. The system of duplication is able to use multiple recorders at the same time and therefore saves time spent in the process. One of the interesting criterions is that this process id really inexpensive and can be done for few dollars. People can be able to obtain large quantities for far less the expense over replication. One of the major advantages of CD duplication is the security it provides to your sensitive data.
By: Editor 123
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

What Is Ethical Hacking?

An Ethical Hacker is an expert hired by a company to attempt to attack their network and computer system the same way a hacker would. Ethical Hackers use the same techniques and tactics as those used by illegal hackers to breach corporate security systems. The end result is the company’s ability to prevent an intrusion before it ever occurs. A company can’t know if their security system is solid unless they test it. It’s hard, though, for a company’s IT team to thoroughly ring out the system. Try as they might, the techs can’t go at the system with all the malicious or mischievous motives of a true illegal hacker. To thoroughly uncover vulnerabilities, the theory goes; you must examine your security system through the eyes of an illegal hacker.

The word hacking has strongly negative connotations, and, for the most part, rightly so. But ethical hacking is much different. It takes place with the explicit permission of the company whose system is being attacked. In fact, their “good guy” role is underscored by the nickname “white hat” Ethical Hackers have been given. The nickname is a throwback to old Westerns where the good cowboys could be identified by their white hats.The company and the Ethical Hacker enter into a legally binding contract. The contract, sometimes called a “get out of jail free card,” sets forth the parameters of the testing. It’s called the “get out of jail free card” because it’s what harbors the Ethical Hacker from prosecution. Hacking is a felony, and a serious one at that. The terms of the agreement are what transform illegal behavior into a legal and legitimate occupation. Once the hacker has exhausted his attempts, he reports back to the company with a list of the vulnerabilities he uncovered. The list in and of itself, however, is not particularly useful. What’s most valuable is the instructions for eliminating the vulnerabilities that the Ethical Hacker provides.An Ethical Hacker works to uncover three key pieces of information. First, he determines what information an illegal hacker can gain access to. Next, he explores what an illegal hacker could do with that information once gained. Last, the Ethical Hacker ascertains whether an employee or staff member would be alerted to the break-in, successful or not.At first it might sound strange that a company would pay someone to try to break into their system. Ethical hacking, though, makes a lot of sense, and it is a concept companies have been employing for years. To test the effectiveness and quality of product, we subject it to the worst case scenario. The safety testing performed by car manufacturers is a good example. Current regulatory requirements including HIPAA, Sarbanes Oxley, and SB-1386 and BS 799 require a trusted third party to check that systems are secure.In order to get the most out of the assessment, a company should decide in advance the nature of the vulnerabilities they’re most concerned with. Specifically, the company should determine which information they want to keep protected and what they’re concerned would happen if the information was retrieved by an illegal hacker.Companies should thoroughly assess the qualifications and background of any Ethical Hacker they are considering hiring. This individual will be privy to highly sensitive information. Total honesty and integrity is of the utmost importance.

By: Paul Walsh

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Broadband: What Next For Next-gen?

Broadband has been a huge success in the UK, with half of all UK homes now with access to a connection.But with a consumer call for a faster and more reliable service, and connection speeds falling behind countries like Japan and Sweden, suggested changes raised in a recent summit in London to discuss the future of broadband in the UK are still dividing opinion.

Plans for a future download speed of 24Mbps may seem fast for us, but with other countries around the world offering broadband deals, with connection speeds ranging from 40Mbps to even 100Mbps, could a change in infrastructure prove a turning point for broadband in the UK?

With the current broadband network based mostly on ADSL - a copper wire network designed to handle telephone calls – the demand for an increase in broadband speed could push the hardware to its limits. Other issues include noise on the line and falling connection speeds – causes for such disruption can include distance from the exchange and an increase in traffic on the network.
One of the issues facing any future plans for a fibre network in the UK would be ensuring that it would be open to all ISPs in much the same way as with LLU (Local Loop Unbundling) – which allows other cheap broadband providers the chance to put their services in BT telephone exchanges. But even getting to that stage has been a long and complicated process, and with the demand for more cheap broadband increasing each year – a change in infrastructure could been seen as a way forward and ensure that the UK is compatible with the ever-changing Internet. A new method of unbundling – known as sub-loop unbundling – could be necessary to the introduction of a fibre network, but would require operators to share space in street cabinets, which some believe to be unfeasible. There are also concerns that fibre networks would create another digital divide - much like the current scenario when it comes to rural broadband technology.Wireless solutions such as Wimax could be seen to be a temporary solution, but there has been a widespread call for more government funding to help the progression of UK broadband, particularly to those in remote areas of the UK. Fibre connections would provide opportunities for a faster connection that would be welcomed by online gamers, networks which share video content, as well as the chance of delivering high-definition content – such as HDTV – via a broadband connection.But with a number of problems still to be sorted within the existing broadband network – such as complications with ISP migration and actual connection speeds promised in broadband deals – the future of broadband in the UK remains an area of uncertainty.
By: D Collins
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Saturday, December 8, 2007

The Magical Spyware Cleaner - A Useful Info

In the age of computer when human work is entirely dependent on the Internet, we can't even step ahead without latest advancements. When computer is going to help us in every stream of our life, this is also true that even being a machine, it faces problems like Spyware and Adware. It ultimately affects us, and unknowingly we are sharing our privacy with the strangers. This entire problem not only makes our work suffer but also irritates us. Isn't it? If same, is the scenario with you then you must be aware of latest Spyware Cleaners available all over. Definitely these Spyware cleaner or rather we can call it as Spyware doctors will help us out.
A Spyware removal tool or Spyware cleaner can save our computer from number of ways like:

Protection From Pop Ups: Spyware may attack your system in various kinds: by disturbing, annoying and irritating pop-up ads. Every time you open web page, popup bombarded your screen with their useless information and pictures. You can also encounter with this problem when you are not surfing the Internet. From time to time, they emerge while you are surfing, but these pop ups advertisements are not connected to the websites you are browsing.

Effect On Your Homepage: It normally happens with you, when you detect that the properties of your home page setting is automatically changed in the internet browser and you attempt to correct it fails. This indicates the unwanted Spyware has captured your system. And after that whenever tries to surf or open some webpage, all unwanted Internet pages starts popping up. And as expected whenever you tend to change the settings, it slips back as you open the window of Internet browser. In that situation, you feel the need of any Spyware Adware remover, which helps you to get back in to the normal settings and also increase the speed of your PC.
The threat of Spyware programs is always on your pc until and unless you installed any Spyware cleaner on your computer. As the saying prevention is better than cure, don't think much and take precaution by installing any free anti-Spyware or free Spyware cleaner.
If you want to stop Spyware effects on your computer than go for any authentic anti-Spyware software like Spyware doctor or any other best recommended Spyware cleaner and make your system 100% from Spyware.
By: A Singh
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Dial-up Internet Versus Dsl Internet -- A No-brainer When The Facts Are Known

What's the difference between dial-up Internet service and DSL Internet service? While both systems use the telephone to access the Internet, that is where the similarities end. The differences include: utilization of capacity, speed and cost. Please continue reading as we explore in greater depth the differences between Dial-Up and DSL Internet.Introducing The Twisted PairTo get a handle on the differences, it is important first to understand a little bit more about how the telephone system works. It all begins with a pair of copper wires or as is often called in the industry "twisted pairs", since the pair of wires are twisted around each other. Each telephone connection requires one "twisted pair". The twisted pair handles all voice going out and coming into a handset. The twisted pair can also handle data, so long as the line is good and does not have any static or interference. A standard dial-up Internet Service Provider (ISP) can provide their customers an access point to the Internet, but they have to rely on their customer's telephone service provider as the corridor to get the signal from the customer's computer to the ISP's modem (bridge to the Internet). Most people who have ever used dial-up Internet have come to the conclusion that they can use their telephone for Voice as a telephone OR Data as a computer/fax line, but one cannot do both at the same time. A dial-up ISP can give their customers access to the Internet, but they do not have the equipment or capability to extend the use of the telephone line beyond this one kind of connection. As a result, consumers who use dial-up Internet services have one line for the Internet connection, and if they are serious about keeping a line open for those who may wish to call them, they also have a second phone number installed to capture those incoming calls.Introducing DSL Internet ServicesDSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. This means that digital packets of information are sent over one single channel and the voice information is sent over another channel, both of which "share" a single pair of wires. With DSL Internet services, one can actually use the telephone while using the Internet! The key difference here is that the DSL Internet companies utilize a different kind of modem to connect their users to the Internet. You may have heard that DSL is not available in all areas, and this is true. The service relies on clear and strong signals from the client's computer to the local phone company's main access point to the Internet. Once inside a client's home or office, the telephone system is still using the standard twisted pairs to carry the voice and data signals. But, the line that is intended to carry data signals has a filter on the line to reduce static noise in the line. Then, the line is connected to a DSL modem that intuitively knows how to distinguish the voice and data signals from each other.DSL modems actually employ a trick to get the job done and it is very effective. A standard copper twisted pair of wires can carry up to 100 megabytes of data per second, but in order to be able to access the full potential of the twisted pair, one must have the correct hardware attached to the phone line.A twisted pair is also able to carry signals of multiple frequencies at the same time. This is the trick of DSL Internet services. DSL services actually send voice through one frequency and data through another frequency (or channel). It is through this manipulation of frequencies that DSL Internet services are able to send two kinds of content over the same single twisted pair, thereby "sharing" one phone line between two tasks.Put The Petal To The MetalDial-Up Internet Service Providers have hit a technological ceiling, preventing them from giving their users access to high-speed Internet access.Dial-Up ISP's are limited by their technology. They are using the telephone lines to push an analog signal from their client's computer to their computer to gain access to the Internet. Analog's final frontier is the 56-kilobyte per second connection. DSL Internet connections begin at 768-kilobyte per second (21 times faster than dial-up) and climb from there based on the consumer's willingness to pay for more speed and bandwidth. 56-kbps versus 768-kbps could mean the difference of downloading a music file or video in two minutes as opposed to forty-two minutes or longer. In some cases, files that take 24 hours to download on dial-up can be downloaded in just over an hour on DSL (think NetFlix movie downloads).In ConclusionFor the average person on dial-up, they will generally have two phone lines, plus the $10-$20 per month subscription fee to their local ISP. DSL providers can provide DSL Internet for as little as $14.99 per month, plus the cost of one phone line. When one considers the speed factor, DSL is a no-brainer. But when one also looks at cost, one has to ask themselves why they have been throwing money away all of these years on dial-up ISP's.
By: Woody Biddle
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Beating Adware, The Sneakiest Software

Promoters of adware, software that shows advertising on a user`s computer, use some cunning tricks to get you to install their software on your machine. Here`s what to look out for.Adware is, by definition, something reasonable people don`t want on their computers. That`s why malware can`t just come out and ask people to install it. Often, the computer owner is completely unaware of it being installed. But not always.When adware doesn`t want to sneak in through an open window, it will try to trick you into letting it in through the front door. Don`t think you could be tricked? Don`t be so sure until you`ve checked out these most common ways people have been tricked into allowing malware to be installed on their machines.Adware Installation Trick 1: Piggybacking• How it works: malware may come bundled with a legitimate piece of software the user actually wants, such as a game or emoticon. The malware is merely labeled `companion software,` without any indication of what it will do.• How to fight it: be very suspicious of any software that comes bundled with other software. Don`t installed software that comes bundled with other software unless you know everything that the bundled software does. After all, if the bundled program has anything to do with the program you actually want, why couldn`t the software developer just get both programs` functionalities into a single piece of software? Software developers are now very sensitive to malware concerns and will provide a lengthy explanation of just why the bundled software is necessary, in the cases when they actually do need to use bundled software.Adware Installation Trick 2: Bait and Switch• How it works: since people are getting more and more suspicious of bundled software, the malware`s developers may simply label it as valuable software, for instance, a browser plugin that supposedly accelerates web browsing (but in reality only shows ads).• How to fight it: again, a suspicious mind is useful in avoiding malware. Ask yourself some questions:o What will this software actually do? Malware often comes with very fuzzy claims attached. Sure, it says it will improve your browsing experience, but how? Often, this improved browsing experience just means a browsing experience with more advertising.o If the software is so great, why is it being given away free? Most commonly, software is only given out free in two cases: if it`s OpenSource (designed by a community of developers and not proprietary--OpenSource software is always clearly labeled as such); or simply a come-on for a fuller-featured version of the software. If neither case is true, there`s a real chance the software is financed by adware.Adware Installation Trick 3: Outright Lying• How it works: malware may even be labeled as something else entirely, such as a well-known piece of software or a crucial component of the computer operating system.• How to fight it: this is the trickiest malware of all, and requires extreme caution. You don`t want to start deleting any of your program files, much less your system registry entries, unless you`re absolutely sure it`s malware. Plenty of overzealous parasite hunters have shot their own machines to bits this way. This is one case where you want to be using an anti-spyware program, and preferably a second anti-spyware program to provide a second opinion.Getting Rid of AdwareAdware is so tricky that trying to uninstall it by yourself could be like a trip into the Matrix. Luckily, there are good anti-spyware programs that tackle adware as well--after all many adware programs are also spyware since they monitor your internet usage.True, it may feel like adding insult to injury to have to install more software to get rid of software you never meant to install in the first place. But sometimes you just have to fight fire with fire.
By: Joel Walsh
Source: http://www.spyware-refuge.com?%20adware%20protection

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Antivirus Software – Get The Bugs Before They Get You!

You turn on your computer, and it doesn’t look quite right. Maybe your icons have changed, or the background picture is wrong. Some options are disabled. Even worse, you may not be able to boot your computer up at all. Guess what – it’s probably got a virus.In today’s online world, protecting your computer from all the nasty things online is vital. Viruses can cause obvious issues, as described above, but they can also run silently in the background, propagating themselves across your computer and transferring on to the computers of people you know. Mostly, you only know you have a virus when substantial damage has already been done.Some common signs of a virus include:-Programs working erratically-Computer locks up-Greyed out options-The browser home page has changed-Icons have changed-Difficulties starting up the computerThere is a solution! Antivirus software is readily available, and the good ones are very efficient at dealing with viruses in all their many and varied mutations. Basically, if you’re online, you need this type of software.So which one do you choose? For starters, be careful of using something free off the internet, particularly if it’s one you’ve never heard of. Sometimes these programs are a way of implanting more viruses on your computer. Some of the better known brands give you the option of doing a free scan online, which is useful, but not a long term solution.It’s really important to choose well-known antivirus software. Ask friends, or someone computer savvy, for their recommendations. It may be worth visiting a computer store and buying it there, rather than online – after all, if they’ve gone to the trouble of stocking it, it’s most likely an established and trusted product.There are plenty of good brands available, far too numerous to list here, but some of the best known are from McAfee, Norton and Trend. Check out the support available to you – can you contact someone if you have trouble installing the software?Most importantly, make sure there’s an easy way to update the software on a regular basis (preferably as part of the purchase cost!). For example, my antivirus software pops up a little box every time an upgrade is available. I click okay, and it’s automatically downloaded to my computer. Viruses change and develop at an alarming rate, so it’s vital to keep your antivirus software up to date.Finally, the all-important backup! The word “backup” tends to produce the same glassy eyed response as the word “budget”, but it really is an essential part of being online. Regularly backup your important files to CD or DVD. If you’re a business user, an automated and frequent backup process is vital. Once a virus has destroyed your computer, it’s too late.Being online is wonderful, but don’t let it become a nightmare. Antivirus software will play a vital role in keeping your online experience a positive one.
By : Felicity Walker
Source : http://www.media13.com

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Computer Tips

Computer errors are very common and every computer user may face different kinds of issues so they should learn about the solutions of the common computer related problems. The common factors that cause problems in computer are viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, adware, corrupted registry, faulty hardware, low memory, low capacity hard disk, low CPU speed and stuffing computers with large number of software applications. In this article, I have compiled a list of the most common computer problems and their solutions.Computer is very slowThis is very common issue and it arises due to the several factors such as too many programs running at the startup, low RAM, low processor speed, spyware running as a background application, errors in the Windows registry and the buildup of the garbage files on the hard disk. Scanning your computer with an up-to-dated anti virus and anti spyware program, cleaning and repairing Windows registry, increasing memory, deleting temporary files, deselecting the programs at startup and uninstalling unwanted software applications can solve this problem to a very large extent. Network Server is not accessibleIn a networked environment every computer depends on the server for logon authentication, files access, internet and printing access and sharing server resources. The downtime and the communication failure with the server are very problematic and frustrating for the users. Check both end of the network cable and make sure that the attached RJ-45 connectors are properly plugged into the LAN card and hub/switch. Ping the server’s IP and make sure you get the reply from server. Ensure that your server is on and working fine. A large number of the running applications on the server and simultaneous access to the server from a number of users can slow down the performance and speed of the server. Scan your PC with an up-to-dated antivirus program because certain viruses and spyware are responsible for the communication failure. Replace your LAN card with new one and assign different IP address and try to connect with the server. Computer locks up or freezesMissing .dll files, viruses, faulty registry, defective RAM and spyware slows down the performance of the server and it locks up frequently. Scanning PC with the anti virus and anti spyware program, cleaning and repairing registry and increasing RAM can solve this issue.Computer won’t bootFaulty power cable, power extension and power supply all contributes to this problem. Checking one by one each of the above components can pinpoint the problematic part. Simply replace that part with new one and your compute is okay.Computer reboots itselfDefective cooling fan, power supply, RAM, viruses and spyware can cause this to happen. Memory usage is maximum in computerEither the memory is less than the recommend memory to run certain applications, swap memory chips with each other, scan your computer for viruses and spyware, increasing the page file and physical memory can overcome this problem.Browser’s home page has changed itselfThis is most likely a spyware problem and scanning computer with an up-to-dated anti spyware program can fix this issue.Computer’s clock losing timeIf you see that your computer’s clock is losing time frequently replace your CMOS battery. My computer can’t get connected to internetCheck IP address, gateway address, scan your PC for viruses and spyware, check network cables and make sure that server’s or gateway’s firewall application is not blocking http requests from your PC.Computer making noisesFaulty RAM, VGA, hard disk, Sound card, Processor and other components produce noises. Make sure that each hardware device is properly connected inside the PC and if the problem is still not resolved then replace the faulty hardware component with new one.
By B Bashir
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

How to Remove Spyware

Introduction to SpywareSpyware is a software program that stealthily collects information about the user’s activities on the computer and reports back to the spyware software creator. The most common sources of the spyware are files sharing programs, online gaming, screens savers and downloading software from insecure websites. Once spyware are enters the computer they change the behavior of the computer. A spyware can be installed in a computer by different ways. Sometimes it can be installed with the popular shareware programs. A spyware infected computer may show following changes.Symptoms of Spyware• Web browser’s home page is changed automatically.• New toolbars are installed.• Antivirus and Anti spyware programs frequently complains that your system is infected with the spyware, malware or Trojan horses.• It takes a long time to start or resume your computer programs.• Excessive pop-up ads are installed in the computer automatically.• Computer becomes very slow to response and internet connectivity also takes time.• Unwanted search results appear when you search something.• New desktop shortcuts are created.• If your system is infected with spyware then you may notice bounced back emails or emails being sent without your knowledge.• Keyboard loggers can capture the password and user name and send back to the spyware software creator.How to Remove SpywareA spyware program is very different in behavior and symptoms from the viruses. Following are some of the programs that help you manage detect, remove and protect your system from the spyware.Panda Security SuiteTrend Micro Anti spyware programZone Alarm ProMcAfee Antivirus + Anti spyware programPest PatrolSpyblockerSpycopAdditionally from the following spyware resources you can check if your system is infected with the spyware.http://www.spychecker.com/http://www.tom-cat.com/spybase/spylist.htmlhttp://www.infoforce.qc.ca/spyware/PreventionWith some preventive measures you can protect your system from being infected from the spyware, malware, adware and keyloggers. These safety tips include safe emailing, safe surfing, securing browser’s settings, using spyware detection and prevention software, blocking pop-up ads, blocking files sharing applications and regularly scanning your computer with the anti spyware and antivirus software programs.
By B Bashir
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Monday, November 26, 2007

The Importance Of Proper Security For Your PC

The world online can be a scary place and sometimes it can get downright nasty. From viruses and spyware to internet identity theft, the information stored on your computer is under constant assault and should be protected at all costs. Why? Unscrupulous hackers will stop at nothing to get your precious personal information, and you have to stay one step ahead of them to ensure that they donÂ’t. LetÂ’s begin our search for the reason why we should protect our PCs with the proper security by looking at the ways that they can be assaulted online. Here are just a few of the nasty things waiting for an unprotected PC online: · Computer viruses are PC software programs that you accidentally download to your computer through an email attachment or other type of download. Once installed on your computer, a virus can interfere with your PCÂ’s operation; record, corrupt or delete data; and spread itself to other computers through your network or the internet. · Identity theft occurs when some unscrupulous internet hacker, thief or otherwise bad guy gets a hold of your personal information such as your social security number, date of birth or other sensitive information and uses it to commit fraud or other crimes. Once obtained, this information is used to commit a wide variety of crimes. Those crimes include: credit card fraud, utilities fraud, banking and loan fraud, employment fraud, social security fraud, tax return fraud, medical fraud, securities and investment fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and immigration and government documentation fraud.· Spyware are software programs that you download onto your computer along with many other software applications. This software is then used to track your online browsing habits so that you can be Ââ€Å“hit” with pop ups that you will be more likely to respond to. Not only is this software an invasion of your privacy, it also can compromise your data and affect your PCs performance.How to Protect Your PCThe number one thing that you can do to protect your PC is to have an operable firewall. A firewall can help protect your computer against security attacks. While most operating systems come with a firewall already in operation, you can update your firewall or get one for free if you donÂ’t have one from most PC security software companies. In order to get the best PC security that software can provide, it is recommended that you use anti-spyware and anti-virus software in addition to a firewall. All of these anti-software and filters prevent hackers from accessing our personal information stored on our computers. They also protect against programs and viruses that we can unknowingly download. Once installed on our computer, these programs can direct us or our information to sites set on thievery. More Protection for Your PCEven though all of the above mentioned software applications go a long way in protecting your PC from harm, you may want additional protection to ensure that your PCÂ’s vulnerable spots are impenetrable. Here are just a few examples of the security software that you may want for your PC:· Privacy Protector – As mentioned earlier, spyware can track everything that you do on your computer. This is because everything that you do on your computer leaves a trace or electronic trail that is stored on your computer. With the right software, prying eyes can see and access any sites you have visited and files you have accessed or shared while online by exposing this electronic trail. Privacy protection software helps reduce this risk by erasing the electronic trail that you have left behind. · Secure Delete – When you delete files on your computer, you may think that they are trashed and inaccessible, but with the right recovery utilities, your deleted data can be recovered easily. Secure deletion software makes sure that your deleted data is gone forever and safe from sticky fingers. · Spyware Detective – Added spyware detection software will help you spot spyware programs immediately and have them removed from your computer at the click of a button. As you can see, there are many dangers lurking on the internet including spyware, viruses and hackers. Just one unprotected computer can be a highly lucrative capture for the right thieves and provide them with countless data that reveals everything from your browsing habits to credit card numbers. Make sure that your PC does not fall into their grasp. Protect it with the proper PC security programs.
Author : PC Power Suite
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

How to Run a Successful Conference Call

These days with more and more of us working from home, working on the road, and generally dealing with multiple suppliers, contractors and business partners in locations all over the world, the conference call is supplanting the face-to-face meeting. Here are some tips on getting the most out of your conference call... Tip One: Send Out an AgendaThe key to an effective meeting is an agenda - this applies to any kind of meeting, not just a conference call. With a conference call, always make sure you have the instructions on how to access the conference call at the top of the agenda, preferably in a box or with some other text decoration to make it stand out.Another option is to send a meeting request from within your calendar application, whether it be Microsoft Outlook or Apple's iCal, or some other scheduling tool. The meeting request is sent as a specially formatted email, so you can add attachments just like with a regular email. Attach the agenda, and repeat the instructions on how to connect to the conference call in the body of the email.Most conference service providers require participants to dial a special number (which may be different depending on where the user is, or it may be a national number), then enter a conference "room" number, followed by a security code or PIN. Make sure all the necessary details are included on the agenda and the meeting request.If the conference call is a regular status update, ensure you also send out the meeting notes from the previous call, since the first item on the agenda should be chasing people up for the actions they've agreed to be responsible for.Tip Two: Take Care of HousekeepingAt the beginning of the call, call off the roll and ensure everyone is on the call. Introduce any newcomers to the rest of the group and invite them to spend a couple of minutes describing themselves and their role on the call. If anyone is missing from the participants list, immediately call them (preferably on their mobile) to get them onto the call as soon as possible. If they can't get on the call within a couple of minutes, proceed without them. Nothing detracts from a good conference call more than making everyone wait at the beginning.Next, ensure everyone has a copy of the agenda, and that they can all hear one another OK. If you are not going to be the one taking notes, make sure everyone is clear who is. This serves two benefits: firstly, the person taking notes is going to be careful and accountable, and secondly, a single set of meeting notes will be distributed after the call. If this is not made clear, you may end up with several versions, which is both redundant and confusing.Finally, lay out the rules for interaction on the call. Because it's audio-only, the usual cues we use to indicate that we wish to take a turn at speaking are not present. Therefore it's worth stating at the outset what the rules will be. These can be as simple as "Please make a note of any questions and we'll deal with them in turn after each agenda point", or as sophisticated as listing the order of speaking of the participants, and asking each participant only to speak at their particular time. This last is called "round table" conferencing, and is particularly effective once people are used to it. It has the dual effect of keeping all participants engaged, and speeding up the time it takes to get through each point.Clearly it's unrealistic to expect people to stick to the interaction rules for the duration of the call, but laying them out at the outset will help ensure things run quickly and smoothly.Tip Three: Turn Off SpeakerphoneUnless you have a majority of participants all in one room together, you should turn off speakerphone. Speakerphone and conference calls are a bad combination, unless you have a high-quality dedicated speakerphone. In order to prevent audio feedback, speakerphones automatically mute the speaker when a sufficiently loud sound is heard at the microphone. Unfortunately, few speakerphones do this particularly well, and often the speaker will mute because of its own output feeding back into the microphone. This means annoying dropouts and missed words and sentences. Because it's a conference call, often these dropouts can go on for some minutes before someone has the opportunity to pipe up with "We missed all that!" Needless to say, having to constantly repeat yourself can be very time consuming and irritating for all the non-speakerphone participants.Even if you're in the same room as someone else, it can sometimes be an improvement to use two handsets rather than use speakerphone.Tip Four: Send Out Meeting NotesYou should ensure everyone on the conference call gets a copy of the meeting notes no later than the following morning, while the call is still fresh in everyone's minds. There are many helpful guides on the web for effective note-taking, but in essence:
Don't try to write down absolutely everything; just the items where an action needs to be taken
Keep track of who has agreed to be responsible for each action
Keep track of the deadlines for each action item
Don't forget to note the time and date of the meeting and who was presentIf the conference call is a regular status update, ensure you note in the meeting notes the time and date of the next meeting. If possible, deadlines for action items should correspond to the dates of status meetings so that the notes can be quickly scanned (or even sorted) for items that need to be chased up in a given meeting.Tip Five: Keep it BriefStudies have shown that people start to suffer a number of unpleasant side-effects after holding a telephone receiver to their ear for longer than about an hour. In any event, forty minutes is about the limit of most people's concentration span.If you find the call is starting to drag on beyond an hour, it's a good idea to wrap things up and continue either later that day, or preferably the following day. If you find this is a regular occurrence, it may be an indicator that you need to revisit the agenda, or possibly split the group up into separate, more focussed groups. A particular time-waster is having engineers and businesspeople on the same conference call. A better way to handle this is to have three shorter meetings - one with just the engineers, one with the businesspeople, and one with single representatives from each group to present the results and take any feedback to the next department meeting. With practice, you can keep the length of each meeting down to around twenty minutes.
Author : Michael Pollitt
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Notebook And WiFi Standards

Every modern notebook is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing internet access from any part of the globe. But while using your wireless notebook, you should be aware of Wi-Fi standards, hotspots, and how to effectively use this technology to make the optimum use of your notebook.The 802.11g Wi-Fi standard is the latest standard, which your notebook follows when you are online. The Wi-Fi alphabet spaghetti consists of protocols like 802.11, 802.15, 802.16, and 802.20. However, for most notebook users 802.11 would be sufficient with added `a`, `b`, or `g`. There are protocols like `e`, `h`, `i`, and `n` that are waiting in the wings to make their entry. Nevertheless, as of now, 802.11g is the only protocol that one needs to think when it comes to wireless connectivity. The latest Wi-Fi standard is the 802.11g and offers connection speeds up to 54 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz radio bands, which is five times more than the previous standard 802.11b. It is more stable, more secure, and backward compatible.Almost all notebooks that are manufactured today are 802.11g Wi-Fi standard ready. This standard is also designed to replace the older Wired Equivalent Privacy or WEP by specifying the Wi-Fi Protected Access or WPA. The WPA will function as an interim solution, until the next standard, the 802.11i network security standard is implemented with a new algorithm called Temporal Key Integrity Protocol, which shall be much more secure and reliable. However, until the new standard is implemented, the 802.11g is to be followed. There are only two disadvantages with this notebook Wi-Fi standard, that firstly, since it is a new standard, it may not perform as promised; and secondly, with fast emerging latest technologies, it may become obsolete by newer standards before you have the time to benefit from it.Few tips for a secure Wi-Fi experience:1 - You should raise the level of your laptop settings. Raise the security settings of software applications like Microsoft Outlook and Internet Explorer. Update them frequently to ensure latest protection from hackers and viruses. You should keep the encryption feature always on to ensure safest browsing with Wi-Fi.2 - Along with the software, you should also consider updating to better hardware. Hackers have always found 802.11a and 802.11b very easy to hack. However, 802.11g is harder to crack and you should consider upgrading your hardware to a `g` card. An 802.11g is backward compatible with IEEE 802.11b, thus 802.11g can leverage the widespread, international adoption of IEEE 802.11b in products from laptops to PDAs. A personal firewall, such as ZoneAlarm or BlackICE can significantly add up to the security level of your notebook.3 - Whenever you are using your notebook at a Wi-Fi hotspot, make it a point not to send data. While you are surfing, do not type your credit-card number, expiration date, passwords, bank account numbers, etc. Sensitive data are the goldmines for hackers, and they will swipe your bank account before you can finish saying, ` I have been a victim of online identity theft!`4 - Consider not staying online while working. If the risks outweigh the benefits, then it would be better to stay offline; at least until the new 802.11i standard is not implemented. Even then, the security can be breached, albeit with difficulty. If you do not need Wi-Fi to implement your work, then stay switched off. If you need the Wi-Fi just to send and receive files, then stay connected for only that period. Rest of the time, stay offline.Precautions to take at a public Wi-Fi hotspot:Whenever you are in public domain, you need to take precautions, as it is free for all. The Wi-Fi hotspots are available to any and every person, and anybody can be connected. Besides online thefts, there is also the risk of offline thefts.While in a public hotspot, do not be so absorbed with your notebook, that you fail to notice the people around you. There are persons who are in the business of stealing notebooks, from public hotspots. And they do not operate as individuals but as a gang.Also, while you are online at a public hotspot, follow simple rules like encrypting files before transferring or emailing them; making sure you are connected to a legitimate access point; and file sharing is turned off. Basic precautions like password protecting your notebook, updating your system regularly, and using anti-virus software should be strictly followed. For further online security, consider using a personal firewall, a virtual private network (VPN), and web-based email with secure http (https).Having a good Wi-Fi experience directly translates into a satisfying Internet experience. With the above suggestions being implemented, you are guaranteed to have a pleasant online time with your notebook.
By Roberto Sedycias
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Cell Phone Contract Tips

Cell phones (telefone celular) are increasingly used in the modern world. They are no longer a luxury, but are considered a need. They can send and receive e-mail, get information on news, entertainment, make a call home while traveling and contact the police or the ambulance during an emergency. The radio, telephone and computer technology fused together to make the cell phone technology. Nevertheless, with the advancing technology, marketing became much tougher, and cell phone operators devised numerous clauses in their contracts to ensure that their competitors do not erode their customer base. Thus the cell phone contract was born.A cell phone (telefone celular) contract is an agreement between the buyer and the wireless cell phone service provider. Usually it is of 1 or 2 years of duration, during which a consumer is legally bound to remain with the wireless service provider. Certain operators give a trial period to their consumers. After the trial period of 14 or 30 days is over, when the contract is entered upon and the phone is bought, the penalty for breaking the contract can range from $150 to $600, depending on where the phone was bought. Before the contract finishes, if a new phone is to be bought, then some companies give a customer loyalty discount, which in effect extends the contract. This may prove to be expensive when compared to buying a new phone with a good discount. Thus, you may be locked in to a single operator, without your knowing it, if you do not read and understand the terms of the cell phone contract.If one is not satisfied with the service provided by the cell phone (telefone celular) service provider, then one can come out of the contract, without paying a termination fee, if someone else is willing to go through the contract for the remaining period. Finding someone willing to undertake this may be difficult. Numerous websites have come up which help you in finding someone to transfer your contract to, however cell phone service providers do not endorse such websites as they only connect the buyer and the seller, doing nothing with the actual transfer.Thus once you find a buyer for your cell phone contract, you have to contact your cell phone service provider to complete the transfer. This may take quite some time, as your provider will do a credit check on the buyer and if the creditworthiness is not found sufficient for the contract, the transfer will not take place. In case the transfer does take place, then you have the option of keeping the same number that you originally had. Usually, it has been seen that with transfers, you may have to supply the cell phone also as a free incentive to the buyer. High-end cell phones offered free along with the transfer usually get buyers within a couple of days.Cell phone (telefone celular) service providers generally give a trial period before enforcing the contract term, which may be of 1-year or 2-year duration. Almost all providers give at least 14 to 30 days of trail period. A 1-year cell phone contract has a shorter commitment period, which may prove to be beneficial if the phone needs repairs, or is lost. In addition, since the period is short, one may avail of new discounts that come up. After the term of 1-year ends, the phone can be kept without any contract and no penalty is charged for quitting. However, in a 1-year contract, the activation fee and/or the phone may not be cheap. Certain discounts and promotional offers cannot be availed of as in a 2-year period.In a 2-year cell phone (telefone celular) contract, the activation fee and/or the phone may not be expensive. Huge discounts on the phone may be availed. Special promotions may be availed. However, since the phone is kept for a longer duration, more money may be spent on repairing, insuring, or replacing. The opportunity to buy a new phone reduces, and thus may not be eligible to switch cell phone service providers. Expensive phones may also opt for phone replacement insurance plans. However, due to the costs of such plans, few subscribe to these plans.Pre-Paid or No Contract cell phones (telefone celular) are not available with all cell phone service providers. They are attractive as they require no commitment, the credit history is unimportant, and there is no penalty for quitting. However, call charges may be more expensive, and no promotional discounts etc., may be availed of.It is always advisable to read and fully understand the terms of the cell phone provider as stated in the contract form, including the fine print, before signing the cell phone (telefone celular) contract.This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.
By Roberto Sedycias
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Old Fashioned High Resolution Photo Camera

Tired of trying to keep updated with the highest mega pixel resolution digital camera? Well even if one has tried to do that, most certainly he will soon find out that his few months old digital camera is outdated in terms of mega pixel resolution. It’s an ever changing kind of product that has become very hard to keep updated, unless one is willing to spend more money by making purchases every six to twelve months.If the main intention of purchasing a photo camera is enlarging the image, then mega pixel resolution indeed will become the main factor. In this case one might consider a different option, which will keep his product updated for years to come. I’m talking about a used 4x5" film photo camera, together with a high resolution flat bed film scanner. All of this for less than one thousand US dollars. With all of this, one will get over 100 mega pixels in fine detailed film resolution and fine scanned digital images that can be enlarged up to 30x40" in size with professional quality. These 4x5" film cameras have done a remarkable job in general personal and commercial photography such as wedding, portraiture, product, documentary, advertising and landscape for nearly a hundred years.Where to find 4x5" used film cameras? Since some of these cameras were mostly used in the past, until the 1960’s, it should be no problem in finding them in American auction web sites. Anyway, a good used 4x5" camera with lens can be found for less than four hundred US dollars.As for the flat bed film scanner, one can find brand new ones for less than five hundred US dollars. Just make sure the scanner is able to scan films.Whenever purchasing a 4x5" film camera, one should look for the following features: folds into a compact box, flexible bellows, lenses that can be easily interchanged, accepts sheet film, ground glass focusing screen, easily handheld and optical viewfinder accessory.As for the lenses, there are four main categories: 1 - general purposes; 2 - wide field (mostly used for close up work and landscape); 3 – extreme wide angles lenses; 4 – special effects lenses (telephoto). However, one might use a general purpose 127 or 152mm lens for most of his photograph sessions. In cases where it requires special lenses, such as architecture or macro photography, one will still find lots of them available in auction sites. Used lenses for 4x5” cameras made after world word II have excellent performances comparable to today’s modern lenses.Whenever making a purchase of a 4x5" camera make sure that: 1 - the bellows have no light leaks, 2 – the lens shutter works accurate at all speeds; 4 – the lens elements have no fungus and scratches of any kind; 4 – the focus is working properly between the ground glass and the film.The option of using a 4x5" film camera, together with a flat bed film scanner, for enlarging images with professional quality is viable and accessible. Cheaper than top digital cameras, the 4x5" film camera offers better image quality and will always be updated in the future, maintaining its original value.For those who wishes the very most detailed image enlargement, one can always use the 8x10" film camera. Four times the physical film size of the 4x5", this option offers so much film resolution that it is considered by many as the ultimate step for photo image enlargement.Sometimes analog products deliver better results that its digital counterparts. If you are doing the job of enlarging photo images, you should give it a try with a 4x5" camera. You might just surprise yourself.
By Roberto Sedycias
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Your Guide To A Notebook

A notebook or laptop is nothing but a small portable computer that weighs 2.2 to 18 pounds (1 to 8 kg), that depends on its brand, style, size, material it is made of, and many other factors. Notebooks generally operate on a single main battery or through an external adapter that can both charge the battery and also supply power to the notebook. Notebooks are adept at performing the same jobs like a personal desktop; the only difference is that they are generally less powerful for the same cost. They consist of similar components like desktop computers and execute the same functions, except that they are miniature in size and suitable for transportable use and effective power consumption. Notebooks usually have LCD and different memory modules. They have a built-in keyboard; input is done through a touchpad or a pointing stick, though an external mouse can also be attached.There are different categories of notebooks. UMPCs are Ultra-Mobile PCs and are very portable. Since they are of a small size they can fit in a small touch screen while some other models have a minute physical keyboard along with a mouse interface. The other type is Ultraportables which are notebooks and have screens less than eleven inches and have less than 3.7 pounds (1.7 kg) of weight. They are generally used by business travelers, as they are small and light though very expensive. They have an extended battery life and integrated graphics. The other type of notebook is the Sony VAIO FJ76, and Dell XPS M1330 and XPS M1210. Then we have the mainstream notebooks that are more of budget desktops. And if you want desktop power, then you can opt for desktop replacement which can accommodate many performance components. As far as the processors are concerned you should go for the fastest that your budget will allow. You can opt for Intel`s Centrino that has great speed and also good battery life. Or else you can also go for the economic AMD`s mobile processors whose performance still lags behind Intel. If you intend to watch DVDs on your notebook then go for wide screen ones that offer sharper, larger and great images. The only consideration is that they are not meant for carrying around a lot. For great system performance it is vital to have enough memory (RAM) that will allow you to run many applications together. Adequate RAM is also essential for image and video editing, graphics work, and 3D gaming. Generally notebooks have a terrible sound quality so it is recommended to use speakers or headphones. These are some of the factors that you need to consider before buying a notebook. Also keep in mind that like any electronic device, your notebook is vulnerable to accidents as well as system failures. It is recommended to get at least a three year warranty and also some additional insurance.Health hazards related to using a laptop has been a controversial topic for quite some time. Researches have proved that heat generated from notebooks can raise temperature of scrotum, leading to reduced sperm count. A solution can be using it on a table or keeping it apart from the lap that will enable better cooling of the notebook and also prevent your lap from excessive electromagnetic radiation and heat. Some of the famous brands that have notebook are Acer that have TravelMate, Ferrari and Aspire models; BenQ; Compaq with its Armada, LTE, EVO and Presario models. Other famous brands are Gateway, HCL, Lenovo, LG, Micro-Star International, Panasonic, Samsung, Toshiba and others. This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.
By Roberto Sedycias
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Get back your lost data

As the time progresses so the technology and we got accustomed to them. There have been regular changes from telephones to mobile phones, Roll camera to digital one, calculator with computer, locomotive to jet planes and such other various things. Style of maintaining records has also changed; instead of volumes and volumes of book it’s stored in small .85 hard drives. Although the size of storing data has been reduced to chip but it has given more chances of loss. Data losses occur due to several factors by accidentally formatting the content of the hard drive, or due to some file systems getting orrupt which doesn’t allow the operating system to boot and further damage the root and file allocation table of the hard drive. Viruses, sabotage or file/directory deletion also lead to the loss of the data. These losses occur due to the logical failure of the hard drive. Physical failure occurs due head crashing, spindle stops spinning, circuit board crashing or mal-function of Read/Write Head assemblies and PCB/Logic Board failures. Data loss occurs due to logical crash can be recovered by using data recovery software. Actually when data is lost from the hard drive then only the entries of the data get erased but data still resides in the data area of the hard drive. These data recovery software helps to regain the entries on File Allocation Table. Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery Software is one such tool capable of recovering data from virtually any kind of data loss situation, from logical media crashes caused primarily due to accidental formatting of hard disk, invalid drive & disk specification, accidental Deletion of Data even from Recycle bin / Sabotage, Data Lost due to a virus attack, Missing File/Directory. Stellar Phoenix also helps in partition recovery from FAT 16, FAT 32, VFAT,.NTFS & NTFS5 file system. Data loss occur to physical failure require Class 100 Clean Room where data recovery professionals carry out data recovery operation like replacing circuit board, spindle and other sophisticated method to recover data from damaged and crashed hard drive. These experts recover the data from all sorts of media and from the variety of damage done. Stellar Information Systems Ltd is capable of recovering all such data loss occurs due to physical failure on all operating system such as Windows, Linux or Macintosh. Stellar Information Systems Limited is an ISO 9001-2000 certified company specializing in data recovery software and data protection software, services and solutions. Stellar offers a complete solution of file recovery software and lost data restoration programs for Windows (Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, 2003, XP), Apple Macintosh, Novell, Linux, Unix operating system and FAT, NTFS, NTFS5, HFS, HFS+, NWFS, JFS, EXT2 and EXT3 file systems.
By Andrew Watson
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

3 Simple questions for Hard Drive Users

Question 1: Is your hard drive sick? Have you ever tried to know your hard drive health? An obvious answer is No. Hard drive is the most important part in computer system, as it saves your compiled data, such that it can be user in future. It saves you hard work, your precious memories in form of photographs, emails and many more. And the point is we are not giving the importance to our data saver.And this Data Saver becomes Data Eater, when it gets SICK. And this other side of hard drive is really scary. This can make you lose all your important data, files, your pictures, emails, contacts & not the least it can ruin your business. Normally we start taking care of something when we know the importance of that particular thing in our life or the fear of loss makes us to take care of that. So, in case of hard drive we don't have any option... Either the fear of loss or the love for your data…. We have to start taking care of our data savers i.e. our hard drives.Question 2: How should I check my hard drive health? There are certain parameters from which we can conclude the hard drive health• Read Error Rate: This means the rate at which read retries is requested. Lower values indicate that there is a problem with either the disk surface or the read/write heads.• Spin up Time: It describes the amount of time hard drive takes to spin the disk platters up to their rated rotation speed (usually 5400 or 7200 Revolutions per minute). Values above 80 should be considered good. Values between 70 and 80 are acceptable.• Start/Stop Count: Indicates the total number of drive start/stop cycles (including both power on/off switching and suspend/wakeup switching).• Reallocated Sectors Count: Indicates the amount of the spare sector pool that is available. Spare sectors are used to replace sectors that become bad for some reason. A value of 100 means that no sectors have been replaced so far and a value of 1 means that spare sectors have been exhausted due to many replacements.• Power on Hours Count: Indicates how long the disk was working (powered on).• Spin Retry Count: Indicates the number of times the disk was unable to spin its platters up on the first attempt (lower values mean more retries).• Temperature: Indicates the temperature of disks equipped with thermal sensors.• Ultra ATA CRC Error Count: The UDMA controller performs error checking on the data it receives from the Hard Disk, ensuring that the data was not damaged while being transmitted over the cable. Each time an error is detected, the controller requests a retransmission, thus slowing down the overall transfer speed. Lower values of 'Ultra ATA CRC Error Count' correspond to a higher number of errors, usually indicating a cabling problem• Write Error Count: Indicates the rate at which write retries are requested. Lower values indicate that there is a problem with either the disk surface or the read/write heads.• Recalibration retries: Indicates the number of times recalibration was requested. A low value (multiple recalibrations) usually indicates some head positioning problem.For checking all these parameters you can use “ Stellar Phoenix SMART – An Early Warning System ”.Question 3: What precaution should I take such that my Hard Drive lives Healthy & long life. • Always use an UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) to avoid power fluctuations.• Get your hard drive defragmented in a regular interval• Handle your hard drive with proper care. Don't make you hard drive experience a shock.• Always do disk cleanup, to remove unwanted files.• If you ever get any error message, don't take it lightly. Try to reach the root cause of it.Note: As we know nothing is persistent, and there are any thing which is not in our control. So for the safer side take backup of your hard drive data. My Hard drive is sick? What should I do then? Try to take the complete backup or create an image. And if your hard drive is really bad condition I would suggest you to go for the new one. If you are not able to access the data then you have to take the help of data recovery professionals who will different data recovery techniques to recover your data back.
By Andrew Watson
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Importance of Email

As time progresses so the technology and we are not untouched. Message sending through post has been taking through E-mails as it much faster and accurate way of sending and receiving information. Emails are easier to understand with lesser time being consumed, large amount of work can be completed at a better pace. Important matter can be withdrawn by an individual at any given time. Emails are quite useful during emergency as the matter of concern can be sent across at the earliest. Now a day all the business matter is done through emails. Big companies instead of using free email services like yahoo or hotmail, they are using their own email system. They use outlook express or Microsoft outlook, configure their account their and use as a medium to send and receive the emails. It may happened that files in the Outlook Express becomes corrupt, especially when the database increases in size due to increasing number of stored emails and during database compaction. This has led to an evolution of email recovery software which can restore and recover corrupted files. Stellar Information Systems Ltd, a data recovery software and data recovery service company has come up with recovery software which correct problems and restore access to e-mail messages. Stellar Phoenix Mailbox Professional - PST Recovery Software which is designed to repair and recover email from corrupted Microsoft Outlook. This Outlook file recovery software scans the damaged .pst file and extracts and then saves information in a new usable .pst file, enabling PST File Recovery. For more information visit: http://www.stellarinfo.com/outlook-pst-file-recovery.htm
By Andrew Watson

Deleting data from the your PC

What your Operating System does when you request for deleting data?Is the permanent deletion, Is really a Permanent deletion of your data? Then what does your Operating system do when you request to erase the data beyond recovery...Let’s understand what is Deletion?Our operating system, provides us with two type of deletion i.e. Temporary Deletion Permanent DeletionTemporary DeletionWhen we simply delete a data, by Delete Button, or by Selecting a file with Right click and then selecting delete option from the popup menu. Both of the procedure will remove the file from the specific location and send it to Recycle Bin. This method is called as Temporary deletion, as this files can be restored from the Recycle bin.Permanent DeletionWhen we delete a file or folder using Shift + Delete. This method is called as Permanent deletion of data. This files is not recoverable according to your operating system. Is this True? If not, then why?No, you can recover this data very easily with many undelete utilities available in the market. Like Stellar phoenix deleted file recovery. Lets answer this question why this file is recoverable. When we do Shift + Delete, the operating system simply flags that file as deleted. And this file / folder does not appear in the recycle bin, however the data is still present in your hard drive.What wiping software does? Such that the data is beyond recovery!Let me answer this question by taking an example of a Wiping tool i.e. Stellar WipeCheck out what this software doesStellar Wipe 3.0 is a comprehensive solution to maintain your computer privacy by wiping worthless yet sensitive information off your system, beyond data recovery.All your on & offline activities are recorded by your computer, whether it is the >> Temporary internet files>> Cookies>> History>> Typed URL’s>> Recently opened documents, etc. The utility destroys data from already-erased files, the traces of which might still be present on your hard disk, in the Trash folder, Windows Registry or in the unused hard disk areas.Stellar Wipe is a simple yet powerful and effective data cleansing software. Apart from deleting selected files and folders, Wipe is also capable of deleting an entire drive, cleaning unused pace on your hard disk and also removing Internet and System traces from your computer. It also ensures complete data destruction by removing previously deleted files/folders. Extremely secure algorithms which conform to the US Government DoD standards are used to ensure permanent data deletion. It is thus a complete solution for computer privacy.The software is menu driven, simple to use with an intuitive interface, and requires no prior technical skill.What’s Fundamental of Data Wiping software?These software actually overwrites on the data area, with junk data, with number of complex algorithm’s. Stellar wipe uses the following algorithm’s to erase the data.  Zeroes Pseudo-random Pseudo-random & Zeroes DoD 5220.22-M (3 passes) DoD 5200.28-STD (7 passes) Russian Standard - GOST B.Schneier's algorithm (7 passes) German Standard, VSITR (7 passes) Peter Gutmann, (35 passes) US Army AR 380-19 (3 passes) North Atlantic Treaty Organization - NATO Standard US Air Force, AFSSI 5020So next time, when you want to delete some critical data to beyond recovery, then use some wiping tool, to erase your data completely. Like Stellar Wipe.
By Andrew Watson
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Do you know your Outlook Express?

Do you know your Outlook Express?Outlook express is an email client that comes bundled with Windows 95 and higher and facilitates home users to access their e mails by dialing to an internet service provider.Outlook express is the primary e- mail client for most e mail needs. Every morning, office goers around the world begin their day with outlook express. They reach their workstations, sign into their account and download their emails. It’s business as usual. But some times everything doesn’t go as planned. The outlook express fails.Symptoms of Corruption?The performance of your outlook express may be sluggish, messages may take long hour for download or files and folders may just vanish. The files may be deleted or corrupted. The first clue of a damaged file or folder is the corruption of .dbx files.The .dbx and .mbx files are used by outlook express for storing files. All files in Outlook Express Folder list are stored on our hard drive with the same file name but with the extension of .dbx (eg inbox.dbx). Together these are saved on a folder named as store folder which is located deep within Documents and Settings folder. It is a hidden folder .The corruption of this folder crashes the outlook express. The DBX files chop each message into 512 byte pieces. What happens when an item is Deleted from Outlook Express?When a message is deleted from the deleted items folder, the Outlook Express removes the first 4 bytes of each piece, so it is not possible for outlook to recover a message in its has been deleted from the recycle bin OR permanently deleted using shift + del key.The following are the symptoms of file corruption in OE1) Outlook Express feels sluggish when starting and while switching folders.2) Simple tasks like marking a message as read might take several seconds.3) Inbox may not display incoming mails.4) Certain folders might be working improperly.Vulnerability of Outlook Express with Anti Virus Software!Virus can spell doom for any of our software’s. But our primary concern while dealing with OE is the anti virus software’s. Because it is well known that outlook is often corrupted by the very software’s believed to protect it. To eliminate the probability of this type of corruption you should disable the e-mail scanning module in your anti-virus program. In most cases, the corruption is due to damaged .dbx files, more precisely, folders.dbx files. This is the folder that indexes the entire store folder. Without its aid Outlook Express cannot do anything. The only solution in case is to delete the corrupt file from the Store Folder. If your OE appears sluggish or if the mails still take long to download, then the possible alternative is to compact all your Outlook Express folders, this may be suitable for correcting minor errors. But if the problem still persists, you must contact a reputed data recovery company like Stellar which offers Stellar Phoenix Mailbox Standard, Software which repairs damaged / corrupted Outlook Express folders and provides outlook express recoveryAll recovered / repaired messages are saved as .eml files at a location chosen by the user.In spite of the availability of data recovery and file repair software’s like above, it is best to observe certain Precautions while working with outlook express. These are • Always keep your inbox manageable and empty mails into relevant folders.• If you use windows XP sp2 (Service Pack 2), disable the automatic background compaction.• If the compaction is in progress, don’t use the computer till it is completed.• Maintain adequate back-ups of store folder.Never try to locate your store folder because one single corruption in that may wreck your outlook express. These basic precautions can be extremely useful if we use OE frequently or even if we have a large amount of correspondence on our OE inbox.
By Andrew Watson
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Friday, November 23, 2007

What Is Data Management?

The Definition:Data Management is the comprehensive series of procedures to be followed and have developed and maintained the quality data, using the technology and available resources. It can also be defined that it is the execution of architectures under certain predefined policies and procedures to manage the full data lifecycle of a company or organization. It is comprised of all the disciplines related to data management resources.Following are the key stages or procedures or disciplines of data management:1. Database Management system2. Database Administration3. Data warehousing4. Data modeling5. Data quality assurance6. Data Security7. Data movement8. Data Architectures9. Data analysis10. Data Mining1. Database Management system:It is one of the computer software from various types and brands available these days. These software are designed for specifically for the purpose of data management. These are few of these; Ms Access, Ms SQL, Oracle, MySql, etc. The selection of any one of these depends upon the company policy, expertise and administration. 2. Database Administration:Data administration is group of experts who are responsible for all aspects of data management. The roles and responsibilities of this team depends upon the company’s over all policy towards the database management. They implement the systems using protocols of software and procedures, to maintain following properties:a. Development and testing database,b. Security of database,c. Backups of database,d. Integrity of database, and its software,e. Performance of database,f. Ensuring maximum availability of database3. Data warehousingData warehousing, in other words is the system of organization of historical data, its storage capability etc. Actually this system contains the raw material for the management of query support systems. That raw material is such that the analysts can retrieve any type of historical data in any form, like trends, time stamped data, complex queries and analysis. These reports are essential for any company to review their investments, or business trends which in turn will be used for future planning. The data warehousing are based on following terms:a. The databases are organized so that all the data elements relating to the same events are linked together,b. All changes to the databases are recorded, for future reports,c. Any data in databases is not deleted or over written, the data is static, readable only,d. The data is consistent and contains all organizational information. 4. Data modelingData modeling is the process of creating a data model by applying and model theory to create data model instance. The data modeling is actually, defining, structuring and organizing the data using predefined protocol. Then the theses structures are implemented in data management system. In addition, it also will impose certain limitation on the database with in the structure. 5. Data quality assuranceData quality assurance is the procedure to be implemented in data management systems, to remove anomalies and inconsistencies in the databases. This also performs cleansing of databases to improve the quality of databases. 6. Data SecurityIt is also called as data protection, this is system or protocol which is implemented with in the system to ensuring that the databases are kept fully safe and no one can corrupt by access controlling. The data security, on other hand, also provides the privacy and protection to the personal data. Many companies and governments of the world have created law to protect the personal data. 7. Data movementIt is one term broadly related to the data warehousing that is ETL (Extract, Transform and Load). ETL is process involved in data warehousing and is very important as it is the way data is loaded into the warehouse. 8. Data ArchitecturesThis is most important part of the data management system; it is the procedure of planning and defining the target states of the data. It is, realizing the target state, describing that how the data is processed, stored and utilized in any given system. It created criterion to processes the operation to make it possible to design data flows and controls the flow of data in any given system. Basically, data architecture is responsible for defining the target states and alignment during the initial development and then maintained by implementations of minor follow-ups. During the defining of the states, data architecture breaks into minor sub levels and parts and then brought up to the desired form. Those levels can be created under the three traditional data architectural processes:a. Conceptual, which represents all business entitiesb. Logical means the how these business entities are related.c. Physical, is the realization of the data mechanism for specific function of database.From above statements, we can define that the data architecture includes complete analysis of the relationship between functions, data types and the technology.9. Data analysisData analysis is the series of procedures which is used to extract required information and produce conclusion reports. Depending upon the type of the data and the query, this might include application of statistical methods, trending, selecting or discarding certain subsets of data based on specific criteria. Actually, data analysis is the verification or disproval of an existing data model, or to the extract the necessary parameters to achieve theoretical model over realty. 10. Data Mining Data mining is the procedure to extract unknown but useful parameters of data. It also can be defined that it is the series of procedures to extract the useful and desired information from large databases. Data mining is the principle of sorting the large through the large amount of data and selected the relevant and required information for any specific purposes.
By: Nawaz Lakho
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