One of our customers pointed out a new program to me and wanted me to check it out. This program called itself a bug fixer. It was a sharp looking program and claimed to fix bugs on the user's computer that he didn't even know existed.
It sounded like a super duper problem solver until I downloaded it and took a closer look. Being a programmer I quickly saw behind its smoke and mirrors. It actually only performed six of the over 1000 cleaning processes which our A1Click Ultra PC Cleaner and RegVac Registry Cleaner do.
Even though it did little compared to our programs, it found 504 problems. How can that be? My computer was clean. The program did not show any details about the results but wanted $30 before it would clean them. I'll never know for sure about those results, but I suspect that they were fabricated and that the true number of problems was 0.
There are many shady developers out there that just want to make a quick buck. I doubt this bug fixer program will even be around in a year.
This provides a good lesson to anyone. Be sure to purchase software from a trusted developer and don't buy a program just because it looks nice.
We have been in the software business since 1996 and are continually improving our programs. You will not hear hype and lies from us. Our programs may not look that good on the surface, but under the hood they are super. When you purchase our programs, all future updates are free.
If you haven't tried RegVac Registry Cleaner and A1Click Ultra PC Cleaner, try them today.
by: Ray geide
In the beginning Windows' registry consisted of two files totalling around 5mb in size. Today it consists of at least 12 files with the Software file itself being 30mb or bigger in size. As the size of the registry has exploded, so has the trash and clutter in it. It may seem like a daunting task, but cleaning the registry properly can fix system problems, speed your computer up, and make it run more efficiently.
I have spent many years developing and refining thousands of procedures to do just that. I could share these methods of hunting down the trash with you and let you find them and delete them by hand, but if you were to sit down at your computer right now and work nonstop, you would still be busy with them a week from now when the next issue of Ray's Computer Tips arrives. By then your registry would have new clutter and you would have to start all over again.
To make registry cleaning easier on everyone, I wrote a program called RegVac Registry Cleaner (http://regvac.com/regvac.htm) to perform those procedures. It has been so successful that several companies have asked me to model their registry cleaners after RegVac and even more have copied processes that first debutted in RegVac.
The first place RegVac cleans is the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT section (the Classes Vac in RegVac does this). This section contains settings for the classes of Windows. Think of a huge box full of snakes and you will get an idea of how complicated and interwoven it is. It is so complicated that many registry cleaners bypass it or simply perform surface scans of it. RegVac uses over a hundred processes to follow each tentacle of each class deep into this area and make sure that they abide by the rules.
Next RegVac validates the entries in 22 lists with 7 different methods (the FilesList Vac does this). This is a minor part of RegVac but the bulk of most other registry cleaners even though they usually do not clean all 22 lists.
Another part of RegVac, the Software Vac, which is unique to RegVac, finds old software sections in the registry and provides a way to remove that software's entire branch. Other registry cleaners only remove a few entries in this area often leaving huge portions of the registry that do nothing but take up space and get in the way.
Even more trash can be discovered in hundreds of stashes used to store data you will never use. Most registry cleaners do not even touch these. The Stash Vac lists these stashes and lets you go through and select which ones to empty out. Please use caution when using the Stash Vac because some of the items listed there may be important. For example, one folder in the Stash Vac lists places where data for international keyboards are stored. You probably will never use the data for Bulgarian keyboards, so you can remove it, but if you live in the US you may experience problems after removing the United States 101 keyboard. The items that you can safely remove are usually obvious.
Last but not least, when cleaning the registry, you should look for broken links to files on the computer (this is what the Bad Link Vac does). If a file is referenced in the registry but it does not exist on your hard drive, that is a good indicator that something is wrong. Many programmers start out writing a registry cleaner thinking all it has to do is check for these broken links and remove them. In fact, that is all many registry cleaners do.
Even though that is all they do, they often don't do it correctly. If you check the results of such scans, you will find out that many of the broken links are really good links. I spent several months refining this part of RegVac so that as far as I know it is 100% accurate. Despite this, please realize that some software enter broken links in the registry and require them to be there in order for them to run. RegVac skips the ones it knows about, but you still need to be careful with this part of RegVac.
RegVac has six more tools that clean even more areas: the Add/Remove Editor, the System Config Utility, the OpenWith Editor, the AutoComplete Editor, the Junk Keys Editor, and Registry Backup, Pack, and Restore.
by: Ray Geide
If your mouse is working sluggishly or not at all, don't go out and buy another cheap mouse. The cause is probably just a dirty mouse. A quick cleaning could fix the problem.
First, you need to identify which kind of mouse you have. If you turn your mouse over and part of a ball is showing, you have a ball mouse. If you see a lens, you have an optical or laser mouse. Each type of mouse requires a different type of cleaning.
The optical or laser mouse does not need to be cleaned near as often as the ball mouse, but it and the surface it runs on can still get dirty. If you do not clean the surface that the mouse moves on, it will soon turn black. So about once a month or so, wipe the surface off with a wet rag. The lens probably never will get dirty, but if it does, take a soft cloth, cotton swab, or q-tip wetted with window cleaner or alcohol and clean the lens.
The ball mouse may need cleaning quite often, so you should get well acquainted with the following cleaning procedure. The dirtier the ball mouse gets, the harder it is to get it to move the cursor on the screen smoothly. If you have to move the mouse across the mouse pad several times to get the cursor to move halfway across the screen, it needs to be cleaned.
The mouse does not need to be disconnected to clean it, but you should close all of the programs that are running, so that you don't accidentally click on something and mess it up. If you do decide to disconnect the mouse, be sure to turn off the computer first. The mouse cord should never be unplugged from the computer while it is running. Doing so could ruin your motherboard.
Turn the ball mouse over and find the cover that holds the ball in. Look for arrows on the cover to show which way it needs to be turned. Place two fingers on the cover and push in the direction of the arrows. Once the cover has been turned about an inch, cover it with your hand and turn the mouse back over to the upright position. The ball and cover should fall into your hand. If it doesn't, shake the mouse gently.
Wipe the ball off with a wet rag.
Now look in the ball well and find the three rollers. Start by cutting across the buildup on the rollers with your fingernail (a knife or steel dental pick may also be used gently), then turn the roller and remove the buildup as you go along. If you do this correctly, you will end up with one curled strip of buildup for each roller. Make sure to remove the buildup from the well. If it falls inside somewhere, blow and gently shake it until it comes out.
Take a wet rag and clean each of the rollers by wiping across it, then turning it and wiping again. Continue until the entire roller is cleaned. Put the ball back in the ball well and lock the cover back in place.
If the mouse still has problems once it is assembled, try cleaning it again. If that doesn't work, you may need to buy a new mouse.
It is a good idea to regularly clean the surface that the mouse is on because the cleaner the surface, the less dirt will get inside the mouse and the less often you will have to clean it.
If your mouse is shared by many people (especially if one of them is sick), you may want to disinfect the top of the mouse between users.
Follow these instructions and your mouse will be up and darting again in no time.
by: Ray Geide
If you have not done the inspection mentioned in the previous article - How to Clean your Case, now is the time to do so. Look at the blades of the fan in the back of the computer. Also look at any vents. Is there clusters of dust there? Is there grime caked on to it? If so, the inside needs to be cleaned. If the fan blades are clean but it has been several years since you have cleaned the motherboard or if the computer is around cigarette smoke, it probably should be cleaned anyway. Dust and particles in the air (like cigarette smoke) can build up on the circuitry of the motherboard and cause it to heat up and/or corrode.
The first thing that you need to do is unplug your computer. Then open up the case to get access to the motherboard. Cases open differently. If you don't know how to open your case, look on the back of your computer along the edge for some screws. These screws may hold on side panels or an upside down U shaped panel that covers the sides and top. Removing the screws will allow you to take off the cover. Other cases have the screws on the front of the computer. To get access to these screws, you must first remove the front panel by pressing a hidden latch. The cover is there to give easy access to the inside of your computer, so if you look hard enough, you should be able to figure out how to remove it.
Remember that if you touch anything on the motherboard, you should be grounded by either touching the metal frame of the computer with your other hand or by wearing a special grounding device.
The goal of cleaning the motherboard is to remove all dust and debris from the motherboard and all components inside of the case. This can be done using one of three methods.
The preferred method is to use a can of compressed air to blow it out. Always hold the can in an up-right position to prevent the propellent chemicals which can damage or corrode components from coming out. Dust and dirt should be blown away from the motherboard and out of the case.
Another way to remove dust is to use a vacuum. The common advice is to only use a battery operated vacuum because an AC powered vacuum causes static and static can ruin the motherboard. I have used an AC powered vacuum (before I knew that it was not recommended) to clean my motherboard many times and it has never caused any problems, but I may have just been lucky. When using the vacuum, keep the nozzle a couple of inches away from the motherboard or any other components so that it does not come in contact with them and so that any small parts are not sucked into the vacuum.
If you do not have a can of compressed air or a vacuum, you can use a dry cloth and brush to clean the motherboard. Be careful not to dislodge or break anything using this method.
While cleaning the motherboard, be careful not to unplug any cables or connections or to dislodge any loose components, such as, jumpers.
Methodically clean the whole inside of the case going over all of the motherboard from one end to the other and all other components. Don't forget to clean the fans and heat sinks. Do not open up the power supply box or stick anything in it beyond the fan. If you do, you could get a shocking surprise and ruin your computer.
If your computer does not work when you put it back together, something was obviously dislodged during the cleaning. Open the case back up and push all connections and cards into their slots. Look for anything that may have become disconnected.
Cleaning the motherboard is probably the most dangerous form of cleaning but it is necessary to prevent an early death of your computer.
by: Ray Geide
RSS is an abbreviation that has evolved into the following, depending on their versions:
• RDF Site Summary (also known as RSS 0.9; the first version of RSS)
• Rich Site Summary (also known as RSS 0.91; a prototype)
• Really Simple Syndication (also known as RSS 2.0)
Today, RSS stands for 'Really Simple Syndication', and it has the following 7 existing formats or versions:
• 0.90
• 0.91
• 0.92
• 0.93
• 0.94
• 1.0
• 2.0
RSS tools refer to a group of file formats that are designed to share headlines and other web content (this may be a summary or simply 1 to 2 lines of the article), links to the full versions of the content (the full article or post), and even file attachments such as multimedia files. All of these data is delivered in the form of an XML file (XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language), which has the following common names:
• RSS feed
• Webfeed
• RSS stream
• RSS channel
They are typically shown on web pages as an orange rectangle that usually has the letters XML or RSS in it.
RSS feeds can be used to deliver any kind of information. Some of these 'feeds' include:
• Blogs feed - each blog entry is summarized as a feed item. This makes blog posts easier to scan, enabling 'visitors' to zoom in on their items of interest.
• Article feed - this alerts readers whenever there are new articles and web contents available.
• Forum feed - this allows users to receive forum posts and latest discussion topics.
• Schedule feed - this allows users (such as schools, clubs, and other organizations) to broadcast events and announce schedule changes or meeting agendas.
• Discounts or Special feed - this is used to enable users (such as retail and online stores) to 'deliver' latest specials and discounted offers.
• Ego or News Monitoring - this enables users to receive 'filtered' headlines or news that are based on a specific phrase or keyword.
• Industry-specific feed - used by technical professionals in order to market, promote, or communicate with current (and prospective) customers and clients within their specific industries.
RSS feeds enable people to track numerous blogs and news sources at the same time. To produce an RSS feed, all you need is the content or the article that you want to publicize and a validated RSS text file. Once your text file is registered at various aggregators (or 'news readers'), any external site can then capture and display your RSS feed, automatically updating them whenever you update your RSS file.
RSS tools are useful for sites that add or modify their contents on a regular basis. They are especially used for 'web syndication' or activities that involve regular updates and/or publications, such as the following:
• News websites - as used by major news organizations such as Reuters, CNN, and the BBC.
• Marketing
• Bug reports
• Personal weblogs
There are many benefits to using RSS feeds. Aside from being a great supplemental communication method that streamlines the communication needs of various sectors, RSS tools and feeds can also have tremendous benefits in your business, particularly in the field of internet marketing.
RSS tools and feeds provide Internet users with a free (or cheap) and easy advertising or online marketing opportunity for their businesses. Below are some of the RSS features that can help make your internet marketing strategies more effective.
1. Ease in content distribution services. With RSS, your business can be captured and displayed by virtually any external site, giving you an easy way to 'spread out' and advertise them.
2. Ease in regular content updates. With RSS, web contents concerning your business can now be automatically updated on a daily (and even hourly) basis. Internet users will be able to experience 'real time' updates as information in your own file (such as new products and other business-related releases) is changed and modified simultaneously with that of the RSS feeds that people are subscribed to.
3. Custom-made content services. With RSS, visitors can have personalized content services, allowing them total control of the flow and type of information that they receive. Depending on their interests and needs, visitors can subscribe to only those contents that they are looking for (such as real estate or job listings).
4. Increase in (and targeted) traffic. With RSS, traffic will be directed to your site as readers of your content summary (or 1 to 2 lines of your article) who find them interesting are 'forced' to click on a link back to your site.
These are just several of the many things that you can do with RSS. The possibilities are endless, and they are all aimed at providing you with an effective internet marketing strategy for your business.
In the mean time, Good Luck on your journey to success…
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by: Terry Leslie
One of the great debilitators in online business is simply the perceived (or real) lack of time. Business owners are used to moving forward. An online web presence can make them feel tied to an office chair learning skills they aren’t sure they want to know.
It’s not uncommon for those who deal in full time web design to have individuals contact them for a site design, but have absolutely no idea what they want. Furthermore when the designer questions them the response might be, “I don’t know, just make it look nice.”
Let’s not forget the core values or mission of the business. Many business owners have no idea how to answer those kinds of questions. They may stare blankly for a moment or two and there’s no more time for further deep thought so they go back to action – without answers.
In many cases it is possible to answer some of the questions needed, but it may require taking time away from a familiar setting. It may also require more time than you think you want to give.
If you can get to a place of concentrated contemplation you are likely to find yourself stripping ideas to their core to find out what your business is trying to accomplish and what your ultimate goals might be.
As with almost any project you can turn frustration around if you will just take the time to come to terms with your vision.
Sometimes we spend so much time ‘doing’ we never stop to ask the question, “Why?”
This process can be a bit like taking a bus that drives around the park. You keep looking at the flowers and the park bench and long to sit in the quiet shade of a tree and just absorb the calming atmosphere. You know they will have a positive effect on you, but for some reason you just can’t seem to find the energy to get off the bus.
It seems to me there are some sites that are misguided or rarely guided that could benefit from the process of self-evaluation. These sites may look nice, but there is a sense of disconnection that may not be easy to identify, but it’s fairly obvious to visitors.
Creative energy is at a minimum while business owners simply tackle what seem to be the most urgent details.
As more people gravitate to online business there needs to be a shift in the thinking of how one goes about doing business online. In many ways it can’t be approached in the same way a traditional business is developed, yet that is typically the way many new web commerce ventures choose to tackle the subject.
You may discover your business will be more successful if you take some time for rigorous reflection. The time set aside can be a bit like an architect that takes the time to develop plans for a new building. You wouldn’t expect the architect to simply tell a construction crew to, “Go out there and build – something.”
Work at ‘building’ your online business in a comprehensive way. Your effort can develop a firm foundation for long-term success.
Scott Lindsay
One of the more popular multimedia formats today is the mp4 format- the offspring of the more venerable mp3 format that has been synonymous with many of the well known media players available on the World Wide Web today, including Nullsoft's Winamp series, that has been available since the nineties.
The format is being extensively used throughout the world to carry digital music and other content, and has been thoroughly adapted by many companies that produce portable media players. This media format is being used extensively also on the World Wide Web, as it allows users to literally "stream" content.
There should be a disambiguation between the two most common uses of the term mp4. Throughout the world there are portable media players that use the term mp4 to describe their functions. This is simply a misnomer. These portable media players do not really play the MP4 media format. The name simply implies that these players have the capacity to play video files as well as mp3 files.
The real MP4 players are digital media players that may be found in high-end portable media players and in personal computers that either run on the Mac platform or the Windows platform.
The media container that is MP4 according to technical specifications contains different types of streams of files- and so this might be confusing for some people. The company that originated and patented the media container format has recently been using a file extension to denote that a file is media container format and not simply one file.
Now, there are different file extensions to denote which specific content is in what MP4 file. For example, the extension name .m4a is used to denote that a file may possible contain videos or digital music. Now, as for digital media content (video and digital music) that are sold through electronic stores such as Apple's popular iTunes stores, there is the file extension of .m4p to denote that the material is protected by copyright programs.
This media container format can also convey electronic books and other related content. Now, if it conveys this kind of content, the file extension changes to .m4a. .
There are many other types of content that this particular format supports- however, there are certain limits to its usage. For instance, the MP4 format is not usually used by digital cameras or video recorders, as these still use the MPEG-3 format.
According to its creators though, the container format can support nearly every conceivable type of media content, from raw images to raw unedited videos to edited formats. The media container format is even being used in other non-PC related technologies, such as in digital video discs, as carriers of foreign subtitles that are dispersed alongside other multimedia content. As for audio content, the media format can sustain different forms of content- from the highest bitrates to the ones with lowest and poorest bitrates.
All in all, the MP4 format is here to stay- unless Apple releases a more sophisticated media container format.
As the world becomes more dependent on computer systems, businesses are realizing the need for reliable, accurate data aggregation and backup systems. Many small and medium-sized businesses turn to multiple solutions for their needs. This raises costs, increases the likelihood of errors in data backup, and lengthens the time spent inputting and recovering data from the various solutions.
Cutting-edge innovations alleviate these problems by creating a single appliance solution that acts as an all-in-one data protection solution and offers ease of use and maintenance. New innovations also allow businesses to circumvent outmoded technological models, such as tape backups. Relying on multiple solutions patched together can result in failure due to incompatibility and outmoded technology. The most up-to-date and user-friendly solutions include:
• Advanced data protection
• Immediate access to stored data
• Comprehensive data recovery
• Fully automated backup systems
• Point and click interface
• Advanced software for ease of use
This form of backup allows you to avoid using tape drives, pieced together solutions, and other problematic scenarios. By using disk backup solutions with a specialized operating system and user interface, you can obtain data integration, backup, and restoration with the click of a mouse. You can also enjoy immediate access to data through networked computers, ensuring that all employees have access to vital business information. This helps increase productivity, ensures greater ROI, and grows your business much more quickly.
You can find out more about innovative disk backup solutions by visitng Revinetix.com. This industry leader has pioneered a dramatic means of keeping your vital data safe, as well as ensuring optimum data access and dissemination through their custom software.
The iPod is already pretty versatile from audio books to recipes and photos; you can now watch movies and television shows. And of course, you can purchase and download them through iTunes! The 80 GB iPod is capable of holding 20,000 songs, 25,000 photos and now 100 hours of video or any combination thereof. Even television shows and iPod games can also be synchronized when you plug into iTunes.
Watching television and movies will drain your battery power, but you will get six hours of watching time on your iPod. Your regular laptop computer with a DVD drive might be lucky to get through the whole movie, but chances are your battery is going to die at the end of the movie. Video iPod will allow you to watch movies and TV shows while on the go and not have to worry about your iPod dying on you. The battery power makes the iPod great for flying, car rides or just sitting around bored at the office.
The new iPod interface makes finding a song out of 20,000 or a movie out of 100 hours easy. Synchronizing your video and television is easy through iTunes and you can always have the latest episodes or the newest movies. Search by name or genre and your iPod will bring the files to you.
The USB Power Adapter is handy and gives you the flexibility of charging your iPod when you're not connected to a computer. This is great if you are in a restaurant or airport and need to plug in for a little while and get some juice for your trip.
RoadTrip makes car rides easy as well. Say you are driving for twelve hours and your iPod is only going to last half of that time while you are watching movies and television shows. Combine your iPod with the RoadTrip and you can charge, listen to FM radio and your music. Everyone will love being able to watch movies and television shows while traveling by air or ground. RoadTrip works with all docking iPods except the 1st and 2nd generations.
The iPod Video Shield is also great for your video iPod. The shield is practically invisible and it will keep your screen clean without adding bulk to your iPod. It snaps on and off easily and allows all of your connectors to remain in place. This is really helpful if you are traveling with your iPod and to keep it protected.
Adam White
When it comes to IP video surveillance, the IP cameras themselves are only part of the picture. Beyond the physical cameras is the IP camera software you use to monitor and record video. Oftentimes cameras will not come with this software included, and it will be up to you to pick the right software for your needs.
IP Camera Software Features
One of the major things to look at when choosing software for your IP camera software is the features included with that camera. Take some time to think about what exactly you want your software to do. If you want nothing more than for video to be recorded to look at later, then just about any piece of IP software will do. However, if you are looking for something more advanced you will find there are many options.
Many pieces of IP camera software come with a variety of features. For example, oftentimes they come with advanced video analytics such as motion detection, object recognition, even facial recognition. The software can then be programmed to do things such as send out notifications or alerts should an intrusion happen via e-mail, text or other signal. Software can also be programmed to only record, for example, upon motion detection.
Make a list of the things you would like your IP camera software to do, then look for a piece of software that has the features which will make these things happen. This is your first step in choosing the piece of software that is right for your security system.
Give the Software a Try
Like most software these days, it is often possible to download a free demo of IP camera software from a company's web site. Generally these demos will be limited either in features or in the time you are able to use them. Such demos are an excellent way of getting a taste of exactly what the software is like and what it can do.
Gauge the demo software on whether or not it provides the functions you are looking for. Also look at how easy it was to install as well as how easy to use. Every person is different and will find different pieces of software easier or more difficult to use depending on their own skills and expectations.
Perform tests on all the different features that led you to choose this software in the first place. If all goes well in these tests, most likely you have the right piece of software in your hands.
Checking Out the Company and the Software
Before making the final purchase, however, you should try to find out more about the company and the software. Look for reviews of the software as well as of the company itself. You might find that even though the software looks good, there might be hidden problems such as poor technical support, or bugs which don't appear in the system until it has been in use for a little while and are difficult to remove. Reading the opinions of others who have used the software and worked with the company can give you a lot of information on whether or not this is the right piece of IP camera software for you.
By Wes Fernley
MDF file extensions can denote various types of files. MDF files can often mean a type of Microsoft Database SQL file. Its most common use is that of an image backup file. .MDF and .MDS files are very similar to each other and are both used as image copies of DVDs or CDs. An image file means that it is an archive file which is exact copy byte-to-byte like an "image". So for instance if you have a CD with lots of files on it, you can simply archive all those files into one large file with file extension MDF. You should think of MDF, ISO, BIN, and CUE files as archive files like .ZIP files without the compression. Compression means that it reduces the size of a certain file/s on disk by using mathematical algorithms to store it in compressed format, most usually .ZIP or .RAR.
How to open and extract the contents of MDF files?
MDF files generally differ from the other types of image files out there (ISOs and BINs), however you can easily convert from one to another because they are distant relatives. There are various free tools which can help you create or open MDF files including MagicISO and Alcohol 120%. Both of these tools are CD/DVD utility applications.
MagicISO Maker can directly create, edit, extract, and burn ISO/MDF files. It also can convert almost all CD/DVD image formats to one another. With MagicISO, you can handle DVD images up to 10GB, create CD image files directly from CD/DVD-ROM and also can burn ISO files and other CD/DVD image files to CD-R/RW.
A library which I advocate that anyone should at least visit once in their lifetime. Uniblue's aim is to be there for anyone who has problems with their computers. They have libraries, resources, tools and tips concerning anything related to processes, file extensions, ports, system errors, drivers. One stop site to aid you in your everyday computer needs. Tech-naive people will find this a blessing and advanced users will find this website as a great tool for re-assurance. No human can remember 16000 errors by heart!
By Jon Buchanon
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past twenty years you will have noticed the sudden steep changes our world has taken towards the technological. We are ushering into an era where computers are becoming more and more common. Like some kind of sci-fi flick, wherever you look your bound to see a computer. From PDA's, to computer systems in automobiles, even our cell phones have computer like capabilities coming with miniature keyboards and able to use the Internet. For the computer enthusiast, like me, it's like living in a dream come true.
I remember when I was ten years old I had this Apple IIe. My gramps gifted it to me because I was constantly using it whenever I visited him. I didn't just know how to boot it up; I could program in it with BASIC and Cobol and did some of my very first programs at that age. Needless to say I loved that computer a lot. I built games for it, miniature databases (ie Name, Age, School Info) and even drew ASCII art.
I also remember messing around with some schoolmates, the lucky few who had computers and knew about them, about how we could use our computers to connect to satellite and communicate with people around the world, how we could have video quality conversations and send encrypted information between us. It was all make believe. But surprisingly it was as if we had known what the future would hold. As if we had made a prediction, which eerily became quite true. At those times there was really no World Wide Web and certainly no Internet.
By the time I was 16 I already knew how to work on PCs and at the time Windows 3.1. My old computer had met and untimely "death" and at the time I wanted a newer computer. I ended up using my friend's computers or the ones in school and I had to literally get kicked out whenever I sat down to use one. At the time owning a computer was sort of expensive and so not everyone had computers.
Fast forward to this last few years and now almost everyone has a computer, because they've become quite affordable, and eerily almost everything my schoolmates and me made up came to reality. Almost everything that we played around with is available: video conferences, information sent through the Internet, e-mail, shopping malls, news and more at the click of a button.
This means that storing information has become much more valuable and having that information at a moments notice has become more critical. Most companies, government jobs, schools, universities, libraries and even personal computers have use of databases to store said data. This has lead to a market where data vendors sell databases to the aforementioned entities.
Building a database might not be the hardest thing but when time constraints play against you and cost is not an issue then sometimes its best to simply outsource it to the experts. Thankfully there are a variety of data vendors out there and the prices are quite affordable for any company to get a professional and well-done database that suits their needs. Other data vendors, like DB2Go, simply have a collection of ready-made databases for the person to download. All the person has to do is go in and get whatever they need.
There's also the DIY method. Thanks to the Internet there are a myriad of online tutorials, examples, codes and resources out there. There is an abundance of books on the topic as well. Books like Access Database Design & Programming ADO.NET in a Nutshell, ASP.NET in a Nutshell, Java Oracle Database Development and Mastering Visual Basic .NET Database Programming are very useful and can be found at your local bookstore. I highly suggest if you are serious about database programming to have them close to your desktop for reference.
It's clear that databases are far more important and much more complex then they used to be back from the time when all you needed was a few fields in BASIC. Today a person can build powerful database driven websites. Information Systems, which are becoming more common in places like Airports, Libraries and even commercial places such as Shopping Centers and Malls, rather then just corporations and big name companies, also make extensive use of databases. Thanks God there are a lot of ways and options for those who need one, from outsourcing it to experts to the good old fashioned DIY way.
By Issac Frost
Computer security is the means of preventing and detecting unauthorized use of the computer network, where prevention measures help you to stop unauthorized users from accessing the network. This is a branch of technology known as information security as applied to computers, where information security means protecting information and information systems from unauthorized use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.
Viruses usually begin to spread before they are identified, and the only way they are identified is when someone discovers their computer is behaving incorrectly and then they realize they have a virus. Viruses are usually hidden in programs and activated when a program run. They also can be attached to certain other types of files, such as email attachments and video files.
Web sites use cookies to "remember" your details, such as your user name or site preferences, in order to personalize your web site experience. The web browser transmits information back to the site each time you view that site until the cookie expires. Web visitors that have spyware and trojans installed on their computers, are examples of malicious software, referred to collectively as malware.
Securing a computer system is a complex issue touching several disciplines, departments, and cultures. Investments in these technologies should be followed up with investments in personnel training, strict policy enforcement, and periodic review of the overall security policy. Computer security and resilience is an exciting topic because the challenges and the technology evolve on a daily basis, where the skills needed to keep up with this rapidly expanding field are varied and provide a platform on which a graduate can build a career in any area of the computing industry. Computer security could be seen as a subfield of security engineering, which looks at broader security issues.
By Aaron Prather
Windows XP Registry Cleaners - How to Pick the Best Registry Cleaner
Diposting oleh PieLot Andrian'SIf you are looking for the best Windows XP Registry Cleaner, there are some very important features you should look for when doing your research because they very much make the difference between an average registry cleaner and a top notch registry cleaner.
First of all, you need to ensure that the registry cleaning software allows you to do a full backup and restore prior to fixing any errors, and if it doesn't then the program should never even be considered. Also, you should look for software that will perform automated backups instead of relying on you to manually perform a backup; it is more reliable and doesn't leave anything to chance.
You also want to look for a registry cleaner that can perform a deep scan. Only being able to perform what is the equivalent of a surface scan is not really that effective as many of the most damaging errors are found deeper within your computer's registry.
One important feature that many people overlook that you want to make sure the registry cleaner you choose can do is to provide you a detailed scanning log. This is important in the event you need to contact technical support for any reason as having the ability to filter through a log of what actually transpired during a scan and fix could mean the difference between a fully functional computer or one in which you never regain full functionality.
All of the above features are extremely important to consider when searching for a top of the line registry cleaner, however there is also one other very important feature you want to look for and that is the ability to optimize and compact your computer's registry.
Having the ability to optimize and compact your computer's registry is key if you truly want your computer to run at peak performance levels. What happens during an optimization and compacting of your registry is the software reorganizes and condenses your registry so that your operating system is able to find the files and entries it needs in a much more timely fashion.
What this means to your computer is that boot times and application startup and load times can be reduced by as much as 50% or more. In other words, you can get your computer running to the point as if it were brand new again.
So if you are in the market for a top of the line Windows XP Registry Cleaner, you need to make sure the software can backup and restore your registry, perform a deep scan and provide you with a fully detailed scan log, and you'll have everything you need to repair and maintain your system's registry.
But if you want your computer to run like new again, make sure you find software that can do everything above and also optimize and compact your registry as well.
By Paul McDonald
Maybe you have used the anti software to scan you computer regularly and are quite sure that there is no virus in your system. But why does it always spend a long time starting up, every time you start the computer, the blue cursor is rolling tirelessly for many times? That is time consuming and annoying.
The slow startup usually results from these reasons:
1. the virus 2. something wrong with your disks.
If these two cases are excluded, it must be the 3rd possibility: too many startup applications.
During the startup, windows system will read the relevant data in registry and most time of startup is spent on this process. Those who are not very good at computer stand to lose to some degree. Usually they are willing to try different software, but it will not be too long before they find those software are unwanted and uninstall them. It is always the case that some fragments of those uninstalled software remain among the startup applications. So it leads your computer to waste startup time on those unless applications.
You may fix this problem by re-setting them in Start, but that involves many steps and not easy to remember, the most important is that this method is not convenient for green hands, so here we don't talk about it too much.
Another method is using some functional programs to manage the startup applications. This is a relatively easy way. This kind of programs list all the startup applications and users can directly enable what they need and disable unnecessary ones. You can try this Advanced PC Tweaker; its startup manager is really helpful.
Besides a quick startup also needs regular cleanup and optimization of registry and this product is capable of these jobs.
Furthermore regular system maintenance is also important. Too many game programs, functional applications and useless files also drag down your computer. It is recommended to remove those you don't need or haven't used for a long time.
By Jason Ritter Turner
The Importance of the Software on Asset Management For Electrical Engineers
Diposting oleh PieLot Andrian'SAsset management for electrical engineers is a crucial task. The electrical connections are much too hard to handle that the person who is going to work on them should really be knowledgeable. Asset management for electrical engineer is an important role to portray so the personnel assigned to such department necessarily have to be equally able and fully equipped with the experiences and tools for the task.
Asset management is typically assumed to be a name that defines the processes and methods which are being pushed through by the financial establishments in relation to portfolio and wealth management. In these modern day's practice and culture, this technical term could be extended to mean the infrastructure, equipment, and also the digital information which are pertinently processed. With every little company process which extends to the "cradle to the grave", the stages of the company assets have a lifecycle that needs to be entirely processed so that everything would go on smoothly. It is necessary that the company pushes through the complete stages so that productivity would be heightened and then the operations cost would be decreased. With this at hand, the life span of the assets gets lengthened. When the costs of productions are too high, this calls for the use of an effective and competitive asset management for electrical engineers to handle. The bottom line is always that the assets would achieve a long life and then the profit would at least be doubled or tripled while production is maintained at a high level.
Asset management for electrical engineers also paves way for the tasks such as reporting and monitoring the processes and their progress as it makes the company officials aware of the resources distribution and the status of the company in the corporate world. There has to be some inventory records so that the maintenance schedules would be arranged, the company would get ready to prepare the capital to be used for the costs, and that the empowerment of labor would be utilized and enhanced at the fullest level. With proper asset management to be followed by the electrical engineers, the expenses would be monitored and other expenditures would get handled too. With this too, the personnel would be spending less time in completing the necessary requirements needed for the operation and then the expansion of the business would also be made possible. To top it all, asset management for electrical engineers would promote the easy realization of the business vision, goals, and objectives in no time at all.
Several of today's organizations are particularly dependent on the easy access to information as provided by the various software for the information systems. The data these days have become too complicated that manual handling would not suffice. With the use of asset management software for electrical engineers, the companies would get protected against the possible attacks from some external forces. With the email alerts and real time reporting as provided by the asset management software for electrical engineers, the personnel would know where to focus and on what scope to concentrate on.
Most companies today are applying the use of the asset management software for electrical engineers basically because they have yielded on the pressing importance of being always protected against external attacks and the significance of having a comprehensive method of handling data.
By Rajesh Karavadia
Spyware Protection - 3 Things Vital to Keeping Your Computer Spyware Free
Diposting oleh PieLot Andrian'SWhen most people talk about Spyware Protection, that talk is centered on the use of antispyware software. And while that undoubtedly is a very important part of it, there are a couple of other important things you can do to help protect your computer from spyware.
Windows Updates
If you are a Microsoft Windows user, then you need to ensure that you are regularly updating your computer with the security patches that Microsoft releases and are doing it a timely fashion. Those security loopholes that exist in the Windows operating system are the same loopholes that hackers key in on when they are writing spyware and adware programs and thus it becomes vital that you close those loopholes as soon as Microsoft does.
The best way to accomplish this is to enable automatic Windows updates on your computer because if you rely on updating your computer manually, chances are very high that you'll likely forget and fall behind which only means that those security exploits are open longer increasing the chance you'll get infected with malware.
Firewall
The purpose of a firewall, plain and simple, is to block malicious software from making it onto to your computer and there are actually two kinds of firewalls, a software firewall and a hardware firewall.
Software firewalls are applications within your operating system that you can turn on or off via a click of the mouse, with Windows Firewall being an example of this.
A hardware firewall is a physical device that is installed between your internet connection and your computer and is typically more reliable than a software firewall is. You can either buy a dedicated hardware firewall or if you use a router, you can get one that has a firewall incorporated within it.
And even though hardware firewalls are more reliable than software firewalls, it is in your best interest to do both as it only increases the layers of protection for your computer.
Antispyware Software
I briefly mentioned it earlier, but running top notch antispyware software really is crucial to keeping your computer free of spyware and adware. While I don't recommend it, if you never ran windows updates and didn't use a firewall of any kind if you were to run a top spyware remover with real time protection you could realistically find that you will never get infected with malware.
One quick word about free antispyware software - avoid it. While most people would have you believe that it is just as effective as antispyware software that you pay for, the reality is that it is not. Free programs use a very simplistic scanning method to find spyware infections and typically only find spyware or adware that is common or well known and very often miss the most dangerous and harmful forms of spyware.
If you incorporate all three of these things - ensuring Windows Updates are turned on and set to automatically update, using a hardware and software firewall, and most importantly using top rated antispyware software, you'll go a long way towards providing the very best protection against spyware and adware.
By Paul McDonald
Remove Warning Spyware Detected on Your Computer in One Super Easy Step
Diposting oleh PieLot Andrian'SIf you've experienced the "Warning Spyware Detected on Your Computer" popup, you probably know by now that it is nothing more than an elaborate hoax meant to get you to buy rogue antispyware software that will, in turn, actually download and install more spyware on your computer. And you probably also know how difficult it is to remove this spyware application, that is unless you are willing to do something you probably have resisted up until this point.
Judging by the fact that you are reading this article, you are probably at a point where you are ready to do whatever it takes to get rid of this dangerous spyware. Chances are you've tried several free spyware removal tools and might have even found some special tools that were designed specifically for this particular threat - none of which have helped you. The reason is because spyware has gotten to the point where it is outsmarting the simple scanning engines of free antispyware software.
All of the free tools out there use a very simplistic scanning method to find malware on your computer. They merely look for changes within files and folders and scan known locations where spyware has installed itself in the past and moving forward rely on historical observation of those locations to find future infections.
The problem with this is that you get many false positives, or legitimate files tagged as spyware, and also much of the more current spyware goes undetected. What you need to do is find legitimate and proven antispyware software that scans your computer against a spyware database, which is a database of actual inactive spyware files. This is a much more effective and proven method of spyware detection and rarely reports false positives because each and every file is compared against that database.
Also, with this type of antispyware software you will also get the added benefit of superior real time protection - meaning that once you completely scan and clean your computer, you'll no longer have to worry about future infections because the software will continually scan the files and websites you access for spyware and adware threats.
So if you are tired of malware infections and tired of seeing messages popup on your screen that say "Warning Spyware Detected on Your Computer", you need to invest $30 in a true spyware remover or risk having your computer continually infected with spyware.
By Paul McDonald
Spam is unsolicited bulk email. It is typically an identical email sent in mass mailings used to promote a service or product or to propagate a virus. Some spam is actually fraudulent. The people sending the spam (known as spammers) use false contact information to set up their email accounts . The spammers then send out mass emails, making false claims in order to solicit money from the recipients. The infamous Nigerian 419 scam is an example of fraudulent spam.
A lot of businesses use spam as a marketing tool. Not all commercial email is spam, since some recipients may have willingly chosen to receive promotional mailings. Still, a lot of companies do resort to spam, and use several different tactics to get away with this. Some hire a third to send out messages, that way they don't have to deal with complaints or other problems resulting from the spam. Some "spoof" their email address, which is a process that hides the real email address, covering it up with a fake email address chosen by the spammer. Spammers are increasingly using virus-infected computers to send their spam for them. A recent study showed that 80% of spam was sent by these infected computers.
Not only is spam an annoying thing to have to deal with, it is also illegal in a lot of cases. Almost all internet service providers have an acceptable use policy in which sending spam is not allowed. If they catch a user sending spam, they can terminate the account and take legal action if necessary. According to the Can-Spam Act of 2003, spam is allowed as long as the subject line is true and there is no false information in the headers or sender address. If the email does not meet this criteria, it is considered to be illegal spam.
The problem is that it's nearly impossible for an email user to track down every spammer and prosecute them. And as long as the spammer meets the requirements of the Can-Spam Act, there is really nothing a spam victim can do. The best way to deal with spam is to block it from ever arriving in your inbox in the first place. Several popular anti-virus programs offer spam-blocking tools which are quite effective at removing spam. If you are looking for a free spam-blocker, there are plenty of those programs available as well. Many free programs offer the same level of protection as the paid programs, and can be even more efficient and easy to use. So if you are on a limited budget, a free spam blocker is definitely a good option to choose.
By Leroy West
No matter the complexity of the .NET Active Server Pages web application (weblication) content pages are the bloodline of the weblication. The normal process of generating the required pages to fulfill the requirements for menu items, text pages as well as pages under construction can be quite tedious.
The BCS Delphi .NET Content Page Code Generator alleviates all the drudgery by using only a few keystrokes and mouse clicks. The code generator generates the .NET active server page (.aspx) and the required code behind code (.pas).
This code generation feat is accomplished by using a master detail scenario that identifies the group of active server web pages as the master. The properties of each active server page serves as the details used in the master detail scenario.
The master data elements are a unique integer (auto number) identifier, an output path and a brief description.
The detail data elements are a unique integer as an identifier, Active Server Page Name an Active Server Page Title, a Master Page Number, Page For Text and a Under Construction identifiers. The Page For Text and the Under Construction identifiers are both Boolean fields.
Each page will have a the same components and structure but the overall functionality will identify a content area for text or a flash content area that tells the user the page is under construction.
The master (.aspx) and detail scenario (.pas) both reside in data repository tables. There are four main snippets employed for the active server page for .NET creation and one main snippet for the code behind Delphi program code.
Naming conventions for the active server pages and the code behind perform much of the file tailoring and code generation tasks.
For generation of the active server page the master page designation, the page title and the page name are employed from the table for subsequent code generation.
For generation of the code behind Delphi code the page name from the detail record is employed to make the new code program name and class names required to make the program complete and functional.
Before the creation of this code generator to create fifteen active server pages for .NET could take up to two hours of repetitive coding. Now simply key in only the particular attributes that comprises the active server page and the require code behind and then click the Make All option on the Primary Menu and the code is generate (all fifteen pages) in only a few seconds that require zero testing and zero debugging.
This particular tool focuses on Delphi for .NET but tools also exist that produce similar results for C#, C++ and Visual Basic.
By Arch Brooks
