Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Free Tips About Computer And Internet

Posted by Various Free Tips

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Who is Behind that Website? Ask Whois!

Posted by Various Free Tips
Who is Behind that Website? Ask Whois!

Who, exactly, stands behind that website on your screen? Does that web page really belong to the company it claims to represent?

A handy little applet, known as a "Whois", can tell you who is behind a web page before you make that final click or download that free offer.

What is a Whois?

A Whois is a software utility, or applet, that looks up information about individual websites. A Whois will reveal whatever information is currently available for any website.

A Whois will find the Domain Name and the IP Address so you will at least know the identity of the registered owner of the domain (website).

The exception is when an owner of a website lists it as "private". In that case, the only information available is whether the website really exists.

How much, or how little, information available for a Whois query depends on what the owner of the Domain Name decides to make public. Thankfully, most serious businesses provide ample information.

Companies usually want to make it easy for customers to get in touch; they list every possible way to reach them. They list telephone and fax numbers, physical (street) and postal addresses, and of course email contacts, in order to attract prospective customers.

A personal website owner, though, might be wiser to list only the minimum required data, or even register as "private". That way, she could avoid attracting unwanted sales pitches, spammers, or perhaps even worse.

Someone with a day job would not be at home during office hours, anyway. As well, who needs strangers from distant time zones phoning in the middle of the night? So he may not list his phone number.

How does a Whois work?

Not all Whois applications search ALL domains. Each Domain Registrar is responsible for maintaining a Whois over those domains (websites) registered with him. When the internet was in its infancy, each Whois was designated to search only one type of domain; there was one Whois for ".COM", another for ".ORG", and so on.

Even today, many Whois utilities are still dedicated to one domain type or to one Registrar (the agency where you have registered your Domain Name). To facilitate searching, we now have publicly accessible Whois software that can search all Domain Registrars plus all Hosting Servers for any type of domain.

We will consider two categories of Whois software:
a) Free Whois software
b) Affordable, commercial Whois software that you pay to use

Which type Whois is best for me?

Naturally, that depends on how you are going to use a Whois, something you will only know after having tried a few different Whois services.

While learning how to use a Whois, the free ones are easy on your pocketbook and deliver results that are just as accurate as any other model. They all search the same data bases, after all!

When using a free, no-frills, Whois you may have to Cut-and-Paste the URL (web address) from your browser address bar to the Whois search box manually.

The free Whois will then probably present the information in a more primitive format -- that is, in a long text-based list of line after line of data. This requires more work, as it is more difficult to glean the information that you need.

For infrequent use, a free Whois will do. It makes sense to start with free software until you know enough to decide whether to spend money on an easier program. It is quite likely that you may never need to buy a Whois program at all.

If you decide to buy faster, easier commercial Whois software, it can be had for $25 or so.

Any commercial program should install an icon in your browser toolbar so all you need do is click on the icon. Then the application reads the URL of the website currently in your browser window and looks it up automatically. No Cut-and-Paste contortions.

Finally, it should open a new, graphical "results" window where it displays the information in a neat, perceptible manner. You get all the data without the clutter of a text-based display.

What can a Whois tell you about a website?

Suppose you are searching the internet and you find an appealing site: "HONEST-SITE.COM". First, you want to see who they really are. A Whois search usually tells you:

i) The true Domain Name, hopefully, HONEST-SITE.COM in this instance.

ii) The IP Address of the website, e.g., 123.45.0.234 (four groups of numbers from 0-255, separated from one another by periods (dots). Try typing those numbers into your browser address bar -- it should bring up the same website again.

iii) Any other contact information available.
As well, you can expect to find information about who hosts the website (supplies the Web Server):

iv) The name of the Hosting Company (Domain Name Server or Web Server), e.g., "WORLDSBESTDOMAINSHOP.COM"

v) The IP Address of that Web Server, including contact email addresses and phone numbers

vi) The email addresses for their Administrator (ADMIN) and Webmaster (TECH).

A Whois reveals whatever information is available for any website, so you can see who stands behind it. And yes, as you have guessed by now, a Whois is a quick and ideal way to unmask faked (phishing) websites.

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What is Open Source Software and Why is it Used?

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What is Open Source Software and Why is it Used?

What is Open Source Software?

Open Source Software (OSS) is software that is available under a special license that allows everyone to access the program code as well as the executable program. This means that anyone is able to edit the program code and therefore customise the software for their own needs.

This ability to access the source code is protected by the license under which the software is released. There is a great many Open Source licenses, but they all have one thing in common, they protect the right of the user of the software to access and modify it in any way they desire.

This ability to modify applications is in direct contrast to the Closed Source Software model. In Closed Source only the creator of the application has access to the source code, and therefore, only the creator is able to modify the application.

Being able to change the way an Open Source Software application operates is critical in many business environments. No two businesses are identical and therefore it is unlikely that any one piece of software will satisfy the needs of all potential users. Without the ability to modify their software a company is restricted in its operations by that software.

While it is true that no two businesses are identical, it is also true that there are a great many common business practices that are repeated across organisations. These common practices can be well served by "standard" software. The remaining practices, those that are different from competitors are, typically, the ones that give a business an advantage in the marketplace.

Since these non-standard practices are key to the organisations success it is critical that any software solutions adopted by the company also support these non-standard processes. It is in this need to adapt software to a companies specific needs that makes Open Source Software attractive. Since the company has access to the source, the application can be freely adapted to suit the unique requirements of each user.

Who Pays for Open Source Development?

The ability to customise software is critical to allow an organisation to continue to improve their business processes, but how does a company afford to pay for such customisations?

One of the side effects of allowing any user access to the source code is that the cost of acquiring the software in the first instance is massively reduced. In most cases the source code is available for no cost. This enables the user to divert resources normally allocated to pay software license fees into enhancing the software.

A successful Open Source Software project has a large community of software developers. Many of these developers work as independent contractors and can be employed to customise the software, alternatively, if a company has internal developer resources, they can leverage those skills to perform the customisations.

Does it Really Work?

This all sounds fantastic, but does it really work? Are there Open Source Applications in use in the real world?

Here are a few facts to convince you that it most certainly does work:

- Around 70% of web sites are served by the Open Source Apache HTTPD server.

- In a 2002 survey it was found over 31% of UK and nearly 42% of German companies were using or planning to use OSS.

- In 2001, Debian (an Open Source Operating System), contained over 55 million lines of code and was estimated to have consumed over 14,000 person years in development time. That is a development cost of around 1.89 Billion Dollars (US) yet it is still available with no license fees.

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Web Surfing Security

Posted by Various Free Tips
Web Surfing Security

Too many computer users neglect to do the basic maintenance of their computer. The result is a clear path to their personal information. Hackers are diligently at work everyday trying to find the weakness in your system so that they may be able to steal your personal information. Others would simply like to create trouble and destroy your hard drive.

There is a wide variety of protective software available, such as adware removers, antivirus tools, keypatrol agents, spyware blasters and so on. These are effective only if put to good use.

Think of yourself as a pilot doing a pre-flight inspection. The pilot is responsible for doing a thorough inspection of his airplane before any passenger boards the plane. He needs to be sure that all safety precautions have been taken to guarantee that all mechanical and electronic devices are working and that the mechanical inspections are up to date. He needs to verify that the aircraft is in good operating condition. Once the plane is off, it is too late to start wondering if such and such a device is working properly.

Your computer is your responsibility. Just like a pilot needs to go through a checklist, you also should make yourself a checklist of things to verify before you surf the Internet. Once connected, it is too late to realize that your system is not up to the challenge. If your system is not checked, if you are vulnerable to the attacks, you could pay a severe price.

You need to purchase good tools for this job. It is acceptable to try free tools to evaluate their quality but once you have found a good tool, purchase it and put it to work.

One of the biggest problems for the average computer owner resides in the fact that he/she simply refuses to take the time to read about their new tool. They would like to simply buy it, install it and never think about it again. You need to take the time to educate yourself on the functioning of any tool you buy.

Generally software is well written by qualified programmers. Professionally written software will include all the instructions that you need to obtain the best performance of the tool. If this is not the case, keep on searching. Go to a trusted site such as CNET and read the comments from other users about the tool you are thinking of buying. Take the time needed to do good research and remember you are putting all your information at risk when you connect to the Internet.

Once you are confident that the software you are purchasing is of the highest quality, then take your time and read all the documentation provided. Once you have done this, and only then, install the software. Make sure to add the tool to your list of daily maintenance.

If you have not done so yet, locate and read all the recommended procedures for the software that protects your computer.

Create a text file and save it on your desktop. You will want this file to contain your checklist of things to do everyday before you start surfing the Internet.

Here is a possible list of the things that should be done before you start surfing:

1) Check your antivirus for updates. Regularly run your antivirus. If at any time your antivirus locates a virus, you need to update your antivirus, disconnect from the Internet and do a full scan of your computer with the updated antivirus. Always make sure your antivirus is actively protecting your computer.

2) Clean your computer cache and your temporary files. You can pick up software for this at CNET: http://www.cnet.com

3) Clean your history

4) Update your adware remover. Run your adware remover. Again you can try free adware removers from CNET but please buy the full package when you find one that you know will protect you. You truly need all the functions of the software, not just a portion of the functions which is usually the case with Trial Version software.

5) Update your firewall and check the settings. Some clever hackers can change the settings of your computer, therefore putting you at risk.

6) Check for mail protection agents and make sure that they are active.

7) Run a scandisk

8) Update your browser

This is a sample list. Create one that applies to your computer and to the software installed on it. Keep your list updated and make sure that you do what you put on your list. Creating a list and not following it will be of no use.

We cannot totally protect ourselves against the perils of the Internet but we can at least make sure that we do all that we can. Take the proper precautions and you too can have a safe journey on the Internet.

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Speed Up Your Computer

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Speed Up Your Computer

You use your computer a lot! It seems to be running slower than it did even last week. What is up? Here are some steps to take to get back that speed. These steps should make a marked improvement on the speed of your computer. Best of all, they are mostly easy to do and don't cost anything!

Before you perform any of these steps, you should make sure you have a current and valid backup of your hard drive, just in case.

1. Clean and organize your hard drive.

Don't put a bunch of files in the root of your C: drive. Make folders that reflect how you work and put files in those folders. The root of your c: drive should have very few files and mostly folders. Open a command prompt by going to Start->Run and typing "Cmd" without the quotes and enter. This will open a command window. It should be in the root of C:. Type cd %temp% and press enter. This will take you to the temporary folder. Type del *.* and press enter. This should delete any temporary files that have been building up in your temporary folder. The ones that cannot be deleted will not be deleted. You can also clean up any folders that have tmp or .tmp in their names. Again, the computer system will not let you delete files that are in use.

Open your browser and delete any other files and folders that are no longer needed.

2. Perform a check of the hard drive.

From your Explorer window, right click on the C: drive and select Properties. Then select the Tools tab and the Check Now... button. Check all options and the Start button. Confirm that you want to perform the check after a reboot. Do this for any other hard drive you may have in your computer. Reboot your computer and let the system check the hard drives and fix any issues. This may take some time, so be patient.

3. Clean up Internet browser files.

Surfing the Internet is a definite cause for putting stuff on your computer that will slow it down. Before doing anything with your Internet browser, make sure you know the important information you enter at the websites you visit. You will be clearing the history, and that saved information will be gone. Most of it is not needed, but there may be some things that you have come to rely on, such as passwords.

For Internet Explorer, select Tools -> Internet Options. A new window will open. In the Temporary Internet files section, select to Delete Cookies and OK. Select Delete Files and OK. In the History section, select Clear History and Yes. Then select OK to close the Internet Options.

For Firefox, select Tools -> Options. In the Privacy section, select the Clear All button and Clear All Information. Then select OK to close the Options window.

For other browsers, there should be similar settings.

4. Update your virus software and virus definition files. Keep them up to date. I would suggest setting your virus software to automatically update every day. Perform a full virus scan on your PC.

5. If you do not have antispyware software loaded, you need to get one loaded. Microsoft has a free one that you can get at their website. It is called Windows Defender and should be available to download from here: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/default.mspx
Make sure you keep your antispyware software up to date and keep it up to date.

6. Defragment your drives. From your Explorer window, right click on the C: drive and select Properties. Then select the Tools tab and Defragment Now... button. Highlight the C: drive and select the Defragment button. Perform this operation for each drive in you PC.

Perform these steps on a routine basis and your computer should run much better.

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Software Upgrades - How to Decide Whether to Buy

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Software Upgrades - How to Decide Whether to Buy

It's that time again: a major upgrade has been released for software you use regularly, and when you read about all the bells and whistles, you start salivating. Hmmm... can you afford an extra couple of hundred to buy it? Should you... or shouldn't you?

Too often, eager consumers become carried away by the hype and slap down a credit card - only to find that the upgrade comes with headaches, or the extra features are not worth it. To buy or not to buy becomes an easier decision if you run through a quick checklist.

1. Will You Use The New Features?

Sure, your new software can do everything but cook dinner - but how many of these features do you actually need? Are you thinking: "Well, I don't need these now but they might come in handy later..."? If so, you could be going to needless expense. You can always upgrade when you DO need the new features.

2. Will You Lose Any Favorite 'Old' Features?

Sometimes it's a toss-up - will what you gain outweigh what you lose? A quick example: many users have been delighted with the new layout of tools in Microsoft Office 2007, and find that they can do their work much faster (or more easily). Others are aghast to find that their old macros won't work - and that they can no longer customize toolbars full of autotext for different purposes. Make sure you know exactly how the program has changed before you upgrade.

3. Compatibility - Will Others Be Able to Read Your Files?

This is an important one. There's not usually a problem with importing files in an older format, but you can face big problems if you send files in the new format to others. Microsoft Office 2007, for example, saves files in a very different format. You can set the default to save files in the standard format for older versions of Office, but if you forget, you're likely to get irritated phone calls from others telling you that they can't open your files. (Yes, they can download a compatibility pack from Microsoft - but it's another step they have to take before they can make use of your file.)

4. Can You Afford The Learning Curve?

When an upgrade is significantly different from what has gone before, you're going to have to factor in time to become familiar with the new version. This might not be a problem if you have plenty of time to do it (it can even be fun) but if you are constantly racing to meet deadlines, then block off enough hours to learn how to use the new features. When you're pressed for time, it's not much fun scrolling through an FAQ page to find out how to complete a task you used to do with your eyes closed.

Bottom line: before you invest in any upgrade, do your homework. Read the reviews and visit a few forums to see what problems real-world users have encountered. Make your own list of pluses and minuses, then make an educated decision about your purchase. If you do decide to buy, keep a working version of the old software on your backup machine or on a different drive.

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Properties of the Recycle Bin

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Properties of the Recycle Bin

The properties of the Recycle Bin might not concern you as much if you have a very large hard drive. Hard drives with very large storage capacity are becoming more affordable. However, many people still use relatively small hard drives with limited storage space and this information could be very beneficial for them.

I would even venture to say that it truly does not matter how much space you have on your hard drive, the Recycle Bin will come into play at one time or another.

Files are deleted on purpose or by accident. The amount of space you allow for your Recycle Bin can make the difference between being able to retrieve those files or not. If you have allowed adequate space for the Recycle Bin you can retrieve a file that was accidentally deleted. To retrieve a deleted file, open the Recycle Bin, locate the file deleted, click on the file you want to undelete and from the File Menu, click Restore.

Deleted documents or files will remain in the Recycle Bin until you clean out the Recycle Bin or until Windows claims that space for newly deleted files.

Windows automatically sets aside 10% of your hard drive as storage space for the files or folders that are deleted and sent to the Recycle Bin. This means that if you have a 1000 MB hard drive, then 100 MB will be used by the Recycle Bin.

If your hard drive is low on space and you do not create very large documents, you might want to reduce the size of the Recycle Bin and increase the available space on your hard drive.

To set the properties of the Recycle Bin, right click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and click on Properties.The Recycle Bin dialogue box will open up.

The top radio button will allow you to configure each of your hard drive separately. The second radio button creates one rule for all your drives. You will notice an option to delete files without storing them in the Recycle Bin. There is a security feature that will ask you to confirm the deletion. The slider control allows you to set the amount of space you want reserved for the Recycle bin. By moving the slider control you can either reduce or increase the size of the Recycle Bin. There is also a check box that you can check or uncheck to prevent or activate the delete confirmation message from appearing at deletion time.

By using these different controls, you can set your Recycle Bin according to your needs and according to the size of your hard drive. If you work on smaller documents you might want to reduce the size of the Recycle Bin. If, on the other hand, you work on database, video or graphic files, it might be a good idea to increase the size of your Recycle Bin to accommodate an accidental deletion.

You need to weigh your need for hard drive space and the safeguarding of accidental deletion of files. Remember, if your Recycle Bin is full, Windows will delete older deleted files to make room for newly deleted files in the Recycle Bin.

To get more information about the Recycle Bin, go to Online Help. Click the Start button, click Help, click Search and type in Recycle Bin. You will then be able to read about shortcuts, how to retrieve deleted files and much more.

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Personal Computer Clean Up for Windows XP

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Personal Computer Clean Up for Windows XP

What happens if you don’t give your vehicle regular oil changes? What kind of results can you expect if you don’t ever change the spark plugs on your lawn mower? How do you think your computer will run if you don’t perform regular maintenance on it? The answer in all cases is: It won’t run very well.

If your computer is running sluggish, if it periodically needs to be rebooted or doesn’t boot up as quickly as it used to, it sounds like it’s time for a Clean Up. The following instructions below will give you step by step instructions on how to ensure your PC continues to operate at its fullest potential. These instructions are relevant for machines running Windows XP and using Internet Explorer.

To begin, open up Internet Explorer, that’s the blue lower case letter “e”, generally shown in the lower left corner of your screen. Next click on the word Tools up at the top of your screen. Once open, click Internet Options. In the middle of that box you’ll see a section called Temporary Internet Files. Click the Delete Files button. Click the box Delete offline content too, then OK. Once that is done, click the Delete Cookies button within the Temporary Internet Files section. Click OK there too.

Next click the Settings button. Check for newer versions of stored pages should be clicked to Automatically if it isn’t already. Change the Amount of Disk Space to use to 8MB. Click OK twice.

Next go to the green Start button in the very lower left corner of your screen. Click My Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Check Disk Clean up. Use offline content or anything else it asks. It will take a few moments while it is checking how much space it can clean up. When you get the new pop-up window, make sure there are checks in every box. Click OK

After running Disk Clean up, go to Ad-Aware, update and run the program. If you don’t have Ad-Aware SE Personal, it’s a free very comprehensive spyware removal tool and it's remarkably simple to use. You can download it through Lavasoft http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/ Highly recommended. After running Ad-Aware, reboot your computer.

You should perform the above maintenance about once a week. Then on an as-needed basis, run Disk Defrag, which you can find in Start, My Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defrag.

By following the above simple steps your computer should continue to run at optimum performance!

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Outsource your Local Search to the Expert

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Outsource your Local Search to the Expert

Outsource your local search to Google.

You can bring the power of Google to your desktop.
Check out http://desktop.google.com

Some time ago Google released an amazing new offer, the Google Desktop. This desktop did not take the world by storm; however those who take the time to check it out will not be disappointed.

If you have some disk-space to spare, this product is well worth trying. (This product builds full text indexes for all your data.)

The installation takes only a few minutes, however, once you have the software setup a background process will need to run to index your hard drive.

The amazing and wonderful thing is that the desktop client is a free download. This is amazing technology to get at no charge.

You know how powerful Google search is, we search the Internet with Google every day.

Imagine when you did a search, being told not only that there were 1,200,459,000 web pages that matched your search string. What if, in addition to this huge search result you were told that there were also 57 emails and three files in your local file system? Is it possible you could find this useful?

No more do you have to search around your file system looking for that directory you stored something important, well it was important at the time.

You can search with the speed and power of Google on your own PC. Use the system tray search box or you can hit escape twice to get a popup search in the centre of your screen.

You have type ahead matching so you can often get your result before you have typed the whole word.

As stated earlier, after you install the product the system will index your hard drive while your PC is idle. This will take between 10 - 24 hours depending on how much data you have. Once it is completed however, you have a dynamically updated index, as you add new files they are indexed on the fly.

The system indexes all your key data, including email in outlook and outlook express, plus your web history.

Setup:

The installation takes only moments and you are asked during the install if you want to enable the advanced features.

This relates to the fact that some non user specific information is sent back to Google. This information is sent back to Google while you are using the product to help ensure you get relevant content showing up and no doubt some targeted advertising.

You also have the ability to encrypt the indexes that will be built on your PC. This well provide you with additional security, however, this will have some impact on performance;

Once installed on your system, the software will begin to spider your hard disk. This can be done in the background over a day or two. You can also set the interface to be aggressive and let the computer run flat out.

Note: indexing 20GB of content ran overnight and produced 1.2 GB of index files.

Now that the index is there, the impact is minimal on processing and seems to be updated real time or close to it.

Other Features:

There are many more cool things to discuss which will be the focus of another article, these include portal type desktop helper applications like weather, and news feeds etc., a scratch-pad that remembers what you type and much more.

All other features aside, the search feature on its own is worth evaluating. You will not be disappointed

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One-Time Web Offer Expired? Get a Second Chance Using Cookies!

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One-Time Web Offer Expired? Get a Second Chance Using Cookies!

How often have you closed a web window that was offering a one-time-only deal? Probably every week? Have you ever regretted it; tried to go back to the web page, only to find that you could no longer bring that offer back up? Here is one solution that will take you back in time to give you a second chance to consider that one-time offer. You do it by removing a simple file or two from your Cookies folder.

For an offer such as this to work, the website has to be able to know whether you have looked at it previously. The only way it can do so is by setting a cookie (leaving a tiny file in the Cookies folder on your hard drive).

When you browse a site, the web software usually leaves a Cookie file on your hard drive. It also looks for its own special cookies whenever you log onto the site.

If the software finds no previous cookie, it determines that you are a new visitor. In this case, you will then be presented with that "special", "one-time only" deal. But if the software finds that telltale cookie, too bad ... it will deny you a second chance for that golden opportunity!

That precious page or window containing the offer will forever remain closed to you. Or so most people would believe.

But what if that cookie was no longer there? What if it had been deleted?

Although the cookie file is someone else's, the hard drive is yours, and you are perfectly within your rights to delete any file on your own computer. After all, that web site never asked your permission to write onto your hard drive, nor should you feel obligated to store any file simply for their convenience.

Now that our consciences are clear about that, we can go into how to delete the right cookie in order to be "reconsidered" for a "final" offer. Remember, all we are doing here is re-opening negotiations.

Suppose Garry Goodbuy at final-offer-forever.com is having a special sale. Usually, this sort of deal is available only through Garry's "good friend" Penelope Purchasewise at some-other-web-site.com, whose newsletter you receive every week. Of course, Penny is collecting an affiliate commission on every sale made via her link to Garry. So Penny builds up the excitement around this offer before handing you over to Garry's site.

To get you to break out your credit card before you leave Garry's site the sale is pitched as a one-time-only, now-or-never, offer. BUY NOW OR LOSE OUT!

Being a prudent Internet shopper, you decide to close out the web page and look around to see if this really is such a great deal. After your research you decide to buy the amazing thing that Good Old Garry was pitching, so you navigate back to where you found his deal.

This time the offer doesn't come up at all. It's invisible, gone, doesn't exist any more! What happened? What do you do now?

Easy enough: simply look into your Cookies folder for any recent files from final-offer-forever, and from some-other-web-site. Then you delete them. Now they no longer exist; so far as Garry is concerned, they never have.

Now re-trace your browsing path, in this case from Penny's newsletter, through her link to that "final" offer from Garry. Guess what? You are welcomed back with open arms to that very same "last-and-final" offer. Once again!

By removing the right cookie or two you have won a second chance. Congratulations! Absolutely nobody's feelings will ever be hurt, either; the people selling that wonderful product will still be delighted to take your money!

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Microsoft and History of Windows

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Microsoft and History of Windows

“CHICAGO (CNN) -- Microsoft chairman Bill Gates tried to demonstrate his company's latest product Monday, but the product -- Windows 98 -- didn't cooperate. Gates was demonstrating the newest version of Microsoft's Windows operating system when it crashed during his presentation at the Comdex Spring 1998 Convention. The software is supposed make computers simpler to use.”
April 20, 1998 -Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9804/20/gates.comdex/

The news excerpt above is familiar to most of you especially if you have been dealing with computers for sometime. Bill Gates, departing from IBM which had built the most commonly used “Operating System” DOS, decided that users needed graphical interface to improve the usability of the systems. It was going to increase the computer “literacy” ratio and also the sales. So there started his journey with the mythical Windows 1.0 and went on with success and sometimes failures until the most stable product of Microsoft: Windows XP. Now all users are waiting for the 64 bit supported Longhorn.

The first graphical interface operating system was Windows 1.0 which was released in 1985. It gave great advantages to users including the use of the cursor and the pointing devices. Before, users had to type the commands in the DOS environment. With this improvement, they could simply click on a program and use several different programs at the same time. The next versions of Windows, namely 2.x and 3.1 were slightly improved using the advantages of the improved processors of Intel (286 and 386). The programmers started talking about extended memory and also about Windows software development kit (SDK) which caused the new releases of Windows to be much more popular. By then everybody was programming Windows based programs and users did not have any other choice but use Windows to access these programs.

The next innovative add-on to this system was the networking support. A superset of Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.11 added peer-to-peer workgroup and domain networking support. For the first time, Windows–based PCs were network-aware and became an integral part of the emerging client/server computing evolution.

Then came the great New Technology of Microsoft: Windows NT. It was the completion of a 10 year project and a completely new operating system which was built from scratch. The most distinguishing aspect of this system was that unlike other windows products, this operating system was 32-bit. It offered solutions for high-end users and also for personal purposes. The following NT versions came with higher security updates for the networks and powerful program support.

In parallel to the developing NT products, Microsoft released also the successors of MS-DOS and Win 3.x products: Windows 95 and 98. These were also 32-bit operating systems which were optimized for multi-media users. Especially, the later versions of 98, with the Direct X, internet features, high hardware capabilities, met the requirements of most of the users. The crash of Windows 98 on TV in front of Bill Gates was already forgotten and the sales of Windows 98 – Service Pack 2 satisfy both the company and also the users. However, the issue of monopolization came up again with the integrated internet browser of Windows 95 and 98. Most people claimed and argued that this integration was an attempt to monopolize the internet and it was against the antitrust rules: “Antitrust laws prevent monopolies from tying two products together to force customers to take one product when buying another.”

Year 2000 was the year of both satisfaction and disappointment. For the new millennium, Microsoft released two products: ME and 2000. Millennium Edition was a total disaster from the point of users. It was much less stable than 98 and it was creating so many problems with different hardware installations. The security bugs caused a lot of home users to lose their data and open the doors for viruses and crackers. On the other hand, with the applied technology of NT and improved capabilities Windows 2000 was a great solution for professional users. Its stability reminded many of the users the older and much slower, 16-bit OSs of Microsoft.

Seeing the great success of the new NT based operating system (Windows 2000 professional) and the great disappointment with ME, Microsoft decided to unify the business world with consumers by means of optimizing Windows 2000 for personal use, adding new features to support the multimedia equipment. By doing the last retouches on the general graphics of the OS, Microsoft released its most popular OS in two different editions: XP Home and XP Professional. The "XP" in Windows XP stands for "experience," symbolizing the innovative experiences that Windows can offer to personal computer users. You and most of the world are now using XP and none of us can complain much after the security updates and the release of the second service pack.

At this point, Microsoft is working on their new product called Longhorn. They claim, it is going to be their most secure and efficient product, supplying the programmers with improved capabilities to create functions and also serving a much more concrete wall of protection for network users.

Overall, Microsoft has been doing their job for over two decades and extending their experience about the operating systems, creating better products with “less” bugs or security holes. One can say that Bill Gates was the biggest loss a company like IBM could ever have.

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Keep Your Home Wireless Network Secure

Posted by Various Free Tips
Keep Your Home Wireless Network Secure

Working from home has its advantages, including no commute, a more flexible work schedule and fresh coffee and home-cooked meals whenever you want.

But working from home while using a wireless local area network (WLAN) may lead to theft of sensitive information and hacker or virus infiltration unless proper measures are taken. As WLANs send information over radio waves, someone with a receiver in your area could be picking up the transmission, thus gaining access to your computer.

They could load viruses on to your laptop which could be transferred to the company's network when you go back to work.

Up to 75 per cent of WLAN users do not have standard security features installed, while 20 per cent are left completely open as default configurations are not secured, but made for the users to have their network up and running ASAP.

It is recommended that wireless router/access point setup be always done though a wired client.

Change default administrative password on wireless router/access point to a secured password.

Enable at least 128-bit WEP encryption on both card and access point. Change your WEP keys periodically. If equipment does not support at least 128-bit WEP encryption, consider replacing it.

Although there are security issues with WEP, it represents minimum level of security, and it should be enabled.

Change the default SSID on your router/access point to a hard to guess name. Setup your computer device to connect to this SSID by default.

Setup router/access point not to broadcast the SSID. The same SSID needs to be setup on the client side manually. This feature may not be available on all equipment.

Block anonymous Internet requests or pings.

On each computer having wireless network card, network connection properties should be configured to allow connection to Access Point Networks Only. Computer to Computer (peer to peer) Connection should not be allowed.

Enable MAC filtering. Deny association to wireless network for unspecified MAC addresses. Mac or Physical addresses are available through your computer device network connection setup and they are physically written on network cards. When adding new wireless cards / computer to the network, their MAC addresses should be registered with the router /access point.

Network router should have firewall features enabled and demilitarized zone (DMZ) feature disabled.

You can test your hardware and personal firewalls using Shields Up test available at http://www.grc.com.

All computers should have a properly configured personal firewall in addition to a hardware firewall.

Update router/access point firmware when new versions become available.

Locate router/access point away from strangers so they cannot reset the router/access point to default settings.

Locate router/access point in the middle of the building rather than near windows to limit signal coverage outside the building.

While none of the measure suggested above provides full protection as countermeasures exist, a collection of suggested measures will act as a deterrent against attacker when other insecure networks represent easier targets.

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Keep Your Computer Virus-free!

Posted by Various Free Tips
Keep Your Computer Virus-free!

Somewhere out there in cyberspace are malicious vandals hard at work dreaming up new computer viruses. Eugene Kaspersky, (of Kaspersky Lab Virus Research), in a November 23, 2005 article posted in Security News, said, "The number of new viruses and Trojans is now increasing every day by a few hundred. (Our) virus lab receives between 200 and 300 new samples a day." That is Not a misprint. He said 200-300 per DAY!

The worst ones we hear about. The large majority are quiet and anonymous like termites, often doing much damage before they are detected. Like human viruses, their effects run the spectrum from mostly benign to potentially fatal to their unwilling and unwitting hosts. Also as in human viruses, there are two different approaches to dealing with them: Prevention and Cure.

Preventing virus infection begins with guarding the portals of contact. Do not open suspicious e-mails or attachments without scanning them first. Most anti-virus programs have a right-click option to scan a selected file for viruses, which makes scanning easy. Similarly, when you download software, eBooks or whatever, always save to a file, then scan the file before opening. If you bring in data or software by floppy disk, CD or other portable media, the same rule applies; scan it first!

A good firewall can help somewhat in keeping viruses at bay, but there are too many ways to hide them in regular data or software transfers for a firewall to catch them all. A firewall (like chicken soup for human flu) can help, but don't rely on that alone.

As Benjamin Franklin said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." However, sooner or later, some viruses are going to get through your defenses somehow, and you will need to turn to cures.

If you should get hit by a really bad virus, you could lose most of your files before you know that there is a problem! The first step to enable cures is to prepare well in advance, positioning and backing up your files for easy recovery. Set up your computer with a small hard drive (4-10giga) for your C: drive and a much larger hard drive for all your data. Use your C: drive for programs only. Keep copies of your software purchase receipts, registration and activation codes and setup info in a file on your data drive. You can always download them again, if you can give the seller your purchase info to show that you already bought.

Almost all virus infections will be in the program section of the C: drive, so scan it daily. This won't take much time since you have arranged for it to be relatively small. Then scan your (larger)data drive once or twice a month.

You should still back up your data files frequently. If you cannot backup everything, at least backup the crucial information that would be difficult or impossible to replace. CD and DVD burners are a good way to do this backup, as are removable hard drives.

Finally, you will need good anti-virus programs to go after the viruses and either quarantine or (preferably) destroy them. There are many anti-virus solutions being touted and hyped out there. Some are good, most are not. Here is how to find the good ones:

1. Look for programs that offer both active and passive protection. Active protection means that part of the program remains memory-resident, actively watching for potential incoming viruses. When they detect a virus they can sound an alarm and give you a series of options for dealing with it. Passive or on-demand protection will let you ask for a scan of specified areas when you want it, but it waits for you to ask.

2. Select your anti-virus software based on the recommendations of independent testing agencies. Checkmark (by westcoastlabs.org), AV-test.org and PC World magazine are among the most respected independent testers of anti-virus software. For ratings of anti-trojan software, check with Anti-trojan - Forum. Use more than one anti-virus and anti-trojan program. Very few detect all problems, but what one program misses, another may find and defeat.

3. Keep your anti-virus programs up to date. There is a running gun battle going on between virus writer-disseminators and virus catch-and-destroy experts. New viruses are found; new anti-virus program patches to find and destroy them are usually ready within hours or days. Until your software is updated, you are still vulnerable to the new viruses.

In addition to using anti-virus software on your personal computer, consider using an Internet Service Provider or e-mail service that includes server-side anti-virus and spam e-mail filtering as a third layer of protection.

In summary, be careful, get good software, run it often and update it frequently... and stay alert to new developments! This struggle between new viruses and better anti-virus software is ongoing, and developing rapidly.

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It's 12 Noon...Do You Know Who's Using Your Network?

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It's 12 Noon...Do You Know Who's Using Your Network?

Wireless networks are becoming more and more popular, and for good reason. Especially if you have broadband Internet access, a wireless router can give you instant communication with the world that is worthy of the science fiction I grew up reading!

The idea of reading email while lounging by the pool, text or instant messaging while doing the laundry, or lounging in the Jacuzzi listening to your MP3 collection is appealing to us all.

Unfortunately, many, or even most, wireless units don't come with security features already functioning. This may not seem like a big issue to someone who is simply setting up a home network, but there are a number of potential problems you should consider.

The most serious problem is the increase in identity theft. If your network is unsecured, the personal data on your wireless electronic equipment is also unsecured. The order you just placed for a book at Amazon may have given your contact and payment information to an unscrupulous hacker!

Nearly every town in which "WiFi" is common will have "War Drivers" and "War Chalkers" at work. These are people who walk or drive around town with wireless equipment, searching for unsecured networks. The "Chalkers" then live up their name, marking curbs and other public items with chalk so that others can more easily find and exploit your network.

Not all "War Drivers" are hackers, of course. Many just want to use your network for free, but the risk is high if you don't learn how to protect yourself. You can usually find quite a bit of free information as to how to secure your network at the website of your router's manufacturer, or by doing a search in a search engine for a phrase like "secure home wireless."

Beyond the truly malicious, there are also your neighbors who may find your network by accident and enjoy nosing into your activities and using your Internet access at will, slowing down your network speed in the process.

Even many businesses use cheap, home-use quality equipment for their company networks. With the poor security often found on small business networks, anyone with a basic knowledge of wireless can access sensitive company and customer data.

If you are unable to secure your network yourself, there are many service companies who will do it for you. A search of your local yellow pages or an inquiry at your neighborhood computer store should yield professional help and get your private data private again.

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It’s Getting Harder to Watch Movies (CODEX)

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It’s Getting Harder to Watch Movies (CODEX)

After a long, exhausting day you came home, had your dinner and then sat in front of the TV looking for a nice relaxing movie. Nothing! Then suddenly you remembered that you bought the CD of the new, Oscar-winning movie “Million Dollar Baby”. You took out your laptop, inserted the first CD and hit “play”. To your surprise, the only thing you could see was a green screen. You took out the CD, cursing at the media market that gave you a “broken” CD for the fifth time. Tried the second CD; again the frustrating green screen. First thing in the morning, you took your “broken” movies and went to the shop. Having yelled at the owner of the shop for five minutes, you suddenly noticed the cynical smile on the guy’s face. Having the opportunity to talk, the shop keeper said “CODEX”.

All you needed were the codecs for these movies. They were not broken; they were just coded in a “foreign” language to your media player. The codecs were the dictionary that your laptop had to use to translate the absurd computer language to the nice scenes of the movies.

Every video, audio, picture or even word document files are coded in a different way. In the case of big data entries like movies, the computer has to use different algorithms to compress the data so that the size does not exceed the standard limits. We see this compression in PDF files (Acrobat Reader), in MP3 files (WinAMP), in MPEG files (movies), in each and every data storage file that you can imagine. While the compression is being done, the programs use some kind of a dictionary. Without these “dictionaries” (codecs in the case of video and audio files) the code would seem as meaningless to the player or the viewer as it is to you. So you have to install certain codecs to be able to use certain files.

Some codecs replace the repetitive symbols over the file, ome codecs changes the aspect ratio of the movie; some of them decrease the quality of the picture and yet, all of them turn gigabytes of data into fair size that can fit into a CD or a DVD.

As the user demands increases, codecs are multiplying in a logarithmic scale. There are several codecs that are musts for movie fans, however. You should install most of these if you don’t want to be disappointed.

1. MPEG4 - It is the default codec which is already included in WMP.
2. DIVX - A series of sound and display codex which come with shareware DIVX player.
3. XVID - Relatively new, one of the most used video codecs.
4. AC3 - Most common sound codec.
5. Intel Indeo - Rather useful series of codec which a new version pops out everyday.

Overall the way movies are encoded is changing day by day. Everyday we see a new aspect ratio. Everyday we encounter a new codec. To many, it would seem that it is getting harder and hard to watch movies. The least you can do is to download a codec viewer program which would help you on your quest for a pleasant evening.

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Isn't Your Computer Supposed to Work for You?

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Isn't Your Computer Supposed to Work for You?

How many times have you wondered how to do a particular task on your computer but didn't know how? How about things like create a new folder or copy and paste some text into notepad? These are simple but often a lost skill with more than half of the computer users on and off line. If you are missing these and other computer training then these few tips may be of some help.

Computer Tip #1.

When a new Windows error message appears on your screen it seems that some people will simply ignore it and click "OK". This is an example of what NOT TO DO! Instead you should realize that the programmers did not spend the time creating that message for the fun of it. Instead at a minimum you should READ EVERY WORD! Then read it again slowly the second time so it sinks in. Once you read it you may recognize the program that is causing it and be able to solve the problem yourself.

Don't be afraid to research the error on any good search engine online. You may find free advice quickly although in most cases you may have to dig a bit to find it. As a last resort try making a call to a local computer tech that may just let you know how to solve it for free if it is not a serious issue. However if it is serious or mildly serious by all means ask for a qualified tech to come out and fix it.

Computer Tip #2.

Have you ever downloaded a piece of software from the internet and couldn't find it later? It happens to thousands of people all over the world every day! An easy way to find it later is to first prepare a landing zone or a place where you know you can always find it.

Some people use the My Documents of Windows but after downloading many files you may find it hard to find the latest file. One simple fix is to create a new folder on your desktop. The definition of your desktop is where you see icons of folder; files and you're able to see your favorite picture as the wallpaper for your desktop.

To create the new folder is easy. First find an un-crowded portion of your desktop and then using your ring finger click the right mouse button to bring up the context menu for the desktop. There in the menu you will find a selection called "New" Then Click on "Folder".

This will create a new folder on your desktop. You can name it something that will help you find the downloaded files. The first time you create a new folder, you will notice that the folder naming text is highlighted. To rename the folder to something more to your liking simply start typing and the highlighted text will be replaced with what you wish to type in. A good folder name would be downloads or my new files or even the month and year which will make it much easier to find those files in the future.

Now once the folder is created simply remember when you download the next file to save it in that folder on your desktop for easy and fast access.

Computer Tip #3.

Copy and paste is one task that every computer user will find they are using many times per session for many useful tasks. Say you wish to copy a portion of text into a file in which you are creating a report or project, even an article or your website content? This too is a simple skill to learn with a little practice you will be an ace at it and wonder how you ever got along without it. To copy something you must first highlight it using your left mouse button with your index finger.

You will want to start at the beginning point of the text you wish to copy and place your mouse cursor then by clicking your left mouse button. Now when you do this DO NOT let go of the mouse button which you are holding with your index finger and while holding that mouse button down simply move your mouse over the text until you reach your stop point then let go of your index finger.

Now simply move your mouse into the center of the highlighted text and then using your ring finger to press the right mouse button. This will bring up a menu with the copy selection. Use your index finger, otherwise called the left mouse button; click on "COPY" from the menu that comes up. You have now successfully copied the text and are ready to paste it into your project or a new notepad text file.

Place your mouse cursor in the blank notepad or project and then using your ring finger press the right mouse button to bring up the menu. From the menu select "Paste". If you successfully completed the copy process your text should appear in the new text file or your current project. If not go back and try again. With practice you will find it becomes second nature to you and your speed will increase as you use it more and more.

Computer Tip #4.

Remember that you can look up most common Windows commands if you press the F1 key on your keyboard. This will bring up the help file for Windows allowing you to quickly search or browse for the answer or information you are seeking for almost everything you might want to do in windows as well as Windows programs.

Keep in mind that most all of the applications created for your Windows operating system have the same basic commands available from the menu system. Some variants may exist depending on the purpose of the software application but the basics are usually there.

If all else fails the next steps would be to either call a computer friend or a genuine computer repair tech. In most cases the cost of hiring a professional is affordable even time saving if you decide you are not comfortable and do not wish to do it yourself. Another possibility is a community college or even a high school student may be able to help you. You can also check your local ROP services in your area for free classes.

Mastering these tips will help you become more comfortable when using or working on your or most computers running the Windows operating system.

Good luck and stay tuned for more computer tips coming you way soon!

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Invest Wisely When Buying a Laptop

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Invest Wisely When Buying a Laptop

Have you priced a laptop computer lately? Buying a new laptop is a big investment; and just how big of an investment you want to make is entirely up to you. Look in your Sunday newspaper flyers to see countless models on sale each week. Initially selections were made by looking at the specifications and the general appearance. However that’s not the sole criteria any longer. Everyday more and more people are now stepping inside the mobile world. With so many models of laptops now available, how can you be sure about the choice you make? Below are several factors you should consider: CPU (Central Processing Unit), Video Card, hard disk, noise, battery life and RAM (Random Access Memory).

CPU is the main component which determines the performance of your computer and also the heating and the battery life. There is a trade-off between the CPU performance and the battery-life and power consumption (heating). If you want a laptop which would replace a desktop and if you are not planning to travel with it a lot then there are several different offers with desktop CPUs integrated in the laptop main board (such as a P4).

If you are fond of mobility and are going to use your new laptop for your business purposes or school, then you should consider buying a laptop with more suitable CPUs. AMD Athlon can be a solution: Athlon processors are designed for users who are looking for economical solutions, both purchase and usage. Older models of Athlon are no where near Intel Pentium products from the point of performance, and yet new models like 2800+ are potent enough to compete with P4 2.8 GHz.

There is one more model of CPU that many of the customers prefer: Centrino. Centrino is the new attempt of Intel to balance the tradeoff between the performance and mobility issues. With the 2 MB second level cash, the Pentium CPU is modified for the laptop which eases the burden of the CPU and implicitly pulls down the levels of heating and power consumption.

RAM and the graphic card are also two important factors for the quality of the laptop. There are two kinds of RAM on the market: SD RAM and DD RAM. In any case, there is no tradeoff, no comparison: DD RAM is better, and yet, you still have to be careful about the clock specification of the RAM. If you buy a RAM with 333 MHz clock speed, you will see the performance improvement it supplies to the whole system. Another thing to consider is that some computers have 512 MB RAM with two slots (256 x 2) which is not very good for the new laptop you are going to buy. Overall, if you want a good laptop, you should consider one equipped with a 333 MHz, 512 MB, DD RAM.

There are various video cards on the market today. The first thing you should check is the “ON-Board” specification in the video card. These cards are integrated into the main board and generally use your main RAM as for the video memory. If you are going to use your laptop for general purposes, not for gaming or 3-D design which would require 3D hardware acceleration, these laptops with onboard video card are for you. However, if you are a professional Counter Strike player, you would be disappointed with the screen delays and freezes.

The last technical detail is the hard disk. While buying a hard disk there is a detail which is much more important then the capacity: RPM. Rotation Per Minute determines how fast the data transfer rate is to the CPU to be processed so this specification also plays a huge role while dealing with multimedia stuff.

So if you’re in the market for a new laptop computer, one suggestion is to consider buying a Centrino laptop with an onboard video card with a big RAM if you are planning to use it for school or business purposes and also randomly for movies and music. Nevertheless, Pentium computers with AGP or PCI Express video off-board video cards would give you the performance of a desktop if you don’t mind the weight, noise and the heating of the laptop.

With so many decisions to make, take your time; do your homework and invest wisely.

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How to Use Windows XP "System Restore"

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How to Use Windows XP "System Restore"

Well, we all have been there. We turn on our computer (boot up) getting ready to type that school report, or business presentation and guess what, our computer just does not want to work today. Whether it's the word processor, spreadsheet, or financial package that isn't working, most people do not know that Microsoft Windows XP has a built in feature that just may come and save the day. That feature is called "System Restore."

Basically, System Restore is like a little hound that runs behind the scenes taking "snapshots" of various parts of the Microsoft Windows XP operating system. So, if a part of Microsoft Windows XP stops working one day, the System Restore utility is able to reference one of the "snapshots" it took and restore your system from a previous day (a day when your computer worked). It's kind of like going back in time to a day when your computer worked. All your current data (Microsoft Word files, etc.) are still retained, so you don't have to worry about losing any present day files.

In order to restore your computer just follow these simple steps:

1. Close any open programs.
2. Click on the Windows "Start" button (normally located on the bottom of your computer desktop)
3. Click on "All Programs"
4. Click on "Accessories"
5. Click on "System Tools"
6. Then click on "System Restore"
7. At this point the System Restore wizard will launch. You will have two options:

a. "Restore my system from an earlier date"
b. "Create a system restore point"

If you just need to restore your system and get it working correctly again, just select option "a" and click "Next."

8. On this screen you can select a date from the calendar that you would like to try and restore from. So, if you knew that your computer worked fine two days ago, just pick that date on the calendar and click "Next."
9. The next screen is the confirmation window. Just verify the information on the screen and click "Next." Windows XP will then reboot and try to restore your system with the settings from the date you selected.

The System Restore process can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much reconfiguration Windows XP needs to do and how fast of a PC you have. When System Restore is done, a screen will popup with the results of the restore. If it was successful, you can then log into the system and start using the computer again. Any quirky issues that you were having are now hopefully gone.

Now, on step 7b above, I mentioned the "Create a system restore point" option. This option is for when you want to force Windows XP to take a snapshot of your system just before you install a program or alter any system settings that you are not sure of. It is like a safety net for when you install any internet programs (sometimes riddled with spyware) or system drivers (video, audio, etc). If you want to revert back to a virgin state just create a restore point "before" installing any software. This way, if your machine starts acting weird, you can just restore your settings from the selected point.

With a little practice, the System Restore utility is easy to use and a great way to help ensure the safety of your computer.

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How to Protect Your PC from Computer Viruses

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How to Protect Your PC from Computer Viruses

In today's world a computer is pretty much a necessity. Most of us at the very least will use them regularly for simple word processing tasks, sending and receiving emails and browsing the Internet.

Unfortunately with this popularity has come an increasing risk from hackers and other people of malicious intent. It seems that not a day goes by without a news item about some new computer virus, trojan or worm intent on wreaking havoc with your computer's hard drive.

The threat posed by computer viruses should not be taken lightly. They come in many different forms depending on what their creators have designed them to do. This could be feeding back to the hacker information held on your computer; slowing it down and making it unstable, or even deleting files from it.

Computer virus programmers will usually disguise their wares as the type of common file that you're used to using everyday e.g. an mp3 music file, or they'll send an executable program file as an email attachment that gets activated as soon as you open the email.

A lot of the protection you can give yourself from these nasty pieces of code comes down to commonsense. Don't open emails if you don't recognize and trust the sender. Make sure the security settings on your Web browser are set to 'high'. Try to stay away from the 'shadier' areas of the Internet. Don't use peer-to-peer file-sharing programs.

Make sure that you have up-to-date versions of the two must-have pieces of software on your computer and that they are activated at all times. What are the must-have pieces of software that everyone should have installed on their computer? An Antivirus program and a Firewall.

There was a time when you could probably have gotten away with just an Antivirus program but, especially with the advent of always-on Internet connections in this era of high-speed Internet access, this is no longer enough. You really must invest in a good Firewall program as well.

Because new computer viruses are being invented virtually every day you should invest in an Antivirus program that checks for updates automatically every time you access the Internet. Most of the top ones will do this as a matter of course.

Remember, this is definitely one area where prevention is much better than cure. Don't leave your computer vulnerable to attack. If you don't already have a reputable Antivirus program and Firewall installed on your PC, make yourself a promise to sort out that omission today - the potential consequences of not doing so don't bear thinking about.

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How a Computer Operates

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How a Computer Operates

The average person who uses a computer on a regular basis doesn't think about what happens inside a computer once the power is turned on. As long as their version of MS Windows pops up within a few seconds, most people are quite content to continue on with what they want to do on their computer. A computer goes through many processes from the moment the power is turned on before its operating system (ex. Windows, Linux) is fully loaded and takes over.

The operating system is stored on the hard disk of a computer. It is stored on the hard disk because this type of storage is much less expensive and an operating system requires a large amount of storage space. So, in order to make computers more economical, they are designed to use a combination of ROM, DRAM, and hard disks. An explanation of each follows.

Once the power switch is turned on, the "boot-up" process begins. To "boot-up" a computer simply means to start it. Electricity then flows through all of the chips and their circuits. The instructions for what the computer is supposed to do next are found in the Read Only Memory, Basic Input/Output System (ROM BIOS). ROM is memory that can only be read from and has information that is permanently burned into it. It is nonvolatile and will not be lost or disappear once the power is turned off.

ROM BIOS or just BIOS, is designed to begin giving commands as soon as it receives power. The BIOS contains an entire set of instructions, in effect a computer program written into the chip that manages the boot-up process. Without the BIOS, the computer would not know what to do next. The first task that BIOS completes is to make sure that all of the hardware components are working properly (for example: disk drives, external buses, the mouse, the printer). This is called a power-on self-test (POST). After the POST is complete, the BIOS activates other chips on different cards installed in the computer (SCSI and graphics cards) and provides a set of low-level routines that the operating system uses to interface to different hardware devices such as the keyboard, mouse, printer, etc.

Once the POST is complete, the BIOS hands the next stage in the boot-up process over to the central processing unit (CPU). The CPU is a one chip processor or microprocessor that has two distinct capabilities:

1. The CPU carries out all of the mathematical and logical operations including basic math and comparisons of two or more numbers.

2. The CPU has the ability to intelligently manage the flow of instructions and data going into and out of its circuits.

The last instruction that the ROM sends to the CPU is to go to a specific location or address to find its next instruction. An address is a string of numbers that gives directions to where something can be found, much like an address on an envelope. Computers use addresses to keep track of information much the same way as the post office uses them to find residences and businesses. The bigger the number in an address the more locations it can refer to. Most current computers use a 32-bit address space for memory, which means that there can be over four billion separate locations to hold information.

The instruction that the ROM BIOS wants the CPU to carry out is sent through a chip on a bus (a set of wires) to the address specified. The data bus is able to carry information into and out of the chip within the CPU. The information is not available within the CPU so it has to look elsewhere. The CPU then sends the address on another bus called an address bus. When the CPU does this, it is called a fetch. The address bus is "fetching" information from elsewhere within the computer. The address bus is only able to carry instructions out of the CPU.

The address bus fetches information from the computer's memory. Memory is a type of silicon chip that can hold instructions or data. This type of memory can be read from or written to by the CPU, but this type of memory or Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) is volatile. Once the power is turned off, the DRAM looses its memory or information. Since the DRAM is basically a blank slate, the CPU has within, a set of sequential instructions as to where to look for the required information.

Before the address bus can get to memory, it has to pass through a set of chips called a chipset. The chipset refers to a group of chips that provide an intelligent interface for the core components of a computer - CPU, memory, graphics, I/O system, described as core logic or glue logic. If the information that the chipset requires is not in memory, the chipset then sends or redirects it to the Input/Output (I/O) bus. The I/O bus connects the chipset to other places where the information is stored, such as the hard disk. The hard disk allows the CPU to read from it and to write to it. The hard disk is non-volatile so it retains its data or information once the power is turned off. A hard disk is much slower at retrieving data from than memory but memory is much more expensive.

Once the hard disk receives the address (via the I/O bus and chipset), it retrieves the information and sends it back through the chipset and then puts it on the address bus back into the CPU. The chipset functions as a bridge for the two buses; the I/O bus and the address bus.

The CPU uses a four step sequence: fetch, decode, execute, and store. Since the CPU does not retain its memory, it has to obtain its information or fetch the information from elsewhere within the computer. To help with the speed of the process of fetching, the CPU has a pre-fetch area to make the information available more quickly.

Once the information has been fetched, it has to be decoded. Part of the decoding process of the CPU is to decide which circuits are appropriate to use for executing the instructions. Once that decision has been made, the CPU begins to execute the instructions. The part of the CPU where the actual execution of instructions takes place is called the Arithmetic Logical Unit (ALU). The ALU includes groups of transistors, known as logic gates, which are organized to carry out basic mathematical and logical operations. Logic gates are grouped into electrical circuits that execute the CPU's instructions such as "add" two numbers or "compare" two numbers.

The final step of the CPU is to store the information. This final step takes place after the ALU completes its calculations. The results of the calculations are stored on a chip that has an area called a register. Registers can be accessed more quickly than any other kind of memory but are only for temporary holding (storage) of information.

The CPU also has a clock within it to keep the timing of all of the flow of information and processes of the computer. This clock is vital to the synchronization of all of the processes of the computer. This CPU clock controls all of the operations on its chip. The processes of the CPU can also be interrupted by an external interrupt controller chip which is part of the chipset. The chipset contains a small database of interrupt vector (numerical table). When an interrupt signal comes onto the chip, the CPU saves what it is doing and goes to the interrupt vector to find the address of the instruction that the interrupt is telling it to execute instead. Once it is finished with the interrupt, it goes back to what it was doing. The CPU finds what it was doing in a register called a stack. If interrupts were not possible, the CPU would have to complete one task before it could start another causing the speed to be greatly reduced.

Now that the CPU has found the operating system, loaded it into memory, the operating system takes over and the computer is now ready to be used by its owner. The user can now check email, play a game, or do whatever they wanted to do when they started the computer.

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Getting Started with Photoshop, A Beginners Guide

Posted by Various Free Tips
Getting Started with Photoshop, A Beginners Guide

Adobe™ Photoshop is arguably the finest image management software available anywhere, and the price reflects its value. When you begin using Photoshop, you will doubtless find the many options overwhelming in their number and scope. You may be tempted to 'x' right out of the program and go grab a frosty beverage, but wait. There's a lot of fun and power at your fingertips, and you'll want to go through each option and tool one at a time, to learn exactly how you can manage, modify and create images you'd never have believed possible.

This introduction will acquaint you with the BASIC functions of the application, and there will be many more articles in this series, so collect them all, and when you're finished, you'll have a complete guide you can refer to often until it all becomes second nature. We'll use Photoshop v5.5 as the reference release, because many of the current users are using Photoshop CS which does so much of the fun stuff automatically, this hardly has any value in that release.

Well, let's begin by opening the application. Once you have Photoshop open and running, you'll notice that on the left is a tall, skinny toolbox with many icons which represent graphically the function(s) they perform. That's right; many of the tools have multiple functions (just to make things more interesting.)

On the Right hand side of the window you'll see a 'stack' of palettes which allow you to control the characteristics of the TOOL you've selected in the Toolbox.

Click on 'FILE' and select 'NEW' from the drop down menu. When you do, another option box appears with the word 'NEW' in the title bar. Below that, you'll find option boxes where you can enter the parameters that define your new image workspace.

Place your mouse cursor in the NAME space and create a filename of your choice. "TESTPIC" might be a good choice, but that's up to you.

Next, TAB into the WIDTH option box and type 5, tab to the width UNITS option and click the "DOWN" arrow. A drop-down option box appears with several unit options available. Select 'INCHES'.

Tab to the HEIGHT option box and type 7, tab over and be sure 'INCHES' is selected there as well.

Accept the default RESOLUTION (which should read 72 pixels per inch), and leave the MODE and CONTENTS defaults at RGB and WHITE (background).

Click on OK and an empty, WHITE rectangle will appear in the workspace. It represents a 5x7 inch picture. So let's create a basic picture in the space. At the same time, you'll see that a horizontal panel has opened up in each of TWO of the palettes at the RIGHT side of your screen. One is the HISTORY TAB. It has a small rectangle with the title you gave your work.

Below that is a BLUE bar with the word NEW. The HISTORY palette records EVERYTHING you do to your picture. Really handy if you want to change something immediately or dump a whole BUNCH of changes all at once.

We're going to make a new LAYER to do our work on. What we've created so far is just a White rectangle which is the background for our picture. The LAYER is where we're going to do our work, and incidentally the LAYERS in Photoshop are the things that really give your Photoshop images their flexibility and power.

It's best to start out by de-mystifying the idea of LAYERS right up front, so here's the straight information. Imagine each LAYER as a clear piece of acetate that you can draw on and a collection of LAYERS as a stack of acetate sheets each with a different part of the picture drawn on it.

Beneath the HISTORY palette is the LAYERS/CHANNELS/PATHS palette. The LAYERS palette has a blue horizontal rectangle titled 'BACKGROUND'. That's your empty picture frame.

At the bottom of the palette are three symbols. A square with a circle in it, a page like icon with the bottom left corner folded up, and a TRASH can icon. (You can guess what it's for). The page like icon is the 'NEW LAYER' icon. Allow the mouse pointer to hover over the icon and its function will 'pop up' in a little information window. Click the icon and a NEW layer called 'LAYER 1' appears above the 'Background' layer. It is BLUE because it is the ACTIVE layer. The one you'll be working on. There's a checkerboard pattern in the page area because nothing is on that new layer yet.

The BRUSH symbol means that the layer is ready to receive data, and the eyeball symbol simply means that the layer is VISIBLE.

That's right. You can have invisible layers. Why? You'll see in just a few minutes, but you've probably already guessed.

You're ready to start using TOOLS.

In the TOOL palette (at the left side of the workspace) there are 2 columns of 10 icons, a pair of overlapping squares which represent the foreground and background colors, two screen mode icons, of which the left one is 'depressed' or 'selected' by default, three 'screen mode' selection buttons and at the very bottom is a 'jump to external application' button, which you'll only use infrequently, if at all.

Select the TOP LEFT TOOL with your mouse. Left Click and HOLD the button down. A 'FLYOUT' menu appears which offers several options. That particular tool is called the 'SELECTION TOOL' and it has several modes. Let's use the RECTANGULAR selection mode first. Click the tool, be sure the rectangular dotted line icon is visible on the button after you release the mouse button, and then click and DRAG from the upper left to the lower right in your picture area, starting about 1 inch from the top and 1 inch from the left side, ending up about 1 inch from the bottom and 1 inch from the right side.

NOW. Click the little black and white squares below the backqround/foreground colors palette (near the bottom of the tool box) and you'll see the two squares change color. The top left square is BLACK and the bottom right square is WHITE. These are the DEFAULT colors for the foreground (top left square since it's on top) and background (bottom right square, since it's on the bottom).

Right above the color display is a hand icon, and just above THAT is a PAINTBUCKET icon.

Click the paint bucket icon to select it. It's also called the FILL TOOL.

Move your mouse cursor into the area bounded by the rectangular selection you made a minute ago. Click the mouse anywhere inside the selected area. It immediately fills with the foreground color (in this case, BLACK).

Now you will learn why layers can become invisible. Click the little 'eyeball' icon beside the image of your picture in the 'LAYER' palette.

Your black rectangle disappears (becomes invisible) revealing the contents of the layer beneath it (in this case, the original white background).

This is a lot of information to absorb in one sitting. It's a lot easier to do if you do it with someone else reading the instructions to you, but you CAN learn Photoshop one tool at a time, by reading one STEP at a time and learning the principles in related groups of operations.

That's what this series of articles will assist you in doing. There will be another article ready to release soon, so check back often, as the steps build on one another, and you don't want to miss anything. Keep Photoshop warm. It's a great application and you'll enjoy it immensely.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Disk Defragmentation

Posted by Various Free Tips
Frequently Asked Questions about Disk Defragmentation

Much like an automobile, a computer needs a little bit of maintenance every so often to keep it running smoothly. One of the most overlooked of these tasks is defragmenting the hard drive. Here are some frequently asked questions regarding defragmentation.

What Is File Fragmentation?
Think of your computer's hard disk drive as a large warehouse for your data. Every bin in the warehouse represents a file, and the boxes filling the bin represent the bytes of data that make up the file.

In order to ensure fast access to your bins, you want to keep the bins at the front of the warehouse full, so they can be pulled from as quickly as possible. Let's say, however, that when you get a new shipment of product, you completely fill up the bin, have more boxes of product to store, and the bins next to it are full as well. In most warehouses, the extra product is moved to the back of the warehouse and a note left in the original bin as to where the overstock is stored.

Your computer works in much the same way. Space is allocated on the hard drive to keep each file. To keep your computer running smoothly, files are often stored right next to each other in the first available space. However, if you go back and add a few pages to that story you were writing, the computer doesn't see any space on the hard drive to store the new data. Therefore, it moves the new data into the next available spot on the hard drive and leaves itself a "note" of sorts as to where the rest of your file is. This splitting of the file into separate pieces is known as "file fragmentation".

Why Do I Need to Defragment My Hard Drive?
As more and more files get more and more fragmented, it takes the computer longer to access these files, whether you're opening, editing, or even deleting them. If we revisit our warehouse analogy, when someone purchases the entire stock of a product, the warehouse employees may have to visit 3-4 different bins to fill the order. This same exact thing is happening on your hard drive.

What Does Defragmenting My Hard Drive Do?
The disk defragmentation process takes all the pieces of a file and puts them back together in one single spot on the hard drive. Additionally, your file is moved toward the front of the drive so that it can be accessed faster.

How Often Do I Need to Defragment My Hard Drive?
This is going to depend on how you use your computer. If you access a lot of large files on a frequent basis, chances are your files will fragment more quickly than someone who only checks his e-mail a few times a week. Generally speaking, the average home user should defragment his or her hard drive 4-6 times per year (which is every 2-3 months).

How Do I Defragment My Hard Drive?
Your operating system should have a built-in utility for performing this task. Check your manual, help files, or favorite search engine for the full procedure. Although the process can take a long time, depending on the size of your files and how many files are fragmented, starting the process is usually straightforward.

If it's been a while since you last defragmented your hard drive, you should notice your computer running much faster and more stably than it was before.

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Freebies -- Good Deal or a Waste of Time?

Posted by Various Free Tips
Freebies -- Good Deal or a Waste of Time?

There are a great number of "free" things available on the Internet. Some of the offers are real and some aren't. There are legitimate reasons for free offers. Sellers give away free samples, for instance. That's why there are wine-tasting rooms, test-drives for cars and the opportunity to try on shoes before you buy them! Sellers want you to buy their products and are willing to let you try them out to some extent to convince you to buy. And so there are promotions of various types out there, which can be a good deal for the participants. But tread carefully! There ARE nuggets to be found, but all that glitters is not necessarily gold!

For example, a search on "free antivirus" at www.dogpile.com, yields 100+ hits. They run the usual spectrum of most free offers, from genuine giveaways to outright "sucker traps" that just want your address so they can drown you in spam! They can be categorized as 1.Genuine, 2.Free but donation requested, 3.Time Based, 4.Free but paid for by others, 5.Free Sample, 6.Marketing key word tricks and 7.Bait and Switch address thieves. Let's look at each of these categories.

1. Genuine. For anti-virus software there are some programs out there that are really free, just for the downloading. Some perform very well against the well-known annual-fee offerings, even beating them in various ways.

They give good advice, "...when picking out your antivirus solution...first of all you want to make sure you get an antivirus program from a trusted source. Doing a little research on the internet (websites like this) will help you identify who the trusted providers of antivirus software are. Always find multiple sources of information, that way you are more than likely to find a software product you can get help with and that won't be filled with spyware and adware."

2. Free but donation requested. These are free, but they ask you to make voluntary donations. Also in this category are those that offer a limited capacity version, such as do Note Tab (text manager) and Zone Alarm (firewalls) for free, then try to get you to upgrade to the paid version. These are legitimate marketing ploys, and maybe the free version will be all you really need.

3. Time Based. Free to try for 30 days, $30.00 if you decide to keep it! Not unreasonable. Like a test drive. Many software products use this approach. Some will just not work after the trial period; others will periodically degrade their capacities, encouraging you to buy. For example, www.goodsol.com has a solitaire program that starts degrading after 30 days. After 60 days or so they shut down the take-back-the-last-move feature! Maybe by that time you are addicted to the game and go ahead and buy the full-capacity version. Or maybe you just play VERY carefully!

4. Free but paid for by others. Paid by advertising (like yahoo mail and hotmail) is legit. Like commercials on free TV. Somebody's got to pay the cost of providing the service! Spyware and adware are not O.K. Their purpose is to track your Internet movements for marketing survey purposes or deliver pop-up ads to you at random unexpected times. If you download any program of which you are at all suspicious, run your anti-spyware program(s) after using them.

Spyware and adware must "call home" to report and get new ads, so you should severely restrict which of your programs you allow to access the Internet.

5. Free Sample. Fair enough if it is legit, but remember the fisherman offers the fish free worms! In anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, many vendors offer a free online checkout of your system to see if it has viruses or spyware on it. Most are honest. Some will "plant" a few of what they are supposed to protect you against, and then "find" them, to great fanfare, just to prove that THEY are finding things that your current program can't!

6. Marketing key word tricks. The word "Free" sells! Marketers know this and put the word "Free" in their headings and where search engines will look. So when you search on "free anti-virus download" a marketer's "Download a free scan" offer will match on two words, free and download. The majority of hits on your search will probably be from this type of word trick site.

7. Bait and Switch address thieves. The Internet is cracking down on spam. Pushy salesmen are getting desperate for email addresses to which they can "legitimately" mail offers. To get addresses they offer all sorts of outrageous (and some almost reasonable) free offers. "Congratulations you have just won a Sony laptop computer!", followed by a request for your home and email address so they can send it to you (sounds reasonable enough, to get your Sony laptop). This is followed by requests to answer a "survey", then questions about your interests, occupation, etc. etc. What is really happening is that they are getting a profile of you to help them sell your address to their customers! Finally, it turns out that to "finish qualifying" for your gift, you have to buy something, then something else, etc. The free laptop (the bait) has been switched to being required to buy junk you don't need that ends up costing you more than it would to go out and buy the laptop!

And the next day there are 40 or 50 new emails in your inbox offering things that they claim that YOU asked about!

In summary, with a little research you can find worthwhile free items on the Internet. Using common sense you can avoid most of the problems. Ask yourself, what's in this for the seller? How can he give it to me for free? And remember, that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably IS too good to be true. Even a fish wouldn't get caught if he looked, and avoided worms that had a line going from them up to the surface!

Otherwise, use caution and enjoy the many GOOD freebies that are out there!

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