Are computer viruses spread by the media?

If you believe what you hear in the media, there are an awful lot of viruses going around. No, I'm not talking about the make-you-sick kind of virus, though they get plenty of airtime, too. I'm talking about the kind of virus that enters via your internet connection rather than your nasal passages.

What the mainstream media often don't tell you--at least, in most radio and television newscasts and in the crucial headlines and opening paragraphs of newspaper articles-- is that many of these "viruses" are not viruses at all.

What Computer Viruses Really Are

The main reason the mainstream media always are in alarm over viruses is that they tend to call any malicious computer program a virus. In reality, there are at least eleven distinct types of malicious software, or malware, commonly affecting computers today. The most common of these are worms, Trojans, and spyware.

So, what's the difference between computer viruses and the other types of malware? The difference is that computer viruses are just about the only ones that regularly shut down computers and cause other obvious damage. The most common of the other kinds of malware--worms, Trojans, and spyware--are usually only detectable with a special scan.

The Real Danger of Computer Viruses

If the other types of malware are so unobtrusive that they can only be detected with a special scan, then what's to worry about? For starters, these programs are called malicious for a reason: they are designed to cause some kind of damage, if not to your computer, then to someone else's.

Worms are most famously used to damage, destroy, or disrupt other computer networks than the one on which the host computer is located. For instance, worms have been used by website owners to shut down rival websites by sending overwhelming numbers of requests to the computer that hosts that website. Worms have also been used to send out viruses to other computers, often without infecting the host machine--after all, what would it benefit the worm to shut down its host computer?

Trojans, in turn, are often used to insert worms and other malware on your computer, even if the Trojan itself does no damage.

But even if you don't care what happens to anyone else, you should still be concerned about one kind of malware: spyware, a kind of malware that, true to its name, collects data from your computer and sends it back to a remote host.

Most spyware is only interested in monitoring your internet usage so it can tell other programs, called adware, what advertising to popup on your computer. However, there are criminal spyware programs that steal financial data, or perform a thorough identity theft. Don't think you have personal or financial data on your computer? Some spyware programs contain a keylogger, which is a program that copies whatever you type, usually in order to snatch passwords. Even if you keep no financial information on your computer, if you ever buy anything over the web, the keylogger would allow its owner to buy stuff using the same information you typed in to buy stuff yourself.

Why Blame the Media?

Consumer Electronics

Consumer electronics have become a major part of our everyday lives, whether we think so or not. You don't have to be a tech freak to have most of your life somewhat dependant upon electronics. This dependency seems to grow more and more with each new generation as well. If you run through a typical day, you might notice just how many consumer electronics that you use. There are also many new devices coming out all of the time to fill the void that was lacking a device to fil...

Consumer electronics have become a major part of our everyday lives, whether we think so or not. You don't have to be a tech freak to have most of your life somewhat dependant upon electronics. This dependency seems to grow more and more with each new generation as well. If you run through a typical day, you might notice just how many consumer electronics that you use. There are also many new devices coming out all of the time to fill the void that was lacking a device to fill it.

Most of us will start our day to the tune of an electric alarm clock. Then as we get ready in the morning we will use a couple of other devices ranging from an electric shaver to an electric iron. You may then heat up some breakfast in a microwave or toaster while the electric coffee maker brews a fresh pot. The point is that you have hardly started your day and most of the morning was spent using various electronics. With a normal work week most of us do not have time to manually do everything. Consumer electronics mainly fulfill two duties. They either provide a useful function and/or they entertain us.

Most of the electronics that fulfill a function of daily life are similar to the aforementioned products that you may use in the morning. Many others include things like refrigerators and washing machines. These appliances make everyday chores take a fraction of the time. Our electronics also make us more comfortable with climate control for our homes and water heaters for our faucets. You do not need to shop the latest products to be dependant upon electronics.

Besides consumer electronics that are used for everyday functions, there are ones that are purely for our interest and entertainment. MP3 player, portable gaming devices and camcorders all provide for entertainment everyday. There are also items like computers and cell phones that provide daily functions and entertainment. Our consumer electronics improve more every year to provide functionality and consumer satisfaction. More and more each year these products also fuse the gap between entertainment and functionality which promises them a place in our shopping carts.

Computers- The Essential Tool Of The 21st Century

There are computers everywhere.  Whether we realize it or not, we use computers all the time.  In this day and age, a person is more reliant on his computer than anything else – especially his personal computer or the PC.

There are computers everywhere.  Whether we realize it or not, we use computers all the time.  In this day and age, a person is more reliant on his computer than anything else – especially his personal computer or the PC.

For many, the PC is much more than just a gadget  – it is an essential tool for a lifestyle.  It organizes one’s daily activities, hold an immense amount of information and be the cornerstone for a person’s daily living and working.

With such reliance on it, one has to ask: how do I pick the perfect personal computer?

Before you start on the features, you first have to ask yourself: will I need this PC to be with me most of the time?  Do you have a great need for mobility?  If you tend to require access to the computer a lot during the course of your day, your best pal is the laptop.  If you talk to people more or can work with hard copies, you won’t need to lug around a four-pound laptop everywhere and can settle for the sturdy homebody called the desktop PC.

As soon as you take your pick, then you can go on to deciding on the other features: speed, capacity, accessibility and peripherals.

The best place to start is at the review websites for computers.  At this stage, get acquainted with what they say is the latest in the market.  Then do some research on what these advances in technology actually mean.  There are many sites that will give you definitions and background on these things. 

From here, you can also check out what you’d like the PC to do for you in terms of what kind of applications you will need in it.  This will help you decide on how much to compromise on the features against the price.

The internal workings of a PC progresses in leaps and bounds quite often.  Techies would suggest watching out for updates every six months.  Speed is the feature that changes more often than the rest.  When going to a computer shop, make sure you understand the meanings of the words “Gigahertz,” “Pentium” and “Celeron,” as well as the words behind the acronyms RAM and AMD.  And here is a side tip:  don’t forget to ask on how to keep your CPU from heating up.

In terms of capacity, your hard disk will need to have enough space to hold all the information you wish to put in it, not to mention the applications that need to run your PC.  Some would suggest two hard disks – a master and a slave drive – or partitioning your large-capacity drive to separate the applications from the data.  This will not only help you organize your files, but also keep your data from getting corrupted when the applications fail or get contaminated.

For accessibility, what kind of access would you like into and out of your PC.  Here, think Internet, local area networks and wireless communications.  All these seem to be becoming more and more necessary in maximizing your PC.  Ask your PC dealer on the best in the market – they would only be recommending suppliers here since these applications require another kind of vendor.

Lastly, the peripherals.  With all the advances in technology, there are some peripherals that are asked for so often that they are already a staple on a PC package – mouse, CD-ROM with writer, USB drives, scanner, printer, network card, a card reader and a modem.

Based on your requirements from your PC, you may also consider other peripherals like DVD-ROM, video output, infra-red port and a host of variations on the peripherals mentioned above. 

When you have the hardware, you are now ready to identify the applications that you want in your PC.  In short – what do you want your PC to do?  These will come in the form of software or programs that need to be installed in your PC.  Branded software are licensed, but there are alternatives that are freeware or are called “open source” which can be cheaper.  Don’t forget to look at peripherals for these applications.  They usually come in packages.

Make sure you ask your dealer to help you install everything.  And always ask about the warranty.  Keep all your receipts and guarantee cards, and you’re all set.  You are now a full-pledged owner of a PC. 

Now, for the security…

Apple Powerbook – Is It Better Than The Other Laptops?

There has been a long standing debate as to whether Mac laptops are better than PCs. Owners of Mac laptops say yes. Many owners of other brands hate Mac laptops and vehemently say no. Let’s compare the Apple powerbook to other brands based on a set of features.

Processors:

Powerbooks are now capable of using the same Intel processors as other laptops, so processor speed isn’t really an issue anymore.

Operating system:

This is probably the area with the most intense debates. The Mac OS X utilized in powerbooks uses a Unix platform to drive it’s system. Many programmers believe that this gives the powerbook an edge as it is a superior system, since it can handle a large number of applications running at once.

Software:

It’s true that much of the software being created is geared more towards PCs than powerbooks. In terms of productivity tools, powerbooks come with a complete set of software that is comparable to the typical Windows software. You can get web browsers, email tools and even antivirus software. However, if you plan on using Mac laptops for gaming, you may run into some problems. Many of the popular games just aren’t compatible with the powerbook. Even the graphics software, for which Mac laptops were famous, are now compatible with PCs.

Customization:

This may just be the area where PCs win outright. Just take a look at Dell. While you can customize your powerbook, up to a point, it’s nowhere near what companies like Dell and HP are offering.

Security:

Anyone would be a bit skeptical about an operating system which prompts you to download and install security updates to fix bugs on a regular basis. Windows isn’t the most secure system, as evidenced by the tens of thousand of viruses that attack it. The powerbook does have a more secure system, but there are viruses out there that attack Mac laptops, just nowhere as many.

Cost:

You only need to take a look at various company websites to know that powerbooks are more expensive than PCs. The powerbook operating system itself is cheaper so it may be an option if you’re building a system yourself.

So what’s the bottom line? Mac laptops ruled the roost, as it were, for many years. While the OS X operating system is still superior, PCs have come a long way in catching up. Unless you really have a strong preference, you might be better off getting a PC with a good antivirus program.

An Expert System Powered By Uncertainty

The Artificial Intelligence community sought to understand human intelligence by building computer programs, which exhibited intelligent behavior. Intelligence was perceived to be a problem solving ability. Most human problems appeared to have reasoned, rather than mathematical, solutions. The diagnosis of a disease could hardly be calculated. If a patient had a group of symptoms, then she had a particular disease. But, such reasoning required prior knowledge. The programs needed to have the “knowledge” that the disease exhibited a particular group of symptoms. For the AI community, that vague knowledge residing in the minds of “Experts” was superior to text book knowledge. So they called the programs, which solved such problems, Expert Systems.

Expert Systems managed goal oriented problem solving tasks including diagnosis, planning, scheduling, configuration and design. One method of knowledge representation was through “If, then...” rules. When the “If” part of a rule was satisfied, then the “Then” part of the rule was concluded. These became rule based Expert Systems. But knowledge was sometimes factual and at other times, vague. Factual knowledge had clear cause to effect relationships, where clear conclusions could be drawn from concrete rules. Pain was one symptom of a disease. If the disease always exhibited pain, then pain pointed to the disease. But vague and judgmental knowledge was called heuristic knowledge. It was more of an art. The pain symptom could not mechanically point to diseases, which occasionally exhibited pain. Uncertainty did not yield concrete answers.

The AI community tried to solve this problem by suggesting a statistical, or heuristic analysis of uncertainty. The possibilities were represented by real numbers or by sets of real-valued vectors. The vectors were evaluated by means of different “fuzzy” concepts. The components of the measurements were listed, giving the basis of the numerical values. Variations were combined, using methods for computing combination of variances. The combined uncertainty and its components were expressed in the form of “standard deviations.” Uncertainty was given a mathematical expression, which was hardly useful in the diagnosis of a disease.

The human mind did not compute mathematical relationships to assess uncertainty. The mind knew that a particular symptom pointed to a possibility, because it used intuition, a process of elimination, to instantly identify patterns. Vague information was powerfully useful to an elimination process, since they eliminated many other possibilities. If the patient lacked pain, all diseases, which always exhibited pain, could be eliminated. Diseases, which sometimes exhibited pain were retained. Further symptoms helped identification from a greatly reduced database. A selection was easier from a smaller group. Uncertainty could be powerfully useful for an elimination process.

Intuition was an algorithm, which evaluated the whole database, eliminating every context that did not fit. This algorithm has powered Expert Systems which acted speedily to recognize a disease, identify a case law or diagnose the problems of a complex machine. It was instant, holistic, and logical. If several parallel answers could be presented, as in the multiple parameters of a power plant, recognition was instant. For the mind, where millions of parameters were simultaneously presented, real time pattern recognition was practical. And elimination was the key, which could conclusively handle uncertainty, without resort to abstruse calculations.

Consulting Firms: Should You Be a Product Reseller?

Consulting firms do not see great benefits from being product resellers. Don’t be seen as a commodities broker in your computer consulting firms.

In this article, we'll explore the two schools of thought on whether computer consulting firms should resell products.

Pure Computer Consulting Firms Defined

Some consulting firms want to be pure consulting firms. They believe that they are never going to make a penny off product margin and that there are potential conflicts when reselling products. So these kinds of consulting firms don't choose to resell hardware, software, or peripherals. As consultants, these companies will help clients decide exactly what to buy, what the specs should be, and show them where they can buy the recommended products.

Purchasing Agents Are Almost Pure

A variation on this scenario includes becoming the purchasing agent for clients. In this case, your firm does the purchasing for clients and your firm bills clients for a couple of hours for that function. Your firm gets and reviews quotes, places orders, tracks orders, and carries the purchase through to completion. Both of these (the referral role and purchase agent role) are more of a pure consulting model.

Hybrid Consulting Firms Are another Option

With a hybrid-consulting model, your consulting business resells some products. A lot of computer resellers do what's known as white box PC reselling; selling what's known as PC clones. A computer reseller offering white box systems is typically selling non-branded desktops, non-branded servers and in some very limited cases, non-branded notebooks (called white books).

To Resell or Not to Resell in Consulting Firms?

The strategic decision of whether to resell or not depends on where you want to be spending the bulk of your time. Do you want your firm to try to pick up some incremental profit off of product sales? Or do you want most of your consulting firm's income to come from pure consulting dollars? Regardless, if you really want to be in a strong sales position for your consulting business, you really should not be leading off with a product sale.

Are Products Sales a Good “Foot in the Door?”

Now many new computer consulting business owners wonder: Should you sell inexpensive PCs, cheap software and cheap peripherals to get a foot in the door to sell the consulting services? The answer in most cases is no. 

Why not?  Because then, all of a sudden you've shown customers that you want to be their commodity broker.  Will customers hire their commodity broker for consulting?  Not likely. They've got your firm pegged as the cheap, low-cost source.

If you want to resell products, resell products to people that you have consulting relationships with. And make sure your consulting firm makes an ample profit margin for the time, capital, space, staff and overhead that you must devote to reselling products.

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Apple Makes Partnership with Intel

For years Apple computers has been pushing their own processors and operating systems but it seems the tides are turning. Apple recently announced their new range of desktops and notebooks sporting dual core Intel processors.

This is an interesting move on both the part of Intel and Apple. Apple has “made a deal with the devil” so to speak by opting to use the Intel dual core processors. For years they have been fighting it but it seems they have finally given in.

What’s more interesting is the fact that Intel are putting their dual core processors into the macs. This is to me is a sign of desperation on Intel’s part. For years they have been dominating the processor market with little threat from the other major processor manufacturer AMD.  But recently, with their 64 bit dual core and server processors, AMD has been clawing back the market. With big players like DELL and HP starting to offer Opteron process made by AMD it’s no wonder Intel feels threatened.

The new Apple computers will even be able to run Windows operating systems which further monopolizes the market for Microsoft. The macs are using the Pentium D dual core processors which were released a while after AMD released their dual core range. This jump AMD has on Intel is proving costly for them in terms of processor sales.

Who knows what the future will bring for this new partnership. Apple supporting Intel processors would not have even crossed my mind a year ago but here we are. Although the Intel dual core processors are a lot cheaper than the AMD dual core offerings, AMD sales still seem to be soaring while Intel processor sales are on a steady decline. If Intel doesn’t step up the game soon they will be where AMD was 3 years ago.

Lipstick Can Be Harmful To Modern Ladies’ Teeth

Most modern women wear lipstick very frequently, being unaware of the fact that some types of this cosmetics can actually be harmful to their dental health. According to Brazilian specialists at the University of Sao Paulo carried out a series of scientific researches and experiments. They tested 10 most famous and popular brands of lipstick and found out that using most of those can eventually lead to increased risks of dental plague and other dental problems.
The scientists studied chemical composition of the cosmetics product. It turned out that the majority of lipsticks contain hard paraben wax, a sticky substance which can easily get stuck to our teeth together with food particles and numerous bacteria. This way, an excellent environment for bacterial growth and dental plague development is created, and it is possible to avoid such negative effects only by brushing teeth very frequently. Therefore, prolonged use of lipstick causes small damages of tooth enamel leading to formation of cavities.
According to Antonio Xavier, one of the leaders of this interesting research, lipsticks contain really small amounts of such paraben wax, but using lipsticks on a daily or regular basis can cause the above mentioned dental problems even within 2-3 months. In order to avoid possible negative effects of using this cosmetic product, Brazilian dental specialists intent to create a special spray which would be able to protect tooth enamel from the wax and pathogenic bacteria.  It is estimated that an average woman who regularly uses creams, mascara, lipstick and other cosmetic products, every year receives up to 2 kilos of harmful chemical compounds.

Sugar-Free Foods Can Be Harmful To Our Teeth

Many of us frequently use sugar-free products with the aim to protect our teeth from harmful effects of sugar. Especially, parents like giving sugar-free bars and products to their children in order to lower the risks of damaging children’s teeth. However, the specialists ring the bells saying that such products are very often overfilled with acidic and other types of additives, which can be not less but even more harmful to our teeth than sugar. The same can be said about sugar-free drinks.
When choosing a product in the markets or shops, modern consumers usually look ate sugar content. But they do not realize that other ingredients can also be as bad. The specialists tested more than 85 popular sugar-free snacks, including the ones of such popular brands as Kellogg‘s and Nestle. It turned our that all of those products have harmful acidic elements, and the same can be said about commercial orange juice. Brad Schmitt, a nutritionist, comments on the study: “Kids love their muesli bars and fruit snacks but parents should limit them to be a once-a-week treat.”
Acid damage is sometimes more dangerous than sugar damage, because it not only weakens the enamel and erodes the minerals in it. It also extremely increases teeth sensitivity and makes tooth enamel more vulnerable for harmful activity of sugars. Many specialists consider acid erosion even more dangerous than damage  from sugar as the former causes enamel demineralization, and the latter is more likely linked to cavities and tooth decay. That is why we all should be careful of consuming sugar-free foods thinking that the risks of damaging teeth are minimized.

Cannabis - a factsheet

What is cannabis?
Cannabis comes from a plant called Cannabis Sativa. Cannabis, hashish and hashish oil all come from different parts of the plant. Each is a different strength with cannabis being the least powerful and hashish oil being the most. Effects of cannabis
Using cannabis can have both immediate and longer-term effects. These effects may vary from person to person. Things that may influence how you are affected by the drug are:

• The amount and strength of the cannabis, hash or hashish oil
• The way it is taken (eg smoked or eaten)
• Your weight, size and health
• Your mood when you take it
• What else you are taking with it
• The environment where you are taking it eg, at home with friends, at a party, or by yourself.

Some of the more immediate effects of cannabis use may include:

• A feeling of euphoria
• A loss of concentration
• Relaxation
• A feeling of confidence
• Wanting to eat more
• Red eyes
• Wanting to talk and/or laugh more than usual
• Losing balance and coordination
• Feelings of anxiety or paranoia

Some of the possible long-term effects of cannabis use are:

• Lung problems (eg chronic bronchitis, lung cancer). Cannabis smoke contains ingredients that can damage the lungs, affect your physical health and fitness and possibly cause cancer. If cannabis is smoked over many years it may get in the way of the functioning of the lungs, this may increase the chances of developing lung disease.
• Difficulties with memory and attention - It has been shown that cannabis use over the longer term can cause problems with memory, attention and processing of complex information. This may affect everyday life when you are learning something new or doing something difficult.
• Development of dependence - most people who use cannabis don't go on to use it regularly, or develop problems with it. However, there are a number of people who will become dependent on cannabis. The chance of becoming dependent on cannabis is similar to the chance of becoming dependent on alcohol. If someone is dependent on cannabis they may experience a difficulty controlling their use or be spending a lot of time involved in cannabis and less time on other things in their life.
• Increased risk of mental health problems - some people have a greater risk of developing mental health problems than others. Cannabis use may trigger problems if you have a family history of serious mental illness (such as schizophrenia or depression), or you are vulnerable to developing it. If you already have a serious mental illness, cannabis use may make some of your symptoms worse.

Cannabis and experimentation
It is not uncommon to experiment with cannabis. Experimentation does not necessarily lead to problem use. If you are concerned about someone's cannabis use it may be helpful to speak with The Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS). ADIS specialise in drug and alcohol issues. It may also be helpful to calmly talk with the person you are concerned about. Engaging them in a confrontational way may only alienate them.
Mixing cannabis with other drugs
Mixing cannabis and other drugs may be dangerous. If cannabis is taken with other drugs the effects of the cannabis may be stronger.
Cannabis and driving or operating heavy machinery
If you have been using cannabis driving or operating heavy machinery is dangerous. If you are stoned your attentions span may be less or you may find it harder to react if something unexpected happens. It is possible to experience these effects even if you don't feel stoned.
Cannabis and the law
The use and sale of cannabis is illegal in all Australian States and Territories, but each one has different laws and penalties. In some places, the possession and use of small amounts of cannabis have been decriminalised. This does not mean that cannabis use is legal in these places, it means that if you are caught, you may have to pay a fine and can still end up having a criminal record. While being busted for cannabis use may not seem like a big deal when you are young, having a criminal record for a cannabis offence may restrict your options for things you want to do in life such as employment or travel.
Getting help for cannabis use
It may be a big step to get help for your cannabis use. Managing your drug use may include speaking to a professional or it may be possible to reduce it on your own.

Consejos Sabios para Llenar el Alma

Es importante tener esperanza  de que todo lo que has hecho en el pasado te sirve para el fututo a ti y a tus hijos sin dejar un vació en ti. Aquí hay una lista de consejos sabios para llenar el alma.

Aquí te presento una lista de consejos para que no te sientas vació, y observar al pasado con una sonrisa. Las he obtenido de una persona que estaba al final de su vida y sintió que hubiera hecho muchas cosas diferentes y ha recetado una serie de consejos para aquel que este interesado en cambiar.

1) Habla menos; escucha más.
2) Escucha a las historias de tus abuelos a cerca de su juventud. Cuando ya no este, revivirás sus llamas por sus memorias.
3) Invita a amigos para cenar o picar algo, a pesar de que tu casa no este en condiciones.
4) Come mucho chocolate.
5) Invita amigos con chicos a tu casa a pesar de que hagan lió.
6) Siéntate en el pasto a pesar de que ensucie tus pantalones.
7) No compres algo solo porque durara mucho tiempo o porque es practico, hazlo porque quieres.
8) Quédate en cama relajado si te sientes enfermo y no pretendas que el mundo no puede continuar sin ti por un día.
9) Prende las velas que tienes de adorno en el salón y déjalas encendidas. No las dejes sin uso en el armario.
10) Comparte responsabilidades de la vida con un compañero, no solo las expensas.
11) (Para las mujeres) En vez de esperar al embarazo a que se termine, disfruta cada momento en tu corazón. Aprende que la vida dentro de ti es la única oportunidad que tienes de ayudar a Dios a crear magia.
12) Deja que tus hijos de abrasen y besen cuando quiera que lo deseen. No los detengas por ninguna razón como: "mas tarde", "ve a lavarte las manos", "deberemos comer" o demás. 
13) Di las próximas dos frases lo más seguido que puedas: "Te Amo" y "Lo siento."
14) Deja de preocuparte por quien te quiere o no te quiere, o que tiene quien o no tiene.
15) Valora todas las relaciones humanas personales.
16) Juega con una mascota cuando puedas. Riete y corre con ella y toma parte en sus juegos.
17) Pasa el mayor tiempo posible con la gente que te quiere.
18) Deja de transpirar por todos los pequeños detalles y problemas sin sentido de la vida.
19) Toma cada momento, míralo y déjalo. Nunca volverá de nuevo.

La persona que escribió estos sabios consejos se llamaba Susana, y tenia una hija de seis años. Susana enseño estos ideales básicos a un conocido mío y yo los he tratado de seguir también en honor a su memoria. Creo que puedo decir que convertirá a quienquiera que lo haga en una mejor persona, un mejor esposa o esposa, y en general  una persona mas feliz. Inclusive ahora creo que D'os ha bendecido a cada uno de nosotros, y deberemos aceptar estas bendiciones e intentar buscar sentirnos mas fuertes físicamente, mentalmente, y emocionalmente. Recuerda que todos tenemos la suerte de estar aquí, y aprovechar vivir la vida de la mejor manera posible, así que consejos para esa receta nunca están de mas.

Computer Viruses - the basics

This article is intended for the new or casual computer user who wants to know about man made viruses (aren’t they all?) that may plague system files, internet files, hard drives and e-mails and what to do about it.

In its simplest terms a virus is a disruptive computer code period!
 A computer virus almost always repeats itself and spreads by attaching itself to other files. Viruses can be made to host a number of harmful things on any computer from disrupting files to crashing networks. It can even be laying dormant, without you knowing it's there and then attack when least expect it, like right in the middle of downloading a large file or typing a long report.

  It can even be made to open at a certain date, sitting like a timebomb until it's time arrives.  As you can see it can be annoying at the very least.
  I do not want go into all the different types of viruses here because there are so many and more are being made everyday in some dank basement by the Dark Lord.
  However, since so many viruses came from unknowingly opening e-mails I would like to mention some basics here:

  Never open e-mail attachments unless you know for sure who it's from and that it's safe.
Some  mail programs will even ask if you trust the attachment and if you’re sure this you want to do. Your computer software can also scan attachments for viruses.
  The danger is that when the attachment is opened the virus can attach itself to your hard drive and damage files. Not only that, it can search your saved e-mail addresses and send itself out to your friends, business partners and whoever is on the list, masking the message to look like a legitimate one from you. It will probably have an attachment too and when opened will infect other computers.

   Many people like to download music, video, games or other programs from different sites.  If it is a site you dealt with before and trust it may be safe ok, but if you’re not sure you can always run a virus scan on the download before installation. (You will need to check the anti-virus program that came with your system on procedures).  This security measure is necessary because some downloads may contain virtues, spyware or adware – these last two can collect personal information, note your browsing habits and spam your e-mail with unwanted ads.  Some software sites will offer a readme file that shows technical information on the download (if you like tech talk) as well as contact info.
The better sites that offer downloads will test and scan all there software programs before going online with it.  As a last resort you can do an internet search for reviews on that particular company to see if others got burned.

  This may sound scary to some but the fact is in this world anyone who owns a computer will have to look over there shoulders for hidden attacks when working with online.
  That said there are some things should do to prevent viruses from attacking your computer:

* Download the latest virus definition lists ( files that tell your computer what to scan for) that's used for your anti-virus program.

* Check to see if your internet service provider has tools to stop viruses before they can reach your mailbox.

* Always back-up your computer on CD-R disks or other media in case you loose some or all your data.

* You can scan software for viruses before installing it. (See system manual for procedure)


* Set your security settings at the highest level.

* Check your web browser and e-mail settings.

 Doing these things at least every week will help keep your computer up to date on Virus protection and running safely.

An all new background for your myspace web page

Not many users of the Myspace are capable of creating the web page required to invite more number of visitors to the site. The best way is to rebuild the background on your own every alternative week. But if the user is not technology savvy and not really keen on experimentation, then the best way is to access resources on the Internet. There are plenty of sites that offer assistance in making the background a highly successful component of the Myspace web page.

By checking the popular search engines such as Google and Yahoo!, you can trace the resources that can help you work on the backgrounds of the myspace page. There are multiple options to download the various complex backgrounds for the Myspace page. The first and foremost option is the free downloads from popular sites. The second and not most preferred option by the youngsters is the paid backgrounds, which is issued against a license. In the paid option backgrounds, there are a number of rich features and color schemes. Under the paid backgrounds, the users have the option of customizing the requirements as per their desires and plans. Once the payment is made to the service provider, tools and software codes are provided to the Myspace user to download the data for the background from the Internet site. It is common for these providers to make the user-friendly. If the tools given to the users are not of their personal preference, the users can go their own way in terms of opting for the color schemes. The paid backgrounds have multiple options and are issued on the basis of license. There are numerous unlicensed backgrounds available on the Internet, but their reliability is a big question.

The backgrounds are widely available on the Internet for use and they run into thousands across all links. Go through them using the search engines and download the appropriate background. The Myspace page background is available in several formats. The two important among them are paid backgrounds and free backgrounds. The paid backgrounds are rich in features and sport a number of attractive features. Though the free backgrounds are also attractive and colored in bright schemes, the have limited options and user friendliness.

The free backgrounds can be installed on the web page as whole or set in the form of tiled manner. They can also be installed in multiple formats and schemes. Check various Internet sites offering the Myspace backgrounds and themes for additional information on their use. The color mix of the backgrounds is available in various choices. The users also have the choice of mixing colors on their own.

While mixing colors make sure that the background does not resemble a riot of colors. It could spoil the entire background apart from messing up the account. The primary objective should be to enliven the background of the account and not spoil it. Exercise restrain while choosing the colors. They have to be appropriate and relate to the profile of the account holder. Any slight deviation from the color choice could mean disaster to the account page.

Consulting Contracts with National Service Organizations- Good idea?

Consulting Contracts with National Service Organizations are not your sweet spot in computer consulting. Computer hardware is often disposable with low profit margins and hardware repair is not the best choice in consulting contracts.
Don't do it. Why not? You'll spend a lot of money and a lot of time getting certified and learning all the latest platforms and technologies. But the reality is that hardware repair is a commodity - a low margin business. And it's becoming more and more of a commodity service every year as the components become more disposable and more replaceable than repairable. In this article, you'll learn why consulting contracts with national service organizations are not the best choice.

Computers Are Now Replaceable

Let's take a $600 consumer-grade PC for example.  Who's going to spend money on an out-of-warranty repair on a $600 PC? Who's going to spend money on an out of warranty repair on a $400 laser printer? How much money are small businesses willing to spend on this kind of repair? 

Low Labor Allowances for Consulting Contracts

Since national service organizations are going to primarily be dealing with warranty repairs on relatively inexpensive hardware, how much labor allowance do you think they're really going to give up on a $1,200 notebook? Many big hardware vendors are so cash strapped that they're always on the verge of going out of business constantly. Dell, HP, and IBM are pretty much the only major hardware players that are still in reasonably good financial shape (even if you consider IBM in the hardware business anymore).

The Profit Margin on Repairs in Consulting Contracts

So, what are you going to make on a repair?  Fifty dollars?  A hundred dollars?  $150 or $200 at the absolute most?  You're going to do a lot better by finding small businesses in your area that need high-level professional services on a regular basis. 

Consulting Contracts with National Service Providers Aren't Profitable

Acting as a subcontractor for a national service provider is a really hard way to run a consulting business.  Do you want to be in eight different offices every single day, or do you want to be in one or two?  Do you want to be billing out at $100 or $150 an hour for high-end network support services and network integration services? Or do you want to be told that you're going to be allowed a $65 labor allowance to replace a system board, no matter how long it takes you?

The Bottom Line about Consulting Contracts

Repairing and troubleshooting hardware is low-end commodity work.  It's work that can be done by people that are billing out at $20 or $30 an hour. It's not the high-end consulting you could be doing with consulting contracts. Don't ever confuse the two.

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Alternatives To Television

It is quite easy to spend several hours a day glued to the screen of a television set. It is estimated that on average an individual watches approximately two full months worth of television over the course of a year. Some suggest that this fascination with television has contributed immensely to the obesity problem in North America. Finding an alternative to watching hours of television a day may pose a difficult task for some people who simply cannot miss a particular show that they watch on a regular basis. However, despite the temptation television creates, there are far more enjoyable activities one can participate in during those few hours regularly spent in front on the small screen.

Since television is a major contributor to weight problems, exercising seems like a logical thing to do as opposed to viewing hours of sitcoms. Not only is exercising an enjoyable way to kill a few hours it is also a great way to burn a few calories. Simply getting outside and going for a brisk walk not only helps one avoid the enticement that is television but also has a profusion of health benefits. Along with assisting one with weight loss, exercising can also increase the ability of the heart and lungs to function more efficiently and moreover help an individual feel better both inside and out.

Picking up a hobby is another excellent substitute for television. An individual can perhaps learn and develop a new skill, such as knitting or darts for example, or perhaps start a collection of something, which may even become a lifelong leisure pursuit for them. Reading is yet another fantastic option to aid with the evasion of television. Reading not only allows one to be imaginative but it also permits the expansion of the mind and promotes mental health.

Computers - how they have advanced

Even over the last decade, the advances in computer technology have been immense

Even over the last decade, the advances in computer technology have been immense. Computers can do more today than ever before, faster and at a better value price. Unfortunately, this also means that shopping for a computer can be confusing, as it is hard to know what you actually need and what is just an extra that’s nice to have. Hopefully this article can clear up a few of the mysteries for you.

First of all, let’s look at processors. The two main companies producing processors today are Intel (Pentium processors) and AMD (Athlon processors). Although fanatics on each side swear otherwise, there is little difference between them, performance-wise. In almost all cases, more expensive processors will simply run faster.

However, it is important to consider that the performance of your processor can be limited by how much memory (RAM) your computer has. For high-end processors, you should make sure to get at least a gigabyte of RAM, although lower-end systems will be fine with less. RAM is especially important if you plan to use the system for gaming or other graphics-intensive applications.

Hard disk space, at this point, probably isn’t worth caring too much about. Even the cheapest computers now come with ridiculous amounts of hard disk space, far more than you are ever likely to use. It is much better to upgrade to a DVD re-writer drive than to upgrade your hard disk space. DVDs hold so much data that however big your hard drive is, it is unlikely to hold more than a cheap spindle of DVD-RW discs – and they’re re-writable, so you only need to buy them once.

The only other thing you really need to worry about is the graphics card (sound cards are all the same these days). Again, if you’re going to be doing anything graphically-intensive, then research this further and get a good one (be warned that it can be expensive). For the average user, though, the graphics card that comes with the processor is likely to be fine, even for many less-demanding or older games.

All-Computer-Brands

There are many choices of all-computer-brands that are widely available.  Dell, Toshiba, and Sony are amongs the many, but which one do I choose from?  Which is the one for me?  All-computer-brands come in many ranges from types and models to prices and sizes and can be a daunting task in picking and choosing them, especially if your a first time buyer.  To ease through the selections, it is highly recommended to first determine what your daily activites, needs and wants are when considering a computer.  Do you need the computer only for school and work?  Do you only want the computer for entertainment such as playing music and games and watching movies?  Do you want a desktop computer to keep at home or a laptop computer to suit your lifestyle and daily travels?  By already determining the major aspects of your computing, all-computer-brands hardware and specifications selections should be the next consideration. 

All-computer-brands hardware and specifications components varies upon the one that fits and suites you.  As a guideline, there are three vital hardware components to all-computer-brands.  The CPU, the RAM, and the hard drive.  The CPU will determine the speed of your computer.  Avid computer gamers will need the highest CPU available as possible in all-computer-brands where as basic computer user using the computer only for surfing the internet and checking email can rely on basic CPU selections in all-computer-brands.  The RAM is your computers memory.  The higher the RAM the more applications and programs that could be installed and performed stimultaneously.  A high amount of Ram are most commonly utilized by multi taskers which like to run various applications such as surfing the internet and playing movies and music at the same time. 

The hard drive is the storage of the computer.  If planning on storing a lot of files such as media files do not hesitate to opt for a vast hard drive.  Knowing your computing needs and wants and determining which hardware component specifications will best suit and ease your selections of all-computer-brands.  There are also specific computer models suited just for gaming, entertainment, working, travel, or all purpose computing uses by all-computer-brands that encourages in picking the right one when considering a computer.  To view a list and read more about all-computer-brands, please visit http://www.ALLCOMPUTERBRANDS.COM

Computers at war in the 70’s and 80’s

In the ‘70s, two computers nearly became dominant: the Apple II and the Commodore 64
The ‘70s and the ‘80s could be easily described as the ‘computer war’. Every company had a new kind of computer, better than the last that they wanted to change the world. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before one was adopted as the standard, with all the advantages for software compatibility this would bring – and they were desperate for it to be their model that made the big time.

In the ‘70s, two computers nearly became dominant: the Apple II and the Commodore 64. Both of these computers sold in the millions, inspiring a whole generation – they were used for everything from office tasks to games.

It was in 1980, however, that IBM launched its IBM PC, and things really went crazy. IBM’s PC wasn’t patented. IBM went to a small company named Microsoft to get an operating system for this computer, and ended up with DOS, but Microsoft was willing to license DOS to anyone else who paid their fee. By 1984, ‘IBM PC compatible’ computers were available, and a de facto standard was born. Software makers could finally write their programs for one operating system and one hardware configuration – and anyone computer that didn’t follow the specification to the letter was quickly left with no programs to run.

In 1990, Microsoft released Windows 3.0 (the first version of Windows to be really successful), and the PC’s lock on the marketplace was set in stone. The release of the Pentium and Windows 95 made it finally the fastest, cheapest and easiest system around, and it quickly stopped making sense to develop software for anything else.

From then on, the PC was the dominant computer – today, it is estimated to have between 95% and 98% of the market, with almost all the rest being held by Apple Macintosh computers.

All About Internet Fax Services

Are you interested in Internet fax services? The advantages of web fax services are many and subscribing to internet fax services is worth the money you spend on it. This article will help you to know all about internet fax services, advantages of online fax services, and what online fax service providers can offer to their customers.

The main advantage of internet fax services is that online fax technology makes sending and receiving fax easy and fast. One can even use the service even if he/she does not have access to POTS (Plain Old Telephone) as the internet fax services act as an intermediary to handle the fax sending and receiving process. This allows the users to send and receive faxes, especially those marked with “URGENT” anytime they want.

With online fax service you need not have to worry about providing an extra space for you fax machine. Internet fax services can save much of your office space and you can use utilize internet fax services to handle all of your specialized communication needs.

Internet fax services can save your hard earned money to purchase expensive ink cartridges or having the funds to pay the office supplier to send the faxes for you. You can send the fax messages at the convenience of your home or office.

The maximum infrastructure one may require is a computer, a reliable internet connection and an email ID.

Sending internet fax message is quite easy – what a user has to do is to simply type the message in the text space of the electronic mail and press the send button. The fax message will be transfer the network based server of the service provider, where it is converted into a suitable file format before eventually forwarding it to the recipient’s mail box or fax machine, whichever is applicable.

Online fax facility is offered by several companies – most of the companies ask the users to join in any of their monthly subscription packages. There are also several companies which offer free internet fax services. In free online fax services, the user cannot enjoy all the advantages or features offered in a paid internet fax service. That is there may be limitations such as only a specific number of fax messages per month or the user can only receive messages. Therefore, selecting a paid online fax service will be better for the user to enjoy all the benefits of internet fax service.

Web faxing or email faxing is an efficient technology which bridges the gap between traditional fax machines and web based communication. Internet fax services eliminate the operational cost and complexity of using fax machines and provide the users the flexibility and easiness to send and receive fax messages. After all, internet fax service is another communicating tool which makes life easier!!

Computer War Games: How To Estimate Decisions Made By C & C Trainees

Now that the Russian military is cash-strapped and can afford only a limited number of field preparation exercises, computer warfare games (CWG) ar of special importance for in operation(p) grooming of C & C agencies and elements because they make it potential to upgrade career-area skills of officers and rehearse modern C & C methods. Estimation of decisions made in the procedure by members of missile forces and artillery (MF & A) C & C authorised personnel department presen...

Now that the Russian military is cash-strapped and can afford only a limited number of field preparation exercises, computer warfare games (CWG) ar of special importance for in operation(p) grooming of C & C agencies and elements because they make it potential to upgrade career-area skills of officers and rehearse modern C & C methods. Estimation of decisions made in the procedure by members of missile forces and artillery (MF & A) C & C authorised personnel department presents the hardest part of it. Modern theory and methods of estimating the results of CWG education numerous on the one hand and, on the other, there no sufficiently studied and in general accepted methods and templates to estimation decisions being interpreted. This can be put down first of all to objective difficulties involved in formalizing the outgrowth of estimating the decisions of commanders (persons in authority): the complexity of initial operating(a)-tactical situations; considerable uncertainty of stimulation information; the numerous criteria used in estimating the trainees' decisions and the need for reducing the -making values to one generalized value.

Moreover, existing methods of processing the results of CWG breeding not quite adequate for dealing with uncertain stimulus ; the many criteria used in estimating decisions made by authoritative personnel office of C & C agencies of MF & A during state of war games either not into history or into chronicle without due thoughtfulness. This, as a rule, reduces estimate objectivity. In order to achieve the main objective of CWG--to train C & C staff office of MF & A and pinpoint their errors--the CWG headquarters should have tools to promptly and objectively approximation the decisions ; to idea the caliber of work by C & C agencies in the main and by person members of its force; to appraisal the performance of trainees on a leg-by-microscope stage basis.

Meeting these requirements calls for careful preparations of CWG, designing appropriate methods of estimating the performance of C & C agencies and someone members of the who undergo . Continued from page 1. Estimation of armed combat employment plans is based on decisions made at the stagecoach of preparation for the functioning of MF & A subsystems: reconnaissance, command and control, effective engagement and support.

To this end, we take indicators of the selected system for stimulant , whereas indicators of the other subsystems selected and normalized to match the computed units. This organization of the modeling cognitive process makes it conceivable a more complete gauge of the calibre of decisions made by C & C trainees in provision the functioning of MF & A subsystems. Thus, comparative approximation of decisions made by C & C and the drafting of recommendations for upgrading these decisions include: the assignment of problem (formulation of basic characteristics of decisions to be made of C & C trainees); for variants of computation experiments (determination of the functional-tactical background, usable-tactical scenarios of MF & A fight trading operations, forecasts of enemy fighting ); the development of an integrated information model ( squad versus supporting team up); determining the values of indicators essential for idea of decisions related to variants of scrap under considerateness; analysis of values of the indicators essential for estimations; of decisions for every of C & C trainees; the selection of the best arrived at by the trainees; analysis of mistakes made by the trainees and the drafting of recommendations for upgrading their decisions.

The suggested methodological approach makes it imaginable to upgrade the timbre (validation and speed) of of decisions made in various forms of useable of C & C agencies, such as games, command post exercises and during the course of solving somebody problems of battle employment of MF & A in army (corps).

Alarm Systems

Did you know that security systems do not deter a burglar from breaking into your house? If someone wants to get into your house bad enough, they will find a way to do it. Burglars are aware of the different types of systems and how they work. They are also aware of how to get around them. Basically there are two types of home security systems.

One type, called a monitored system, alerts a central notification center once the alarm has been tripped and this center then checks in with the homeowner to see if everything is ok by calling. The call center is alerted through the phone wires. A clever burglar will locate the outdoor phone wires that are exposed and cut them. By doing this, the information center is never alerted and the burglar is free to enter the home. One disadvantage to having a monitored system is that even after the alarm has been triggered, it gives the burglar time to still get into your house, steal some valuables and escape undetected. This can happen because typically once the alarm has been set the security company waits for approximately 30 – 45 seconds before contacting the homeowner by phone to receive the correct password. They wait this long to allow the homeowner to deactivate the alarm if it is a false alarm. If the monitoring company does not receive the correct password, or the phone is not answered, they then contact the police. By the time the police arrive at least 1-2 minutes has passed. An experienced thief can make off with quite a few of your valuables in that short amount of time.

The other type of alarm systems is ones that make a loud siren like noise inside and outside the house alerting neighbors. These are called unmonitored systems. The responsibility to contact authorities then rests on your neighbors. With this type of alarm system, it is best to also include flashing lights so people are well aware of where the alarm is coming from. The advantage to having this type of system is that burglars often become deterred when the sirens and lights start blaring. Their goal is to get in and get out with some loot and without being noticed. This is really tricky to do once the alarm has been tripped. A disadvantage of this type of alarm is that your neighbors must be home and willing to get involved by calling the authorities. This type of alarm is also not made for those who live in an isolated area of the countryside or whose neighbors are not close by.

If you’re still interested in installing an alarm system in your house there are a few things that you need to consider when researching the correct one for you.

Cost – security systems cost about $1,000. If you choose to have it monitored, there is an additional monthly fee for this service.

Package – be sure that your package includes: control panel, keypad, siren, motion detectors inside and outside and door and window contacts. You can add other accessories to your package, but in order to have a good system installed it should include the above-mentioned items.
Licensing etc. – get references and referrals on any company you might consider using. See how quickly they can install your system after it has been purchased. You do not want to hire a company that can sell their systems faster than they can install them.

Be sure to get information on their warranty.

Ask about their screening process for installers. Installers should have a criminal background check completed on them.

Call your police department to find out what their response time is to home security alarms. You may be surprised by their answer. Also check to see if there are any fines associated with false alarms.

Nothing replaces good old-fashioned safety and intelligence. Lock your doors and windows when the house is vacant, leave lights on inside and outside and keep valuables in a very safe place – maybe even outside of the home.

Computer Security: Threats and Solutions

Unfortunately, much of the common sense advice we follow when it comes to Internet security does little to combat the cyber-crime that is rampant. Here is the inside scoop....

When it comes to computer security, many of us live in a bubble of blissful ignorance. We might be vigilant and never open email attachments from people we don't know, we might take care to make sure an ecommerce site is secure before entering our credit card information, or we might even go so far as to install a standard firewall on our computers. Unfortunately, much of the common sense advice we follow when it comes to Internet security does little to combat the cyber-crime that is rampant.

Federal Trade Commission

Even the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, a governmental agency that is designed to help consumers, had to issue a press release stating that "consumers, including corporate and banking executives, appear to be targets of a bogus e-mail supposedly sent by the Federal Trade Commission but actually sent by third parties hoping to install spyware on computers."

There's little doubt that spyware, malware, and insidious virus attacks make any computer with Internet access vulnerable. But, because not all Internet security breaches are immediately apparent, people are often unaware that their seemingly hassle-free computing is anything but. The Federal Trade Commission offers seven guidelines to help consumer surf the Web safely:

1. Protect your personal information. For example, when shopping on an ecommerce site, make sure that the page where you enter your personal information is secure, as designated by "https" before the URL. It's important to stop identity theft before it starts.

2. Know before you click. For instance, many cyber-criminals impersonate legitimate businesses, or send "phishing" email that asks you to click a hyperlink. Check out online merchants and never click on emailed hyperlinks unless you're certain of the source.

3. Update anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall software often. Hackers and others who engage in cyber-crime seem to always be a step ahead of the good guys. If your computer protection is outdated, you're vulnerable.

4. Use Web browser and operating system security features. Make sure your browser settings give you optimal privacy and security, and ensure that you update your operating system regularly to take advantage of security patches.

5. Safeguard your passwords. For example, create a unique password for each site you visit, and keep them in a secure place. Use letter, number and symbol combinations that can outsmart automated password detection programs.

6. Always do backups. If your computer does get a virus or a worm, your files may be goners. Make sure to regularly back up any important files and store them in a secure place.

7. Prepare for emergencies. If something does go wrong, such as your computer being hacked or infected, or if you accidentally divulge personal information, know what courses of action you should take to remedy the situation and prevent further problems.

A Hassle-Free Solution

Protecting your computer from all of the threats in cyberspace can seem like full-time job. Thankfully, there are companies who make it their business to offer individuals and businesses the most technologically advanced computer security solutions available. The best of these services offer PC maintenance, full system optimization, problem diagnosis and repair, installation assistance, and a full complement of professionally managed security services. Typically, you pay a small monthly subscription fee and in turn can surf the Web knowing that your computer is locked down and that you'll never again have to stay abreast of the latest security software or lug your computer down to a high-priced repair center.

Computer TV – Watch TV On The Computer

This article is about how to watch tv on the computer.
If you want to watch TV on the computer it can be fun and easy. There are many places on the Internet were you can get access to watch TV on computer. The most important thing is finding a site that provides the best quality TV channels.

Many site offer a wide variety of viewing choices, but be careful. Some companies charge you a monthly fee and don't offer as much variety as other Internet TV sites. I have by now checked out and tried just about every site on the web. Still PC Satellite TV for PC 2006 still comes out on top of all the other sites.

They offer the most variety of channels for you to watch TV on the computer. With over 2200 channels from around the world they offer sports, movies, weather reports and news. You can pick up TV stations from just about any country.

This means that you can watch TV on the computer and view broadcasts from stations from just about any country. The channels are categorized by country and then by the type of programming you prefer to watch TV on computer.

I can now enjoy watching sports from around the world. Before TV on the computer I could never view world soccer games. Now I can get them right at home on my PC. It is like having PC satellite TV dish in your home.

PC Satellite TV for PC 2006 has a one-time membership fee. This is great you have no reoccurring fees to worry about. I have had a membership now for over six months. I have defiantly gotten my moneys worth for watching TV on computer. It is fun to watch prime time TV in another country. Some of the channels out of the United Kingdom offer a wide variety of comedy and sports.

If you are just looking for a chance of pace for your TV viewing this may be something you may want try. People have been watching TV on computer for many years and it is now just starting to become extremely popular now. This is because of the improved quality and speed at witch your TV on the computer is transmitted.

You can browse the Internet and look at different companies that offer packages. You will find as I have that PC Satellite for PC  2006 still rates the number one site. If you would like to check out there web page you can click on the link at the top of my website.

Please visit some of my sites PC Satellite TV and PC Internet TV

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Computer Skills: Which Ones Your Staff Needs

Computer skills, especially more advanced ones, can be easily self-taught and shared among your staff. This article shows you what your clients are looking for in technical computer skills.
Don't worry too much if you lack advanced technical computer skills.  A lot of that can be remedied by just putting in a little bit of time each week in doing some self-study. In this article, you'll learn which computer skills are necessary to serve your sweet spot small business clients.

If It Works, Break It
You can do something as simple as getting a not-for-resale (NFR) copy of a product that you want to sell, install, and support and then working with the product in your lab. When you or one of your lead technicians or engineers has a spare half-hour to an hour, you can walk through the basic installations. Then, deliberately break the lab installations. Next, reinstall the software until you get more comfortable with the package.

Most of these products that you'll be installing for small businesses are very mature technologies. They're very wizard-driven, and at least for plain-vanilla configurations, they don't require tremendous levels of computer skills.

Installations Are Easier Now
Years ago, it was much more difficult to install the Novell small business suite or IBM equivalent, or the original 1997 Microsoft Small Business Server. But all of these companies, especially Microsoft, put a lot of money into making it easier for people who don't have advanced IT backgrounds and networking computer skills to install their small business server application suites. 

In terms of your technical computer skills to service sweet spot clients, your staff needs to:
1.    have good strong PC hardware skills
2.    be able to handle a peer-to-peer setup
3.    understand what TCP/IP is all about
4.    know what POP3 and SMTP are
5.    know how to work with basic SOHO routers

If your staff possesses the above skills, you're definitely at a good starting point to get started with at least the smaller sweet spot small businesses (10-20 PCs).

Share the knowledge among your employees
Make sure your staff members cross-train each other and you. This way, no one's ever “too knowledgeable” to the point where they can blackmail you, extract huge raises or huge bonuses, or walk away with your client base. You have to make sure your company's internal know-how or intellectual capital can't just get up and walk out the door to your biggest competitor.

The Bottom Line about Computer Skills
In this article you've learned about which technical computer skills are necessary to service your sweet spot clients.

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Adware: Are Your Business's Computers Secure?

Adware, software dedicated to displaying advertising, can really slow down any business that depends on computers. Adware promoters use some cunning tricks to get you to install their software on your machine. Here's what to look out for.

Adware is, by definition, something reasonable people don't want on their computers. That's why adware can't just come out and ask people to install it. Often, the computer owner is completely unaware of it being installed. But not always.

When adware doesn't want to sneak in through an open window, it will try to trick you into letting it in through the front door. Don't think you could be tricked? Don't be so sure until you've checked out these most common ways people have been tricked into allowing malware to be installed on their machines.


Adware Installation Trick 1: Piggybacking

How it works: malware may come bundled with a legitimate piece of software the user actually wants, such as a game or emoticon. The malware is merely labeled "companion software," without any indication of what it will do.

How to fight it: the fact that adware so often comes bundled with "entertainment" software, most notably the file-swapping program Kazaa, is a very good reason to separate business from personal when it comes to computing. But adware can sometimes comes bundled with non-entertainment software, such as search tools or cracks of legitimate business software. Be very suspicious of any software that comes bundled with other software. Don't installed software that comes bundled with other software unless you know everything that the bundled software does. After all, if the bundled program has anything to do with the program you actually want, why couldn't the software developer just get both programs' functionalities into a single piece of software? Software developers are now very sensitive to malware concerns and will provide a lengthy explanation of just why the bundled software is necessary, in the cases when they actually do need to use bundled software.


Adware Installation Trick 2: Bait and Switch

How it works: since people are getting more and more suspicious of bundled software, the program's developers may simply label it as valuable software, for instance, a browser plugin that supposedly accelerates web browsing (but in reality only shows ads).

How to fight it: again, a suspicious mind is useful in avoiding malware. Ask yourself some questions:

* What will this software actually do? Adware and adware-bundled software often come with very fuzzy claims attached. Sure, it says it will improve your browsing experience, but how? Often, this improved browsing experience just means a browsing experience with more advertising.

* If the software is so great, why is it being given away free? Most commonly, software is only given out free in two cases: if it's OpenSource (designed by a community of developers and not proprietary–OpenSource software is always clearly labeled as such); or simply a come-on for a fuller-featured version of the software. If neither case is true, there's a real chance the software is financed by adware.


Adware Installation Trick 3: Outright Lying

How it works: adware may even be labeled as something else entirely, such as a well-known piece of software or a crucial component of the computer operating system.

How to fight it: this is the trickiest adware of all, and requires extreme caution. You don't want to start deleting any of your program files, much less your system registry entries, unless you're absolutely sure it's malware. Plenty of overzealous parasite hunters have shot their own machines to bits this way. This is one case where you want to be using an anti-spyware program, and preferably a second anti-spyware program to provide a second opinion.


Getting Rid of Adware

Adware is so tricky that trying to uninstall it by yourself could be like a trip into the Matrix. Luckily, there are good anti-spyware programs that tackle adware as well–after all many adware programs are also spyware since they monitor your internet usage.

True, it may feel like adding insult to injury to have to install more software to get rid of software you never meant to install in the first place. But keeping your computer free of adware is just one new cost of doing business.

Computer Rental: Worth Your Money?

Is computer rental worth the money? Depending on the type of computer that you have a need for as well as the expenses that you plan to save, computer rental may or may not be the right road for you to go down. One thing is quite certain. That is, there are a number of companies out there right now wanting to provide you with the computer rental that you are after. They offer a wide range of products and services. But, is it worth spending your money on these computer rentals...
Is computer rental worth the money? Depending on the type of computer that you have a need for as well as the expenses that you plan to save, computer rental may or may not be the right road for you to go down. One thing is quite certain. That is, there are a number of companies out there right now wanting to provide you with the computer rental that you are after. They offer a wide range of products and services. But, is it worth spending your money on these computer rentals? Or, maybe you should just outright make the purchase?

The value of the computer rental is dependent on the need that you have as well as the overall need you expect to have down the road. It makes sense that if you only plan to use the computers for a few days or weeks that you should consider the computer rental industry. Often times it is important to have a large group of computers ready to go but you really have no need for them after a certain point. This happens and it just makes complete sense to use computer rental services.

If you plan to rent a computer for a continuous time period, then it may just be well worth it to actually make the purchase. For example, many individuals find that computer rental is a low cost option to purchasing and owning a computer. For personal use, though, it makes very little sense as you will likely be able to find a PC at a much lower cost in the long run.

Regardless of your need of computer rentals, it makes good sense to shop around for the right deal. And, it also makes sense to get the exact computer that you need as well as a back up service should you need that as well. Computer rental is something that many corporations need and therefore it is important for services out there to satisfy their customer’s demands. Computer rental services can be found throughout the web as well as in most local areas.

Advancements In Computer Technology

With technology progressing as fast as it is at the present, it is a wonder we do not have a new mass-marketed gadget appearing every few minutes. Personal computers, once predicted to be owned by a mere handful of individuals, are everywhere nowadays. If you are a student a personal computer is virtually a necessity. Accompanying the ever-increasing popularity of the personal computer is a plethora of gadgets and technological advancements. Though it may not be every few minutes, it seems as though every couple of months we hear about a computer with more storage space or a new device that one can connect to their computer.

Some devices that appear on the market are either completely superfluous or not so accessible to the entirety of the population, whether it is because of their cost or their limited supply. The costly devices are reserved to those who can afford them, until some new gadget replaces them and the price of these machines decreases, much like any new technology that appears on the market. Those gadgets, which are unnecessary, are not overly practical and the market for these creations is comprised mainly of those with an affinity for such devices. Inventions like webcams, while they are certainly fun to play with, are essentially unnecessary as they have no bearing on the actual operation of the computer and are used largely for leisure computer activities.

The more purposeful advancements in computer technology revolve around those, which increase the computers ability to manage certain tasks and those, which increase the storage space of the computer. Many personal computer owners find themselves craving more space to store songs or various other files and often wishing that their computer were faster. Though many computers produced today have a excessive storage space, that is, it is nearly impossible to fill a personal computer to capacity, these types of advancements permit a much speedier and more efficient functioning computer.

Computer Speakers - which ones?

Few people think too long and hard about their computer speakers

Few people think too long and hard about their computer speakers, instead preferring to just use the ones that came with their computers. These speakers are often built-in and poor quality, especially on laptop systems, and do not do justice to the very good sound quality that most computers are capable of producing.

The price range in computer speakers is even greater than that in other electronic products – you can pay anywhere from the price of a pair of headphones to as much as the computer itself cost you. It is natural, therefore, to be unsure of exactly what your money is getting you, which is where this article can hopefully be of some help.

Perhaps the most important thing you should look for when choosing your speakers is their maximum output power, which is measured in watts. This number tells you how good the speakers will sound at different volumes – while almost all speakers can sound good at low volumes, only ones with very high maximum output power will sound good at higher volumes. The higher the volume you plan to use, the more power you need.

Another important consideration is whether the speakers can produce either 5-speaker or 7-speaker surround sound, which makes a big difference over traditional 2-speaker systems. You should also check whether the speakers come with a subwoofer, which is a special loudspeaker for bass, allowing you to better hear the beat of your music. However, many people actually consider subwoofers undesirable, as they are so large and don’t always fit in well with a computer setup.

It is only really worth splashing out on speakers if you often use your computer for gaming or for playing music. If you do, then you might consider that there’s nothing to say so-called ‘computer’ speakers are only for computers – with a little imaginative wiring, you can also hook them up to televisions, games consoles, mp3 players, and all sorts of other things besides. This works in reverse, too, so if you already have a good pair of speakers, it should be relatively simple to connect them up to your computer and get some very good sound that way.

Adobe Graphic Design Website Software Lets Your Creativity Flow

Whether you're a web developer, a graphic designer, or an artist, you've undoubtedly counted on Adobe software to help you get the job done. Now, the design world is buzzing about Adobe Creative Suite 3, a collection of computer graphic design tools that are fully integrated to allow you to work in almost any medium.

Adobe offers six different editions of CS3, designed to fit the needs of a variety of professionals. The six editions are:

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium - Developed for the designer who works in mobile, Web, and print publishing, CS3 Design Premium includes the professional or extended versions of InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver, and Acrobat.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Standard - Perfect for the professional who works primarily in print, CS3 Design Premium includes InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat Professional.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium - Adobe takes web design software to a whole new level by allowing integration across virtually all Adobe products, including Photoshop Extended, Illustrator, Flash Professional, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Contribute Cue, Bridge, and Device Central.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Standard - Perfect for website design, this graphics software integrates Dreamweaver, Flash Professional, Fireworks, and Contribute.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Platinum - Adobe solves the challenges of video post production by combining a wide variety of products, including Bridge, Dynamic Link, Device Central, Acrobat Connect, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop Extended, Flash Professional, Illustrator, Soundbooth, and Encore. For professionals working in a Windows environment, it also includes OnLocation and Ultra.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection - The CS3 Master Collection is a computer graphics dream come true, with virtually every Adobe product integrated so that you can create in almost any medium, including film, print, mobile, Web, and interactive. The Master Collection includes InDesign, Photoshop Extended, Illustrator, Acrobat Professional, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Contribute, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Soundbooth, and Encore. Web applications include Bridge, Cue, Device Central, Stock Photos, Acrobat Connect, Dynamic Link, OnLocation, and Ultra.

Essentially, CS3 provides professionals with product configurations that will enable them to seamlessly accomplish their goals. For example, designers can do web page design, user interface design, game development, e-learning, animation, and mobile development. Those who work with video can do editing and production, multimedia, audio editing and production, and visual effects. And, of course, professionals can edit and fuse images, as well as design for print.

Professionals also appreciate Adobe graphic design website software because it works on a variety of platforms, including Windows Vista and both Tiger and Leopard on Macs. And, for those who already own Adobe products, it's easy to upgrade to CS3 - even from standalone graphics software programs. Finally, those who purchase one CS3 edition and then decide that they would like an enhanced version (moving from, for example, CS3 Design Standard to Design Premium) can easily make the switch.

There's no question that the creativity of designers has spurred Adobe to step up and develop a toolkit that enables professionals to reach new heights.

Computer Support – MSConfig

The computer. The thing we all love to hate. It does so many important things for us, yet also causes some of our biggest headaches. There is always something that needs to be fixed or optimized, no matter what we do it seems. No matter how well they invent new technology, something still breaks down.

And when it does, you end up calling tech support where either you or the technician is bound to feel stupid at some point. Believe me, it’s the technician in many cases, so ...
The computer. The thing we all love to hate. It does so many important things for us, yet also causes some of our biggest headaches. There is always something that needs to be fixed or optimized, no matter what we do it seems. No matter how well they invent new technology, something still breaks down.

And when it does, you end up calling tech support where either you or the technician is bound to feel stupid at some point. Believe me, it’s the technician in many cases, so don’t feel bad.

In this article, I am going to go over one of the most common computer problems and how to fix it without calling a computer support technician, or your Uncle Bob’s third cousin’s friend, who knows a lot about computers.

Let’s start at the beginning. Booting up, that (for some of us) long process where your computer comes to life. I read a book that explains computers pretty well. In it, the author said that when a computer gets turned on it’s as if every time you woke up, you had to make sure you still had 10 fingers, 10 toes, two eyes, two arms, etc.

That is exactly what a computer does as it boots up and starts the operating system. It uses the registry to examine itself to see if anything it remembers having is not there anymore. So look at the registry as the brain. I do not recommend novice computer users doing anything in the registry. If you would not be comfortable performing your own lobotomy, then leave the registry alone.

Windows comes with tools built into the operating system that makes changes to the registry for you. One of these you should get to know well is msconfig. Every program you download had someone programming it that believes you cannot live without his or her software program running all the time and starting up every time you start your computer.

For almost all software, this is not the case. You can live without his or her program running constantly on your computer. Even Microsoft office and Corel office install themselves into your startup process. They must have thought while writing that program, that everyone will be using their product as soon as they boot up so let’s tell the computer to go ahead and do that for them,.

Go to start, the little button in the lower left hand side of your computer, in most instances. Now click on run. Type in “msconfig”. You will see several options. Normal startup, Diagnostic startup, and Selective startup. We are going to be selective today and from now on, so click selective.

Now on the tabs at the top, choose startup. You will see all the programs that startup when your computer boots up. Some of these are necessary and some are not. If you are unsure what something is, do not remove the check by it. I’ll tell you how to figure that out in a minute.

Some things you will see that need to stay in are “load power profile”, “scanregistry”, “taskmonitor”, “system tray”, and “hotkeyscommands”.

You can leave those in. Now to the right you will see paths to where the programs are and most will provide a clue as to what they are for. Pretty much anything to do with your Internet connection, your printer, your mouse, or other items you know you need should stay checked. Anything to do with your virus program should be left alone as well.

Others like schedulers you don’t use, QuickTime or quicktask, MSN messenger, Yahoo pager, RealPlayer, Quickview, search anything, Microsoft Office, Corel Office, etc. can be unchecked. Microsoft and Corel Office will work just fine when you go to use them without having them in your startup menu.

The same goes for the other programs. They do not need to be running until you decide you need them. Once you begin to take control of your computer and learn what makes it tick, the less you will depend on those long tech support calls.

Once you have unchecked all of the programs you know for sure do not need to be there, hit “apply”, then “ok”. It will tell you that you need to reboot. So go ahead and do that after you save this article or bookmark it so you can see what to do next.

After you reboot, you will get a popup that says something like, “OH MY GOD! You have chosen to change some settings! Are you sure?! Make sure you check the box that says don’t show me this dramatic popup anymore, then close that.

Go back to “start”, “run”, type msconfig again. Go back to the tab at the top that says “startup.” If there is anything you were not sure of that you wish to remove, go ahead, but only pick one! Important, only pick one, then reboot to see if that one caused you any problems. If it does, then you simply go back to msconfig, check the box back again and reboot again. You can repeat this for each of the ones you were not sure about removing.

I hope I have saved you at least one computer tech support call with this article. Your computer should now run a little faster and you know what to do every time you download a new program. Go see if it installed itself into the startup folder and remove it if you do not need it at startup. Happy computing!

Addiction: When Gambling Becomes a Problem

While most people enjoy casino gambling, sports betting, lottery and bingo playing for the fun and excitement it provides, others may experience gambling as an addictive and distractive habit. Statistics show that while 85 percent of the adult population in the US enjoys some type of gambling every year, between 2 and 3 percent of will develop a gambling problem and 1 percent of them are diagnosed as pathological gamblers.

Where can you draw the line between harmless gambling to problem gambling? How can you tell if you or your friend are compulsive gamblers? Here you can find answers to these questions and other questions regarding problem gambling and gambling addiction.

What is the Meaning of Problem Gambling?
Problem gambling or compulsive gambling is defined as an uncontrollable urge to gamble despite the destructive effect of gambling on the gamblers life and despite feelings of guilt and remorse. Problem gambling tends to have a negative effect on the gamblers financial state, relationships and daily life. Severe cases of problem gambling can be defined as pathological gambling.

Am I a Compulsive Gambler?
1) Do you gamble until your last penny runs out?
2) Do you gamble to win back your former losses or debts?
3) Did you ever had to borrow money to continue gamble?
4) Did your gambling habit ever made you lie to your friends or family?
5) Did you ever skip work or other obligation to gamble?
6) Do you tend to gamble to forget about your personal problems or to celebrate happy occasions?
7) Does gambling have a negative affect on your daily life or relationships?

If you have answered yes on at least one of the questions listed above, then you have a problem.

Can Anyone Become a Compulsive Gambler?
Theoretically, yes. Any gambler can develop gambling problem regardless to the type of gambling he is occupied with, the amount of money and time he is spending on gambling. Researches show that slot machines that can be found in bars and convenient stores are the most addictive type of gambling activity, while lottery draws and bingo games are located on the other end of the scale. Gambling addiction is an emotional problem; its symptoms, causes and treatments are similar to any other form of addiction.

How Can I treat Gambling Addiction?
1) Group Therapy:
Gamblers Anonymous offers a 12 step self help program similar to the one offered to alcohol addicts in Alcoholics Anonymous.  Group therapy also offers gambling addicts advice and support from professional counselors and other gambling addicts in different phases of their recovery process. Gambler Anonymous centers are available in more than 1,200 locations statewide.

2) Individual Therapy:
Cognitive or behavior therapy can help gambling addicts to identify their unaware thinking and acting patterns, which led them to gamble compulsively, and to replace them with controllable and healthier ways of thinking.

3) Psychiatric Medication:
It has recently been proven that antidepressant medications from the family of SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be affective in treatment of gambling addicts.