Computer Tip

Selecting Laptop Bags That Meet Your Needs

2008-04-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Professionals constantly on the go should understand what important considerations and features must be kept in mind when buying a laptop bag. Buying a laptop bag is not just about finding a way to protect your laptop and other mobile gear while traveling.

Laptop bags provide more than a just a secure place to store a laptop, they also add functionality. It’s important to find a laptop bag which suits your style but one that fits your notebook properly. When function is just as important as style zippered pockets on laptop bags are your best friends.

There are even wheeled laptop bags now that are chic, cool and most importantly functional. A good laptop bag is well padded and come with multiple pockets to keep track of your gadgetry.

A type of bag known as “The Work to Play Laptop Bag” is great for carrying a laptop and other personal items.

There is a large and growing offering of laptop bags out there for any taste, whether you’re looking for superior protection or a personal style statement. Keep in mind that your laptop bag may expose some of your personality and while it makes traveling with your mobile gear easier to cope with.

Weight is an important consideration to keep in mind when looking at laptop bags.

For ease of use a top loading laptop bag can be your best friend when traveling. You'll find that a top loading laptop bag is very convenient especially if you deal with Customs or Security and have to remove your notebook from the bag often.

Backpack Laptop bags are a casual looking and easy way to carry your laptop and other mobile gear hands-free.

Messenger style laptop bags have a more casual appearance and offer mobile professionals an alternative way to carry their mobile gear. They can also be a great way to carry your laptop without broadcasting to everyone what you may have inside.

Cool Computer Bags.com is a leader in designer laptop bags and cases, sleeves and accessories. Features mens and womens leather laptop cases.

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Boost Your Small Business with Computer Services

2008-04-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

Today, no business whether a start up or an established corporate has time to waste; after all, time is the biggest asset. And, nothing can be frustrating for businesspeople than the slow performance of their computers.

Unlike their large corporate cousins, small businesses feel urgency to stay in step with technology, but they need help in putting together the right solutions, arranging and leveraging them for the best benefits. This underlines the importance of computer support for businesses especially small home office.

Nowadays, there is numerous onsite computer support companies offering high quality small home office PC repair at affordable rates. They ensure your success by protecting your precious computers with preventative and proactive maintenance. You pay only for the service you get and keep your computers, the most important business tool, running at their best.

Online computer repair is one of the most cost effective and timesaving ways to keep your computer in working condition. Small home business computer support generally includes service for printers, operating systems support, virus and spyware removal and prevention. The array also covers network troubleshooting, data back-up and new installations.

In addition to small home businesses, home PC users can also take advantage of online computer support. Whether you want support for computer break down or PC optimization for high speed, you can contact any efficient home PC repair company. Whether it is a server, desktop or network issues, technicians working here are Certified System and Network Engineers and assist you either online or over the phone. They are well equipped to handle all your technical queries related to computer.

No matter you are subscribed or not, online computer support services help you around the clock, 24x7. From day-to-day troubleshooting to strategic long term planning, they cover all the aspects.

However, there are also private computer repair technicians who are in business for themselves. But, they are believed to offer expensive services. Depending on your personal preference and requirements, decide which one is best for you.

Johny Latta is an Online Technical Support Executive in iYogi Inc. iYogi provides Computer Support, PC Repair Services, Online Computer Support, Computer Repair, 24/7 Support, Tech Support, Antivirus Support, Antispyware Support, Email Support etc.

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Cheap Computer Repair Does Not Mean Bad Computer Repair

2008-04-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

When people are looking for cheap computer repair they need to consider a few important things. The first is you get what you pay for. This does not mean you can't find a great cheap computer repair company. I say this because many times the cheaper person is not insured and does not offer a guarantee. A perfect example of this is just last week. I had a customer who gave me call and said they needed their computer repaired. They took it to a guy they found on craigslist and yes he was cheap but the guy also had their computer for a full week and the issue was not resolved. He did say he had 20 years of computer repair experience but they still got burned.

When choosing a cheap computer repair company always ask how long the company has been in business. If they have only been open a few months consider going some were else. 85% of all companies do not make it to the one year mark.

Another great question to ask is if they have any computer certifications. At the very least they should have an A+ certification. This is the most basic cert in the industry.

When you find someone who offers a great price ask about any guarantees and if the price includes the full cost of the repair. Some places charge by the hour. I never go this route for computer repair. The tech might quote you $25 dollars an hour and say it will only take 2 hours to repair. Then 5 hours later you paid double what you wanted. The guarantee matters as well. Being in the business I can tell you that yes 90% of the time I am able to remove the virus the first time. However you really do not fully know if the virus is gone until a few days later. If you missed one trace the thing can reactivate and that is were the guarantee comes into place.

Having you computer repaired online for software issues and viruses is the cheapest way to go hands down. Be sure to find one that has a "No Fix No Fee" policy and that charges by the service and not the hour. This way you know ahead of time if the issue is not fixed you do not pay and you know exactly how much the repair will cost ahead of time. Be sure and ask what kinds of guarantees the company offers as well. If your issue comes back you want to know it will be taken care of with out any further costs to you.

If your in the market for computer repair consider us at Online Computer Repair. We do not charge if we can't fix the issue and have some of the best prices around. You may also want to visit our Vista Repair site for more computer repair tips.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Erdei

Computer Components for Idiots

2008-04-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

There are many fancy add-ons for computers, but the basic components of the computer are simple and universal. If 1 of these main components is missing, it’s not a computer.

The 4 essentials of every computer system are: a motherboard, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, and a hard drive. These components are installed in a case to which are attached a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse. That’s your basic computer.

Mother WHAT?

The motherboard ("mobo" for short) is the foundation. Everything attaches to the mobo -- the CPU, memory, hard drive, monitor, mouse, keyboard, add-on cards, even additional peripherals like printers, scanners, and speakers. The motherboard is like the nervous system and skeleton of the human body -- it provides support for the internal components and also passes information between the computer parts.

CPU

If the motherboard is the nervous system, then the CPU is the brain. Most of the mathematical manipulations that make computers operate are done by the CPU. Other components may also have their own processors, but their results still have to be passed through the CPU.

The speed of the computer is usually measured by the speed of the CPU. Even though other factors also affect overall speed, the CPU rating is generally seen as the single most important measure of performance.

Modern CPUs are usually rated between 2.0 GHz and 3.0 GHz, although each passing month will see increasing performance. This measurement refer to the number of calculations the processor can make in 1 second. The higher the number, the faster (better) the computer.

CPUs generate a lot of heat doing this work, so they need a heat sink and fan to keep them from overheating. Heat is a major enemy of the computer and directly affects its life span.

Computer Memory

RAM (Random Access Memory) is the part of the computer that stores information the computer needs while it is operating. It is Random Access because the computer can get the data in any order, not necessarily the order in which it is stored. Generally speaking, the more RAM the better. 512 to 1024 megabytes is common for memory.

The most common type of RAM these days is DDR-SDRAM, which stands for double-data-rate synchronous dynamic random access memory. We already know what the RAM part means. DDR means that the data is accessed twice as fast as ordinary RAM.

The latest type of RAM is DDR2. It offers even faster access rates and is quickly becoming the standard for computer memory.

Hard Drive

All the data contained in RAM is lost when the computer is turned off, so there has to be a place to store it permanently. This is what the hard disk is for.

It holds the computer’s operating system. An operating system like Windows uses around 4 gigabytes of hard drive space. The extra space is used to install computer programs and to store your personal data.

80 gigabyte hard drives are common, but 400 GB units are available. Furthermore, you can install more than 1 in a computer case for added security and convenience.

Peripherals

All you need to complete the basic computer system is a monitor, keyboard and mouse.

Accessories like a printer or scanner are useful for office work, and gamers will probably want to add speakers and joystick controls.

So there you have it. The basic computer needs just 7 major components. For the best performance, these components must integrate well. The motherboard is the most important component for determining the type and specification of the other parts. Choosing an appropriate mobo for your computer needs is the first step and may require a quick call to your local geek.

Soon YOU will be considered the local geek!

Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit Build-Computer-Now to learn more about this fascinating subject.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

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Steps To Maintaining Your Personal Computer

2008-04-11T06:38:00.000-07:00

1. Safety First!! - Protect your computer from viruses and spyware.

Many PCs will come with a free trial version of an Anti-Virus Software. However, once this trial expires, what should a basic home user do?

It is very common for people to either choose to go without Anti-Virus, or to pay for a subscription to Norton. However, Norton produces annoying pop-ups and warnings, and also takes up so much of a computer's RAM that it will actually slow down the PC's performance.

I recommend AVG's Anti-virus. It is a free program that provides very sufficient protection for your computer. It can be downloaded at the link below. AVG should be updated and a scan should be performed AT LEAST once a week.

Additionally, you must protect your computer from spyware. According to Microsoft, "Spyware is a general term used to describe software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent first." It can be very harmful and is commonly overlooked when basic users are protecting their PC.

A very useful program to sweep your system of spyware is Spybot Search & Destroy. It is also a free program and can be downloaded at the link below. It should be updated and a scan should be performed once every couple of weeks.

2. Don't make your hard drive work too hard.

Like any car or home appliance, a computer's hard drive will suffer from "wear and tear." You can usually expect a hard drive to last 4-5 years but that can be greatly increased by giving your hard drive the occasional tune up.

The first step of doing this is running the Windows Disk Cleanup Tool. This is done by clicking Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Cleanup. It will scan your computer, and provide you with a list of files you can choose to remove. This will remove any files on your computer that may not be needed and are simply taking up space. Disk Cleanup should be performed approximately once a month for the average user.

Next, you should run the Disk Defragmenter. The hard drive can become fragmented with a greater frequency of new software installations, internet downloads of movies or music, or simple creation of files. Fragmenting of a hard drive occurs because all files are stored in sectors and when a file is opened a needle has to find all parts of that file on the hard drive. When a file is created it won't be one large package, but many small packages that make up the whole. When these packages are stored, they will be placed in the first open area on the hard drive. If a hard drive is fragmented, the packages will not be placed together and will force the drive to work harder to build the file. This can decrease both the lifespan of the drive and the speed of your computer.

Defragmenting simply places all of the files in a position that relieves the stress on a hard drive. It can be done by clicking Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Defragmenter. You can then click analyze in Windows XP and it will give you a response on whether or not you should defragment. Windows Vista now allows you to schedule how often you would like to defragment. This should be done AT LEAST quarterly for an average user but might need to be done more often for some.

3. UPDATE!!

Windows allows a user to permit automatic updates, so take advantage of it. This can be done by clicking Start --> All Programs --> Windows Update. It should be set to automatic so that you can be as up to date as possible on the built in security measures that windows has already installed.

It is also a good idea to check on updates for any programs that you have installed. This is not necessarily needed but is recommended to get the most out of your programs. It can usually be done by opening the program and then looking for "Update" in the Help Menu.

4. Do Some Spring Cleaning

All computers have fans that encourage air flow through the tower to ensure that the processor runs at a cooler temperature. Dust and pet hair can clog these vents and overheat your processor. This must be cleaned to prevent a very expensive repair. Every computer technician has a story about a computer that they opened up and everything was caked in dust. Don't let this be you. It may be intimidating to some to open up the computer's case, but it is quite simple.

Go to your local PC shop and purchase a can of compressed air, which will only cost a few dollars. MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS UNPLUGGED!! Open up your computer's tower. It should only be a couple of screws but if you can't figure it out then you probably shouldn't open it in the first place. Use the compressed air to remove any of the dust on the motherboard, fan and processor. Close everything back up and you are all done.

You can also use the compressed air to clean your keyboard. Use alcohol and a soft cloth to clean your monitor's screen. You can also purchase a CD-ROM Cleaner that will clean your drive. It is basically a felt cd that is put in the drive to clean the optical lens.

Follow these steps and you will greatly increase the performance and longevity of your computer.

AVG Download

Spybot Search & Destroy Download

Innovative Network Solutions Michigan Network Service and Web Design

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Delete Computer History

2008-04-05T02:21:00.000-07:00

If you want to maintain your privacy on your very own computer, then you will need to delete your computer history. Your computer maintains a file of everything you do. And no matter what you do, you will not completely erase your footprints of where you have been, whether by accident or on purpose. You need to delete everything.

You have probably been somewhere on the internet you should not have gone. Maybe it started out as an accident, but then curiosity set in, and you kept looking and reading. All of this information is on your computer right now. Just because you erased the cookie, or erased the temporary file, then deleted the internet history file, and even emptied the recycle bin, you still have proof of your viewings on your computer. This is how so many people get caught doing stuff they should not be doing. They assume this stuff is gone, and it is there all the time, even right now.

Don’t worry, though. There are software programs, which can delete computer history for good. This is beneficial in many ways, as it will protect you and your privacy. No need for the wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, or husband to see what you might be looking at. It is really none of their business. But in order to do that, you need to clear that history on your computer completely. It takes more than just a delete of the file and an empty of the recycle bin. Specialized data recovery software programs can recover your data within minutes.

Even if you view images, these can be traced back as well. Everything you have ever done and the proof of you trying to delete the files are all noticeable, and can be found. Do not let this happen to you. Keep your tracks hidden and privacy protected by using history erase software to delete computer history.

Michael Baker is a Computer Optimization Technician, and recommends Erasing Your Internet History to remove all files and protect your privacy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Baker

Thriving Computer Support Services

2008-04-03T02:17:00.000-07:00

These days, most businesses and home computer users are fast embracing online computer support services to handle their computer repair and support requirements. These services are certainly better than hauling yourself in the hassles associated with bringing a computer to a repair center.

Technicians offering the online support are masters in their profession and can do more than just fix computer problems. They work with the customers, listen to their computer problems, offer effective fixes, design as well as implement solutions to improve the efficiency of their computers.

Online technical support is gaining in popularity among tech consumers. One of the main reasons is increasing complexities in technology usage. And another reason is convenience. The customer gets the quality support at his/her own premises. The technicians make this possible with the help of remote desktop connection. This is known as remote support.

A remote computer technician watches everything on his/her computer screen while working on your problem. With advancements in technology, you can even control the actions taken on your PC while availing the remote support, just in case you feel that there is a breach of security. You can also ask for the support over phone. Here, you are given the instructions from a remote location over phone and you follow those instructions to fix your computer error.

Although the entire method is popular, it is always preferable that you take good references for online tech support companies from your friends and family. You may also search for good computer support resources on the Internet. Use keywords such as Computer Repair, Computer Support, Online Technical Support, and PC Repair Services to refine your search and narrow down on the best.

Online computer repair or tech support is of great help for spyware removal, troubleshooting irksome PC errors, virus removal, software installation, Internet or computer up-gradation. Indeed, the success rate is also high when it comes to remote PC repair services. Another advantage lies in the fact that it saves you money in the long run, since the technicians are working from their own location.

James John is an Online Technical Support Executive for Iyogi who provides detailed information on Computer Support, Online Technical Support, PC Repair Services, Computer Repair, 24/7 Support, Antivirus support etc.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Jes_John

ATA vs SATA

2008-04-02T02:15:00.000-07:00

Hard Drives: ATA versus SATA

The performance of computer systems has been steadily increasing as faster processors, memory, and video cards are continuously being developed. The one key component that is often neglected when looking at improving the performance of a computer system is the hard drive. Hard drive manufacturers have been constantly evolving the basic hard drive used in modern computer systems for the last 25 years, and the last few years have seen some exciting developments from faster spindle speeds, larger caches, better reliability, and increased data transmission speeds.

The drive type used most in consumer grade computers is the hearty ATA type drive (commonly called an IDE drive). The ATA standard dates back to 1986 and is based on a 16-bit parallel interface has undergone many evolutions since its introduction to increase the speed and size of the drives that it can support. The latest standard is ATA-7 (first introduced in 2001 by the T13 Technical Committee (the group responsible for the ATA standard)) which supports data transfer rates up to 133MB/sec. This is expected to be the last update for the parallel ATA standard.

As long ago as 2000 it was seen that the parallel ATA standard was maxing out its limitations as to what it could handle. With data rates hitting the 133MB/sec mark on a parallel cable, you are inviting all sorts of problems because of signal timing, EMI (electromagnetic interference) and other data integrity issues; thus industry leaders got together and came up with a new standard known as Serial ATA (SATA). SATA has only been around a few years, but is destined to become “the standard” due to several benefits to be addressed in this Tech Tip.

The two technologies that we will be looking at are: ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) – a 16-bit parallel interface used for controlling computer drives. Introduced in 1986, it has undergone many evolutions in the last 18+ years, with the latest version being called ATA-7. Wherever an item is referred to as being an ATA device, it is commonly a Parallel ATA device. ATA devices are also commonly called IDE, EIDE, Ultra-ATA, Ultra-DMA, ATAPI, PATA, etc. (each of these acronyms actually do refer to very specific items, but are commonly interchanged) SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) – a 1-bit serial evolution of the Parallel ATA physical storage interface.

Basic Features & Connections

SATA drives are easy to distinguish from their ATA cousins by the different data and power connections found on the back of the drives. A side-by-side comparison of the two interfaces can be seen in this PDF from Maxtor, and the following covers many of the differences…

Standard ATA drives, such as this 200GB Western Digital model, have somewhat bulky, two inch wide ribbon cable with 40-pin data connections and receive the 5V necessary to power them from the familiar 4-pin connection. The basic data cables for these drives have looked the same for years. A change was made with the introduction of the ATA-5 standard to better improve the signal quality by making an 80 wire cable used on the 40-pin connector (these are commonly called 40-pin/80-wire cables). To improve airflow within the computer system some manufacturers resorted to literally folding over the ribbon cable and taping it into that position. Another recent physical change also came with the advent of rounded cables. The performance of the rounded cables is equal to that of the flat ribbon, but many prefer the improved system air flow afforded, ease of wire management, and cooler appearance that come with them.

SATA drives, such as this 120GB Western Digital model, have a half inch wide, 7 “blade and beam” data connection, which results in a much thinner and easier to manage data cable. These cables take the convenience of the ATA rounded cables to the next level by being even narrower, more flexible and capable of being longer without fear of data loss. SATA cables have a maximum length of 1 meter (39.37 inches), which is much greater than the recommended 18 inch cable for ATA drives. The reduced footprint of SATA data connections frees up space on motherboards, potentially allowing for more convenient layouts and room for more onboard features!

A 15-pin power connection delivers the 250mV of necessary power to SATA drives. 15-pins for a SATA device sounds like it would require a much larger power cable than a 4-pin ATA device, but in reality the two power connectors are just about the same height. For the time being, many SATA drives are also coming with a legacy 4-pin power connector for convenience.

Many modern motherboards, such as this Chaintech motherboard, come with SATA drive connections onboard (many also including the ATA connectors as well for legacy drive compatibility), and new power supplies, such as this Ultra X-Connect, generally feature a few of the necessary 15-pin power connections, making it easy to use these drives on new systems. Older systems can easily be upgraded to support SATA drives by use of adapters, such as this PCI slot SATA controller and this 4-pin to 15-pin SATA power adapter.

Optical drives are also becoming more readily available with SATA connections. Drives such as the Plextor PX-712SA take advantage of the new interface, although the performance will not be any greater than a comparable optical drive with an ATA connection.

Performance

In addition to being more convenient to install and drawing less power, SATA drives have performance benefits that really set them apart from ATA drives.

The most interesting performance feature of SATA is the maximum bandwidth possible. As we have noted, the evolution of ATA drives has seen the data transfer rate reach its maximum at 133 MB/second, where the current SATA standard provides data transfers of up to 150 MB/second. The overall performance increase of SATA over ATA can currently be expected to be up to 5% (according to Seagate), but improvements in SATA technology will surely improve on that.

The future of SATA holds great things for those wanting even more speed, as drives with 300 MB/second transfer rates (SATA II) will be readily available in 2005, and by 2008 speeds of up to 600 MB/second can be expected. Those speeds are incredible, and are hard to imagine at this point.

Another performance benefit found on SATA drives is their built-in hot-swap capabilities. SATA drives can be brought on and offline without shutting down the computer system, providing a serious benefit to those who can’t afford downtime, or who want to move drives in and out of operation quickly. The higher number of wires in the power connection is partially explained by this, as six of the fifteen wires are dedicated to allowing the hot-swap feature.

Price

Comparing ATA drives to SATA drives can be tricky given all of the variables, but in general it is the case that SATA drives will still cost just a bit more than a comparable ATA drive. The gap is closing rapidly though, and as SATA drives gain in popularity and availability a distinct shift in prices can be expected. Considering the benefits of SATA over ATA, the potential difference of a few dollars can easily be justified when considering an upgrade. Computer Geeks currently has a limited selection of SATA drives, but several technical sites, such as The Tech Zone and The Tech Lounge, offer real time price guides to see how comparable drives stack up.

Final Words

The current SATA standard provides significant benefits over ATA in terms of convenience, power consumption and, most importantly, performance. The main thing ATA has going for it right now is history, as it has been the standard for so long that it will not likely disappear any time soon. The future of SATA will be even more interesting as speed increases will help hard drive development keep pace with other key system components.

Jason Kohrs Computer Geeks tech tips and computer advice

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6 Benefits Of Work At Home Computer Jobs

2008-03-30T22:47:00.000-07:00

As the internet continues to evolve, more and more people are turning to work at home computer jobs for obvious reasons. Having a work from home job gives you benefits that you will find with no other profession available. While the list of benefits could go on forever, here are 6 benefits of work at home computer jobs.

1. You choose your career:
When you have a work at home computer job, you have the ability to choose what you want to get into. Certainly you can do this with a 9 to 5 job, but there are not always open positions. With the internet, you can create your own business or join a company that is already having success online.

2. You are the boss:
Finally no more listening to duties and doing projects you are not interested in. You can work when you want, start any kinds of projects that you want, and take your business in the direction that you want. Certainly you have to be motivated to start and finish projects on your own, but there is a kind of freedom that you probably have never felt before.

3. Work when you want:
Some people are morning people while others are night people. When you work at home, you can work whatever schedule allows you to get the most done. And if you are on vacation and want to stay a little longer, you have the ability to take that extra few days off since you make the schedule.

4. Work wherever you want:
Most work from home jobs require little supplies at all, which means you can work wherever you want. No longer do you have to worry about moving and finding a new job or getting behind when you take a vacation. If you have a laptop, you can continue working while on vacation with the click of a button.

5. More family time:
It is always rough when you work a 9 to 5 job because hardly ever is it actually a 9 to 5 job. Most times you end up working until around 6 or later and then have to deal with traffic. When it is all said and done, you are home in time to eat dinner with your family and send the kids off to bed. Now you can cherish those special times of your kids growing up and spend quality time with the entire family.

6. The sky is the limit:
Perhaps the biggest upside to work at home computer jobs is that the sky is the limit. You have the ability to make whatever you want with your business depending on your dedication and time put into it. There is no hiding the fact that it is time consuming and a lot of work to be successful, but there is nothing stopping you from continuously excelling when you work from home.

About the Author:
Copyright © William Hutchinson
Hutches Affiliate Marketing is dedicated to find the best affiliate marketing home based business opportunities and resources so you can work at home visit:
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Dean's Home Business Reporter

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What Is A Definition Of The World Wide Web and Who Started The Phrase World Wide Web

2008-03-28T22:56:00.000-07:00

In this article I'm going to address two related questions I've gotten: "what is a definition of the world wide web" and "who started the phrase world wide web".

First off, let me give you a definition of the World Wide Web -- which these days is usually just called The Web.

The Web is made up of millions and millions of pages of information that are linked together across the globe.

When you look at a web page, which you're probably doing right now (unless you're reading this in my free email newsletter and not on my archive of my computer articles, or on one of the free article sites I've submitted the article to) you'll find that the page has "links" that you click on to take you to different pages.

If you could see a picture of all of the web pages on the Internet, you could imagine that it might look like a spider web, with many strands connecting one point to another.

This is just how a guy named Tim Berners-Lee imagined it when he came up with the phrase World Wide Web. The links are the strands, and the web pages are the points where the strands come together.

Tim Berners-Lee, with help from a man named Robert Cailliau, created the Web based on something called "hypertext".

Hypertext was an idea where you could have "hyperlinks" (which we now just call "links") that would allow you to read information and easily move between related topics.

So if you were reading about, for example, the first printing press, the Gutenberg Bible would probably be mentioned because it's one of the best-known books to be printed on the first printing presses.

With hypertext, when you saw the words Gutenberg Bible, they would be a link to an article that would go into more detail about that book.

Berners-Lee wanted to bring this idea to the Internet, allowing people to "browse" around, using these links to move from one place to another.

Before this, you had to go to a specific address, then go to another specific address, and not browse the way we are used to today.

And as you've probably guessed by now, Berners-Lee was the person who started the phrase World Wide Web in the first place.

So another way to explain what is a definition of the World Wide Web is a way of looking at the Internet as a series of "pages" of information -- words, pictures, sounds, or video -- that link from one to another to another, forming a giant "web" of information that covers and connects the world.

One more point, to clarify a common misunderstanding. The Web is *part* of the Internet, just like email is *part* of the Internet -- a lot of people think the Internet is exactly the same thing as the Web, and that email is somehow completely separate from the Internet. This is not the case.

I have another article, available by clicking the following link, which explains the computer terms Internet and email if you need more help on those computer terms.

Worth Godwin is a computer coach with a dozen years' experience helping computer users of all levels, and has also worked for many years "in the trenches" as a hardware and software tech, solving real-world computer problems.

Worth has also been studying the human mind, and how people learn, since the early 1990s. He draws upon all of this, and his English and writing degrees, to teach people in a unique way with explanations that really make sense.

Worth has put together a very simple system to learn computer basics for both Apple Mac computers, and Windows computers. Visit his website for more information, & testimonials from happy clients. Click here to learn computer basics for Windows and Apple Mac computers.

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Choosing a Computer for Freelance Graphic Design

2008-03-27T12:53:00.000-07:00

For many years, when a freelance graphic designer chose a new computer, Macintosh was the automatic choice. Macintosh computers provided the memory, processing speed and storage necessary for large design files. Most graphic design firms and printing companies used only Macintosh computers. Today, that trend continues but PCs are making inroads in what used to be territory exclusive to Macintosh. Therefore, the decision on what computer to purchase is not as clear cut as it once was for graphic designers.

Hardware is the first consideration of most freelance designers. While PCs have been proven to rival Macs in terms of processing speed, some people claim that Macs still process large graphic files more efficiently. Also, Macintosh computers have a better maintenance record than most PCs. However, when a hardware problem does arise a Mac can cost more to repair.

Software is where the Macintosh shines compared to the PC. All the major graphic design applications are available for both platforms and run with similar speed. However, the Macintosh operating system has historically been much more stable than the Windows operating system and much easier for the end user to troubleshoot. Additionally, Macintosh computers are far less susceptible to viruses, adware and spyware than PCs, which are notorious for their security flaws.

There are considerations beyond the hardware and software that a freelance designer needs to consider. For example, Macintosh computers typically cost more than PCs. However, once a PC is equipped with the appropriate memory, processor and graphics card to efficiently process graphic files, the cost is fairly similar. If a designer decides to switch platforms any graphic design software already owned must be repurchased under a new license which leads many designers to stick with one platform.

Aesthetics are often a consideration of many designers. Macintosh computers are designed to look sleek and creative while PCs are typically more standard looking. However, some of Macintosh's most originally designed computers are not suitable for graphic design work, leaving a designer with the standard CPU tower, monitor and peripherals, though perhaps in interesting colors.

Finally, careful consideration must be given to interactions with outside vendors and clients. Many printing companies and graphic design firms still have a strong pro-Macintosh bias and may reject native files created with PC software. However, if you are submitting EPS, TIFF or PDF files, the difference in platform will be negligible.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Computers, Science, and Education

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How To Attach An External Monitor To Your Laptop Computer

2008-03-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

Often times you find that its necessary to attach an external monitor to a laptop computer. The most common reason for attaching an external computer monitor is to have a larger output source for a presentation. This is used when you don't have access to a projector system. Another common use of an external laptop computer monitor is to use the monitor when the laptop's LCD is not functioning properly.

Attaching an external monitor to your laptop computer is actually a very simple task that doesn't require much technical knowledge. Most laptop computers support a VGA port. This port is identical to the VGA port on a standard desktop computer. You simply plug the external monitor into the VGA outlet like you would if you were attaching it to a desktop model. That's really it.

There are, however, a few differences that you should be aware of. One difference is that a laptop computer does not always have a video signal which automates the starting of the monitor. Often times, you must use special software or keyboard commands to start the monitor.

Unlike your laptop computer monitor, the external monitor will most likely need to be plugged into an electrical outlet before it will function. Some laptops will support the running of the monitor from the battery source, but it will quickly drain the computer batteries.

Once you have attached your external monitor to your laptop computer, you will need to configure the screen. Most user's manuals will provide step by step instructions on how to do this. It usually only requires a keyboard command which should be outlined in the manual.

After you have instructed the computer about the external monitor, you will need to instruct Windows on how the second laptop computer monitor will be used. You will designate one monitor as the primary monitor and the second monitor as the back up monitor. To do this, follow these simple steps:

1. Go to your Control Panel.

2. Double-click on the "Display" icon. This will show you the dialog box for the Display Properties.

3. Go to Settings.

4. Go to the numerical icon to designate the primary monitor.

5. Go to the open box and select "Use This Device As The Primary Monitor" by placing a check mark in the box. If the box is checked for the wrong monitor by default make sure that you clear out that box.

If you are considering replacing your laptop computer for a new, used or refurbished computer, visit my site, The Cheap Laptop Store for great deals on new, used and refurbished laptop computers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roberta_Sullivan

Tips On How VoIP Internet Phone Calls Can Save You Money

2008-03-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

One of the emerging communications technologies that is constantly improving and gaining in popularity with consumers is VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol. This technology essentially allows you to make telephone calls over the Internet using either your own telephone or your computer without the use of a local telephone company.

Perhaps one of the most important benefits of VoIP telephone calling is its low cost, often saving consumers anywhere from $30 - $50 a month or more on their telephone bill. Most unlimited calling plans start somewhere around $25 a month, and they allow you to call anyone in the country whenever you like, for as long as you like. If you really want to economize even further, you can also get VoIP calling plans that have a limited number of minutes for as little as $15 or $20 a month.

Obviously, if you do a lot of long-distance telephone calling, this can add up to some serious savings over the course of a year. And if you happen to make very many international calls, you'll also find significant savings in this area as well. Although international calls are not usually covered by the unlimited calling plans, the per minute rates that are charged by most VoIP providers are extremely reasonable, as low as even $.10 to $.15 a minute. And if you shop carefully enough, you can even find some providers that offer unlimited calling internationally only among their own subscribers. This could be very useful for family members who happen to live in different countries.

Another way that VoIP technology can save you money is if you happen to travel a lot. Frequent travelers can take their VoIP adapter with them on the trip and connect it to a high-speed internet terminal, allowing them to place telephone calls from their VoIP number no matter where they may be located. This can often save quite a bit of money over having to place long-distance calls from hotels or public telephones, and it can save precious minutes on your cell phone bill.

One other way that you can save money by using VoiP technology for internet telephone calls is that most VoIP providers bundle services such as voice mail, three-way calling, and so on, in with your regular VoIP plan at no extra charge. Quite often, you'll have to pay extra to get these kind of features when using a land line telephone company instead.

Finally, an added benefit of a VoIP service plan is that it is usually free of most of the taxes and regulatory fees that often accompany your monthly bill from a telephone company. Of course, that may change in the future, but for now it is savings that can be realized.

As you can see, there are quite a few ways that you can save money using VoIP technology to make internet telephone calls.

Steadman Issenburg writes on many consumer related topics including communication. You can find att voip and computer telephony software and more by visiting our communication website.

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Sony VAIO Laptops - The Big Picture

2008-03-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

History

Although Sony made computers in the 1980s for the Japanese market only, Sony withdrew from the computer business around 1990. Later, Sony re-entered the market, this time globally, under the new VAIO brand, started in 1996 with the PCV series of desktops.

VAIO Brand

The VAIO is a sub-brand for many of Sony's computer products. The branding was created to distinguish items that used consumer audio and video, as well as being conventional computing products.

One example of this was the Sony VAIO W Series personal computer, which was a regular PC and a miniature entertainment center.

Sony is expanding the use of the VAIO label. It can now be found on notebooks, subnotebooks, desktop, and a hard-disk-based audio player that comes in both 20GB and 40GB variations (called VAIO POCKET player).

VAIO Features

High-end VAIO laptops are usually shipped with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Business, while low end laptops such as N series come with Microsoft Vista Home Basic.

As of October 2005, VAIO laptops are available upon request without pre-installed software at a slightly lower price. Most recently, some models no longer ship with a Recovery CD, but a special partition on the hard drive is used for the recovery information, including operating system and all bundled software. VAIO users are prompted to create a set of recovery CDs or DVDs immediately after purchase.

VAIO computers use Intel processors, Seagate Technology or Fujitsu hard drives, Infineon RAM, Sony (usually made by Hitachi) or Matsushita optical drives, Intel or NVIDIA graphics processors and Sony speakers.

Current VAIO Models

* AR - Flagship 17" High-end multimedia machine
* FZ - The first 15" notebook with BluRay burner
* CR - New 14" derivatives of the FJ and C Series.
* BX - Professional 4:3 notebook
* G - Entry level Vista Laptop for professionals
* N - Entry level Vista laptop for home users
* TZ- 11.1" professional notebook, perfect for long business trips with 7hour battery life
* SZ- 13.3" professional notebook

Bundled software

VAIO computers feature a wide array of specially designed or bundled software that help you to use the laptop for multimedia purposes. Many of these applications inspired similar software or integration into the Windows OS, e.g. Movie Shaker preceded Windows XP's Movie Maker.

Additional software products in the bundle can include:

* Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Elements. These products are bundled as part of the video and audio integration that Sony prides its VAIO series on.
* SonicStage, a digital music manager. Integrated with Sony's Connect downloadable music service, it allows users to transfer music to Sony standalone music players, PDAs, or PSPs.
* PictureGear, an image management software that predated popular programs like Picasa.
* VAIO Zone, used for music listening, viewing photo slide shows, and watching TV (when a tuner card is present) and DVDs. VAIO Zone is an equivalent to Apple Front Row and Windows XP Media Center Edition.

VAIO Trivia

Sony named its VAIO line using an acronym for "Video Audio Integrated Operation." The VAIO logo represents a combination of analog and digital signal technology. The 'VA' represents an analog wave and the 'IO' represents digital binary code.

For more info on Sony Laptops, visit Ara Rubyan's PC Laptops Super Center.

Ara Rubyan is computer networking specialist with over ten years of experience in design, implementation and maintenance. He is a certified A+ Hardware tech, a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, and a Master Certified Novell Engineer. He also has over 10 years of experience in training design and delivery and has been developing web based training for more than 10 years. His background in training coupled with his IT knowledge means that you can rely on his advice and insight.

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Understanding DSL Internet Service

2008-03-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

DSL or Digital Subscriber Line is a type of broadband Internet connection. This type of broadband Internet requires you to have a phone line. Unlike dial up, you can actually use the phone while you are connected to the internet.

What are the benefits of a DSL Internet connection? DSL allows you to have faster internet connection than a dial up. It can offer faster access to information, faster downloads and much more.

Here are some of the benefits you can get from a broadband DSL Internet service.

Unlike dial ups, DSL allows a subscriber to make and receive phone calls while having an active internet connection. Dial up internet does not allow this, if someone calls you, your phone line will be busy. A DSL line also keeps your computer online as long as your computer is turned on.

With DSL you can talk to your friends, family or business associates with a web cam in real time. You can easily connect a microphone, web cam on your computer, and start using these accessories right away. This may be possible in some dial up, but since it has low speed, the data sent and received will usually be delayed or choppy.

Since you can actually use your voice in the internet in real time, you no longer need to call families and friends using expensive long distance calls from your traditional phone.

DSL also enables you to use VoIP technology. This technology virtually replaces your traditional phone with the internet. VoIP has free features your traditional phone company consider as additional features and chargeable.

Video Conferencing
Caller ID
Call Forwarding
Call Transfer
Call Waiting
Ringtones
Voice Mails
Free Long Distance Calls

These are just examples that VoIP offers and a lot more features are available.

Since you can conduct video conferencing, you no longer have to travel to meet with your business associates, therefore, saving you from travel expenses.

Another benefit from DSL internet is that you can play audio and video streams in the internet smoothly and without interruptions. You can now play your favorite internet radio stations while you surf the web or play your favorite music videos in the internet.

Playing online games that requires high-speed internet is now possible with the DSL internet. You can use your own PC or gaming consoles such as the PS2 or Xbox to play with other people from around the world and create an online community with adventure games.

Students can also improve their studies by using the DSL connection. Since DSL provides high-speed internet connection, students can now research more webpage that are required for their studies.

In dial ups, low speed internet connection restricts a student’s research to just a few webpage. This is because in dial up, loading webpage is too slow that a student will just stick to one or two websites to save time and money to do their research.

Online businesses can update their websites much faster in DSL than in dial up. Updating website for online businesses is crucial to inform their customers about the products they are selling.

Today, there are many DSL service providers in the market; choosing one is up to you. Research about the companies that provides this service before you buy their service and you can be sure about the quality of the DSL connection.

Ask your friends and family first who have this technology in their homes or businesses can also help you choose which DSL provider you want to work with.

Bob Hett has extensively covered the Internet Service Provider industry as an analyst and has researched the various companies for factors based on price, reliability, support and overall quality. Learn more at DSL Internet Service

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Computer Mouse

2008-03-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

The computer mouse has definitely made a long journey since its inception in 1964. This input device is used for pointing and function selection. It is necessary for convenient and efficient work and play. These days it is not only used for pointing the cursor but can control almost any aspect of the PCs operation.

Computer mice are of four types - Mechanical, Optical, Laser and Trackball. Mechanical mice are the traditional ball models that are bulky and require cleaning from time to time for efficient performance. Dirt and small particles can get caught up in between the rollers and has to be cleaned using cotton and a solution. The optical mouse, however, do not function in this way and have no rollers or balls. They use an LED and sensor (unlike the ball model) to detect movement and hence dirt does not get trapped in. The modern ones use laser light instead of an LED and these give top level performance. TrackBall mouse is one in which a prominent tracking ball that reduces hand movement (thumb and finger alone involved) is provided and functions very accurately. However this type is less common.

The connection modes for mouse are - wireless or wired. The wireless variety requires a wireless receiver that has to be connected to the computer. These are ideal for portables and notebooks. There are two technologies in use bluetooth (with operating range of about 30 to 60 feet) and RF (uses radio frequency and operating range is 15 to 30 feet) Hand orientation may be symmetrical or specific, and the symmetrical one is recommended. Wired mice are connected via electric cables to either the USB or PS/2 interface whereas the wired types require AA or AAA batteries. The bluetooth mouse are similar to most wireless varieties but unlike them, these are connect to the system via bluetooth and therefore do not block valuable USB ports.

The other specifications that need attention are the buttons and wheels. USB and PS/2 ports are the commonly used interfaces. While some mice come with 2 buttons and a wheel for scrolling in the middle, some Mac mice do not have the scrolling wheel control. Some mice are specifically designed and used for gaming purposes alone are available as wireless, wired or Bluetooth. Logitech, Microsoft, Kensington are a few top names that manufacture computer mice.

Visit Computer Mouse website to find best buys, compare prices and read reviews on Logitech and Kensington Computer Mouse Reviews.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Thomas

Computer Networking Online Schools

2008-03-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

There is great demand in today's business world for professionals who have earned a diploma, certification or degree in computer networking. For many working adults, an online school for computer networking studies is the most convenient educational path. And, with an online degree, you will be qualified to apply for many interesting and vital positions in the field of computer networking.

Many people find that an online computer networking course provides a flexible way to earn certification or a college degree. Students learn over the Internet by downloading the comprehensive distance learning programs, and studying at times that are convenient. In addition to basic software training, online computer networking curriculums usually involve in-depth studies of computer network engineering, network support and administration, program design, and information security (from major technology organizations). They also teach students about network authentication applications and operating systems, software tools, the technical aspects of computers and PCs, and numerous other relevant subjects.

The length of the individual course can vary greatly from school to school, but those who have successfully completed an entry-level computer networking course can go on to earn higher level degrees, including Associates, Bachelors and Masters. Graduates can look forward to jobs that would include network administrators, network managers, network system engineers, security analysts, and many more.

Online computer networking schools offer many great advantages: Flexible coursework, affordability, fully-accredited degrees, and no strict deadlines. An online course in computer networking works best for the self-starter who is looking for a step up in today’s technologically advanced world of computers.

If you are interested in learning more about Online Computer Networking Schools and other programs of study, please search our site for more information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved by SchoolsGalore.com, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc.

Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc., in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Visit our Distance Learning Directory and find Distance Learning Schools and other Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Trade Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; your educational resource to locate schools.

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Social Networks - What Are They?

2008-03-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

Social Networks are everywhere these days - you can't fail to have heard of MySpace, YouTube or Facebook - they're three of the biggest sites on the 'Net right now. With Blogs, they are redefining the way ordinary people are using the Internet - and business has caught on to this. It's rare to go a day now without reading how any sensible Internet Marketer is making the most of Social Networking to promote their products or services.

What is a Social Network?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - A social network is a social structure made of nodes (which are generally individuals or organizations) that are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as values, visions, idea, financial exchange, friends, kinship, dislike, conflict, trade, web links, sexual relations, disease transmission (epidemiology), or airline routes.Social network analysis views social relationships in terms of nodes and ties. Nodes are the individual actors within the networks, and ties are the relationships between the actors. There can be many kinds of ties between the nodes. Research in a number of academic fields has shown that social networks operate on many levels, from families up to the level of nations, and play a critical role in determining the way problems are solved, organizations are run, and the degree to which individuals succeed in achieving their goals. In its simplest form, a social network is a map of all of the relevant ties between the nodes being studied. The network can also be used to determine the social capital of individual actors. These concepts are often displayed in a social network diagram, where nodes are the points and ties are the lines. Is that clear enough? I see eyes crossing everywhere at this point in time, so I'll clarify - basically a social network is a way of illustrating the relationships between individuals - who knows who, what links they have, and so on. e.g. On the Social Networking sites I frequent, I am in social networks with all my friends, people in my region, people who subscribe to the same groups as me, and people who share my interests.

Social Network Services

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - A social network service focuses on the building and verifying of online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others, and which necessitates the use of software. Most social network services are primarily web based and provide a collection of various ways for users to interact, such as chat, messaging, email, video, voice chat, file sharing, blogging, discussion groups, and so on. The main types of social networking services are those which contain directories of some categories (such as former classmates), means to connect with friends (usually with self-description pages), and recommender systems linked to trust. Popular methods now combine many of these, with MySpace, Bebo and Facebook being the mostly widely used in 2007.

Why are Social Networking Sites important to Online Businesses?

Why this is important to online marketers is because they are a great way of finding people who are looking for what you are offering - say you were marketing a football newsletter, you could quickly find people interested in football via the Social Networking sites and communicate with them. By keeping your page up to date, contributing to forums and blogs, and messaging your new friends you can start to build up a relationship with other members, thus increasing the reach of your promotional messages. If you can become seen as an expert in your field on a Social Networking Site, you will soon find potential customers come to you rather than you having to find them.

One thing you need to avoid on Social Networking Sites is blatant advertising, or use of mass friend-adders or mass messaging - you'll soon find yourself deleted - as I discovered after adding some 700 people to my profile in a week, and sending them a copy/paste message. Many offer paid methods of contacting specific parts of their member base, but don't like you doing it yourself for free! So learn from my mistake and do what I do now, use them to send targeted messages to specific individuals, and when you need to communicate with large numbers at once, do it via the forums as you're intended to!

There are now many different types of Social Networking sites - the general, like MySpace, Bebo and Facebook, and the more targeted - you can find a list of business-focused social networks here So go out and join at least 3 - and start to find people who are interested in the same things as you, and the things that you are offering. Make friends, find allies, reach out to a whole new segment of your market. Social Networking Sites are an important tool to have in your arsenal today. Use them wisely.

Rob Bell is a successful Chartered Marketer with 15 years experience creating and developing varied markets, primarily Technology. He first started using the Internet as a Business & Marketing student in 1991, and considers himself a bit of a computer addict. He runs several websites including StartUpOnline, and devotes his work to those and his SU Business. He loves music and reading in his spare time.

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How To Secure Your Computer

2008-03-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

According to a Software security and Antivirus company Symantec, it only takes 20 minutes for an unprotected computer to be attacked once it gets connected with the internet. Computer security cannot be compromised because if your computer is insecure then all your data, software and hardware are at risk. There are several methods that are used to combat with the security threats. The known threats to a computer are viruses, spyware, adware, malware, Trojan horses, internet security threats, accidental files deletion and data corruption, unauthorized access to compute and the hackers’ attacks. Following tips tells that how to deal with the computer security threats.

Install Up-to-dated Antivirus Program
One of the most important security step and preventive measure is to install an up-to-dated antivirus program and scan your computer regularly with it. An antivirus programs acts as protective shield for your computer against the virus, spyware and other internet threats.

Install Firewall
A firewall is a protective boundary that protects your computer from the unauthorized access and from the hackers’ attacks. If you haven’t enabled a firewall software or hardware on your gateway computer then anyone can get into your computer.

Install Anti spyware
Installing a good anti spyware program eliminates the chances of data corruption, Windows registry corruption, slow computer booting, browser’s hijack and applications failure. The combination of Antivirus + Anti Spyware + Firewall program is a very good choice.

Update your operating system with service packs and patches
Services packs and the security patches fix the security holes and other vulnerabilities in the operating systems. If you are using Windows based operating system then there is automatic update option in the control panel of the Windows and you can set schedule updates of the operating system from the Microsoft’s website.

Beware of suspicious emails and attachments
Suspicious emails and email attachments is a very common cause of the viruses. The best safety measures it not to open the suspicious emails from the unknown source.

Uninstall Unnecessary Programs
For getting the optimized performance from your computer, uninstall all the unwanted programs and delete temporary internet files. You will notice increased performance of your computer.

Deploy Encryptions
Another important security measure is to prevent your important files with the encryption. Also for protecting your important data from accidental deletion, make your files to read only.

The above mentioned tips provide the best safeguard against the known offline and online threats.

B. Bashir manages this website Networking Tutorials and regularly writes articles on various topics such as Computer Networking, Network How Tos Wireless Networking, Computer Hardware, Certifications, How Tos, Switched Network and Computer tips.

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5 Tips To Help You Repair Slow Computer Speed

2008-03-11T11:43:00.000-07:00

It seems like your computer has been losing speed lately. In fact, it's almost as if it keeps slowing down all the time! Though you hate waiting around for long periods of time for your computer to catch up to you, it just doesn't seem like you should have to shell out money for a new one just to get your old speed merchant back in gear.

Well, here are five tips designed to help you get the spring back in your computer's step and get your computer life back operating at full speed again.

Automatic Scan

Sometimes, people tell me their computer is operating really, really slow! However, after further conversation with them, I find what they mean is the computer operates really, really slow, sometimes.

When this happens, usually there is a program automatically being run periodically. When this program is being run, it is using most of the computer's resources. So naturally, the computer is going to operate very slowly. Usually such a program is a virus scanner. What makes a virus scanner so commonly the culprit is the fact Windows XP Pro, for example, makes you install a virus scanner that runs automatically every day.

To find out if this is your problem, when your computer slows down press Ctrl-alt-delete. This will open the Windows Task Manager. Click the processes tab and you can see if there is a program eating up all your CPU resources and if so, you can close that program.

If you find it is a virus scan program that is slowing down your computer, either pause the program until you finish what you're doing, or make sure the program is scheduled to be run when you're not using the computer.

The Heat Factor

Sometimes a computer can slow down because it is heating up too much. Of course, a computer that is overheating can get into much more trouble than just giving you slow performance. Therefore, is very important to keep your computer from overheating.

Every once in a while you should take the cover off your computer and blow the dust out of it with compressed air. Also, make sure your computer is closed tightly when running. If you have removed any cards from slots, make sure you have returned the hole-covers to their original places or you should cover those slots with duct tape.

The cooling system of a computer is designed to work by using a particular airflow scheme. So, leaving the cover off the computer will actually make it run hotter than having the cover on it.

Background Operations

Check your Windows taskbar, which is on the lower right hand corner of your computer screen. This taskbar consist of programs you have running in the background. If you have too many of them, they will steal your computer's resources.

Right click each of them and choose the option to suspend their operations. This is no big deal because these programs can be opened from your start menu. The taskbar just makes them automatically starting programs and, if you're low on computer resources, you don't want things running automatically.

Viruses and Spyware

The biggest resource stealer of them all is spyware and viruses. Make sure you have a good spyware/virus program and run it often. Also, make sure this program is updated frequently. There's not too much more that needs to be said about what one virus or spyware infection could do to your operating system.

Registry Clean

One of the most overlooked reasons a computer will slow down is because the registry has become corrupt. The registry is essentially your computer's operating system. Anytime you're running your computer, entries are being made and deleted from your registry. The effect this has is it leaves false entries in your registry. So, your computer's resources must work around these false entries.

Spyware and viruses leave thousands of false entries in the registry even after they have been removed. This means after you have done a spyware/virus scan and successfully removed parasites, you have to do a registry cleaning in order to remove false entries, or corruption from your registry. Not running a registry cleaner will tend to leave your computer operating at less than peak efficiency.

While there are several more reasons why a computer could be operating slowly, these five tips cover probably more than 95 percent of computer slowdown problems. Remember to take nothing for granted. If your computer should slowdown, check these things even if they seem obvious. Also, remember that a virus scan is run first and a registry cleaner is run after. Do these things, and in the order above, and chances are your computer will stay fast for a long, long time.

The author, Ed Lathrop is an experienced comp TIA A+/Network+ certified computer technician who is thoroughly familiar with the familiar with the operation, repair and upkeep of today's modern PC's. His site, Free Use Registry Repair Compare Website, rates the latest registry repair programs and gives you an analysis of what is effective and what might actually be dangerous to your computer. Also, get up to date computer registry tips at Registry Repair Tools.

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Know More About Computer Speaker

2008-03-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

When Charles Babbage invented computer, it was meant for calculations and nothing else. And moreover, it was huge in size with less functioning. But technological experimentation over the years has resulted into the change in the forms and functioning of the computers. Calculation is a just a small part of the broad system; it is now the most hi-tech equipment for interaction, networking and entertainment. A computer has become a replacement of the televisions, movie theatres and as well as music players. And for all these things good quality computer speakers are required.

Computer speaker is also known as multimedia speaker that is used externally and has low power internal amplifier. Most of speakers that come along with the computer do not have good sound quality but those with better sound quality have equalization features like bass and treble that support the quality to some extent. The sophisticated speakers have a subwoofer unit to support the bass output and they usually include power amplifiers both for the bass speaker and the satellite speaker.

However, the qualities of the computer speaker depend on the manufacturer. But there are some common features too. First of all there are controls of volume and the bass and treble that support the sound. Next is the audio connection, which is 3.5mm (or1/8 inch, considered to be standard) stereo jack. Then there is a power indicator called the light emitting diode (LED) indicator.

High quality computer speaker is that, which has high frequency response, total harmonic distortion and has more watts, i.e. it should have good amount of amplification. Frequency response actually determines the measurement of amount of sound (high or low) produced by the speaker. Whereas, total harmonic distortion means the amount of distortion created by amplifying the signal. These higher quality speakers are not only used for music and movies but also are the perfect ones for multimedia and games as they provide higher quality sound effects.

Among the others, personal computers are such that are being used with greater frequency. And moreover, multimedia is one of the vital features of every computer with other software applications due to which the personal computers are more in use. Especially with increase in the use of video and the audio application in the multimedia, speakers are becoming important day by day. Most of the desktop computers and laptops usually had a single audio output, which had minimum dynamic range. Even the soundcards that are capable of reproducing high fidelity sound were absent in most of the computers.

Multimedia integrated computers have LCD display panels; CD ROM drives as well as audio speaker systems. Moreover, it also has added stereo high fidelity sound and improved sound card systems. Multimedia computer speaker system includes pairs of wide band speaker drivers mounted in different housings with amplification. It should be mentioned here that integral amplification electronics provide simple and compact transducers. This feature makes the sound quality of these speakers more exclusive and perfect for music.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for music gear, speakers, and microphones. You can find the best marketplace for music gear, speakers, and microphones at these 3 sites: music gear, music equipment, speakers, computer speaker, and laser microphones, parabolic microphone.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Epand

How To Replace Your Laptop Computer's LCD

2008-03-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

Laptop computers have been around for ages. Just as a human, laptop computers also age. Along with age comes broken or damaged parts. Hence, you either have to replace the laptop computer or repair the broken parts. One of the most expensive parts of a computer to replace is the monitor, commonly called the LCD.

LCD stands for liquid crystal display - the technology used to make the flat panel screens and laptop computer screens.

Some common reasons that might make you consider replacing your laptop computer's LCD are (1) the screen has been cracked; (2) you want to upgrade the standard computer screen that came with your unit to a higher resolution LCD screen; or(3) there are lots of dead spaces on your screen which might come from dead pixels.

If you want to tackle the task of replacing your laptop computer's LCD, consider the following steps to ensure that you perform the replacement seamlessly.

Step One
Power off your laptop computer and disconnect the battery and all cables. You will also want to remove the battery as it could cause an electric shock if it remains installed through the process.

Step Two
Remove the rubber screw covers to expose the screws that hold the screen frame in place.

Step Three
Gently pry the LCD screen frame loose. You should then be able to find the LCD screen cable and power cord. Unplug both of these and remove the tape (if any) that is holding the screen in place.

Step Four
You will next need to find out who the manufacturer of your laptop computer's LCD screen is. Keep in mind that the screen's manufacturer might not be the same as the manufacturer of the computer. Ensure that you match the screen that you purchase matches the screen's manufacturer model number.

Step Five
Once you have obtained the appropriate replacement screen, plug the new LSD screen in, secure it with tape, and replace the frame. Be cautious not to crimp any cords when you replace the frame.

Step Six
When you power up your laptop computer, your LCD screen should work properly. If it doesn't, call the supplier where you purchased your replacement screen and ask for technical help.

If you decide that it would be cheaper or easier to replace your entire laptop computer, visit my website, The Cheap Laptop Store to buy new, used, or refurbished laptop computers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roberta_Sullivan

What Do We Get From A Computer Store

2008-03-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

A computer is something which has made a deep impact in every aspect of our lives. We can not think of any day when we were not in touch with its function. So, why not get a computer for yourself? The place where you can get a computer to buy is called the computer store. The computer store is not a place where only selling and buying is done, apart from that there are other things also which the computer store provides you with. The most important thing is that, in a computer store you get all the information you would like to know about computers, about its hardware, software, functioning and many other aspects. Here is a brief account about the computer stores.

A computer store can be of various types. It may be a computer repairing store, a computer parts selling store, computer software selling store, a computer showroom or a computer bookshop. Other than these, it may be a complete store comprising all these in it.

The importance of the computer store for a computer user is massive. The computer is one of the very fragile items which need really careful handling. For any damage or malfunctioning of your computer, the computer store near you will prove out to be very helpful to you. Moreover you can always rush to the computer store for the latest and varieties of software which is introduced in the market. The most popular and newer computer games are also there in a computer store.

Also it has always been suggested that the computers of reputed brands only should be bought from well known showrooms. There you will get a warranty of at least one year or so, against any manufacturing and material defects, so that you can claim your due when required. Moreover the computer store can provide you the best deal in a computer purchase. Apart from giving you the product in a very reasonable rate, it also provides you will discounts and special offers, which you will be benefited to get. Thus, your dream of owning a latest computer can prove out to be true, if you decide to go for the best computer stores.

Other than these stores, there are online computer stores too from which you can easily make your purchase. If you can shop your favorite accessories sitting in your home only then why will you rush out for it, is it not? The one good thing about online computer stores is that, it contains an account of the computer reviews also. With the help of computer reviews you get to know a huge amount of information about the current, latest and upcoming computers and computer features. These online computer reviews also contain ratings and a price list, so it helps you in zero downing the one, which meets your taste and your requirements perfectly. However, before doing online purchasing from online computer stores, it is advised that one should verify the originality and authenticity of the forum.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for computers, laptops and software. When shopping for used computers, used laptops and used software, we recommend you shop at only the best online stores for used computer store, used computer store, used computer store software.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Epand

Computer Games That Help Your Babies Learn

2008-03-06T20:08:00.001-08:00

Playing games has been a common activity of humans since ancient times, not just for fun but also aimed at learning basic life skills. PC games come in a large array of forms and intended for the most diverse objective from mere entertainment for leisure time to children's early instruction at home, thanks to their undeniable power to motivate them to approach learning from a fun perspective.

Baby computer games are a useful tool for parents fostering valuable early skills in areas such as strategic thinking, socialization and collaboration, while developing basic understanding of their surroundings by identifying colors, shapes, numbers and more, associating at the same time places and names in an easier way with the aid of the games audiovisual experience.

Many parents and even educators still underestimate PC games considering them as a waste of time and irrelevant to set the basic of learning for kids during preschool age, and even considered harmful for individuals of any age. Fortunately, the percentage of adults who are convinced of the role of fun in education are higher today and the computing industry develops new digital games for both, learning and fun each and every day.

The surprising benefits of PC games have been evident over the supposed disadvantages and the branch of baby computer games offers a range of activities from early stimulation to the learning of basic skills and challenges useful for preschool children.

Most baby computer games stimulate the baby's brain development, coordination and motor skills enhancing language and problem-solving skills, making a strong bond between baby and parents because playing computer games with babies can become a pleasant family activity. Encouraging baby intellectual development is necessary but love and physical closeness is as important as the learning itself for healthy emotional growth.

Educators promote PC games as a fun activity for children and parents making a retrospective on how families were engaged though time in various activities that created stronger ties. The bedtime story tradition that still survives in many homes, the family shared time listening to popular radio shows that later evolve to watching TV together, the picnic and camping days, and so on.

Today time runs fast and for many parents is not possible to continue old traditions, but computers and the internet era have brought a whole universe of exciting family activities. PC games are classified by ages as baby computer games, toddler computer software, preschooler games and activities, etc. Regardless of the age, games are equally exciting for parents and teachers.

If you are a parent seeking PC games for your children, keep in mind that most baby computer games are just for fun but are an aid in developing the baby's intellectual, emotional and physical stability.

Natalie Aranda writes about, familay, fun and learning. PC games are classified by ages as baby computer games, toddler computer software, preschooler games and activities, etc. Regardless of the age, games are equally exciting for parents and teachers. The role of computer games in education and learning is a new and interesting research topic.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Aranda

Laptop Buying Guide - Should You Buy An Ultra Thin Notebook Computer?

2008-03-06T02:01:00.000-08:00

Several of the major computer manufacturers now offer ultra thin, very sleek and, above all, fantastic looking small laptops. Sony recently launched their TZ Ultraportable and in January 2008 Apple unveiled the MacBook Air. These laptops are at the cutting edge of available consumer computer technology and their unique selling point is how portable and lightweight they are. However, these are expensive laptops and the question remains - will you be getting good value for money?

The first thing to consider is exactly what you will be using your new laptop for. These ultra thin laptops maybe small, but this comes at the expense of power. They are not the most powerful laptops available because the manufacturers have had to closely pack all the components in. If you are going to be editing movies or running other power hungry applications you should go for the most powerful laptop you can get for your budget.

Secondly you should consider how much you travel with your computer, how long for and what you do with it when you do travel. These ultra portable laptops are extremely thin and particularly easy to transport, but how hard is your current laptop to carry around? For example, if you were to buy a MacBook Air you have to consider that it does not have an interchangeable battery. If you travel for long periods of time without access to power then after the battery runs out you have to wait to charge it. With a larger, more traditional laptop you could simply replace the battery with a spare one. There is a great deal of compromise in these ultra portable laptops and you need to truly assess your requirements (everything from connection ports to screen size) before committing. It may be that a laptop just ½ an inch thicker is more suitable.

Finally, there is one more important aesthetic to consider before you purchase a new laptop and that is the style factor. Ultra portable laptops are at the lead edge of personal computer technology and they look sensational. Do you want to be just another commuter with a standard laptop on the train, or would you prefer to stand out from the crowd with an laptop so compact it oozed style and design cool. The answer to that question can only be decided by you.

At Buy Macbook Air you will find a guide to the new MacBook Air, reviews and discussions about this and other thin notebook computers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Theo_Corbett

Tips on Buying Computer Monitors

2008-03-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

A computer monitor or the Visual Display Unit is a very important part in a computer. This is where the displaying of images, data etc from the computer is done. There are various types of computer displays available in the market nowadays. Apart from the CRT displays that used to be the most used until few years back, there are Flat Panels and LCDs that are available now.

There are quite a few things to be considered before buying a computer monitor. The size is one of the factors to be considered. Sizes come from 15", 17", 19" and 21". The larger the display size, the greater the expense. A 17" is ideal where the computer is used for a considerable amount of time of more than 2 hours. For graphics art and such things, the monitor required should be 21" as it would prove useful. One thing to be noted is that even though the size of the screen could be 15", 17" etc the viewable size need not be the same. It would be definitely less than that, according to the manufacturer.

The resolution is the next thing to be considered. This is the clarity with which the picture is seen in a computer monitor. This can depend on the size of the monitor. The resolution is measured in Pixel counts. It is required to be cautious while following the ads from the manufacturers as they might give ads that are impossible to happen, for example a resolution of 1600x1200p for a 15" monitor! The ideal resolutions for a 15" screen is 800x600 or 1024x768, for a 17" screen 1280x1024, 19" screen 1280x1024 and for 21"screen 1600x1200. This is the maximum of resolution capacity by the respective dimensions.

The refresh rate also has to be considered while buying a screen. This is the number of times the screen is redrawn. The recommended refresh rate comes to 75MHz, for a standard monitor. The controls are the next thing to be noticed. Controls are the way the different aspects or features of the computer are controlled. Adjustment of different features of the monitor has to be possible, for strain-free watching and working.

There are various advantages and disadvantages in both CRT monitors and LCDs. While CRTs are quite reliable and have a longer life, they occupy lot of desk space and also are not as clear as the LCDs, who save a lot of desk space and also are not as heavy as CRT monitors, but LCD monitors have to be taken utmost care in order to have a long life. In short, monitors are of various types and forms. It depends on the user to choose the monitors according to their need and necessity

You can find Latest Computer Monitors in UK market and read Reviews on Apple Computer Monitors, HP and Flat Screen Monitors.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Thomas

Why Is My Computer Running Slow?

2008-03-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

Computer slowness can be caused by a variety of issues, which can be categorized in 2 categories: hardware or software. Computer hardware are the physical parts of the computer system, for example motherboard, CPU, RAM, etc. Computer software are all the programs and applications that are installed on your PC. Software includes the operating system like Microsoft Windows XP or Vista and all of the applications such as Microsoft Office, Photoshop, etc. Viruses, spyware and malware are software as well.

Things to check:

* Startup programs
* Virus and spyware scan
* Hard Drive out of space
* Fragmented hard drive
* Bad sector or corrupted files
* Overheating due to dust

Most common reason for computer slowness is unnecessary applications running in the background. When new programs & applications are installed many times they will be configured to start automatically when your computer starts.

These applications are not always needed, and will take up a portion of your computer's memory (RAM) which in turn will slow your computer down. To check what applications start automatically, clicks on the start button, then click on run, then type 'msconfig' and click on OK. Once the Systems Configuration Utility is open, click on the Startup tab. On the startup tab you can select the programs that you want to start.

Unselecting any of the programs in the startup tab will not remove them from your computer; it will merely keep them from starting automatically every time you turn your PC on. I recommend unselecting all the applications that you don't need. If you see software that you don't recognize it could be indication of virus of spyware.

If your computer is running slow and you're getting a lot of pop-up windows, even when you're not using the computer, your computer is most likely infected with a virus and/or spyware. Everybody should have antivirus software installed, updated and running at all times. There are many antivirus software packages, the best one on my opinion is Nod32 from ESET.

Regardless of antivirus software that you use, you should always keep it updated, and regularly scan your system for viruses. Most antivirus software don't check for spyware, so if your computer is infected by spyware, you should download a specialized spyware removal software. There are 2 programs that I use myself all the time, Spybot and Adaware they are absolutely free to use. Once you download and install these programs, make sure to run the updates and scan your entire computer.

Make sure your hard drive is not out of space. If it is, it's a good idea to get an upgrade, or delete some programs and files. Delete all of the temp files, temporary internet files and cookies, you could do it manually or use another free program called "ccleaner".

When files are stored on your computer's hard drive they are not always stored in the most efficient way and can become fragmented. Fragmented files take a lot longer for your system to open or save. To start the defragmentation utility click on Start then programs -> accessories -> system tools -> disc defragmenter. Defragment all of the drives listed. The defragmentation process can take anywhere from about 5 minutes to a couple of hours, and sometimes needs to be repeated. I recommend defragmenting the computer hard drive about once a month.

Another cause of computer slowness could be a corrupted system file or a bad sector on the hard drive. Bad sectors can corrupt systems files which can slow down your PC or even keep it from running.

To check and correct bad sectors run the scan disk (chkdsk) utility.

Make sure the computer is not overheating or running very warm. Most computer allow air to flow through the computer, this is great for cooling but also causes a lot of dust to accumulate inside of computer case. Dust will cause poor air circulation and might overheat your PC. Open up the case of the PC and blow all dust out using compressed air.

Dominik Szuksztul runs TekScape Solutions a computer repair and network support company in Orange County, CA

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dominik_Szuksztul

All About the Apple Desktop Computer

2008-02-29T15:30:00.000-08:00

Can you even recall the days when there were no computers? If you can, then you know that back then, a typewriter was just a typewriter. Then IBM came out with the one with the ball. It was a really big deal because you could actually change the font.

The personal computer much revolutionized the way we communicate. Now the rest is history with some many applications, games; how can anyone live without a computer? Sometimes it seems as if there is only one type of computer, absolutely not true.

Like so many of us today, I have virtually been tethered to a computer for about ten years and I also thought that all computers were created equally until I began using an Apple desktop computer or Mac.

An Apple desktop computer is about the same as an ordinary computer as a horse is to a cow. The cow runs, well, like a cow. The horse (and the Apple desktop computer) is sleek and efficient, build for performance. Can you tell that I'm an Apple fan by now? Yeah? It is pretty obvious as it? The cow will do what you want it to with a little encouragement. The apple desktop computer lives to follow your commands just like the horse. The cow needs to rest and often quits working 'just because'. The Mac continues to go on and on and on because that is what it is made to do.

Daiei may think I'm just talking out my butt here but I became a true believer after a month with my Apple desktop and quickly came to the realization, it never once crashed on me. The 'cow' crashes all the time. Sure, if you worked with a PC for a long time, you'll need a period of adjustment to wean yourself away. Not that the Apple computer is hard; it is just a little bit different.

To open a file from the "finder" known on a PC as the explorer, you can't press 'return' that takes some getting use to. And here is another thing that is not the same with an Apple desktop. No viruses. I do not even own a virus cleaning system because I don't need it, although I keep a virus checker going in the background on my Apple desktop computer just in case. And what do you suppose it finds? PC viruses that have no effect on my Mac.

Another great advantage of owning an Apple computer is the automatic software updates from the Internet. It actually communicates to the Internet and automatically updates itself. No checking the website, no having to decide what you need. The complete shebang is updated automatically. Pretty cool, huh?

I always tell my pals, my Apple desktop computer is a real computer; the "other one" is nothing more than a pretender.

Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding the world of computers. You can get interesting and informative information by visiting Apple Desktop Computer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Morgan_Hamilton

Dell Laptops - What You Need To Know About All Those Brand Names

2008-02-27T14:26:00.000-08:00

Before we get started, let me say that I am not a Dell reseller, nor do I make a commission from the sales of any Dell computer you'll read about here. In other words, I am not connected to Dell computer in any way. I've just done some research on Dell laptops and I am sharing it with you here, no strings attached.

OK, got it? Let's go.

As you know, Dell produces a large collection of laptops and notebook computers under lots of different brand names. Here's a brief outline/rundown of what they offer:

Dell Vostro

Dell's Dimension is being phased out and a "value-oriented" line of laptops -- Vostro (Latin for "yours") -- has been created for the small business market. One great thing to note: Dell claims the Vostro line will not come with "trialware" (or "crapware") pre-installed. The other thing is that the Vostro laptops have an "upmarket" -- classier -- black finish with chrome trim.

Current Models

The following laptop models were released during July, 2007 in Canada and the US.

* Vostro 1000
* Vostro 1400
* Vostro 1500
* Vostro 1700

Dell Latitude

Dell's Latitude laptops are targeted at the corporate market, e.g., the road warriors. Latitude uses standardized, interchangeable parts throughout the line. After all, businesses want fast and cheap product service, right? In addition, the specs are meant to NOT change for several years (also for support purposes).

Note: This contrasts with the Dell Inspiron line which is aimed at the (fickle and flighty?) consumer market whose specifications change regularly.

Dell Latitude computers are also built with a more durable casing and internal metal frames. In addition, many offer hard drive protection systems in case the computer is dropped or suffers a severe impact.

Current models

Current Latitude models include the ATG, X1, D430, D520, D600, D620, the newly launched D630 and the D830. Select models based on the Intel Core Duo, Core Solo and Core 2 Duo are now available. The D420, D620, and D820 feature wide aspect LCD screens: 12.1", 14.1", and 15.4" respectively.

The Latitude D620 weighs 4.7 pounds, and the base model includes a 1.67GHz Intel Core Duo T2300 processor (667MHz front-side-bus) and 2M of L2 cache. There is an option to upgrade to a Core 2 Duo T7X00 processor (667Mhz font-side-bus) with 4M of L2 cache.

It comes standard with 512M of DDR2 RAM, expandable to 4GB, and four USB ports.

For graphics, it offers the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, and an option to upgrade to NVIDIA discrete graphics at the expense of lower battery life.

Dell Precision

The Precision brand name features the most powerful laptop computers that Dell makes. These include the M4300 and M90. The M4300 is a little less in quality compared to the M90. These computers, when configured for extreme computing, can exceed $3,000. The Precision line top-shelf: its nVidia Quadro FX 1500M - 3500M gives you super-high-end video graphics.

Dell Inspiron

Inspiron is targeted at the consumer laptop market. As of June 26, 2007 the Inspiron name also refers to Dell's desktop systems as well.

Current Configurations

Dell updated their Inspiron series in June of 2007 with the 1420/1420 N, 1520/1521, and 1720/1721 models.

* Inspiron 1420/1420 N

Small (5.39 lbs), portable models based on the Intel Santa Rosa platform. Both models have an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (up to 2.2 GHz), 14.1" display (up to 1440x900), SATA hard drive (up to 160 GB), and 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (up to 4 GB). The 1420 features an integrated Intel X3100 or NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS. The 1420 N has an integrated Intel X3100. Dell also offers Ubuntu Linux as an alternate operating system on this laptop. Available in 8 colors.

* Inspiron 1501

Mid-size (6.19 lbs), mainstream model with an AMD Turion (up to 2.0 GHz) or Mobile AMD Sempron 3500+ processor, 15.4" display, ATI Radeon Xpress 1150, SATA hard drive (up to 120 GB), and DDR2 SDRAM (up to 2 GB).

* Inspiron 6400/E1505 N

Mid-size (6.18 lbs), mainstream models with an Intel Core 2 Duo (up to 2.00 Ghz), 15.4" display, SATA hard drive (up to 160 GB), and DDR2 SDRAM (up to 2 GB). The 6400 features an ATI Mobility Radeon X1400. The E1505 N features an integrated Intel Media Accelerator 950, ATI Radeon x1300, ATI Radeon x1400, or NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300.

* Inspiron 1520/1521

Mid-size (6.40 lbs), mainstream models based on the Intel Santa Rosa platform (Model: GM 965 or PM 965). The 1520 features an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (up to 2.2 Ghz) with an integrated Intel X3100 or NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS/8600M GT. The 1521 features an AMD Turion (up to 2.2 GHz) with an ATI Radeon Xpress 1150. Both models have a 15.4" display (up to 1680x1050), 160GB SATA hard drive (option for 5400RPM or 7200RPM), and 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM (up to 4 GB). The notebooks also have the option to come installed with a Blu-Ray drive. Available in 8 colors with webcam.

* Inspiron 1720/1721

Large (7.62 lbs), high-end models based on the Intel Santa Rosa platform (Model: GM 965 or PM 965). The 1720 features an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (up to 2.4 Ghz) with an integrated Intel X3100 or NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS/8600M GT. The 1721 features an AMD Turion (up to 2.2GHz) with an ATI Radeon Xpress 1270. Both models have a 17" display (up to 1900x1200), support for dual SATA hard drives (up to 500GB - 2 x 250GB drives), and 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (up to 4 GB). The 1721 also features RAID 0 or 1 hard drive configurations, an option which is strangely missing from the 1720. They also lack DVI or HDMI connections, which would be expected for a high-end desktop replacement, given their HDCP compliant graphics card and Blu-ray Disc option. Both models are available in 8 colors.

XPS

Dell has marketed this brand as an all-in-one multimedia system.

* XPS M2010

Software includes Dell's "Media Center" with an instant-access button to quickly start the system direct in this application, and it is equipped with an 8 speaker plus subwoofer audio system.

On the downside, the battery is only good for about 2 hours, but you are probably not buying this laptop to take on the road -- the system weighs almost 18 pounds. That said, it is fully portable and self-contained.

The case design includes a detachable keyboard with full-size keys and integrated trackpad, and flexible approach to screen placement. The base unit cannot be detached from the monitor, although the monitor offers articulation in two locations. The design incorporates a large handle which also forms part of the display hinge - the optional carry case uses this and does not provide a handle to lift the system, but it does feature casters and a telescopic handle to wheel the case around.

The keyboard is often reported to attach magnetically. It uses two large spring-loaded locating catches, but does not fix rigidly to the chassis. Instead, the folded screen holds everything together. But when open the keyboard does detach easily.

M2010 features a wide, flat CPU section with a symmetrical design - the optical drive is flush to the top surface and motorised. Internally the symmetry is maintained with the centrally mounted CPU flanked by two SATA HD drives and two cooling systems - the GPU and CPU coolers vent on opposite sides of the base.

The M2010 also features a unique option, the Dell Premium Remote developed by Gyration Inc. Using 2.4GHz RF on an internal board. Referred to in the service manual as a Wireless USB board. it uses the Cypress "WirelessUSB" chipset, which predates and does not conform to the Wireless USB standard. the remote offers basic HID functions and control for Windows Media Centre with an additional LCD allowing navigation of the music library in a style akin to an iPod or similar device.

The remote had been exclusive to the M2010 from launch. In August 2007 Gyration announced the Ultra R4000 remote which offers the same LCD-display functionality and has a similar appearance.

* XPS M1710

The higher-end mobile XPS computer available in black or red that features a 17" widescreen, Intel Core 2 Duo processors, NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900GS or 7950GTX video cards, 7200 RPM SATA hard drive, and DDR2 SDRAM. The Inspiron E1705/9400 offers similar features, notably the Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processors, 17" screen, and the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900GS for a lesser price (about $1000 less than the M1710). The M1710 does offer unique user- and software-changeable LED lighting in the touchpad and fan outlets/inlets, as well as the lid, also including BluRay Disc Drive in some models. The system was marketed to gamers. It was physically identical to the Inspiron 9100. This computer was later replaced by the Inspiron XPS Gen 2 and ultimately the current XPS M1710. This model is highly expected[weasel words] to be replaced in the coming weeks.

* XPS M1330

This high end laptop, released in June of 2007, features the Intel Centrino's Fourth Generation Santa Rosa platform. It features a 13.3" screen either with CCFL or WLED. The WLED version will have a 0.3 Mega pixel camera, as opposed to the 2MP camera with the original CCFL screen. Moreover, XPS 1330 also features a biometric fingerprint reader, which was usually found in business class laptops like the latitude series. The XPS 1330, with the WLED screen is thinner and brighter than the previous XPS 1210 version. The XPS M1330 also offers the NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS graphics card as an option.

Conclusion

There you have it -- the Dell line of laptops. Hopefully you gained an appreciation of the similarities and differences between the different brand names.

For more info on Dell Laptops, visit Ara Rubyan's PC Laptops Super Center.

Ara Rubyan is computer networking specialist with over ten years of experience in design, implementation and maintenance. He is a certified A+ Hardware tech, a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, and a Master Certified Novell Engineer. He also has over 10 years of experience in training design and delivery and has been developing web based training for more than 10 years. His background in training coupled with his IT knowledge means that you can rely on his advice and insight.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ara_Rubyan

Top Computer Virus Threats in 2008

2008-02-26T09:19:00.000-08:00

Computer Virus threats are neither surprising nor new on the Web. They are stepping towards newer technologies such as VoIP and instant messengers. With advancement in the features available on the Internet, hackers continue to drive malware. This underlines an importance of being aware and secure when traversing the Web. Antivirus Installation is must in each and every computer attached to Internet.

Predictions for top security threats in 2008 are:

• Increase in Password Staling Websites: There will certainly be a rise in the number of attacks seeking to capture a user's ID and password by displaying fake sign-in pages. Online services will primarily be targeted to spread virus and malware. As opposed to this, the attacks on ISPs are likely to decline, while those aimed at the financial sector will move with the same pace.

• Increase in Spamming: Spamming will continue to grow, accounting for 40 per cent of the total spam received as compared to 10 per cent a year ago. There has been a significant rise in the incidence of image spam and others such as pump-and-dump stocks, pharmacy, and degree spam.

• Increase in IM Attacks: Instant messaging client is gaining wide popularity among Internet-savvy. They are always in search of better messengers to communicate on the web. Since instant messengers feature a number of exclusive features such as file transfer & webcam support, the virus attacks on these applications may increase in near future.

• Increase in Online Gaming Attacks: Online gaming is both the source of entertainment and money for several companies which allow their registered members to buy virtual goods to continue the game. The computer virus attackers may try to target these virtual goods to make real money.

• Increase in Windows Vista Attacks: The attackers and hackers generally seek to take advantage of flaws present in the operating systems. Since Windows Vista, the latest version of Microsoft Windows is believed to be affected by critical vulnerabilities, the hackers may try to inject virus into the affected systems.

• Increase in Phishing Attacks: Phishing attacks are expected to be one of the top 10 threats in 2008. With growth in number of incidence of using copies of original websites to trick the users to get their sensitive data, the phishing attacks can increase.

Mark A is a part of the content team for Iyogi. Iyogi provides Antivirus setup, certified technicians to Install Antivirus and scan computer, antivirus installation, latest antivirus updates, computer support, pc repair services, technical support, it support and services, over the phone and via remote access.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_A

Review of HP, Sony, and Compaq Laptops

2008-02-23T09:10:00.000-08:00

So do you prefer to call them laptops or do you prefer to call them notebooks. I am partial to notebooks as I never keep them on top of my lap. Jokes apart, purchasing a new notebook computer is really tough.

If you were to read the ads then each computer sounds better than the cat's whiskers. But when you look close, they all look similar. At least the similarly priced ones tend to be similar. So, is there really a difference between one laptop and another? Or should I say one notebook and another?

To answer this very question, I am going to look at three popular computers that are currently on sale and compare them. The read can then take this to be the starting point and evaluate many other options to find the one that works best for them.

First of all, let us consider the HP Pavilion DV6426US, a machine that I powered by the Intel Core Duo Processor T2450. This multithreaded architecture based micro processor is well optimized for multi-tasking based performance. The fact that this notebook comes installed with 1 GB RAM should help run many of the contemporary popular applications at a good speed. It has a 160 GB Hard Drive which is nothing spectacular, but should do the trick in most cases. And the bundled operating system is the Microsoft Vista Premium. And I really like notebooks that come with an integrated WebCam. This HP laptop sure has one of those. In the absence of such a webcam, attempting Video IM becomes a serious pain.

Second let us consider the Sony VAIO VGN-FZ140E/B. This laptop too is powered by a Duo Processor, in this case the Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7100. It beats the HP one in terms of RAM, as it comes with 2 GB RAM. Its hard disk is bigger at 200 GB. So, if Freud was right and size does matter then, well, this one has the bigger Hard Drive. The duo-core multithreading micro processor will deliver performance similar to the HP machine. This laptop comes with Microsoft Vista Home Premium.

Finally let us look at the Compaq Presario F572US. Like both the previous machines, this one too has a 15.4" screen. Though it has a dual-core micro processor, the Compaq uses the AMD Athlon 64 Processor TK-53 and not an Intel based processor like the other two I wrote about. Also it has 1 GB RAM like the HP machine. Where I think it scores lower is in its hard disk capacity, a mere 80 GB. It also comes with the Microsoft Vista Premium.

All in all, the machines have pros and cons. I have not listed prices here, as they would change faster than I could type them out. But, make sure to look at the prices too.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ajeet_Khurana

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2008-02-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

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Computer Viruses

2008-02-21T15:12:00.000-08:00

Computer Viruses - How To Detect, Remove And Prevent Them

Today I want to talk a little about the dreaded computer virus. The goal of this article is to teach you, the home user, the fundamental skills needed to help detect, remove, and most importantly prevent viruses from infecting your computer. As the owner of a computer consulting business, I have seen 1st hand how much damage computer viruses can do. To help protect yourself from a virus attack, it will be necessary to understand exactly what a virus is. A virus is essentially a software program designed with malicious intentions, to copy itself and spread from one computer to another. What makes a virus so dangerous is what they are designed to do.

A virus, once installed on your computer, can easily corrupt or delete data from your computer. This can be anything from your latest Word document to the irreplaceable pictures of your loved ones. We will get into exactly what a virus can do later in this article. Now that you have an idea of what a virus is and what it can do to your computer, lets discuss how your computer gets infected. I have heard countless times from people, " But I did not open any email attachments, how can I be infected?" While it is true that a majority of viruses are hidden within email attachments, they can also be downloaded into our computers in the form of images, videos, or even instant messages. I have personally removed a virus from Cd's, jump drives, and floppy disks.

Lets talk about ways to help protect your computer from viruses. To protect your computer from these threats it is vital that you have an anti virus program installed and up to date. I have seen many times in the field computers that have anti virus programs but still are infected with a virus. Let me point out that not all anti virus programs are equal. I will not discuss in this article which anti virus program you should or should not use however email me and I will be happy to help you in that aspect. Your anti virus program will do you little good if you do not keep your definitions up to date. New virus are being identified all the time so it is vital to keep your anti virus program up to date on the latest threats. Another proven method is to use a firewall.

A firewall is essentially software or hardware that is designed to filter out information that is being sent to or from your computer. Think of a firewall as a Guard at the end of your driveway, before anyone enters your home they must first pass a set of rules or security checks you have given before they are allowed to enter your home. Some of the software-based firewalls include Norton Internet Security, Zone Alarm and Trend Micro. You may be using a hardware firewall and not even know it. If you have a LAN (Local area network) then chances are you have a router of some kind. Most routers come built in with a firewall, which is very effective at protecting your computer from viruses. Another technique used to help prevent viruses is to keep your computer up to date. If you are using a windows based PC, check Windows Update often for any security patches that are released.

Do not open email attachments if you do not know the sender, this is asking for trouble. Lets move on to identifying infected computers. As a PC technician, it is my responsibility to quickly identify the signs of virus infections. Computers with virus infections will often show some of the following symptoms. Please note, that the issues listed below may be caused by several problems, such as spyware, and are not specific to viruses. Your computer may be slow to start or shut down. You may be missing data on your hard drive or, in worst case scenarios, lose all data on the drive. You may experience strange error messages or you computer will shut down unexpectedly. Your fonts may be distorted and overlap or you may experience difficulties in printing.

These are just some examples of the harm viruses can do. Now the most difficult part, removal. This is a topic worthy of its own article as there are many different procedures in virus removal. I will discuss with you the very basics. If you think you are the victim of a virus do a thorough scan of your computer. It may also be beneficial if you scan your hard drive while in safe mode. This is usually accomplished by tapping F8 at start up, but refer to your computer's manual for instructions to be certain.

If you do not have an anti virus program, first thing to do is get one! In the meantime you may use the services of an online virus removal tool. Many of the popular anti virus programs offer this service. My intent of this article was to help inform you of the dangers virus threats can pose, as well as giving you the knowledge to help detect, remove and prevent these threats. I hope I have accomplished this, and you can walk away after reading this article, feeling more confident of your abilities to protect your computer from virus threats.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derick_Nigro

3D Computer Graphics

2008-02-20T07:33:00.000-08:00

Powerful computers and computing capability have enabled realism in computer generated imagery. The animated films made today are realistic to a fault. For instance, Shrek 3.0 has been wildly popular because of the life like characters which inhabit the movie.

3D animation basically consists of generating depth in 2D objects by various means. Lighting and shading is a powerful way to provide depth to objects and characters. At first the model of the object is created using a number of polygons. The density of polygons or the number of polygons for a given area defines the smoothness of an object. In applications like 3D video games where real time response is more important than faithful reproduction, the polygon density is obviously less. In applications such as a animated movie, realism of scenes take primary importance. The complexity of the objects requires a high polygon density.

Once the objects have been modeled, they have to be imparted motion or they have to be animated. Finally the animated objects which are essentially 3D in nature have to be converted to 2D. This process is called rendering. More the polygon density, more time it takes to render an object. It is often required to combine video and 3D images. This process is called compositing. Rendering process is one of the most important in generating a 3D image. A small bit of a movie lasting just a few seconds can take days to be rendered. Render farms and piping are phrases associated with 3D animation. Mental Ray is a renderer provided as a part of Softimage and Maya 3D packages. It is also gaining in popularity among other 3D developers. Renderman is a renderer used by Pixar and some large film production companies, for development of feature films.

A number of operations are involved in creating 3D animations. The three most popular software commercially available for 3D modeling , lighting and shading are Maya, 3ds Max and Softimage .Each of the software has its strength and tools to address various requirements of 3D design and development .

Maya was originally developed by Alias which has now merged with Autodesk. The developers of Maya claim its tools have superior capabilities for production of 3D animated movies.

3ds Max is also a Autodesk product, originally from Discreet. Due to its high availability and competitive cost, 3ds Max claims to be the most popular 3D software. It has an excellent game engine and is extensively used for video game development.

Softimage 3D software is a part of Avid. The developers of this software claim mixed pipeline management leading to more efficiency, less time for development and uniquely suited for game development.

3D computer generated imagery has caught the imagination of the public. US based movie moguls are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to create realistic feature films. These in turn are grossing many millions of sales. The 3D computer graphics industry is therefore growing in leaps and bounds. Features like natural hair, skin and human expressions are being refined and polished, to give life like appearance to animated objects.

Copyright (c) 2007 Dean Barnard

Join me at Deans IT Support and I will be in touch soon friend.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dean_Barnard

Computer Repair Software

2008-02-19T13:57:00.000-08:00

Remote diagnostics is the core of a unique software suite that facilitates remote diagnostics and repair of your PC. You can download it and install onto your computer. Most of the online troubleshooting software will make service quicker, easier and more effective.

Various computer repairing software helps you to save time because it only takes a few minutes to check the configuration, components and software installed on your PC. This will eliminate the need for you to answer technical questions about your computer that might not have the answers to. The program scans your PC for conflicts, errors and malfunctions. This will enable the support representatives to resolve problems much faster. All diagnostics and repair are in real-time mode meaning inquiries are processed immediately.

Installing and using troubleshooting software does not require special IT knowledge. All you have to do is to follow the step-by-step instructions on the screen. The diagnostic data will be collected and sent to the support representatives automatically.

Troubleshooting software suites include the following modules:

· Remote diagnostics that collects the information on your computer configuration and the software installed. If needed for problem resolution, this data can be immediately sent to support representatives for analysis.

· Web update allows you to download and install updates to the troubleshooting software suite automatically or on demand.

The troubleshooting software is completely safe and reliable. You have full control over its usage, and all actions are performed only upon your explicit consent. The collected information is transferred for technical analysis to support representatives and cannot be transferred to any third party. It is designed in such a way that it does not collect private or confidential data.

Computer Repair provides detailed information on Computer Network Repair, Computer Repair, Computer Repair Services, Computer Repair Software and more. Computer Repair is affiliated with Computer Part Supplies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Morva

Reasons to Clean the Registry

2008-02-18T13:56:00.000-08:00

There are many things that can slow down the operating system of a computer. The cramming of the registry is only one of the most common things of the lot. The other things that contribute to the system slow down is spy ware and adware that is downloaded from the Internet without the user even knowing it. These enter the registry and play havoc. There are many programs such as ActiveX controls that download automatically and lodge in the CLASID section of the Registry and begin to slow down the system more and more each day. The only way out is to clean the registry regularly with registry software cleaner.

The Role Of The Registry

So, what is this thing we constantly refer to as the system registry? In the beginning when Windows was still in the evolvement stage Microsoft had to incorporate a way that the operating system could keep track of the file and user information so that the OS could locate them easily. This was initially located in the INI folders. Now there was no way to clean the INI folders with automatic software like the registry Tweaknow cleaner we have today. The INI folders kept growing and slowing down the operating system which had to be cleaned manually unlike the registry windows cleaner available online today.

Now Microsoft came up with a solution and that was to include a system registry in their later operating systems. This brought with it a new problem. That was that the registry kept expanding with daily use of windows. When the system requested some information the registry starts from the beginning to search for the information. As the system grows this process takes longer and longer (This is just an example and not the actual way it works) Thus slowing down the operating system considerably. So, the registry has to be cleaned of the downloaded software, which is of no use once the WebPages, or program has been run anyway.

Not A Manual Process

This cannot be done manually. The reason for this is that there is no such thing as a registry guru. So, if you do not know exactly what you are doing do not mess with the registry of your system. Get a free registry trial cleaner if you have little faith and see for yourself the power of a windows registry cleaner. An online registry cleaner will scan your system for redundant files that are linked to nowhere and just taking up space and in the bargain slowing down the system to a crawl. Then this registry cleaner online will repair the registry by removing these redundant and useless links. The result is that the system will run smoother with no hitches at all.

So even though you do not know anything about the system registry, you can go ahead and download a registry window cleaner and service your system yourself and see the difference. You will surprise yourself.

Author is admin and technical expert associated with development of computer security and performance enhancing software like Registry Cleaner, Anti Spyware, Window Cleaner, Anti Spam Filter. Learn secrets for an efficient Registry Cleaner. Visit our Home page or Resource Center to read more about products and download free trial of a range of security and performance enhancing software like

* Windows Registry Cleaner
* Anti Spyware and Anti Adware
* Windows and Internet Cleaner
* Anti Spam Filter for MS Outlook
* Anti Spam Filter for Outlook Express

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A_Singh

Virus Attack

2008-02-17T13:54:00.000-08:00

In the early 70’s a virus was leaked out on the ARPANET, infecting the Tenex operating system. The virus was named “Creeper”, and if your computer was infected, it would message “I AM THE CREEPER: CATCH ME IF YOU CAN”. The virus would gain access independently through the modem and copy itself on to the remote system.

To counteract the attack, another virus called “The Reaper” was created. This was just the start. Today there are millions of worms, Trojan Horses and viruses that your PC has to defend itself against, on a daily basis. It was in 1983, that Fredrick Cohen coined and created the word “virus” to define, what he called, “self replica computer programs.”

Not all viruses have had their claim to fame, most are killed before they can even cause any damage, but a few have been able to sneak through the cracks. The Love Letter was possibly the fastest virus known to date. It simply attacked Outlook, and using the user’s mailing list, e-mailed itself to the recipients as a message, with an attachment holding the virus. The reason for its success was the attachments name “I love you”. These three words would attract the recipient, who thought the mail came from the original user.

The Love Letter caused $5.5 billion worth of damage. Not to be put to shame is the “Melissa” virus, which caused $80 million worth of damage in March 1999. The virus was named after a stripper in Florida, by it’s creator, David L. Smith. Within one day, it managed to spread itself around the world, clogging up mail systems and inserting quotes from Bart Simpson into documents.

The “Nuclear” virus also attacks documents. This virus adds a paragraph at the end of every document printed. The paragraph is a protest against French Nuclear Testing in the South Pacific. Another “cause” virus is the CIH, also known as the Chernobyl. The virus sits on your computer, undetected, until the anniversary of the Chernobyl meltdown. It then attacks the BIOS chip on your computer, completely paralyzing the hard drive.

Most viruses don’t have a point at all, for example the “911”. This virus was detected in Houston, Texas, where it takes over the computers modem and dials emergency numbers at random. The “Casino” virus has even less of a point, as it plays Russian roulette with your hard drive. If you get a number wrong, you lose everything.

There is a variety of anti-spy software that attacks the virus as soon as it is created. Users have to update the system online to make sure they stay ahead of the hackers. However, in a lot of cases, data loss is almost inevitable.

There are various ways to recover the data from most viruses. Experts use a combination of systems to recover data. It is best to rely on data recovery specialists than attempt to do it yourself. Each virus uses a different system and method to damage the hard drive, so the same rule does not apply to all.

Once you are aware that you have a virus, contact a professional to help you remove it, then a data recovery specialist to help recover your data that is lost.

Celeste writes for Media Vision that specializes in data recovery.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Celeste_Yates

How To Choose A Computer Case

2008-02-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

Things to Consider When Choosing a Computer Case

In the past, computer cases were all very similar… Clones of the same boring, beige box. With all of the choices available today, this is no longer the ‘case’, and people can use their systems’ chassis as a means to express themselves and to set their system apart from the rest. Although appearance may be a big one, it isn’t the only factor in the selection process and the following items should be considered when shopping for a new computer case.

1. Form Factor

There are different sizes of motherboards, which in turn require different cases to house them. Case form factors share the names of the motherboards they support, and some of the common ones include ATX, Micro ATX (mATX), FlexATX and Mini ITX. ATX motherboards are perhaps the most common, and the largest of the four, measuring at most 12” x 9.6” (305mm x 244mm). A Micro ATX board is at most 9.6” x 9.6” (244mm x 244mm), a FlexATX is 9.0” x 7.5” (229mm x 191mm) and a Mini ITX comes in at a tiny 6.7” x 6.7” (170mm x 170mm). ATX and mATX are by far the most popular motherboard sizes for consumer motherboards, and hence, most cases are made to support one or both of these sizes.

A mATX motherboard can obviously fit in a smaller enclosure than an ATX motherboard, and therefore there are different size cases available to match. The larger cases are generally downward compatible with smaller from factor motherboards, but the opposite is not true. For example, someone with this Amptron mATX motherboard could save a few inches and install it in this 14.25” tall mATX case, or pick something like this black ATX case that stands just a bit taller at 16.5”.

Many branded systems (ones that you may buy prebuilt and with preinstalled software) are usually a combination of a standard form factor (such a mATX) with some type of proprietary design (usually in the front panel switches and it’s cabling) and buying a new case for these types of motherboards can be tricky. Some branded systems also use lesser used form factors such as NLX and LPX (which employee riser cards for the expansion slots) and finding replacement cases for these type of systems can be a very difficult and pricey endeavor.

A smaller system may be desirable where space is tight, but larger form factor cases provide more room for multiple drives and other peripherals, and a smaller motherboard may be better suited to a larger case in a system such as this.

2. Size

Size may go along with form factor in many respects, but even while considering cases of the same form factor, there can be variations in size in a few respects. Areas where size can vary are in overall dimensions, the number of exposed 5.25” and 3.5” bays, and the number of internal bays.

ATX cases obviously need to be large enough to hold an ATX motherboard; some are just large enough, while others seem cavernous in comparison. If a case needs to fit under a low shelf, or between items of a certain width, it is important to choose an appropriately sized case. Cases come in two basic configurations when it comes to their size and shape, either desktop or tower. Desktop cases are wider than they are tall and are oriented so the motherboard lays flat, while tower cases have the motherboard standing upright, and come in three basic heights… mini tower, mid tower, and full tower. Tower cases are more common these days, and currently the only style in the Computer Geeks case inventory.

The number of exposed drive bays is generally in direct proportion to the overall size of the case. A higher number of exposed 5.25” bays may be desirable for those with more than one DVD or CD drive, removable drive racks, and fan controllers. Exposed 3.5” bays are generally occupied by floppy drives, Zip drives, fan controllers, and things like this 9-in-1 Card Reader, and in most cases you may get one or two of these bays, maximum. This case is very similar in appearance to this other one, but they have one difference that may prove to be a huge factor. They both have four exposed 5.25” bays, but one has two exposed 3.5” bays while the other only has one. If a user had a floppy drive and the 9-in-1 card reader, they would either have to choose to install only one, or use an adaptor and take up one of their 5.25” bays.

Internal bays are generally reserved for hard drives, and systems with multiple drives require the necessary space. So, if a user decided he really wanted a yellow colored case, but needed room for five hard drives, he would be forced to choose this one (5 internal drive bays) over this one (4 internal drive bays).

3. Cooling

Cooling is a critical feature to consider when selecting a computer case. High end systems can generate a good deal of heat, and the case needs to be adequately cooled to keep the system running and stable.

The basic configuration for case cooling involves having one intake fan on the lower portion of the front surface, and one exhaust fan higher up on the rear surface. This allows cooler air to be drawn in, passed over the various heat generating components, and exhausted out the back. There are many other cooling configurations available that may provide improvements in terms of cooling performance and noise.

One way to decrease noise, and perhaps move more air, is for a case to use 120mm (4”) fans instead of the usual 80mm (3”) fans, as larger fans don’t need to spin as fast to push the same volume of air. This A-Top Z-Alien utilizes a 120mm exhaust fan that also features another key feature to good cooling. The fan grill is very open, meaning that there will be minimal resistance to air flow and reduced noise as the air rushes past it. Many fan grills are made from perforating the case’s sheet metal, and they do not provide enough open area for good airflow.

Another approach to better cooling is to throw more fans at the heat. This Matrix case adds another fan to the side panel which will draw cool air in right on top of the processor and video card, two of the hotter items in a system. Other cases will add an exhaust fan to the top of the case, which pushes the heat out just like a chimney.

No matter the approach, cooling is one area that needs close consideration when it comes to cases intended for today’s high powered systems.

4. Installation Features

Installing a system into a case can be a time consuming affair, which can become annoying to those who find themselves in a continuous cycle of upgrading. Many cases now include convenient features to make installation much simpler, and far less time consuming

Some of these convenient installation features include a removable motherboard tray, removable drive cages, tool-less expansion card mounts, tool-less side panels, and tool-less drive rail systems. Being able to remove the motherboard tray and drive cage makes it easier to work on those specific areas in the open, and having a tool-less system for mounting drives or cards means there is no need for screws or a screw driver. Definitely time savers!

Although the listing on the Computer Geeks site does not specify it, this X-Blade ATX case features both a removable drive cage and tool-less drive rail system, according to this review.

5. Convenience Items

It is not enough for a case to house a computer system any more, it now needs to multi-task. Having regularly used connections on the front or top of the case is one common convenience feature that many people look for. Cases such as this A-Top Z-Alien model let users forget about the annoyance of reaching around the back of their case to plug things in, as USB, Firewire, headphone and microphone jacks are located on the top.

Other cases are available that take convenience to another level by including clocks, digital thermometers that monitor specific components, and fan controllers to help maintain a healthy balance between noise and cooling performance.

6. Style

A few years ago cases only came in one color and one basic style… plain beige boxes. If you’re nostalgic for the olden days of computer cases, Computer Geeks still has one for sale in this style, the KG-200. But cases now come in styles from mild to wild, and in a whole rainbow of colors. Some have large windows in the side panel to show off the case’s insides, some include special lighting effects, and some have appearances that might scare the kids. At this point there seems to be few limits in case design, but there are always classically styled cases in updated color schemes for those who want something modern looking, but nothing too intense.

7. Power Supply

Many cases are sold with a power supply included, but this power supply might not be the correct one for the system to be installed inside of it. An adequate power supply needs to be chosen to meet the demands of the system, and this may very well mean buying an additional power supply to replace the one included, or selecting a different case with a more appropriately sized power supply.

For example, someone may decide their high end gaming system would go well in this black ATX case, but the included 300W power supply may not be strong enough for a top notch graphics card, multiple drives, water cooling, and other power hungry peripherals that might be installed.

Final Words

There are many factors that go into selecting an adequate case for a computer system, including the seven mentioned above. What may wind up being the most important factor was not discussed, but can hopefully be addressed by balancing the importance of these factors… price. Computer cases can cost anywhere from several dollars to several hundred dollars, meaning that a tight budget may decide which of the other features is really all that important.

Jason Kohrs Computer Geeks tech tips and computer advice

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Kohrs

Necessary Computer Training for Computer Repair and Building

2008-02-15T17:05:00.000-08:00

In a world full of internet users and computerholics, it is crucial that you have an extensive amount of knowledge. With such an abundance of companies turning to computer repair and building, it is no wonder that thousands of people are now trying to turn it into a career. Since computers have taken over our every day activities, careers in computer training and computer repair have flourished. Although it is one of the hardest jobs in the industry, it is not only rewarding, but filled with great connections.

In order to get a job as a computer repair technician or a computer builder, one must have the appropriate amount of computer training. After all, CBT is crucial when you are showing a client the work you have done. Chances are not many firms will want to hire you if you do not have the right computer training. Surprisingly, these two fields are the most difficult because they require more logic and skill. Unfortunately, most of this knowledge will only come from computer training courses. However, there are a select few who have developed it from having their own clients and avoiding the education route.

If you want to succeed quickly, CBT is really the only way to go. There are those who have been repairing and building computers since they were fifteen, but only a select few succeed in a world of educated technicians. In order to get a great job right out of school, it is crucial that you sign up for a CBT program. These computer training classes will teach you not only about electronics, but also about every part that makes up a computer. While you won’t be as knowledgeable as an electrician, you still will have a basic idea of how electronics work. It is great for people who want to build computers, as they are taught how to build each part.

After you learn about the computer parts, you will take computer training courses that teach you how to trouble shoot a problem. With thousands of computers in homes, it is very likely that these people will come across problems every now and then. Therefore, if you are planning on going into the computer repair field, this is a very important factor to know. It is imperative that you study hard and pay attention to all of these concepts, because you will need these skills in the workforce. The best part about these computer training programs is that it is very hands on. Many instructors will give a student a computer with a virus or an extensive problem. They then have to troubleshoot it until they fix the error. This will give them practice for real life situations, incase they cannot figure out a specific issue.

Once you have completed your computer training, you are able to get you’re A-1 certification. This degree will allow you to work as a computer technician, whether it is in the repair or building field. Although this job is extremely hard work and sometimes physically challenging, it makes you feel good to know that you are needed. Thousands of clients a day rely on your help, thus giving you a sense of knowledge and pride to know that your job is important. No matter what you decide to do, computer based training is the only way to go. From web developing to computer repair, these computer training courses will give you the knowledge to apply it in any area.

Natalie Aranda writes on computer and the Internet. After you learn about the computer parts, you will take computer training courses that teach you how to trouble shoot a problem. If you want to succeed quickly, CBT is really the only way to go. There are those who have been repairing and building computers since they were fifteen, but only a select few succeed in a world of educated technicians. In order to get a great job right out of school, it is crucial that you sign up for a computer training program. These computer training classes will teach you not only about electronics, but also about every part that makes up a computer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Aranda

Mini-centronics: Hewlett Packer Users Beware

2008-02-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

As computer manufacturers begin to phase out old standards (e.g. IEEE 1284, RS-232), there is an increasingly large base of computer users who want to use their old Hewlett-Packer parallel printer with newer USB-only laptop and desktop systems. They purchase a USB to Parallel adapter, only to find that the parallel end doesn’t fit on their HP printer. What's the problem?

In 1992, citing compact size and a simple connection to the printer, Hewlett-Packer decided to go with the IEEE 1284C connector, also known as mini- or micro-centronics. However, this connection has proved to be largely unpopular with other manufacturers, resulting in an interface that is nearly unique to HP printers.

As the IEEE 1284 standard became outdated in favor of USB, adapters sprang up to fill the gap between the older parallel printers and newer USB-only computers. However, manufacturers of these adapters went with the most popular printer connector: CEN-36 or centronics, which is considerably larger in size, although comparable in capability to the mini-centronics connection. So where does this leave those with old but useable mini-centronics parallel HP printers?

The answer is found in the centronics to mini-centronics adapter. This adapter converts a larger-sized centronics connection to the smaller, more compact mini-centronics end, allowing people to connect their parallel HP printers to their newer computers. A word of caution: the USB to parallel adapter is still necessary to complete the connection because the conversion from parallel to USB must still be made.

The contronics to mini-centronics adapter is a niche product that can be difficult to find, but it represents the best solution for those wanting to hold on to that old HP printer.

Nathan Kartchner is a product development rep for Sewell Direct, an online retailer of hard-to-find computer connectivity products, like the USB to Parallel adapter.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathan_Kartchner

How To Watch Satellite TV On Computer Through Internet

2008-02-13T14:11:00.000-08:00

It should not come as a surprise to those interested to watch satellite TV on computers that there are already millions doing so. Billions of video streams are watched every single day and people are getting used to watching entertainment media using their PCs online. Basically, the easiest way around it is to power up your computer with a special satellite TV software. We will find out more in this article about this unique software that can enable you to watch satellite TV on computer through the internet and how it compares with the services you are using today.

The software can be downloaded from retailers online and installed quickly. There are clear instruction manuals that take you through a step-by-step approach. Even the most technically challenged can install software in a few steps. The usage is simple since the navigation is user-friendly. Once you are done with the installation, you can instantly check out the TV channels they offer and find the desired TV program you can watch.

If you have been a satellite TV subscriber for the longest time, you would be glad that there are no monthly costs involved at all. The only cost ever is the one time payment for the software which works out to less than $50 for most software versions and brands. When new programs are added, you also need not top up or pay anything extra. These are all included in the software package.

Since the software is receiving free to air TV feeds from FTA TV stations, the TV channels you can watch on computer are entirely free. A quick comparison between satellite and cable TV versus PC satellite TV would reveal that you are catching maybe 700 channels at max with the monthly services but getting access to over 2000 TV channels with the software. This is the one main reason why people love to use the PC satellite TV software.

Other than the software, you do not need extra equipment or hardware, just a good internet connection will do, be it broadband or dial up. Ideally, you should use broadband for faster speeds of TV feed transmission. You also need to have Macromedia Flash and Windows Media Player installed before you can watch satellite TV on computer.

The software has an intelligent user interface that makes it a breeze to use to search and find TV shows to watch. Once you watched it, click to save the TV channel so that you can come back another day to watch. The whole process is as hassle-free as it can get.

Looking at the software side by side with monthly TV services, it outshines services in terms of affordability, the number of TV channels available and the userability. This probably is the reason why more TV viewers, especially the younger folks now watch TV in this way. Learn more about this new technology and how you can make use of PC satellite TV software to watch satellite TV on computer at home from my TV blog.

Davion is a self-proclaimed TV fanatic. Read more on how you can instantly watch satellite TV on PC, tuning into hundreds of LIVE sports channels, news channels and movies for zilch dollar. Also read his wildly popular article on how to watch satellite TV on PC instantly for pennies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davion_Wong

Satellite TV on PC 2007 Edition

Orbatel Internet Satellite TV Software PC-TVS 2160

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Orbatel Internet Satellite TV Software PC-TVS 2150

Spying on Peace Groups Not Surprising Says Civil Rights Vet

2008-02-12T13:48:00.000-08:00

The FBI’s current spy and infiltration program "sounds like a COINTELPRO to me," said a spry 76-year-old civil rights movement veteran.

Robert Keglar of Charleston, Mississippi was referring to an earlier FBI secret program -- COunter INTELligence PROgrams or COINTELPROs -- that not only promoted spying on and infiltration of civil rights groups but often harassed activists and pitted them against each other, beginning as early as 1956.

"Of course, we had the state of Mississippi spying on us, too. And even private citizens doing it. No one should ever forget the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission or the White Citizens Councils," Keglar said.

The former teacher and boy scout leader's mother and her friend were tortured and murdered in 1966 for registering voters in Tallahatchie County; his brother was killed when he tried to learn what happened to his mother.

COINTELPRO programs often made havoc of perfectly lawful activities led by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee or SNCC and other civil rights groups including the NAACP, the organization that both Birdia Keglar and Adlena Hamlett belonged to.

As the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission, funded by the state’s legislature one year after the 1955 murder of fourteen year-old Emmett Till, was initiated to ensure integration would not occur, former FBI and military intelligence agents were hired to spy on Mississippians as the Commission came into power.

On the federal side of the surveillance coin, COINTELPROs were initiated by the FBI in the same year.

Private White Citizens Councils, formed one year earlier in 1955, were also a product of Mississippi’s fight to maintain segregation and represented the private voice of the state’s leading segregationists.

Councils members included prominent bankers, attorneys, physicians, elected officials, chambers of commerce members, realtors and others.

Byron de La Beckwith, convicted for the murder of civil rights icon Medgar Evers, was a Citizens Councils member.

John Satterfield of Yazoo City, a Methodist leader and president of the Mississippi State Bar Association and the American Bar Association (for two terms), was a member, too.

Sovereignty Commission reports, first publicly released in 1997, are available online through the state’s department of archives and include files on some Citizens Councils activities as well.

But COINTELPRO files – if they were ever included in Sovereignty Commission’s records – are remarkably invisible. Some Mississippians contend that thousands of Commission files were purged before they were turned over to the ACLU and made public. And that the FBI, Sovereignty Commission and White Citizens Councils worked hand in hand.

"I’ve always wondered how the information was passed on that pinpointed exactly where my mother and her friend would be at that specific time. Who was spying on them? Who told the Klan where they were going? Who knew what route they were taking?" Keglar asks.

The county's district attorney informed Birdia Keglar’s son of the "car accident." But relatives and friends, as well as several "eye-witnesses," reported that she and Hamlett were run off the road, pulled from their car, tortured and murdered by highway patrolmen who were also Klan members. The June 12, 1966 accident was never investigated; Mississippi public officials and the FBI say no reports of the accident exist.

COINTELPRO Discovered in Pennsylvania Break-In

The existence of COINTELPRO came to light back in March of 1971, when a group calling themselves the "Citizens' Committee to Investigate the FBI" broke into an FBI field office -- ironically in Pennsylvania, the same state where current FBI spying charges were lodged this past week – and then provided the press and various members of Congress with secret documents seized from that office, showing the government’s involvement in criminalizing dissent.

While FBI and police harassment were suspected by way of surveillance and infiltration during the 1960s, any talk of secret or dangerous CIA-type activity against domestic dissidents would have been dismissed as paranoid had it not been for the evidence picked up in this raid, according to Brian Glick, the author of "War at Home: Covert action against U. S. activists and what we can do about it."

Glick, a New York attorney and social justice advocate, is internationally known for his observations and writing on COINTELPRO operations.

In fact, covert operations have been employed against those who speak out against the government throughout the FBI’s history (and even in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars), including recent FBI monitoring of environmental and animal rights organizations, close watch of anti-war groups by a secret Pentagon program and eavesdropping on domestic communications by the National Security Agency.

The formal COINTELPROs of 1956-1971 were broadly targeted against organizations that were at the time considered politically radical, as well, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Within a year of the 1971 Pennsylvania break-in, former FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover declared the centralized COINTELPRO over, and all future counterintelligence operations to be handled on a "case-by-case basis," an official FBI statement that sounds all too familiar following the more recent spy/infiltration discovery.

Back in 1971, Hoover did not promise that the FBI would stop using COINTELPRO tactics, and more secret documents were revealed through lawsuits filed against the FBI by NBC correspondent Carl Stern and then in 1976 by the "Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities of the United States Senate," commonly referred to as the "Church Committee" for its chairman, Senator Frank Church of Idaho.

Millions of pages of COINTELPRO documents remain unreleased, while many released documents were almost entirely censored; just as recently released reports on the FBI’s infiltration of the Pennsylvania Peace group, many COINTELPRO documents made available to the public include lines entirely blacked out, making them unreadable.

Also in 1971, the Church Committee concluded that "covert action programs have been used to disrupt the lawful political activities of individual Americans and groups and to discredit them, using dangerous and degrading tactics which are abhorrent in a free and decent society," writes political scientist Howard Zinn.

Where Did COINTELPRO Come From?

COINTELPRO developed out of the anti-Communist hysteria of the Cold War years, leading FBI agents into taking actions against groups that had nothing to do with Communism. The Bureau would take actions against individuals and organizations simply because they were critical of government policy, Zinn writes.

The political scientist found numerous examples of free speech violations in which the FBI targeted people because they opposed U. S. foreign policy or criticized police actions.

Documents assembled by the Church Committee "compel the conclusion that Federal law enforcement officers looked upon themselves as guardians of the status quo." Zinn cites the surveillance and harassment of Martin Luther King Jr. as an important example.

But SNCC, with its proactive philosophy, topped the list of targeted programs under "Negro radicals."

And when congressional investigations, political trials, and other traditional legal modes of repression failed to counter the growing movements, and even helped to fuel them, the FBI and police moved outside the law, resorting to the secret and systematic use of fraud and force to sabotage constitutionally protected political activity.

"Their methods ranged far beyond surveillance, amounting to a home front version of the covert action for which the CIA has become infamous throughout the world."

FBI Headquarters secretly instructed its field offices to propose schemes to "expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize" specific individuals and groups.

Close coordination with local police and prosecutors was strongly encouraged. Other recommended collaborators included friendly news media, business and foundation executives, and university, church, and trade union officials, as well as such "patriotic" organizations as the American Legion.

In his research, Glick uncovered a total of 2,370 officially approved COINTELPRO actions that were admitted to the Senate Intelligence Committee, and thousands more have since been uncovered.

Glick lists four main methods used by the agents:

1) infiltration by agents and informers with the intention to discredit and disrupt; 2) psychological warfare from the outside, using "dirty tricks" to undermine progressive movements; 3) harassment through the legal system, making targets appear to be criminal; and 4) extralegal force and violence including break-ins, vandalism, assaults, and beatings to frighten dissidents and disrupt their movements.

The lengthy list of activists coming under attack included Cesar Chavez, Fathers Daniel and Phillip Berrigan, Rev. Jesse Jackson, David Dellinger, officials of the American Friends Service Committee and the National Council of Churches, and other leading pacifists were high on the list, "as were projects directly protected by the First Amendment, such as anti-war teach-ins, progressive bookstores, independent filmmakers, and alternative newspapers and news services."

It was COINTELPRO "that enabled the FBI and police to eliminate the leaders of mass movements in the 1960s without undermining the image of the United States as a democracy, complete with free speech and the rule of law.

"Charismatic orators and dynamic organizers were covertly attacked and ‘neutralized’ before their skills could be transferred to others and stable structures established to carry on their work."

FBI documents were found disclosing six major official counterintelligence programs, of which three focused on the Civil Rights Movement with top priority given to the "COINTELPRO – Communist Party-USA, with its specific operations conducted on Dr. King, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, the NAACP, the National Lawyers Guild.

Also the National Committee to Abolish the House Un-American Activities Committee, Women's Strike for Peace, the American Friends Service Committee, and the National Committee for a SANE Nuclear Policy.

Officially, the six major COINTELPRO programs (with hundreds of separate operations) were COINTELPRO – Communist Party, USA (CP); COINTELPRO – Social Workers Party (SWP); COINTELPRO – Puerto Rican Independence Movement; COINTELPRO – Black Liberation Movement; COINTELPRO – New Left; COINTELPRO – AIM; and COINTELPRO – White.

Dr. King was a target of an elaborate COINTELPRO plot to drive him to suicide and replace him "in his role of the leadership of the Negro people" with conservative Black lawyer Samuel Pierce (later named to President Ronald Reagan's cabinet) according to revisionist historians including Glick and Zinn, who have come to view King's assassination, as well as Malcolm X’s, as domestic covert operations.

Glick cites a letter (Michael Gabriel, "James Earl Ray: The Last Days of Inmate #65477," Cat Yoga Publishing, April, 2004) written by James Earl Ray, in which Ray claimed there was never a trial in the homicide case.

"The government gained control of the attorney representing me, Percy Foreman. Without going into a lot of details, Mr. Foreman maneuvered me into a plea of guilty after he had me sign numerous literary contracts, and then signing all of the proceeds over to him under the guise he would use the money to finance a trial in the MLK case.

"Foreman obtained the plea via various threats: If I didn’t enter the plea, the government would probably try my brother Jerry, for conspiring in the MLK shooting, that my father might be returned to an Iowa prison from where he had escaped in 1926, and that he (Foreman), might not put forth his best efforts in a trial."

A label of "Black Nationalist Hate Groups," was the vehicle for the Bureau's all-out assault on Dr. King, SNCC, CORE, the Black Panther Party, the Nation of Islam, "Black Muslims," and the National Welfare Rights Organization.

The Socialist Workers Party and groups supporting or working with Malcolm X and the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam were also identified as targets.

Still others organizations were harassed:

The League of Black Revolutionary Workers, the Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement (DRUM), the Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM), the Republic of New Afrika (RNA), the Congress of African People, Black student unions, "and many local Black churches and community organizations struggling for decent living conditions, justice, equality, and empowerment."

Additional COINTELPRO operations focused on the destruction of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the Peace and Freedom Party, the Institute for Policy Studies, and a broad range of anti-war, anti-racist, student, GI, veteran, feminist, lesbian, gay, environmental, Marxist, and anarchist groups.

Also the network of food co-ops, health clinics, child care centers, schools, bookstores, newspapers, community centers, street theaters, rock groups, and communes that formed the infrastructure of the counter-culture, according to Glick.

One example of COINTELPRO-Communist Party-USA harassment involved 18 staffers and supporters of Kudzu, a pro-left, counter-culture newspaper produced in Jackson, Mississippi.

On October 8, 1968, they were attacked and beaten by Jackson deputy sheriffs. Newspaper staffers had already survived a conviction on obscenity charges, the arrest of salespeople, the confiscation of cameras, and even eviction from its offices.

Kudzu was put under direct surveillance by the FBI in 1970. For more than two months FBI agents made daily searches without warrants, according to the coordinator of PEN American Center’s Freedom to Write Committee:

On October 24 and 25, Kudzu sponsored a Southern regional conference of the Underground Press Syndicate. The night before the conference the FBI and Jackson detectives searched the Kudzu offices twice. During the search, an FBI agent threatened to kill Kudzu staffers.

On the morning of October 26, FBI agents again searched the office. That evening local police entered the building, held its eight occupants at gunpoint, produced a bag of marijuana, and then arrested them.... A Kudzu staff member commented,

"The FBI used to be fairly sophisticated, but lately they have broken one of our doors, pointed guns in our faces, told us that ‘punks like you don’t have any rights,’ and threatened to shoot us on the street if they see us with our hands in our pockets."

Discovered among these special units was a unique COINTELPRO program focusing on "White Hate Groups," at least on paper.

But Glick and several other researchers argue that COINTELPRO-white appeared only to go after violent right-wing groups, and that the FBI actually gave covert aid to the Ku Klux Klan, Minutemen, Nazis, and other racist vigilantes, under the cover of being even-handed.

Specifically, COINTELPRO documents indicate that some infiltrators discreetly spied for years without calling attention to themselves (like the Soviet moles or sleepers) while others acted as instigators to disrupt meetings and conventions or social and other contacts.

University of Delaware historian Gary May tells the story of slain activist Viola Liuzzo in "The Informant: The FBI, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Murder of Viola Liuzzo," (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, May 11, 2005) who was murdered in 1965 at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan immediately after the Selma, Ala., voting rights march took place.

President Johnson kept close tabs on the investigation and when suspects were taken into custody almost immediately, it seemed the FBI was doing its job with extra diligence; federal informant Gary Thomas Rowe had infiltrated the Alabama Klan five years earlier and quickly pointed out the suspects.

But Rowe's own role in the murder was suspicious, and it turned out that his experiences with the KKK often linked him with other notorious race crimes of the era, including the Birmingham church bombing. As with some other FBI informants, this one played both sides.

Agents spread rumors, made accusations, inflamed disagreements, and caused splits. "They urged divisive proposals, sabotaged activities, overspent scarce resources, stole funds, seduced leaders, exacerbated rivalries, caused jealousy and public embarrassment to groups. They often led activists into unnecessary danger and set them up for prosecution."

One common maneuver, known as placing a "snitch jacket" or "bad jacket" on an activist, damaged the victim’s effectiveness and generated "confusion, distrust, and paranoia." The maneuver was used to divert time and energy and turn co-workers against one another, even provoking violence.

"Jacketing" was often done by "carefully orchestrated series of news releases and newspaper articles prepared by the FBI and ‘cooperative’ reporters."

An activist could be falsely labeled an informer in "FBI-composed anonymous letters" or in other operations, where the FBI arranged for police to release one member of a group that had been arrested together or to single one out for special treatment, "and then spread the rumor that the beneficiary had cooperated."

A snitch jacket was used in 1968 against SNCC leader Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Toure) along with a "whispering campaign," to "tag Carmichael with a CIA label," Glick wrote, citing a letter from the FBI Director to Washington Field Office, July 1, 1968 and memorandums from Washington Field Office to FBI Director, July 9, and July 10, 1968.

Comedian Dick Gregory, who spent time within Mississippi marching for voting rights and outside of the state raising money to help feed and clothe starving children in the Delta, was also the target of "covert maneuvers" to get the Mafia to move against Black activists … and the entire leadership of the Communist Party – USA.

Meanwhile, the FBI’s "main right-wing beneficiary" was the Ku Klux Klan, Glick and others say. In 1961, the Klan brutalized freedom riders as they arrived in various Southern cities, including Jackson, with "advance information supplied by the FBI."

The Mississippi Sovereignty Commission diligently collected and kept this advance information. The names of civil rights advocates, their complete address, age, and name of employer or school attended were often collected and held in Sovereignty Files, some under the category name, "Freedom Riders Groups and Addresses, Group Numbers and Date Arrived."

The FBI kept talking with Klan members. By 1965, some 20 percent of Klan members were on the FBI payroll, many occupying leadership positions in seven of the fourteen Klan groups across the country, states political scientist Robert Goldstein in "Political Repression in Modern America: 1870 to the Present," (Cambridge, MA: Schenkman Publishing Co., 1978).

Finally, Sovereignty Commission staffers often shared files with FBI special agents running the COINTELPROs, as evidenced by Commission files kept on targets including the Freedom Democratic Party and the Republic of New Afrika (RNA).

One Mississippi Delta SNCC volunteer says she was "exposed" no sooner than she arrived on the job in Holly Springs. An August 18, 1966 story in the Jackson Daily News held that SNCC volunteer Jo Freeman was a "professional agitator" citing "the Burns report" as its major source of information.

Five photographs accompanied the story, including one taken on December 3, 1964 of Freeman speaking from the second floor balcony of the administration building on the University of California, Berkeley campus.

When Freeman’s Mississippi SNCC boss saw the editorial, he put Freeman on a bus back to Atlanta. "That thing makes you Klan bait," he told her.

Freeman assumed the FBI was behind her experience in the Delta, even though she did not know about COINTELPRO at the time.

"It had all the earmarks of an FBI plant, requiring connections between California and Mississippi. My belief was reinforced when the FBI's COINTELPRO actions against the Civil Rights Movement in general and its persecution of Dr. Martin Luther King in particular were revealed.

"Not until 1997 did I discover that the actual source of the editorial and photos was the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission (MSC), an official state agency of which I was completely unaware in 1966.

"And only after reading many pages in the MSC files at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History did I realize that I and others like me were not just foot soldiers in the Civil Rights Movement, but cannon fodder in the Cold War," wrote Freeman in her autobiography, "At Berkeley in the Sixties: Education of an Activist, 1961-1965," (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2004).

Glick and others maintain that literally thousands of important files continue to be withheld, while others have been destroyed. Further, former COINTELPRO operatives report "the most heinous and embarrassing actions" were never committed to writing; the statement of retired FBI Special Agent Arthur Murtagh who appeared before the Select Committee on Intelligence, and who was interviewed by retired FBI Special Agent Wes Swearingen in June 1979, serves as just one example.

Officials with broad personal knowledge of COINTELPRO have been silenced, "most notably William C. Sullivan, who created the [COINTELPRO] program and ran it throughout the 1960s. Sullivan was killed in uninvestigated 1977 ‘hunting accident’ shortly after giving extensive information to a grand jury investigating the FBI, but before he could testify publicly," Glick states.

* * *

And so …

As internal agency documents released in March raised new questions over federal spying without court authorization – in this case on anti-war Americans – since Sept. 11, 2001, William Crowley, a spokesman for the FBI's Pittsburgh office, "insisted the monitoring was legal and related to an ongoing investigation but gave no details of the probe."

Crowley further stated that when the FBI found no link between its investigation and the center, it ended the surveillance, Jonathan S. Landay of Knight Ridder News Service reported.

The ACLU, meanwhile, contends the documents are the first to "show conclusively" that an anti-war group was targeted for anti-war views. ACLU staff attorney, Marty Catherine Roper, told Landay.

"The documents demonstrate that "Americans are not safe from secret government surveillance, even when they are handing out fliers in the town square, an activity clearly protected by the Constitution."

The Thomas Merton Center, named for an American Roman Catholic monk, poet and author who died in 1968, meanwhile describes itself as a group of people from diverse faiths who believe in "nonviolent struggle" for peace and justice.

Yet an FBI report dated Nov. 29, 2002, defined the center as "a left-wing organization advocating, among many political causes, pacifism."'

The report also noted that the center had cooperated with an Islamic organization in staging an event to promote understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims in Pittsburgh.

"The documents say they were conducting some kind of investigation," Thomas Merton Center director Jim Kleissler told Landay.

"That implies we were under surveillance simply because we were against the war. Our freedoms are being undermined."

No surprise there.

Susan Orr-Klopfer, journalist and author, writes on civil rights in Mississippi. Her newest books, "Where Rebels Roost: Mississippi Civil Rights Revisited" and "The Emmett Till Book" are now in print and are carried in most online bookstores including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. "Where Rebels Roost" focuses on the Delta, Emmett Till, Fannie Lou Hamer, Aaron Henry, Amzie Moore and many other civil rights foot soldiers. Both books emphasize unsolved murders of Delta blacks from mid 1950s on. Orr-Klopfer is an award-winning journalist and former acquisitions and development editor for Prentice-Hall. Her computer book, "Abort, Retry, Fail!" was an alternate selection by the Book of-the-Month Club.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Klopfer

Memory Dump - Computer Memory Problem

2008-02-11T04:53:00.000-08:00

Computer may have many types of memory problem as it is one of the most important factors in the functioning of the computer. All the data necessary for the operation of the computer is stored in the memory slots. It is always difficult to detect a memory problem if there is no error message displayed by windows. A memory problem can be caused due a physical problem with the computer or sometimes due to improper maintenance and not clearing the old files leading to a stage where windows starts memory dump.

A problem with the memory of the computer can make it crash and give some serious errors and blue screens. Sometimes the system fails to recognize the installed memory. Severe memory problems can be found quickly as the BIOS checks the system memory before booting the computer. If there is a serious error; the computer will just have a blank screen and an unbootable computer. The problems could lie on the memory but there is a higher chance that your registry is the main cause of the memory dump. If there is a corrupted data, there is a high chance that you memory stop responding which causes a blue screen to appear that says beginning of physical memory dump. This can cause the computer memory module to fail. Some effects of this are missing or scrambled data, system crashing very frequently and sometimes reboots all on its own. Registry files and system files could be lost because of this which makes the windows to dump the memory of the RAM to a file. Memory dump is useful as it stores the data and details about the crash and can be useful in analyzing what made the system to crash.

There is hardly anything which can be done if there is a computer memory problem other than changing the physical part which is damaged and try to fix it with registry cleaner.

So things which can be done to prevent computer memory problems are buying memory devices of good quality, not mixing the memory modules of different manufacturers, keeping the computer in good environment which is free from dust, humidity and extreme heat which can damage the computer's physical components. Keep the computer safe from power fluctuations by providing power backup. Spending little time for maintenance of the computer can do a lot of good which will include performance and trouble free computer.

Registry cleaner is a much better option because it is free to download. You can scan for free to see if the actual problems lie on your system registry. You will need to purchase it to fix the problems, which is a better choice since memory is more expensive than the software. The other advantage is that you can maintain your registry to prevent the memory problem to occur in the future.

I bet you are thinking that the second option is more sensible and smart move. If you do not want to see a blue screen of death or a message that says beginning of physical memory dump, check out computer memory problem for further information.

Alexandre Frings is a computer technology enthusiast and self proclaimed expert. His site Registry software review will help you free your computer from the annoying memory problem.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexandre_Frings

Buying Computer Hardware Online

2008-02-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

Computer hardware would refer to the physical components of the computer. If you do not have the proper hardware, you would naturally not be able to run any program or software on your computer. Also, a program's optimum performance mainly depends on the type of hardware being used. For this reason, it is absolutely essential that the product you would be purchasing should be of great quality.

As an individual plans to purchase computer parts, he is faced with the option of buying from an actual store or buying from an online retailer. It is actually more advisable to buy online, as you would have the ability of browsing through different models and items effortlessly.

You would just need to verify if the website that you are planning to buy the items from would have a security system that would prevent your personal details from being stolen.

Buying computer hardware online usually is a lot cheaper compared to buying it at an actual store, because the overhead costs they incur are a lot lower. So you would be paying less yet getting more. This is one of the reasons why a lot of consumers have been turning to the online option when purchasing computer parts.

Discounted and relatively cheap computer hardware is fairly easy to locate online. Regardless of the computer part you are searching for, you would surely be able to land great deals and get an amazing value for your money.

And before agreeing to anything, verify that all the items you are purchasing would be genuine so be sure to do business with the more reputable dealers.

How to buy hardware online? While it is important to buy from popular online retailers, you can save lot of money if you look for some good deals, bargains and discount coupons at the dell coupons blog. You can buy hardware, printers, accessories, mobiles, ipods and software by using online coupons and save money in the process as well

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Pratt

The World of Computer Game Design

2008-02-09T04:35:00.000-08:00

A career in computer game design the absolute heaven for any hard-core gamer. Isn't it everyone's dream to do what they love and get paid for it? And how many of you out there that can show a computer games have had great ideas of how you can improve on the games that you were playing? I know I have, about a million times.

If a career in computer game design is something that you are mulling over and I have good news and I have bad. The good news is that it is a huge industry and is growing year over year. The bad news is that computer game design takes a lot of programming skills which means you had better be a very smart cookie and be prepared to work very hard in school learning the various skills that you will need. You want to start with a degree in computer science, which is much easier said than done. Of the six friends I had in college that were computer science majors, only one of them stuck with it to the end. It is a grueling major filled with advanced math classes and seemingly endless computer programming exercises.

Some people actually enjoy programming, so if you're one of them that a career in computer game design would be perfect for you. A real affection for computer games themselves would certainly go a long way as well. My college friend that got his computer science degree is currently working for a well knowing game design company, and loves it. But he will be the first one to tell you that it is nothing like what he expected.

Some computer games that are produced today are so incredibly complex that they take years to create. In the infancy of the game industry, computer game design teams often consisted of just a few people. Today, many games have several production teams consisting of up to hundreds of different people working simultaneously on different aspects of the game. If you do prove to be a capable programmer than a here in computer game design will reward you handsomely. Veteran programmers who have already completed several game designs can pretty much call their own shots as far as salary and overall creativity. It is an art and science.

If programming isn't something that appeals to then you still can work in the design industry. Programmers themselves are the king of the hill and the most sought after, but talented artists and creative writers can be attractive employees to game producers. Graphic designers and artists contribute a great deal to computer game design. Many computer game designs also feature actors to do the voice overs of the game's characters as well. There's a whole lot that goes into making these babies.

Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding the world of compute software. You can get interesting information here at Computer Game Design

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Morgan_Hamilton

Discount Notebook Computers and Three Reasons Why A Cheap Laptop Suits Your Needs

2008-02-08T18:47:00.000-08:00

In reality, the personal computer is a thing of the past. Though many people still own and use personal computers, many people are turning to discount notebook computers for their ease, convenience, and the fact that they provide a solution to a growing problem. What is the problem?

1. The Mobile Computer

The problem is that every day more and more people need their computer to travel with them. There are so many reasons in which taking your computer with you on the go just makes sense. This leads us to the first reason as to why a cheap laptop should be your next investment and this is mobility. A laptop is far more mobile than a desktop computer. Have you ever tried to move your desktop computer? Not altogether easy is it? Discount notebook computers can go with you anywhere throughout your home, in the car - as long as you are not driving, on an airplane, a train, a bus, or even in a hotel room. Connect to the World Wide Web anywhere you wish with a laptop.

2. Lighter

Reason number two is the fact that a cheap laptop is a lot lighter than a cheap desktop computer. Today's laptops can weigh just two pounds, which means it is much easier to carry and haul around to suit your needs than laptops were just a few years ago or desktop computers will ever be.

3. Sharing Made Easier

It is now easier than ever before to share your documents, files, images, music, and anything else you can think of. This includes software programs and projects. Cheap laptop computers make sharing your files a breeze, all you have to do is use a cable or usb cord and you can instantly upload your files. On the other hand, wireless internet makes connecting for projects and sharing software programs simple as well.

There you have it, three reasons why, when you need another computer, you should be considering discount notebook computers. They are far easier , particularly for those who need to travel regularly for business, projects, or even students for carrying to and from classes on a daily basis. They just make sense. The great thing is that now cheap laptop computers are easy to find thanks to the internet and getting your own is easier than ever before.

Terry Price is a regular contributor to, LaptopDestination.com is an informational website for bargain minded consumers of discount notebook computers, cheap laptop providers and virus removal programs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Price

Why Not Opt For Computer Spring Cleaning

2008-02-07T23:55:00.000-08:00

Computer technology is pretty common these days,today every one is dependent upon the computer systems for their work. Computer systems let us store the various kinds of documents and even make us available with different kind of information. It is all about a magic machine that enables us to find out solution for every problem. Apart from its usage and utility it is also necessary to clean up the computer system. Computer cleaning is something used for the better performance and in order to obtain positive results.

Computer cleaning is a thing that helps our computers to run faster and to obtain more productive results. Generally, we relate cleaning with the cleaning of the outer portion of the computer but with cleaning here we are about to mention the tips for the internal cleaning process of the computer files and its various functional units. It can allow our computer to work even faster and efficiently. Every one faces several odd situations with their computer systems as corrupted files and outdated working system can create some serious problems. So in order to avoid all these problems we need to take care of these problems properly.

The most important thing in computer cleaning here is to avoid using such programs that are not necessary for you apart from this you are also required to delete all kinds of files that may be harmful to use often, try to associate files with their related programs that will ease up your work and will make you less troubled in maintaining the records. It may be possible that we sometime download such files that may not be very helpful for us and they are occupying a large amount of space in your computer system. So we are basically required to maintain the balance of the space for the necessary files. Try to delete all the unnecessary files from your computer in order to prevent the space from storage of the unwanted material.

Secondly it is necessary to De fragment your computer and wither away your old files in order to make your computer more productive and well working. While searching the web make it clear that you have cleared all the temporary files that you tend to download without your concern while browsing and loading the material. After cleaning of related files it is also necessary to upgrade the various software and hardware system. Always keep your software and hardware system up to mark in order to obtain the highest performance. It may be possible that you may find it difficult in the process of computer cleaning to clean up your hardware system as well as the software system too. You may even lose some of the important system files while upgrading. So it is important to follow the upgrading process cautiously and calmly.

Computer cleaning process has risen out of the various problems that we face with the heavily loaded computer systems. It is necessary to keep them updated and free from all problems to obtain the productive results.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for computers, laptops and software. When shopping for used computers, used laptops and used software, we recommend you shop at only the best online stores for used computer, used laptop, used computer cleaning software

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Epand

Discount Dell Laptops

2008-02-06T00:58:00.000-08:00

Recent additions to Dell’s computer services division include low-cost used Dell laptop computers. These machines are generally sufficient for the Internet, e-mail, and word processing. One advantage is that, unlike other used Dell computers purchased from a friend or local computer shop, each computer stocked has received a complete inspection by certified computer technicians and has been restored and tested to like-new condition.

Dell guarantees that each used Dell GX110 computer purchased directly from them will be in perfect working condition. Dell supports this guarantee statement by providing each used Dell GX110 computer along with a 30-day replacement warranty. Also, a keyboard, mouse, and power cord are included with each purchase.

Each of these computer systems are formatted but are without an operating system but a preinstalled licensed copy of any Windows operating system is available at an additional cost. Dell also provides these in wholesale lots.

Most of these discount computers contain Pentium III - 866 MHz, 10GB+ hard drive, 128MB memory, integrated video, sound, LAN along with a keyboard, mouse, power cord.

The Dell Computer Corporation has also recently announced up to 10 percent price cuts on selected configurations of its LatitudeTM notebook. The Latitude notebooks provide manageability, reliability, and performance for business and institutional customers in networked environments.

Dell also provides excellent coupon codes that can help to save even more money on their already low priced computers, printers, monitors and accessories. In addition to Dell’s online coupon codes, they occasionally provide stackable coupons that allow the customers to use more than one coupon at a time. Stackable Dell coupons are marked to avoid confusion. Be sure to read the price points of the Dell coupons a number of times so as to qualify for an even greater discount if using the most appropriate coupon. Please study the rules and restrictions to check if they can be bought for the required purpose.

Refurbished Dell computers sold directly by Dell are excellent systems with good warranties. However, their prices tend to run a bit on the high side. Click on the button “REFURBISHED SYSTEMS” on their navigation bar to go to the Dell Outlet.

Discount Laptops provides detailed information about discount laptops, discount laptop batteries, and more. Discount Laptops is affiliated with Live Spy Cam.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jimmy_Sturo

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