Home | Looking for something? Sign In | New here? Sign Up | Log out

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Protecting Yourself From Spyware

Wednesday, December 22, 2010
0 comments
If you practice diligence and follow some basic rules then you will have a much better chance of preventing the ability of a malware application from infecting your computer. Most computer spyware today is installed without your knowledge when you visit a website or download an application that will place the application on your hard drive. So one way to prevent the installation by not visiting unscrupulous web sites when you surf the web.

There has been a strong increase in the number of computer malware / spyware out on the net the past few years. Many experts in the field expect the number of infections to only increase as time goes along. Spyware are actually programs that are installed on your computer but you usually do not know of the installation and many times you did not even approve the installation. These programs can cause all types of problems for your computing experience, which range from annoying popups to someone actually stealing your personal data and impersonating your identity. You may also experience a reduction in performance of your system, since many times these programs will consume a lot of computing power as the program performs its tasks. Even though the number of computer spyware infections are increasing exponentially does not mean all is lost and you should just throw your hands up and turn off your computer forever.


Since most spyware is installed because of security holes in your browser always ensure you have the latest version of updates for your Operating System and Browser. You can also switch your Web Browser to something like FireFox which is targeted less than the more popular Browsers.

Also ensure you have a spyware protection and remover application installed. This is one of the most important items you can do to protect yourself from these infections and help to minimize the chance that you will be come infected with these types of applications

read more

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Using the Getting Things Done methodology in the LeaderTask organizer

Tuesday, December 21, 2010
0 comments
GTD is an action management strategy and also a system of methods and techniques the purpose of which is to help a modern person complete more and get tired less. The GTD abbreviation stands for Getting Things Done which is the name of a book by an American business trainer David Allen.

The main principles of GTD with examples of how it can be done in LeaderTask:

1) Organizing information. All incoming information must be stored in one place. This way it is easier to view it and find what you need. And all information should be divided into actions, i.e. what you should do (tasks in LeaderTask), and reference information (notes in LeaderTask).

2) Grouping tasks by context. It is better to perform tasks that have the same context (place, person, event, ...) together (several at a time) even if they belong to different projects.


Examples:

context Bank: it is better to do all tasks related to the bank at once instead of doing only part of them belonging to some project/task.

context John Smith: when you see this person, it is better to solve all problems related to him at once instead of one task or just ignore altogether.

The only question is how to remember what should be done at the right time in the right place? LeaderTask is specifically designed to give answers to these question with one click. Examples: when you go the bank, you print a todo list with tasks filtered by the following criteria: "Bank: all tasks". When you accidentally see John Smith in a bus, you look at the todo list and see all tasks realted to him (besides, tasks will most probably be from different projects).

In other words, grouping tasks by context = doing relevant things right here right now.

* context is more often called kairos in terms of time mamagement.

3) Criteria for selecting tasks to do

1. By context (what is to be done in this place? with this person? in case of this event?)
2. By time (what is to be done at this time? and do I have time to do it?)
3. By effort (do I have energy to complete this task?)
4. By priorities (what is the most important thing to do?)
All criteria except for # 3 (since the computer cannot decide how you feel) are present in LeaderTask:




Context and time are implemented in "Categories", "Contacts", "Time periods (dates)", "Projects";

Priorities are implemented as priorities and the user can define his own set of priorities and group tasks using this set.

4) Natural planning model.

The model of planning a project proposed by David Allen:

1. Defining the purpose ("why") and principles of work.
2. Envisioning the desired outcome
3. Brainstorming the way how to achieve this outcome
4. Organizing work
5. Identifying next actions
Projects are represented as a separate section in LeaderTask. Project properties include its goals, the responsible person, its time frame, the "project completed" mark. All actions (tasks) by the project are kept within its context, i.e. displayed when it is active.

5) Weekly review.


The number of tasks is constantly increasing, ideas, thoughts, solutions keep coming to us all the time. There are useful and not very useful ones among them. For you not to get lost in heaps of your own plans, David Allen recommends that you do a review at least once a week - "Weekly review". This review will help you get rid of irrelevant tasks, make your goals clearer, evaluate how close you are to your goals, etc.

The main priority in LeaderTask is making it comfortable to view tasks. It is achieved with the help of "Filters", i.e. predefined sets of criteria tasks will be filtered by.

Sample filters:

"My today tasks", "Bank tasks","IMPORTANT", "URGENT", "Monthly sales", "Project XYZ in September", "Delegated tasks", "Topics for meeting on project N", "Overdue tasks", "Yearly goals", "Calls", "Yearly goals review" ...

Thus, LeaderTask is very conveneint if you use David Allen's methodology - Getting Things Done!

Use LeaderTask - complete more, get tired less!!!

Download LeaderTask
http://www.leadertask.com/download/leader.exe

LeaderTask homepage
http://www.leadertask.com/

LeaderTask support forum
http://www.todoforum.com/

read more

Friday, December 17, 2010

A Category above the Rest!

Friday, December 17, 2010
0 comments
Today's bandwidth expectations mean that Category 5 is strategically dead. The Category 5 Enhanced (5e) standards, which should have been ratified in August and may be finalized at November's committee meeting, specify new measurements that provide more margins for 100BaseTX and ATM-155 traffic. Critically, Category 5e standards make reliable Gigabit Ethernet connections possible. But many structured cabling suppliers argue that Category 5e is only an interim solution on the road to Category 6, which will support at least 200 MHz; in the interests of sufficient operating margin, the IEEE is requesting a 250-MHz Category 6 specification. Despite the fact that the Category 6 standards are only at draft stage, manufacturers are offering a host of products and claiming that these products comply with the draft proposals.
What is a category 6 cable? Out of the three cable categories (Cat-5, Cat-5e & Cat-6), Category 6 is the most advanced and provides the best performance. Just like Cat 5 and Cat 5e, Category 6 cable is typically made up of four twisted pairs of copper wire, but its capabilities far exceed those of other cable types because of one particular structural difference: a longitudinal separator. This separator isolates each of the four pairs of twisted wire from the others, which reduces crosstalk, allows for faster data transfer, and gives Category 6 cable twice the bandwidth of Cat 5! Cat 6 cable is ideal for supporting 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and is able to operate at up to 250 MHz. Since technology and standards are constantly evolving, Cat 6 is the wisest choice of cable when taking any possible future updates to your network into consideration. Not only is Category 6 cable future-safe, it is also backward-compatible with any previously-existing Cat 5 and Cat 5e cabling found in older installations.
Category 6, (ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1) is a cable standard for Gigabit Ethernet and other network protocols that is backward compatible with the Category 5, category 5e and Category 3 cable standards. Cat-6 features more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise. The cable standard is suitable for 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX and 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) and is expected to suit the 10000BASE-T (10Gigabit Ethernet) standards. It provides performance of up to 250 MHz.
The cable contains four twisted copper wire pairs, just like earlier copper cable standards. Although Cat-6 is sometimes made with 23 gauge wire, this is not a requirement; the ANSI/TIA-568-B.2-1 specification states the cable may be made with 22 to 24 AWG gauge wire, so long as the cable meets the specified testing standards. When used as a patch cable, Cat-6 is normally terminated in 8P8C often incorrectly referred to as "RJ-45" electrical connectors. Some Cat-6 cables are too large and may be difficult to attach to 8P8C connectors without a special modular piece and are technically not standard compliant. If components of the various cable standards are intermixed, the performance of the signal path will be limited to that of the lowest category. As with all cables defined by TIA/EIA-568-B, the maximum allowed length of a Cat-6 horizontal cable is 90 meters (295 feet). A complete channel (horizontal cable plus cords on either end) is allowed to be up to 100 meters in length, depending upon the ratio of cord length: horizontal cable length.



The cable is terminated in either the T568A scheme or the T568B scheme. It doesn't make any difference which is used, as they are both straight through (pin 1 to 1, pin 2 to 2, etc). Mixed cable types should not be connected in serial, as the impedance per pair differs and would cause signal degradation. To connect two Ethernet units of the same type (PC to PC, or hub to hub, for example) a cross over cable should be used, though some modern hardware can use either type of cable automatically.
Return loss measures the ratio of reflected-to-transmitted signal strength and is the single most difficult test to repeat with consistent results; at Category 6 levels, the difference between a pass and a fail can be the amount of bend in a test cord. Return loss is also causing headaches for connector manufacturers, because the RJ-45 system isn't up to the job. The final stumbling block with Category 5e ratification concerns the RJ-45 hardware; Category 6 is committed to RJ-45 for backward compatibility, but the ISO's proposed Category 7 system will have a new and as-yet-unspecified connector to accompany its revised cabling. Today, the return loss problem explains why manufacturers of Category 6 hardware, which is supposed to be interoperable, claim Category 6 performance only if you use the manufacturers' matched parts throughout a channel link.
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is working to complete a new specification that will define enhanced performance standards for unshielded twisted pair cable systems. Draft specification ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-10 specifies cable systems, called "Augmented Category 6" or more frequently as "Category 6a", that operates at frequencies up to 500 MHz and will provide up to 10 Gbit/s bandwidth. The new specification has limits on alien crosstalk in cabling systems.
Augmented Category 6 specifies cable operating at minimum frequency of 500 MHz, for both shielded and unshielded. It can support future 10 Gb/s applications up to the maximum distance of 100 meters on a 4-connector channel.

read more

Saturday, December 11, 2010

How to Put Video on your Website: The Basics

Saturday, December 11, 2010
0 comments
Video is an extremely powerful medium. If you use eye-catching videos on your website chances are you will capture your website visitor's interest. Moreover, if you put video on your webpages, search engines will love you and will push your website in the top pages of their search results.

There are a lot of ways to implement videos on your website. Let's discuss some basic issues in this article.

You have two options (from the website visitor's perspective) when you want to put video on your website. Either let the visitor wait for the download of the entire video file and then view it, or use streaming techniques to immediately start playing the video file when the page loads. Streaming video becomes more and more popular every day.

Many web designers or webmasters think that the process of creating a video, editing it and uploading it to the website is a pain. The truth is that it does take time to do it, but it's not that complicated.

What you should pay attention to, is the bandwidth usage. Videos are real bandwidth eaters. You should also be aware of the various legal problems that may arise if you use video files that don't belong to you.

So if you decide to put video on your website you may first think if the value of the video justifies the time you need to spent to prepare the video and implement it on your website. Will the specific video help the website visitors? What technique of video implementation is better for you?

For example in a slow internet connection (56 kbps), a 1mb video file will take about 5 minutes to download. Is the value of the video high so that a visitor with a slow internet connection will wait for the file to download?

In other words, if you want to put video on your website make sure it's a good one. One that adds real value for your website's visitors and enhances your website's quality.

read more

Friday, December 10, 2010

Did I choose the best laptop ?

Friday, December 10, 2010
0 comments
Did I choose the best laptop ?

Keys to choosing the best laptop computer :

Who is the laptop user? When choosing a laptop computer, it is important to understand who will be using it.., school student, college student, professional businessman ,office worker, etc.

Where will the laptop be used? For heavy mobile users such as college students and professionals, size, weight and battery life are very important. So when looking over the reviews and relevant specs, keep those factors in mind. The average high school student uses a laptop from room to room in their house, and have loads of access to AC power most of the time. So for these users, the factors listed above may not be as critical.

How will the laptop be used? The more mobile the user, the more durability is needed. Heavy users ie sales reps spend a great deal of time start and shutting down their laptops every day. an average heavy user will open and shut their laptop computer 5 times a day. Although that may not seem alot of wear and tear, there is also the issue of general handling. Heavy users will be travelling from location to location, in and out of cars,on and off planes etc on a constant basis. This increases the likelihood of damage to the laptop computer, via dropping, bumping and banging, drink spills on the keyboard, etc.... <




Should I buy a service contract for my laptop? the answer is YES. When you think about carrying around a fragile piece of electronics costing £800 or more, the price of a typical service contract is a bargain. for a relatively small price £50 per laptop computer, its worth it to for you peace of mind.

.How much should I expect to pay for a laptop? It used to be hard to find a quality laptop under £600; however, this is no longer true. There are several companies with great offers, starting around £300. The options / upgrades you select have a large impact in what you can expect to pay. Having a list of what you want in a laptop, such as memory, speed, hard drive size, burners, etc..will help when you go shopping. Although online laptop computer manufacturers allow a great deal of customization, the general public are easily serviced with a "off the shelf" standard laptop computer.

What Laptop Brand Should I Select? the worlds your oyster in this respect with the amount of laptop computer manufactures out there,with different colours and sizes its everyones personal choice , I myself find that acer have all the features which service my needs.
Laptop computer

read more

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Find Files In A Heartbeat

Thursday, December 9, 2010
0 comments
Find files in a Heartbeat - or two. Let's face it, finding a file that has long been forgotten is a hassle. In some cases the using basic file search programs that come with Microsoft Office is as easy as pie! That is, if you have the file name handy, problem is - most of the time, you don't.

These are instances that require the assistance of file search programs that are able to find files quickly - that is, after they have been installed and have segregated your files already. Once you've done this, you can indeed find files in a heartbeat or less. But, as always, the basics may sometimes be the best. With the basics, you don't run the risk of having to install programs that may be less than reliable and safe. Here, you will learn the basics of finding files with the use of what is readily available in your computer system.

Let us start off with what we have - in this case, working with what Microsoft affords us upon installation. Everybody knows this already. To an experienced and even a newbie, the procedure of finding files on your computer can be as easy as reciting your ABC's, given that you do indeed find reciting the alphabet easy.

For those who do need help, here are the basic steps: Start by clicking on the START button at the lower left hand of your computer screen. For those using Windows versions before Windows ® Vista, it appears as a button with the word START written on it. Easy enough, right? For those with the Windows ® Vista program, the start button appears as the Microsoft Windows logo. Now that we have that, click on the said button.




Once you have done that, locate the SEARCH button (For Microsoft Windows Vista users), it appears with a magnifying glass beside it. For Windows XP and below, it appears as a button that states: FIND FILES AND FOLDERS. Click on that button and a search window will appear. For Windows XP and older, you can enter your Keyword(s) for the file you are looking for on the side bar to the left. You can also choose which part of your computer you want to search in. For Windows Vista Users, you can enter your keyword(s) on the upper right hand corner of the window. After you have entered data, press ENTER on your keyboard to begin the search. If you decide to search on a bigger area of your computer, the search may take a while, once the search is finished, a report of your search will be displayed on the Window. Now, look for your file on the file names listed below.

If you do not find the file you are looking for; then try initiating another search using more specific keywords. If you have entered every possible keyword you can think of, yet still, you are not able to find the files that you need; try narrowing your search to one area of the computer. Try searching in one drive where you think the file may be located. Better yet, try looking in a folder. This way, the search process is faster and may produce better results.

read more

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Intranet Implementation: The Advantages Of A Web-Based Solution

Wednesday, December 8, 2010
0 comments
The traditional approach to implementing an intranet is to purchase a software package, modify it for your needs, and install it on your system.

Over the past few years, another option has grown in popularity – the implementation of a web-based solution.

As you consider the choice between installed software and a web-based intranet, here are some considerations:


1. The most important requirement of any intranet is that everyone uses it.

To assure broad-based participation, the intranet must be easy to implement, simple to use, cost-effective to maintain, and offer each individual user the power to post, access and use content in a way that serves their specific needs. In short, the intranet must have value to everyone.

Web-based intranets are designed around this concept. The interface and navigation are consistent with their use of the web – an environment in which they feel in control, using familiar tools.

In contrast, the business world is littered with countless elegant and feature-rich soft-ware based intranets that have failed. Why? Because they represented an alien environment into which the user was expected to venture. Few employees had the time or the interest (or courage) to enter, rendering the intranet impotent, with the powerful tools unused.

This is the plight of traditional, out-of-the-box software solutions. Unlike web-based intranets, they force users into a constrained environment requiring in-depth training, built around rules designed for the group, rather than the individual.


2. Software intranets have unpredictable costs: in time, attention and money.

Software based solutions require extensive internal support. The ongoing expense in both staff time and money takes the focus of your IT group away from mission-critical tasks.

System integration, Implementation, maintenance, technology upgrades, training and user support are all on-going tasks that represent a significant, recurring investment. The cost can be substantial, far exceeding your initial license cost and monthly fee.


3. Web-based intranets offer a predictable cost and cutting-edge technology.

Most web-based solutions offer a fixed monthly fee that covers all maintenance, technology upgrades, training and user support. The costs are predictable, the technology evolutionary, and it's all done with minimal involvement of your IT staff.

It's for these reasons that companies needing broad-based participation in a changing environment are choosing web-based intranets over traditional software solutions.

read more

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

There's no mystery in the IP address!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010
0 comments
The Computer is a very complicated device we use for our every day comfort and the importance of some of its numerical aspects is sometimes neglected. For example: a different number is given to each computer when its user goes online or when it is part of a network. This number is the IP address and knowing about it is like knowing where you live…

What's my IP and what do its numbers stand for?
IP stands for Internet Protocol and the address is formed from 4 numbers separated by periods. The IP address format is a 32 bit numeric one and each number can be from 0 to 255. The IP address consists of two parts: first one represent the network number and it is similar for more than one user (like the number of a street) and second represents the host name which is different for each user (like the house number). To increase the number of available IP addresses within big networks with a lot of users or small networks with few hosts, the address is divided into 4 classes (A, B, C, and D)

Having an IP address it's like having a last name in a network. To identify a computer in a network (LAN-local area network, WAN-wide area network or on the Internet) it has to have an IP address. This number is similar to a phone number or to a zip code. It is unique and without it the device or computer can not be used in a network area. Within an isolated network the computers can be assigned different random IP addresses, but if a private network needs to be connected to the Internet the IP has to be registered so that its uniqueness is verified





Where do I find my IP address?
Connect to a site that recognizes your IP address and let you see it also. You can visit this site for example: iprelated.com. These IP Lookup sites are very easy to use and very useful for others. An IP address can offer a lot information about the person who logs in on the Internet and engages in a certain activity.
This is how illegal activity is sometimes detected and violations are reported. The IP address says less about the user if it is a dynamic one because it changes every time the user logs in.
Another interesting aspect is that some people who have the information from your IP address are interested in taking you computer over and using its resources. This is not impossible! They can use software that enables them to do this so it is better to hide your IP when you are online.

Who gives me my IP address?
The IP address can be static or dynamic, meaning it can be the same every time you are online or it can change. The IP address is provided by a server through a service called DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)

Although things can get pretty complicated when explaining numbers and their significance, this is just a small and easy to understand introduction about the IP address that does not involve technical terms. The importance of these details is very high because starting from these brief explanations one can truly comprehend the necessity and implications of the IP address and of virtual geo location.

read more

Monday, December 6, 2010

Link Load Balancing - Take a Load Off Annie

Monday, December 6, 2010
0 comments
Link Load Balancing evens out critical resources on data networks with unpredictable requests issued to a server. For example, a web site with heavy traffic may employ two, three or more servers in a link load balancing program. The link load balancing routines enable a network to "juggle" more traffic that otherwise possible If one server is overwhelmed, the link load balancing scheme forwards them to a different server with extra capacity.

Another aspect to link load balancing concerns the communications channels themselves. In this case the "juggling act" is meant to better distribute processing and communications demands more equitably across the network so that no single a computer is overwhelmed by the demand.

Link Load Balancing - Key Features & Benefits
First and foremost is "availability" - 24/7 Application Availability for complete IP Application access. Local and Global Service providers rely on redundancy and link load balancing between servers, WSD units and distributed sites for complete server continuity across global networks

Network Bottlenecks - Link Load Balancing
Network managers are constantly seeking new solutions for eliminating bottlenecks and latencies for the fastest performance of all networked applications and web-enabled transactions. The idea link load balancing technology combines both unlimited application scalability with flexible traffic distribution management of data centers and server farms.

Network Security - Link Load Balancing
Link load balancing is a key element in the overall network Intrusion Prevention effort. Expert Link Load Balancing guards the network against internal and external attacks such as viruses, worms, Trojans, anti-scanning and protocol anomalies. Above all hovers the ultimate link load balancing challenge and network threat – DOS - Denial of Service.

Remember the song, "Take a load off Annie" Just listening to it makes you feel nice and relaxed… For maximum performance and 100 percent uptime, networks use link load balancing to even out resource use throughout the network.

read more

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Spyware: It's Hidden Agenda

Sunday, December 5, 2010
0 comments
We have all heard about spyware. Spyware is regularly featured in various news media and is a topic of much discussion in computer circles. The reason for this is the constant bombardment of spyware related material, that infiltrates computer systems. Spyware has a hidden agenda.

The Internet is loaded with information on every conceivable subject. There are ebooks, software, photos, file sharing and a host of giveaways that are very enticing to computer users, especially those that have a hobby or special interest. The desire to take advantage of the vast internet resources and to download files or to share files, photos, software etc. is growing at a very fast pace. Advertisers and marketing specialists are aware of this trend and they focus their attention on providing online surfers with software, ebooks and other giveaways that cater to individual interests. These "Giveaways" are the "Passage way" used by promotional companies to get entry into the internet users computer.

Spyware "Piggybacks" on very innocent and legitimate looking file downloads. It can be likened to a passport that allows a person to enter a country, only in this case it is to enter an individuals computer, without the user fully understanding the implications of such file downloads. <




Spyware introduced into a computer system loves the environment. It has gained entrance into the system and feeds on the information the system contains. Its prying eyes feasts on the "Goings on" and learns all of the habits, interests, chats, discussions and shares this information with its buddies on the other side of the internet line. Who are its buddies? You guessed right, it is the promotional companies. This approach enables promotional companies to become fully aware of peoples interests, needs and desires. In turn, they will direct their wares to the individuals whose system was infiltrated by spyware.

People treasure privacy, be it at home or on the internet. It is easy to enjoy privacy at home, it is not as easy to enjoy computer privacy. A Loss of privacy on the internet can bring about numerous hardships, financial losses and of course can lead to identity theft.

People linked to the internet need to install spyware removal software. Spyware software will enable a scan, of all the files on ones computer and allow for the removal, of unwanted files, that pose a risk to privacy.
You can get a Free Spyware Scanner at http://www.DeleteSpyware.net

read more

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Better Software Foundations

Saturday, December 4, 2010
0 comments
I visited the ruins of a Roman settlement, the other day that was set in a lovely valley in the middle of an island.

The setting was idyllic, sheltered from the winds and not too far from the main market town, it seemed an ideal spot to farm and bring up a family.

Its history was thoughtfully provided on signs around the ruins of a substantial dwelling, which had been expanded in Roman times to include a hot and cold bathroom and mosaic floors. All of this was very attractive and a considerable investment for the landowner. But the settlement was abandoned, and it occurred to me that there had to be a good reason since it was clear that someone had put a lot of effort and finance into their dream.

I wondered if Vikings, who were known to be active in this area after the Romans left, had attacked it but there were no signs of charred brick work or the aftermath of battle.

Looking around another sign revealed the problem. There had been more than one attempt to settle the area, but the land formed a natural point of drainage for the hills around, and successive buildings had each eventually succumbed to subsidence.

I was left in no doubt that the buildings were of a good quality and that the builders were competent at construction, but clearly it had taken a few generations to work out that this was not a suitable site for construction. If we really wanted to settle this place now we would drive piles deep into the ground to overcome the subsidence.




The point that this drove into my mind was that of developing software. It is all too often the case that Software development organizations and their customers make the same mistakes over again. If the foundations are shaky then there is no point in building, but with a little forethought someone will could solve the problem and provide a safe way of delivering a good foundation.

The biggest mistake that organizations make is to rush to cut code before they understand the problem they are solving. That doesn't mean you have to be complacent and that sitting around in a few meetings will solve all your problems.

What should be done is: -

Ring fence what you know.
Ring fence what you don't know.
Make sure you are developing the right product.
Build the software that you know will not change.
Check that what you are building is what is wanted.

Often the customer just doesn't know exactly what they want, so you need to involve them in the development process. The earlier they get to know the product then the more likely they are to buy into the solution.
Having said all of that..

Code should be built where it enhances the understanding of the problem both to the customer and the developer.

read more

Friday, December 3, 2010

Misspelled Search On Ebay Items

Friday, December 3, 2010
0 comments
If you've figured out that eBay items get entered incorrectly many times, you may not have realized that misspelled search on eBay doesn't have to be a matter of trying to determine all the possible ways to misspell and item and enter them in one at a time, in the hopes that someone would have misspelled the item in exactly that way. A misspelled search conducted in this way could take hours and you may not be able to imagine all the possible ways in which a word could be misspelled.

If you want to facilitate your misspelled search on eBay, go to http://www.bargainchecker.com and use this handy search tool to find not only common ways to misspell a word, but all instances of the misspelled word in items listed on eBay. You can even misspell the word in the search field and get results in your misspelled search results.

The concept behind Bargain Checker is to enable you to locate and bid on items that would not show up on a standard eBay or web search. In this way, since you're the only one bidding, chances are good that you will get the item at your opening bid. You can develop a nice little business by finding such valuable items and reselling them at a more realistic price. Even if you're just using the misspelled search to find individual items that you want or need, BargainChecker provides a useful and innovative service.

A misspelled search with BargainChecker can also be used to find common ways in which people might misspell product names. This could be easily used for pay per click advertising and similar revenue producing methods with Google and MSN. After all, if it's been misspelled several times on eBay, you can safely assume that people will misspell it in other venues as well. <




For example, if you were to search eBay for items of jewelry to purchase at a bargain price, you would find nearly 60,000 items listed that came under the category of jewelry or had the word 'jewelry' in the title. There are probably many bargains in that group of 60,000 items. However, the real bargains will probably by recognized by many bidders who will compete against one another in order to get the winning bid. For a truly valuable item, the winning bid price probably would be similar to the real world price.

However, if you used the same term 'jewelry' on BargainChecker you would find about 1600 instances where the word had been misspelled in the item listing. This means that there are nearly 1600 pieces of jewelry on eBay which will probably not sell because they haven't shown up on a standard eBay search. This is unfortunate for the seller, but it's definitely fortunate for the buyer who knows how to find a bargain that no one else has discovered.

Misspelling of common words occur for several reasons. It could be carelessness in typing or entering the word resulting in a typographical error. It could be that the seller doesn't know how to spell the word correctly, such as in the hundreds of 'bargins' on eBay listings. Or, it's also possible that there are variant spellings which could each be correct.

read more

What Is Spyware Software And What Does It Do?

0 comments
If you own a computer and are connected to the internet then you will almost definitely have heard of spyware software and will also be at risk. The purpose of this article is to inform readers as to the risks of spyware software and explain exactly what spyware is and what it does.

Spyware as the name suggests is software that spy's on you and collects information on your internet usage. The computer user will be unaware that this is happening as spyware software applications are usually hidden components in both freeware and shareware programs that can be downloaded from the internet. Spyware is installed without your knowledge or consent and poses some very real threats.

Once spyware software has been installed onto your computer it will actively begin monitoring your activity on the internet and will transmit all the information it gathers onto its owner which is usually an advertiser of some sorts.

Spyware software is very dangerous and this illegal software can record your internet history, passwords, and keystrokes, and some spyware can also record other confidential and private information. The only proven and successful way to get rid of spyware is to install a spyware blocker or anti-spyware software. These are available in both free and paid software versions.

If you use the internet, for whatever use, you should also use a spyware blocker or spyware removal software. It is also essential that you run this spyware removal software daily to remove any threats to your personal information. Doing this will not only help to keep your internet usage and private information safe but it will also help to keep your computer running efficiently.

Spyware software is as mentioned very dangerous and allowing your personal information which can include passwords and bank details to get into the hands of the wrong people can prove detrimental. Act now and install anti-spyware software and keep your information safe.

read more

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Conference Calls Control Time And Space Not Minds

Thursday, December 2, 2010
0 comments
I always associate corporate culture with suits and ties in high summer, and with unending business meetings. I always picture these meetings being held in an air-conditioned conference room with a long rectangular table where the delegates are seated, some attentive, others bored, yet others thinking about the lunch hour. One person or two people at a time stand up to give a presentation, complete with graphs, charts, and statistics. Thereafter, there are questions, debates, arguments, and sometimes a conclusion. Finally, everyone files out towards the cafeteria.

Of course, these days, it is no longer necessary to have those really long tables at a conference room, thanks to the development of methods like conference calls and web conferencing. These are used increasingly frequently by corporate organizations to overcome the hurdles put up by time and space.

These days organizations that offer services to facilitate conference calls have been becoming increasingly competitive. And why shouldn't they? As demand for conferencing rises, so too will the supply, and everybody wants to prove that they are the best. So each conference call service provider tries to provide better service. So you can get CDs recording all that took place in the discussion. Also, the person hosting the conference call usually has access to a number of features that may be used to better the conference.




Perhaps I am being old-fashioned when I say that nothing can replace the good old days when every conference delegate was within touching distance. I am not convinced that the personal touch element can be achieved through conference calls. Can a conference call really be a good enough substitute?

Then again, conferencing is quite a cost effective way of getting one's employees together. The organization no longer has to spend as much on travel expenses to get people from far and wide to attend a meeting at a tiny portion of the globe. All it takes is a little expense on the technology involved, a little planning, and a conference call can be conducted with great ease. With a little practice, even those that are not what one might call technologically savvy, will soon be successfully having meetings with people who are continents away.

However, as with the meetings prior to conference calls, one can never really count on having everyone's mind on the job. That more than one mind will be wandering elsewhere, is guaranteed. Even with all our progress, the development of humanoid robots, cloned sheep and so on, we have yet to learn how to go about controlling people's minds.

read more

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

How to find Adware removal that is really free and avoid the pitfalls

Wednesday, December 1, 2010
0 comments
Really free adware removal programs can sometimes seem hard to find. You click on a link that promise really free adware removal programs, but end up on a site with programs that eventually turn out to have a lot of strings attached. You might only be able to try out the really free adware removal program for a very short time, such as a few days, before you must purchase an expensive version of the program. A few days is usually not enough to find if you are comfortable with you Adware removal program or not. Another disadvantage with this system is that when you purchase an expensive Adware removal program, you will most likely stick to that program even if the program becomes out-dated or a better program is offered on the market. In other cases, you can use the really free adware removal program for as long as you wish, but it turns out to be so basic that it offers very little protection from Adware. You are then encouraged to buy a better, but pricey, version of the program. Sometimes it is actually a really great free adware removal program that you are offered, but the updates cost quite a lot of money. Since all Adware removal programs need to be updated frequently to stay modern, this can turn out to be very costly in the end.

There are however examples of really free adware removal programs that are available for download online, but you might have to spend some time looking for them. Really free adware removal programs are seldom available off-line, since it would be too expensive to distribute them. Be vigilant when you choose a website from which to download a really free adware removal program, since there are a lot of dishonest sites offering fake adware removal programs. When more and more computer users began to protect their computers from adware with adware removal programs, the deceitful companies that gain from the Adware programs developed their own fake really free adware removal programs.




These fake programs are promoted vigorously on the Internet, and many computer users are lured into installing what they think is a protective. If you spend some time online, you will probably sooner or later stumble over a banner add that warns you about the dangers of Adware, or claim that your computer is already infested with Adware. You will be offered a great really free adware removal program, and if click on the banner your will be sent to a website. From this website you can download something that looks like a very good and really free adware removal program, but it is actually a fake. Your computer will not be protected from Adware when you use this fake adware removal program, and the fake adware removal program will probably also install Adware, Spyware and other types of Malware in your computer. You can minimize the risk of downloading a fake adware removal program by only downloading really free adware removal programs from trustworthy web pages with a good reputation.

read more

Renew And Update Your Antivirus Software Today

0 comments
PC users are facing new computer viruses every day. Computer viruses not only affect home PCs, they clog up internet traffic and disrupt the business of big corporations, causing billion dollars worth of damage each year. To protect your computer and stop the spread of these malicious programs on the internet, you should renew your antivirus software and update it regularly.

The number of computer viruses is increasing at a shocking rate. In 2003, 7 new viruses were unleashed each day. In 2004, more than 10,000 new viruses and their variants were identified. These new viruses include viruses, worms and Trojan horses and they attack the computer in many different ways. Some cause damage to the boot sector, hardware, software or data files. Some create security leaks in the system. Others may use the computer to spread spam e-mails.

Viruses, worms and Trojan horses also spread by different means. Viruses are usually transferred from one computer to another by sharing infected files or e-mail attachments. Worms replicate and spread by e-mail programs. Trojan horses are often downloaded and run by computer users who do not know the true nature of these programs.

The best antivirus software detect and remove viruses, worms and Trojan horses before they infect your system and use advanced script stopping technology. Although there are many new antivirus programs available these days, consumers should remain vigilant. Beware of all the free scans and free downloads from unknown software publishers. Some claim to be antivirus software but in fact, they add adware to your computer.

If you are looking for an antivirus software, you should only buy from reputable software publishers such as Symantec, McAfee, Trend Micro, etc. Remember to renew the license annually and enable the automatic update. This ensures that you are using the most updated detection database.

For more information about computer viruses and award-winning antivirus software, please visit the following site: http://software.4reviews.net/antivirus.htm

read more