Professional Photography

First of all becoming a working professional photographer has to do with one main element; Becoming recognized in the field. People don\'t only buy your art; they also buy your credentials. In a sense, their buying what you represent. Often those things you represent will be of intrinsic value to your customers. Such as with whom you\'ve worked in the past, where you\'ve been published, how long have you been a photographer, where have you traveled to do work and so on?
Secondly you will also want to get as much education under your belt as possible. Throughout your education as a photographer you should also be taking as many photographs as possible to help build your portfolio. You will need to ensure your photography portfolio stands above the rest by paying extra special attending to detail. Look at the book itself, the paper it\'s printed on, the font of descriptions, your borders, your themes, picture sizes, colors, layout and so on. Do not simply fill a scrap book or photo album with photographs. Once finished, you should be able to walk away from your portfolio and be impressed with your own work, which is not easy task for many photographers, as most of them are their own worst critics.
Further you should also start looking around for assistant or internship work. Often this work doesn\'t pay well but still it will help you learn more about the industry and art. You should try and work under the most respected photographers you can find. By doing this you are adding to your credentials without knowing it. You only want to surround yourself with the best and present your best side all the times.
Moreover you will also need to have a strong sense of business acumen. If you are planning on being like the 50% of other photographers who are self employed, you\'ll need to make sure you have a good sense of networking skills, pricing, public relations knowledge and on top of that have a strong sense of creativity and imagination. Being an artist and a business person will be no small feat. It will have you on your toes at all times.

Lastly, you\'ll want to narrow your professional interest to one or two main fields. For example you may want to work with press and other media, or you may be interested in photojournalism. Others may be interested in scientific or sports photography. Whatever your interest is, make sure you find the best people in that particular industry and study them. Model your success after theirs.

Remember, nothing worth while comes easy. There will be times when you think \"what am I doing?\". Stick with it and there will be a payoff at the end of the tunnel. There will be a ray of light in the end of the day. Most importantly, enjoy your whole journey. The success at the end wouldn\'t be as welcome if there wasn\'t the struggle at the beginning.
With best wishes from www.microglobe.co.uk

By Mr. Amin.
FRom : Free Content Articles.

Understanding the Components of a Home Network

Home networks are becoming more common. People want to be able to share a single broadband Internet connection to several computers in the house. There are many different devices that you can use to make up your home network. If you have never heard network terminology device names like router, hub, etc may seem confusing.

The purpose of most of these devices are to control how the network passes around information. This information is sent in the form of "packets". I will refer to the term packet several times in this article. It simply means the data that the network is transporting. I will now explain the purpose of the major components of a home network.

What is a Hub

A hub is a device that has several Ethernet ports on the back of the device. One of these ports will likely be labeled “Uplink”. This port allows you to connect multiple hubs together, if you run out of ports on your hub. If you do not have an uplink port on your hub, the hub can not be easily extended if you run out of ports.

A hub is a device that attaches multiple computers on an Ethernet network. If you have a number different computers that you want to connect together, you could connect each to the hub. Any packet that is sent out by any computer on the network will immediately be transmitted to the other computers. Each computer will determine if the packet was really intended for it, and filter out packets that were intended for other computers.

You really should not use a hub in a modern home network. You should always use a switch in place of a hub. Switches will be discussed in the next section.

What is a Switch

A switch is a device that has several Ethernet ports on the back of the device. One of these ports will likely be labeled “Uplink”. This port allows you to connect multiple switches together, if you run out of ports on your switch. If you do not have an uplink port on your switch, the switch can not be easily extended if you run out of ports.

A switch serves the same function as a hub. It allows you to connect multiple computers together, so that they can exchange packets. However, a switch is much more efficient than a hub. A switch will only send Ethernet packets to the computer that the packet was intended for. Because of this you should always use a switch in place of a hub.

What is a Router

A router is a device that has several Ethernet ports on the back of the device. One of the connectors will be labeled WAN. You should connect the WAN port to the Ethernet connection on a broadband source, such as a cable or DSL modem. The other ports on the router can be connected other computers or switches/hubs that will share the WAN connection.

Routers allow you to share your broadband connection with multiple computers in your house. Rather than connecting your computer directly into your cable or DSL modem you connect the router to the cable or DSL modem. Now any computer that you connect to the router will have access to the Internet.

If you run out of ports on your router you can always connect an additional switch to the router. To connect a switch to a router simply connect the switch’s "uplink" port to one of the routers Ethernet ports. Of course, don’t connect to the router’s WAN port. The WAN port should only be connected to something such as a cable or DSL router.

Some routers come with additional features installed. Most routers also include a firewall. Firewalls are discussed in the next section. Some routers will also include a wireless access point (WAP). The WAP allows you to use wireless devices, such as wireless laptops, with the Internet.

What is a Firewall

A firewall controls traffic flow between your network and the Internet. A firewall can be either hardware or software. Windows XP SP2 or higher includes a software firewall. A hardware firewall is included with most routers.

A firewall is a very good idea. It can protect you from inbound virus attempts. By inbound virus attempt I mean other computers that will connect to your computer and attempt to infect your computer. You do not want to run a computer directly connected to the Internet, without a firewall. There are just too many other computers out there that can connect and infect you without you even noticing.

What is a Network Attached Storage (NAS)

A network attached storage device is s device that allows a hard drive to be shared across the network. This hard drive is NOT attached to any of your computers. It is simply made available by the NAS. This can be a convent way to add a hard drive that can be accessed by several computers on your network. The other common way to add a network hard drive is to simply share a folder on one of your computers. However, with the NAS, you do not need to keep one of your computers on at all times.

There are two types of NAS commonly available. The first type comes with a build in hard drive. The second accepts a USB or Firewire external hard drive. The advantage to using a USB or Firewire hard drive is that you can upgrade the hard drive if it ever were to become too small.

What is a Print Server

Just like you can buy a device to allow you to share a hard drive, you can do the same with a printer. A print server connects directly to your printer. Your printer is then shared to all of your computers on the network. This is convent because you do not need to leave the printer hooked to a computer, which must be turned on to print.

Conclusions

As you can see there are many different components. Perhaps the final component that I have yet to mention is the cable. These components are connected together with CAT5 Ethernet cable.

You are now ready to pick out the components for your home network!

Jeff Heaton is author, consultant and college instructor. Jeff maintains the "Heaton Research" website that contains many Java tutorials and other computer programming information.

by: Jeff Heaton

I Lost It ! Simple Guide To Recovering Corrupted Images And Files

WinUndelete
http://www.deprice.com/winundelete.htm

WinUndelete™ is an easy to use undelete software utility to recover deleted files from hard drives, floppy disks, zip drives, USB external flash drives, digital camera cards, and more. Its unique and exclusive SmartScan technology completes those impossible recovery tasks that other software cannot touch - SmartScan quickly locates and restores deleted files. WinUndelete works with Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, 2003 and can recover data from both FAT and NTFS file systems.

Filerecovery Professional
http://www.deprice.com/filerecoveryprofessional.htm

FILERECOVERY Professional can detect drives even if they are not visible in explorer. The full directory structure of the drive is displayed (Even on NTFS Drives where it is recoverable) and the built in search feature makes finding files much easier. The Recovery Wizard allows even novice users to successfully recover lost data. Supports Hard Drives, RAIDS, Most Removable Media, SmartMedia, CompactFlash, Memory Sticks and Micro Drives.

BadCopy Pro
http://www.deprice.com/badcopypro.htm

BadCopy Pro is a leading data recovery software for floppy disks, CD-ROMs, CD-R/Ws, digital media, zip disks, and other storage media. BadCopy Pro can effectively recover and rescue corrupted or lost data from damaged, unreadable, or defective disks. The software supports all kinds of damage situations and all file types.

Recover My Files
http://www.deprice.com/recovermyfiles.htm

Recover My Files Data Recovery Software will bring back files emptied from the Recycle Bin, from a formatted disk, lost due to a system crash or virus infection, and will even recover temporary files for documents never even saved. Recovery takes 4 simple steps, no technical skill is required. Recover My Files Data Recovery Software will recover documents that undelete programs won't find! It searches every sector of your hard drive to recognize deleted files by their internal format. You may be surprised what deleted documents are lurking on your hard disk without your knowledge. The demo includes a FREE Preview which allows you to see deleted files before you decide to buy.

Recover My Photos
http://www.deprice.com/recovermyphotos.htm

Recover My Photos is a powerful data recovery program to recover deleted photos including JPEG, NEF, TIFF, BMP, MOV, MPEG and WAV. Works on Smart Media, Compact Flash, Memory Sticks, hard drives, floppy disks, Zip disks, USB drives. With Recover My Photos you can recover your precious photos even after your digital camera media has been formatted.

By: John Deprice.

It's All In The Planning - Surviving Disaster

ITS ALL IN THE PLANNING - PREPARING FOR THE UNTHINKABLE

* Make it clear who needs to do what, and who takes responsibility for what.

* Appoint deputies for key roles.

* Use checklists that people can follow easily.

* Include clear, direct instructions for the crucial first hour after an incident.

* Include a list of things that do not need to be considered until after the first hour.

* Agree how often you will check your plan to ensure it is always a “living document”. Update it to reflect changes in personnel and in the risks you may face.

* A good plan will be simple without being simplistic. You can’t plan in detail for every event. Remember that people need to be able to react quickly in an emergency; there will be no time to read lots of detail.

* Plan for worst-case scenarios. If your plan covers how to get back in business if a flood destroys your building, it will also work if just one floor is flooded.

FIVE STEPS TO GET ROUND DISRUPTION

Step 1 Analyse your Business

Step 2 Assess the Risks

Step 3 Develop your Strategy

Step 4 Develop your Plan

Step 5 Rehearse your Plan

People to contact who can give you advice:
Archival Record Management plc: info@armplc.com
AXA Insurance:axa4business.co.uk
Norwich Union: nu-riskservices.co.uk
The Federation of Small Businesses: contact local branch
Institute of Directors: 020 7766 8766

By Terry Cohen.

SHOULD YOU UPGRADE YOUR HARDWARE PC ?

What if you found that your computer is out of date? You probably want to upgrade your computer since you have no choice to do so. Your works depend on your hardware computer upgrade. That’s how you going to have a good result.

But before you make any further step, try to learn about your computer. Search all options and ask for advice. Only after this you can go and buy a new component. It’s also useful to check if you really need an upgrade.

Sure, it’s not funny if you keep your old computer but you still loose data when you do your works. Its just a matter of time before you experience a hard drive problem when you still using your old computer. You dont want to loose your data, right? Of course most people only think of backing up their data after they experience a problem. Don't set yourself up for a data loss disaster. Check what hardware you need for your computer.

If you have problem with your hard disk, such as crash when you do your work, better you have it renewed. Most people upgrade their hard disk to increase the size so that they can use it for games, movies and playing a lot of music. A 20 GB hard drive is sufficient to keep new office and internet applications, and all your files and data. A medium sized hard drive would be around 40 GB and the maximum would be around 60 – 80 GB.

You can choose which perfect for your work. Of course the price is also depending on the capacity of your hard disk. If you are a gamer, you may want to have high capacity hard disk such as that 60-80 GB. But if you just used it for your writing, a 20 GB is more than enough.

Another hardware you may need to upgrade is the RAM or Random Access Memory. This memory keeps data that is being worked on now and may or may not be transferred to the hard drive that represents the long-term memory of the computer. Current processors can perform an enormous number of operations per second. Almost all computer have 64 MB RAM and often 128 MB. If you want to run newer applications on your PC then you must upgrade to 128/256 MB RAM. A lot of people who upgrade from 98 to Win 2000 discover that their computers lock up very often. This is because they don't have enough RAM.

So, those are only some part of hardware you might want to upgrade. There are others such as motherboard, CPU or port which you can upgrade. Your action depend on your need.

by Tony C. Gevano.
from: www.cleanarticles.com

The Battle of the Browsers - The History and the Future of Internet Browsers

With Internet Explorer 8 now available, can Microsoft hope to retain market dominance over fierce open source rivals such as Mozilla's Firefox or the feature packed Opera web browser. Can history give us a clue to what the future of web browsers/browsing might hold? How did Netscape Navigator go from having a dominant 89.36% market share of all web browsers in 1996 and yet only 3.76% by mid 1999?

Let us take a journey that will begin long before even the intellectual conception of Internet Explorer, that will glance at its long defeated rivals, examine the current browsers available and will end with a prediction of what the future of browsing will offer us – and which browser(s) will still be around to offer it.

People often think that Internet Explorer has been the dominant web browser since the golden age of the internet began. Well for a very long time now it has indeed been the most popular browser and at times been almost totally unrivalled. This was mainly a result of it being packaged free with Microsoft Windows, in what some would later call a brutal monopolisation attempt by Microsoft. The last few years however have heralded the arrival of new, possibly superior browsers. Mozilla's Firefox has been particularly successful at chipping away at Explorers market dominance. So where did it all begin, and why were Microsoft ever allowed to have a hundred percent market dominance?

Origins

The truth is they never did have total dominance, but at times they have come very close. Microsoft actually entered the Browser Battle quite late on. Infact a man named Neil Larson is credited to be one of the originators of internet browsers, when in 1977 he created a program – The TRS-80 - that allowed browsing between “sites” via hypertext jumps. This was a DOS program and the basis of much to come. Slowly other browsers powered by DOS and inspired by the TRS 80 were developed. Unfortunately they were often constricted by the limitations of the still fairly young internet itself.

In 1988, Peter Scott and Earle Fogel created a simple, fast browser called Hytelnet, which by 1990 offered users instant logon and access to the online catalogues of over five thousand libraries around the world – an exhilarating taste of what the internet, and web browsers, would soon be able to offer.

In 1989 the original World Wide Web was born. Using a NeXTcube computer, Tim Berners-Lee created a web browser that would change how people used the internet forever. He called his browser the WorldWideWeb(http://www., which is still likely to sound familiar to internet users today. It was a windowed browser capable of displaying simple style sheet, capable of editing sites and able to download and open any file type supported by the NeXTcube.

In 1993 the first popular graphical browser was released. Its name was Mosaic and it was created by Marc Andreessen and Eric Bina. Mosaic could be run on both Unix, and very importantly, on the highly popular Microsoft Windows operating system (incidentally it could also be used on Amiga and Apple computers). It was the first browser on Windows that could display graphics/pictures on a page where there was also textual content. It is often cited as being responsible for triggering the internet boom due to it making the internet bearable for the masses. (It should be noted that the web browser Cello was the first browser to be used on Windows – but it was non graphical and made very little impact compared to Mosaic).

The Browser Wars - Netscape Navigator versus Internet Explorer

Mosaic's decline began almost as soon as Netscape Navigator was released (1994). Netscape Navigator was a browser created by Marc Andreessen, one of the men behind Mosaic and co-founder of Netscape Communications Corporation. Netscape was unrivalled in terms of features and usability at the time. For example, one major change from previous browsers was that it allowed surfers to see parts of a website before the whole site was downloaded. This meant that people did not have to wait for minutes simply to see if the site they were loading was the actual one the were after, whilst also allowing them to read information on the site as the rest of it downloaded. By 1996 Netscape had almost 90% market dominance, as shown below.

Market Share Comparisons of Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer from 1996 to 1998

....................Netscape.......IE
October 1998..........64%.........32.2%
April 1998............70%.........22.7%
October 1997..........59.67%......15.13%
April 1997............81.13%......12.13%
October 1996..........80.45%......12.18%
April 1996............89.36%.......3.76%

In these two years Netscape clearly dominated the internet browser market, but a new browser named Internet Explorer was quickly gaining ground on it.

Microsoft released their own browser (ironically based on the earlier Mosaic browser which was created by one of the men now running Netscape), clearly worried about Netscape's dominance. It was not so much the worry that it would have a 100% market share of internet browsers on their Windows operating system, but more the worry that browsers would soon be capable of running all types programs on them. That would mean foregoing the need for an actual operating system, or at the most only a very basic one would be needed. This in turn would mean Netscape would soon be able to dictate terms to Microsoft, and Microsoft were not going to let that happen easily. Thus in August 1995, Internet Explorer was released.

By 1999 Internet explorer had captured an 89.03% market share, whilst Netscape was down to 10.47%. How could Internet Explorer make this much ground in just two years? Well this was down to two things really. The first, and by far the most important was that Microsoft bundled Internet Explorer in with every new copy of Windows, and as Windows was used by about 90% of the computer using population it clearly gave them a huge advantage. Internet Explorer had one other ace it held over Netscape – it was much better. Netscape Navigator was stagnant and had been for some time. The only new features it ever seemed to introduce were often perceived by the public as beneficial for Netscape's parent company rather than Netscape's user base. (i.e., features that would help it monopolise the market). Explorer, on the other hand, was given much attention by Microsoft. Regular updates and excellent usability plus a hundred million dollar investment would prove too much for Netscape Explorer.

2000 – 2005

These years were fairly quiet in the Battle of the Browsers. It seemed as if Internet Explorer had won the war and that nobody could even hope to compete with it. In 2002/2003 it had attained about 95% of the market share – about the time of IE 5/6. With over 1000 people working on it and millions of dollars being poured in, few people had the resources to compete. Then again, who wanted to compete? It was clearly a volatile market, and besides that everybody was content with Internet Explorer. Or were they? Some people saw faults with IE – security issues, incompatibility issues or simply bad programming. Not only that, it was being shoved down peoples throats. There was almost no competition to keep it in line or to turn to as an alternative. Something had to change. The only people with the ability and the power to compete with Microsoft took matters into their own hands.

Netscape was now supported by AOL. A few years prior, just after they had lost the Browser Wars to Microsoft, they had released the coding for Netscape into the public domain. This meant anybody could develop their own browser using the Netscape skeleton. And people did. Epiphany, Galeon and Camino, amongst others, were born out of Netscape's ashes. However the two most popular newcomers were called Mozilla and Firefox.

Mozilla was originally an open sourced project aimed to improve the Netscape browser. Eventually it was released as Netscape Navigator 7 and then 8. Later it was released as Mozilla 1.0.

Mozilla was almost an early version on another open source browser, Firefox. With it being an open source the public were able to contribute to it - adding in what features it needed, the programming it required and the support it deserved. The problems people saw in Internet Explorer were being fixed by members of the open sourced browser community via Firefox. For instance, the many security issues IE 6 had were almost entirely fixed in the very first release of Firefox. Microsoft had another fight on their hands.

2005 – Present

Firefox was the browser that grew and grew in these years. Every year capturing an even larger market share percentage than before. More user friendly than most of its rivals along with high security levels and arguably more intelligent programming helped its popularity. With such a large programming community behind it, updates have always been regular and add on programs/features are often released. It prides itself on being the peoples browser. It currently has a 28.38% market share.

Apple computers have had their own browser since the mid 1990's – Safari - complete with its own problems, such as (until recently) the inability to run Java scripts. However most Apple users seemed happy with it and a version capable of running on Windows has been released. It has had no major competitor on Apple Macs, and as such has largely been out of the Browser Wars. It currently holds a 2.54% market share and is slowly increasing.

Internet Explorer's market share has dropped from over 90% to around 75%, and is falling. It will be interesting to see what Microsoft will attempt to regain such a high market share.

Opera currently holds 1.07%.

Mozilla itself only has a 0.6% market share these days.

The Future of Web Browsing

Web browsers come and go. It is the nature of technology (if such a term can be used), to supplant inferior software in very short periods of time. It is almost impossible for a single company to stay ahead of the competition for long. Microsoft have the advantage of being able to release IE with any Windows using PC. That covers over 90% of the market. They also have the advantage of unprecedented resources. They can compete how they wish for as long as they wish. So there is no counting IE out of the future of web browsing.

Safari is in a similar position, being easily the most popular Mac web browser. Its long term survival is dependant upon Apple and the sale of their computers.

These are the only two browsers that are almost guaranteed another five years of life, at least. Firefox may seem like another candidate, but the public is fickle, and one bad release, or if it seriously lags behind the new Internet Explorer 8 for long, could easily see its popularity quickly descend into virtual oblivion.

However, it seems likely community driven browsers, such as Mozilla and Firefox, will be the only types of browser capable of competing with the wealthy internet arm of Microsoft in the near future.

As for web browsing itself, will it change any time soon? Well it already has for some online communities. For example, if you want to buy clothes you could try entering an online 'world' creating an online virtual You to go from 'shop to shop' with, looking at products and trying/buying what you see. Some 'worlds' allow you to recreate yourself accurately including weight and height and then try on things apparel such as jeans to give you an idea of how you would look in that particular item.

Will 'worlds' like this destroy normal web browsers such as IE ? - It seems unlikely. Traditional web browsers provide such freedom and ease of access that it is hard to see any other alternative taking over. However they are part of the new, 'thinking out of the box' wave of alternatives that some people will find attractive, and really who knows what the future will bring.



About The Author

Nicholas C Smith is the project manager at Breakfrom Limited, who specialise in affordable ecommerce solutions and general web design knowledge and advice.

For more information and advice visit http://www.breakfrom.com



By Nicholas C Smith.

COMPUTER DATA BACKUP - DATA BACKUP SOLUTION WILL GIVE YOU A PEACE OF MIND.

Imagine that you have been working on a file for the entire day and there was a power surge that caused your computer to 'black out'. It would have been a frustrating experience for us as we had put in a lot of time and effort into it. I am sure that many of us would have experienced data loss in some form or another and have learnt to be wiser to backup our data to avoid any form of data loss.

Have you ever thought of a worst case scenario where a fire broke up and destroy your computer or where your laptop got stolen? Should that happen, the first thing that comes into your mind is the thousands of dollars that you spend on your computer or laptop and you would feel very upset about it. However, when you thought for a second moment, you started to realize that what is really valuable are the amount of data that you have built up over the years in it. Though hardware can always be replaced, even at no cost to you if you have insurance, but lost data is gone forever.

Lost data such as the thousands of mp3 and movies that you have downloaded from the Internet, thousands of digital photographs that are impossible to replace are lost in an instant. This form of data loss hits home especially hard when the laptop holds the lifeblood to your business. Imagine all your business contacts documents and contracts that you have painfully built up over the years would be vanished just like that. Your business would be wipe out overnight.

Do not wait for the worst to happen before you start to consider about data backup solution. Having a data backup solution will give you a peace of mind as you know that your data is in safe hand.

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

by Justin Koh.

Computer Hardware Preventive Maintenance Software

Computers often break down at the worst of all times. These problems can be averted, or at least minimized with preventive maintenance. Several methods of keeping computer hardware in good working order deal with the external components of the computer, such as the keyboard and monitor. For example, it is important to keep the processor away from excess heat and moisture. There are also computer hardware preventive maintenance software programs that can help with the upkeep of other internal aspects of a computer.

While it is rare to find a CMMS that works on all of a computer’s hardware, many different programs can be utilized simultaneously. Some computers have periodic automatic updates available that can be downloaded and used to improve the computer’s performance. Other software programs, known as disk defragmenters, manage hard drive space so that software programs take less time to access. Programs known as hardware diagnostic utilities can check the computer’s hardware components and alert the user about any potential failures. Since some new hardware will not always work on all computers and could cause existing hardware to malfunction, it is important to have a CMMS program to ensure that the new hardware is compatible with existing hardware.

Antivirus programs are another important component of computer hardware preventive maintenance software. Computer viruses have become increasingly common in recent years and can render a good computer useless. While computer viruses mainly attack software programs, they can ruin hardware as well. Several manufacturers make reliable antivirus software. A couple of well-known companies are Norton and McAfee. As with much preventive maintenance software, these programs are usually available for a free trial period before the user must pay a subscription fee.

Computer hardware preventive maintenance software is necessary to keep computers in good working order. This software manages aspects of computer hardware that would be difficult and time-consuming for even the most computer savvy users.

Preventive Maintenance Software Info features detailed information on preventive maintenance software for health care and correctional institutions, computer hardware, and personal assets, as well as reviews of preventive maintenance software companies. Preventive Maintenance Software Info is the sister site of Fleet Maintenance Software Web.


By Jennifer Bailey

When disaster Strikes : How Long Would Your Business SurviveIf Files On Your Computer Disappeared ?

A Tornado? In Birmingham? In The United Kingdom? Unthinkable!

Yes, in July 2005 (while I was putting finishing touches to my cave-house in Spain) my house, along with many of my neighbours' houses was struck by a powerful tornado that literally tore up the streets. Leaving people homeless as their homes were bulldozered (with all their possessions inside).

Thankfully, my house was still, pretty much intact and won't be being demolished but I work from a home office. I have lots of critical data and information on my computer - marketing information, accounts information, key contacts, books in progress to name a few. If my house was bulldozered (and I didn't have an adequate off-site backup system) I would have lost the lot. As it was, I was still able to access my key files even from Spain.

But how would you fare? What if your computer went kaput this very minute? What if a freak accident, theft, or natural disaster literally destroyed your computer and you lost all your files? Would you be able to get back up and running with minimal fuss or would your business be crippled for a long time to come?

No one wants to think about it, but in light of recent world events it makes sense for every company to have in place a business continuity plan. This might include installing a backup generator for power, having a second office available for re-location, and ensuring your insurance policy is current, relevant and up to date.

Some of the above may be more applicable for larger companies, however one element that's 100% critical for ALL businesses regardless of size, is to keep an up to date copy of your computer files.

Files can be lost instantly by a power surge, fire, flood, theft, virus and of course the most common risk ­ human error (i.e. accidental deletion)!

This information is the lifeblood of your business, and needs to be backed up regularly. Unlike your office or the computer itself, your computer files cannot be replaced, yet without them you have no business.

For most companies, files to be kept safe will include:

* Databases

* Client records

* Presentations

* Invoices

* Emails

* Historical work archives

* Research

* Digital photos

A simple risk assessment question to ask yourself:

"How long would my business survive if the files on my computer disappeared right now?"

Unless you have a current 'back-up' or copy of your information it is quite likely that your business will cease to operate for some time, if not indefinitely soon after. In our business our database (of people like you) is extremely important. It's taken years to build up and is irreplaceable. Which is why we have taken active steps to protect it.

There are a number of ways for you to make back up copies of your information, and these methods can be divided into 2 main categories.

1. Manual processes, which use recordable media such as tapes or disks.

2. Online backup services, which use your Internet connection to transfer data.

Manual processes rely on you carrying out the backup, rotating the media and then removing it off-site every day. Consequently they can be labour intensive, costly and in addition the media can be unreliable (i.e disks can be scratched). You don't need me to tell you that doing it this way is certainly not lean. It's a boring, time consuming, yet critical task, that's not automated (but should be) that simply gets in the way of you doing your real work while putting you at unnecessary risk. See the 'Pain or Gain' chart in your free Lean Marketing Detox eBook for a recap.

For this reason, many companies are now signing up to online solutions, which via a small piece of software backup your information securely and automatically each day for you.

Furthermore your information is stored safely off-site so if and when disaster strikes your files are completely safe and can be instantly restored to any machine.

It's human nature to think, "it’ll never happen to me", however it is more accurate to think, "when will this happen to me?"

Don't gamble with your business, back it up today and keep it safe.

For our online data backup we use and recommend www.DepositIt.com, why not check them out and make sure to set up a backup plan as soon as you can. You never know when disaster will strike!

'Dangerous' Debbie Jenkins
debs@debbiejenkins.com


(c) Copyright 2005 www.BookShaker.com

SUMMER CAN BE SLOW FOR BUSINESS
But don't let that get in the way of your success.
This is the ideal time to work on your business
rather than in it. Get 2 F'REE eBooks and prepare
for more success with less effort here...
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I'm wondering if... You Know Other People who should be reading this too? So do us all a favour (they get 2 free books - we get a new subscriber - you get to look good) when you Pass On This link... http://www.leanmarketing.co.uk


By DEBBIE JENKINS.
www.cleanarticles.com

Data Recovery: Beginners Tips

Right now you probably in a lot of mental pain, and all you’re concerned about is recovering your data as quickly as possible - so we’ll refrain from comments on the wisdom of regular back ups. The time for preventative measures has gone - the issue at hand is data recovery.

First - a simple tip could save you a lot of money. Take out your rolodex and get hold of your tech-savvy friends. If you’re in luck, they’ll offer to help, and if you’re really lucky, they might even have some disk recovery software.

If you’re out of luck, then get out your wallet or purse out now... because this is going to cost you. Also, be prepared for a lot of time being wasted - data recovery can take a long time.

The first thing to establish is what exactly is wrong with your hard disk:


Either your computer won’t boot up, or
Your computer boots up OK but you can’t see one of your other drives.

Let’s see if we can eliminate the worst scenario. Listen closely to your hard drive - is it making any sort of weird noise, such as scratching, scraping, ticking etc?

If so, then your drive is physically damaged and the only hope that you have is to take it to a data recovery service where experts might be able to get your data off for you. These services are expensive and time consuming - so you need to make a judgement call as to the value of data on the disk:


If it’s only your saved game data or downloaded music files you would like back, you’re probably better off kicking yourself for not backing up, and accepting the data loss.


If, on the other hand, it’s a book or other type of information product that you’ve been working on for years, then send it to a data recovery service for an evaluation and quote - it usually costs nothing.

If your hard disk sounds OK, then you stand a decent chance of recovering data yourself.


First you’ll need to download some software to help you out.

Unfortunately, the better software utilities are not free, but the good news is that many allow you to try them out to see they can access the data. There are some freeware versions available but generally speaking these are not easy to use - no user interface / little documentation, or they are not very effective.

There’s a list of recommended software on our site - http://www.recoverdatafiles.com - compare the different options then download a few of the trial versions.

Your next steps will be based on how your hard drive/s were setup:


If you only have a single hard drive that has not been partitioned or split into different “logical” drives, you’ll probably need to attach the hard drive to another computer that has enough space to store all your data. This can be quite technical so if you don’t have the skills please get a computer savvy friend to help out.

Another option is to purchase an external USB hard drive case. You can then simply slot the hard drive into the case and plug it into another PC using a USB port.


If you have a multiple drive setup and your computer boots up fine, then it will merely be a case of getting the downloaded software to read the files and then copy them to another drive - provided you have a drive with enough space on it. If not, you’ll need to attach the hard drive to another machine with enough spare capacity.


The scenario where you have a multiple drive setup, where the problem drive is the one that contains your operating system files is more tricky.

Look for a data recovery software package that has a boot disk option available. What this means is that when you start your computer with the boot disk in it, it will automatically run the data recovery program without trying to start windows. You should be able to see your files and then copy them across to another drive.


Hopefully these tips will enable you to get all your important files back.

Once you’ve had some time to recover, please take a look at the various articles on our website - our goal is to make it one of the best resources on data recovery.

For the past 20 years, Jeff Walters' interest has been in making the most effective use of a business's information assets. He has lead several data-to-information projects : ABC Costing, analytical CRM, datamart /data warehouse development, and Balanced Scorecard.

For help with data-related projects, contact Jeff Walters through either site: Data Recovery, or Customer Relationship Management

by jeff walters.

BACKUP - BUT WHERE TO ?

We all know we have to backup regularly, but those backups files can get huge. Add that to your existing your files and your notebook computer hard drive seems to have shrunk overnight. No matter what size hard drive you have on your notebook computer, space is a premium. Besides, it's not exactly a good idea to store your backups on the same hard drive since you can't retrieve it -- rather defeats the purpose of backing up don't you think? So what do you do, what are your options?

Backup to an external hard drive. This is probably the quickest, most cost effective option. You can often get a removable drive on sale or with rebate for a low price too. You can get one with hundreds of Gigabytes of space too. They can be easy to hookup to your notebook computer. However, do remember that they are hard drives and hard drives can fail. You may find the external backup fails before your notebook computer does.

Online backup. This is actually a good idea because physical disasters can happen to your home. And when that happens, you will always have a copy in a place not affected by the disaster. This is why businesses usually have one backup in the premises and one (or more) off premises. The good thing about online backup is, it's accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. So if your notebook fails when you're away from home, you can still retrieve your data.

Many of these services are reasonably priced and they provide you with everything you need to get the backups safely transfered. But because your data will be on someone else's system, choose a reputable company, one who is not only established but takes customer data confidentiality very seriously.

Network attached storage. This would make more sense if you have several computers. They allow you to not only backup several computers' data into one location but also ability to share or retrieve files from that central area. You can also achieve a similar effect equipping an older computer with a large hard drive and use it just for storage or backup.

Backup to CD or DVD. This is considered the safest for long term data integrity. External drives and network storage can still crash and prone to virusses. CD's and DVD's are also inexpensive. But backing up to disks daily is chore as you'll find yourself having to manually pop in the disks. It becomes even more hard work when you have a lot of files and your backup spans several disks. The other problem with this method is, backup utilities that come with your operating system cannot backup to a CD or DVD drive. So you'll have to fork out extra cash to buy a third party backup software that will.

No backup solution is one hundred percent and what you choose of course will depend on how you work. If your data is really important to you, try not rely on one backup source. Create two separate sources if you can afford to, just in case

by: lynn chan.

Read This Now: It Is Not If You Will Lose Your Data; It's When Will You Lose Your Data?

With Adware, SpyWare, E-Mail Viruses, Java Script Viruses and Hardware failures It isn't a matter of If you will loose your Data it is a matter of When you will loose your Data! By spending a few extra minutes now using a Simple Back Up Strategy, you can save yourself big headaches later.

You Should Always have a Full Backup of your Online Business Directory and all it's subdirectories for the Last 4 Weeks as well daily incremental backups for a month or More. In Addition you should have Monthly off site Backups. I actually Backup my Entire My Documents Directory. My Tools are:



5 DVD-RWs


Sharpie Permanent Marker


A Calendar


A Stack of DVD-Rs


A Small 64 MB USB Hard Drive

Weekly Rotating Backups

Get a calendar Pick one day a Week (Tuesday). Number each Tuesday from 1-5 over and over


September 6.2005 would be 1


September 13.2005 would be 2


September 20.2005 would be 3


September 27.2005 would be 4


October 4.2005 would be 5


October 11.2005 would start over with Number 1
Now Using Your Sharpie Permanent Marker Label Each DVD-RW Disk1, Disk2 .... Thru Disk 5
Each Tuesday (or whatever day you like) look at the calendar and use the disk with the same number for the Backup. Burn Your Online Business Directory and all it's subdirectories to the DVD-RW for that week


September 6.2005 Use Disk 1


September 13.2005 Use Disk 2


September 20.2005 Use Disk 3


September 27.2005 Use Disk 4


October 4.2005 Use Disk 5


October 11.2005 would start over with Number 1

By Following the Above Weekly Rotating Backups Instructions you will always have 5 Weeks of backup.

Monthly Offsite Backups

On the Last Friday of the Month burn your Entire My Documents folder to a DVD-R and store it Offsite. Use your Sharpie Permanent Marker to wtite the Month and Year of the Backup.

Daily Incremental BAckups

For Daily Incremental Backups use a Small 64Mb USB Hard drive (Lately it seems you can't buy anything smaller then 256MB I Have seen them on sale for about $15) . A CD-RW or DVD-RW will work just as well as a USB Hard Drive. It just seems easier and faster to copy to the USB hard Drive.



create 12 Directories on the USB Hard Drive one for each Month Jan, Feb., .... Dec..


Every Time you create a File in your Business Directory place a copy of it in the proper month on the USB Drive.
If you run Out of room on the USB drive simply Empty the Directory of the Oldest Month. ( So If you run out of room in September and you have Data in May, June July and August. Simply Delete all the Files in May. If you still need room delete all the Files in June then July. If You still need room buy another USB Hard Drive.

By following the above Backup system you will always be know I am fully protected when that dreaded Disk Crash, Virus, or even Gremlins cause some or all of your data to be lost. For Many people CDRs and CDRWs work just as well. If your Online Business Directory is Small enough you can simply burn a New CD every week. You can use a Similar system with Zip Drives or even Tape. The Key is to do some sort of back up of your critical business files on a regular basis.

About The Author:
Mike Makler has been Marketing Online Since 2001 When he Built an Organization of over 100,000 Members

Get Mike's Newsletter:
http://ewguru.com/newsletter

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How To Effectively Back Up Your Data

What to backup, and what to lose

The oldest “computer expression” is that there are two kinds of computer users, those that backup their data and those that will. Often, it takes a “data disaster” to compel otherwise responsible people to make a regular habit of backing up their data. Still, the majority of computer users do not back up their data.

According to Computer World, the annual cost to recover lost data per laptop is over $800.00 per year. This amounts to billions of dollars per year spent nationally to recover (or not recover) data that has been lost due to users not backing up their data. Critical data files are often stored on personal computers and laptops and often not subject to regular backup.

If backup is so important, then why don’t most people do it?

The truth is, backing up data from your computer to CDs, memory sticks, other computers, and network hard drives is inconvenient. It takes time out of a busy day. Most backup utilities require the users attention to start, monitor, and close the process. Backup takes time from the user that can be better spent doing something else. Backup is boring, since it may disable or tie up your computer while the backup is taking place.

So what data should I back up?

The simple answer is any file that you would miss if you did not have it. This includes documents, presentations, spreadsheets, accounting data, and other data files. Also include your Favorites folder, telephone directory, appointment calendar, and tasks. It may also include pictures, music, family video, and any other data that is significant, especially if lost.

Look at all of the programs that you use regularly. Find the data files that these programs and mark these for regular backup. Often these files are not behind your MY Documents folder.

For example, if you use Quicken or QuickBooks, the important data files are saved in a folder behind the Quicken or QuickBooks program. In Microsoft Windows XP, these files could be under Documents and Settings/user/Application Data. In addition, the Application Data file may also contain important information that aids in your ability to use many of your favorite programs. If you do not know how to get to these files, consult an expert to help you determine what files to choose for regular backup.

How often should I back up?

Think of this question another way – if my hard disk crashed, or I dropped my laptop, or it got stolen at the airport, how much time will it take me to re-create the active data that I just lost? What would it cost you to lose a day’s worth of data and to recreate it? How much time would it take to reconfigure your computer with the tools, configurations, short cuts, and links that you have spent years accumulating? Remember the Computer World data, the average cost per laptop for lost data is $800.00 per year. What is your billing rate? How much will it cost you to start over?

Some of us use our computers the entire day. That means that if we back up daily, then the most time that we would spend redoing the work would be less than a day’s worth of time. If you are an occasional user, then you may need to backup less frequently.

Once you have made your list, then you are ready to back up. Here is my partial list of backup files that would cause me great pain if they were not backed up:

Outlook.pst - Emails, Tasks, Contacts, and Calendar


My Documents - Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, Quickbooks


Favorites (these are my Internet bookmarks that I have spent years building up)


Documents and Settings/user/application data (be selective here. You will most likely not need temporary files generated from web pages).


Goldmine data files and email attachments

What’s the Solution?

The solution is to find a backup solution that is invisible to the user and does not create a “backup event” that must be scheduled from a person’s busy day. So hold this thought for the moment.

Once you have determined which files to back up regularly, you must decide where to store this data. In the early days of computing, we used to back up to floppy disks. Now, our files are huge and often too large for floppy disks. CD ROMs are popular for backup and will now hold over 750 MB of data. DVDs can also be used for backup and how many times more data than CD ROMS.

At the beginning of this article, I said that backup is inconvenient and that is why most people don’t do it. Therefore lets find solutions that are convenient. Not just convenient, but invisible like an insurance policy that just works.

If you are a lone computer user and are not on a network, the best solution is to get an external hard drive that plugs into your USB port. These data storage devices are relatively cheap for the benefit that they provide. Follow this link for examples of these products: http://www.google.com/froogle?q=USB+Hard+drive. If you are using Windows XP, then you can use the Windows Synchronize utility found in XP. To use, copy all of your data to the external drive. Then install the Windows Synchronize utility to automatically keep your files up to date when you plug the external drive into your computer. When you travel with your laptop computer, leave the USB hard drive at home. Never carry it in your computer bag. If you are backing up your desktop, take the USB hard drive with you – or at least store it at a location separate from your desktop in case of fire or other disaster.

If you are on a network, such as a home or business network, set aside some backup space on a hard drive on the network or on another computer. Hard drives are cheap. If you need more space than is available, buy another hard drive and install it on another computer. Use Windows Synchronize utility to keep the data synced.

If you use a laptop or work in different locations, a new product called BeInSync automatically makes the connection over the Internet between your laptop and a designated target computer for syncing files. BeInSync updates, automatically and invisibly any and all files designated for syncing. It even allows you to sync files with friends and business associates. Since it works in the background, it does not require a backup event and impose itself on the user’s busy day.

Follow this link to get more information on BeInSync: http://www.beinsync.com/?rfrid=BIS-P-1038. One important note about BeInSync is that it will sync everything in the My Document folder. Move My Music, My Videos, and other large folders out of the My Documents before enabling BeInSync.

What’s the bottom line on backup?

The bottom line on backup is that it is absolutely necessary for everyone that has something to lose if his or her computer was lost, stolen, or simply failed from regular use. There is a wide variety of solutions in the marketplace to keep your data backed up. Spend the time to explore and implement your back up solution. If you are not technical, hire an expert to create a solution that works for you. It will be some of the best money that you will spend.

Eric Guth and Joel Gering are owners of http://www.ProtectMyLaptop.com and SecureTrieve and are experts in the areas of computer troubleshooting and creating and maintaining networks for small businesses and homes. They have over 25 years of hands on experience in data management, data security, and remote data recovery.

by: joel gering.

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lesson from katrina - does your business have an adequate desaster recovery plan ?

The Hurricane Katrina Disaster has lessons for all business owners. Now is a Good time to look over your Disaster recovery plan and see if it would survive a Hurricane Katrina Type Disaster. You may be surprised how easy and cheap it is to have a Disaster Recovery Plan that will protect your business from all types of Disasters from simple theft to a Hurricane Katrina Like Disaster.

As a small business paying for 3 backup data centers might be more like taking a Ferrari to a bicycle race. For many small businesses the key is to have critical data ready and available as soon after a disaster strikes as possible. If you run your business off a computer or even a server then an offsite back-up of key customer and vendor data is a minimal requirement for a good Disaster Recovery Plan.

Most of your Major Fortune 1000 Companies have extensive off site back up plans. A company based in St Louis for example may contract with 2 or 3 companies around the country to provide essential computer services in case a Disaster occurs in St. Louis that makes it impossible for their Data Centers to continue to function in St Louis.

Major Companies in St Louis may have backups in 2 or 3 remote sites like Chicago, New Jersey and Arizona. These Sites are located in different directions and distances from St Louis. Once a year this company may send key Data Center employees to these location to test the back up plan.

As a small business paying for 3 backup data centers and running annual test might be more like taking a Ferrari to a bicycle race. For many small businesses the key is to have critical data ready and available as soon after a disaster strikes as possible. If you run your business off a computer or even a server then an offsite back-up of key customer and vendor data is a minimal requirement for a good Disaster Recovery Plan.

At one time My own personal Disaster Recovery Plan consisted of placing a tape back-up weekly in a safe deposit box in a bank a few miles from my home based business location. If the Area of my home had suffered a Hurricane Katrina like Disaster even if the bank and the contents of that safe deposit box survived the Disaster that backup may not be available to me for weeks or months. Clearly a delay of weeks or months could mean the end of my business.

Keeping Data in an Off Site Local location is still a good idea so you can have fast access to your data and recover from small disasters like fire or theft that only effect your location. Clearly in light of what we learned from Katrina you may want to mail a DVD backup to a trusted friend or relative in another part of the country. A 2nd solution you may want to consider is a service that backs up your computer daily via the Internet. Clearly you would want to make sure the provider you choose for this service is not lo acted across town.

A lesson to learn from Hurricane Katrina is that 1 or even 2 back-up plans may not be enough. You need to judge how valuable your business is to you and possibly mail a DVD to one or more trusted associates in remote off site lo actions and still maintain a local and Internet back ups as well.

While you may not be able to fly cross country for a week to test your back up plan, you could test your back-ups by trying load them on a 'clean' computer.

About the Author
Mike Makler Offers Financial Services (Mortgages,Life Insurance, Annuity) in Florissant Missouri which is in North St. Louis County Missouri Just Across the Bridge from St. Charles Missouri.

by: mike makler.
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How To Use Spyware Elimination Software

Author: Philippa Smith

Spyware elimination software is designed to detect and eliminate spyware. A large number of spyware elimination software products are available. Some of them are available as freeware and some as shareware. Shareware can be used for a specified period, usually 30 days.

One must evaluate and compare the features of different spyware elimination software products before selecting one. Some of the features of an effective spyware elimination software product are:

* It should give a list of detected spyware, to enable users to allow them to decide, about which ones they want to delete.

* Auto update ensures that the software automatically downloads the latest spyware definition file.

* Auto scheduling means that the system is scanned for spyware at defined intervals automatically.

* The "undo" facility allows the user to remedy accidental deletion of useful files.

* The product should provide real-time protection. It should prevent installation of spyware, instead of just deleting it when it is detected.

* The software should be effective in detecting and deleting, the different types of spyware.

* The product should be easy to download, install, navigate and use.

* Product support ensures that there is someone you can call or e-mail, whenever you have a problem.

* The right spyware elimination software will ensure your privacy and keep your computer free of advertisements.

Some of the most popular spyware elimination software products are: Spyware Eliminator, Spyware Doctor, MS AntiSpyware, McAfee, Pest Patrol, Spy Sweeper, Counterspy, Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy etc.

The most popular personal firewalls include McAfee Firewall, Norman Firewall, Windows Firewall, Surf Secret, Sygate Firewall, Zone Alarm, Outpost Pro, and Norton Firewall etc.

Spyware Eliminator

Spyware Eliminator is one of the most popular spyware elimination software products. It also provides you with anti-virus and anti-Spam capability and prevents malicious software from entering your PC.

It gives users specific threat recommendations and its consumer ware facility identifies legitimate ad ware companies and their software. The user then has the option to delete this software or to keep it. Spyware Eliminator is particularly effective in dealing with cleverly concealed, self re-generating spyware and adware.

Click to find a daily updated blog of articles and news about spyware ! Get advice and information about how to protect your computer from attack, and disinfect it.. Click http://www.spyware-101.com/

BY PHILIPPA SMITH.

how address label software revolutionizes the office

Labelling items is something people have to do regularly to keep sane! If not for this practice, files and other important things may get lost or be taken someone else by mistake. The person can get a pen and write one's name, use a label gun or try something more efficient such as address labelling software.What is so different about address labeling software? For starters, the person can use different fonts, sizing and graphics to make the object look unique. This is great to also keep records of clients while these are stored in the filing cabinet making it easy to locate them when needed.Address labeling software can cost about $20 to $30 in the market. Those who are not sure if this is worth the price can usually download software from the Internet and then enjoy this for free for 30 days before deciding to buy the software.There are some though that can be downloaded for free. The user can use this first and then probably buy a real program later on when their skills improve. The individual can even browse through these first and then check which one is the best to get.Some software programs are only compatible with one kind of operating system. People will be happy to know that majority of these are compatible regardless whether your PC is Macintosh, Linux or Windows. There will usually be a short period of familiarization and from them on you'll be labelling things left right and centre, so easy is some of the software available to use.Some companies are a bit slow adapting to new technology. This is the reason that there are employees who are still be using excel or word then getting the finished product on the printer. There is nothing wrong with that but using address-labeling software will save time to do other tasks. In fact, with the different selections, the task that probably took an hour can be done in 30 minutes. The person can even have time to spare in getting a cup of coffee then waiting for everything to be finished then sticking it to the folder, CD or envelope. Since the software can be used for almost everything in the office, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that the same application can be done for bar codes. This is because the only difference is the numbers instead of just letters that the scanner will read to tell the price of the item.As more people are getting better with using the computer, it won't be long before other software programs will be introduced into the market. This may cost the customer a few dollars in the beginning but as the market demands, eventually a lot of this kind of software will start to appear in free or trial versions. Address labelling software can be a godsend for many people, it helps you keep organised and provides a simple and efficient method for producing labels. Learn to label documents, forms and even objects (if you wish) in your office and never be confused again!

author: mattyos
Source: Free Articles

Selecting AnI nk Jet Printer - with low operating cost

Printer technology has made tremendous advances in the past five years. Speeds are up and print quality is great. Meanwhile, printer costs have declined. What has not improved is the cost of ink. Printer manufacturers expected to make their profit on replacement cartridges, and they do. But in charging high prices they created another industry that they have to compete with. Now there are generic or compatible replacements; you can buy refilled cartridges and refill kits so you can refill them yourself. Worst of all there are counterfeits. And there’s a big market for all of them due to the sky-high price of OEM cartridges. The manufacturers are full of tricks. Some of them use tiny cartridges that don’t hold much ink. Most of the standard cartridges are half full of ink. They sell high capacity cartridges at premium prices that are full of ink. They run promotions on printers that have sample cartridges that barely have enough ink to try out the new printer. These are all factors you have to consider when you buy a printer. There are makers who have addressed the problem in another way. All printers have a separate black cartridge for obvious reasons, but a few use a separate cartridge for each color. If one of the colors runs out you can replace it individually. This way you aren’t throwing away good ink. One maker gives you the choice of a double size black unit that is more economical than two singles. Most printers use a cartridge with a built- in print head, but at least one has the print head built into the machine. The cartridges are only ink containers, consequently very inexpensive and easy to refill. The downside of this arrangement is that the print head is a wear item and it’s quite expensive to replace. The point is that these two style printers are more economical to operate than the conventional type. There are some printers that will operate with only the black cartridge installed, and this is a good choice for students and others that only print text. If you don’t need a fancy printing job, often you can set your printer on “draft” which saves a lot of ink. Be careful when you are buying a printer especially, but not exclusively at auctions; they’re selling them without ink. A diligent shopper can sometimes find printers with and without rebates that are below the cost of the ink. This is a good way to go. For more information about shopping visit my web site: http://www.caveatemptorus.com. I’ve tried refilling and using refurbished units with mixed success. Refilling is risky business. Maker's claim that it voids your warranty, this is debatable, but there is some validity to their concerns. There are different kinds of ink and using the wrong or an inferior ink can do damage. Many refurbs are poor quality so you end up returning them for replacement. At the moment my choice is a printer with print heads in the cartridges and I buy good quality generics. Keep in mind this creates warranty problems. If you have a problem printing, you can’t get technical service unless you buy a set of OEMs.

By: George W. Cannata Owner and publisher of the web site:http://www.caveatemptorus.com

how do i boost my star-up speed ?

The most effective way is to upgrade your PC or buy a newer, faster machine. However not everyone can afford this option, therefore we suggest the following alternatives:1) Increase your RAM. For Windows XP we recommend a minimum of 256MB of RAM, and 128MB for Windows 98/ME users. It is suggested that your PC have a minimum of 256MB RAM to support newer applications.Upgrading to more memory than that will provide a minimum performance gain in terms of startup, because each operating system when booting occupies a certain size in the memory; when this requirement is met, an increase does not make a difference.2) Use faster RAM. Memory modules measure their speed in MHz. Using a faster module will increase daily usage performance in opening applications or performing I/O operations. SDRAM comes in speeds of 100/133 MHz, while faster DDR SDRAM comes in speeds of 200/266/333 and 400 MHz. They are also denoted as PC1600, PC2100, PC2700 and PC3200 respectively. The PC number shows the maximum bandwidth in MB/s of the memory module.For example the latest Pentium 4 machines have a 800 MHz Front Side Bus (the speed at which the processor communicates with all other devices); it is a common practice with Pakistani vendors to pair such systems with the slower 266 MHz DDR RAM to lower costs. You can therefore upgrade to DDR 400 and for the most lethal combination, use them as a pair (two modules of the same size), which is known as Dual-DDR support. Dual-DDR lets you read and write to both the memory modules simultaneously in the same clock cycle. Only newer motherboards support this feature.For all possible RAM speed upgrades check your motherboard and processor documentation or contact your PC vendor for more details.3) Disable Startup Items. In most cases some startup items are useful but others may just be eating up system resources. To check what loads on startup, type “msconfig” in the Start->Run dialog box in any version of Windows. You will see that in the General tab, the Startup selection will be set to normal by default. Click on the Startup tab and it will display a list of checked startup items and their paths. Uncheck the program you do not want to load and apply the changes. The computer will ask to restart to effect the changes placed.Caution: Only disable items you are sure of. You can always come back and restore the changes. DO NOT try editing the items in the remaining tabs. (Use StartupMechanic - Ed.)4) Use tweaking tools. Microsoft developed a tool called BootVis that arrange the files on your hard disk for faster startup. The tool is no longer available on their site but can be hunted down on the Web.When I used BootVis, it slashed a whooping 30 seconds of boot time on my laptop running Windows XP. There are lots of other shareware tools on the net for such purposes and Norton System Works has a set of optimizing tools.5) Another way to boost your startup speed is to periodically defragment your hard disk so that all your files are set as contiguous blocks for faster access. Boot performance also depends on which file system you use; FAT32 gives a faster boot time compared to NTFS but fragments easily over time while the reverse holds true for NTFS.

Hi! I am Muhammad Wasiq Ansari, a student of B.E(Electronics). I am running different sites Ariese - Funny SMS.
Article Source: http://www.articles-heaven.com/articles/?Q%2E-How-do-I-boost-my-startup-speed-&articleid=646

by muhammad wasiq ansari.

EASY,HONEST & SIMPLE WAY TO MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR DIGITAL CAMERA

My teenage nephew found this system and makes almost $200 a week working very part-time.17 Sep 2005
If you enjoy photography and would like to learn how to make money taking pictures for others, this system could be perfect for you. The system is completely honest, there is no porn or nudity involved, it is not dangerous and you don't need high-level professional photography skills.
What you will need is at least a 2.1 megapixel digital camera (About $200 new) with a flash and zoom lens, a tripod and a basic photo printer (like an Epson for $125) so you can print out the photos. This is not portrait photography and most people can find all the work they want within 1 or 2 miles of your home if you live in a city or within 10 miles of your home if you live in the suburbs.
My 18-year old nephew, discovered this last year and was making money taking photos within a week. He usually makes about $200 a week during the school year working just 3 to 5 hours during the week and a couple of hours on Saturday. During the summer, he worked full-time for three weeks before going off to work as a camp counselor. He average over $700 a week for the three weeks, and he still wasn't really working full-time.
Click Here to read about the course and to see real testimonials from real people. The cost is very reasonable and the author offers a money-back guarantee.
Here is what you will need to start this business:
Decent digital camera you can buy for under $200. Make sure it has a zoom lens and a flash. An exposure compensation setting would be helpful, but is not absolutely necessary
Some of the shots will require a sturdy tripod. I see them at garage sales and thrift shops all the time for under $10, or you can buy a good-quality new one for about $40.
You will need a way to print photos. Epson sells a nice photo-quality printer for about $125. If you don't have one, don't worry. You can get your prints made at Wal-Mart or rite Aid until you can afford one.
Lastly you need a way to get around: Car, motorcycle or bike.
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McGrath

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TOP-10 DIGITAL CAMERAS UNDER $300

Are you on a budget but still want to buy a good digital camera? Well, that's great because I've compiled a list of the top 10 digital cameras out there going at under $300. When choosing a value-for-money digital camera, remember that it should offer great features and excellent photo quality, all at a reasonable price. That said, let's have a look at that list of cameras. Here we go!

Nikon Coolpix 5200
The Nikon Coolpix 5200 has a 5.1 megapixel resolution and a 3x optical zoom. With its excellent picture quality, battery life and camera optics, this is one of the best-selling cameras out there. The body of the camera is also very well-designed - you'll find that it's very comfortable to hold it while shooting pictures.

Canon PowerShot A95
Another hot seller, the Canon PowerShot A95 is a 5 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom. Photo quality is excellent, with sharp and vivid colors. Overall, this is one of the best point-and-shoot digital cameras you can buy. Highly recommended.

Fuji FinePix E550
The Fuji FinePix E550 is an interesting camera with 6.3 megapixels image resolution and a 4x optical zoom. There's a nice, big 2 inch LCD screen, though the camera body itself is slightly bulky. Still, a good value given its price.

Sony CyberShot DSC-W1
The Sony CyberShot DSC-W1 one of the most popular digital cameras at the moment. It is compact and looks very stylish. With a 5.1 megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom and a very generous 2.5 inch LCD, you'll be hard pressed to find a better camera in its price range.

Canon PowerShot S500
I currently own one of these babies. The Canon PowerShot S500 is a wonderful point-and-shoot camera with a 5 megapixel resolution and 3x optical zoom. It's a great camera for traveling and snapping pictures on the fly. What's more, its one of the most stylish cameras too.

Pentax Optio S5i
The Pentax Optio S5i comes with a 5 megapixel resolution and 3x optical zoom. Its capable of taking very good pictures and there's a surprising number of features packed into its small, compact body.

Olympus C-765
The Olympus C-765 is a 4 megapixel camera with an amazing 10x optical zoom. There is a nice feature set, including a wealth of white balance settings. Very good camera to buy if you want to avoid the standard Canon or Sony models.



Kodak EasyShare DX7630
The Kodak EasyShare DX7630 is a great camera with a 6.1 megapixel resolution and 3x optical zoom. The small, yet feature-packed body allows you to take great pictures and video too. It also runs on rechargeable batteries, making it one of the best point-and-shoot cameras out there.

Casio Exilim EX-Z50
With a 5 megapixel resolution and 3x optical zoom, the Casio Exilim EX-Z50 is one of the smallest digital cameras out there. I found that it's got a pretty big LCD screen, fast response time and decent battery life, Recommended for those who want a very small, compact camera that takes good pictures.

Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z1
This is a 3.3 megapixel resolution camera with a 10x optical zoom. The powerful optical zoom is a big plus - it's tough to find a camera with a 10x zoom in this price range. It also runs on rechargeable batteries and shoots great looking pictures. I highly recommend it.
Conclusion
Ok, we've gone through many good-value digital cameras in the above list. Which one would I buy if I were in a camera shop? It'd be a tough choice between the Canon PowerShot S500, Kodak EasyShare DX7630 and Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z1. When you head out to buy your own camera, do bear in mind that digital camera prices are dropping everyday. So shop around, it should be easy to find a model that suits your needs and yet fits within your budget.
Gary Hendricks runs a web site for digital camera hobbyists at www.basic-digital-photography.com
Gary Hendricks

www.digitalworld.com

HOW TO BUY A DIGITAL CAMERA

Buying a digital camera need not be a difficult task. I'll highlight the key considerations you need to think through before making that purchase decision. Always, always remember to consider these factors when buying a digital camera:
Battery Life
Number of Megapixels
Zoom Lens
Exposure Control
User Controls
Battery Life
This has got to be one of the most overlooked features in digital cameras. I know many people who go for the latest and greatest digital cameras which are short in the battery life department. If you want to take good photos, your camera needs to powered for extended periods of time. I've found that cost and battery life don't go together - many cheap cameras have good battery life, while some high-end models drain your battery really fast. Make sure you choose a camera that has good battery life.
Number of Megapixels
The megapixel rating of a digital camera determines how much fine detail you can capture in your shots. Typically, the number of megapixels can range around from 2 megapixels to 8 megapixels. How do you decide how many megapixels you need? As a rule of thumb, if you're only interested in taking small snapshots to send via email or for posting on the Web, you won't need more than 2 megapixels. If you want large print outs of your gorgeous photographs, then you'll probably want to get 5 megapixel cameras and above. You may want to refer to this guide for more information.
Zoom Lens
You'll definitely want a camera with decent optical zoom. Now the keyword here is optical zoom (as opposed to digital zoom). Optical zoom physically moves the camera lenses to zoom in on a subject. Digital zoom, however, digitally averages and magnifies the image within the camera's microchip - resulting in poor picture quality. Many manufacturers' advertisements talk about digital zoom instead of optical zoom - so do be careful when choosing. I'd recommend getting at least 3x optical zoom in any camera you buy.
Exposure Control
The ability to control exposure settings such as shutter speed and lens opening is critical to professional photographers. Cheaper digital cameras only allow you to shoot photos in automatic mode - just press the shutter release and voila, your picture is taken. More advanced users prefer to tweak the shutter speed and aperture to capture fast moving objects or blur the image background. Choose a camera with good exposure control if you foresee yourself taking on photography as a serious hobby.
User Controls
If you are getting a point-and-shoot camera, make sure you find one that's easy to use. User controls to set resolution, macro mode, flash and exposure should be within easy reach. Of course, if you're a serious photography buff who wants to take the time to tweak all sorts of manual settings, then this many not be so critical. I prefer to try out the camera first in the store - play with the controls and get comfortable with them. Only then will you know whether it's comfortable enough for you.
Conclusion
Well, I do hope this article has helped you understand what factors to consider when buying a digital camera. A general piece of advice I can give is - if you're a total newbie, don't go for the latest digital SLR. It may be tempting to get that Nikon D70 right from the start, but I'd reckon its much better to start off with a cheaper camera first. Learn, experiment and build up your digital photography skills. Once you're more skilled, then proceed to upgrade to a better camera. Good luck and happy shopping!

Gary Hendricks
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FREE PHOTO EDITING SOFTWARE: TOP 5 FREE PHOTO EDITORS FOR WINDOWS

If you're really on a budget, you will be glad to know that there are many free photo editors out there ready for your download. These programs give you basic image editing features to perform standard photo enhancement tasks. I've compiled a list of 5 free photo editing programs for Windows which you may like to look at. Do take note, however, that some of these programs may be limited in features unless you buy an upgrade version.
The GIMP
The GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is an open-source program originally developed by two university students in 1996. It has now morphed into a powerful image editor with a huge user base. The latest version, the GIMP 2.0, has a revamped user interface that places it up threw with mainstream image editors.
Picasa
Picasa is a powerful and free software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. If you always had problems keeping track of your pictures, Picasa will help you do that by sorting them into visual albums. Moreover, if you want to quickly touch up your photos, Picasa offers many one-click fixes to do just that. What's more, the program allows you to easily share those photos through email, printing or CDs.
VCW VicMan's Photo Editor
VCW VicMan's Photo Editor has a host of features similar to Adobe Photoshop. With this program, you can easily zoom into and pan within your image and perform standard image editing. The color adjustment options are also very extensive. The program comes in a limited free version, as well as a commercial Pro version which sells for $30.
ImageForge
ImageForge is a freeware image editor gives you a great set of tools for painting and editing images and photos. Whether you want to touch up your photo shots, or add a creative effect to a boring photo, ImageForge can provide you with the tools to do it. You can even share your photos easily by creating photo albums and simple slide shows.
Paint.NET
Paint.NET is an on-going project at Washington State University, with features that match commercial applications, including support for layers. It is provided as freeware and is readily available for download. Besides standard image editing features, there's also a special Effects API for you to create your own special effects. The program also has a strong user forum that supports its progress and development.
Conclusion
I hope you'll learnt a thing or two about the best free photo editors for Windows. Using a free photo editor is a great way to save money, while satisfying all your photo manipulation needs. However, I do advise that for serious, long-term photo editing tasks, go for commercial grade software such as Ulead PhotoImpact 10 and Jasc Paint Shop Pro 9.

Gary Hendricks
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