Tips N Articles: September 2008

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Increasing System Performance

If you have 512 megs or more of memory, you can increase system performance
by having the core system kept in memory.

Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Control\Session Manager\Memory

Management\DisablePagingExecutive
Set the value to be 1
Reboot the computer

Hiding the Last User Logged On

If you use the standard NT style of login and want to hide the last user:
Start the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
Go to Computer Configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Local Policies / Security Options
Scroll down to Interactive logon: Do not display last user name
Set it to Enable

Hiding a XP Computer from Network Neighborhood

If you want to share files from a XP computer,
yet want to remove it from showing up in the Network Neighborhood,
Run net config server /hidden:yes

Hide,Unhide Logon Names

If you want to hide or unhide the names of users that are displayed on the initial logon screen:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon \ SpecialAccounts \ UserList
Add a DWORD with the name of the user account you want to hide
Make sure it has a value of 0
If there is an existing account, you can unhide it by giving it a value of 1

HAL.DLL Missing or Corrupt

If you get an error regarding a missing or corrupt hal.dll file, it might simply be the BOOT.INI file on the root of the C: drive that is misconfigured
Insert and boot from your WindowsXP CD.
At the first R=Repair option, press the R key
Press the number that corresponds to the correct location for the installation of Windows you want to repair.
Typically this will be #1
Type bootcfg /list to show the current entries in the BOOT.INI file
Type bootcfg /rebuild to repair it
Take out the CD ROM and type exit

Guest Only Network Access

If you try and connect to an XP computer and are shown a logins screen with only the computername/Guest,
You may need to change one of the Local Security Policies:
Got to Control Panel - Administrative Tools
Go to Local Policies - Security Options
Check teh Network access: Sharing and security model for local accounts
Set it to Classic - local users authenticate as themselves

Explorer Opens Search Companion Rather than the..

If the Windows Explorer opens up the Search Companion rather than opening up the actual folder, the default setting for opening a folder is changed.
To correct this:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ shell
Edit the default value to be explorer or none

Enable , Disable the Task Manager

Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\System
Create the Dword value DisableTaskMgr
Give it a value of 0 to enable it
Give it a vaule of 1 to disable it

Easy Way to Share Multiple Folders

If you need to share multiple folders, running the program SHRPUBW.EXE will bring up a simple dialog box to let you:
Browse to the folder you want to share
Enter in a Share name
Ender in a Share description
Set permissions. Several choices are available
Restart the process from within the same program

Disabling Hibernation

If you don't want to use up the disk space taken by Hibernation, or don't need to use it at all,
you can easily disable it.
Open up the Control Panel / Power Options icon
Click on the Hibernation icon
Uncheck Enable Hibernation

Disable Shared Documents

To disable the Shared Documents folder that shows up on the network
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer \
Create a new DWORD Value
Give it the name NoSharedDocuments
Give it a value of 1
Log off or reboot

Disable Explorer Thumbnail View

If you want disable the Explorer's ability to show the Thumbnail View ,
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ Advanced \
Change ClassicViewState to 1

Decreasing Boot Time

Microsoft has made available a program to analyze and decrease the time it takes to boot to WindowsXP
The program is called BootVis
Uncompress the file.
Run BOOTVIS.EXE
For a starting point, run Trace / Next Boot + Driver Delays
This will reboot your computer and provide a benchmark
After the reboot, BootVis will take a minute or two to show graphs of your system startup.
Note how much time it takes for your system to load (click on the red vertical line)
Then run Trace / Optimize System
Re-Run the Next Boot + Drive Delays
Note how much the time has decreased
Mine went from approximately 39 to 30 seconds.

Creating an Automated Install of WindowsXP

On the WindowsXP CP, in the SUPPORT\TOOLS directory,
there is a file called DEPLOY.CAB.
Extract the programs DEPLOY.CHM (help file) and SETUPMGR.EXE (main program)
Run SETUPMGR and answer the prompts.
This will create both a unattend.bat and unattend.txt file you can use for automated installs.
Note: The batch file might need some minor modification for file locations but it is fairly basic.

Corrupted or Missing

If you get the error:
Windows could not start because the following files is missing or corrupt
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE
Insert and boot from your WindowsXP CD.
At the first R=Repair option, press the R key
Press the number that corresponds to the correct location for the installation of Windows you want to repair.
Typically this will be #1
Enter in the administrator password when requested
cd \windows\system32\config
Depending on which section was corrupted:
ren software software.bad or ren system system.bad
Depending on which section was corrupted
copy \windows\repair\system
copy \windows\repair\software
Take out the CD ROM and type exit

Configure for Auto-Logon

If you are the only person using the computer and what to have it automatically log you on,
Start / Run / "control userpasswords2" - no quotes
Uncheck User must enter a user name and password to use this computer

Common Control Panel Applets

The follow are some common Control Panel Applets that are located in the \windows\system32 directory.
If you find yourself using any of these frequently, then you can simply make shortcuts to them on your desktop.

appwiz.cpl >>Add/Remove Programs
desk.cpl >> Display Properties
firewall.cpl >> Firewall Settings
inetcpl.cpl >> Internet Options
mmsys.cpl >> Sound and Audio
ncpa.cpl >> Network Connections
nusrmgr.cpl >> User Accounts
powercfg.cpl >> Power Options
sysdm.cpl >>System Properties
wscui.cpl >> Security Center
wuaucpl.cpl >> Automatic Updates Configuration

Common Command Console Utilitiesw

WindowsXP comes with quite a few console utilities you can easily run from the command line:
Computer Management - compmgmt.msc
Disk Managment - diskmgmt.msc
Device Manager - devmgmt.msc
Disk Defrag - dfrg.msc
Event Viewer - eventvwr.msc
Shared Folders - fsmgmt.msc
Group Policies - gpedit.msc
Local Users and Groups - lusrmgr.msc
Performance Monitor - perfmon.msc
Resultant Set of Policies - rsop.msc
Local Security Settings - secpol.msc
Services - services.msc
Component Services - comexp.msc

Cleaning the Prefetch Directory

WindowsXP has a new feature called Prefetch. This keeps a shortcut to recently used programs.
However it can fill up with old and obsolete programs.
To clean this periodically go to:
Star / Run / Prefetch
Press Ctrl-A to highlight all the shorcuts
Delete them

Changing the Registered Owner

Start Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
From there you can edit the name in the Registered Owner key

Changing Programs That Start Automatically

WindowsXP has a similar program, MSCONFIG, that was available in Windows98.
This allows you to view and change what programs are automatically started each time you log in.
The new version also allows you to view and edit the boot.ini file (as well as check for errors and use several advanced switches)

xp, similar, program, msconfig, avaialable, 98, allow, view, change, what, automatically, started, each, log, new, version, edit, boot, errors, advance, switches

Changing Drive Letters

If you want to change the letters assigned to your fixed or removable drives:
Right Click on My Computer
Select Manage
Select Disk Management
For a Fixed Disk:
Select it
Right click
Select Change Drive Letter and Path
Click on the Edit button
Enter in the letter you want to use
For a Removable Disk:
In the lower, right hand panel, right click on the Disk or CD ROM #
Select Change Drive Letter and Path
Click on the Edit button
Enter in the letter you want to use

Bringing Up the Shutdown Dialog Box

Create a new txt file somewhere on your system, open it and put in this one line:
(new ActiveXObject("Shell.Application")).ShutdownWindows();
Save and Close the file. Change the extension to js and your got it.
You can make a shortcut to that file to make it easy to shut down your system

Automatically Ending Non-Responsive Tasks

Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\AutoEndTasks
Set the value to be 1
In the same section, change the WaitToKillAppTimeout to the number of milliseconds you want.

Autoexec.nt or Config.nt Errors

If you are getting errors similar to:
The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.
Try copying the file from \windows\repair directory to the one that is in the \windows\system32 directory.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Autoexec.nt or Config.nt Errors

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Add Blogger Search Box

The Google Navigation bar at the top of your Blogger blogs has an embedded search box. However, you may want to include a similar box in the main body of your blog (like what I have done), or the sidebar. Other than the convenience for users, the added advantage is that unlike Google search box, the search results of this Blogger.com search box appear in the main body of your Blog.

Under Template->Page Elements tab, click “Add a Page Element” at the place where you want your search box to appear. Select “HTML/JavaScript”.

There are several HTML codes posted on the net. I tried a few, and found the one that works as follows:-

Remember to change YOUR BLOG URL to the URL or web address of your Blog. Also, change the NAME OF YOUR BLOG to that which you want to call your site. For instance, if your Blog Name is long, you may want to write something like “Search Here” or “Search this site”.

You can also change the “Search” button to say, “Hit” or “Go”, by changing the Value.

Save the code and refresh your page. If you want a longer or shorter search box, you can play around with the size. The above example of a width size="20" and value="Hit" will give you this:-

Whereas a width size="30" and value="Go" will give you this:-

The size of the search box is a matter of appearance. You may have noticed that the maxlength="255". This indicates that a user may enter up to 255 characters in the search box, which I think is sufficient and need not be altered.

Image instead of Search button

Just for the fun of it, if you want readers to click an image instead of a button, you will first need to do up a small picture. You can also resize a picture you already have with photo editing tools like Google's Picasa. After creating a picture, upload it onto a free server like GooglePages or Google Groups, or other free hosts that offer direct links to the image files. Take note of this IMAGE URL.

The HTML code to insert is this:-

Remember to insert into the code the IMAGE URL, where your picture is uploaded. You can align the image to the top, bottom or set a horizontal space between the bar and the image by using a hspace tag. For more examples on alignment of images, you may refer to the article Hyperlinks and Image Links (II).

While it is alright to replace the button of your Blogger search box, you may not want to do that with the Google search box since their T.O.S. disallows any alteration of their code.

5 Reasons I’m Not Upgrading to WordPress 2.5

First off, I want to clarify that I love WordPress and without a doubt, it’s the best blogging system on the market today (for free I might add). The features and expandability it allows such as being open source, allowing custom plugins, etc is more than enough reason to rant and rave about this product.
Now that we’re clear, let’s talk about upgrading WordPress in general. I always upgrade my WordPress blogs to the latest version whenever a new release comes out (especially a security fix) but this time I’m holding off on upgrading to 2.5 because I really don’t like it.
I know, you hear all the positive reviews about the cool new features which I like as well but there are a few reasons I don’t want to upgrade quite yet. Here are my top 5 reasons why I’m not going to upgrade to 2.5 and will wait until a newer release is available:
1. I don’t like the new narrower interface which is left aligned and too compact. I wish there was an option to change it to fluid width.
2. I want to make sure all my plugins are updated to be compliant with 2.5+.
3. Usually after a major dot release, there is a smaller dot X release less than a month later. Why upgrade now when you’ll have to go through it again soon?
4. I have several WordPress blogs and it would be a huge undertaking for not a big difference in features.
5. I’m too busy now to spend time getting used to a new interface. I can quickly cruise around and get things done with WordPress 2.3.3.
Some of my reasons are personal and would change my daily work flow environment per se, and a couple reasons are just related to the WordPress product itself. Now if these issues don’t bother you at all then by all means go ahead and upgrade to 2.5. I’d at least recommend installing it on a test site first (localhost will do) and test it out yourself. That’s what I did and I’m glad I did.
I’m a guy who likes to have the latest and greatest versions of everything so not upgrading to 2.5 makes me annoyed. What is even more annoying is the message that appears in the header and footer of the admin section of WordPress telling me “A new version of WordPress is available! Please update now“.
Thanks WordPress but I don’t want to upgrade quite yet so leave me alone. I did some searching for a way to disable this feature (which is only available in 2.3+) so check out my other post on “How to disable the WordPress update message“.

Wireless Headset Tips

The Best Wireless Headset
The best wireless headset for you will depend on your needs and how often you will use it. For a cell phone wireless headset, you will want to look for a blue tooth headset, as that is the industry standard. Other features to consider include:

Comfortable fit
Features you require
Within your price range
Compatible with your current cell phone.
If you need a wireless headset with a landline telephone, you need to consider some alternate options:

What brand name are you most comfortable with? Wireless headsets for your regular phone come from various manufacturers including Plantronics, GN Netcom and Polycom.
How much desk space you want it to take up?
How much range it needs to have (how large is your office)
You may not have considered it, but you can also get a headset for your computer. If you use Skype or any of the other nifty computer phone call programs, you may have a headset plugged into your desktop or laptop already, but wireless may make your life much more flexible.

Wireless Headset: Bluetooth
Bluetooth is another wireless standard, mostly used for short range connectivity. You will often find Bluetooth technology in printers, cell phones and wireless headsets. Its range is significantly shorter then other wireless technology, about 30 feet. It is less expensive then other Wi-Fi standards and works well for many home offices. This is why Bluetooth has been included in many wireless headsets - but beware of that range, you don't want to wander too far from your source and lose you call.

Reasons to Use a Wireless Headset
A wireless headset offers you significantly more freedom while you talk on your cell phone or regular phone. By plugging in the wireless adaptor, you can walk all over your home or office since you isn’t tied to any location with a wire. The benefits in an office environment are clear, but these are also great for stay at home parents who may be chasing an active toddler all over the house! The car is another obvious location for the use of a wireless headset.

Good wireless headsets come equipped with volume control and answer buttons and they should be small and fit comfortably over your ear. They should be snug enough so you don't have to worry about the headset slipping off your ear or falling to the ground.

Problems with Wireless Headset
If your wireless headset is having performance issues, there are a few things you can check.

Make sure your telephone or ell phone is within range and not overly obstructed.
Check to make sure your cell phone battery is charged and you are receiving a good signal.
Typically, with wireless headsets you will have multiple channels from which to select the best signal, so make sure that you have switched around to see which is best and that you aren't still on the default channel.
Make sure you try your phone without the headset on at all to ensure that the line or signal is strong.
Finally, check to make sure the batteries in the wireless headset are charged.

Wireless Headset
A wireless headset is a small device you slip over your ear that allows you to talk via your cell phone, but hands free. Using the blue tooth technology standard, wireless headsets offer an excellent range and great hands free features.

These wireless headsets have been especially popular with commuters and people who need to use their cell phones in their car. The increased safety afforded when you are using both hands to drive makes the investment in one of the headsets an easy decision. Additionally, you aren't hampered by an annoying cord which can also be hazardous if you need full range of motion to avoid a potential car accident.

Wireless Headset with Regular Phone
There are wireless headsets on the market that you can use with a regular phone, but don't think you'll have to buy a different headset for every phone in your home or office. There are also wireless headset devices that you can hook up to a regular phone, cell phone and PDA, and you can alternate which device you wish to use your wireless headset with. This kind of flexibility is key in this day and age of telecommunications - and for your wallet.

Autoexec.nt or Config.nt Errors

Adding the URL History to the Start Menu

If you browse the web a lot and want fast access to recent sites you visited, you can put your history list on the Start Menu.

Right click on the Start button

Choose Explore

Right click on the right pane

Choose New / Folder

Name it URL History.{FF393560-C2A7-11CF-BFF4-444553540000}

The label isn't critical. The period, braces and CLSID number are.

If you want to search for the string to enter:

Start Regedit

Search for URL History Folder

Right click the CLSID key

Choose Rename

Press Ctrl-C to Copy

In the Explorer window, press Ctrl-V to paste it in

weightless

Need some help with your weight loss? Below are some great weight loss tips to help you that extra bit, these weight loss tips offers pointers for pratical, effective weight loss tactics. Tips include healthy eating advice, support, exercise, preparation of food and much more. Enjoy!
1. To make a delicious low fat mayonnaise simply combine one teaspoon Dijon mustard or one teaspoon satay sauce with low fat yoghurt.

2. Avoid skipping meals. Eating increases your matabolism, thus skipping meals can 'trick' your body into slowing down its metabolism in an attempt to conserve calories during a period it perceives as a situation where limited fuel is available.

3. Stuffing vegetables such as capsicum and zucchini with tasty fillings of mince chicken, meat or tuna are easy to do and very healthy and low fat.

4. Pita bread roll ups or wraps with salad fillings, are great for picnics, school lunches or to take to work.

5. Exerise, exercise, exercise! Exercise increases your metabolism and burning off excess fat. When is the best time to exercise? Our metabolism slows down about 8 hours after we wake up, so 30 minutes of exercise in the evening, before dinner will increase your metabolism for about two to three more hours just when it was starting to slow down. This produces a significant increase in fat burned off, even after the exercise is over.

6. Adding alfalfa or mung beans to your salad brings in extra iron.

7. Good cooking and healthy eating begins with learning about nutrition and how to prepare healthy recipes.

8. Plan the week's family menus in advance and just purchase those ingredients at a once weekly shopping trip.

9. Be positive! The more you feel good about yourself the easier and faster it is to lose weight.

10. Learn how to make over family favourite recipes by cutting out fats, salt and sugar. Substitute non fat yoghurt for cream, stir fry minus oil and use herbs and spices instead of salt for flavour.

11. Please consult your doctor before beginning an exercise or weight loss program.

12. Eat slowly and chew each bite completely to decrease your appetite

13. Eat three small meals and two snacks daily instead of two or three huge meals.

14. It's a myth that you need oil to stir fry! Use chicken stock instead and cut down on hidden fat.

15. There is more fat in a plate of toasted muesli than a plate of bacon and eggs! Purchase non-toasted muesli instead.

16. Avoid removing the skins of fruits and vegetables - most of the nutrients are concentrated just under the skin.

17. Hot water with a squeeze of lemon before breakfast get the metabolism going for the day, helps prevent constipation and is excellent for the skin.

18. The best source of vegetable protein is from soya beans or tofu. All legumes provide some protein, so include lentils, lima beans etc into casseroles and soups.

19. Find a weight loss "buddy," club, or support group. This will help you stay with your weight loss program.

20. Though difficult, try not eating 3 hours or more before bed time.

21. I cut up a whole watermelon and leave it in the fridge to snack on over a few days. it is sweet, juicy, yummy and filling. it really has helped me because when i go to the fridge looking for something when i see the watermelon it stops me having something more calorie laden. having it handy so that it is just as easy to eat as a biscuit or whatever makes the world of difference. eating at night time is my downfall too. i cant just not eat at night so i allow for it in my daily eating. i have those 97%fat free rice crackers and/or fruit or air popped popcorn. for me i just cant not eat at night time. i find i dont sleep very well if i go from dinner time to breakfast without anything. although we do eat dinner very early (around 5.30) because we like to eat with the kids. i think it is best to know your weaknesses and try to work around them. also, i dont think it can be said too many times - drinking water makes all the difference.

22. Make pasta your fast food choice - you can prepare a pasta meal and salad in 10-12 minutes.

23. Chilli helps to speed up metabolism - even the milder varieties.

24. Omelettes can be made just using egg whites! A dramatic reduction in fat.

25. Limit salt in cooking. Other names for salt include baking soda, baking powder, MSG and soya sauce.

26. For low fat gravy, drop ice cubes into the baking tray. Fat will stick to the ice cubes and can then be removed.

27. Chew sugarless gum. It speeds up the digestive system, burning more calories, and sometimes kills a craving.

28. Drinking hot water as appose to cold water can increase the speed of your metabolism and burn more calories.

29. Make casseroles the day before use. Refrigerate and skim fat from the top before re heating.

30. Always eat before you go food shopping and always prepare a shopping list. Only purchase food which relates to your weekly menu plan and don't be tempted to buy goodies.

Anfy and Anfy 3D Download

On this site you can download and use FOR FREE a couple of programs for graphicians, artists and web designers. Usable as screen saver too!

Application Hosting

Application hosting is increasing in popularity as more companies look to make their applications available to both customers, vendors and employees. This also requires that the application be available 24/7 so the choice of application hosting provider is critical as well. Unfortunately trying to find an application hosting provider that is qualified is difficult.

Application Hosting Expertise
Go to any search engine and type in Application Hosting and you will be inundated by companies that claim they can provide this service. However, if you visit their web site you will soon realize that there is very little information provided about their application hosting service. In fact most of the time you will be taken to their web hosting page. But don't be fooled. There are very important differences between hosting a web site and hosting a high volume application.

Critical Application Hosting Issues
It is very important you get the application server configured correctly the first time. This configuration will determine how well the application performs, how easy it will be to increase the throughput, and how easy it will be to back-up. Your application hosting provider also must be familiar with your application or have the technical depth to be able to learn it quickly. An application is much more dynamic than a web site, so your application hosting provider must be technically skilled.

There can be great value to having an application available on the Internet, but only if your application hosting provider can properly configure and maintain it.

VPN

(Pronounced as separate letters) Short for virtual private network, a network that is constructed by using public wires to connect nodes. For example, there are a number of systems that enable you to create networks using the Internet as the medium for transporting data. These systems use encryption and other security mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access the network and that the data cannot be intercepted.

Airline Safety Hints

How can I avoid being the victim of a crime at the airport?

Don’t let your guard down just because you are away on vacation. Stay aware of those in your party, your luggage and your surroundings.
Take a look at the airport’s web site so you’ll know where you’re going.
Help airport security do their job and fully cooperate with any requests.
Immediately report any suspicious activity to airport security.
Leave your valuables, flashy jewelry and designer luggage at home. These items will make you more attractive to criminals.
Don’t walk around with your Airline tickets hanging out of your pocket.
Walk with confidence. Strong body language will let criminals know that you are not a victim.
Only use taxis and other transportation services with official markings. Only select transportation services from the official pick-up points at the airport.
Approach any "special deals" with caution, especially if you have to go off the beaten path to get them.
Never accept gifts or packages from unknown parties.
Don’t go near abandoned bags, and immediately report them to security.
Never leave your luggage unattended and always keep an eye on them, just lying by your feet will not be enough to keep them safe. Carry-on bags are often stolen from under tables right in front of their owners. If you must set your luggage on the ground, consider hooking your leg through the carrying strap.
If your luggage has locks, be sure to use them. Keep the keys handy in case your luggage needs to be inspected.
Mark your luggage so it can easily be identified as yours. Use something that makes your bags unique, but avoid items that could be caught on a conveyor belt. Colorful tape works nicely.
Don’t delay picking up your luggage when you arrive or you may find it has already disappeared when you get there.

How can I avoid being the victim of a pickpocket?
Don’t travel in narrow alleys or poorly lit streets.
When possible, avoid having crowds of people surrounding you.
Carry a dummy wallet and put your money in your front pocket.
Place a rubber band around your wallet, it will make it much more difficult to remove from your pocket without your knowledge.
Carry your purse under your arm.
Carry your money under your clothes.
Know the pickpocket's tricks

What are some of the pickpocket’s tricks?
There are lots of situations that pickpockets use to create opportunities to relieve you of all that heavy cash. Be especially aware of your money when you find yourself in the following situations.
Getting bumped by someone else.
Having something spilled on you or someone pointing out a spot on your clothing.
Someone approaching you and asking for help or directions.
Someone causing a disturbance that draws everyone’s attention.
Being surrounded by a crowd, especially if you are surrounded by groups of children.

What do I need to know before I use the airport’s public phones or ATMs?
Take care when using public phones and ATMs.
Make sure to completely cover the numbers you enter on both these items since criminals can use the numbers to defraud you. They might not be over your shoulder, but across the street in the parking garage with binoculars. Public phones are targeted at airports because so many valuable calling card numbers are used.
The airport’s ATM will probably be more secure than the local gas station or outside a closed bank branch because of all the airport security around, but if an ATM is isolated or not well lit, you might want to find another one.
Be wary of anyone hanging around the ATM.
Don’t take the time to count your cash there, the exposure might encourage someone to follow you outside or into the restroom.
Take your receipt, it also has numbers that can help a criminal, especially if they just watched you enter your pin number.

How can I find out if the airport terminal has an ATM?
Use these ATM locators.
www.visa.com/pd/atm/main.html
Visa’s ATM locator web page. This site provides a searchable database that locates ATM’s belonging to the Visa, Visa Electron and Plus ATM network worldwide.

www.mastercard.com/atm/
MasterCard’s ATM locator web page. This site provides a searchable database that locates
ATM’s belonging to the MasterCard and Cirrus ATM network worldwide.

What are some of the airport scams I need to know about?
You want to make it through the security checkpoint quickly and avoid delays. One scam involves delaying you at the start of security while your valuables move on down the conveyer belt. The person in front of you might set off the alarm and delay you while they take time getting cleared. This delay gives their partner in crime enough time to steal your items, so keep an eye on your property as it moves through security. Wait until the line is clear in front of you before you release your bags onto the conveyor belt and watch that it does go though and stays there if you are delayed at the checkpoint.
That person that so desperately seems to need your help for directions may just be trying to distract you while someone else helps themselves to your valuables. You still may want to be helpful, but remember to stay aware of your surroundings.
If someone bumps into you, check to make sure they didn’t remove anything. They might have cut your purse strings, taken your wallet or Airline tickets.
Watch your bags closely in the restroom. They may not even be safe in the stalls. If you place them on the floor next to the door or on the coat hook, a thief might reach under or over the door, grab them and run. You will not be in the best position to give them an immediate chase and probably won’t even see their face. If your bags aren’t uniquely marked, they will be able to blend into the crowd and be gone by the time you make it out. Some airports provide a shelf in the stall, if it is there be sure to use it. If you have a choice, pick the stall next to the wall and place luggage between you and the wall.
As always, if someone approaches you with a deal that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Approach any such deals with a great deal of caution.

What do I do if I am a victim of a crime at the airport?
If you are a victim of a crime in an airport, note the time and the location and notify security immediately. Noting the time and location may help investigate the crime since many airports have extensive security camera coverage.

System Faqs

Q: What is DirectX? Do you have a definition?
A: MicrosoftÂ® DirectXÂ® is a group of technologies designed to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements, such as full-color graphics, video, 3-D animation, and surround sound.

Q: What is the latest version of DirectX
A: The latest released version is currently DirectX 9.0b for users of Microsoft Windows 98, 98Se, Me, 2000, XP, and Server 2003. The latest version of DirectX for Windows 95 users is 8.0a.

Read More at:

Q: What is new in DirectX 9?
A: "There are many new and exciting features in all of the DirectX components.

The SDK has added a new member to its core technology called Managed DirectX, a DirectPlay port for the PocketPC, a High Level Shader Language for D3DX, and Windows XP parity on downlevel operating systems for DirectShow and the DirectX audio APIs.

DirectShow also has a new Video Mixing Renderer (VMR9) which uses D3D9 surfaces and always renders video through the 3D pipeline, along with new and exciting samples.

The generic Windows Media Format SDK stub library (wmstub.lib) available in previous beta releases has been removed. DirectShow samples using this stub library have been reverted to the DirectX 8.1 behavior of displaying a warning to obtain the stub separately, and the readme.txt files have also been reverted with information on the process to obtain the stub."

Q: What is new specifically in DirectX 9.0b?
A: DirectX 9.0b includes security and performance updates, along with many new features across all technologies, which can be accessed by applications using the DirectX 9.0 APIs.

Q: Will there also be a SDK update coming?
A: Yes, Microsoft DirectX 9.0b SDK Summer 2004 Update will be released this summer.

Q: What will be included in that?
A: Primary areas of concentration for the Summer Update was for the Direct3D Extension Library (D3DX), Graphics Samples, Sample Frame work, tools and documentation. This release includes updated developer runtime and the previously released DirectX 9.0b Redistributable.

Q: What was new in DirectX 8.0a?
A: DirectX 8.0a contains updates for issues with international installs on Windows 2000 and issues where input devices could have buttons disabled that were enabled with previous DirectX releases. There are no other changes.

Q: What operating systems is DirectX 9 compatible with?
A: Windows 98, Windows 98SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000(Professional and server editions), Windows XP. and Windows Server 2003. DirectX 9 is NOT compatible with Windows NT or Windows 95.

Q: You do not have Windows 95 listed as being compatible with Microsoft DirectX. What should I do?
A: The latest version available for Windows 95 is DirectX 8.0a.

Q: Is DirectX compatible with Windows NT?
A: Yes, though the only version supported on Windows NT 4.0 is DirectX 3.0a. You must also install Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6.

Q: How much space will this take up on the hard drive?
A: It will take about 18 MB of space once downloaded and installed. About 60 MB for installation.

Q: Do I need to install DirectX 9?
A: There are improvements over DirectX 8.1, but most users will do fine with running 8.1. Future games and hardware will obviously take better advantage of DirectX 9.

Q: What was new in DirectX 9.0a?
A: DirectX 9.0a featured bug fixes as well as improvements in performance within the graphics and networking components of the original DirectX 9.0 runtime.

Q: I thought that a DirectX Icon would appear in my control panel - what has happened to it?
A: The DirectX Control Panel is only included in the SDK versions of DirectX.

Q: What is the DirectX SDK?
A: The MicrosoftÂ® DirectXÂ® 9 Software Development Kit (SDK) contains the tools needed to build cutting-edge, media-rich, interactive applications. It includes the run-time, headers and libs, sample executables, sample source, documentation, DirectX utilities, and support for both C++ and Visual BasicÂ® development.

Q: What versions of DirectX are shipped with the different Microsoft Operating Systems?
A: Windows 98 comes with native DirectX 5 support. While Windows 98 Second Edition comes with DirectX 6.1a and Windows 2000 DirectX 7. Windows NT comes with DirectX 3.0a, and Windows 95 comes with DirectX 2. Windows XP comes with Direct X 8.1. Windows 2003 Server comes with DirectX 8.1.

Q: Will new versions of DirectX affect older games?
A: No, as each new version of DirectX is backwards compatible with older versions.

Q: Will Windows 2000 users finally be able to update to each new version of DirectX as they are released?
A: Yes - all future versions of DirectX will install onto Windows 2000.

Q: Does DirectX have a role with Xbox?
A: Yes, all DirectX technologies had played a role in the development of the Xbox both through Microsoft and NVIDIA. Xbox either shipped with a customized version of DirectX or has a similar set of non-updateable technologies.

How to Back Up

Back up regularly, back up often. It is important that you get into the habit of backing up your files on a regular basis. Just having things stored on your hard drive is not enough. A computer crash, a virus, or a hard drive failure can wipe out everything. Don't make this simple mistake! Back up everything at least once a week. Daily is better. If you use your computer daily, it is best to back up important files daily and other data weekly. At the absolute minimum, back up your files monthly.

Keep several backup copies. Never back up over a prior backup copy - keep several copies over time so that you can back up more than one version if necessary. Remember, a problem that is backed up will remain a problem when restored!

Be selective. You don't have to do a total system backup. In fact, why waste your time backing up all those executable program files when you can easily re-install them from the original media in case of a problem. Just back up your important files. Backing up the entire hard drive is time-consuming, not practical, and should not be done. A backup of specific data files is the way to go.

Know what's really important. The most important things to copy are files you create yourself. Be they text documents, e-mail messages, pictures, or game saves, if you made them, be sure to keep their current backup handy. Beyond that, it's helpful to back up the configuration settings for any programs you use, along with critical Windows data such as the registry.

Organize your folders. Backing up is easy if you set your folder structure properly. It's faster and easier to back up if all your files and subfolders are in a single folder, rather than having your documents scattered across the hard drive. The My Documents folder is a good place to store files on any Windows computer. When all your personal files are in one place you are less likely to forget a file when you back up. Organization can be the key.

Use backup software. To automate your everyday backup tasks. You don't have to copy your files manually. You can accidentally omit something, or simply make a mistake. Many decent backup program are available which can creates the backup of your data reliably and automatically.

General Math tips

Read the book

Read carefully over the assigned sections and look carefully at the sample problems. Decide if you benefit more by reading before or after the instructor covers the material. More information about reading math texts will soon be provided in a separate section of this page.

Develop a sound math foundation

Because most math courses are cumulative, in other words new concepts are added to and build upon previous concepts, it is very important that the early material be mastered thoroughly. Similarly, mastery of material from previous courses makes success in later courses more likely, so continually review and practice concepts from prior math classes.

Time management

Complete all readings and especially homework assignments as soon after they are announced as possible. And definitely complete all assignments before new material is covered since math is cumulative. This insures that the inforamtion is fresh in one's mind and linked to prior, more fundamental information. Do your assignments early enough that you can get help with the things you do not understand.

Calculator

Learn how to use your calculator effectively and efficiently, especially if exams are timed and you have trouble completing tests in the allotted time. Check with the instructor about suggestions for the appropriate calculator to purchase for a class. Be sure the machine comes with an instruction manual and read the manual. Learn how to use important function keys. Get in the habit of carrying the calculator with you. It is better in the long run to become proficient with your own calculator rather than borrowing other people's calculators.

Show your work

Avoid the temptation to skip steps when solving a problem unless you are quite clear about how to proceed. This is a good habit to get into with your math homework. And definitely don't skip steps on an exam no matter how well you know the material. Why take chances (unless you're running out of time)? Showing your work allows you to locate logical or calculation mistakes more easily, and sometimes partial credit is given for the correct portions of an answer.

Organize your work and write legibly

Write all numbers and variables clearly so they may be easily distinguished. Pay particular attention to 4 and 9, 1 and 7, x and y.

Spaces are as important in math equations as are the numbers and variables themselves. Allow enough space between different terms in an equation so it is easy to distinguish them.

Be sure to line up terms in each step of the solution, and write steps one below the other rather than to the right or left. Use lined paper or graph paper to help organize the problems on your page. Don't scrunch! Use plenty of paper to work each problem. Recycle the paper at the end of the term if you are concerned about wasting paper.

Support services and materials

Find out about the support services and materials available to you. Support services include workbooks, study groups, self-help videos and cassettes, peer tutors, professional tutors, and instructors' office hours. Using the resources from the start of the course may help your confidence and get you off on the right foot. Minimally, make use of these resources as soon as you feel uncomfortable with the material - do not wait until it is too late!

Preparation and supplies

Being prepared for each course involves several important factors:

complete any previously assigned homeworks
compile a list of questions about the previous assignments to ask the instructor
preview the material to be covered that day
take your textbook and/or workbook to class
carry the proper supplies to each class - calculator, pencils, erasers, lined or graph paper, etc.

Information organization

Math information - including definitions, symbols, equations, and steps for solving problems - may be organized using flash cards, running concept lists, flow charts, and matrices (D. Applegate, CAL).

Flash cards

Flash cards are useful for organizing all forms of math information. Two examples are given below.

Running concept lists

Running concept lists organize all forms of math information.

Flow charts

Flow charts are useful for organizing sequential information such as the steps for solving a problem.

Matrices

Matrices may be used to organize math symbols, equations, and definitions.

TERM	DEFINITION	EXAMPLE
numerator	top number in a fraction	the 1 in 1 5
denominator	bottom number in a fraction	the 5 in 1 5
reciprocal	the inverse of a fraction (flip it)	2 3 the reciprocal is 3 2
integer	any member of the set of positive numbers, negative numbers, and zero	1, 2, 3, -1, -2, -3, 0

PROBLEM	EQUATION
perimeter of rectangle	P = 2L + 2W
area of rectangle	A = L * W
volume of a rectangle	V = L * W * H
perimeter of square	P = 4s
area of square	A = s * s

Monday, September 22, 2008

Student Visa

Now that you have been admitted to any University in US, you are probably thinking about when and how to get your F-1 Student Visa. This article will address general requirements and provide some tips for making the student visa application process a smooth one. We also recommend that you visit the State Department's new web site that provides helpful information and tips about obtaining visas.
The first thing to understand is that there are always exceptions and that the particulars will vary for each person; therefore, it will be very important to obtain accurate information, instructions and forms for the specific U.S. Consular post through which you will be applying for the student visa. Click here, "U.S. Embassies and Consulates" for an official list of U.S. embassies and consulates in your country.
In general, most U.S. Consulates allow students to apply for the F-1 student visa no sooner than 90 days before the “start date” indicated on the I-20. UB’s official start date for Fall 2004 is August 23, 2004 (although it may vary for some majors and summer programs); that means most consulates will only allow you to apply for your visa after May 23, 2004. Some U.S. Consulates may have different application filing dates and deadlines; be sure to check directly with the U.S. Consulate through which you will apply for the F-1 visa.
There is no standard visa processing time; some consulates can review and issue an F-1 visa in as little as one week or less; some consulates may take as long as two months or more. We strongly recommend that you begin the student visa application process as soon as you can. May through August will be the busiest months for issuing student visas; allow enough time to learn about the requirements; allow enough time in the process in case you are called for an interview or must come back a second or third time. Some U.S. Consulates may require a 30-day waiting period so that a background check can be conducted. Do not wait until the last minute!
Most U.S. Consulates require that your passport be valid for at least six months after the date you plan to enter the U.S. For example, if you plan to enter the U.S. on August 23, 2004, most U.S. Consulates will require that your passport be valid at least through February 23, 2005. Even if the U.S. Consulate in your country does not have this requirement, it might be a good idea to make sure that your passport does meet this requirement – we don’t want you to encounter any problems when you attempt to enter the U.S. If you arrive in the U.S. with a passport that is valid for less than six months, the immigration officer at the Port of Entry has the right to deny your admission to the U.S. and send you back home. Check your passport now – better to be safe than sorry.
Most U.S. Consulates have very strict requirements about how you can submit your visa application form and documents. Some have a “drop box”; some require that you mail the application; some require that you use a visa service or authorized travel agent. Follow the instructions provided by the U.S. Consulate in your country.
Most U.S. Consulates do not accept letters or faxes sent to them directly from UB. We will not be able to honor requests for letters of support sent on your behalf. The merits of your visa application will be determined by your own efforts and your own documents.
» What do visa officers look for when you apply for an F-1 student visa?
1. They must be sure that you have the ability and intention to be a full-time student in the program and school to which you have been accepted.
You will demonstrate this by presenting your Certificate of Visa Eligibility (the I-20 Form or the DS-2019 Form for J-1 visas) and your official university acceptance letter. The consulate may also require that you present documents showing scholastic preparation: academic transcripts (with above average grades), TOEFL score reports, and standardized test scores (SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc.). Sometimes the U.S. Consulate asks to see documents that the university did not require; this is their right – they can do this; that’s why it’s always a good idea to have taken the typical standardized tests even if not required by UB. They may also check to see if you are prepared, in their opinion, to successfully complete your studies for the major to which you have been admitted. So if they doubt that you will succeed at UB in the major/department you indicated, they can reject your visa application.
2. They must be sure that you have adequate financial resources to pay for all of your studies and living expenses while in the U.S. without needing to work while in the U.S.
You will demonstrate sufficient financial resources by showing the visa officer your financial documents.
If you’re receiving a scholarship and/or an assistantship, be sure that your award letter is printed on official university department letterhead paper; if it’s not, contact your department immediately to request this. The visa officer will expect these letters to be printed on university letterhead paper.
If you’re documenting your own finances (from your personal funds, your family’s, or another sponsor’s), check with the U.S. Consulate in your country to see what forms of documentation they require. Some consulates require bank statements, past tax statements, company letters, employment contracts, etc. Some consulates require that you show evidence of funds for all years of study; some require evidence of only one year; some require that you actually bring a bank draft for the amount listed on the I-20. Check with the U.S. Consulate to see what you must bring. Then be absolutely sure that the documents are prepared and presented in exactly the manner required (for example, if they say “original only,” that means original only – no copies, no certified copies, no notarized copies, etc.).
3. They must be sure that you intend to go to the U.S. only to study; they must be sure that you have no intention of working; they must be sure that you do not intend to immigrate to the U.S.
This is the tough one! The U.S. Consular visa officers are required by law to begin with the presumption that visa applicants intend to immigrate to the U.S. and that they should therefore reject your visa application. The consular visa officers are supposed to issue the student visa only if they are persuaded beyond any doubt that you do not intend to immigrate; they must be 100% convinced you are going to the U.S. only to study, that you will not work, and that you will return to your home country after completing your studies.
You will attempt to document your intentions of returning home by showing that you have “strong ties” to your home country and legitimate, self-serving reasons to return home after graduation. “Strong ties” to your home country are things that bind you to your home town or homeland: future job, family, financial prospects, property that you will inherit, investments, etc. You will need to explain how you will gain the education and talent to succeed in jobs that are in high demand in your country. You will need to show that you are a familial son or daughter and will feel obligated to return home after graduation. If the visa officer thinks that you may work or stay in the U.S. after graduation, your student visa may be rejected.
Some U.S. Consulates may require a personal interview as part of the visa application process.
»If you are required to have a personal interview, what can you expect?
The interview will almost always be conducted in English.

The interview will be very short (probably 2 – 3 minutes).
Usually no other family members, friends or representatives can attend the interview with you.

The visa officer will render his/her decision immediately when the interview is finished.

» What does the visa officer expect from you?
Honesty.
Short and direct answers; not a memorized speech.

Good English proving that you have the necessary language skills to succeed in a competitive university in the U.S.

Documents that are in proper order as specified in the consulate’s instructions.

» What kinds of questions might you expect in an interview?
What is/was your high school (secondary school) GPA (grade point average)?
Graduate students: What is/was your university GPA?

Did you apply to local universities?

If not, why not?

If yes, why aren’t you going to a local university?

How many U.S. schools did you apply to?

How many U.S. schools accepted you?

Why did you apply to UB?

Did you do a lot of research about UB?

What’s so good about UB?

Why did you choose UB?

Name five things about UB that made you decide to choose UB.

Why didn’t you choose the other universities?

Why did you choose UB over the other universities?

What do you want to study? or What’s your major?

Why are you choosing this major?

What do you expect to get out of your education?

What’s the job scope (job market) for this major?

Do you intend to stay in the U.S. after graduation and work?

Would you like to stay in the U.S. after graduation in order to work?

Do you have any family in the U.S.?

Do you have examples of any family that studied in the U.S. and then returned home (to your home country)?

Does your family own any homes, businesses or property in the U.S.?

Does your family have any funds (bank accounts, money markets, stocks, etc.) in the U.S.?

How do you and your family intend to finance your education in the U.S.?

Don’t memorize your answers; rather prepare well and give short, direct answers.
You can see that most of these questions attempt to check and verify your academic intentions, how serious you are about your academic decisions, and your true intention of staying in the U.S. or returning home. Think about these questions carefully so that you can answer quickly and with confidence.

Final tips
Come to the interview well groomed and dressed neatly (but a suit or formal dress is not required).

Come to the interview prepared with all of the forms and documents as specified in the consulate’s instructions.

Have all of your documents organized neatly and logically. If the visa officer asks for a specific academic document, test score or financial document, you should be able to pull it from your file/organizer quickly. If you have to hunt through a stack of papers, the visa officer will think you are disorganized and hence not serious about your academic future.

Be prepared for quick, rapid-fire questions from the visa officer.

Keep your answers short and direct.

Practice your conversational English. Speak clearly (enunciate!) and with the appropriate volume.

Do not argue. Maintain a positive attitude. Be friendly and courteous.
The outcome of your interview depends on your answers, how well prepared you are, and some luck. So prepare well and hope for some luck!

8 Easy Ways to Optimize Your Website

Traffic from search engines is widely considered the best (and cheapest) way to generate traffic to your site. The increasing popularity of search engines has led to the development of a whole industry that revolves around ways to "optimize" websites.

The end result is that many people now think that only "professionals" can help their website rank high within search engines. But, the truth is that anyone can structure their site so they rank high for many keywords.

Below, I have listed 8 simple steps that you can take to optimize your web pages. By following these, you will improve your chances of increasing your rankings:

1) Target one word for each page: A huge mistake that many beginners make is cramming numerous keywords onto every page. Instead of doing this, you should focus on one specific keyword for each page. That way, you can make sure that the page is focusing on that one word without any distractions. If you want to target multiple keywords then it is necessary to create a separate page for each.

2) List your major keywords in the links back to your site: Many search engines, Google being the most famous, have started to take into account the words that are mentioned in the title tag of the links that point to your site. So, a great way to improve your rankings for your keywords is to place it in the title tag.

3) Make your first 100 words on the page keyword rich: Another mistake that most webmasters make is to have a menu on the left-hand side of a website. Since search engines primarily focus on the first 100 words of a website, a left side menu is a misuse of valuable space.

Instead of doing this, you should have your title, description and web copy within the first 100 words of your site. An easy way to do this is to have your menu on the right instead of the standard left-hand side.

But, since the left-handed menu is now commonplace, you can also choose to put your first 100 words above the left-handed menu, so this text will be the first thing read on your website.

4) Insert the keyword into your title tag: In the source code of most pages are "header tags" (also known as Meta tags), which help search engines understand the content of the page.

To fully optimize your website, you can tweak the source code of the page. The first step is to insert the keyword in the title tag. (This is what is shown in the results of a search engine when your site is listed)

5) Insert your keywords in the description tag: The description Meta tag is almost as valuable as the title tag. The information in this tag is listed directly below the title tag in search engine results. As a result, a good description can make your website stand out from other listings. To get the prospect to click on your site, it is important to write a snappy description while using your keyword.

6) Insert them into your keywords tag: Like the title and description tags, keyword tags are used to help search engines understand the content of your web page. Although this Meta tag has become less popular, it doesn't hurt to put your keywords here.

7) Place your keyword in the header: When writing the actual text of your site, the first part should be the headline. Whenever a search engine scans your site, it rates all words in the headline as being more important then the rest of the web copy. To take advantage of this, you should have your keyword in the page headline. But, since the header tag (h1) is quite large, you should format it so that it is smaller.

8) Write your keyword enriched web copy: Now that you have set up the structure of your page, you can write your web copy. While creating the text, you want to include the majority of the keywords at the top and the bottom of the page. In addition, the keyword should be included a few times in the middle. Basically, the common saying is that the keyword density should resemble an hour glass shape.

The total web copy of your page should be about 300-500 words. Also, the keyword should be included about 5-12% of the total words of the page. The percentage varies according to each search engine, so you might want to play around till you find the best results.

If you follow all these steps, you will definitely see an improvement in the search engine rankings for your keywords. The best part is that you do not have to spend any money on the expensive search engine optimizers!

Resume

Top Ten Technical Resume Writing Tips

1.) List your technical knowledge first, in an organized way. Your technical strengths must stand out clearly at the beginning of your resume. Ultimately, your resume is going to be read by a thoughtful human being, but before it gets to that point it often has to be categorized by an administrative clerk, and make its way past various sorts of key word searches. Therefore, you should list as many directly relevant buzz words as you can which reflect your knowledge and experience. List all operating systems and UNIX flavors you know. List all programming languages and platforms with which you're experienced. List all software you are skilled with. Make it obvious at a glance where your strengths lie - whether the glance is from a hiring manager, a clerk, or a machine.

2.) List your qualifications in order of relevance, from most to least. Only list your degree and educational qualifications first if they are truly relevant to the job for which you are applying. If you've already done what you want to do in a new job, by all means, list it first, even if it wasn't your most recent job. Abandon any strict adherence to a chronological ordering of your experience.

3.) Quantify your experience wherever possible. Cite numerical figures, such as monetary budgets/funds saved, time periods/efficiency improved, lines of code written/debugged, numbers of machines administered/fixed, etc. which demonstrate progress or accomplishments due directly to your work.

4.) Begin sentences with action verbs. Portray yourself as someone who is active, uses their brain, and gets things done. Stick with the past tense, even for descriptions of currently held positions, to avoid confusion.

5.) Don't sell yourself short. This is by far the biggest mistake of all resumes, technical and otherwise. Your experiences are worthy for review by hiring managers. Treat your resume as an advertisement for you. Be sure to thoroughly "sell" yourself by highlighting all of your strengths. If you've got a valuable asset which doesn't seem to fit into any existing components of your resume, list it anyway as its own resume segment.

6.) Be concise. As a rule of thumb, resumes reflecting five years or less experience should fit on one page. More extensive experience can justify usage of a second page. Consider three pages (about 15 years or more experience) an absolute limit. Avoid lengthy descriptions of whole projects of which you were only a part. Consolidate action verbs where one task or responsibility encompasses other tasks and duties. Minimize usage of articles (the, an, a) and never use "I" or other pronouns to identify yourself.

7.) Omit needless items. Leave all these things off your resume: social security number, marital status, health, citizenship, age, scholarships, irrelevant awards, irrelevant associations and memberships, irrelevant publications, irrelevant recreational activities, a second mailing address ("permanent address" is confusing and never used), references, reference of references ("available upon request"), travel history, previous pay rates, previous supervisor names, and components of your name which you really never use (i.e. middle names).

8.) Have a trusted friend review your resume. Be sure to pick someone who is attentive to details, can effectively critique your writing, and will give an honest and objective opinion. Seriously consider their advice. Get a third and fourth opinion if you can.

9.) Proofread, proofread, proofread. Be sure to catch all spelling errors, grammatical weaknesses, unusual punctuation, and inconsistent capitalizations. Proofread it numerous times over at least two days to allow a fresh eye to catch any hidden mistakes.

10.)Laser print it on plain, white paper. Handwriting, typing, dot matrix printing, and even ink jet printing look pretty cheesy. Stick with laser prints. Don't waste your money on special bond paper, matching envelopes, or any color deviances away from plain white. Your resume will be photocopied, faxed, and scanned numerous times, defeating any special paper efforts, assuming your original resume doesn't first end up in the circular file.

Change the Menu Show Delay (All Windows)

Windows normally delays menus before they are displayed. For regular users this delay can become annoying, with this setting you to change the delay time or remove it altogether.

Open your registry and find the key below.

Create a new string value, or modify the existing value, named 'MenuShowDelay' and set it to equal the delay you would like before the menus are shown as a time in milliseconds.

Log off or restart Windows for the change to take effect.

Settings:
User Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
Name: MenuShowDelay
Type: REG_SZ (String Value)
Value: 0-999 (milliseconds)

Choosing a Projector Brand

Mitsubishi Projectors
Relax. Mitsubishi has taken the worry out of your next presentation. In fact Mitsubishi´s user-friendly business and home theater projectors are so easy and reliable to operate; you can focus your undivided attention on the audience, not the projector.
With Mitsubishi projectors, you have added peace of mind knowing you are partnering with the industry leader in both business and home theater projection technology, recognized worldwide for innovation, impeccable projector performance and durability. Plus, your Mitsubishi projector is protected by a three-year parts and labor warranty and toll-free technical support available seven days a week. For most Mitsubishi projector models, Mitsubishi offers a three-year Emergency Roadside Assistance program providing a free replacement projector delivered next business day.

A Mitsubishi-exclusive, Natural Color Matrix is the patented, award-winning color adjustment system that enables Mitsubishi's LCD projectors to produce the most vibrant and realistic colors no other projectors can match. Natural Color Matrix enables the projector to closely match color of the original source material such as photographs, graphics, corporate logos, and many more.

Toshiba Projectors
Toshiba's conference room projectors integrate a large array of features designed to empower the business professionals, including wireless connectivity and a special document camera that allows users to display integral 3-D objects, fine print text or photographic images and samples to create powerful multimedia presentations.

The document camera available on many Toshiba projectors is an industry-exclusive feature that makes Toshiba projectors a perfect choice for educators, trainers, lawyers and even many business professionals.
Toshiba projectors also feature unique Natural Color Enhancer color correction circuitry, which delivers greatly improved image quality for sharp, bright, vivid and captivating images.

If you would like the added benefit of a projector with a document camera, Toshiba projectors are your best (and only) option.

Sanyo Projectors
Sanyo projectors are arguably the best value of projector on the market. Sanyo builds more data/video projectors than any other manufacturer and as a result can provide customers with a wide range of projectors at a reasonable price. Sanyo's commitment to engineering and research and development puts them at the forefront of projector firsts and innovative designs.

Sanyo also confidently provides one of the longest projector warranties in the industry: 3 years. All Sanyo data/video projectors carry a three-year warranty on parts and labor and a 90-day warranty on the lamp. In the unlikely event that a Sanyo projector needs warranty service, Sanyo's Quick Return Program (QRP) typically provides a fast 24-to-72-hour turnaround time for repairs. Sanyo even pays for the freight.

If you're in the market for a reliable projector, a Sanyo projector will give you a high quality data/video projector backed by a solid three-year warranty at a reasonable price.

3 Steps To Better Digital Prints

1. Watch the resolution - Remember that in order to get a quality print, you'll need to have the DPI to back it up. The "Dots Per Inch" - pixels if you will - are the stuff your photos are made of. If you don't have enough of 'em, you aren't going to get a good print.

As a general guideline, try to keep your resolution between 200-300 DPI. More than 200-300 DPI doesn't hurt, but usually isn't going to improve the image much either (unless you look at your prints with a magnifying glass or something).

If your photo doesn't have the resolution to make the size print you want, consider a smaller print and some nice matting. Don't "force" your photo program to create the extra pixels you need - it just never works very well.

2. Use Good Paper - When printing photos, use a "photo" paper. Generally, the stuff the printer manufactures sell is really good. It's designed to be used with the ink in your printer and will almost always give great results.

If you don't want to fork over the big bucks for the paper from your printer manufacturer, there are some good alternatives out there. For instance, I've had a lot of luck with various papers from Kodak, and I have a friend who's had great results with Office Depot photo paper (really). It usually takes a bit of experimentation to get the printer settings (paper, color, etc) just so, but once you have it, these alternative papers do look great.

Oh, and if you really wanna get fancy, I've even seen some pricey "fine art" photo papers you may want to consider.

3. Printer Settings - This is the most important of the bunch. When you print a photo, be sure to hit the "Properties" button on your printer dialog box.

The first thing to check is for a "paper type" option. If you're stuffing photo paper into your printer and have plain paper selected. In order to get the best quality, always match your paper type properly!

Next, check the color settings. Some printers give you a ton of options here, some none at all. In my experience, most of the time I just go with the defaults and I'm pretty happy. If you think your photos could look better, by all means use this area to try and enhance 'em.

Here's how my screen looks - your mileage will almost certainly vary:

In conclusion, don't be afraid to experiment. Sure, you'll go through some photo paper in the process, but discovering the best print settings will be worth it. Besides, once you find the ideal match between paper, resolution, and printer settings you'll be able to repeat it all the time.

3 Steps To Better Digital Prints

3 simple steps you can take to get better prints from your digital photos...

Oh, and if you really wanna get fancy, I've even seen some pricey "fine art" photo papers you may want to consider.

3. Printer Settings - This is the most important of the bunch. When you print a photo, be sure to hit the "Properties" button on your printer dialog box.

Here's how my screen looks - your mileage will almost certainly vary:

Photography Tips

»Testing a New Camera or a New Film
When testing a new camera or new film, keep a notepad handy to record basic information regarding exposures, apertures, time of day and any other information that will help you remember what you did. Have a proof sheet made along with the prints with your first roll. This way you can review your notes easier and see exposure differences quicker.

» Adding drama to your Image
By incorporating a silhouette in the foreground you can add dimension and drama to your images. Sunsets appear more intense and it gives the viewer a point of reference.

» Look for Patterns
Use patterns of everyday objects to create images of abstract art. When ever you are getting ready to photograph look in the places no one else thought of i.e.; above your head, below, left and right. Sometimes very interesting scenes are right there for you to capture.

» Use the Night
Night scenes can be very exciting. By using long exposures, car headlights and tail lights create a parade of lights in motion. Use a tripod or a stationary surface to set your camera on. Set your aperture at f 8 or f11 and open the lens for 30 to 60 seconds. Experiment with times and f stops to create multiple images.

» The perfect Exposure
If you're taking pictures outside and do not have or forgot your light meter, use the f16 rule to create images with the perfect exposure.
Take the ASA of the film and use that number as your shutter speed.
For example for ASA 200 use 1/250 sec or ASA 400 use 1/400 sec Then set your f stop at f16 on a bright sunny day. Adjust your f stop according to the amount of light i.e. cloudy bright/f11, overcast/f8, heavy overcast/f 5.6
Using this simple guide will help you capture that perfect exposure every time.

» Favorite Accessory
My most valuable piece of equipment is probably the least expensive. It is a bag of rice (bean bag). It is an ideal substitute for those times you don’t feel like carrying a tripod. Its size and weight allows me to take it everywhere.
Most valuable piece of equipment is probably the least expensive. It is a bag of rice (bean bag). It is an ideal substitute for those times you don’t feel like carrying a tripod. Its size and weight allows you to take it everywhere. It conforms to most surfaces and provides protection to the bottom of your camera. You have used it on cars, rocks, handrails, signs, mailboxes, and whatever you can find to suit the situation. It can also be used against vertical columns (such as doorways, sides of buildings, trees, etc.) to stabilize the camera when there is nothing around to set it on.

Instructions
1.) Take too pieces of fabric (make it 1/4" larger on all sides than you need it)... Mine is about 4"x6".

2.) Place the two pieces on top of each other so the inside of the bag is facing out.

3.) Use the sewing machine to stitch around the sides (about a 1/4" in from side) but leave a small opening in the middle of one of the sides.

4.) Turn the bag inside out through the opening.

5.) Add the rice (a small funnel will help).

6.) Sew the opening closed.

I think it took about 30 minutes with almost no sewing experience.

» Dry Mounting
Dry mounting is a process in which a piece of artwork or photograph is pressed and bonded to a foam board by heating an adhesive layer between the artwork and the board.
I highly recommend that you get your prints dry mounted. It will protect them from wrinkling if any humidity is in the air.
I had a few large prints dry mounted at a nationwide craft store. They damaged one in the process, but are very good with giving you options to fix or replace the artwork at their cost. You decide what is best for you. Now I go to a local art and framing shop. It doesn't take as long for him to finish and he charges less.

» Psuedo Mattes
An inexpensive way to get an expensive look is to get the image printed with a border. This will save the extra cost of purchasing a mat. Special order borders can be done in any color. My favorite is simply black with a white trim.

Cleaning the TEMP Directory

One thing that is often overlooked, and can have a negative affect on your computer's performance,
are all the files that are in the TEMP directory. I've had quite a few people ready to get new computers until this was cleaned.

These are easy to clean and slightly different in Win9x and Windows2000 or WindowsXP

Windows98

Open up a DOS prompt

CD \windows\temp (make sure you are in that directory before running the next line.

Run deltree /y *.*

CD \windows

Run del *.tmp (be very careful of the spelling)

Windows2000 / WindowsXP

Go to C:\Documents and Settings\User_Name\Local Settings\Temp (where User_Name is replaced by the person who is logged in)

Delete all the files

CD-ROM

The maximum a floppy disk can contain is 1.44 MB. To play a game with around 200 MB you are stuck with 100 over diskettes. The CD-ROM is a revolutionary invention that allows up to 625 MB at one time. However, it is read only, which means you can't store in anything.

Buttons Fun
Although most CD-ROMs comes with only 2 buttons, do you know you can also skip, play previous track and play the next track as well with a proper combination? Check properly on your instruction manual for additional functions. You just might be surprised what it can do.

Clean Thoroughly
It is important to clean the CR-ROM at least once every month. Get a CD lens cleaner. If possible, choose one with an alcohol solution drop. This should ensure that your CD-ROM will always be able to read properly.

Clean You CDs
It is just as important to clean your CDs often. Why? Because if you have a speck of dust on the surface of one of your CDs, once spinning at high-speed in the drive, the speck of dust is enough to produce scratches on your precious CD.

Running In DOS
One of the common problems with CD-ROMs is unable to access it under DOS. This might be because the protected-mode CD-ROM driver isn't available. You'll need to add the real-mode device driver, usually included with your CD-ROM drive, in CONFIG.SYS and load MSCDEX.EXE, which is available in the Windows\Command folder. You should also make sure both files are on your startup disk.

Run List
Like those cool expensive hi-fi systems, you can customize the run list of your Audio CD, only not with the CD-ROM itself. Use Windows' CD player to customize the run list and you can have your CD running in any track order you like.

Read Ahead
The read ahead buffer is useful to speed up things. Go to Control Panel, System. Click on the Performance tab. Click on the File System... button. On the File System Properties, click on CD-ROM. Make sure you have the fullest cache. Even if you have a CD-ROM with less than Quad speed, just move ahead. You'll be surprised to find your CD-ROM running faster.

CASE CLEANING

The plastic case that houses the PC components can be cleaned with a lint free cloth that has been slightly dampened with water. For stubborn stains, add a little household detergent to the cloth. It is recommended that you never use a solvent cleaner on plastics.

Make sure all vents and air holes are hair and lint free by rubbing a cloth over the holes and vents. It is also helpful to take a vacuum around each of the hole, vents, and crevices on the computer. It is safe to use a standard vacuum when cleaning the outside vents of a computer, however if you need to clean the inside of the computer, use a portable battery powered vacuum to prevent static electricity.

PC BUYING TIPS

INTRODUCTION

This section of Computer Tips is designed to help all users understand and make better decisions when purchasing computer hardware, software and computers.

BUYING LOCATIONS
The buying location can be the first and most costly mistake made by end-users when purchasing a computer or computer equipment. We have listed the main types of locations you will be able to purchase computer equipment or from and what to look out for. Please select one of the below locations you plan on purchasing from.

AUCTIONS
Auctions / On-line auctions are becoming more popular location for people to purchase computer equipment because of the low prices. However there are several things to watch for when buying through auctions.

Scams - On-line auctions are now the number one location where thefts and scams will occur. If at all possible look at the sellers history or profile. Always remember if it sounds to be good to true, it probably is.

Piracy - With the advances in technology it is now possible for anyone to make their own CDs it is possible that you may be buying copied software which is illegal. Ensure that the software you are buying is a authentic copy, documentation is included with the software, and the CD does not appear to be burned. Generally burned CDs will have a unusual color such as green or gold tint. However it is still possible for someone to make CDs which can look like an ordinary CD. Another way of possibly determining if Illegal copy is the price.

On-line Auctions - Companies such as E-bay or Yahoo may provide auctions which other people have the capability of listing products that they are selling. We recommend that if you purchase through an an auction that you only pay by check to prevent possible credit card fraud. If you need to user your credit card consider such options as PayPal.

Return Policy - Ensure that the you verify what the resellers return policy may be incase the device is not functioning or is not compatible with your computer. Extra Note: Generally software cannot be returned to the place of purchase to help prevent software piracy.

Warranty - Verify the warranty on the product insuring that it is either provided by the manufacture of the product or the place of purchase.

INTERNET
With the increase popularity of the Internet it is becoming easier, faster, and cheaper to buy over the Internet however pay close attention to what you are buying.

Security - When buying over the Internet it is generally a good recommendation to ensure the page you are purchasing from offers some type of security. When entering your credit card information look for a small padlock on your browser toolbar indicating that all information entered will have additional security helping to prevent information from being stolen by another entity. If you do not see this icon in the bottom left or mid left of your browser its a good possibility the page does not offer this additional security.

Piracy - With the advances in technology it is now possible for anyone to make their own CDs it is possible that you may be buying copied software which is illegal. Ensure that the software you are buying is a authentic copy, documentation is included with the software, and the the CD does not appear to be burned. Generally burned CDs will have a unusual color such as green or gold tint (unfortunately you will not be able to see the CD until bought). However it is still possible for someone to make CDs which can look like an ordinary CD.

Warranty - Verify the warranty on the product insuring that it is either provided by the manufacture of the product or the place of purchase.

E-mail receipt - Generally most companies will provide you with a e-mail confirming that they have received your order. Keep this e-mail until your product has arrived.

LOCAL RETAILER
A Local Retailer is one of the safest location to buy computer hardware and software. However issues can still arise be sure to watch out for the following.

Incorrect Information - Unfortunately good help can be hard to find. Its possible for representatives to give you incorrect or false information either to help the sell or because they representative may not know all of the required information. If the sells rep says that a certain hardware device is capable of something see if they can demonstrate it to help certify their claim.

Warranty - Verify the warranty on the product insuring that it is either provided by the manufacture of the product or the place of purchase.

MAIL ORDER
Mail order is sometimes considered an unsafe location to purchase your computer software and or hardware from. However taking the correct steps can help prevent issues from occurring.

Company information - Ensure that the company provides a valid phone number. Allowing you to speak directly with someone if required.

Company - Try determining how long the company has been in business. There have been several mail order companies which have packed up and left overnight leaving you without anyone to contact.

Warranty - Verify the warranty on the product insuring that it is either provided by the manufacture of the product or the place of purchase.

Optic fiber

Learn more about Fiber Optic
Third-generation digital fiber optic products offer a unique advantage compared to older analog transmission products and copper-based systems: Performance consistency. Regardless of the fiber cable length used, the base band video and audio performance will always be high fidelity and deliver consistent performance throughout the system.

Point-to-multipoint distribution of AV signals can be easily achieved using digital fiber technology. Topologies can be as complex or as simple as necessary. Because the baseband AV signals are never processed during distribution, they don't undergo any of the distortions during transmission that are common in traditional copper-based distribution technologies.

A common misconception of fiber is that it's fragile, although normal PVC-jacketed fiber is actually very rugged. It has a relatively tight bend radius, which is better than Cat6, and can be subjected to normal abuse in a typical staging installation. Because fiber optic cable uses Kevlar as part of its construction, it can withstand a lot of abuse without breaking the internal glass fiber.

It's often necessary to convert from multimode to single-mode fiber during a transmission. This can easily be done if the transmission uses digital signaling. A one-in, one-out, active optical distribution amplifier can be configured to perform the conversion without any degradation to the baseband signals being transmitted.

If you have an existing fiber optic installation that needs to be upgraded, consider replacing all of the existing transmitters and receivers with new digital multiplexers. You'll not only improve the quality of your transmissions with state-of-the-art products, but will send more signals over fewer fibers, freeing up existing fibers for future applications.

When considering the expense of using fiber compared to coax or copper for AV distribution, look at the cost of all the elements of installation, including the cost of cable, installation labor, conduit, cable routing, setup, and support time. When you factor in all these hidden but real costs, you'll see that the economic and technical benefits of fiber go beyond long distance signal transmission.

In determining the maximum distance that can be communicated over fiber cable, the optical loss budget, which the hardware manufacturer specifies in dB, must not be exceeded. In almost all AV installations, most of the optical loss comes from connectors, splices, patch cords, and panels, rather than from the actual fiber. Keep this in mind when designing your system.

A unique characteristic of fiber optic cable transmission is its complete immunity to picking up stray signals. Because there is no metallic content in fiber cable, it doesn't act like an antenna. Therefore, signals from radio transmitters, electric motors, walkie-talkies, and other similar devices won't interfere with video, audio, and data being transmitted through the fiber.

ave you ever wished that you could simply connect two boxes in the field and have an instant connection? With digital fiber optic transmission systems, you'll get your wish. No adjustments are required to compensate for signal levels or varying transmission distances. Regardless of fiber length, digital systems deliver crystal clear video and audio.

One of the greatest enemies of fiber optic communications is something that often can't be seen. Minute particles of dirt and dust located on fiber connectors can act like a window shade blocking light. Before performing a termination, always clean the tip of a fiber connector with alcohol and a lint-free wipe.

If you're installing fiber cable in a permanent installation, it pays to install single-mode fiber instead of multimode fiber. Why? The higher bandwidth and signal-carrying capacity of single-mode fiber is something you'll certainly want to use in the future. Multimode fiber may be adequate for today's needs, but single-mode fiber will make the cost worthwhile over time.

Did you know that fiber optic cable is the lowest cost cable type for AV applications? It's less expensive than CAT-5, 5e, 6 and even the new no-skew UTP, and is significantly less expensive than coax. A single fiber strand can carry as much information as a multiple high-resolution coax bundle, and now fiber is as easy to terminate as coax.

Are you considering fiber for a future installation but nervous about performing terminations in the field? Today's fiber is as easy to terminate as BNCs on COAX. New field termination kits completely eliminate the need for grinding, polishing and the use of epoxy. And an easy-to-use jig guarantees precision alignment every time. The 2003 Fiber-Ed.com World Tour may be coming your way soon! To learn all about digital fiber optics for the pro AV market, including a lesson on how to terminate fiber, click here.

One of the great advantages of fiber, compared to copper transmission, is the ability to communicate video, audio and data bi-directionally over one fiber. One technique called Wave Division Multiplexing (WDM) uses one wavelength of light to send the signal in one direction and a different wavelength for the reverse path. No, the lights don't interfere with each other inside the fiber and they are easily combined and separated at each end.

Exploiting the capacity of fiber is done using a technique called Digital Multiplexing. Here, we digitize many video, audio and/or data signals and combine them into one high-speed data stream. This multiplexed stream is then sent on one wavelength over the fiber cable.
At the optical receiver, the process is reversed and the original signals are recovered for the user. Enormous capacity is achieved compared to alternate copper-based technologies.

The link budget is the one parameter in fiber optic system design that is the most important, but often overlooked. Measured in dB, it's the maximum amount of optical signal loss that can be tolerated between the transmitter and the receiver and is specified by the equipment manufacturer. In AV systems, it's not the fiber cable that is the biggest contributor to this loss. Rather, it's all the mechanical connections and the unseen enemy: dirt and dust. Keep your connections clean!

What's the difference between single-mode and multimode fiber? Single-mode fiber now costs no more than multimode fiber and offers many advantages, including much greater signal capacity and longer transmission distance. Fiber optic products designed for use with single-mode fiber cost more due to the optics required to pass light through the thinner fiber core. However, the use of single-mode fiber provides for more utilization over time in permanent installations.

Digital fiber optics provide great flexibility when designing signal distribution topologies for point-to-multipoint pro AV systems. Daisy-chaining and use of digital optical distribution amplifiers eliminate the need for costly home-runs to each endpoint. Plus, all digital signaling guarantees that uniform quality will be provided to each display, regardless of its distance from the source.

Lightweight, easy to handle, flexible and thin, the unobtrusive nature of fiber makes it ideal for staging applications. It can be tucked almost anywhere, making it practically invisible to audiences. However, fiber isn't delicate. Whether bent, pulled or crushed, fiber can stand up to the most rugged wear and tear any staging environment can offer.

Lower cost of Plenum-rated fiber compared to plenum-rated copper: Fire regulations require the use of plenum-rated cable. That's usually a 100 percent premium cost over standard coax and CAT-5 cables. Not so with fiber. Plenum-rated fiber cable only carries a 10% premium or less over standard PVC cable. That's a real savings!

Did you know that one of the key benefits of using digital fiber optics for signal distribution is guaranteed signal consistency over the entire transmission path? Over short or long distances, video, audio and data signals arrive at their destination in the same pristine quality as they originated. Digital fiber optic technology eliminates noise, crosstalk and non-linear distortions, and best of all; it does so for the same price or less than analog systems of yesterday.

One of the unique properties of fiber optic transmission is its security. Fiber does not radiate any of the signals it communicates the way copper based transmissions do. It cannot be proximity monitored nor cause interference to any adjacent electronic equipment. Sensitive
military and corporate applications are now widely deploying fiber for even the shortest transmission distances.

Low Cost of Fiber: Did you know fiber optic cable is the lowest cost cable type for A/V? It's less expensive than CAT-5, 5e, 6 and even the new "no-skew" UTP and significantly less expensive than coax. A single fiber strand can carry as much information as a multiple hi-res coax bundle and now fiber is as easy to terminate as coax.

Auto-Dial Internet Connections (Win98)

If Win98 is not automatically dialing your Internet Connection:

Open up the Dial Up Networking box
Click on Connections / Settings
Uncheck Prompt for information before dialing

A Sharper Angle

I'm showing my age here, but years ago you couldn't display Excel text at an angle. Now, angled text is a simple format. Right-click the cell that contains the text you want to display at an angle. Next, select Format Cells from the context menu, and then click the Alignment tab.

To the right of the dialog box, you'll see the Orientation options. If you want a vertical label, click the thin box on the left--it displays the word Text as a vertical label. The control next to the vertical option allows you to drag the text angle line to indicate the desired angle. Or if you prefer, you can simply enter the angle value in the Degrees control.

Mobile code

To check the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) Type

*#06#

Information you get from the IMEI-

XXXXXX XX XXXXXX X

TAC FAC SNR SP

TAC = Type approval code

FAC = Final assembly code

SNR = Serial number

SP = Spare

To check the phones Software revision Type

*#0000#

Information you get from the Software revision-

V 05.31

18-02-99

NSE-3

1ST Line = Software revision

2ND Line = The date of the software release

3RD Line = Phone type

To enter the service menu type

*#92702689# (*#WAR0ANTY#)

Serial number (IMEI)

Production date (MM/YY)

Purchase date (MM/YY) You can only enter the date once.

Date of last repair (0000=No repair)

Transfer user data to another Nokia phone via Infra-Red

Clock Stopping

To check weather your SIM Card supports clock stopping type-

*#746025625# (*#SIM0CLOCK#)

Revealing the Headphone and Car-Kit menus

Please note that if you do these next tricks, the new menus can't be erased without restoring the factory default settings. To do these tricks you need to short-circuit the pins on the bottom of the phone next to where you plug in you charger.

1. To activate the "Headset" menu, you need to short-circuit pins "3" and "4". After a short time the word "Headset" will be shown in the display. Menu 3-6 is now enabled.

2. To activate the "Car" menu, you need to short-circuit pins "4" and "5". After a short time the word "Car" will be shown in the display. Menu 3-7 is now enabled.

THE REBOOT TRICK

This should work on all software versions of the 6110.

1. Go to the Calendar (Menu-8)

2. Make a note or reminder.

3. Enter some text into the edit box.

4. Hold "Clear" until the whole text is cleared, then press "Back".

5. Press "0". The main screen will now be showing but a space appears on the screen. (you can't see it)

6. Enter 4 digits (e.g. 1234).

7. Use the down arrow to move the cursor to the left side of the numbers and the space (Down arrow twice).

8. Now enter 6 digits and press the call button.

Wait for a few seconds, the screen should start to flash and reboots. It should also work on other menus like the "Profiles" menu.

EFR CALL QUALITY

To activate EFR (Enhanced Full Rate) Enter the code-

*3370#

This improves call quality but decreases battery life by about 5%

To deactivate it, Enter the code-

#3370#

THE JAMES BOND TRICK

If you short-circuit the left middle and right pins on the bottom of the phone with all connections touching each other, the Nokia software hangs! The profile "Headset" will be activated. Before you do this just activate the "Automatic Answer" in the headset profile and set the ringing volume to "Mute". Now you can use your phone for checking out what people are talking about in a room. Just place it under a table in a room and call it. The phone receives the call without ringing and you can listen to what people are saying.

NETWORK MONITOR

There is a hidden menu inside your Nokia phone. If you want to activate it, you'll have to re-program some chips inside of your phone.

1. Check your software version. You can only continue if you have v4.33, v4.73 or v5.24.

2. Take apart the phone.

3. De-solder the EEPROM (ATMEL AT 24C64).

4. Read out the data with an EEPROM programmer and save it to a file (Backup).

5. If you have v.33 or v4.73, change the address "03B8" from "00" to "FF".

6. If you have v5.24 then change the address "0378" from "00" to "FF".

7. Write the new data to the EEPROM and solder it back to the phone,

8. Power on your phone and you should have "Netmonitor" enabled.

The Network Monitor gives you the following information.

Carrier number

MS RX Level in DBM

Received signal quality

MS TX power level

C1 (Path loss criterion, used for cell selection and reselection). The range is -99 to 99.

RTL (Radio link timeout).

Timeslot

Indication of the transmitter status

Information on the Network parameters.

TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity).

Cell identification (Cell ID, Number of cells being used).

MCC (Mobile country code)

MCN (Mobile network code)

LAC (Location area code)

Ciphering (On/Off)

Hopping (On/Off)

DTX (On/Off)

Discard cell barred information

80% of All Advertising Is Wasted Due To This Common Mistake

You're flipping through this publication as you wait for your latte, when suddenly you decide to stop and read an ad. What made you stop? I'll bet it was an attention grabbing headline.

It is a scientifically proven fact that 5 times as many people read headlines as read the body copy of an ad. So with the headline, an advertiser has spent about 80% of their advertising dollar. It doesn't take a genius to realize then the headline is the most important part of any ad.

Yet, most small business advertising is wasted for lack of an effective headline or, worse yet, no headline at all. Don't make this same mistake.
The headline is the first thing that your reader or prospect sees when they open your letter, browse a magazine, or flip your postcard. In that moment, (about 3 seconds) your reader decides whether or not to read any farther.

So first and foremost, any advertisement you produce must have a headline and your headline must grab your reader's attention immediately. If you don't grab them by the throat and hold them right away, you never will.

Writing powerful headlines takes some hard work but it can be done if you follow some simple guidelines.

1. Your headline should give the reader a reason to stop and read now instead of later - a carefully chosen word or two can create urgency

2. Your headline should communicate something the reader considers valuable - they need to be able to justify the time spent reader your ad

3. Your headline should scream how you might offer something that is unique or at least interesting

4. Your headline should point to something very specific for the reader - use facts and how to's

Using these points as a guide to create your headlines allows you to create headlines that hook your reader quickly, offers them a benefit they want, and gives them a reason to read on.

Never use boring, conventional or overused statements and never use a headline to trick your reader into looking on.

Attention Getting Power Words for Your Headlines

Look at powerful headlines and you will see that many contain one or more of the following words that sell.
Discover Easy Free New Proven Save Results Introducing
At Last Guarantee Bargain Easy Quick Sale Why How To
Just Arrived Now Announcing

Start of by writing some headlines that clearly communicate your promise, benefit or USP. Then look for ways to make them even more powerful by adding a power word or two and checking if they contain at least 3 of the guidelines provided above

Lap top

The Latest Laptop Computers Information and News

Laptop and notebook computers are certainly here to stay. Today's laptop and notebook computers are sleek, slim, and packed with ultimate computing power. With a laptop or notebook computer, users can travel all over the globe, hook into an internet connection, and instantly be connected back home.

ISP Web Hosting

Web Site Size

Even ISPs have only so much disk space available. A typical ISP provider will include with each account between 5 MB and 250 MB of disk space for ISP web hosting. These size restrictions are put in place to ensure that ISP service does not deteriorate. While 5 - 250 MB may seem like nothing when home computers come with so much more disk space, remember that space directly connected to the Internet on a Web server is a significantly more valuable shared resource. Usually the hardware providing the space is of a higher quality than the hardware used in home computers and features better redundancy and error correction capabilities.

HTML and XHTML
HTML stands for Hypertext Mark-up Language. XHTML is the more modern version (the X means extensible). Bluntly XHTML is the language of the Web. ISP Web hosting is primarily the serving of XHTML (and related CSS) documents. When a computer anywhere in the world contacts a Web site, the ISP provider who hosts it delivers the requested XHTML documents on command.

UNIX versus MS-Windows
When checking ISP providers, one of the first ISP Web hosting related choices that come up is "UNIX or MS-Windows". This refers to the operating system that the Web server itself runs on. While many can endlessly debate the virtues and vices of UNIX versus MS-Windows for various applications, in a Web serving environment things are a little clearer. Web site viewers cannot tell the difference, so they are not even a consideration. In terms of software, Apache is the most popular Web server application for static content, and it runs better on UNIX. Zope is probably the most powerful Web framework for dynamic content, and it runs better on UNIX. The majority of the Web is served by UNIX.

Apache
Apache is the most popular Web server for ISP Web hosting. It is more popular than all the others combined, and most ISPs offer it as an ISP service. Apache is free software, and is thus also the most common Web server used for free Web hosting as well as being the most common server used for commercial Web hosting. Apache is geared primarily toward the fast serving of static Web pages, but it also includes SSI to provide basic dynamic Web page capabilities. Apache is maintained by the Apache Software Foundation.

Zope
Zope stands for Z-Object Publishing Environment, and it is quite probably the most capable dynamic Web server. It is fast and can be used to create anything from simple dynamic Web sites to complex Web applications. Most agree that the primary drawback with Zope is a lack of documentation. It is an uncommon ISP service, and you should verify with an ISP that Zope is one of their ISP web hosting options prior to making a commitment. Zope is supported by the Zope Corporation, and a list of Zope Service Providers is available.

Free Web Space
Many ISPs provide a free home page facility as part of their standard connection package. These free accounts usually provide both limited bandwidth and storage capacity, and generally prohibit anything other than personal use. While free, they're a lesser product and a lot more restrictive than standard ISP web site hosting. Ordinary ISP web hosting packages offer more, but at additional cost. This is an area in which ISPs compete for features, so be sure to compare the home page ISP web hosting facilities provided for free prior to choosing your ISP.

Web Audio Formats
There are dozens of audio formats. Unfortunately there is no audio format that all Web browsers can consistently play, so the pros and cons for each must be weighed before uploading to an ISP Web hosting account. The simple audio format (AU) will work with most browsers without extra software (even on some handheld computers) if it is restricted to mono sound. MP3, WAV, and AIFF will work on the next largest number of computers without extra software. MIDI files will work on most computers, but they require that a MIDI library be installed, and different MIDI libraries mean that the same audio file can sound different on different machines. MOD, SID, and OGG files will work on pretty much every machine, but each requires special plug-ins. This is all regardless of ISP service and ISP provider; it is a property of the Web browsers themselves.

FOAF
FOAF stands for Friend of a Friend. FOAF metadata is a special subcategory of RDF metadata used heavily by bloggers. It is used to map out a social network among Web sites and generally make the Web a more human-friendly place. Most (although not all) blog-focused ISP Web hosting packages offer decent FOAF support as a standard ISP service. FOAF support will vary from non-blog-focused ISP provider to provider. By its nature it is really mostly useful for personal home pages.

CSS
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. Basic XHTML files are generally boring to look at. CSS files work with XHTML files to give Web sites style and pizzazz. Each XHTML document is usually associated with one or more CSS documents that govern its appearance in different circumstances. Multiple XHTML files can share a single CSS file, making for faster downloading. ISP Web hosting consists largely of delivering XHTML and CSS documents to other computers on demand, and ISP Web design consists largely of creating elaborate CSS files.

Dynamic Web Hosting
There are a few dynamic ISP Web site hosting technologies to consider when shopping around for ISP services. The most common (ordered very roughly from least to most capable) include Active Server Pages (ASP), Server Side Includes (SSI), PHP Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), WebObjects, Java Server Pages (JSP), and the Z-Object Publishing Environment (Zope). Each has advantages, and each has disadvantages. Most ISPs do not offer all six. It's important to consider each before selecting an ISP.

RDF
RDF stands for Resource Description Framework. Metadata is data about the data container itself; so a book about dogs may feature data about various dog species, etc., and metadata about the author, publisher, copyright, etc. RDF metadata provides a standardized way that a Web site can provide the world information about itself. Better ISP Web hosting (and ISP Web design) will provide RDF metadata files in addition to XHTML and CSS files. RDF metadata is one of the primary components of the semantic Web, and while it is not required a good ISP provider will use it (even the occasional free ISP uses it).

Free Home Pages
There are some companies that provide free Web hosting, but there are usually strings attached. If you're looking for full service providers, forget the free Web hosting accounts. Likewise, if you don't want someone else's advertisements on your Web site, don't bother looking at the free Web site hosting services. If you're trying to set up a business Web site, don't even think about such free services -- just arrange for some real ISP Web hosting.

Web Site Bandwidth
Every ISP provider has to consider bandwidth as part of its ISP Web hosting packages, as bandwidth costs them money. Bandwidth is the water for ISP's plumbing. Bigger pipes can deliver more of it, but are more expensive to set up and maintain. Likewise, there is also a cost per volume delivered. More popular Web sites require more bandwidth. Personal sites and local sites require less bandwidth. When a site's bandwidth limits have been reached, it will usually become unavailable (or at least very slow).

Static versus Dynamic
There are two primary types of ISP Web site hosting technologies that you should be aware of: static and dynamic. Almost all ISPs offer static hosting services. Static Web pages don't change unless somebody changes them -- either you or the ISP. Dynamic pages can change themselves to some extent. Be sure to check whether or not an ISP can provide dynamic Web hosting when comparing ISP Web hosting services.

Web Applications
A Web application is the ultimate dynamic Web site. It's a new ISP technology that can work with user input to an unprecedented level -- even though it loads like a Web page and is accessed from a Web browser; it behaves like a locally installed software application. It's beyond the level of a typical ISP Web hosting package, so if you need such functionality you'll have to be careful in selecting an ISP provider. Typically such an ISP service will have to be built upon something like Zope, .NET, and/or XUL, and will utilize something like SOAP or XML-RPC to communicate with clients. You will probably not be able to find a free ISP with Web application capabilities.

Adding New Domain Suffixes to Internet Explorer’s Search Capability

Here is a great way to extend Internet Explorer's autosearch functionality. Normally, when you type a single keyword on the Address line in IE and hit enter, it'll search for the .com, .edu, then .org registrations until it finds a match. Well, you can edit and add to that list! You'll need to dive into the registry, so this is for advanced users ONLY: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\UrlTemplate. From there, you can arrange the numbers to your liking as well as add different domain hierarchies. I personally added the .net extension to my list, but .co.uk, .co.nz, .com.au, or even .nl would work, too.

3 Great Ways To Generate Traffic

Every website owner knows the value of traffic. How else will you generate income if no one visits? There are three main ways to generate instant traffic to your site: buy traffic, email to your opt-in list, and create a joint venture.

You can buy traffic from many places. One of the most popular ways to do this is with Google Adwords. If you've performed a Google search, then you've seen the text ads on the right side of the search results. Anyone can buy an ad with Google Adwords. The best part – you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. You may pay anywhere from $.05 and up depending on your keyword(s). After setting up your Google Adwords account, you can have traffic within minutes. There are other places to place these kinds of ads (called Pay Per Click – PPC). Among the more popular include Overture, Kanoodle, and FindWhat.

Emailing to your opt-in list will send visitors to your site whenever you want (you do have an opt-in email list, don't you?). Your opt-in email list will become your greatest asset over time. It's your list – you don't need anyone's permission and it's absolutely free. Just be sure you don't burn out your list with too many offers. There's no hard rules here and you'll have to test what is best for you.

A joint venture is where you get another website with complimentary products or content to send your offer to their opt-in email list. You pay your joint venture partner a commission for each sale that is generated from the partnership. Keep in mind that the more money you offer the greater chance you have of getting the partnership. They own the list and they don't need you to make money. Joint venture deals are great and provide a win-win situation for both parties. Of the three methods mentioned here of generating traffic to your site, joint venture deals is probably the fastest and most lucrative.

These are three great ways to generate traffic to your website. Utilize a combination of these and see your Internet profits go through the roof!

Handwriting

You’ve decided you want to improve your handwriting and you’re probably hoping a fountain pen will do the trick -- maybe a friend told you it would. Maybe you’re just adventurous and you want to try your hand at calligraphy (or you might, once your handwriting improves). Good for you!

A fountain pen may make your writing look a bit better, but if your writing looks as if frenzied chickens got loose on the page, chances are this won’t be enough. Most likely, you’ll need to retrain your arm and hand.

After coaching handwriting and teaching calligraphy over the years, I’ve learned to see the characteristics of those who’ll be able to pick up the necessary motions quickly from those who’ll have to work a bit harder.

People who inevitably have trouble with handwriting and calligraphy write with their fingers. They "draw" the letters. A finger-writer puts the full weight of his/her hand on the paper, his fingers form the letters, and he picks his hand up repeatedly to move it across the paper as he writes.

People for whom writing comes more easily may rest their hands fairly heavily on the paper, but their forearms and shoulders move as they write. Their writing has a cadence that shows they’re using at least some of the right muscle groups. They don’t draw the letters with their fingers; the fingers serve more as guides.

This exercise may help you determine which category is yours: Sit down and write a paragraph. Doesn’t matter what. Pay attention to the muscles you use to form your letters. Do you draw each letter with your fingers? Pick your hand up repeatedly to move it? Have an unrecognizable scrawl? Does your forearm move? Chances are, if you learned to write after 1955-60 (depending on where you went to grade school), you write with your fingers.

My goal isn’t to make you into a model Palmer-method writer or a 14th Century scribe. If you can compromise between the "right" methods and the way you write now and improve your handwriting so you’re happier with it, then I’m happy, too.

It will take time to re-train muscles and learn new habits. Finger-writing isn’t fatal, but it is slow and often painful (if you have to write much). The first thing you must have (beg, buy, borrow or steal it) is patience and gentleness with yourself. The second requirement is determination.

If you finger-write, that is the first, most important thing you must un-learn: Do not draw your letters! Do not write with your fingers! Put up signs everywhere to remind you. Write it in the butter, on the shaving mirror, stick notes in the cereal boxes. But learn it!

I hesitate to include this, because it sounds much more difficult than it is . . . but . . . let’s look at the most basic things: holding the pen and positioning the hand.

Most of us hold the pen between the thumb and index finger, resting the barrel on the middle finger. This works better than holding it between the thumb and the index and middle fingers, with the whole assembly resting on the ring finger. If you do it the first way, you’re off to a good start. If the second, you’ll be okay. In both, the remaining fingers are curled under the hand.

Pick up your pen and look at your hand. You’ll have better control and a better writing angle if your pen rests over or just forward of the bottom knuckle on your index finger, not between thumb and index finger. (I hold my fountain pens in the latter position, but when I pick up a calligraphy pen, it drops obediently right over that big knuckle!)

For handwriting, the pen position is less important than for calligraphy. I recommend working in your familiar position unless it’s really bad. What’s essential is that you be comfortable, the pen feel balanced and you have no tension in your hand. Rest the heel of your hand and the angle of your curled-up little finger on the paper.

Hold the pen lightly; don’t squeeze it. Pretend the barrel is soft rubber and squeezing will get you a big, fat blot. (If you were using a quill, you’d hold it so lightly that the actual act of drawing the quill along the paper would create the proper contact.)

Many books recommend you write with your table at a 45-degree angle, but that’s impractical for most of us. If you can prop up a board or write with one on your lap, that’s a good place to start, but a flat surface is fine. Once you try an angled surface, you’re likely not to want to quit, so be careful-- here goes a whole new budget’s worth of art supplies!

Sit up straight, but not stiffly; don’t sit hunched over or slumped. Don’t worry too much about this position stuff; the important thing is what makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. Your writing arm needs to be free to move, so squished into the La-Z-Boy probably won’t be productive.

Hold your fingers fairly straight and write slightly above and just between your thumb and index finger, right where you’re holding the pen. Don’t curl your hand over and write to the left of your palm; that’s a crampy, miserable position. More lefties do this than righties.

When you’re practicing and you reach the level on the paper at which it becomes uncomfortable to continue to move your hand down the paper to write, move the paper up. Once you recognize your "writing level," the paper should move up at that spot rather than your hand moving down the paper. (This isn’t critical. If you notice it and it bothers you, that’s what you do about it. If it doesn’t bother you, skip it.)

I’ve found only one reference to using the right muscle groups to write, and this is critical. I can’t be the only person who knows this; I’m neither that smart nor that good. Calligraphy instruction books address hand position, desk position, lighting, paper, you name it--but for some reason, not using the right muscles.

As you’ve probably surmised, the "right muscles" are not those in the fingers. You must use the shoulder-girdle and forearm muscles. This muscle group is capable of much more intricate action than you think and tires much less easily than fingers, besides giving a smooth, clean, sweeping look to the finished writing. Though it seems paradoxical, since we’re accustomed to thinking of small muscles having better control, the shoulder-girdle group, once trained, does the job better.

To get a feel for the proper muscles (and start training them correctly), hold your arm out in front of you, elbow bent, and write in the air. Write big. Use your arm and shoulder to shape letters; hold your forearm, wrist and fingers stationary and in writing position. You’ll feel your shoulder, arm, chest and some back muscles doing most of the work. That’s good. That’s what they’re supposed to do. Try to duplicate it each time you practice.

Write in the air until it becomes as natural as breathing. It’ll be awkward and feel silly at first. If you have a little kid around, get him/her to do it with you. You’ll both have fun, you won’t feel so alone, and it’ll be good for the child’s handwriting, too. If you don’t have a kid, tell your co-workers you’re improving your financial karma or hexing your boss.

As you become comfortable, reduce the size of the air-letters you make. If you have access to a chalkboard or a stick and a fence (or even a finger and a wall), write on them. They’ll give you a feel for the muscles you need to use and writing on a vertical surface makes it virtually impossible to finger-write. (If you’re one of the people who can’t write on a blackboard because you keep wanting to shrink the writing down so your fingers can do it, this is really important for you.) If you keep wanting to hunch up close and put your hand on the chalkboard or wall to write, resist the urge! You’ll be indulging those dratted fingers.

Remember: Your fingers should move very little and your wrist even less. Your forearm does most of the guiding, while your shoulder provides the power.

At some point, you’ll want to try this with a pen. Hold it gently. Place it on the paper in an ordinary lined spiral notebook (the lines act as ready-made guidelines for size and spacing). If you can get hold of a first-grader’s Big Chief tablet, which offers big lines with a dotted line between two bold lines, use it. There’s a reason children start out writing big and the letters get smaller as they get older and more skilled—-that’s the easiest way to learn.

Start making Xs and ///s and \\\s and OOOOs and overlapped OOOs and spirals and |||||s. Do not draw these strokes and figures! Use the same shoulder-forearm muscles you’ve been practicing with. Make your lines, loops, circles and spirals freely. Work into a rhythm and make it a habit.

Your goal is smooth, uniform, evenly spaced lines, loops, circles and spirals, without drawing them.

This is where you’re most likely to get discouraged. If you use a spiral notebook for practice, you can leaf back and see your progress. At first, your strokes and lines will be bad—over-running and under-running the lines, too small, too big, crooked, uneven, just ugly. Check your position; check your muscle groups; and try again. And again.

Concentrate on keeping wrist-hand-fingers largely stationary and in proper alignment. Let the big muscles do the work. It will be more tiring at first, because you’re using muscles that aren’t accustomed to that kind of work. It’ll be hard and frustrating, ’cause your body will want to do it the way it’s done it since first grade… even though that way is wrong. It may help to concentrate less on the accuracy of the shapes you’re making than on the muscles making them. Retraining your arm is the goal, not making pretty little circles and lines first time out.

When you start putting the strokes and lines on paper, start out big. Three, four, even more lines in your notebook. (Big Chiefs are handy for this.) This helps ensure that you continue to use the shoulder girdle. Don’t try to make pretty letters at this stage. Do the exercises as much as you can—-shoot for every day. Ten or fifteen minutes a day should show results in a few weeks for most people. And note that both air-writing and paper exercises can be doodledduring meetings and while on holdwaiting for somebody!

Concentrate on that shoulder girdle. Let it do the work. Write big. Write words and sentences at the same time you’re doing strokes and exercises. You need both working together to succeed.

Gradually, as your control increases, make your strokes and letters smaller until they’re the size you normally write. You’ll know when you get there. By this time, you probably won’t have to make extra effort to incorporate this stuff into your writing; it’ll be automatic. And your writing should look much better (and be easier and feel better, to boot).

Adsense codes

It is very easy to prepare your website and website pages to start serving Google Adsense ads.

All you have to do is paste a code similar to the one below into your webpage's.

This can be done with any text editor program, or wysiwyg editors like Dream weaver or FrontPage.

Simply enter the code where you want it to appear on your webpage, and you are ready to go.

Let's try and go over the code - you can actually change your Google Adsense ad appearance here and more..

google_ad_client = "pub-xxxxxxxxxxxx";

The first line of code holds your unique Google Adsense publisher identification - don't change this!

google_alternate_color = "ffffff";

The second line is used if Google cant find Adsense ads that are relevant to your page content. If you don't define this colour, Google will instead server Public Adsense ads, that unfortunately doesn't generate income for you when clicked on.

google_ad_width = 160;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "160x600_as"

Line 3-5 determines what type of Google Adsense ads you want to serve on your webpage's. In this example we are serving the "Skyscraper" format seen to the right on your screen. It has a width of 160 pixels, and a height of 600 pixels - so you want to make sure that there is room for this on your page.

google_ad_channel ="xxxxxxxx";

The sixth line is used for defining what ad channel these Google Adsense ads belong to. The code is generated by Google from within your Google Adsense members area, so don't change this. You can read more about Adsense Channels here.

google_ad_type = "text_image";

The seventh line determines what type of content Google should serve in your Google Adsense ads. There are 3 variations possible:

1. "text_image" this serves a mixture of both text and graphical Google Adsense ads. This is the standard setting.

2. "text" this server only text Google Adsense ads.

3. "image" this serves only graphical advertisements in your Google Adsense ads.

google_color_border = "FFFFFF";
google_color_bg = "FFFFFF";
google_color_link = "000000";
google_color_url = "666666";
google_color_text = "333333";

These lines determines the exact colours used when displaying Google Adsense ads on your website. You can change these colours directly, and instantly see the updated version of your Google Adsense ads on your website. The colour codes used are binary colours, meaning that white is "FFFFFF", black is "000000" etc.

The only drawback of using the Google Adsense code, is that you will manually have to enter it on every page of your website. This means that if you change your design, or are trying to optimize your Google Adsense income - it requires work!

Internet

address mask (Subnet Mask)
This is used to recognize the sections of an IP address that concur with the different parts. Also known as the "subnet mask".

alias
A nickname that refers to a network resource.

anonymous FTP
This is a method of bypassing security checks when you logon to an FTP site. This is done by typing "anonymous" as your user ID and your e-mail address as the password.

application
A program that performs for a certain purpose.

Archie
A method of automatically collecting, indexing, and retrieving files from the Internet.

ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)
A transfer mode that designates bandwidth using a fixed-size packet or cell. Also called a "fast packet".

authentication
A method of identifying the user to make sure the user is who he says he is.

bandwidth
A measurement in Hz that reads the difference between the highest and lowest frequencies of a transmission.

BBS (Bulletin Board System)
A computer which provides file archives, email, and announcements of interest. Users usually dial in with a terminal program to access these.

bounce
This term refers to when you send an e-mail to a non-existent recipient and the e-mail is "bounced" back to you.

BTW
By the way.

Bulletin Board System (BBS)
A computer which provides file archives, email, and announcements of interest. Users usually dial in with a terminal program to access these.

CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol)
A method of authentication when connecting to an Internet service provider.

Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP)
A method of authentication when connecting to an Internet service provider.

CHAT
Conversational Hypertext Access Technology.

CIX
Commercial Internet Exchange.

client
An application that performs for a certain purpose.

cracker
Persons who attempt to gain illegal access to computers. Not to be confused with hackers.

Cyberspace
According to M.N.A "the world of computers and the society that gathers around them."

Data Encryption Key (DEK)
Used for encryption and decryption of message text.

Data Encryption Standard (DES)
Standardized encryption method used most on the Internet.

datagram
A block of data that can travel from one Internet site to another without relying on an earlier exchange between the source and destination computers.

DDN (Defense Data Network)
The United States Department of Defense global communications network.

DECnet
A proprietary network protocol designed by Digital Equipment Corporation.

dedicated line
A communications line used solely for computer connections, such as T1 and T3 lines. An additional phone line solely for your modem is a dedicated line as well.

Defense Data Network (DDN)
The United States Department of Defense global communications network.

dial-up
Most widely used way of accessing the Internet. This involves one computer connecting to another by way of a modem.

DNS (Domain Name Service)
A name service used with TCP/IP hosts. A DNS exists on numerous servers over the Internet. It is a database for finding host names and IP addresses on the Internet and trying to figure them out.

domain
An area on host or an IP address.

Domain Name Service (DNS)
A name service used with TCP/IP hosts. A DNS exists on numerous servers over the Internet. It is a database for finding host names and IP addresses on the Internet and trying to figure them out.

dot address
IP addresses in the form of 1.1.1.1 in a 4-byte IP address where each number is equal to 1 byte.

electronic mail (e-mail)
Electronic mail, or e-mail, is a way users with a computer can send messages between each other easily and more quickly than regular mail.

e-mail (Electronic Mail)
Electronic mail, or e-mail, is a way users with a computer can send messages between each other easily and more quickly than regular mail.

e-mail address
A persons email address is usually like this:

Userid@domain.com
Userid represents the identification of the person, the @ is what separates the userid from the domain name, and the domain name refers to the host that the person is using.

encryption
This is what Internet security is built upon. Encryption will scramble information so it is readable only by the intended recipient.

Ethernet
An Ethernet connection is a LAN (Local Area Network) that consists of computers connected by twisted-pair or coaxial cable. Transfers can be made on an Ethernet connection at up to 10 Mb/s.

FAQ
Stands for Frequently Asked Questions. FAQs are available almost anywhere on the Internet. FAQs are usually used as a place to look for help or advice when working on the Internet or on your computer.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
FTPs are the most widely used format to uploading and downloading files on an Internet connection. FTPÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s are used so computers can share files between each other.

Finger
A finger is a UNIX command that displays information about a group or user on the Internet.

flame
This is a negative response to a newsgroup posting or e-mail message. If makes a newsgroup post or sends an e-mail message that is deemed inappropriate, they might get flamed. The most popular method of flaming is a mail bomb. This is where the sender or poster receives an overwhelming amount of messages in his or her mailbox and their system can crash.

follow-up
A response to a newsgroup posting or e-mail message.

Gopher
A search and retrieval tool for information used mostly for research.

hacker
A user of a computer who attempts to understand the particulars of a computer. A hacker will look for ways around things while using a computer.

host
Any computer that is connected to the Internet or a network.

host address
The address of the host computer which is on the Internet.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. This is the standard method of publishing web documents onto the World Wide Web (WWW). HTML consists of tags surrounded by brackets.

hypermedia
A combination of hypertext and multimedia in a document online.

hypertext
A kind of text that permits embedded links to other documents.

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. This is the standard method of publishing web documents onto the World Wide Web (WWW). HTML consists of tags surrounded by brackets.

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) combines digital network services and voice into one. Users can access digital services at 115,200 bps.

Internet
A vast, uncontrolled network of computers that is available almost anywhere in the world. Basically, when you sign on to the Internet, you become a part of it.

Internet protocol (IP)
A packet switching protocol that is used as a network layer in the TCP/IP protocol suite.

Internet Protocol Address (IP Address)
Each computer is assigned an IP address. These are similar to phone numbers. When you attempt to connect to an IP address, you will connect to the computer with that IP address.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
Internet Relay Chat, or IRC, allows users to chat on different channels over the Internet. IRC channels are preceded by a # sign and are controlled by channel operators. Channel operators can kick people out of the channel if he or she feels necessary.

Internet Service Provider (ISP)
An organization or company that has a network with a direct link to the Internet. This is done by using a dedicated line connection, usually through a link known as a T1 connection. Users can dial into to that network using their modem. Most ISPs now charge a monthly fee.

IP (Internet Protocol)
A packet switching protocol that is used as a network layer in the TCP/IP protocol suite.

IP Address (Internet Protocol Address)
Each computer is assigned an IP address. These are similar to phone numbers. When you attempt to connect to an IP address, you will connect to the computer with that IP address.

IRC (Internet Relay Chat)
Internet Relay Chat, or IRC, allows users to chat on different channels over the Internet. IRC channels are preceded by a # sign and are controlled by channel operators. Channel operators can kick people out of the channel if he or she feels necessary.

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) combines digital network services and voice into one. Users can access digital services at 115,200 bps.

ISP (Internet Service Provider)
An organization or company that has a network with a direct link to the Internet. This is done by using a dedicated line connection, usually through a link known as a T1 connection. Users can dial into to that network using their modem. Most ISPs now charge a monthly fee.

LAN
Local Area Network. A LAN allows users to share files between computers, send e-mail and access the Internet. Most companies use Local Area Networks so that users can access information within or outside the LAN.

leased line
A leased line is a dedicated line that connects a user or network to another network or an ISP.

Listserv
An automated mailing list distribution system.

lurking
Lurking involves simply listening or watching and not participating on an IRC channel, a mailing list, or some other type of Internet connection.

mail reflector
A mail reflector is a program that distributes information or files to a subscriber of a mailing list, Usenet group, or an IRC channel.

mailing list
A mailing list is a list of e-mail addresses used to have messages forwarded to groups of people.

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions)
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, or MIME, is the standard way to organize different file formats. For example, if you receive an e-mail, which is in a different format than yours, the file will be decoded so you can read it using MIME.

mirror site
A mirror site is usually set up due to overwhelming traffic on an existing web site. A mirror site is a site that is kept separate from the original site but contains the same information as that site. This is an alternative to users who attempt to go to a web site but cannot due to traffic problems.

moderator
A person who manages online discussion groups or mailing lists for services such as CompuServe, America Online, Prodigy or the Microsoft Network.

mosaic
A graphical browser that supports hypermedia on the World Wide Web (WWW).

Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME)
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, or MIME, is the standard way to organize different file formats. For example, if you receive an e-mail, which is in a different format than yours, the file will be decoded so you can read it using MIME.

netiquette
Internet etiquette. This refers to proper behavior while using the Internet.

Network File System (NFS)
A Network File System allows a computer to access and use files over a network, just as if it were a local network.

Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP)
A standard industry protocol for the inquiry, distribution, retrieval, and posting of news articles.

NFS (Network File System)
A Network File System allows a computer to access and use files over a network, just as if it were a local network.

NNTP (Network News Transfer Protocol)
A standard industry protocol for the inquiry, distribution, retrieval, and posting of news articles.

packet
A standard unit of data sent across a network.

Packet Internet Gopher (PING)
A Packet Internet Gopher, or PING, is a simple way to time or test the response of an Internet connection. A PING sends a request to an Internet host and waits for a reply message called, what else, a PONG.

PAP (Password Authentication Protocol)
A widely used method to log on to an ISP without using a terminal window.

Password Authentication Protocol (PAP)
A widely used method to log on to an ISP without using a terminal window.

PING (Packet Internet Gopher)
A Packet Internet Gopher, or PING, is a simple way to time or test the response of an Internet connection. A PING sends a request to an Internet host and waits for a reply message called, what else, a PONG.

Point of Presence (POP)
Installation of telecommunications equipment.

Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)
A PPP is a protocol that provides a method for sending and receiving packets over serial point-to-point links.

POP
Installation of telecommunications equipment (Point of Presence). A protocol that allows single users to read mail from a server (Post Office Protocol).

Post Office Protocol (POP)
A protocol that allows single users to read mail from a server.

posting
Sending an article to a BBS or a Usenet newsgroup.

PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol)
A PPP is a protocol that provides a method for sending and receiving packets over serial point-to-point links.

protocol
A language spoken between computers to assist each other in sending and receiving information.

router
A device that forwards traffic between networks.

Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP)
A standard protocol which is used to run TCP/IP over a serial line. SLIP, however, will not run on a Local Area Network (LAN) connection.

server
Any computer that can provide resources to another.

service provider (Internet Service Provider)
An organization or company that has a network with a direct link to the Internet. Using a dedicated line connection, usually through a link known as a T1 connection does this. Users can dial into to that network using their modem. Most ISPÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s now charge a monthly fee.

SIG (Special Interest Group)
A Special Interest Group, or SIG, sponsors different items such as IRC Channels, Listservs, and Internet Sites.

signature
Type that can be automatically added to the end of an e-mail message that will identify the sender. Signatures are usually ASCII text files.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
A standard protocol used to transfer e-mail messages.

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
A standard Internet protocol. It is commonly used to wire hubs.

SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol)
A standard protocol which is used to run TCP/IP over a serial line. SLIP, however, will not run on a Local Area Network (LAN) connection.

smiley
The use punctuation marks to show feelings and emotions. For example, a smiley face is :), and a sad face would be :(

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
A standard protocol used to transfer e-mail messages.

SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)
A standard Internet protocol. It is commonly used to wire hubs.

Special Interest Group (SIG)
A Special Interest Group, or SIG, sponsors different items such as IRC Channels, Listservs, and Internet Sites.

subnet mask (Address Mask)
This is used to recognize the sections of an IP address that concur with the different parts. Also known as the "subnet mask".

T1
A connection of a host to the Internet where data is transferred at 1.544 megabits per second.

T3
A connection of a host to the Internet where data is transferred at 44.746 megabits per second.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or TCP/IP, is the basic communications protocol required for computers that use the Internet.

TCP/IP Stack
This is needed to properly run a TCP/IP protocol. It is made up of TCP/IP software, hardware drivers, and sockets software.

Telnet
This is the standard Internet protocol to connect to remote terminals.

TN3270
A slightly different protocol than Telnet, TN3270 is used to connect users to an IBM mainframe.

token ring
A token ring is a kind of LAN that consists of computers that are wired into a ring. Each computer is constantly in direct contact with the next node in the ring. A token, which is a type of control message, is sent from one node to another, allowing messages to be sent throughout the network. A Token Ring network cannot communicate within itself if one ring is broken.

topology
The arrangement of all the computers on a network and the links that join them.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or TCP/IP, is the basic communications protocol required for computers that use the Internet.

Universal Resource Locator (URL)
An example of a URL would be http://www.computer.com. A Universal Resource Locator refers to the universal address of an Internet web page. A URL consists of three things. First, it starts with letters such as http, ftp, or gopher that identify the resource type, followed by a colon and two forward slashes. Next, the computer name is listed. And finally, the filename and directory of the remote resource is listed as well.

UNIX to UNIX Copy (UUCP)
A protocol that passes e-mail and news through the Internet. Originally, UUCP allowed UNIX systems to send and receive files over phone lines.

URL (Universal Resource Locator)
An example of a URL would be http://www.computer.com. A Universal Resource Locator refers to the universal address of an Internet web page. A URL consists of three things. First, it starts with letters such as http, ftp, or gopher that identify the resource type, followed by a colon and two forward slashes. Next, the computers name is listed. And finally, the filename and directory of the remote resource is listed as well.

Usenet
A.K.A. newsgroups. There are a vast number of different newsgroups worldwide on the Internet, available to almost anyone.

UUCP (UNIX to UNIX Copy)
A protocol that passes e-mail and news through the Internet. Originally, UUCP allowed UNIX systems to send and receive files over phone lines.

Veronica
Allows searches of all gopher sites for directories, files, and other resources. Veronica is a search engine that is built into Gopher.

W3 (World Wide Web)
A collection of online documents on Internet servers worldwide. World Wide Web documents are written in HTML. In order to use the World Wide Web, you must have a World Wide Web browser.

WAIS (Wide Area Information Service)
A search engine and distributed information service that allows indexed searching and natural language input.

White Pages
Databases containing postal addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of users on the Internet.

Wide Area Information Service (WAIS)
A search engine and distributed information service that allows indexed searching and natural language input.

Winsocks
Acronym for Windows Sockets. A set of standards and specifications for programmers who are programming a TCP/IP application to use in Windows.

World Wide Web (W3, WWW)
A collection of online documents on Internet servers worldwide. World Wide Web documents are written in HTML. In order to use the World Wide Web, you must have a World Wide Web browser.

WWW (World Wide Web, W3)
A collection of online documents on Internet servers worldwide. World Wide Web documents are written in HTML. In order to use the World Wide Web, you must have a World Wide Web browser.

Added Non-Expanded Explorer when Right Clicking ..

Adding a second Explorer to the menu that pops up when right clicking on any folder or the Start Button.
This is handy to be able to open Explorer non-expanded and also for being able to open a second Explorer (non-expanded) while already in Explorer.

Open My Computer
Choose View-Options-File Types
Select the File Folder file type
Click Edit
For ACTION, type EXPLORER2
For APPLICATION USED, type C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE /n,/e,/select,C:\
Click OK and close all windows
Run REGEDIT
Expand HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
Locate and expand DIRECTORY
Locate and expand SHELL
Locate and expand EXPLORER2
Select COMMAND
On the right window RIGHT CLICK on DEFAULT
Select MODIFY
Remove the space and %1 at the end of the line
Click OK and close REGEDIT
EXPLORER2 will show up and launch a non-expanded view of Explorer whenever you right-click on the START BUTTON or any folder, even if you are already in Explorer.

The whole procedure can be done in REGEDIT, but this may be safer for users not experienced with REGEDIT

Cheap DSL Tips

Pinching Pennies with DSL
Though good cheap DSL is rare and free DSL non-existent, there are many ways to defray the monthly cost of DSL, which is the next best thing to cheap internet access. By conducting business of any sort online, you can write off your DSL internet rates at business expenses. Also, if you earn more online monthly than you spend, then even the least cheap DSL rates pay for themselves. Finally, if your home or business is located near a non-profit organization, you can offer to share your DSL service with them at no charge, which makes your DSL service, fees a tax-deductible donation.

Making the Most of Cheap DSL
If you do find a good cheap DSL broadband service, it may limit your hours online, or charge your heavily for going over a certain amount of time online or data downloaded. A good strategy for getting around these restrictions is to supplement your DSL connection with a cheap internet access through a dial-up connection. Though slower than a DSL connection, dial-up can be used for low-data tasks like checking email, or getting a weather update. By saving the DSL for downloading large files, or bidding in the closing seconds of an online auction, you can get much of the DSL service for a cheap internet access fee overall.

Free DSL
More cheap DSL tips: There was once a time, in the mid to late 1990's, when several businesses sprang up offering free internet service. The only catch was a small window full of their sponsors' ads would be open whenever you surfed the internet. This fad lasted a few years, before sponsors abandoned the companies after they realized no revenue from these ads. Since 2001, free dial-up services have been very rare, free DSL non-existent. Any free DSL offer you receive is at best a bait and switch, and at worst an attempt to defraud you.

Cheap DSL Service Providers
Outside the big names in the telecommunications industry are smaller companies that have less range and features, but due to lower operating expenses, can offer cheap DSL. Sometimes these companies have unusual requirements in their DSL agreements, such as spending a certain amount of time looking at ad sites they give you, and they may feature long commitment periods and very heavy early cancellation fees. Support is often unreliable from these smaller providers, so be sure to study up well on any service offering you what seems like unbelievably cheap DSL rates. You can get a good deal from a cheap DSL service provider, but remember, there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Finding Cheap DSL from Other Sources
If you're looking for high-speed internet access that's inexpensive or free, try a local library or internet cafe. Libraries generally offer free DSL speed internet, though they may limit the time you can use one of their computers for. This is perfect for occasional uses that require broadband, such as reading a large file from your email, or downloading a song to your personal media player. Internet cafes are not free, but offer cheap DSL-speed connections, and often for longer periods of time. This is great if you need the internet for hours at a time, but only once or twice a month.

About Cheap DSL
Cheap DSL tips: Most providers lowest priced packages are around 40 dollars a month, which is a bit steep for something many people consider a luxury. Still, most companies' highest priced DSL and broadband packages soar well above a hundred dollars a month. So you could call 40 dollars a month "cheap DSL." Though some introductory rates are very cheap, DSL service providers still need to turn a profit at the end of the day, so don't let yourself be entirely sold on a cheap internet access through DSL at below 40 dollars a month.

Sharing Cheap DSL
Another way to get cheap internet access is to share. Because advanced pieces of DSL hardware like DSL routers and DSL wireless hubs can take a single signal and distribute it to many people, try talking to your roommates, housemates or people in neighboring apartments. If everyone chips in, that 40 dollars a month can be reduced dramatically, leaving you with very cheap DSL rates. Though your DSL speed will be lower, and you may have to find a way to divvy out other DSL incentives like email addresses, it is still a vast improvement over dialup.

One way to have DOSKEY available when you open a DOS window would be to have it in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
This takes away conventional memory, even when you don't have a DOS window open.
To only use DOSKEY when you open a DOS window:

Right click on your DOS shortcut
Select Properties
Click on the Program tab
Add DOSKEY > NUL to the Batch File field
You can also add /INSERT if you prefer

Adding Drive to the SendTo List

I have recently found that if you want to send something from A: drive or from any where to any drive, you can just make a short cut of that drive in subdirectory SENDTO.
For example I have two hard drives, a Floppy Drive, and a CDROM
After I have make a copy of each of my drive I will be able to send a whole directory of E:\XXX from the CDROM drive to A: drive or any other drive that i have had made the short c t in the SENDTO subdir of WINDOWS.

Avoiding the Autoclose and Autoshrink Options

Q
In the Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Resource Kit, I read about a procedure that checks all databases for options that you should avoid using. I understand why I should avoid using options such as offline, DBO-use only, statistics off, truncate log on checkpoint, and so on. However, the inclusion of two of the options—autoclose and autoshrink—puzzles me.

Autoclose. Closing a file when it is not in use sounds like a prudent thing to do. Yet I see files opening and closing all the time in the error log in SQL Server, even though I know that I never use the database except for viewing in Enterprise Manager. Does viewing a list of databases in Enterprise Manager make the files open? It makes sense to me to use autoclose on databases that I use only occasionally as import staging areas, and which I access for only a fraction of the time my online transaction processing (OLTP) database is in use. SQL Server Books Online says that the autoclose option is automatically set to YES for the SQL Server Personal Edition and to NO for all other editions. Has this option been included only for the Personal Edition?

Autoshrink. The autoshrink option also sounds helpful. However, would using autoshrink on my import staging areas, where I bring in quantities of data for short periods of time, keep these areas small for backups?

A
Autoclose is available in all editions of SQL Server 2000. The amount of memory you save by using this option is relatively small but might be important on memory-constrained systems running the Personal Edition. However, enabling autoclose for the other editions isn't a good idea, because every time you try to access the database, the query will be slowed by the amount of load time it takes to mount the database. As for the question about your files opening and closing, yes, when you enumerate a database in Enterprise Manager, you access the database, which opens the files.

Leaving autoshrink on for production systems also isn't a good practice (unless you really need to), because autoshrink might start when your system is otherwise busy with production work, and slow down the system. However, enabling this option is a good idea for desktop or remote systems that don't get a lot of DBA attention and whose databases could grow out of control before you detect the problem.

Cooking Tips

----

To reduce fat in the chicken by about 10 grams per serving, remove the skin before marinating it.

If you have forgotten to soak pulses like chana overnight, just put the chana in a flask full of boiling water for an hour. They are ready for cooking.

To make a soft fluffy omelet heat a non-stick pan and add a little more butter than usual. Now beat the egg and stir briskly (even while frying) with a fork. This way more air goes in your omelet, making it light and fluffy. Cook till done and serve hot.

Coconut milk when kept overnight in the fridge forms a white layer on top. This layer can be used as fat instead of oil for frying mutton or chicken.

Add a little oil and turmeric powder to the dal before placing it in the cooker. It will get done in ten minutes flat.

Adding a cupful of grated carrot or beetroot to the coconut while making coconut burfi will give you natural colouring and nutritional benefits.

To refresh stale bread, sprinkle it with water, wrap it in a foil and heat it in the oven on 200 ºC for about five to ten minutes.

Adding a spoonful of curd to ladyfingers while cooking will ensure that they do not stick to the vessel or turn black.

Sprinkle a bit of salt in the frying pan before adding chicken. It will cut down on the amount of grease splattering.

Peel and cut potatoes and boil them in water to which a little vinegar is added. They will be done in no time and will retain the texture as well.

While grinding the batter for idlis replace 1/5 quantity of rice with pressed rice (poha). This will make the idlis fluffier.

Place rolled puris in the fridge for ten minutes before frying them, they will consume less oil and will be crisper.

To make dosas more crisp, add a little fenugreek seeds to the lentil and rice mixture while soaking.

Rather than using food colors, use a mixture of limewater and turmeric to get (almost) tandoori color.

Always add salt to the water while boiling vegetables. This enhances their natural flavour and diminishes the need to add salt at the table.

Add a pinch of salt to the oil while frying "pakodas" or "koftas" and you will use up less oil.

To preserve the white colour in cauliflower and cabbage, add a teaspoon of milk or milk powder while cooking.

When soups or stews get slightly burnt you can renew the taste by transferring it gently and carefully into a clean pan and flavouring with curry powder or mustard to camouflage the burnt taste.

The art of making good naan khatais lies in beating of the mixture till it becomes light and fluffy. Also only vanaspati should be used to make them.

When boiling potatoes for cutlets add the salt to the water itself as potatoes absorb salt better this way.

Onions will brown faster if half a teaspoon of salt is added to the onions while frying.

While cooking ladyfingers (okra) add a few drops of lemon juice or a spoonful of yogurt to avoid becoming sticky.

Use crushed vermicelli to coat your cutlets for a change. The cutlets will have a nest-like appearance.
Onions will boil faster if you make X-shaped cuts in the root ends.
A pinch of turmeric powder and a teaspoon full of ghee added to dal before pressure-cooking it will give it a better flavour.

Commands take effect right away.

If you are an experienced Cisco router user, you probably just groaned. However, I find that this concept escapes new users.
As you type commands into the configuration mode, they immediately take effect. For example, if we change the router's name, we see that the very next line contains the new router name:
Router1#config terminal
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z. Router1(config)#hostname MyRouter
MyRouter(config)#^Z
MyRouter#
As you can see, we changed the router's name to MyRouter, which was immediately processed. This concept applies to everything in the router's configuration mode.

Data over Cable Surface Interface Specification

Tips about what is Docsis? (Data over Cable Surface Interface Specification)
Docsis Drawbacks
Data over Cable Surface Interface Specification may be the standard, but it has its disadvantages, as cdlp does. Docsis time-shared bandwidth can clog connections, especially when several users are on the same network, which can slow the data transmission through docsis cable modems. Some critics say that docsis lacks security and quality of service (QoS) as well as nonsymmetrical. Upgrades in docsis 2.0 may allow symmetrical data streams of up to 30 Mbps. The nonsymmetrical and slower data streams can hinder VoIP, but docsis upgrades will allow voice-over to fly through docsis cable modems.

Wireless Docsis
You've gone wireless, but is your wireless cable modem a docsis cable modem? There are wireless cable modems designed specifically to be Data Over Cable Surface Interface Specification compatible. Motorola's wireless cdlp cable modems have been superseded by wireless certified docsis cable modems/gateways. Cisco-Linksys offers the Wireless-G Cable Gateway WCG200E that is docsis certified. Other wireless docsis cable modems include Thomson's TCM390. For a full list consult www.cablelabs.com.

Docsis 2.0 Modems
Want to find out more about what is docsis? If you're looking for a Docsis 2.0 modem, fear not: Twenty-two cable modems are now Data over Cable Surface Interface Specification certified. Motorola, the inventor of cdlp, has achieved Docsis 2.0 certification for its cable modems/gateways. To find out if your cable modem manufacturer sells a Docsis cable modem certified for version 2.0, visit the CableLabs Web site at www.cablemodem.com. Modems from Terayon, Texas Instruments and Thomson recently achieved Docsis 2.0 status.

If your Docsis modem is still version 1.1 or 1.0 and your manufacturer hasn't achieved 2.0 status, you don't need to worry, since no matter the version Docsis is the industry standard.

Docsis
What is Docsis? Docsis stands for Data Over Cable Surface Interface Specification, and is the project of CableLabs. It defines interface requirements for cable modems involved in high-speed data distribution over cable television system networks. Docsis is the “Good Housekeeping” seal for cable modems. A Docsis cable modem has been certified by CableLabs and is thought to be acceptable for commercial sale and for use in cable Internet connections. Previously, the cable modem standard was cdlp (cable data link protocol), a proprietary standard made by Motorola. Cable Internet providers and cable modem manufacturers are replacing or have replaced the old cdlp modems with Docsis cable modems. Although many systems will support both cdlp modems and Docsis cable modems, many networks have converted to Docsis and have abandoned the cdlp networks. Docsis is thought to be a less expensive technology standard for consumers.

Docsis 2.0
Docsis 2.0 is the latest standard of Data over Cable Surface Interface Specification. Unlike Motorola's cdlp, Docsis 2.0, in addition to the features of Docsis 1.0 and 1.1, offers more secure software for Docsis cable modems, which means added security for your Internet connection. Docsis 2.0 also offers the following:
• Significantly enhanced upstream capacity
• 6.4 MHz maximum upstream channel width
• 30.72 Mbps maximum upstream channel capacity
• Increased robustness to upstream noise and channel impairments
This simply means if your Docsis cable modem is Docsis version 2.0, it offers a faster, more reliable connection than previous versions, which in turn are faster and more reliable than cdlp cable modems.

Not Docsis Certified
If you're a customer of Australian's Bigpond cable Internet service, Bigpond has most likely replaced your cdlp cable modem with a Docsis cable modem. Bigpond has switched from its cdlp network standard to a Data over Cable Surface Interface Specification network standard.

If you have Motorola's CyberSURFR cdlp cable modem, Motorola also manufactures a hybrid cdlp/docsis cable router, for those of you who don't want to surrender your cdlp cable modem. Although Net posters have proclaimed, “CDLP is dead, move on,” some cable modem buyers prefer the cdlp system. That said, most cable Internet providers and cable modem manufacturers favor Docsis.

EDocsis
EDocsis and Docsis Set-top Gateway (DSG) are two new Data Over Surface Interface Specification projects being developed by CableLabs. The DSG integrates docsis technology into a digital set-top cable box, makes it Web-enabled, and increases the two-way capabilities of the average docsis cable modem currently on the market. Its technology is to current docsis cable modems what docsis cable modems are to cdlp cable modems. You can get Scientific-Atlanta's Explorer 8300 (TM) system, the first digital cable box system to be DSG certified.

EDocsis stands for embedded docsis, which feeds directly into a cable network's docsis channel, Web-enables cable boxes, and solves end device/traffic management, configuration and security issues to reduce customer cost and improve speed and quality. EDocsis is the basis for DSG, and thus for Scientific-Atlanta's Explorer 8300 (TM) system. If you want a more integrated cable TV/Internet experience that can give a larger multimedia experience, eDocsis and DSG may be for you.

Hair

Today's "young hair" is clean, healthy, shining and natural. If your hair and scalp are not healthy, they'll look old at any age.

Oily Hair
If your hair is oily, fight the excessive oil and bacteria that contribute to dandruff, scalp infections and skin breakouts by keeping your hair and scalp as clean as possible.
Shampoo as often as necessary. If you read the labels, you'll see that the acid-alkialine balance is generally expressed in pH scale of 0 to 14. On this scale, 7 represents a neutral balance of acid and alkaline. As the numbers get lower, they reflect increasing acidity. As they go higher (from 7 to 14), they show increasing alkalinity.
Always use warm water. Too much heat will quickly activate scalp oil and will worsen an oily condition.
Avoid overbrushing. Overbrushing stimulates the scalp and can intensify the problem of oiliness. You still have to brush your hair, but keep it to a minimum around scalp areas.
For a big boost, try a shampoo that contain fruits such as kiwi, lemons or pears. Fruit acids clean off the oil and debris that weigh hair down.

Dry Hair
Feel free to shampoo dry hair as often as necessary. Use a gentle conditioning product. If it is protein-rich, it should be gentle and nourishing for your hair. A variety of these products is available in most stores.
Condition your hair after every shampoo. Use a product with ingredients to strengthen dry, fragile hair. If it has protein and conditioners, it should leave your hair with a youthfully glossy shine.
If your hair and skin are extremely dry, buy a humidifier for your bedroom and always use it in cold weather. It will protect your hair and skin from the drying effects of indoor heat. The reason most British women have beautiful hair and youthful skin is that the mists and fogs of the British Isles provide the natural moisture they need to avoid dryness.
Twice a week rub olive or castor oil into your scalp at bedtime. Wear a plastic cap to avoid getting oil on your pillowcase while you sleep. Shampoo it out the next morning.

For Fuller Hair
Layers add body to your hair, so cut shorter pieces beneath long layers. They'll push out the long layers and you'll instantly see voluminous hair.

Try a shine-enhancing color rinse. The color coats the hair shaft, making it fuller.

Use a weightless spray gel. The sugar in the mix smoothens the cuticle, creating light-reflective shine, giving the illusion of fuller hair.

Water causes hair shafts to swell, resulting in a bigger look. So using steam rollers can give you your bounciest hair ever.

Emergency Cover Your Roots Tip
Mascara or even eye shadow can do the trick. Paint roots with mascara (avoid black; opt for black-brown or auburn, and wipe excess of wand first with a tissue) or brush shadow that matches your hair color over roots with a sponge-tipped applicator.

ATM Tips

Where possible, use ATMs with which you are most familiar. Alternatively, choose well-lit, well-placed ATMs where you feel comfortable.

Scan the whole ATM area before you approach it. Avoid using the ATM altogether if there are any suspicious-looking individuals around or if it looks too isolated or unsafe.

Avoid opening your purse, bag or wallet while in the queue for the ATM. Have your card ready in your hand before you approach the ATM.

Notice if anything looks unusual or suspicious about the ATM indicating it might have been altered. If the ATM appears to have any attachments to the card slot or key pad, do not use it. Check for unusual instructions on the display screen and for suspicious blank screens. If you suspect that the ATM has been interfered with, proceed to another ATM and inform the bank.

Avoid ATMs which have messages or signs fixed to them indicating that the screen directions have been changed, especially if the message is posted over the card reader. Banks and other ATM owners will not put up messages directing you to specific ATMs, nor would they direct you to use an ATM which has been altered.

Aloe vera Tips

LIFE SAVING PROPERTIES OF ALOE VERA
Thera are several variations of the aloe plant,but only one variety has a legendary nutritional & Medicinal reputation dating back thousansds of years:the Aloe vera.

There are over 300 species of the aloe plant,but only one true Aloe vera (variety called BARBADENSIS has got 100% nutritional & Medicinal value).only the authentic Aloe vera provides the potent thereapeutic effects which nature has built in it.

Aloe vera is one of the old natural remedies that have come into their own in the space Age as one of the modern "Mircle"plant.

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ALOE VERA OR SAVILA

1. PAIN INHIBITOR

2. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY &ANTI ALLERGIC

3. HEALING ACTION

4. KERATOLIC ACTION

5. ANTI BIOTIC ACTION
*ANTI-MICROBIAL
*ANTI-VIRAL
*ANTI-FUNGAL ACTIVIST

6. CELL REGENERATION (CANCER)

7. ENERGIZER

8. DIGESTIVE

9. DETOXIFICATIO =
ELIMINATION+REGENERATION+ASSLIMILATION

10. REHYDRATION OF SKIN

11. NUTRITIONAL

12. NATURAL CLEANSER

13. FIGHTS IRRITATION

14. DILATES VESSELS

15. GREAT VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORTATION

16. ALOE VERA (BARBADENSIS) HAS NO KNOWN SIDE EFFECTS

17. ALOE IN DENTISTRY

18. ALOE VERA IN BEAUTY CARE

*Increase the Elimination of Toxins
*Improves Assimilation
*Improves Nutrition
*Increases Cell Regenration
*Increases Energy Level

ALOE IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE
Aloe vera gel is a most ingenious mixture of an antibiotic,an astringent coagulating agent,a pain inhibitor and a growth stimulator(also called a "Wound Hormone"),whose function is to accelerate the healing of injured surface.

Physicians have greately reduced external scarriong with the use of Aloe vera.It is effective,also,for Sunburn,Scratches,Cuts and a cleansing purge for the body or skin.It is an aid to growing new tissue and alleviating and advance of skin Cancer caused by the sun.It is a tretment for ringworms,Bolis,Inflamed joints,Scalds,Itchy allergic condition,Insecrts sting and bites.It creates a definite softening of external skin,relief from dry or sensitive skin and skin diseases.Dentists and oral surgeons employ Aloe Vera Gelly for surgery,swift healing,relief of pain and other oral tretment,including mouth ulcers,fever blisters,cold sores and cankers.

Aloe is belived to improve digestion and assimilation of food eaten,so that elimination is naturally normalized.This concept is in accordance with the Chinese or Asian philosophy of medicine,and goes back more than 5,000 yeras in their recorded history.

Possibly,Aloe vera's mysterious properties may come from what many consider to be its biggest secret and most magical medical mystery:the ENZYMES ACTION working speedily within the gel seems to foster the growth of healthy new tissue.people testify to its internal,magical properties,too,in the reduction of arthritis,ulcers,indigestion,
constipation and many other uncomfortable conditions.

Today,you will find many aloe-based cosmetics and skin care items on the market.Hundreds of people have reported that enzyme activity actually reduces and eliminates scars,liver spots,age line,marks and blotches,etc.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Turn Off Window Animation

You can shut off the animation displayed when you minimize and maximize windows.
This tip makes navigating Windows 95 a lot faster especially for those that don't have
super fast video cards.

Open Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Control panel
Desktop
WindowMetrics
Right Mouse Click an empty space in the right pane.
Select new/string value.
Name the new value MinAnimate.
Doubleclick on the new string value (MinAnimate) and click on "Modify"
Enter a value of 0 for Off or 1 for On then hit
Close Regedit and all programs then reboot.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Monday, September 29, 2008

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Monday, September 22, 2008

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Blog Archive