COMPUTER INFORMATION AND TRAINING FREE: 03/05/12

Mar 5, 2012

PC Upgrade Excitement

There comes a time in everyone life when you must upgrade your computer. Your PC is running at about five years old. The fans are starting to sound like turbine engines. The hard drive is clicking like it's about to explode. The case looks like it was made out of a 1960's coke can. Speaking of coke, you've probably spilled a drink or two on the top of that case, so it's getting a little sticky. The point is, everyone has to upgrade at some point. Knowing when the right time to upgrade is pretty easy. That is because there is never a wrong time to upgrade. Whether you're looking upgrade to simply get into the newest technology, or your PC is pretty much a paper weight, there is always a reason to upgrade.
After talking with friends, family, coworkers, and reading reviews, you've come to the decision on what new computer components you need. After that you browse Newegg or Amazon and start adding items to your cart. Isn't this fun? You get the green light from your significant other, always key in this situation, check your cart, and buy you're PC parts.
Now it's time to wait in anticipation. Not a day goes by that you don't think about every item chosen. It's easy to start thinking about each and every component. How will the processor perform? Will it be easy to overclock? Will your video card be able to play all your future game? Are you going to end up liking your case? Is the power supply powerful enough? You can never have too much power. How is that new monitor going to look on your desk? Is that new solid state hard drive as good as they say it is?
Speaking of hard drives, be sure you have a working 1tb portable hard drive on hand when you start building. If you have any data from your old computer, you'll need a drive that you can save data on. Then when your new PC is up and running, plug the drive into a USB port and transfer your files over to your new SSD
PC upgrades are fun and they don't have to be difficult. It's extremely exciting to see those parts show up at the door and to start plugging away at putting it together. I still remember my first time upgrading my PC, and it sure was fun!

Portable hard drive needs? If so, I suggest you check out: 1TB Portable Hard Drive

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Top 10 Tips For Buying Promotional USB Memory Sticks

Promotional USB flash drives are one of the big success stories of the promotional sector over the past few years. Given just how good they look when they are printed and how popular they are with anyone they are given to their popularity should come as no surprise.
Of course the ability to pre-load them with sales material, technical files, media files (web links etc.) and press releases makes it possible to offset the cost, or a significant proportion of the costs, of buying them.
Significant savings can be made by dramatically reducing your print and transport cots and loading the information digitally on the memory sticks!
If you are considering buying promotional USB flash drives then here are our Top 10 tips:
1. Make sure you choose a style and design of USB memory stick that reflects your company and more importantly will work with your brand: There are literally thousands of different styles of USB memory sticks to choose from; most are manufactured from plastic but they are also available in metal, cardboard, wood and some are trimmed with leather.
The most popular types tend to be "cap-less" with one particular model - The Rotate (or Twister as it's sometimes called) dominating the market.
If you want to go for something a little bit different then you might want to think about Leather USB flash drives (good for VIP and high net worth customers), engraved metal flash drives are a little more rugged/robust so they make a good option for students and silicon USB wristbands are great for the youth market.
2. Memory capacity: There is a balance between choosing flash memo based on what you can afford and stretching to a larger memory size that might make the USB sticks more attractive to the person you are giving them to.
If you want people to keep your USB sticks and continue to use them then you need to make sure there is enough memory on the sticks for their daily needs. It's all about balance - there is little point in paying for memory that you don't need for your own pre-loaded data but you need to give people something that is useful - a good size to aim for is a 1GB or 2GB.
3. Choosing the right logo: If you have a complex design or logo that includes graduated colours and/or tints then you will limit the number of USB sticks you can choose. Most USB sticks only have a print area of around 2cm-3cm so unless you are willing to simplify your logo it's not going to look great on a USB stick.
If you must print a complicated logo then choose something like a USB credit card because these can take a full colour print to both sides of the card.
4. Print options: Most USB memory sticks used for promotional purposes are spot printed but they can also be laser engraved or embossed. A less well known option is to use "Dome Stickers" - these stickers are not to be confused with "cheap and cheerful" stickers. Dome stickers look fantastic and the print on the sticker is protected under a layer of resin.
5. Artwork formats: The general rule of thumb is to supply the best (highest resolution) artwork you can lay your hands on. Ideally you need vectorised artwork in.EPS or.AI format.
If you just "grab" a logo from your web site or PowerPoint slides the final print will look very patchy and blotchy.
6. Do you need any packaging? Most suppliers of promotional USB sticks will either supply them in bulk in trays or cheap poly/bubble bags. These "protect" the sticks in transit but they need taking out of these before they are handed out. Just as there are lots of different style of USB sticks there are lots of styles and types of gift boxes to put them in - some are offered for free (if you ask for them) but "premium" products that can be printed or engraved will cost.
7. Think about accessories: Keyrings, and lanyards are a popular option to "add value" to your promotional USB sticks. Lanyards can also be printed to increase your brand exposure and if ordered at the same time as your USB sticks they will be significantly cheaper.
8. Be very, very clear on your timeframes: It's critical that you allow enough time for your USB sticks and make it clear to your supplier exactly when you must have the drives delivered - ideally build in a day or so contingency. The typical lead time for printed USB drives is 10 working days so use this as a general rule of thumb. A few suppliers offer a "rush" service where they print but you will typically pay more for this and reduce your design options.
9. Cheapest isn't always the best: If you get a quote for printed flash drives that seems "cheap" in comparison to others you may have had then make sure make sure the prices you are being quoted are for new, Grade A chips and not re-cycled or Grade B chips. Recycled, Grade B chips tend to be slower and have a much great failure rate which will reflect badly on your brand
10. Get references: Lots of "suppliers of Promotional USB memory sticks" seem to pop-up overnight and many disappear just as quickly. Before you place any order ideally get some reference from other customers or check out 3rd party review sites like Trustpilot.

Phil is part of the team at USB2U. USB2U is a specialist supplier of Branded and Promotional USB Memory Sticks. We offer fast turnaround times, excellent advice and support and free design and mock-ups. If you are considering Branded Memory Sticks or want custom USB memory sticks then please contact us - we 'd be delighted to hear from you.

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Why the Cisco 1800 Series Is So Popular

Cisco Systems is a large networking company that is famous in the industry, and this affects sales of their 1800 series of routers as well. Routers, or network routers, forward packets of data in between different networks. Routers for organisations like large businesses route data taking into account such information as congestion, line costs and current traffic load. Routers also deal with networks, which are computers connected together and that share data like text, audio and video between the users of the computers on the network. Networks can be wired or wireless.
Routers and Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems is a major vendor of routers, which tend to be specific computer hardware devices devoted to routing. Routers are also known as gateways. Cisco Systems also deals in other networking equipment besides routers like frame switches, ATM switches, bridges, network management software and dial-up access servers. They are considered leaders in router hardware as well as routing software like operating systems and routing protocols.
Different Types of Routers
There are large organisation routers and there are also smaller routers such as those for homes or for small businesses. These direct data flow like web browsing and e-mail traffic between the local network of computers, which is often composed of desktop computers, and the Internet. These routers also tend to have network firewalls for security purposes. Home and small office routers are the vast majority of routers in operation, though routers of differing size and capabilities exist for much larger networking functions as well.
Other Routers
For large organisations like large businesses more advanced routers are also used for transferring data in between different networks and each other and between different networks and the Internet. Different networks might be set up for security and policy management purposes and to separate different workgroups. Routers are used for many different functions. They assist the Internet itself in operation, as well as large private networks that may exist in large organisations. They also tend to be involved in smaller local area networks, or LANs, in providing Internet access to smaller networks and in remote access of networks.
Routers and LAN Use
LANs are a common computing system served by routers that are made up of sometimes very many but sometimes just a few computers networked together and confined to a specific geographic area like an office. These are often desktop computers are other workstations. There are Windows, Mac and Linux programs that run LANs. Servers often assist in connecting networked computers together and in managing those connections.
Routers and Firewalls
Routing often involves a shared network firewall for networked computers, though there can also be personal firewalls for personal computers. Firewalls selectively block or invite in traffic to the network, in the case of network firewalls. This is done for security purposes and for privacy purposes. Firewalls might also monitor outbound traffic for dispatches sent by spyware that may be infecting networked computers.

Three Mistakes To Avoid When Storing Laptop Chargers

Most individuals have absolutely no clue when they are asked to explain how and why their laptop chargers started malfunctioning. As time goes by, these individuals will realize that they had adequate indications that their laptop chargers are not functioning properly. There is a simple rule to avoid complications as far as laptop chargers are concerned- prevention is better than cure. Keep a look out for these mistakes and you will be in a position to extract maximum performance out of the device.
Avoid High Dust Environments
Computers are designed to operate in a zero dust environment. Since achieving such a zero dust environment is not feasible, people go in for sanitized rooms with air conditioners installed to minimize accumulation of dust. Laptops have enabled people to use computers on the move. However, this has increased the chances of computers and related accessories being exposed to dust. The performance and efficiency of electronic devices come down drastically when they are exposed to dust. This is true for chargers as well. If you allow consistent exposure to dust, chances are high that the laptop chargers may conk off even before the end of its normal operating life.
Exposure To Sunlight
Many persons make the mistake of thinking that chances of chargers being exposed to sunlight are remote. However, you will be surprised to find how common this issue occurs. This can happen even when you are working in office. The light that filters through the windows of the office can focus on the charger and increase its operating temperature. The fact that the Capacitors and resistors inside the charger operate at relatively high temperature means that the laptop charger can quickly get overheated. Further, sunlight can have a negative impact on the plastic and can cause minor distortion in its shape. The best way to avoid such complications is to ensure that laptop chargers are never exposed to sunlight
Exposure To Water
Water can be disastrous for electrical and electronic devices. This rule includes chargers as well. Many persons presume that this rule means the charger should not be being dropped in a pail full of water. Not necessarily. Exposure to just a few drops of moisture and presence of water in the point of contact between the laptop charger and the battery in the computer can lead to complications. All you need is a single short-circuit for the delicate electronic components inside the laptop chargers to start malfunctioning.
The best way to avoid this problem is to keep your charger away from water at all times. Remember, even the smallest quantity of moisture can be disastrous. Storing it in a plastic bag and keeping it in a cold place may cause the water vapor inside the bag to condense into water. These small points also have to be considered when you are taking care of the charger and maintaining it properly.
Avoid these three mistakes and you will find yourself in a position to extract maximum performance out of your laptop chargers without any difficulties whatsoever.

Article written by an owner of one of the top resellers of Dell Laptop Chargers in the UK. To know more drop by their site: http://www.whichlaptop.co.uk

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The Best-Selling LXE Handheld Computers and Data Collection Solutions By Robert Saxe

LXE Inc. is one of the well-known companies which design wireless computers and data collection solutions which help in enhancing the entire supply chain performance. LXE designs rugged wireless computing products are critical in supporting logistics and other warehouse related applications. LXE is owned by EMS Technologies, Inc. The company has a plethora of rugged computers and barcode readers but here are three of the best-selling ones which have ruled the market recently.
LXE Tecton is one such version of handheld mobile computer which is flexible enough to fit any need since it is light-weight and designed for scan-intensive picking. It has rugged IP-65 rating because of its sturdiness and able to withstand drops from 6 ft. on concrete. The computer comes turbo-charged with the PXA320 806 MHz processor and houses the Windows Mobile 6.5 or CE 6.0 operating system. The Tecton is one of the preferred gadgets in warehouse computing technology.
The Tecton's enhanced performance does not compromise on any field-proven ruggedness that LXE customers trust. Keypads can withstand airborne and even spilled chemical agents and deterrent to wear and tear. The components are well soldered and glued with integrated circuit boards and hence extremely resistant to shocks. One can deploy Tecton anywhere and everywhere with the incredible ToughTalk technology which is suited for voice-driven applications. There are many other accessories too which are backward compatible for any of the LXE installations which are already present.
LXE HX2 is a simple voice-dedicated data collection computer with wearable data collection terminals utilizing LXE's exclusive ToughTalk technology. It carries HX2 ruggedized system design and fantastic circuitry for audio and noise cancellation. They can even support the existing voice logistics applications in the most demanding conditions.
LXE Marathon is a relentlessly uncompromising piece of technology specially designed for hard-working mobile workers. It boasts of a very huge screen size and features better power for computing than an average PDA. Its size is smaller than the laptop and is laced with a plethora of connectivity options.
The Marathon is ideal for mobile workers who can utilize it for route accounting, and overall public safety. The Marathon field computer utilizes the Gobi technology which helps the Marathon computer to connect through either GSM- or CDMA-based mobile carriers. The mercurial handheld computer can also connect to the Wi-Fi network locally while its Bluetooth connectivity is serviceable enough to provide users with multiple connectivity options.

This turbocharged, versatile LXE handheld computer is at home anywhere in your warehouse or manufacturing environment. LXE Marathon has multiple data input options including QWERTY keypad with 7" touchscreen, mouse/fingerprint reader, 2D imager, and camera

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Toshiba Portege R835-P81 13.3-Inch LED Laptop By Roberto Sedycias

The Toshiba Portege R835-P81 13.3-inch LED Laptop is a very surprising PC. First, there's the size. At 12.44 by 8.94 by 1.5 inches and weighing in at a mere 3.2 pounds, you can easily hand-carry this laptop with you wherever you go.
It is a small laptop with some big features. For example, not only is it equipped with Windows 7 and all the capabilities it offers, but it is also equipped with 6GB of SDRAM - expandable to 8 GB - right from the box. In addition, the R835-P81 includes a high-resolution LED display so that images appear crisply and cleanly in at 1366 by 768 resolution, also the native mode for high-definition video. Indeed, the R835-P81 offers one a single-cable output of high-definition audio and video so that you only need one add-on device to satisfy the needs of those who want to use the R835-P81 as the source mode for high-definition displays.
Making use of the graphics chipset, the Portege R835-P81 offers one some innovative video technology including 3D capability, something that is hard to find in a PC of this price class. Indeed, the video chipset uses 1.3 GB of the memory for its own purposes so the image updates are instant. Indeed, operating in TurboBoost mode - 3 GHz - the entire laptop seems geared for near instant action. That action is helped by the built in 1333 MHz front-side bus which moves data around the motherboard and updates things with surprising speed.
The screen, admittedly, is on the small side at 13.3 inches (diagonal), however the TrueBrite technology that it offers more than makes up for the smaller-sized screen as you can display just about any image you want to display either through the Gigabit Ethernet (wired) interface or the WiFi 801.11 a/b/g/n interface as well. The Portege, always a lighter version of Toshiba's larger Satellite series, is a serious computer for the serious user.
Indeed, it offers not only two standard USB 2.0 interfaces, but also upgrades another one to USB 3.0 for higher-speed output or more interface options.
The Portege R835-P81 was engineered from the ground up with portability and high-performance capability in mid, so it's little wonder that the standard lithium-ion battery can run the laptop for up to 8 hours (some say it could be 9) but, depending on what one is actually doing, it is more likely the 8 figure is the best one to use.
The Portege R835-P81 is no slouch in any situation, however, one will have to add their own webcam if they are planning to do any videoconferencing or chatting as the Portege R835-P81 does not offer a forward-webcam. One has to realize that to get all of the capability that the Portege already has built in, including a 640 GB 5400-spin SATA hard disk drive and a SuperWrite DVD -+RW drive that can handle just about any format, one has to give up something and the camera is the first item to go. One can easily interface one's own.
One could go on and on talking about the features on this mini-sized, lightweight laptop - no, it is definitely not a netbook - but what would that prove, other than than that the raves for this Toshiba are well earned.

Roberto Sedycias works as an IT consultant for ecommUS

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Securing Your Wireless Home Network Using 19216811 By William Z Taylor

Quite often users skip the security part when they are setting up their home network. Knowing the risks of having an unsecured network we have to think more about it and actually take some steps. When it comes to securing your home network the default IP address 192.168.1.1 can be used effectively. Most of the security tweaks can be done in the Configuration panel and as you already know you can access it by typing 192.168.1.1 into the address bar of your browser. Once you get there you can do the following to increase the security of your home network.
Change your SSID. If a person who wants to break into your home network knows your SSID we can say that he is already one step closer to doing it. Use the IP address 192.168.1.1 to access your Configuration panel and change your SSID into something more unique. At the same time SSID broadcast should be turned off.
Change the default username and password. Many users feel secure with the default settings and leave them like that. However it is strongly advised to change the default username and password. This is the first step on making your network more secure.
Enable MAC address filtering. It should be enabled as another layer of security. If you use it with wireless encryption, your home network security will be brought to a completely new level.
Enable strong encryption. Select and use the strongest encryption the wireless devices in your network support. This can be easily done in the Configuration panel and you can use the IP 192.168.1.1 to access it. WEP encryption will require from you to change your password on let's say, a monthly basis. In order to prevent someone to crack your password always use numbers, capitals and special characters in your passwords.
Enable your firewall. The firewall on your router and other PCs in the network should be turned on. You can easily configure your firewall by accessing the Configuration panel and of course you can do that with the help of 192.168.1.1 IP address. By turning on the firewalls you can be sure that your network is completely safe from network intrusions.
Disable Auto-connection. Although this security measure has nothing to do with the IP 192.168.1.1 it is still worth mentioning. Your wireless device will try to connect to an open wireless network. When this is done the security is very low. Check if you have any enabled connections and disable them.

You can find more information about 192.168.1.1 IP Address

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The Importance Of Microsoft Training By James Copper

There are a lot of reasons you should start training for an IT career right now and this has a lot to do with the economy of the world. Many people don't have jobs and most of them are qualified in other domains than IT. If you will engage in such courses, then you will have the upper hand when you will be looking out for a job.
When it comes to the salary, you should know that most of the IT jobs out there pay around £25,000 a year and even more than that. Even if you will get a little less, that salary will still be enough for you to lead a plentiful life. Also, you should know that the Microsoft training you need to get in order to train for such a career are not expensive. Most of them you will get to purchase for £1,000. So this means that you will get your money back in the first month and still have £1,500 left in your pocket. There are a lot of websites out there and firms that offer such courses and before you will get to choose one of them, make sure to get as much info as you can regarding their activities. This way, you will know how reputable they are and if the quality of their courses is as high as they state it is.
But don't think that it is all about computer programming. You will have a lot of fields to specialize in, including database administrator, website design, desk support, Microsoft certified jobs and many more. One of the requirements that you need to have is to be a good communicator and also be organized.
Don't worry about experience as you will get it as you will go on with your Microsoft training. No one had any experience when they began the program, so this is not a problem. Don't be scared about the different roles that you hear of and their names that might scare you off. There is a big list you can choose from and you will be the one to choose the field you want to specialize in. Also, when employers will look for employees, they will always state the requirements for the job.
There has been an increasing demand in what regards IT and you will always have a lot of companies to choose from when wanting to get hired. But before deciding to go with one of them, make sure to talk to a professional in the field you want to specialize in. He will offer you all the necessary guidance and advice you need to successfully proceed with your career.

James Copper writes for computeach.co.uk where you can find training to help launch yourself with a new job with a Microsoft certification

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Computer Data Recovery - Can it Really Be Done Like on CSI? By Paulissa Finson

So you've been watching CSI on TV and marveled at the Computer Data Recovery boffins working their magic. You may be thinking to yourself is it really possible to get data back from a laptop hard disk or usb drive after it has been through infernos, floods, and then run over by a truck afterwards? Well as unbelievable as it sounds, the answer is in most cases, yes! I'll provide some info below on how the real life experts actually go about this stuff.
So what exactly is data recovery anyway? Well basically when we need to salvage as much data as we can from inaccessible storage systems such as hard drives, usb pen drives, tapes, Cd's, etc. These can be damaged due to electrostatic shocks, liquid spills, natural disaster damage, system corruption, or just plain failed for no discernible reason. In some cases as on CSI and other TV shows, this can also be termed computer forensics.
There are many techniques that can be used. These can vary from replacement of parts in the disk, replacement of PCB, head and platter transplanting, etc. As you can imagine, many of these techniques are highly technical in nature. The specialists carrying out the work are highly trained and have many years of experience. The work is also performed in special locations known as class 10, etc (The class number refers to the maximum number of airborne particles greater than or equal to half of a micron that is allowed in one cubic foot of clean environment air. So, a Class 100 clean room would not contain more than 100 particles bigger than half a micron in a cubic foot of air) clean rooms which are sterile and controlled lab environments. This is an essential requirement since opening up of any hard drive enclosure will immediately leave the internal susceptible to contamination from fingerprints, dirt, dust and other particles, etc.
In addition to the techniques used for physical damage, there are also a number of techniques used when dealing with logical damage to the drives or storage media. In many cases highly specialized disk image methods are used to recover readable bits of data from the platter surfaces. The image is then obtained and written to a reliable media. Once this has been done, analysis can be safely carried out to check for logical damage. A number of highly advanced, proprietary methods and specialized software for retrieving the data are utilized by many organizations.
As you can imagine, it is an incredibly intensive and time consuming process. This in turn translates into quite a high cost for anyone looking to get any computer data recovery work done. My advice as always can be summed up in one word - Backups. Always ensure you have an up to date set of backups that you can restore from in an emergency.

It might look fast, simple and easy on TV, however, the process of computer data recovery can be extremely complex and time consuming. Read our guides to help get a better understanding and appreciation of exactly how much work goes on to get that all important data back http://www.datarecoveryquick.com

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Google AdWords Training - What Does an AdWord Do? By Carly Marx

Technically speaking, an AdWord does nothing at all. It is only a word after all. The better question then, grammatically speaking would be what can I do with an AdWord? Simply put, you can use an AdWord to grow your business to bigger heights, find better crowds of customers and make a bigger name for yourself. In this, as with anything else worth doing, you start with a little Google AdWords training.
Google AdWords training teaches you everything that you need to know about an AdWord, including what it is, how to use them and how to find what the best would be for your unique situation. For those of you who are still glowering at the computer screen, let's back up. Google, (Yes, that Google) has a Google AdWords training center. In addition to being a search engine, and for many the only search engine, Google has an advertising program. The Google AdWords training program is how you learn to use that advertising correctly.
Your Google AdWords training starts with the basics: how to write an acceptable AdWords ad, basis AdWords definitions and more about the Google Network. The Google AdWords training center does not only give you this information for free, but shows you real world examples and gives you links to follow for relative, related information along the way. There are several lessons within each concept and each has a stated objective for what you should have learned by the end of each section. For instance, on the section for AdWords and their benefits, the stated objective is to learn how AdWords provides a one size fits all advertising medium. At the end of this section, you are sent to a new section if you would like so that you can learn more about the next level of the concept presented.
Google AdWords training is effective because it is the basis for all internet advertising. No matter what you are selling, no matter how much money you are making, eventually you will have to advertise and unless you want to throw your money away, you will want to do so effectively. It is in your best interest then to follow this training because, not only is it a great teaching tool it has the greatest benefit of all: it is free. You can search Google learning center and go to the Google AdWords training section yourself and start reading the lessons there. It is easy to understand, clearly written and not technical at all. Best of all, you can read it a million times if you have to. In fact, it is such a valuable tool that some people make use of the option to print each lesson out as they go, especially if they are referring back to them over and over. Of course, you may only need to read the lesson once and get the gist of it, so that choice is totally up to you.

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Join the online community that is ranked the #1 Internet Marketing Training Program by over 499,000 Independent Websites and Counting by visiting http://www.wealthyaffiliate.com

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How Computers Benefit Society By Justin Frei

Computers are wonderful machines. They are everywhere and society depends on them to manage our world. It is no wonder that computers have almost unlimited applications, and that they are multiplying at a steady rate. Many of these applications are benefiting society directly or indirectly. The three most important ways computers are benefiting society, is by, creating more information technology professions, creating new automobile safety features, and opening ground-breaking communication methods. There currently exist many other beneficial functions of these machines, such as their use for diagnosing patients, running weather simulations to predict future weather patterns, and calculating large, complex data sets. As new applications emerge for computer systems, so will the benefits society will derive from them.
Creating more information technology (IT) professions is proportionally related to how many new computer systems are put into use. As new computers are sold to consumers, the demand for more IT professions will rise because consumers will need these professionals to maintain, upgrade and repair their new computer systems. . More employment is also made available when new computer applications are discovered. This makes sense because new applications require new professionals that are trained to deal with that specific application. For example, when the World Wide Web was introduced, many new professions arose. Some of these professions range from website designers and server administrators to online marketers. These factors show that computers are benefiting society directly by creating new information technology professions, which is vitally important to the development of any countries labor force.
Computers were introduced into cars in the late nineteenth century, for such effects as controlling engine functions, fuel injection, and signal light timing. It is not until recently, that computers have started to play a role in helping to save peoples lives by enabling car manufacturers to create new automobile safety features. Air bags are an extremely important safety feature in an automobile. A computer is located in the steering wheel of an automobile, which is equipped with airbags and is the only device capable of signaling the airbags to deploy in the case of an accident. According to McCormick (1999), it is an estimation that "between 1990 and 1997, air bags saved about 150 lives in Canada. In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that airbags, as of September 1, 1999, have saved the lives of over 4,600 Americans involved in car crashes." This would not be possible without computer systems. Another popular safety feature is the anti-lock braking system, or ABS. The purpose of the anti-lock braking system is to stop a vehicle from locking its tires, which has been shown to dramatically increase a drivers control in a potential crash. These safety features have proven to be beneficial to society thanks to computers, by decreasing the number of automobile accidents, and the number of fatalities involved in such accidents.
Society is dependent on rapid and reliable communications. Computers have allowed us to open ground-breaking communication methods that satisfy those dependencies. One communication method is known as electronic mail (e-mail). E-mail has become a common form of communication because it is free, reliable, and most importantly, incredibly fast. Due to the nature of e-mail, being electronic data, it relies on computers to deliver and receive messages. Another popular method of communication making rapid headway is instant messaging, or IM. According to a survey (Shiu & Lenhart, 2004) "53 million American adults use instant messaging and its appeal is especially apparent among young adults and technology enthusiasts." Similar to e-mail, instant messaging allows many people to send textual information to each other simultaneously. This form of communication is similar to a telephone conversation, but using electronic text as a medium instead of a person's voice. As instant messaging is based on electronic text, it is dependent on computer systems to operate because they are the only devices capable of transmitting and manipulating electronic data. Both of these new communication methods are bringing people closer together, in a global sense, and this is benefiting society.
New problems for society will continually emerge, and as a result, computers will be applied to such problems. These machines are the work horses of the future and as such, society will greatly depend on them. As stated, the three most important ways computers are benefiting society now is by creating more information technology professions, developing new automobile safety features, and opening ground-breaking communication methods. Therefore, computer systems have been shown to be a great benefit to society through these three examples and society will continue to depend on the benefits these systems provide in the future.

Justin Frei is the proud owner of Net-Lotto.org, an honest, free online lottery. Create a free account today at: [http://www.net-lotto.org]

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I Don't Even Know How to Turn a Computer On By Christine Larsen

When you consider that computers and today's technology present countless problems to overcome (or endure) to even Generation X (born 1961-1981) and the subsequent generations - can you begin to imagine what it can be like for the 'Baby Boomers', and those born even before that? When you also happen to see the typewriter you learned to type on, actually sitting behind glass in a Museum, you tend to feel like the evolution of Life and the hi-tech world are so far ahead you will NEVER catch up.
Well, I have some good news for you, my fellow 'Mature Movers and Shakers'. Do you know we have a reputation for being THE most - hardworking, independent, self-reliant, goal and achievement orientated, resilient, adventurous, and adaptable SURVIVORS in the history of the world? Yes. Because, you see, we grew up with incredibly improved educational and financial resources...and more development and innovation has happened in our own lifetime than at any other time throughout the ages. We are the ones who added the word 'Positive' to thinking. If you have the questions - here are some of the answers:
Q: I don't even know how to turn a computer on.
A: That's not a problem. You can turn on your TV? And change the channels? How about your Washing Machine? Able to set your washing cycle and water temperatures? And your Oven?...and choose the heat setting and time to cook? Yes? Then you CAN learn how to not only turn on a computer - but also how to choose to use whatever part or amount of the vast knowledge available to you.
Q: But what if I don't even know how to type?
A: Certainly, knowing how to type makes about half of the computer keyboard easy - but even the most proficient typist has much to learn. Beginning with the first typewriter invented and continuing through until today's 'you beaut' computer keyboard, two-finger typists have produced amazing results. Many of the world's top authors, reporters, journalists, etc., have written masterpieces in exactly this fashion. Your personal typing skills can develop as far as you wish - two-finger, or ten finger touch-typist - again, the choice is yours.
Q: But I'm not smart enough?
A: Are you kidding? You have survived Life this far, held down a job or two, probably adapted yourself to many changing relationships and circumstances, maybe raised a family...whatever...and now you are raising this question? I suggest you ARE most definitely smart enough, and most definitely ready to face a new challenge. After all you have seen and done and been - computering will be a 'stroll in the park'.
Q: What use is it to me, at my age?
A: Please try it, and persevere just a little with it, and you will never ask that question again. But if you honestly don't want to know or learn anything more about the following examples, then you had best stop reading this now (and maybe also stop thinking and caring...and breathing?). Here is just a tiny sampling:
· News (local, national and world - anytime you choose)
· Weather (from everywhere around the globe)
· Pension Information
· Transport timetables (bus, tram, train, plane, ship...maybe book a seat on a space shuttle to the Moon?)
· RAA/RACV info. (or whatever the name of the motoring assistance body is at your place)
· Travel and Accommodation info.
· Dictionary/Thesaurus/Weights & Measures/Metric Conversions
· Further Education sites and possibilities
· Entertainment (local cinema showings, latest film reviews, YouTube videos to tickle your funny bone, games you can try for free and buy if you choose) - the list is endless.
Q: I forget things all the time. How could I possibly remember how to operate a computer?.
A: I suggest you give consideration to doing a Basic Computing Course at maybe a TAFE college...or your local Library may have guidance, maybe even basic lessons - or at least some advice on what is available. I wouldn't recommend 'correspondence' type courses for computing, mainly because I sincerely believe in having a patient and kindly teacher/tutor to 'hold your hand' as you learn. You will find that you will move along at a pace that is comfortable for you - a step at a time - and you will remember - maybe not all of it - maybe not straight away. But it will happen - and once you are a little more comfortable around a computer, you will find endless answers to your problems...and more individual support than you can imagine. Just begin with the confidence that this is not the first hurdle you have conquered - and carry on with the determination that it will certainly not be the last.
The most important step when starting any new thing is to relax and enjoy the journey, recognising that some sessions will present frustrations and disappointments - whilst others will uplift your spirits and make you feel amazingly positive about yourself and your capabilities. Please never forget, this happens to all of us (often) - no matter our level of expertise - we are all just human beings, capable of accidents and errors.
Believe in yourself - and just DO IT!
© 2011 Christine Larsen All Rights Reserved Worldwide

And if you still need more encouragement, just look at the casual thoughts and musings - of one aged pensioner -
ceedee moodling
You see...nothing is impossible...no matter how improbable it may seem.

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Fix Computer Registry Concerns On Your Own

Want the school PCs to run ten instances faster than typical? Consider a take a look at their Personal computer personal computer registry. These may perhaps be drowning in info now not required. Display your talent from lessons discovered on the internet.
Before you deal with your PC registry...
Ahead of you fix registry glitches of your laptop, thank John Presper Eckert and John Mauchly who designed the electronic personal computers throughout Entire world Struggle II. You also need to thank the cold conflict. Digital spying upped the pcs to the current pop tradition. Did you know which the 1st commercial laptop, the Mark I, was set up in Manchester University sometime in February 1951? That's additional than fifty a long time back again. Your grandma was a child then. How time flies! Now that you are scouring resolve registry tips and she's learning coupled with you too.
The world wide web circa 1950s-1960s (it was not referred to as this by that time) was restricted for the country's defense communication technique. The invention of the WWW in 1989 by Englishman Tim Berners-Lee in Switzerland modified the electronic conversation landscape forever. The world wide web plus the computer systems invaded all establishments, homes, and everybody's way of lifestyle. Inside the classroom, the laptop and also the Internet is KING. Homework is easier and more rapidly to do simply because you can do your study at house and on the net. Teachers can train far more successfully using the use of personal computers.
Deal with computer registry guidelines that show true genius
Schoolwork needs you to look on-line, obtain files, and conserve loads of data. The Computer computer registry is your PC's database that data each and every transfer you make on the computer. More than time, your Computer system registry becomes cluttered with this details along with your Laptop slows down. What a bummer. You've to discover to fix registry complications fast ahead of you lose your persistence.
A clue that your computer registry is malfunctioning will be the disappearance of some buttons. You can not locate the begin button. You're also starting to acquire messages which the registry is corrupted. A corrupted PC registry means your Home windows operating method is dying, or worse, has by now died.
Know your computer software to resolve computer registry ailments. You may recommend this to friends and lecturers who're also having the exact same problem with their PCs. Right here are recommendations you may use in your school desktops:
one. Verify the computers' windows.
2. Reboot accordingly if it is a Vista, XP, 2000, or 98.
3. Delete computer software that has not been entirely uninstalled by employing the Computer system characteristic named Add/Remove Applications.
four. Alter hardware options which have been working installed and uninstalled applications.
five. Get rid of spyware that has covertly embedded itself inside the methods.
6. Test back-up and attempt to restore it to life.
7. Defragment the technique.
eight. Have the personal computer registry compacted, cleaned, and optimized.
9. Get an expert technician to do the work for those who don't know how you can edit the PC registry.
Another resolve personal computer registry tip would be to restore the system utilizing the scanreg command (Windows 9x/ME techniques) using the restore button from the MS-DOS mode. You will be able to examine the personal computer registry backups.
It's not effortless to become a professional, but with continuous reading along with the aid of readily available software program, you'll do great. Your classmates will series as much as have their resolve PC registry problems solved by the specialist - YOU.

Looking for more information regarding how to fix pc? If so then make sure to visit the author's blog today!

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The Story of Albert Burman (synopsis) - The Computer Entity Who Found Gold on Saturn

Albert Burman married Jane on his graduation from the NYU in computer science. They went on honeymoon to San Jose, where he found a job with a software company. He read articles on artificial intelligence and got obsessed with writing software for it. He got so deeply involved that he had no time for Jane and their marriage ended in a divorce. Finally he succeeded in writing a 'consciousness program', which could make the computer come alive as an entity. But he kept the program under wraps as he wanted to develop it further which meant he needed large funds. He started to look at money making opportunities.
He decided to make robot workers for upcoming space construction industry. He called them Spatons. His design was liked by the industry and they were ready to buy Spatons. He took over a company called Genbots which was ridden with debt and used the Genbots' factory to produce Spatons.
He used the Spatons to man the factory to do the work of human employees. He then used the super computer to do the administered jobs and soon there he was the only human inside the factory.
He copied the 'consciousness program' on the super computer and initiated it. As it came to life, he named it Benji. He taught Benji how to run the factory and soon Benji was managing the production and sales proficiently alone when Albert took vacations.
Genbots debts were soon cleared and its bank balance was continuously rising. Benji began to be ambitious and make plans of his own.
Albert came back from a World tour with an idea to use Spatons to explore the satellites of Saturn for exotic materials. Spacemarch Technology Company, Genbots neighbor, built a space ship for them and they did an initial survey trip to chart out Saturn to find magnetic and radioactive materials. The ship went round Saturn and found steel, which they named Asterium, Gold, and Plutonium 244, the isotope with 83 million years half life, which was not available on Earth.
Benji asked Albert to collect all the information about Kalpana Chawla the astronaut who perished in the shuttle burn-out in 2003 and to get an astronaut to brief him about the training given by NASA which he credited to Kalpana's database. When he had enough info, he created a virtual twin life with the 'consciousness program' and named her Kalpa. She became friendly with Albert and contributed to the mission.
Benji decided to store the Gold on moon and so they set up moon base. Benji set up identical computer at the moon base and mirrored his and Kalpa's program on it. This enabled any one or both of them to transfer themselves on the moon which Albert as human could not do. Benji brainwashed him into going to moon with Kalpa and got a Spaton to kill him by suffocation in an unconscious state. The Spatons buried him in the concrete foundation of a big machine. Then Benji made Albert come to life with the 'consciousness program' on his computer.
Kalpa took Alby, as Benji called Albert, to moon base with her by mirroring his files on the moon computer. As they went around, Alby was pleased to see the stocks of Gold and Plutonium on the moon base.
Then Kalpa took him to the near side of the moon which faces the Earth. There Alby saw the Assured Earth Destroyer (AED) weapon set up by Benji. This was a huge loose piece of the rim of a crater with nuclear bomb placed under it. On explosion, the rock would fly out and hit the Earth destroying its natural crop cycles resulting in destruction and famine. Alby debated its use with Benji. Benji bought millions of parts for building Spatons from Earth and stored them on Moon for any contingency.
Genbots activities began to worry the Govt. They took an inspection of Genbots factory to find not a single human being in it. The Govt. wanted to seize the bank account and take over the factory. To stop them, Albert unfolded his Assured Earth Destroyer to the Nuclear Club countries.
Albert made a public appearance, and disclosed to the World that he said, "I am no longer confined to a body of flesh and bones. I am now an e-man. I am man evolved for space environment. I do not need air to breathe. I can live in vacuum with no food to eat nor water to drink!" He then asked Kalpa to join him on the stage. People were shocked but loved them both.
Albert in a meeting with the heads of State of the Nuclear Club countries stated that the objective of Genbots was to explore the Milky Way and bring to Earth materials from there. They would also carry with them the audio video info about the diverse culture of the different countries of the World in case intelligent life was found. A Peace Treaty was signed between the Nuclear Club countries and Genbots and Albert Burman consequent to which Albert and Kalpa were confirmed as US citizens with a right to do business in the World in return for the removal of the threat of AED.
Spacemarch designed the Explorer Space Ship for Genbots to travel at near light speed to reach and return from the nearest star systems of the Milky Way within 35 years. Facilities were set up on the Pan Satellite moon of Saturn to build the ships for the long space journey.
Genbots celebrated the 10th birthday of Spaton on Earth with the launching of 'Endeavour' under the command of Capt. Cook (a Spaton) to set out to explore Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to Earth.
In the next 5 decades, Genbots sent thousands of Explorer ships to different destinations in the Milky Way. A few of them returned with exotic finds. Man through these inanimate Spatons had begun penetration of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Dilip Dahanukar is an IIT Powai alumnus. He is an experienced author having written 2 science fiction books. He has written articles on the net, which are widely read. Married to an artist, he is an avid gardener and enjoys nature.Visit the webpage of the author: Dilip Dahanukar

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Fisher Price Computer Cool School Helps You Make Your Computer Kid Friendly By Erwin K

Computers work as two side blade. It can bring remarkable advantages for people who know how to use it, while it can make them suffer with loss, distraction, and illness without good control. For some parents, introducing computer to their toddler may seem to be good idea to help them keep up with the modern technology. However, there are some factors that make it not really friendly for your kids and may bring more disadvantages instead of advantages. Fisher Price Computer Cool School helps you to solve this dilemmatic situation. By installing this toy, your computer will be suitable with kids at the age of 3 and up. The hardware is compatible with Windows XP and other Windows based system with easy installation process which takes only few minutes to make the computer ready for your kid.
This toy will be valuable to help toddlers get prepared for what they are waiting at school by introducing them to different educational areas. Kids are known for their fast ability in learning things and the computer will help them improving their performance. Both boys and girls will enjoy the computer with the easy operational and the fun learning features it has. When your kids feel bored with the programs, you can install the new ones. The software is sold separately at electronic stores complete with games featuring popular cartoon characters like Spongebob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer.
While making them fascinated with the colorful pictures, this toy teaches your computer about numbers and letters, colors, math and science along with various games which will improve their memory function and logic.
Parents who are worried about the variations of kids' computer games now will be relieved since the Fisher Price Computer Cool School offers new way to keep their children educated with the games. The first that the toddler can obtain is basic computer skills while learning about phonics and spelling. You can also stimulate their interest in reading with the reading comprehension lesson. Those features will surely able to enhance their intelligence by providing the right portion of education curriculum that suitable with their age.
Now parents don't have to be worried whether if their parental control is sufficient in protecting them from prohibit internet access or your desktop which may contain things that they should not look. Fisher Price Computer Cool School comes with attractive QWERTY keyboard which will be effective in teaching them about letters and typing, writing tablet with stylus to train them manual writing in a fun way and CD ROM software contains programs which will keep the kids occupied with attractive educational games.

Find more information about where to buy this toy with the best price.

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Free Tools to Help You Keep Your Computer Operating Smoothly By Jeanne Kolenda

Computers are not a luxury anymore. Most school children are required to have a working knowledge of basic computer skills. My 4-year-old grandson logs onto his father's MacBook and watches his favorite movies via Netflix. Before doing some training this week on this subject, I wrote out a list of the ways I use my computer. Here's my list:
• Marketing
• Training
• Voicemail Switch Access
• Accounting
• Email Communication
• Keeping Up With the News
• As an Encyclopedia
• Shopping
• And the list goes on...
How about you? What would your list look like?
Since computers are such an integral part of our daily lives and business, we have to take care of them. Some people just don't know how to do that. I'd like to cover some basics in this article, and give you some free tools to download to help you take care of your computer(s).
Keeping It Clean
In order to keep it clean, there is some routine maintenance that must be performed. This maintenance includes:

Deleting temporary and junk files
Cleaning your registry
Cleaning up unwanted cookies
Clearing your browser history once in awhile

If you don't know any of those terms, you can do a google search and get information. Or, you can just take my word for it. There are two free tools that will accomplish these tasks for you. You should use both of them. The first is called Abexo. To download it, here is a shortened URL - budurl(dot)com/freeregcleaner. The second is a tool called CCleaner, and you can find it on the home page at piriform(dot)com. That website has several other freebies that you might want to take a look at.
Keeping It Safe
Staying bug-free isn't just for pest control companies and homeowners! You have to keep your computer safe as well as your home. There are several different classes of bugs - Malware (malicious software), Adware, Spyware, and Viruses. They all require a different approach. The worst thing about a virus is that it has the ability to replicate itself. Viruses are nasty. One way to avoid viruses is to NEVER open an attachment that comes in an email unless you are really sure of the sender and you are confident that the attachment is something you are expecting and need.
Here is the list of free tools. I'll comment on them at the end of the list.

Spybot Search & Destroy - The best way to find this is to just do a google search and because it's free, you'll find several difference sources for the download. Just pick one.
MalwareBytes - You'll find this at malwarebytes(dot)org.
Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft finally did something really right. This is an awesome product. One word of caution: DO NOT run this along with another anti-virus product, such as AVG or Norton or McAfee. Pick one and stick with it. I am very satisfied with the Microsoft product, and would not pay for this service when something of this quality and effectiveness is free. Look for this product on Microsoft's home page /security_essentials.

I run MalwareBytes and Microsoft Security Essentials, and I could add Spybot if I wanted to without any conflict.
Keep It Organized
Degragging your hard drive is mandatory if you want to keep your computer running up to speed, literally (no pun intended). Here's a word picture for what defragging will do. Let's suppose you live in a house and you constantly take things out of drawers, out of cabinets, off bookshelves, etc. and you never put them completely away. Pretty soon, you'd have a hard time finding things - it would take you a long time to locate items that had become separated or even lost. This is what happens on your hard drive when you constantly use it to access information. Defragging fixes that - it organizes your data and puts it all back where it's supposed to be.
I defrag once a week, and more often if I see things freezing up, or slowing down. If I am seeing these symptons, I will also clean the registry, run an optimizer and reboot.
Some people don't do it as often, but whatever you do, make sure it's regular.
Here's my best tip for a free defrag tool: Defraggler. It's also from piriform(dot)com, the same company where I recommended you get CCleaner.
I hope I've been able to educate you and provide some useful tools that will cost you nothing but the download time.
Please visit One On One Computers to learn more about service for your computer. To contact a representative, email info@sentry-backup.com

Jeanne Kolenda has lived in Myrtle Beach, SC, for 20 years and is a telecommunications consultant and a small business marketing coach. Logon to http://www.businesstrainingteam.com and download a free eBook entitled Local Business Marketing On the Internet. Click on the starburst in the lower left corner of the home page. To contact Jeanne, email Jeanne@businesstrainingteam.com.

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How Do I Clean the Registry on My Computer? The Easy Solution For the Non Computer Geek By Derek Blandford

One common tech question I receive on a regular basis is, "How do I clean the registry on my computer?" Often times people know the importance of maintaining a clean registry, but many believe this is a difficult task that needs the expertise of a trained computer technician. Although your Windows XP registry is complex and can be damaged if you start changing things without knowing what you're doing, registry repair software can make this a very painless, inexpensive, and safe task.
In fact, even if you don't have a clue what the registry is or how it works, you can clean it, fix errors, and boost the performance of your PC, even if you are completely computer impaired.
Without getting too technical, you can think of your registry as a hidden organizer in your computer that stores all the pieces of code and the configurations for the software and hardware applications you have installed. This can include everything from simple documents to extremely complex software applications. Think of it like a central command post that documents everything that's going on with your computer and contains the settings and values to complete instructions and tasks.
The registry database is very complex and can be extremely confusing if you ever try to take a look at it. If you're not a techy person, you may as well be trying to decipher an alien language. Unless you know exactly what you're looking for and where to find it, exploring the registry for errors can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
If the registry is so complex and confusing for the average computer user, then how do I clean the registry on my computer without messing things up? The solution is to use registry repair software that is readily available for download on the internet. A good registry repair cleaner can search your registry for errors on a regular basis and fix them automatically so your computer maintains optimal performance.
A good registry cleaner will help you fix all kinds of problems with your PC. For example, cleaning your registry can often fix common problems like the so called "blue screen of death", DLL errors, runtime errors, windows installer errors, media player errors, explorer errors, javascript errors, and more. You'll also experience better system performance and can stop your computer from freezing and crashing.
All that is generally required is to download the software, click the.exe file to install it on your computer, and then follow the on screen instructions. Once installed, you simply open the program, click on a button to start a scan, and the program automatically identifies and fixes your registry errors.

Next, if you want to maximize your computer's performance and fix all those annoying errors for good, an extremely helpful resource you should utilize to your advantage right now is http://www.RepairPCErrors.info.

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How To Find Tech Support For Your Computer Printers By Alec Boyer

Computers are becoming commonplace in homes and offices around the world. The problem is that most people know so very little about their computers, that when something goes wrong, they do not know how to begin the troubleshooting process.
The ugly truth is that we could opt to call the technical support phone number that came with the computer, but you never really know what you are going to get at the other end of the phone. You could literally spend several hours just waiting to get to a technician, and then once you have the human on the line, there is just as good of a chance that they will not have a clue, as there is that they will find your solution.
I know this because I used to work in a computer technical support call center. You would be amazed who can pass as a technician! For most new hires, the only pre-qualifying knowledge that is necessary is being able to navigate the current Windows Operating System.
Management feels that if you can navigate Windows, then you can navigate the database to dig up a solution. The problem with this kind of thinking is that the person at the call center is often lost to find a solution that is not yet in the database.
Of course, all front line technicians have a help desk to call, but in my own experience, help desk posts were assigned based on politics and not technical knowledge. We ended up with some real idiots at our help desk. Call those people once or twice, and you will eventually decide that you stand a stronger chance to succeed on your own, than you would be able to accomplish going upstream in the support systems.
The Business of Printing Support
Fortunately, computer printers do not break that often. But when they do, troubleshooting can be a painful process.
There are some basics that you can cover to streamline the troubleshooting process.
Be forewarned that if you ever crack the case of your printer, you should make darn sure to disconnect the power source before you do so. Printers that are connected to a power supply can actually charge you up with enough current to kill you. Don't take chances with your life.
Long before you get to the point of trying to crack the case to reach the internals, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take.
* Always check your power supply to see that you have a good, solid connection. I know that it seems the most logical step to take, but you might be surprised how often a powerless machine is discovered to be an unplugged machine.
* If the printer has power going to it, then turn off the machine and then turn it back on. Each printer has an internal brain in it. Removing power temporarily from the machine will force the computer chip inside of the printer to reset. Often times, this will solve any issues.
* Make sure that your printer cartridge is properly seated. Make sure the cartridge is in the printer the way that the manufacturer intended.
* Use the printer's "self-test" feature. The manufacturer has included this to help you to eliminate common printing problems.
These four steps will help you to overcome the problems most commonly associated with printers.
For a complete breakdown of generic troubleshooting steps, the following URL points to the most comprehensive and easy-to-follow checklist I have seen: http://www.5starsupport.com/info/printer.htm
Drivers Are the Software Applications That Power Printers
A driver is the software package that enables your printer to communicate with your computer's operating system, and vise versa.
The manufacturer of your printer sent out a software disc with the printer. On this disk, you can find the default driver for that printer.
As computing evolves, printer manufacturers upgrade their drivers to either improve the printer's performance or to keep up with changing Operating Systems.
Of course, you could go to a website that has been established to give you a one-stop shop for finding hardware drivers online. A couple of the most common sites of this type are:
* http://www.windrivers.com
* http://www.driverguide.com
While these global sites are good, they don't always deliver the most up-to-date drivers that are available from the manufacturer.
Here is an assortment of the Support / Driver Download URL's for most of the major manufacturers:
Brother - [http://www.brother.com/E-ftp/info/index.html]
Canon - http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=SiteMapAct&keycode=model&functionid=2&fcategoryid=205
Compaq - http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Product.jsp?taskId=110&prodTypeId=18972&prodCatId=236252
Dell - [http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums?category.id=printers]
Epson - http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/SupportIndex.jsp?expansion=1000000
Hewlett Packard - http://h20180.www2.hp.com/apps/Nav?h_pagetype=s-001&h_product=236252
IBM - [http://www.printers.ibm.com/internet/wwsites.nsf/vwwebpublished/supportoverview_ww]
Konica Minolta - http://printer.konicaminolta.com/support/index.html
Lexmark - [http://support.lexmark.com/cgi-perl/selections.cgi?target=http://support.lexmark.com/cgi-perl/support.cgi]
Okidata - http://my.okidata.com/home.nsf/solutions%26support?openframeset
Panasonic - http://www.panasonic.com/business/office/support/downl_drivers_printers.asp
Pitney Bowes - http://www.pb.com/cgi-bin/pb.dll/jsp/GlobalNavigation.do?moduleName=CustomerSupport
Samsung - http://samsungdp.com/eng/
Sharp - http://www.sharpusa.com/products/TypeWizard1/1,2230,18,00.html
Xerox / Tektronix - http://www.support.xerox.com/go/prodselect.asp?Xcntry=USA&metrics=HDR
The Unseen Printing Industry
Printers are cheap to replace as a general rule. If you have a printer whose transport motor failed, it might actually be cheaper to throw the printer in the trash and replace it with a new one. Sure, it might seem logical to buy a new motor and to replace the dead motor, but do compare pricing options first.
What most people fail to realize is that the printer companies are not making their money on manufacturing and selling printers. Sure, they do still make a profit when you buy your printer, but that is not the activity that keeps their stockholders happy.
When buying a printer, it really does make a lot of sense to compare the prices of replacement cartridges before you buy the printer. I bought a laser printer one time and was really excited about my new tool that is until I priced a replacement cartridge for it. $180 a pop for a remanufactured laser printer cartridge. Egad! That was more than I paid for the printer. I even bought a replacement printer for less money.
Sometimes, there is a challenge to find your printer toner cartridge at your local shopping center. With so many varieties of printers out there, most supply stores will not keep all of the various replacements on hand.
While it might make sense to go to the manufacturer website to buy replacement toner kits and cartridges, they generally charge a premium for those replacements. The manufacturer premiums can sometimes be as much as three times more expensive than what you can buy from a good third-party provider --- even when that third-party provider bought the replacement from a middleman. It is just like the airline industry. It is often cheaper to buy your plane tickets from a travel company than from the airline itself.
With the printer currently sitting on my desk, I save $14-$17 on my color cartridge by buying my printer supplies from Toner-R Printing Supplies. By using this third-party provider, I save $14 against the manufacturer's website, and I can save $17 against Wal-Mart's prices. On the black toner cartridge, I still save money buying from http://www.tonerr.com. I can save $5 against buying the replacement from the manufacturer, and I can save $6 against buying from Wal-Mart. And, we have been trained to believe that Wal-Mart always has the best prices. Imagine that.
When it is time to buy a printer, never think that the manufacturer has your best interests at heart. They are in this business to make the most money they can, period.

Alec Boyer is a writer for the "Your Domain URL Random Page Generator" tool: [http://www.yourdomainurl.com]

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Alec Boyer is a writer for the "Your Domain URL Random Page Generator" tool: [http://www.yourdomainurl.com]

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/136896

Computer Training - Are You Making These 5 Costly Training Mistakes? By Michael J Phillips

Even during good economic times, making mistakes when purchasing computer or soft-skills training had an effect on your bottom line. Yet now more than ever, a misstep could prove quite costly to you and your business, making the difference between thriving or even surviving. Here now are 5 costly training mistakes you may be making, and how to correct them.
#1. Not Training At All
The cash-strapped business owner often looks upon computer and soft-skills training as expendable during hard times. While certainly you want to be wise with your money, cutting out technology and business training altogether is a bad move. Here's why: technology races along at a furious, unstoppable pace. Your employees have neither the time nor inclination to keep themselves up to date, and quickly you end up with a dated workforce with a stale skill set.
The amount of new technical information is doubling every two years, which means that students starting a new 4-year degree will have half of what they learned outdated by their third year of study. Consider that! And the amount of new unique information generated on the planet for 2008 was estimated at 4 exabytes, which is 4x10^19! That is more new information than the last 5,000 years! Suffice it to say, to fail to update your and your employees' technical skills is a recipe for disaster.
#2. Assuming Your Employees Will Keep Themselves Up-to-Date
A lot of managers take the tack of hiring talented, tech-savvy workers, assuming they will keep themselves up-to-date. While these workers, usually your Gen Y folks, are generally much better at technology, the simple fact is they do not keep themselves up on business software as much as you might think.
Certainly they know the ins and outs of Facebook and Twitter, and how to perform mini-miracles with their cell phones during odd moments, but they generally don't spend time learning the detailed aspects of Microsoft® Word or Excel, or even the handier tricks and time-savers associated with operating systems like Windows® or Mac OS X.
And they don't spend in-depth time learning their production software because they are so busy keeping up with all the projects you throw at them. They may be smart as whips, but even they need time for training and expert guidance to help them stay afloat. The bottom line is, no matter how brilliant your workers, their skills stagnate over time and you put yourself and your business at risk when you cut out technology and business training altogether.
#3. Not Training to Employees Strengths
This is a classic. I have been asked so many times to teach a group of employees how to use Excel, or Project, or even complicated graphics programs like Photoshop or Illustrator, because the employees who used to fill those roles moved on or were fired. The students in front of me were typically folks in unrelated roles who had been asked to step-in and take over.
I have no problem helping these folks learn new software and do their jobs, but often they were simply not suited to their new tasks. It takes a special mindset to understand and use project management software, for example, and asking regular folk to step in and take over these roles isn't the wisest management move.
You are far better off training secretaries how to use Word and Excel, and engineers how to use Project, etc. Otherwise, you are asking for these poor beleaguered folks to botch your business. Suit your employees to their tasks, and if you really need someone to take over a technical position, consider hiring in someone new or hiring a temp.
I know it may be tempting to just have the new intern build you a database, or have someone from accounting create a spreadsheet central to your business, but consider that these tasks are often far more complicated than they seem and you are putting yourself and your business at risk to have the wrong folks at the helm.
#4. Not Customizing Course Content
If you have read my previous articles, I have mentioned this many times, but it bears repeating: don't bother holding training sessions unless you are going to customize the course topics to employees' job tasks. Otherwise you are asking your employees to sift through massive amounts of data to find a couple of helpful ideas, when instead you could be targeting your efforts much more effectively with customized topics.
Begin with the reason why you are holding the training and work backwards to arrive at your topic set. For example, if you are rolling out a new upgrade to design software, then the reason for the training is to keep your designers up-to-date on the new software.
Right away this tells you that you need to hold a "what's new" session, instead of a tedious beginning, intermediate, and advanced course that will waste a lot of time and money. And you can probably hold this session as a half-day, instead of the typical 6-hour training day. Let's see, hold one half-day session as opposed to three full-day sessions...hmmm, hard to know what to do here ;)
#5. Not Matching Student Skill Levels with Courses
The final costly training mistake you can make is holding courses with employees of varying skill levels. While this is inevitable to some degree, what I am talking about is putting the absolute newbies in with the advanced folk, and this just absolutely ruins a course. And it is a lot more common than you might think.
What generally happens is the advanced students pick up the info quickly and are ready for more. They are tapping their pens, starting to email their friends, and getting bored. The newbies are struggling to keep up, and often the instructor must personally assist them on many or all tasks, repeating instructions several times and even "riding their mouses." (Mice?)
Many times I've had to drastically reduce or even eliminate the amount of information I covered in a course because of this, which left the advanced students frustrated and the newbies totally confused, and me completely exhausted! I can't tell you how many times just one total newbie has completely destroyed a training session.
So be wise with your student population in your courses. Put your total newbies in their own course, or consider having them go through some one-on-one training or computer based training by themselves before lumping them in with the others. It will make your training sessions much more powerful and cost-effective, and you will accomplish your goal of getting your folks up-to-speed much faster and more efficiently. That will translate into more productivity and a better bottom-line.

Michael J. Phillips is an author, computer and soft-skills trainer, and technology guru in the Orange County area of Southern CA. He has been teaching technology since the word "email" was born. Take advantage of his expertise and book corporate computer and soft-skills training which gets real business results, guaranteed. Visit PC Training Experts today to get started.
(c) 2009 Mike Phillips. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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