Thursday, April 23, 2009

Tips to Make Your Computer Run Smoother


So, you've been enjoying your new computer the last few months or years, and as time has passed by it has been getting slower and slower. It's finally to the point that it's almost unusable, and is driving you nuts when you do use it for recreation or to do work.

So what do you do? Pick it up, throw it away, and buy a new one? Nope. The correct answer is to call tech support or search the Internet and see if you can find out what is wrong with your computer and fix it. Sometimes you will need to buy a new computer, especially if your current one is like ten years old. But if you've only had it a few months to a few years, then most likely you just need to do some basic cleanup and updating of the software you have on your computer. Before you start to panic or rush out to buy a new computer, you should try the tips I have here for you to see if they will get your computer up and running like new again.

1. Update Software
Upgrade your software such as virus and spyware protection software, but what a lot of people probably don't realize is that updating all your other software programs will also help to improve the speed of your computer. Sure your software might do exactly what it's supposed to perfectly, but the reality is that your software is full of glitches and bugs that can be fixed by downloading patches. By downloading these patches it won't only improve the efficiency of your computer and software, but it will also improve its security. Sometimes you have to do it manually from inside the program itself, and other times it's automatic. For programs like virus and spyware protection software, you should set it to automatically update.

2. Update Your Operating System
Along with updating your software you also need to update your operating system regularly. Your operating system is just another software program and like those other programs, it is also full of bugs and glitches that need to be fixed with updates. Windows has the option of letting you set it to update itself automatically or to update it manually when you feel like it. To adjust this option
In Windows XP, go to Start -> Control Panel -> click on Automatic Updates, in the Control Panel window.
In Window Vista go to Start -> Control Panel -> and click on Windows Updates, in the Windows Updates window click on Change Settings in the left pane.

3. Defragment Your Computer
As you use your computer and add and remove files and software, overtime some of your files become fragmented and spread out over the hard disk. As time goes along this will get worse and worse and eventually your computer will slow way down. This is because the computer has to search the hard drive longer whenever you attempt to use your files. In order to fix this problem it's as simple as running the Disk Defragmenter Utility that comes with Windows.
To run Disk Defragmenter go to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Defragmenter. Once the program opens up, to start the defragmenting process just click the button that says Defragment and let it go on its own. Because defragmenting your hard drive uses all your system resources, its best to do this only when you don't need to use your computer. I recommend you start it defragmenting at night right before you go to bed because depending on how fragmented your hard drive is, it could take several hours for the process to complete. Once the defragmenting process is done, your files will be put back together properly, and you should notice a significant increase in the speed of your computer, especially if it's been awhile since you last time you did it.

4. Delete Junk Files
Has it ever seemed like your free space on your hard drive is getting smaller or it takes longer to search for a file you can't find even though you haven't added any new files or software on your computer? This is due to fragments of files that get left behind from daily tasks you perform on your computer. Whenever you download files from the Internet or delete files to the recycling bin, bits and pieces of files are left behind that you can't see and most likely don't know about. These are the "junk" files that are created automatically by programs for temporary use but aren't deleted after the programs are done using them. These files include cookies, temporary Internet files, log files, error log files, temporary miscellaneous files, and System Restore points created every so often by Windows. This might sound like it would be lots of work to remove all of these useless files, but fear not there is a built in program called Disk Cleanup that will delete all these files for you.
To run this program go to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup. Once the program is open you will be shown a window with a couple tabs and a few options to choose from. The first tab that you see lets you choose which junk files you would like to remove. Below this window it shows you how much free space you will gain from deleting these files. Even if it's only a few kilobytes, still run the program. Once you are done selecting which files you want to remove, click the Ok button at the bottom of the window. Once the process is done it will automatically close. Along with deleting these junk files, if you haven't had any problems for awhile with your computer you can free up additional space by clicking the More Options tab in the Disk Cleanup window and clicking the Clean up button in the section titled System Restore. This will delete all but the most recent restore point. Once you're done deleting all your files close the program if it doesn't close by itself and your done.

5. Delete Unused Files
Along with deleting the junk files off your computer, you can also get increased performance from your hard drive by deleting files that you do know about but don't use. This includes software and all personal files you create or download such as movies, music, and pictures. Sure you might be playing only one or two PC games right now it might look cool to have 50 games installed at once, but if you're not playing them, remove them. Sure your hundreds of pictures look cool going across the screen for the My Pictures screensaver, but do you really need them all on your computer? If the answer is no then it would probably be better if you saved them all to CDs or DVDs and deleted them from your computer too.

6. Scan for Malware
Not only should you update your virus and other malware protection software regularly, but you should also actually use it. Because new forms of malware are released every day once in awhile viruses or spyware will get into your computer that your software can't detect. Because of this reason, it would be wise to run a virus and spyware scan on your computer at least once a week. Doing this will ensure that you are virus and spyware free, even if your program didn't automatically detect it on its own and again will increase computer speed.

7. Scan for Registry Errors
So you've scanned for viruses, removed junk files, defragmented your hard drive and are still having speed issues or you computer is still crashing when running programs. If none of these things did the trick, then the problem could be and probably at least partially is the fault of registry errors. The registry is like the central control and brain of all data on your computer in Windows. Almost every file you create and every program you add or remove creates entries in your system registry. Also just about any time you remove files or software, it creates registry errors. Unlike the previous tips, you will have to find a program that is designed for fixing registry errors rather than using features built into Windows. Most of them are self explanatory as to how to use them, but the one I recommend is Glary Utilities. It is the one I use personally and it finds several registry errors every time I run it. Once you pick a program you like, install and use it quite often as registry errors add up quickly. Fixing these errors will definitely make your system performance increase and be more stable.

8. Turn Off Startup Programs
Taking forever to startup seems to be a common problem for a lot of people I know. The reason your computer takes forever to start Windows and show your desktop is because of the number of programs it has been told to start on startup. A lot of these programs are unnecessary to have running at startup such as instant messaging software. The good thing is that you can turn these programs off if you choose to. To turn these programs off, go to Start and type System Configuration in the Run box and press enter. Once the System Configuration program has opened, click the startup tab. Here are all the programs listed that will startup when you first log into Windows. IF you see programs that you recognize such as Yahoo IM or AIM, uncheck them and click on Apply. Except for programs that Windows needs to run and virus and malware scanning software, pretty much all other programs can be safely deselected. Once you have made the changes you want to, close the application and restart your computer for the settings to take effect. Next time your operating system starts up you should definitely notice an increase in boot time if you deselected several of the programs. If not, then turn off some more programs or you can try my next tip.

9. Add More RAM
Sometimes, even when there is nothing wrong with your computer it will still seem to be running slow. This could be because the programs you are using on it require more memory than you currently have available in order to run smoothly. The solution, add more RAM to your computer. Adding more RAM will allow you to run more programs at the same time, and give your existing programs more memory to run in. This is especially useful for people who play a lot of games or do a lot of video and photo editing. These types of programs tend to use a lot of RAM. The downside to having to possibly add more RAM to your computer is that it costs money and requires a little tech knowledge of computers. When buying more RAM for your computer you first have to find out exactly which type it uses. Then you or someone you know has to take the side of your computer off and look for the existing RAM. Most computers have multiple slots for RAM and the chip is just a long rectangle. Installing the RAM is as simple as just placing it lightly in the slot and then pushing it into place. Once it's secure, put the side back on your computer, turn it back on and it's good to go. It's as simple as that.

10. Format Your Computer
So, you've tried all my previous tips and your computer is still running sluggishly. The last thing you can try that pretty much always fixes your problems when all else fails is to format your hard drive. Formatting your hard drive will completely wipe all files on it. This means that any errors you might have been having do to file errors, operating system errors or viruses and other malware, are now completely gone. There are few options you have for how to format your hard drive. One option is to use the recovery discs that come with most all retail computers. This method will automatically format and then reinstall your operating system and all trial software that came on your computer the first day you bought it. Another option is to boot your computer from a disc using your Windows operating system disc and running the format hard drive option from there.
Regardless of which method you choose, the result are the same, a computer that you've had for awhile that is now like it was the first day you bought it. Before you do this though, make absolutely sure you have backed up all of your personal files to an external hard drive or to discs as these will now be gone if you didn't . The only downside I can think of to formatting your hard drive in order to make your computer fast again, is that its time consuming. Once you format it, you now have to re-install all the software you use and download all your updates and patches again. This does however beat the alternative of buying a brand new computer. Despite being time consuming though, once you have your computer back to its working state again, it will definitely be running at full speed again.


There are 10 quick and easy tips that will get your computer running fast again without costing you much money.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Microsoft Launches First Hosted Security Product


Microsoft today made a number of announcements under its Business Ready Security initiative, including its first hosted security offering, and a public beta of the highly-anticipated Stirling integrated security suite.

Forefront Online Security for Exchange Server features comprehensive anti-malware protection and spam detection, alongside new capabilities previously announced under the Geneva codename to help firms migrate and manage identities in the cloud.

Microsoft also released a public beta of the new Stirling security suite, which ties together products on the server, client and edge, making it easier to manage and bringing the benefits of shared knowledge of security events.

To this end, Microsoft is making available a new security assessment API to "anyone in the industry" to help firms achieve the Business Ready Security goal of "protect everywhere, access anywhere".

Twenty partners, including RSA Security, Juniper Networks and Kaspersky Lab, have already been announced that will make use of the API to extend the capabilities of Stirling.

In addition, Forefront will become the de facto brand for all identity and security products, thus Microsoft's Identity Lifecycle Manager will be known officially as the Forefront Identity Manager from today.
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The Joint Strike Fighter Project has Hacked


Hackers have broken into the US Department of Defense’s $300bn (£206bn) Joint Strike Fighter programme, which is partly adjourned by the UK. The Joint Strike Fighter activity is a development action to alter ageing fighter aircraft with next-generation F-35 planes.

The F-35, with its advanced airframe, autonomic logistics, propulsion systems and firepower, is to be the next fighter jet for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. The UK has invested $2bn (£1.37bn) in the F-35’s development, the largest single contribution from the programme’s eight partner nations.

US officials believe the attacks could have originated in China, having tracked the intruders to known Chinese internet protocol addresses. The hackers copied data relating to the aircraft system design by exploiting network vulnerabilities in computer infrastructure belonging to contractors helping to build the new planes.

The hackers encrypted the data they stole to stop officials knowing the extent of the breach. However, according to reports the most sensitive architecture information, such as flight controls and sensors, was not affected because it resides on computers not connected to the internet.

The UK last month purchased its first three F-35s, signaling its commitment to the upcoming analysis and evaluation phase of the project. The UK affairs to eventually buy 138 F-35s.

More than 100 British companies have been involved in the programme, including BAE Systems, which produces the aircraft’s aft fuselage and tails, and Rolls-Royce, which is developing and manufacturing the shaft-driven lift fan and other propulsion components.
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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

How to Earn Money From Blogging


By now, almost everybody is familiar with blogging even if they are only casually familiar with the term. For some people, however, they realize that there is a real possibility to earn money from blogging, if only they were able to do it properly.

Blogging is one of the easiest ways for a newbie to begin earning money that has come along in quite some time. Of course, you need to follow some general guidelines and to make sure that you earn money from blogging properly. Here are 3 different ways for you to do so :

1. Google Adsense
This program was set up by Google several years ago in order to allow webmasters to place contextual advertising directly on their webpage. Simply insert a few lines of code into your template and Google will target your visitors with advertising that is directly related to whatever it is you are blogging about. Every time somebody clicks on one of your ads, you receive a commission.

2. Affiliate Programs
Although this can be a little bit more difficult than using Google Adsense, it can also be much more profitable if you do it properly. Many niches lend themselves to high-paying affiliate programs, and if you are involved in one of those niches you have the ability to make large commissions. Choosing an affiliate program that is directly related to your content is imperative. If your blog is about cars you cannot expect to sell houses. Always be looking in order to find out what affiliate programs are available for you.
3. Selling your own Products
It is possible for you to sell a physical product to your blog visitors but it is much easier for you to sell a digitally downloadable product, such as an e-book. Since you are targeting specific niches in your blog, you already know what those people are interested in before they arrive on your page. By writing and informative e-book on the subject, you have the opportunity to sell it to those visitors.
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Monday, April 20, 2009

How to Speed Up Windows Vista


There are many ways to speed up Windows Vista. Some methods are more straight forward than the other and some will help you see huge improvements to the performance of Windows while others offer less noticeable results. Here we will look at 7 most effective ways to speed up Windows Vista from my personal experience.

1. Turn off unnecessary Windows features
By default, Vista comes with tons of features that are enabled based on assumptions which may or may not apply to you. Hence you get a system that is running lots of background processes, most of which you do not need at all. So one of the great ways to speed up Windows Vista is to disable them. To see the list of Windows features and turn them on or off, go to Control Panel, change to "Classic View", click on "Program Features" and then select "Turn Windows Features On And Off". Some examples of features you may want to disable are:
- Remote Differential Compression
- Windows Meeting Space
- Tablet PC optional components

2. Graphical features
One of the better ways to speed up Windows Vista is to turn off fanciful graphical features if you are not too much into aesthetics. One example is the Aero feature. Open your start menu, go to run, and type in 'systempropertiesperformance'. At the Visual Effects tab, uncheck 'Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing'. This will do the job. There are many graphical features that you can take out from here. This can give you more immediate results as compared to other ways to speed up Windows Vista.

3. Turn off Windows Indexing
The Windows Indexing service was initially designed to be one of the ways to speed up Windows Vista by shortening the search time for files. However, as the volume of hard disk increases exponentially, the service has proven to be a resource intensive program causing massive slowdowns when Windows start to index the millions of files in the system. Select Start then choose Computer, right click on your C Drive and select properties. Under the General Tab, uncheck "Index this drive for faster searching". On the next dialog box, choose "Include subfolders and files". Do the same for the other Drives.

4. Remove Spyware and Trojans and protect your system against future attacks
Out of the many ways to speed up Windows Vista, this has to be one of the most crucial things you need to do. This is because not only your system performance is at stake, the security and confidentiality of your data is too. Use free tools such as Avast for anti-virus protection, Spybot for spyware removal and protection as well as Zonealarm for firewall protection. There are other good tools around but make sure they are not spywares themselves!

5. Remove unnecessary start up programs
When Vista boots up, many programs run at the start up either in the background or as pop up Windows. Many of these you do not need. You need to take control and eliminate these memory suckers that are lurking in the background. Open your start menu, go to run, and type in 'msconfig', choose the Startup tab and uncheck any items that you do not want to auto-load and click OK.

6. Defrag your hard disk
This may not be new to you but if you are thinking of using the Windows Defragmentation Tool in Vista, you can forget about it. Instead, use a free 3rd party tool known as Defraggler. It is still quite effective in comparison to other ways to speed up Windows Vista.

7. Clean your registry
One of the often neglected portions of Windows is the registry itself. Many do not realized that one of the best ways to speed up Windows Vista is to make sure the registry is clear of invalid entries that causes Windows to perform unnecessary tasks. Cleaning the registry has other advantages too. In certain cases you can remove Windows errors that pop up during boot up.
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Saturday, April 18, 2009

Cara Mengamankan Komputer Anda

Pada era sekarang, yang namanya Internet, hampir digunakan oleh seluruh penghuni bumi kita ini. Baik itu untuk keperluan pribadi, bisnis, sekolah, dll. Dengan adanya Internet ini tentu saja mempermudah kita dalam melakukan aktivitas yang bersifat online, seperti membeli barang secara online, dan aktivitas - aktivitas banking.

Tetapi sering kali aktivitas - aktivitas online tersebut mengundang para hacker dan cracker untuk melakukan tindakan kriminal. Oleh kareng itu kita perlu meningkatkan security pada platform kita dalam melakukan aktivitas online ini, berikut ini langkah - langkah untuk meningkatkan security platform kita :

1. Selalu melakukan "back up" pada data / informasi penting kita, dan sebaiknya hasil "back up" tersebut disimpan di tempat yang lebih aman.

2. Melakukan Update pada operating system, browser dan software - software yang berkaitan.

3. Pastikan antivirus anda terinstal, dan "up-to-date" pastinya

4. Aktifkan Firewall komputer anda, atau dengan menambahkan suatu software yang menyediakan jasa Firewall, seperti Norton Internet Security, yang telah menyediakan fitur Firewall.

5. Setting tingkat security browser anda khususnya fitur "Trusted Sites Zone" pada tingkat High / Medium.

6. Jangan pernah membuka email yang tidak anda kenal penggirimnya atau link - link yang berbau porno atau sejenisnya.

7. Jangan pernah menjalankan program / aplikasi yang tidak anda tau sumbernya, karena biasanya program / aplikasi tersebut menyimpan Virus / Malware / Spyware.

8. Men-disable fitur "hidden extension" pada Windows anda, agar anda dapat melihat ekstensi file yang gk biasanya(bisa saja itu adalah Virus).

9. Matikan(disconnect) koneksi jaringan komputer anda, pada saat anda tidak menggunakannya.

Inilah ke-9 cara yang dapat saya sharing untuk mengamankan komputer kita..
Semoga dapat meningkatkan kenyamanan dan kepercayaan anda dalam melakukan aktivitas online.. ^^
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Monday, April 13, 2009

Plugin Wordpress yang Cocok untuk SEO


Bagi anda yang memakai Wordpress untuk website / blognya, Pada tips kali ini, saya ingin menshare beberapa SEO Plugin Wordpress yang dapat membantu website / blog Wordpress anda nampil di halaman awal hasil pencarian Google atau Yahoo. Beriku daftar SEO Pluginnya, dalam daftar ini saya akan memberi review pendek dari setiap SEO Plugin yang saya rekomendasikan, sehingga rekan semua mempunyai gambaran untuk memutuskan apakah membutuhkannya atau tidak.

1. All in One SEO Pack
SEO Plugin Wordpress paling penting yang anda harus gunakan di blog Wordpress. Plugin ini memungkinkan anda untuk men-setting spesifik Title tag, Meta deskripsi (meta description) dan meta keyword untuk setiap posting. Tidak hanya itu, andapun mempunyai pilihan untuk menggunakan Robot meta tag untuk bagian-bagian dalam blog yang tidak ingin ter-indeks mesin pencari.

2. Robots Meta
Plugin ini bertugas untuk memberitahu kepada crawler search engine tentang bagian mana dari blog kita yang harus dikunjungi atau diindex. Hal ini bertujuan untuk menghindari terjadinya “duplikat konten semu” akibat salah index oleh crawler.

3. SEO Smart Links
Salah satu faktor penting dalam SEO adalah struktur internal link dalam blog. Semakin banyak link yang kita tujukan ke halaman tertentu dari blog kita, itu berarti halaman tersebut kita anggap lebih penting dari halaman lain dari blog kita. Nah, search engine sangat suka dengan blog yang terstruktur seperti ini. Trus apa hubungannya dengan SEO Smart Links? Plugin ini berfungsi untuk membantu kita mengarahkan keywords yang diinginkan (misalnya Plugin SEO) menuju ke halaman tertentu. Setiap kali ada kata "Plugin SEO” maka secara otomatis akan dibuatkan link ke arah halaman yang telah diset sebelumnya. Jadi kita tidak lagi ribet men-set link secara manual.

4. SEO Friendly Images
Seperti kita tahu bahwa penggunaan tag pada gambar sangat penting dalam SEO. Nah, plugin ini berfungsi untuk mempermudah tugas blogger dalam membuat tag pada gambar sehingga membuat blog kita menjadi lebih search engine friendly.

5. Head Meta Description Plugin
Plugin ini akan mencomot 20 kata pertama dari Paragraf awal anda dan dijadikan deskripsi dari artikel anda, Plugin WOrdpress ini selain berperan sebagai Plugin SEO, juga dapat menghemat waktu anda tanpa perlu menulis deskripsi untuk tiap posting. Namun jika anda sudah memilih plugin ALL In One SEO Pack maka anda tidak memerlukan plugin ini, akan peranannya sama, juga sebaliknya. Jika anda mempunyai plugin Head Meta Description ini maka anda tidak perlu plugin ALL IN ONE SEO PACK.

6. Category Base Killer
Jika permalink blog anda di set seperti ini /%category%//%postname%/ dan dalam satu posting anda mempunyai lebih dari satu kategori, misalnya :
http://www.myblog.com/category/category_name/post_title.htm

Menjadi:
http://www.myblog.com/category_name/post_title.htm

7. Paginated Comments
Jika blog rekan mempunyai banyak komentar di setiap postingnya maka rekan memerlukan plugin paginated comments agar menjadi SEO Friendly. Rekan dapat menseting title tag untuk setiap komentar, termasuk meta deskripsi dan meta keyword. Anda dapat melakukan ini berdasarkan ukuran dan jumlah komentar. Sekali setiap blog yang mempunyai banyak komentar membutuhkan SEO Plugin Wordpress ini.

8. Nofollow Case by Case
Plugin ini berfungsi untuk menjadikan komentar yang ada di blog menjadi tidak “nofollow”. Tentu kita tahu bahwa komen yang dibuat menjadi “nofollow” tidak memberikan share page rank, sehingga kurang bermanfaat. Nah, dengan plugin ini maka blog kita bisa menjadi tempat untuk mencari backlink sehingga menarik bagi bloggers lain untuk memberi komentar. Hal ini tentu lebih membuat rame blog kita.

9. Google XML Sitemaps
SEO Plugin Wordpress yang secara otomatis mencitapkan Sitemap XML yang valid bagi Blog anda. Anda dapat melakukan set seperti prioritas untuk kategori, update dan banyak lagi. Di antara semua plugin Google Sitemap Wordpress yang sejenis, plugin Google XML ini yang paling oke!

10. Google Analyticator
Jika anda ingin menempatkan kode Google Analytics di semua halaman blog wordpress anda, maka SEO Plugin Wordpress dapat anda manfaatkan. Plugin Google Analyticator ini akan memonitor kemajuan dari trafik organik via Google Analytics dan memantau dari mana pengunjung anda datang dan apa saja yang mereka lakukan saat mampir di blog anda.

11. Google SERP Checking Plugin
Plugin ini saya rekomendasikan karena ia akan memberi laporan posisi blog dan halaman blog anda untuk sejumlah keyword di hasil pencaharian, plugin ini selain sebagai SEO Wordpress Plugin juga berguna untuk menghemat waktu anda untuk mengecek posisi blog pada sejumlah keyword tertentu.

12. Wordpress Reciprocal Links
Plugin SEO Wordpress ini berguna bagi mereka yang ingin mengkontrol rekiprokal links (link 2 arah), atau tukeran link pada halaman-halaman tertentu dalam blog Wordpress. Ini cara yang bagus untuk Link Building.

13. Yet Another Relevant Post Plugin
Plugin SEO Wordpress ini banyak di favoritkan, peranannya seperti umumnya plugin related post yaitu menempatkan sejumlah artikel yang sejenis di bagian bawah setiap posting. Di mana plugin ini berfungsi untuk menciptakan struktur internal linking.

14. KB Robots
Plugin Ini bagus untuk SEO bagi Wordpress anda. Ini memungkinkan anda untuk melakukan kendali dan editing file Robot.txt melakukan seksi Administrasi Wordpress.

15. Permalinks Moved Permanently
Plugin ini juga berfungsi untuk me-redirect suatu permalink yang sudah rusak atau sudah diubah menuju ke permalink yang baru. Dengan plugin ini, sebuah permalink yang baru saja diubah akan tetap diindex oleh search engine.

16. SEO Slugs
Misalnya kita mempunyai posting berjudul “Cara Untuk Meningkatkan PageRank”, maka secara otomatis permalinknya adalah: /cara-untuk-meningkatkan-pagerank. Dengan SEO Slugs maka permalink kita bisa secara otomatis menjadi /cara-meningkatkan-pagerank, tanpa kata penghubung “untuk”. Penghilangan kata hubung seperti itu berguna agar blog kita lebih search engine friendly, karena search engine biasanya menghindari adanya kata penghubung.

17. Sociable
Merupakan Plugin Social bookmark yang berfungsi untuk menyebarkan posting/artikel saya keseluruh internet.

18. Redirection
Plugin ini berguna untuk mengatasi masalah akibat terjadinya kerusakan permalink (URL). Kerusakan permalink sering terjadi bila kita mengedit postingan lama, melakukan upgrade wordpress atau berpindah hosting. Bila permalink rusak maka pengunjung tidak akan dapat menemukan halaman blog yang ingin dikunjungi. Tentu ini merupakan sebuah kerugian karena mengurangi jumlah traffic. Nah, dengan Redirection plugin, maka pengunjung akan diarahkan ke permalink baru sehingga mereka bisa menemukan alamat URL yang dimaksudnya.
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Saturday, April 11, 2009

Tips Meringankan Memori Mozilla Firefox Hingga 3x Lipat

Bagi anda yang mempunyai hobi berinternetan, tentu tidak asing lagi dengan yang namanya Mozilla Firefox. Ini merupakan salah satu aplikasi browser yang memiliki banyak "fans"nya. Namun pernahkah anda frustasi atau kecewa saat browsing dengan firefox tiba - tiba komputer anda melambat atau bahkan nge-hang?

Mengapa hal ini bisa terjadi? Salah satu penyebab utamanya adalah karena firefox itu sendiri. Meski populer rupanya Firefox bukanlah browser yang ringan. Browser ini tergolong boros, karena menghabiskan resource komputer yang lumayan tinggi terutama memory. Untuk pertama kali dijalankan saja browser ini menghabiskan paling sedikit 10 mega memori di Linux, dan 20 mega di Windows. Semakin banyak anda membuka new tab / halaman baru maka semakin besar memori yang dihabiskan dan semakin sibuk pula CPU Anda bekerja. Dari sisi manajemen memori tampaknya browser ini masih kalah dibanding rivalnya, Opera.

Namun anda tidak perlu berkecil hati dan lekas memutuskan untuk berpindah ke browser lain. Karena dengan sedikit tune up(setting) anda bisa memperbaiki kinerja Mozilla Firefox kesayangan anda. Silahkan ikuti langkah - langkah berikut :

Buka Mozilla Firefox, pada address bar ketikkan "about:config"(TANPA TANDA PETIK)

1. Membatasi Kapasitas Cache Memori
Setiap kali Anda membuka sebuah halaman web, Firefox otomatis akan menyimpannya dalam cache memori. Secara default Firefox menggunakannya sebesar jumlah maksimal RAM yang Anda miliki. Itulah mengapa semakin banyak Anda membuka tab baru, memori komputer Anda semakin habis.
Untuk membatasinya tambahkan opsi: browser.cache.memory.capacity. Caranya klik kanan --> New --> Integer --> Ketik browser.cache.memory.capacity --> masukkan angka 2048. 2048 disini artinya gunakan cache memori maksimal hanya 2 Mega. Anda bisa coba - coba dengan angka yang lain, namun usahakan merupakan kelipatan dari 1024

2. Membatasi Kapasitas Cache History
Sama seperti cache memori, hanya bedanya peruntukan cache history disini oleh Firefox lebih ditujukan untuk mempercepat loading halaman saat Anda menekan tombol back dan forward pada browser. Apabila Anda jarang memakai back dan forward, sebaiknya Anda set dengan nilai
kecil guna menghemat memori. Pada filter ketikan : browser.sessionhistory.max_total_viewers --> ubah nilai -1 menjadi 3

3. Membatasi Kapasitas Cache Disk
Secara default Mozilla menset ukuran cache disk sebesar 50 Mega. Tentunya ini pemborosan
memori. Mensetnya menjadi 2 MB dapat memberikan performa yang positif khususnya bagi komputer dengan memori dibawah 128 MB dan harddisk model lama. Pada filter ketikkan: browser.cache.disk.capacity --> ubah nilai 50000 menjadi 2000

4. Batasi Extension / Add-ons
Semakin banyak add-ons yang Anda gunakan, semakin besar RAM yang dihabiskan. Disable add-ons yang kurang / jarang Anda gunakan.

5. Disable Flash
Tahukah anda bahwa animasi flash yang di load saat Anda membuka web memakan resource RAM yang lumayan besar? Konsekuensinya adalah waktu loading menjadi lebih lambat dan berat. Bahkan pada plugin flash sebelum versi 9, resource RAM yang dipakai merupakan akumulasi dari jumlah flash yang dibuka sebelumnya. Ada baiknya anda men-disable flash. Silahkan download dan install Flashblock Add-ons.

6. Disable Download History
Sebaiknya anda nonaktifkan fitur history ini. Karena semakin banyak download history yang disimpan, maka akan menurunkan performa Firefox. Caranya mudah, pilih menu Tools --> Options --> Privacy. lalu hilangkan pilihan pada “Remember What I’ve Downloaded”.

7. Load yang perlu saja
Secara default Firefox tanpa kita sadari merusaha melakukan pre-download pada link halaman web yang mungkin akan kita klik. Tentu cara ini hanya memboroskan bandwdith, dan performa CPU. Untuk menonaktifkan fitur ini ketik pada filter: network.prefetch-next --> ubah nilainya menjadi false.

8. Download dan segera tampilkan.
Tips ini mungkin berguna buat anda yang tidak sabaran. Umumnya firefox akan menunggu beberapa saat setelah download untuk mulai menampilkan halaman yang dituju. Untuk memaksa Firefox agar segera menampilkan halaman web yang didownloadnya Anda bisa menset nilai: nglayout.initialpaint.delay --> menjadi 0.

9. Pada Saat me-Minimize Firefox
Untuk settingan ini hanya efektif pada lingkungan Windows saja. Caranya klik kanan --> new --> boolean --> ketikkan config.trim_on_minimize --> Set nilainya True.
Dengan cara ini setiap kali Firefox di minimize, otomatis memori yang di pakai akan dilepas / dibebaskan, sehingga dapat dipakai untuk proses aplikasi lainnya.


Setelah langkah - langkah diatas telah Anda lakukan, langkah terakhir adalah me-restart Firefox kesayangan Anda. Bagaimana kini performa Mozilla Firefox Anda? ^^
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Friday, April 10, 2009

Cara Mempercepat Koneksi Internet Menggunakan Mozilla Firefox

Pada tutorial kali ini, saya ingin menshare cara untuk mempercepat koneksi internet kalian terutama dalam hal Browsing..
Konfigurasi ini hanya berlaku untuk pengguna Mozilla Firefox( Firefox Lover ^^ ) + pengguna DSL / Cable, bukan untuk pengguna Dial-up Modems.
ok g mulai ja konfigurasinya..

pertama --> Open New Tab --> ketik "about:config" (TANPA TANDA PETIK)
nah sekarang didalam "about:config", cari konfigurasi sebagai berikut, kemudian di-set nilainya sesuai dengan nilai yg telah saya berikan dibawah ini :

browser.cache.memory.capacity --> 65536
browser.xul.error_pages.enabled --> TRUE

content.interrupt.parsing --> TRUE
content.maxtextrun --> 8191
content.max.tokenizing.time --> 3000000
content.notify.backoffcount --> 5
content.notify.interval --> 750000
content.notify.ontimer --> TRUE
content.switch.threshold --> 750000

network.http.max-connections --> 48
network.http.max-connections-per-server --> 16
network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy --> 16
network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server --> 8
network.http.pipelining --> TRUE
network.http.proxy.pipelining --> TRUE
network.http.pipelining.maxrequests --> 8

nglayout.initialpaint.delay --> 0

plugin.expose_full_path --> TRUE

ui.submenuDelay --> 0


UNTUK KONFIGURASI YANG TIDAK TERDAPAT DALAM "about:config" anda, silakan dibikin sendiri.

Kalo misalnya nilai dari suatu konfigurasi bernilai "TRUE" :
klik kanan(dimana saja) --> New --> BOOLEAN --> Nama_Konfigurasi --> nilai TRUE / FALSE

Kalo misalnya nilai dari suatu konfigurasi bernilai "1" (angka) :
klik kanan(dimana saja) --> New --> INTEGER --> Nama_Konfigurasi --> nilai TRUE / FALSE


Setelah semua konfigurasi diatas anda jalankan, sekarang langkah terakhir adalah merestart Mozilla Firefox anda.
Kemudian d open kembali + tes browsing...
taaaadaaaaa...
How bout it guyz?? ^^
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Cara Menaikkan Page Rank Website / Blog

Ok Guyz..
Pada tutorial ini, saya akan share beberapa cara untuk menaikkin page rank website / blog kita.
Pertama - tama, bagi kalian yang uda punya website / blog, tetapi belum memiliki widget untuk melihat page rank.
so, saya akan kasi beberapa link untuk mendapatkan widget tersebut :

http://www.alexa.com/siteowners/widgets --> widget untuk melihat ALEXA PAGE RANK
http://www.fastusersonline.com/service_seostats_index --> widget untuk melihat GOOGLE PAGE RANK + ALEXA PAGE RANK

Berikut cara - cara untuk menaikkan page rank website / blog kita :

1. Daftarkan website / blog kita ke Search Engine
contohnya : Google, MSN, Yahoo Search, Addme, Free Web Submission, Submit a website, Gloprom, IndoCenter, Search Indonesia, Hallo Indonesia, dan lain-lain.
berikut ini link - link search engine yang sering saya gunakan ( FREE ) :

a. GOOGLE --> http://www.google.com/addurl.html
b. Yahoo --> http://add.yahoo.com/fast/add?158612
c. Yahoo --> http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/submit
d. MSN --> http://beta.search.msn.com/docs/submit.aspx
e. MSN --> http://search.msn.com/docs/submit.aspx?FORM=WSDD2
f. Websquash --> http://www.websquash.com/cgi-bin/search/search.pl?Mode=AnonAdd
g. Scrubtheweb --> http://www.scrubtheweb.com/addurl.html
h. IntelSeek --> http://www.intelseek.com/add_url_form.asp
i. SearchEngine --> http://www.searchengine.com/List_Your_Site/Basic_Submit/
j. WWWRIOT --> http://www.dxpnet.com/riot/submit.asp
k. Claymont --> http://www.claymont.com/login/login.asp?img=y
l. Submit Express --> http://www.submitexpress.com/
m. King Ping --> http://www.kping.com/

2. Daftarkan website / blog kita ke situs Directory
contohnya : Yahoo!, Google, AOL, Altavista, Netscape, Lycos, Open Directory Project, dmoz.org, Looksmart, MSN2, Excite, dll.

3. Daftarkan url kita ke berbagai situs Iklan Baris gratis
contoh : IklanBaliku.com, Iklanbarispro.com, Dunia-bisnis.com, Iklandunia.com, Iklanplaza.com, Iklanhouse.com, Iklanbaris-gratis.com, Blogiklanbaris.com, PasarBaris.Com, Sediaiklan.com, Jagadiklan.com, 1iklan.com, Iklan.plazabisnis.com, Rajaplaza.com, Plazabaru.com, Iklanjaya.com, Web-iklan.com, Iklan-promosi.com, Iklangratis.online-success.web.id, Iklanbaris-gratis.com, Iklanprima.info, 1iklanbaris.com, Situsiklanbaris.com, Numpanglewat.com, Gratis-iklan-baris.com, Pusatiklanbaris.com, Bioskop Kecil, Gilar-Gilar, IndofreeAds, Pusat Promosi, Ringkasan Berita, Sentra Promosi, Iklankuningan.com, Iklan-Laris.com, IklanMega.net, Iklan.salmanweb.com, Cieny.com, Iklan-iklan.com, Iklan Baris Bayisehat.COM, Blogiklanbaris.com, Gilar-gilar.com, Iklanbarisgratis.info, dll.

4. Gabung di forum-forum / mailing list yang sesuai dengan tema website / blog kita

5. Memberikan / mengisi kolom komentar, guest book dan sejenisnya pada suatu website / blog dengan menyertakan link website / blog kita, atau yg biasanya disebut dengan "Blog Walking".( No SPAM )

6. Melakukan Ping secara berkala ke situs penyedia Ping gratis
Ping adalah suatu sistem / cara untuk memberitahu search engine bahwa di alamat / url kita telah terdapat perubahan / penambahan kontent, sehingga akan memudahkan search engine untuk memeriksa kebenaran adanya penambahan kontent pada link tersebut. Berikut ini, Layanan Ping yang sudah cukup dikenal handal yaitu seperti :

a. http://just-ping.com/index.php
b. http://pingoat.com/
c. http://ipings.com/
d. http://www.technorati.com/ping

Oh yah, mau ingatin aja, jangan melakukan ping secara berlebihan, soalnya kalo berlebihan nter dianggap melakukan SPAMMING oleh search engine. - -"
Saya sarankan, sebaiknya melakukan ping setelah kita mengupdate kontent website / blog kita.

7. Berpartisipasi dalam Program Exchange link/ Tukeran link dengan website / blog yang memiliki kesamaan tema dengan tema website / blog kita.

8. Menulis Artikel dalam Bahasa Inggris ( bagi yang expert.. ^^ )
Kita menulis beberapa artikel yang bermanfaat untuk orang banyak di situs :

a. http://www.articlecity.com
b. http://www.ezinearticle.com

Jangan lupa di bagian akhir artikel yang telah anda buat tersebut, sisipkan link yang mengarah ke website / blog anda.

9. Auto Responder.
Berilah kursus gratis, tips atau beragam informasi penting lain bagi pengunjung website / blog anda dengan AutoResponder yang bisa anda buat sendiri di situs http://www.freeautoboot.com
Kemudian sertakan link yang menuju ke website / blog anda.

10. Submit Artikel website / blog anda ke situs-situs Social Bookmarking.
contoh : Propeller.com, Slashdot.org, Digg.com, Technorati.com, Del.icio.us, Stumbleupon.com, Twitter.com, Reddit.com, Tagza.com, Fark.com, Newsvine.com, Furl.net, swik.net, Connotea.org, Links Marker, Sphinn.com, Blinklist.com, Faves.com, Mister-wong.com, Spurl.net, Netvouz.com, Diigo.com, Backflip.com, Bibsonomy.org, Folkd.com, Linkagogo.com, Indianpad.com, Plugim.com, Myjeeves.ask.com, Jumptags.com, Mixx.com, Wirefan.com, Ka-Boom-It.com, dll.

That's it guyz.. ^^
Dengan tutorial ini, sekitar 3 ato 4 hari page rank website n blog saya langsung naik.. hehe
Semoga tutorial ini dapat membantu kalian yang pengen naikkin page rank website / blognya..
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3 Steps to Profitable Business Blogging


Business Blogging differs from traditional blogging as we know it. In the past blogs were used primarily as platforms on which to express ideas, opinions, and experiences. However as the internet has evolved so have blogs.

Recognizing their growing popularity with internet viewers many bloggers have taken to use their platforms as a means to more actively promote for a profit. The ability to passively advertise to loyal readers while still supplying them the useful content they've come to expect has proven to be a very effective promotional marketing approach.

If you want to make money blogging there are 3 steps in which you'll need to pay close attention to when you create a blog.

1. Layout
Choose a layout or template that best reflects you or the blog theme. When you first create a blog make sure your site is easy to navigate. It is recommended that you also make readily available to your readers your most popular posts. Put them into a separate category or tab for easy access.

2. Fresh Quality Content
Aside from traffic this area is what sustains the life of your blog. If you don't believe that, take a break from posting on your blog for a while and watch the subscriber based decrease. With that said POST FREQUENTLY to keep both readers and the search engines coming back for more fresh content. Your post obviously must be related to the overall theme or purpose on which you chose to blog. Make sure your posts stimulate or reward your readers in some fashion such as useful information or entertaining insights. Be sure the content you post reflects your feelings or personality. Remember there's only one you so unleash yourself and let your personality hang out. This is one factor that will distinguish your blog from the rest.

3. Advertising on Your Blog
With a steady flow of traffic and a good loyal following now in place this is the time to introduce a little creative advertising. If your blog is popular enough you can possibly rent out space to advertisers related to your niche. Take caution not to place too many advertisements on your site. This will disrupt the original flow and feel of your blog that readers have become accustom to. The 'suggestion' of a product within the body of one of your post is another approach you can use to make money blogging. Be sure the product, like any creative advertising you may use, is related to what you're blogging on and can be useful to your readers. With reader loyalty you have also gained their trust and faith in you as an authority on the subject matter of your blog. Be careful not to abuse this by overly frequent sales pitches or offering inappropriate or inferior products. REMEMBER your objective is to supply helpful content FIRST. This is why these readers subscribed to begin with. As you can see business blogging involves a delicate mix between the trust of your readers and your promotional efforts. Always remember to serve your readers FIRST with the good content they've come to expect. Your promotional marketing efforts should always assume a lower profile!
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How do I Create a Blog ?


Are you really interested in starting a blog? You would probably be surprised at the huge number of people that go online every day, wondering, how do I create a blog?

The fact of the matter is, it is actually not really a difficult thing to do and as long as you follow a few simple steps, you can very easily have your blog up and running within just a few minutes. In this article, we are going to focus on creating a blog using your own domain name. Although it is possible for you to also use one of the many free blogging services that are out there, creating a blog with your own domain is inexpensive and gives you much more freedom in the long run.

I know what you're probably wondering, how do I create a blog using a domain name whenever I have never had a domain name in the past? Actually, it is quite simple. The two parts that you are going to need in order to start this are the domain name itself and some kind of hosting. Purchasing the domain name is a relatively simple thing. In fact, most hosting services will give you the opportunity to buy your domain name at the same time you are setting up the hosting. This makes the entire process seamless.

In choosing your hosting company, there is one thing that you want to make sure you look for. The control panels that run many of these hosting companies allow you to set up a blog quickly and automatically. My personal favorite is cPanel with the additional add-on, Fantastico. With just a few clicks of a button, you can have a WordPress blog set up and ready for you to add your content.

For those of you that have been wondering, how do I create a blog, I'm sure that you are probably surprised that it is as easy as this. The only other thing that you really need to know is how to upload additional templates and some of the scripts in order to enhance your blog and to make it work exactly as you would like. Fortunately, most hosting companies give you a way to seamlessly upload these files. Before you know it, your new blog will be ready and you can begin creating your content and showing it off to the world.

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Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The 5 Main Reasons Why People Fail to Make Money


If you search any of the search engines, you will find numerous references to online survey scams. These references are made by people who have failed to make money. But, is it the fault of the survey companies or does the fault lie with the person himself?

This article aims to show where these people go wrong and therefore, what you can do to improve your chances of making an income in this surprisingly lucrative market.

The reason many people fail is because they didn’t know what they were doing and failed to get good advice before becoming involved. There are five general categories where people tend to fail in this area and each of these will be discussed in this article.

1. Not knowing where to start
Many sales companies out there in cyberspace masquerade as online paid survey companies who are just attempting to sell you something. Another route to failure is buying lists of online survey companies only to find they are nothing more than a list of other companies doing the same thing or companies that don’t even operate in the buyer’s country. With many of these, the chance of making money or winning prizes is remote. In reality these companies are charging you money for information that you can get for free from sites. Because free companies don’t charge for the information, they need to be more conscientious in keeping information up to date in order to retain visitors. Because paid companies have already taken your money, they have little incentive to do so.


2. Procrastination
When people initially start to fill out an application to join these paid online surveys, they are usually full of enthusiasm. However, that enthusiasm often wanes when they see the length of a application and how much time and information is required in the application form. This information, however, is necessary in order to determine your suitability for particular surveys. Most of the surveys you will receive have relevance to your answers to this data collection.

3. Not signing up with enough survey companies
Not all companies have a new survey every week so if you don’t sign with all of the available
survey companies, you may miss out on possible income. When this lack of income happens, you may lose interest and not even try anymore. The best thing to do is to sign up with every available company in order to increase your chances of a substantial income. There is software available that can help you fill in the repetitive parts of your application or you can use Google’s autofill. It may seem to be a lot of work and quite time consuming but it will be worth it in the long term. Without this information, survey companies cannot send you surveys so be prepared to put in the time and effort to get on as many list as you can. Eventually, you will be rewarded handsomely for your efforts.

3. Not treating it as a job
Once you register for the surveys, you need to remain up to date. You will begin to receive invitations to respond to surveys, but if you don’t do them immediately and leave it a few days, you may find the survey has closed when you submit it. Also, if you aren’t honest and give dishonest answers in an attempt to qualify, you will find your work rejected. The market researcher is acting on behalf of a client who wants information quickly so there will be many more invitations than needed. Because of this, it will be the first people to respond whose input will be taken. It is therefore in your best interests to check daily and to put aside some time for filling in surveys. Remember, completing a survey is a paid job and you should act professionally if you wish to do well in this business. If you consistently don’t respond, they will assume that you are no longer interested and will remove your name from their data.

4. Unrealistic Expectations
Many people go into this with the expectation of making a fortune with no effort. Then they quit when there is no income arriving. Be realistic…you must plan your work and work to that plan accordingly. Results will surely follow. You can definitely make money doing online surveys but you must do what needs to be done. It’s not automatic. You have to do the signup work, answer without delay, take the surveys and do a good job of responding to all the questions in order to make the money come in. Do these things and you will succeed.

5. Impatience
A number of people quit because they are too impatient. They expect to see money within the first week or two and if they don’t, they give up. That isn’t even enough time to get properly started. If you do all of the steps correctly, you may begin to see income within the first month but it may take around three or four months before you hit your peak. Survey companies will usually start you on smaller surveys to see whether you are good value. They monitor how you fill in the surveys and how quickly you respond so don’t expect the biggies too quickly. It’s all a process that takes time.
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Monday, April 6, 2009

Batteries Made of Virus by MIT


Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have genetically engineered viruses to build lithium batteries.

The team have designed viruses that form cathodes by coating themselves with iron phosphate and bond with carbon nanotubes to create a network of highly conductive material. Three years ago MIT managed to perform a similar trick to make viruses form anodes by attracting cobalt oxide and gold and self-assembling to form a nanowire.

Using the two processes the production of lithium batteries could be made much more environmentally friendly and potentially reduce the cost of battery production significantly. The process is also relatively green, as it is conducted at room temperature and involves no organic solvents.

MIT President, Susan Hockfield, took a battery created by the process to the White House and showed it to President Obama, who has committed funding to such projects.

The team will use the same process to create more efficient batteries using manganese phosphate and nickel phosphate. These will hopefully be ready for mass production soon. Details of the new battery creation technology are to be published in the journal Science.

The research was funded by the Army Research Office Institute of the Institute of Collaborative Technologies, and the National Science Foundation through the Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers program.
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Sunday, April 5, 2009

PowerPoint is Already being Exploited by Hackers


Microsoft has warned of a vulnerability in PowerPoint that could enable a hacker to gain remote control of a PC. A security advisory from the company offers advice on how to guard against the exploit, and said that attacks have already been seen in the wild.

"Microsoft is investigating new reports of a vulnerability in Microsoft Office PowerPoint that could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted PowerPoint file. At this time, we are aware only of limited and targeted attacks that attempt to use this vulnerability."

The warning should also serve as a reminder to office workers to not blindly open attachments. The nature of the vulnerability means that an attacker would have to convince users to visit a particular web site, and then persuade them to open the specially-crafted PowerPoint file.

"The vulnerability cannot be exploited automatically through email. For an attack to be successful a user must open an attachment that is sent in an email message," the security alert said.

Microsoft reminded companies that the enabler for many such attacks is often the human element and also hinted at the possibility of a patch, suggesting that it could be included in its regular Patch Tuesday release, or as an out of cycle release, depending on customer needs.

In the meantime Microsoft offered a few workarounds. "Do not open or save Office files that you receive from un-trusted sources, or that are received unexpectedly from trusted sources," the firm warned.
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Saturday, April 4, 2009

Some Features of Windows 7


Windows 7 comes with a stylish end-user interface Windows Security Center is now known as Windows Solution Center, and it is responsible for maintaining the security of the system. Windows 7 makes the already robust BitLocker protection in Windows Vista even easier to use, while extending protection to USB storage devices, enabling them to be secured with a pass phrase.

There are lots of new features in Windows 7, but here are a few that are more IT pro-ish Burning ISOs to CDs or DVDs directly from Explorer. Windows 7’s Calculator features 4 modes, much to the delight of all the number crunching geeks out there : Standard, Scientific, Programmer, Statistics. In Windows 7 if you bring up the Windows Features control panel by clicking on Turn Windows Features on or off” or just typingWindows features in the start menu you will see the following in the Release Candidate. These same files are staged so that the features can easily be added back to the running OS without additional media.

According to Rivera's analysis, Windows 7 checks the user's allowed domain and username, then unlocks the features if it decides the user is a full-time worker.

You will soon be able to disable certain integrated Microsoft applications that you don’t need in Windows 7such as Internet Explorer 8

Gadgets are standalone applications that sit on the desktop. GadgetsGadgets are programs that run on the desktop and provide at-a-glance information, and easy access to frequently used tools. There are web gadgets, sidebar gadgets, and sideshow gadgets run on external displays. Windows 7 Gadgets are mini programs that run on the desktop and provide at-a-glance information, and easy access to frequently used tools.

Rivera's tool lets users access Windows 7's new taskbar a feature that Microsoft heavily promoted at the Professional Developers Conference (PDC) in late October as well as other unfinished bits of the operating system, including multitouch gestures and a dynamic desktop slide show that pulls images from Web-based feeds, Driver Protection helps prevent the operating system from starting drivers that are known to cause stability problems.

As we head closer to Windows7 launch, expect to see more features being ported for Vista and XP till we can try them on actual Windows7 operating system. Improving existing features may seem more important to people who understand the existing features and know how they can be improved, but the majority of people who will be purchasing the new operating system don't know anything about that, and if the only thing that is improved is things that the average user doesn't notice, the average user isn't going to see any reason to upgrade to the new OS. Faster boot up time, standby resume, launching common applications, reducing the time it takes for the OS to recognize a reinserted USB device, particularly a flash drive, faster playback of DVD movies, improved response and memory usage of the desktop window manager including taskbar and start menu, reducing the operating system's overall footprint, reducing freezes and hangs.

The new Windows 7 features will help determine if the operating system is a success or if it follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, Windows Vista. But one thing that's not new is the operating system kernel: Windows 7 is based on the Vista kernel, instead of an entirely new one.

Computers that run Windows Vista well should run Windows 7 as well, if not better, which reduces the expense of upgrading and helps you get the most value from your hardware purchases.
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Friday, April 3, 2009

Tips For Buying a Gift Online


When shopping for a gift, we all want to get a gift that someone will treasure. What motivates a lot of people is trying to buy something we think they will love. We all want when someone opnes up there present for them to be happy with it.

Buying on the internet can be very tempting and fun because we can do it in the convenience of our home, with no standing in line, fast and easily. Often times we can find a cheaper price because there is not as much overhead. Unlike a store you don't phyiscally get it right away , and you can touch and feel the product. With millions of websites, how can consumers tell which sites are legitimate ones, especially when it is very easy to set up a site that is very professional looking ?

1. Think of what the person you are looking for likes
I personally like to find gifts that are practical , or unique. But make sure you are thinking of things he or she will like and not just what you like. Don't be afraid to ask them what they like. If you have time you can ask them to come up with a list of 5 things they would really like to have. This will take the guess work out.

2. Set a budget and make a list
Figure out ahead of time how much you want to spend for that special someone. Make a list of everyone you want to buy for with ideas you have thought to their interest and likes. Check the person off once you have purchased the gift for them. Since it is so easy to overspend, you don't want to have the holiday blues afterwards.

3. Search
Do a comprehensive product search using your favorite search engine. Do not immediately place an order on the first site you find. Take your time and look at several sites before buying. When you find a site you like add it to your favorites, make a note of what you were looking at, and compare it to a few more sites as well as physical stores as well. You may be surpised where you find the best deal.

4. Compare
Look at testimonials from previous customers. If looking at a site like Amazon, evaluate the testimonials to see if it looks like one person wrote them. Be wary of a testimonial that looks too much like an ad. Get recommendations from friends or other websites that offer feedback.

5. Do you trust the site
You should not deal with a website who it is not idetified who you are dealing with, and they should have a valid email adress, location, and phone number in case you have a question or problem. A physical address is usually better than a PO box.

6. Money Back Guarantee
Do they offer a money back guarantee? A store should show they believe in their product by offering a money back guarantee. The guarantee should be a complete and immediate refund of your full purchase price. Look for any catches on the guarantee.

7. Shipping and returns
What is the shipping charge, and if you are not satisfied,what is the return policy? Do they give you a refund for the return postage, or does it come out of your pocket? Will they let you exchange your item? If returing an item be sure to keep a receipt when you ship the item back. You can even get a signed confirmation that they received it.

8. Credit and Debit Cards
Pay using a credit card, since if you did not receive the item or if the item was not the quality you expected, the credit card can help you dispute the charge. Be careful with debit cards because not all debit cards offer the same protection as credit cards.

9. Secure online ordering
Make sure you are using a secure server. You can check this by looking for a padlock sign at the bottom bar on your screen, You will also notice that the site address will change from one starting with http to one starting with https. This indicates that your transaction is going over a secure server. A secure server is crucial because it ensures that nobody else can access your financial information.

10. Print out your order
Once your order is placed, print it out, and keep any terms and conditions in an easy to find location. Save the email confirming your order. Make sure you have the company's contact information on your print out.
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Thursday, April 2, 2009

What Makes Your Computer Slow ?


Are you asking the common question "Why is my computer running slow?" This will be by most computer users after they have been using their new computer for a while. If you want to resolve this problem, then you need to be reading this article. The problem of the slow running computer will usually come down to three main reasons. Looking first at the computer registry. Next checking for a virus that might have infected the system to scanning for malware such as adware or spyware.

It has been found that the main reason for a slow running computer stems from problems that are occurring within the registry. When you bring home your new laptop or PC, it runs just great because it is fully optimized. However over a period of time, the registry gets overloaded and cluttered as we add new programs and applications. Then conflicts start occurring and files become corrupt and problems such as a decrease in computer performance start to happen. If left untreated, additional problems such as dll error messages and computer crashes will occur.

The problem could be down to three main areas :

1. You could have a virus
This is very serious and I need to stress that you need to check out this possibility as soon as possible. If you do not check this out, you could end up with having to get your hard drive reformatted and losing the information on the hard drive. Most people do not make backups and it's always the vital stuff that is lost in these cases. I have learnt this important lesson, but it always comes with a cost. The simplest way to check is to download a virus checker software. A excellent free one and which I recommend is called AVG.

2. You could have been infected with Adware and Spyware
Your operating system could have been infected with spyware or adware. Have you recently downloaded music. This is one of the most common reasons for being infected with this type of malware. The best way to fix this is to run a free scan or download with a top spyware adware remover program such as noadware. This lets you view the files that are causing the slow running operating problems.

3. You could have problems with your computer registry
This is one of the main reasons for a slow running computer. The computer registry is such an important database that is vital to the optimum performance of your computer. When we first purchase the computer , the registry is running at the best performance. However as time passes, we install new applications or programs and eventually overload the registry. This causes the slowing down or decreasing of the computer performance. If allowed to continue , your computer will eventually crash. The best and simplest way to sort out this exasperating problem, is to run a free scan with one of the top registry repair programs. This will list the problem files that need to be deleted in order to bring the computer back to optimum performance. You could try and fix the registry problems yourself, but don't try this unless you are so sure of deleting the correct files. If not you could end up with a useless computer that needs expensive repairs. The software is simple and safe to use and you don't have to have a degree in order to use it. In addition, the top products will also provide support to help you through any problems that you encounter.
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Wednesday, April 1, 2009

It's Time to be Green


The fight for the planet is on. It is now fully proven, undeniably, evident that the earth is fighting for its life. During its short but deadly lifespan, human civilization has managed to place a devastating strain on the planet's resources and health.

It is now our duty to reverse this ill effect, even though it may be too late. There are thousands of ways people can contribute to the cause: from taking on older techniques such as recycling paper to utilizing newer technologies like fuel-efficient cars. I'd like to concentrate on one specific way through which people can help the planet- recycling computer equipment.

Throwing away used networking hardware, monitors, hard drives, routers, RAM, webcams, batteries or anything of the like can have a devastating effect if the equipment ends up in our landfills.

Most of the environmental concerns with computers lie with the monitor, specifically its cathode ray tube (CRT). Each color monitor contains, on average, four to five pounds of lead, considered hazardous waste when disposed of, according to EPA standards. Computers also contain other hazardous materials, including mercury, cadmium (a known carcinogen), and hexavalent chromium (shown to cause high blood pressure, iron-poor blood, liver disease, and nerve and brain damage in animals).

One way to get rid of old computer equipment is to donate it to one of the many non-profit organizations that will accept it. Many local schools and non-profits could greatly benefit from your old computer equipment. Two sites to help you donate are sharetechnology.org and cristina.org.

If you believe that your equipment is beyond repair or reuse, one option for disposal is the full dismantling of the hardware. Many hardware manufacturers, such as Dell, Apple and HP, provide their own programs to dismantle and recycle old equipment. You can visit each of their respective sites to find out how these programs work.

The final option is to seek out a reputable hardware recycling or asset recovery program online. One problem with the current computer sales environment is that consumers are goaded too frequently to buy upgraded or better computer hardware. This cycle creates more waste on the other end when the old equipment model is 'kicked out of the house' by the younger model.

Much of the time, experienced hardware professionals may actually be able to repair or salvage your old equipment. Instead of buying new equipment, you can save money and the environment by repairing, reusing, and recycling your hardware. There are several online vendors that will pay top dollar for your used cisco, dell, apple, HP, or any brand name computer hardware. This creates an 'eco-system' for computer hardware that benefits the planet instead of harming it.

Some of these vendors provide repair and recycling services to resell the refurbished computer equipment at a lower price. In turn, businesses and consumers can then purchase a refurbished cisco or refurbished juniper router, dell server or mac powerbook at a discounted price. The key to this cycle is no new equipment needs to be manufactured, and in turn create additional waste.
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