The Refresh Orlando Heirs

The internet is full of technical articles, many of which are way too complicated for the average computer user who just wants to solve a simple problem. If you pay close attention, the internet is also a place where the “gurus” spend a lot of time yelling for help in discussion boards and forums. So don’t feel bad, nobody has all the answers.

So you want to dual boot Windows and Linux on the same computer—it is really quite easy. I only have enough room here to tell you the most common way to do this on a single hard drive or using multiple hard drives. Obviously then, there are many ways to get the job done, but there are some critical things you should know. Let’s start with some critical information.

Windows and Linux: Same Hard Drive
The windows operating system MUST occupy the master boot record (MBR). Linux, on the other hand does not have to. In this scenario, you must install windows first! After Windows has been successfully installed, then you can install Linux. This is critical! The Linux “boot loader” is called GRUB. When you install Linux—MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT INSTALL THE LINUX BOOT LOADER TO THE MBR.

Configure the Windows Boot Loader: A Two Step Process
It is also possible to use GRUB to dual boot Windows and Linux on the same drive but this is a bit more complex—the Windows boot loader will get the job done. In the following commands, you will create a copy of the Linux boot sector and then save it in a file in the top level directory under Windows (C:).

Step 1: Linux
From the shell in your Linux installation (boot from your installation disks):
Execute the following shell command, replacing /dev/hda3 with the location of your Linux boot partition.

shell# dd if=/dev/hda3 of=/bootsect.lnx bs=512 count=1

Copy the new file—bootsect.lnx—to a floppy disk and reboot to Windows.

Step 2: Windows
Copy bootsect.lnx to C: in Windows. Then execute the following command at the DOS prompt.

C:> attrib -H -R -S boot.ini

Edit boot.ini so that the first two lines are:

[boot loader]
timeout=30

After the last line, add:

c:bootsect.lnx=”Start Linux”

That’s it, you are done! Reboot your machine and you will see a menu allowing you to select either Windows or Linux. Congratulations.

Windows and Linux: Two Hard Drives
This is also quite easy. In this case, you will boot to the Linux drive. We will add Windows to the Linux boot loader (i.e., GRUB). GRUB is my favorite boot loader.

Edit the /boot/grub/grub.conf file. One of the very first lines should contain:

timeout=30

After the last line add:

title Start Windows
map (hd1) (hd0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

Reboot your machine to the Linux drive and you will see a menu allowing you to select between Linux or Windows. Nice work!

This article is obviously short and does not include any explanations of how these commands work. There are variations on what I have shown here depending on your hardware setup, but I believe that these are the most common and should get the job done nicely. I would be happy to direct you to additional resources if this does not work for you.

Copyright 2005 Majella.us

David Picella is a Family Nurse Practitioner and PhD Student at UW Milwaukee. You can find additional technichal resources for this article in the technology section at: http://www.majella.us

1. What determines the software price? Is it Per Seat or Per User or Per Processor?

The cost of software is determined in many ways. The two most popular ways are Per Seat or Per Concurrent User. Per Seat is determined by how many seats in your business will be using the software at any given time. On the other hand, Per Concurrent User is based on a set amount of users that can access the software at one time. (Example: concurrent users means a program with a license for 5 users can be installed on 100 machines but only a maximum of 5 people can use the system at once.) Per Processor is calculated on how many machines (PC’s or servers) the software will be running on. Many larger enterprise software applications use this method to determine their prices.

2. What types of on-site services are included in the purchase?

Many programs that are higher in price should include some amount of on-site services or support. If it does not, ensure that both (service & support) are built into your contract before purchasing. But, beware that this is the area where companies make most of their profit. Some companies count on your returning with requests for customizations of the software. Now that you have the software and have spent significant time purchasing hardware and dedicating resources, they know you are already “half way in the pool”; they also know that you will have trouble refusing to pay extra money to get what you want. These services can include anything from training classes, customizations, or help with installation issues. In the case of local software companies, keep in mind they should automatically provide some sort of on-site services (at a minimum) before purchasing. This can only help to streamline your implementation process and increase the likelihood of your success, with the added benefit of a higher return on investment (ROI). Who wouldn’t like to have that?

3. Is there a guarantee of satisfaction with their software?

This is most widely overlooked when purchasing software. Sometimes unsatisfied users will expect a refund after deciding that it is not what they want. My experience has been that once the developer receives payment for software, it can take next to a miracle to get a refund of any kind. Prior to purchasing your next piece of software, be sure to find out their return policy and number of days that you can have the software in your hands and still be able to send it back to get a full or partial refund. With custom-developed software it can be even trickier for the buyer, you will need to build this into the contract before work begins. It goes without saying how important it is to determine this up front in case you change your mind.

4. What is the turnaround time for getting “bugs” fixed?

Some companies will say that they will fix software issues as soon as you find one. There are others that will compile the list of “bug” fixes and release it on a scheduled basis convenient for them. This can happen either monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly or yearly. Neither path is better or worse, as long as you are dealing with a reputable software company that stays true to their word. Knowing this before purchasing the software allows you to better handle your software end-users and enables you to provide a more accurate time frame of when your users will see changes or have their issues resolved.

5. How often do program updates go out and do they notify customers?

This is another widely overlooked key item. There are two lines of thought that companies can use for updating customers. The company might decide not to notify its customers at all when updates rollout. They may think that if the customer has a problem they will contact them. At that time would they inform the user of an available update? Beware of this method of service, or lack there of. Steer clear of companies that do not provide this as an option to their clients. The second line of thought would be for the company to notify its customers regularly about updates. They may also offer an option of including the customer on a mailing list. In this case be sure that they have multiple contacts that are on the email distribution list so that everyone who should know will not be left out of communications loop. If the software company does not offer either one of these options, you might want to reconsider your decision.

6. Is the proposed software scalable in design?

Software that is scalable in design simply means that it can easily grow with your business, at minimal cost to you. Factors include end user customizations, current database structure, and inputs and outputs like reports, and connectivity to your other database systems. Scalability is very important for small businesses, because they are dynamic in growth. No one wants to jump through hoops of testing, development, customizations, and training, to purchase software only to find out a year later that you have outgrown it and you need to replace it. With proper planning at the time of purchase only you can increase your chances for a successful software experience.

7. Can the system be customized to meet your business needs?

If you require customizations to the software to meet a specific need, a good rule of thumb is that it should be no more than a 1/3 of the price of the software price. Never forget that many times software companies will negotiate with you on customization. As a customer any software company worth your time should want to keep you happy. In some cases there may need to be some give and take by both parties. A good rule of thumb would be to always discuss your needs with management directly. Gatekeepers tend to drag their feet at times. Purchasing software knowing that you will need to make major changes should be a sign that you really need to take a step back and look at all of your options including: in-house development, outsourcing, and partnering with software developers to cut the price.

8. What are the typical hurdles that you can expect with your planned installation?

No matter what generation (e.g. 1yr 2nd version, 10 yrs 4th version, etc…) the software is currently in, the software company should at least be able to warn you of the hurdles that they have experienced in implementations they have done. If not, this should raise a red flag for you. The software company should be keeping track of this type of information, especially if they are constantly attempting to improve their products. You will find that they sometimes run into the same issues 2 or 3 times before they take notice and take action to investigate and resolve it before future installations.

9. What are the hours of support and how does their support department operate?

Whether you are across town or on the other side of the world, if you need help and support is not available to you, the only option will be to take the system down for an unknown length of time and wait for help. Before getting married to a software company by purchasing their product, find out where the company is located and if the company has what I define as a “passive” or “active” customer support system. Follow up with pointed questions like, ”Will you only return my call at certain hours of the day?”, “Will I have to leave messages and wait at the phone for your callback?”, “Will I have a direct callback from a representative or will I be reassigned to someone different every time I call?”. Finding this information out earlier rather then later should give you peace of mind when an urgent situation or quick answer is needed.

10. Ask if there is a list of items that have been requested to be included in the next update of the software. If possible also request a date of completion for the items on the list.

Before they say no, put them at ease by letting them know that your goal is to find out what features they might be including so that you can plan ahead for your business. Chances are that if someone requested something, you will also be able to make use of this feature. Also obtaining this list will benefit you in three other ways:

About The Author

Brett Johnson is the principal advisor for Johnson Advisory Group. His company specializes in providing impartial purchase assistance to individuals and businesses looking for software to meet their specific needs. Utilizing his insider’s knowledge to ask the right questions, get the right answers, resulting in the right decision. If you would like to learn more about purchasing assistance for your business software and our supporting workshops or other technology services for your business, don’t hesitate to contact Johnson Advisory Group, or e-mail Brett Johnson at brett@johnsongroups.com

About a year ago I took over an existing online business from a friend of mine selling ink, toner and other printing consumables and decided that there was a lot of potential for promoting the website more aggressively over the internet. I started with maybe a hundred dollars or so and a handful of customers carrying over from the previous owner. One benefit was inheriting his website as that gave me a good benchmark on what I wanted and didn’t want when I got my own going.

Now a year later I have around ten times as many customers, a respectable page ranking in Google (more about this later), first page search engine rankings (SERP’s) in MSN with respectable SERP’s in Yahoo and Google still needs some work.

Although I still have a long way to go (in truth I will always have a list of more stuff to do) I’ve made a good start and by all accounts done quite well considering my limited resources. I have found that there are a great deal of free or very cheap resources you can utilise for building and promoting a business online and this is what I shall be passing on through this series.

Although the following guide talks about starting an online business selling printing consumables in Australia you can apply much of it to other business types and I would imagine in other countries.

Why do you want to be in business & does having an online business suit you ?:-
Often people go into business with intention to get filthy rich overnight and then find themselves trapped with a crumbling edifice that consumes their lives but they have no passion for. So the question is why do you want to be in business to begin with? If your answer is something like ‘to make tons of money’ at some point you will need to rethink this as it wont be enough anymore. Of course I want to make more money than I currently do but it’s the lifestyle I will have when I have more money that creates my goals for next year, five years etc.

Personally my desire was to create a place on the internet people could go and shop with peace of mind knowing that they would be getting great service, great prices etc. My focus is always on developing good relationships with my customers and I believe this psychology actually affects my attitude to how I run my business as I am constantly looking for ways to better serve my customers needs rather than trying to figure out how to make more profit. I can honestly tell you that I rarely think about building my business in terms of profits, rather I try to identify ways to improve products and services to give current customers more bang for their buck and attract new clients.

As to whether what you wish to do would be suited to having your business online this is a trick question really because I can honestly say that it doesn’t matter what you do, you should definitely have a website for it ! If you have any doubts about whether its worth spending time and money getting your business online you can go to http://www.nichebot.com/ type a word into the box that represents a likely keyword for your business and look at what’s in the count column to see how many people have used that word or words in the last 60 days. Then it’s up to you as to whether you would like these people coming to your site as an additional source of revenue or whether you’re happy to let them go to your competition.

Anyway its about time I got into the good stuff so here goes…….

Registering your business & domain name:-
Your business name and domain name – You obviously need to decide on a business name and may have already done so but what may not be so obvious is taking into consideration your websites domain name BEFORE you choose a name for your business. Basically a domain name is what you call your website so for example the domain name for my website is “cartridgespecialists.com.au” and generally speaking you would have your domain name ending with either .com.au or .net.au and this makes you subject to the laws of Australian domain name registration as explained below.

If you are going to register a website ending in either .com.au or .net.au there are some rules you need to know about. Australian rules of domain name registration state “The domain name you order should have either be an exact match, acronym or abbreviation of the supplied business registration, or it should bear a close and substantial connection to the domain name”, so before you rush out and register that really cool business name you’ve just thought of its worth your while checking first to see if the domain name has been taken or not.

You don’t have to register your domain name ending as above, you can choose to register an international domain name such as .com or even use the name or a place or person instead of an Australian domain or in addition to. In fact this can be a smart thing to do if you’re looking for as many ways as possible to protect the name of your business or something you’re selling.

Choosing & registering a domain name - To choose a domain name you need to go to somewhere like Netregistry to see what’s available and as I mentioned above you’ll want to do this at the same time if not before registering the name for your business. There are quite a few places you can go to for checking whether the domain name you’ve chosen is available or not. The one I used is the one mentioned above but you don’t have to use them there are plenty of others. Its worth shopping around though as the prices vary quite a bit and it makes no difference at all who you register your domain name through as they all have to access their data from the same place meaning as soon as you register your domain no one else can get it even if they go to a different site to the one you used.

Using your top keywords in your domain name - If possible you should have the main keyword/s for your business in your domain name as it helps quite a bit with promoting your website online and getting lots of people to come to it. Keywords are something we’ll be covering later in much more depth but they are the words people use when they search for information on the internet using the search engines (you’ve heard of Google right ?). Whatever business you’re in start thinking about the likely words people are going to use to find you on the internet. For example for my business ‘ink, toner & cartridges’ are the 3 top keywords people use in my industry when doing searches in google, yahoo etc.

Register for more than 1 year - When you register your domain name you should do so for at least 2 years as it will help you promote your website to the search engines and it’s not expensive at all really.

Sole trader, partnership or company? – This is very straightforward and is simply a matter of going to the government dept in your state that handles the registration of business names and companies. I’m not an accountant so I’m not going to go too much into which type you should use except to say that you should not choose one of these on the basis of wanting to protect your business name, logo or something the business sells that you’ve invented. Trademark and patents are designed for this and there are lawyers you should consult who specialise in setting them up.

Expired domains – I’ll go into this more later on but thought I’d give you a little taste of it now. Now that you know a little about domain name what do you imagine happens to the ones that people decide not to reregister each year or 2 years ? Well they go back into the pool and become available for the next person to grab but until someone else registers that domain again what about all the people (otherwise know as ‘traffic’) who are still trying to find that site ?
That’s right expired domains can be a great way to get traffic to your new site immediately for a very low cost and you can replicate this as many times as you want even if you only register an expired domain for a year it can be a very worthwhile exercise !! More about this later….

Well that’s for the first article in the series there’s a checklist below to help you keep on track. Hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned for the rest………..

What do I have to do checklist…………
For the sake of keeping it simple I’ll assume that you’ve chosen to register as a sole trader (this is where most of us start out anyway) in Victoria. Of course these figures vary from state to state for the business name and how much you pay for your domain depends on where you get it from so shop around!

1. Part 1

a) Register a business name ($100.00)

b) Register a domain name ($45.00)

Andrew James has owned The Cartridge Specialists (Melbourne) since 2004 selling ink & toner cartridges, and other printing supplies. As a regular author in his industry Andrew can help you save money at home/office & enjoy learning about your high tech toys.

Millions of people have made a hobby of collecting items of
one sort or another, but some take it to a higher level.
These collectors view their collections as more than just
an accumulation of trinkets that they happen to enjoy; to
them, it’s a business, and they’re not in it to lose money.
For those who collect diecast models, making a profit can
be a challenge, unless you know the ropes of how to
effectively collect pieces and then apply the necessary
strategies to resell at an increased price.

It’s a good practice to collect only those items that you
truly like, and then do quite a bit of shopping around in
order to find the best buy. Market trends are never very
stable, and by collecting those pieces that particularly
appeal to you, others may view them in the same way. This
will enable you to resell them more easily. Certainly,
it’s never good business practice to buy the first piece
that you find. Competition is stiff, and there are some
great deals out there that you can use to your advantage.

Avoid specializing in one specific area of diecast
collectibles. If, for instance, you’re interested in
collecting NASCAR models, it’s best not to isolate your
purchases to those of one particular driver. That’s not to
say that you shouldn’t include them among your other
pieces, but there’s a need for diversity if you’re hoping
to eventually realize a profit. Although a piece may not
seem to have much value in today’s market, that doesn’t
mean that it won’t increase as time goes by.

Older diecast models make a nice addition to anyone’s
collection, and can eventually precipitate a good amount of
sales revenue. Don’t overlook what you may now see as
relics or outdated pieces. There’s always someone out
there who’s looking for an older piece – whether for
nostalgic reasons, to complete a collection or for the
purposes of an eventual sale – so don’t limit yourself by
excluding the golden oldies.

Some of the best deals can be found in flea markets, on
eBay and other auction sites. Not only can you find pieces
for your own collection, but these will be eventual
avenues for you to resell them at a later date. The
highlight of the auction arena is that you can set a
starting price and watch the bids increase your income
potential – sometimes to a figure much higher than you
would have imagined. Setting a reserve price helps, too,
so that you won’t lose a piece when someone comes in way
under the piece’s value.

Picking up models at local department stores, such as
Wal-Mart, or through TV shopping forums such as QVC is
usually a mistake. While these may have reasonable
quality, they’re usually not as well constructed as what
you can find elsewhere, and tend to flood the market with
certain pieces which they sell in high volume in an effort
to gain a higher sales standing. Stick to the mainstream
collection sites and you’ll do much better.

Remember that you may not break the bank when you resell a
piece, but with a good sense of timing and strong
negotiation skills, you’ll be able to realize some type of
profit and, with a bit of experience, will increase your
overall profit potential.

*******

(c) 2005 Dale Stewart - All Rights Reserved

Dale Stewart is a freelance author and diecast enthusiast.

http://www.DiecastSecrets.com

*******

Depression glass facts make for interesting conversation,
especially when you’re at a convention or talking amongst
other Depression glass aficionados. So here are a few items
to get you started so you, too, can have some meaningful
knowledge to put on the plate when you and your Depression
glass collector friends gather ‘round and chat.

English Hobnail leads the pack as the design with around
the most available pieces still out there for collectors.
Westmoreland Glass Company produced the English Hobnail
pattern from the late 1920s to the 1980s, with the
Depression-era pieces made in eight different colors. In
total, 175 pieces of this particular design were created.

Rose Cameo, conversely, holds the record for the least
number of pieces available in a pattern. The Belmont
Tumbler Company held the patent for Rose Cameo, and only
six pieces of this design made it to the marketplace: a
plate, a footed sherbet, a footed tumbler, a berry bowl,
and a 5-inch and 6-inch bowl. Because Belmont manufactured
only tumblers and was trying to recover from a massive
fire, experts speculate the actual production of this rare
design happened at the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, only a
few miles away. A six-piece set of tumblers – the pattern
was only made in green – in mint condition can be had for
between $150 and $175 (prices may have changed since I wrote
this).

The Jeanette Glass Company breaks all records for coming up
with the most patterns. Jeanette made 11 patterns of
Depression glass between 1928 and 1946: Sunburst, Homespun,
Swirl, Doric and Pansy, Windsor, Sunflower, Doric, Adam,
Sierra, Floral, and Cherry Blossom.

And then at the other end of the spectrum, the Fenton Glass
Company produced only a single pattern of Depression glass
– the Lincoln Inn.

Of the 200+ patterns of Depression glass created, footed
salt and pepper shakers from Hocking’s Mayfair design
demand some of the very highest prices. Don’t flinch
when (or if) you have a close encounter with one: They go
for more than $9,000, which makes them 1 of the most expensive
items of all Depression glass patterns at the time of
writing this article.

Hazel-Atlas produced the Aurora pattern in beautiful cobalt
blue for one year only – from 1937 to 1938.

Jeanette and Federal glass companies manufactured the two
most reproduced patterns, Cherry Blossom and Madrid.
Jeanette produced 43 pieces of the Cherry Blossom design
from 1930 to 1939 in five colors. Federal’s Madrid output
numbered 45 pieces in five colors from 1932 to 1939. The
popularity of these designs, of course, made reproductions
impossible to avoid, but also makes the original
Depression-era versions that much harder to detect.

This article, perhaps, may inspire you to dig deeper and
find out even more about the Depression glass products
we’ve all come to love. Hopefully, with these bits and
pieces of trivia, you’ve learned something you didn’t
already know. If you haven’t, then you need to be writing
your own articles on Depression glass trivia and
enlightening the rest of us! But if you have benefited, you
can safely know that the next time you’re sitting next to
that 40-year collector at convention, you, too, have more
comments to make than just about “all those pretty,
Depression glass colors!”

Until next time,

Murray Hughes
http://www.DepressionGlassSecrets.com

http://www.depressionglasssecrets.com/DPweb-articles/depression-glass-trivia.htm

If you enjoyed this article by Murray Hughes, then visit
http:Depression Glass History now and enrol
in the free Depression Glass course “The 5 Essential Steps
To Becoming A Depression Glass Collector”
For AOL users: Depression Glass Secrets

Adware. Spyware. Pesky pop up ads. Internet congestion. Computer malfunctions of every kind. Obviously, you’re infected!

Regardless of the brand name anti-virus software(s), ninety percent of all personal computers have to deal with computer problems. Unfortunately,most of the effective software(s) cost $20 to $250.

Folks, there’s no need to be scammed any longer. Don’t ever make the mistake of paying big dollars!

On second thought, just continue to pay me your undivided attention, and together, we can eliminate these problems.

Step 1: Go ahead and uninstall all of your current anti-virus security options (except for your current firewall). Don’t be afraid. Remember, you can always reinstall them at a later date if you so choose. Next: go online and type Tudogs into your local search engine. Afterwards, run the engine by simply pressing the Search button.

Step 2: Enter your email address into the Tudogs email address prompt. Then press the submit button. Now you are ready to enter the Tudogs website.

Step 3: Type Avast into the Tudogs search engine. Then press the Search engine button. Once you are on the next page: Click onto the icon that says: avast! 4 Home.

Step 4: Scroll down to the very bottom of the next page where it says in bold blue letters: avast! 4 Home Edition Download. Click onto this icon. This will promptly take you to the next page. Once you are on the next page: scroll down to the very bottom of the page and then press the download icon that says: Avast! 4 Home English version (or whatever your language of
preference might be.). Disregard the file download that says: This file can potentially damage your computer. The reason they issue this warning is because Avast is not one of the brand name software(s), such as: Windows XP, Google Tool Bar, Norton Anti-Virus, McAfee, et…). Press the Run button. Now all you have to do is to follow all of the ensuing set up prompts.

Installation will take a few short minutes. It is really that simple. Once you have completed the installation process, I strongly recommend that you immediately log off and run your first Avast scan. You might be shocked at the number of hidden worms, viruses, and trojans that Avast is able to detect.

HOW TO RUN AN AVAST SCAN

You have three areas of choice in order to run an Avast scan: the removable media scan (CD’s and floppies), the hard disk scan (the C drive), and the user defined folder scan. First, you need to make sure that you are not online. You only want to scan what is on your personal computer, not the infinite black holes of cyberspace. The C drive is the main drive that contains all
of the necessary components that govern and run your personal computer. Therefore, this is always, by far, the most important drive to scan.

Step 1: In order to initiate an Avast C scan, you first need to double click onto the Avast icon that is now installed on your personal computer. When the Avast scanner appears notice that in the top right hand corner of the Avast scanner, there are three very distinctive icons: (+) (?) (x). Look to the far
right hand side of the Avast scanner. Just below the minus sign (-) and the (x) is a square button. Press this button.

Step 2: Immediately out of the top of the Avast scanner should appear an icon that says: Standard Scan/Scan archive files. Once this icon appears look to the far left hand side of the Avast scanner. There you will see a large triangular button. By pressing this button you will initiate the Avast C drive
scanner.

Step 3: Once an Avast scan has been completed, if Avast finds any questionable files, it will automatically ask you what you want to do with the file(s) in question. For example: you may opt to have a particular file moved to the Avast virus chest; there, it can no longer harm your computer; OR, you can rename and have any particular file moved into another location on your computer; OR, you can attempt to have an infected file repaired; OR, you can simply have it deleted. I always opt for deletion.

ALLEVIATING POP UP ADS

Step 1: Using your mouse, go down to the bottom left hand corner of your computer and press the start button.

Step 2: When the program options appear go directly to the control panel.

Step 3: Next: click onto internet options.

(Note: These directions might very slightly from computer to computer.).

Step 4: After you have clicked onto internet options you are going to see an icon. At the very top of this icon it is going to say something to this effect: internet properties: general, security, content, privacy, et…

Step 5: Next: Look for the phrase that says: Temporary Internet Files. This is what you want to delete. This is a major source of those pesky pop up ads. In my opinion, you don’t need a temporary internet file in order to get
back to a website that you just visited. Unfortunately, this is where a lot of junk is stored, such as: dangerous cookies, adware, spyware, and various tools for hackers to hijack your personal information. Also, the more of this junk that you
allow to build up over a period of time, the slower your computer is going to run.

Step 6: Next: within this same icon you should see another icon that says: History. We are now going to delete your computers history for the exact same reasons as mentioned in step five.

Step 7: Go ahead and delete the cookies option within this same icon for the exact same reasons as mentioned in step five. (Note: If you are not a regular cookie deleter the chances are very good that you now have multiple thousands of cookies
that are congesting your computer.).

Step 8: While you are within this same icon you will see a phrase that says something to this effect: Days To Keep History. Most computers are already preset at 20 to 30 days. This is very bad because this means that your computer will wait 20 to 30 days before it automatically deletes your recent
history. Remember: every time you go online you are going to acquire five to ten cookies. These cookies will then replicate themselves many times over. Some of these cookies are extremely dangerous. If it takes 20 to 30 days to delete all of the hidden junk that you are going to acquire online, is it any
wonder that you are now experiencing difficulties?

Step 9: You guessed it! Change the number of Days To Keep Your
History to 7 or less. This will alleviate an awful lot of internet congestion.

YOU ARE NOW IN FOR A REAL TREAT. ZONE ALARM IS THE MOST AWESOME
FIRE WALL IN THE WORLD!

Step 1. Go to the Download.com website.

Step 2. Type Zone Alarm into the Download.com search engine. Then press Go.

Step 3. Once on the next page proceed to scroll downward until you find three versions of Zone Alarm that are currently being offered. Two of these versions offer free trial periods with an option to buy after the duration of these trial periods. The third version has a free licence. That means that this
version is totally free. I strongly recommend that you start off with this version.

Step 2: Click onto the blue letterings of whichever version of Zone Alarm you so choose to install.

Step 3: On the next page you will see a caption in blue letters that says: Download Now. Click onto this icon.

Step 4: Disregard the Security Warning that says: This file can potentially damage your computer. The reason they issue this warning is because Zone Alarm is not one of the brand name software(s). Now go ahead and press Run button. Now all you have to do is to follow all of the ensuing set up prompts.
Installation will take a few short minutes.

My name is Eric J. Nelson. I am on a personal mission to eliminate computer problems. I hate to see others get scammed. There is more software/protection available. Please check out my website at: Computer Problem Solutions

Breaking and Entering On the Internet!

I like to make analogies between the online world and our
physical world. The similarities are becoming more
recognized every day. Here’s my favorite…

“If you are not taking the security of your home or business
computer seriously, it is like leaving the front door of
your home open all day and all night whether you are home or
not.”

The Internet is a big place with every imaginable character
out there, many of whom are happy to intrude on your private
domain and use it to their benefit. In addition to that,
there is a constant battle for your desktop from many of the
seemingly trusted software companies including Microsoft,
Google, Yahoo and others, large and small. When you start up
your computer, they want you to see their stuff and they are
constantly fighting over what you see. This creates software
conflicts that, over time, can bog down the performance of
your computer and slow your productivity. Be an active
participant in the management of your computer workspace by
taking the time to install these essential protections and
following the best practices shown below.

After years of working online, we have put together a set of
programs and practices that have allowed us to use the
Internet in relative safety and with minimal intrusion from
evil doers. By the way, these are our favorite picks. Our
objective is to save you the time of analyzing several
various solutions on your own.

1. Basic Computer Security To Protect You From Viruses.

McAfee Virus Scan - We like this solution the best. It
simply has worked best for us with the least intrusion on
our workspace and time. Virus protection, by its very nature
is somewhat intrusive. It must update itself every so often
to keep up with spammers and virus writers. This one does it
in a way that has not gotten in the way of our own work.

We consider McAfee an absolute must. Cost = About $60.00 per
year (subscription). www.mcafee.com

2. Basic Spam Protection

CloudMark Spam Filter - CloudMark stands out to us as the
best method of keeping up with spammers. You can’t stop
them, but you can control what you are willing to view. This
very successful method uses the collective, real-time
knowledge of millions of email subscribers to manage an ever
changing database of spammers so it can filter them out
before they get a chance to invade your mailbox.

The program creates a spam folder in your Outlook or Outlook
Express so you can look through the junk in case a good
email message gets caught, but then once you’ve browsed it,
you can dump them all in one fell swoop. Very easy.

In addition, if you receive a spam that was not caught by
the filter, you can report to the database with one click
which will block it forever more from your good email box
and alert the millions of others in the community of this
spammer. We consider this a must as well. Get CloudMark
here. www.cloudmark.com - Cost - $39.95 per year per user.

3. Basic Spyware and Adware Protection

Ad and Spyware are programs that are (often without your
knowledge, unless you like reading lots of fine print)
automatically installed on your computer. These programs
change the way your computer sees advertisements on the web
and often are the reason that you get uncontrollable popups.

There are two programs that we’ve used successfully to
protect our computers from Adware and Spyware. The good news
is that they are free. They also offer paid upgrades, but
we’ve gotten by pretty well using both of these free
versions.

Spybot Search & Destroy - This is a free program that we’ve
used and it seems to have worked well for us. Get it here.
http://spybot.safer-networking.de/en/

Ad-Aware Personal - Catches some of the adware and spyware
programs that others don’t. Get it here.
http://www.lavasoft.com/software/adaware/

4. Update Your Windows Software

It’s our opinion that MS Windows has become easier to use
and more secure over the years. If you’re not running
Windows XP or above you are missing out on much easier
computing. It’s not that expensive to upgrade and the
benefits are real.

More important however is that you must update your version
and install the latest patches when they come out from time
to time. The good news is that the latest MS Windows
software does much of this automatically for you.

Remember, there are virus writers out there every day trying
to invade your computer. Fortunately, there are just as many
good guys fighting them and keeping up with them. By keeping
your software updated, you are reducing your chance of being
exploited. The crooks have plenty of easy pickings to take
advantage of. You don’t have to be one of those easy
pickings. Just update regularly. Get it here…
http://www.microsoft.com

Important Personal & Procedural Policies to Follow

5. Never, Never, Never Believe or Accept Unsolicited Email
Offers

If you buy something from an email that was sent to you out
of the blue, you are a.) encouraging spam, b.) putting
yourself at risk for viruses or bad software, and c.)
putting yourself at risk of getting ripped off. Just say no
to all Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE).

In many states, it is illegal. If you don’t have a problem
with spam now, the surest way to get started having problems
is to begin buying from those that send it. You only have to
get on one list for your email address to sold and traded
all over spam circles and I assure you that it will become a
problem for you once you get started.

You may publish this article free of charge in your ezine,
web site, ebook or print publication so long as the
copyright notice and the resource paragraph (at the end of
the article) are included. A courtesy copy of your
publication would be appreciated.

Copyright (c) 2005 Joe Salvatore

Joe Salvatore runs an Internet marketing and domain name
consultancy called Personaweb and is the North Amerian
Marketing Manager for a London based Domain Registry.

Website: http://www.personaweb.com

Phone: 909-590-5660

Please feel free to publish this article on your web site and/or in your e-book or newsletters with the authors resource box included and without any changes to the article. contact me at Jane@Decorativeartsbyjep.com

A complimentary copy of your ezine or notification you are using this article would be appreciated.

Garden Art… from Trash?

April begs me to do something outdoors! How about you? The weather is about right all over the USA for gardening. Besides planning what to put into your garden as far as plants, you need to think of the special additions that make a garden unique.

Gardens need “bones” to ground them. No pun intended! Garden sculptures, hedges, specimen trees, and shrubs all help make good bones!

Now what about those extra touches that make your garden distinctively yours? Below is a list of ideas that you can use with your own twists to create all kinds of garden goodies for your own garden, or to give as gifts!

Broken plates-don’t throw away those chipped plates, especially the pretty ones! Stick them into the garden with the chipped parts hidden by the dirt. Alone or grouped, they make a statement! Uneven numbers work best.

Mirrors and Cds-reflective surfaces attract birds and are fun in the sunlight. Make mobiles and hang from tree limbs! With a large mirror, one can place it against a fence, behind the plants and enjoy the reflections of your garden lighting. Our dog uses our big mirror to scope out squirrels without being seen. Funny to watch! She crawls into the greenery beneath the trees and watches in the mirror for any unsuspecting squirrel to enter the bed. She hasn’t caught any yet but she sure likes to chase them!

More mirrors!-broken mirrors can be found in the trash and snatched for use in your garden. Glue with mirror adhesive to fences, garden sheds, and anywhere you want to make a space look larger. Use the pieces in a loose mosaic form and you have a one of a kind piece of art!

Rusted metal anything-the rusted look is very “in” now and metal can be found easily. Use your imagination and use large rusted metal car parts, old gates, iron grates from demolished old homes, and any metal you can get your hands on to create unique garden elements. If you cannot cut or weld these yourself, try finding someone who can and offer to trade a piece of garden art for their work.

Fabric-how about an old beach umbrella that you strip down to the bare spokes and cover with silk greenery and tiny Christmas lights? Inserted into the ground where light and a bit of fun are needed, the look is very “partyish”! Even better if you drape tulle, chiffon, netting, etc. over the umbrella! Swagged like you were draping a scarf over your shoulders. If it is to be a permanent fixture, use it as a trellis! Wonderful with lights!

More fabric-these same fabrics can be used to make “tent like” areas for the private enjoyment of your family. While not usually found in trash bins, the fabric can be had very inexpensively in close out bins at fabric stores. Bamboo poles make the structure. Even more dramatic beside a pool. An informal cabana!

Pottery-broken pottery is found at garden centers and nurseries. Sweet talk them into letting you have some! Large broken pots look great as is, or can be faux painted to look as though they are centuries old. Or try smaller pieces glued together to make a sculpture all your own. Paint, glue mirrors or tile pieces to make a mosaic, or leave as is. Make this large enough to make a “statue” in your garden! You can add the necessary “works” to make this a fountain!

Lamp stands-old lamps taken apart, tall stands of any kind, and anything that you can add that is tall and slender can be weatherproofed to make a grouping of candle stands for the garden. Again, three, five, or seven work best. With or without candles, these are attractive and catch the eye! Especially among low growing flowers. Or you can line your driveway with these for a luminary look!

Fence Posts-an old, tall, but sturdy fence post makes a great pole for use as a flag hanger. Just screw the hardware into the post. Mine has plant hangers and a small lantern hung from it also. A welcoming sight!

Potpourri of Ideas-Are we there yet? Are your creative juices flowing? Here are some off the wall ideas. Do you have a broken box fan? The square grates are wonderful for painting and hanging as faux gates, wall decor, or wherever your imagination takes you! Snip out a design from the grate for an even better look. Have an old touchier lamp? It too is great for painting and “planting” in the garden, decked out with plants on the top. Bury the bottom to keep it from tipping, or you can add concrete to the base. Look around the house and garage and see with new eyes. Check out the dumpsters and the neighbors trash! Old TV tables can be cut out for plant pots to sit down in. How about window frames? Old pool balls, golf gear, fishing gear, boat parts and oars, wooden anything! Some of these things need to be painted with clear or colored outdoor spray paints to keep them looking good, whether the look is “old” or new.

A note: Always think about this…in some places, taking something from someone’s trash or going through a dumpster, is illegal. Please check local ordinances before you take a chance. And, another thing to keep in mind…sometimes you may find people with “not so nice” intentions hanging around dumpsters. All I am saying is…always be careful! Happy Decorating!

About the Author:
Jane Parr-Whitehead has been a professional Home Decorator for over 15 years. She now offers “Home Decorating via the Internet” from her site. Editor of a Home Decorating Newsletter, once a month, enjoy reading about Home Decorating, Decorating Childrens rooms, Animal Print Decorating, and much more. Visit her site at http://Decorativeartsbyjep.com/

What does 1+1 equal to? Too easy of a question, you might think.
Well yes the answer is 2. There were not any traps whatsoever.
But why is it that 1+1 equals to 2? What’s the logic behind?
This is an amazingly complex question actually.

At first I was asking this question to literally everybody I
met, just for fun. But then I realised that the why behind 1+1=2
may not be that simple; it was in other words of no joking
matter.

People always say truth comes from a child. That was my chance
to consequently test this saying. I asked my kid brother aged 6
why he thought 1+1 gave 2. Here is his answer: “If you take a
sweet from the market and put it with the one sweet in your
pocket, with how many sweets will you end up? TWO!”

Well he is half correct. He preferred to do an analogy with
sweets instead of dealing with the figures. In this particular
case, it may have been a better idea. However there was
something missing in this answer. I came to find out that it
would be missing in my answer as well.

To get a really clear and concise answer however, I decided to
email some persons who work with mathematics everyday. I mean
astronomers. Although I only received one reply – which came
from Dr. Brad Carter of the University of Southern Queensland,
thanks to thee – I knew that the answer that I was provided with
matched (and even overlapped – see below) my original idea upon
this complex question of why 1 and 1 makes 2.

My original thoughts were roughly as stated below: “Somebody
wanted to give the number ‘1’ the name ‘one.’ He also wanted to
give the number ‘2’ the name ’two’. So two ‘1’s, which is
equivalent to 1+1, will gives two.”

As my brother, I’m only half correct and we both made the same
mistake. We had not mention that two is defined as two ones. If
we had done so, we would have consequently come to the answer of
why 1+1 equals to 2! Confused? Well Dr. Carter’s answer might be
of some help. This exactly what he said: “The answer is simple:
it is simply a matter of definition. ‘2’ is the name we give to
result of the process ‘1+1’”

The why to the complex question suddenly became crystal clear.
But I wasn’t finished with the question as yet. I decided to use
one of the search engine Google, latest innovation to get a bit
more info about the why behind 1+1=2. I therefore connected to
Google Answers! Google Answers is a sort of forum where
individuals ask questions and tag an amount of money on the
former. A specialist then answers your question and pockets the
money. The best part of it though is if a question had already
been asked and answered, anybody could view both the question
and answer free of charge.

I entered ‘1+1=2’ is the search form and lucky me… somebody else
had already asked why 1+1=2 and a mathematician had indeed given
an answer.

I was satisfied and thought that that question was now filed.
After having joked about it, questioned my kid brother, emailed
astronomers and googled it, I think I now finally have a rather
good and simple answer to the why behind 1+1=2.

“In number base systems higher than ‘2’, 1+1=2 because it is
defined as such. Based on the definitions of the number ‘2,’ the
number ‘4’ and the mathematical operation of addition, the
answer is always the same.”

Such a simple question, which is at the base of so many complex
equations, isn’t that simple after all, is it? There is actually
an entire book, Principia Mathematica by Whitehead and Russell
(not the one by Sir Isaac Newton) which devotes several hundred
pages to deriving and explanation of just why 1+1=2.

Continents and countries are getting closer with technologies and science. With airplanes, Internet, phones and computing, the distances between countries have been shortened and communications have become more immediate and interactive.

As such, companies can have different parts of their plants operating from different locations, without sacrificing the quality of the products and the delivery time.

Riding on low exchange rates of these countries, companies can be certain of bigger profit margins since they will have lower costs.

This is the effect of globalisation.

It’s happening everywhere.

Many factories are being set up in the developing and undeveloped countries. Call centres of almost all the big organisations are now in India and China. Even the glamorous Hollywood has also outsourced some of their creative process to India.

The impact?

Many have lost their jobs.

And these jobs are likely never to return.

Outcome? More protests and strikes against globalisation.

But those who are most affected are these workers who have lost their jobs and their families.

They have to worry about paying electricity bills especially during winter, paying rents, food, and their bleak future. Their children may have to stop going to schools and they will have no presents for Christmas and birthdays. The families may have to starve.

The worst that could happen is having no money to pay medical bills.

These workers are likely to encounter difficulties in finding jobs, partly due to their ages (they are likely to be in the middle-age or fifties). And most organisations are not giving these workers chances of employments.

The reason behind is that they can employ younger workers with lower salaries, yet they can work and learn faster, thus increasing productivity.

But the effect of globalisation has spread to recent graduates. Many young graduates are finding it hard to find jobs that pay a reasonable high salary.

Even those who are able to secure jobs are unhappy and insecure. There is no job security, anytime anyone can be retrenched or fired.

Is there a way out?

Can you still find jobs?

The answer is yes. You must know where to look.

To beat unemployment caused by globalisation and jobs outsourcing, you have to look for jobs in countries where these jobs have been outsourced. In other word, you have to become a global worker, one who can work in any part of the world.

Currently, the best place to work will be in Asia.

Asia is experiencing rapid economic boom and there are many opportunities awaiting you.

Even with Asia’s low exchange rates, you can still earn and make a living. The low living standards made up for it.

The best part of working in these countries is that there are vast opportunities and with many projects still to be developed, your skills and knowledge are in hot demand.

In return, you will gain precious experiences that you can add to your resume and they will become your advantages in your next job application when you return home.

So if you are prepared to take the risk to move to these countries, you will surely find a job.

Copyright@2006 Yen-Ying Hor
http://www.globalcareerinformation.com/

Author: Hor Yen-Ying
Currently resides in Singapore and have written an ebook “Work In Singapore” to guide those who are interested in coming to Singapore to find jobs or to live here.
URL: http://www.globalcareerinformation.com/