Tips Computers

Advice For Computer Beginners And Newbies

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:02:00 +0000

by Ralph Jarvis

As someone who grew up with a computer, Is hard for me to picture how I would get along without one. When I was a kid, we had a machine that was not nearly as powerful as the one I have now. It was a Tandy, and it was useless by modern standards. We could use it as a word processor, log on to bulletin boards, and crawl along on the Internet. That was it. It was good for text only, and it was only somewhat good at that.

Still, when I decided to teach a computer beginners course at the local community center, I was shocked by how many people couldn't even do the basic work I used to do on my Tandy. Many of the computer beginners didn't even know how to turn on the power! We were using a good beginners computer - a Macintosh. Although I have not been impressed with Apples, I will say this for them: they are idiot proof. You don't need to know anything about computers to learn them. Your do not need to reinstall files, worry about viruses, or change system settings. All that is handled by specialist, and to the credit of Apple computers, things go wrong very rarely.

I had no problem with teaching computer skills to seniors. It was a little bit strange, however, teaching young kids how to use computers. When you are a senior, it makes a lot of sense to spend time on the Internet. It is a great way to keep in touch with people who you might not be able to otherwise see. Even for computer beginners, it doesn't take that long to learn how to use email and the web.

Kids, however, spend far too much time on the computer nowadays. Video games have gotten so elaborate and so entertaining that they lure kids away from activities that would be much more healthy. These young computer beginners would do better to learn a musical instrument, get some exercise, or read a good book. Instead, they all have parents who are buying them kids computers so they can get a head start on their classmates in the high-tech economy.

I know that computer skills are essential to survive, but I think people take it too far. It is alright for a child to be a computer beginner when he enters elementary school. There is no reason for little kids to spend all their time in front of a glowing, electronic screen instead of playing with their friends.

About the Author

Ralph Jarvis runs his own mail order business as well as running several shopping based websites. Take a look at this great Computers Advice resource.
http://www.computersadviceworld.net

What You Should Know Before Buying A Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:54:00 +0000

by Peter Smith

Anyone who already owns a computer has a good idea of what his or her computer needs are. However, people new to the world of computers can get lost in the multitude of choices. Here you will find some tips to what a newcomer to computers should do and why.

1. Purchase Basic Peripherals

First your computer must include all the basic peripherals. There are four major components to most computers, these are the; mouse, keyboard, monitor and the CPU unit. You will have to purchase a computer that includes all of these components, and then at home all you have to do is to plug the components into their designated sockets. Many computers also come with color-coding, so that each component is easily identified and assembled into one computer.

2. Determine What The Computer Will Be Used For

Basic components as described above will be adequate for a computer intended for performing simple word-processing and spreadsheet tasks, sending email or surfing the internet. If on the other hand the computer is used in your multimedia career, you will require the use of a digital camera, printer, tablet, digicam and a scanner. If again your career is in music, you will require a set of quality speakers and microphones.

3. Create A Budget And Stick To It

Decide how much you can afford to spend on a new computer. Remember to purchase a computer where all the basic peripherals can be included in your budget when you first start out.

4. Shop By Comparing The Various Models With Each Other

Comparison-shopping is useful when choosing a computer, e.g. you may want to go with the fastest modem and processor as well as the largest hard drive and dynamic memory that fit into your budget. Having a computer with large spare reserves will cut the price to upgrade the computer system at a later stage.

5. Buy Brand Name Items

When purchasing a computer you want a model from a computer manufacturer with a good and long market presence and with a reputation of quality service and products. The manufacturer must also be financially viable since computer manufacturers tend to have a very high turnover. Only the best manufacturers make it over the long run. You want your manufacturer to be able to fulfill its servicing, warranties, trades and returns. Brand name computers are a bit more expensive, but it is in your best interest to buy well known brands.

6. Where to Buy a Computer

Once you have determined what you require in a computer as well as what kind you want, all that is left is to decide where to buy the computer. Computers are available from several sources such as, online stores, computer store outlets, used computer stores, auction sites and your local yard sales. It is highly recommended to buy your computer from a physical store, where you can see the computer and ask questions before purchasing. Buying a new computer from a physical store offers the benefits of store warranties and services as well as trades and returns.

Follow these suggestions and you will find the best computer hardware for your needs. All that remains now is to move on to the software you require for your computer.

About the Author

Go To Meeting is an Internet service that allows you to hold online meetings. With GoToMeeting you can do presentations and pass control of the meeting to other participants.

Why use antivirus software?

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:50:00 +0000

Why use antivirus software? Eric Koshinsky http://www.antivirus-report.com

This is a really simple question to answer – you need to use antivirus software to protect your own computer, and to prevent your computer from being used to pass on infections to other machines without your knowledge. If you use the internet and you don’t take precautions, you’re going to get infected. And you’ll infect others, including those you care about most like your friends, family, and business contacts because their information is in your email address book and other files on your computer.

If you don’t care about infecting others, let’s look at the economic argument for a moment. You have a computer that must have cost at least $600, and perhaps as much as $4,000. On top of that you’ll have a monitor for which you paid between $250 and $1000, and you’re running software costing at least $500 dollars. If you have business or specialist packages installed then I’m guessing you may have invested $5000 in software alone. You will probably pay upwards of 25 dollars a month for your internet connection. And if you store personal data on your PC, it is probably worth more than money to you.

So you’ve got equipment worth something like $1400 if you’re computing on the cheap, right up to (and beyond) $10,000 if you flex your wallet a little. Think of this as being the same in price as an acceptable older used car right up to the pretty good used car you could buy for ten thousand dollars.

Now imagine that the car had all the locks removed and could be started without a key – and of course you could paint “STEAL ME” on it for good measure. That makes a lot of sense..yea right!

Having a computer that does not have up-to-date antivirus and firewall protection is pretty much exactly the same. You are simply asking for trouble!

This kind of trouble doesn’t need to be invited twice, because viruses, worms, Trojans and all the rest, are designed to find unprotected computers and attack them. They don’t seek out protected computers! If they find one, they simply move on.

NOTE: Firewalls are one good way to keep the net-nasties moving on, you can learn more about them at: http://www.antivirus-report.com/freeware-firewall.html

Remember, computer viruses are designed, they don’t just happen by accident. Because human intelligence is behind the viruses they develop quickly, use surprising and unexpected tactics, and they hit us where we are weakest.

So if you can afford over $1500 on a computer and $300 a year on internet connections, you can definitely afford another $50 to make your computer safe (and prevent it from being used to spread viruses and Trojan horses behind your back).

If you’re not convinced about the cost argument, consider the case of David L. Smith - the self-confessed author of the infamous Melissa worm. When he was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment and a fine of $5,000 in New Jersey, the court adjudged Smith's worm to have caused more than ฃ55 million pounds worth of damage!

Against the cost we stand to lose, the risk of losing our priceless personal files, and being blamed by friends and relatives for infecting their machines, the top antivirus software programs cost as little as 2 months internet connection. They all include constant and unlimited automatic updates that keep your system safe and clean.

And if you weren’t convinced by the good citizen argument that you should protect your computer to stop others getting infected, then it might be worth mentioning that there is a movement to make people not using antivirus software legally responsible should their machine be used as part of an attack (even if they did not know about it). (Note: I’m not personally a part of such a movement, but it does have its merits!)

So, be a good citizen whilst protecting your wallet and your sanity by installing good antivirus software and keeping it up to date.

To learn more about effective, easy to afford and use PC protection tools, visit http://www.antivirus-report.com

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About the Author

About the author: Eric Koshinsky created the layman’s guide to antivirus and PC protection after helping too many people deal with simple PC problems. Find out exactly how to protect your computer from harmful internet attacks at http://www.antivirus-report.com. The comprehensive antivirus report is available at no cost. Find out how to block trojan horses, spyware, computer viruses, and other malicious software quickly and easily in one place.

Antivirus software

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:46:00 +0000

Nowadays more and more people are using a computer. A lot of them use it at their work place, but an increasing number of computer users have also discovered the need to have a computer at home. At the same time the number of Internet surfers increased. This is a good thing because people are realizing the advantages offered by the world of technology. As soon as they discover this, they start using computers and the Internet more and more, but at the same time not considering the threats that are coming in from all sides. They should know that if you don’t protect yourself, nobody will. These threats are now coming from everywhere and they are growing in number and complexity. First threats of this kind were the viruses. At first, viruses were not that harmful. They were designed to perform a simple task, like flashing a single message onto the user's computer screen. Also the spread rate was slow, because not many people were connected to the Internet. But now the majority of viruses are programs intentionally written to obstruct with, or harm other programs or computer systems. And they are spreading very fast.

Many companies and people have had a lot of troubles because of these viruses. And so the need for antivirus software was born. At first one very simple antivirus appeared and this was enough. Now, as the threat is growing antivirus software are becoming a lot more complex. Some of them have also included a firewall so to better protect the users. In order to increase the competition, other antivirus software producers have also come up with a wonderful idea: to offer free scan online. This was a big help for people that are frequently using a computer mostly for their personal use, meaning it is not attached to a network and uses the Internet only from time to time. Now, they don’t have to spend a lot of money to buy antivirus software that will be used very rarely.

Most of these antivirus programs have to be bought in order for you to use them at their full capacity. Also you have the option to test a so called “free trial version”. These trial versions include all or most of the software’s features, and are available to be checked out by the user for a short period of time, usually 30 days. After these 30 days, the program can no longer be used. Other antivirus software producers use another method; they offer a free trial version that you can keep forever. But it is not fully operational, meaning some of the options of the program cannot be used as they are not activated. After you have tried a program and you consider it is fit for your need, then you’ll have to buy it to protect your computer at its full capacity.

Lately, viruses are mostly spread through e-mails because this is the most common use of the Internet. Also, e-mail viruses are easier to develop. E-mail viruses make use of the ability of having macros or scripts implanted in word documents, spreadsheets, HTML pages, and are programmed to run when the document is opened. But how does an e-mail virus works? When an e-mail with an infected document or program is received, the user unknowingly opens a document/program, which in turn executes a code to open the e-mail directory and to send a copy of itself as an e-mail attachment to a certain number of addresses. Some of the recipients of the e-mail open its attachment and the process repeats itself.

This is where the antivirus program comes in. This program is set to check all incoming and outgoing messages and their attachments. If an e-mail is detected to have a document or program infected with a virus the program offers several possibilities to deal with the threat: delete the e-mail, put it in quarantine or try to disinfect it. Most of the times, these choices are left to the user’s decision. It is up to the user to set the program in such manner to best fit his needs. But not all viruses are coming by e-mail. A few of them use security errors in the operating system or your Internet browser to be launched automatically. But if you keep your antivirus and all the other programs updated, there will be a small chance of being infected via this route.

Nowadays, most viruses are spread in the form of e-mail attachments. This is because some of the worst recent viruses relay on recipients that throw away common sense and launch a deadly e-mail attachment. Commonly the attachments are with extensions that include .bat, .com, .exe, .pif, .scr, and .vbs. Sometimes to avoid the filters of antivirus software, virus creators enclose their malicious code in a .zip or .rar archive file. The file might even have a password to full antivirus programs that scan inside archives. And obviously, the password is included in the message as an image for the convenience of the naive user. As a simple but reliable rule, you should never open an attachment that you didn’t expect to receive, even if it came from someone you know. Also, make sure your e-mail software is configured so it will not automatically open attachments.

Another common way of spreading viruses is file sharing. Many viruses spread themselves throughout open network shares. You can protect your computer not sharing files or directories over the network. But if you don’t have a choice and you have to share your files, you are still able to reduce the risk of being infected by installing antivirus software and keeping it updated. Other ways to become infected with viruses are downloading files or software from the Internet, instant messaging or even web pages.

If the file you are downloading or the computer you are downloading it from is infected with a virus, there is a big chance that your computer will also become infected with the virus. As for the instant messaging, the major risk comes from accepting files from other users on the network. This risk can be minimized by configuring your antivirus software to scan all incoming files and also configure your other programs not to automatically accept files, and not to automatically execute the files you accept. Certain viruses are known to infect web servers. If you visit a website from an infected server, your computer could be infected with the same virus, but this is a very rare method of infection.

There are many different threats that are targeting the computers. Although they are very different, all of them are popularly called viruses. A virus by definition is a self-replicating file, not considering whether it is malicious or not. Another type of the so called viruses are worms; they circulate mainly through e-mail but also spread through a network. A worm is aware he is located in a network and uses it for replicating itself. Trojan horses (or trojans) are mostly used to insert some remote tools into a system in order to give the attacker free access to that system, without the user’s knowledge. Most Trojan horses cannot replicate automatically.

With the increased number of Internet users, the existing threats are also raising as now there are many more computers to attack and more people that don’t know to stay away from these threats. But the antivirus software producers are making it easier for us. There is a lot of antivirus software which cover a lot of threats. All we have to do is install one.

About the Author
Mike Ber is owner of www.Every.ca , and www.ComputerMagazine.ca

Understanding Linux Data Backup And Recovery

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:42:00 +0000

by Gia Deonne

Linux provides numerous options for configuring storage, such as Logical Volume Management (LVM), Software RAID (metadisks), and many various filesystem types. After a full system failure, recovering a server to its previous configuration can be quite a daunting task.

Also the cost involved to have a hardware technician perform the work could be very expensive. Add a change in disk hardware to the mix, and you may experience days of downtime!

While SBAdmin for Linux is a tape and disk backup management solution with many advanced features for managing your user data backup and restore strategy, it is the full system backup and recovery features that set us apart. Storix SBAdmin for Linux is the leader in Adaptable System Recovery (ASR).

This is the process to be able to perform hardware migration of the entire system (operating system and user data) onto different system and disk configurations. SBAdmin understands your Linux system and can individually backup and restore files, directories, filesystems, raw partitions, volume groups, raw logical volumes, software RAID devices or the entire system in case of disaster recovery.

Another versatile advantage is that backups can be archived to local or remote tape or disk. Most bare metal restore products for Linux create disk images that limit your ability to flexibly restore the system.

SBAdmin records your system and storage configuration with each system backup. This information can then be used to rebuild the system from the ground up. Since we are rebuilding the system and not copying the system, within our System Installation Menus, you can easily make changes to that configuration to restore onto completely different hardware.

SBAdmin for Linux can not only restore your user data, but also can easily rebuild and restore your entire system. Every detail, including the disk placement of partitions, logical volumes (LVM1 & LVM2) and RAID devices, file system types and attributes is retained.

You can then change the configuration when reinstalling from a system backup to install onto different hardware or migrate to a different software storage configuration to increase flexibility, performance and availability. When it comes to Linux backup and recovery SBAdmin offers the most flexibility and reliability. SBAdmin is very versatile and supports virtually any Linux distribution including RedHat (RHEL and Fedora), SuSE (SLES and OpenSuse), Ubuntu, Debian, Mandriva and Slackware, on the following hardware platforms.

Intel 32-bit (x86) systems, AMD64, EM64T, and x86_64 64-bit systems, IBM System p (pSeries/RS6000) and System i (iSeries), IA64 Itanium II (HP Integrity).

About the Author

For more information about Linux backup and recovery or to learn more about how to data backup visit our site.

The Basics Of Webcam Software

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:39:00 +0000

by Alessandra

Using Webcams for Surveillance: Many companies spend thousands of dollars on surveillance cameras to secure their buildings. Just as businesses want installed security for their precious assets, people like you and I want the same kind of protection for our homes.

Why go to the extreme of spending thousands on surveillance equipment when there is something equal in value at an affordable cost? That is where the wonderful idea of using "Webcams" comes in handy. These day's people are getting smart and realizing the potential in multi-faceted webcams. The nice thing is that it's easy to hook these gadgets up and they tend to not be bulky or obvious.

There is one major step you must take in order to use webcams for surveillance purposes and that is finding the right software, which will provide you appropriate tools to set you up.

Finding the right software: Here is some information on what you should look for before buying:

Access to multiple webcams: It is important to hook up multiple webcams for full surveillance in surrounding areas of your home or business. Make sure the software includes this feature, anywhere from 2-16 webcams.

Alarm feature: This is important because it's not likely to have an on-duty security guard in a residential home, your webcams are your security. It would be preferable to have various alarm options ex: call cell phone, home sound alarm, dial 911, etc. Motion Detection: This feature is a must. See how this is linked to the alarm feature.

Remote Access: This is for convenience purposes, being able to access and view the recorded area from different angles or through e-mail. Audio Capturing- This is a nice feature for a couple of reasons, it can be used for recording conversations and it's also important when using surveillance.

Compressing Files: If you are worried about saving HDD space, this is an excellent way to do so. See if the software has the ability to compress video files and if so how will it affect the quality?

Stealth Mode: This is a way to keep your software hidden from any user on your computer/s. Another words by using this feature, nobody will know when your surveillance is on or off, OR even if you have any. Pretty nice eh?

Summing it up: In conclusion, I have disclosed some important information on how to pick the right software for your webcam/s. We have also delved into the beauty of webcams and their ability to act as surveillance for your home or company. I hope that my blog has been useful to you. I have included a link to a preffered website for Webcam Software down below.

http://www.regnow.com/softsell/nph-softsell.cgi?item=5049-7&affiliate=91913

About the Author

Alessandra is a Successul Entreprenear, [Specializing in Online Marketing, Advertising, Product Research and Sales]

Hot Tips For Keeping Your Computer Cool

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:36:00 +0000

by Sazali

A computer's worst enemy is heat. Too much heat can cause hard drives to fail prematurely and entire systems to become slower and less stable. A hot day can combined with inadequate or malfunctioning cooling inside a PC can, in fact, spell the end of a computer altogether.

But there are steps you can take to keep your PC cool enough in a heatwave. By paying attention to how much heat stress your PC may be under, you'll not only extends its lifespan but enjoy more trouble-free computing during the time you own it.

Danger signs. How can you tell if your PC is suffering from heat-related stress? The best way is to take its temperature directly. Because overheating is a fairly common concern among system manufactures today, many PC's provide temperature readings either through the BIOS or through system software. Occasionally temperatures for a CPU - the main processor in your computer will rise higher than 60'C, but usually such temperatures should not normal. If they are, your computer will likely slow down, as performance throttling safeguards kick in, or become unstable.

Keeping it cool. There are plenty of steps your can take to keep your PC cool. Firstly open up your PC from time to time to make sure all internal fans are operating. Open the case while your computer turn off. When the case is open, turn the computer back on and make sure that all internal fans spin up and operate consistently. You should see two or three internal fans in your average computer usually one fan is over the central processor. Try to locate your PC in a cool room or a cool place.

About the Author

For more information about tech, web, how to, reviews, tips, downloads and make money online please visit Sazkul.com.

Understand Common Computer Errors And What To Do About Them

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:30:00 +0000

by Malcolm Grant

Computer errors usually show up when least expected and at the most inconvenient times as they can cause an entire system to shut down suddenly. It is also possible to accidentally corrupt data, leaving it useless. It is essential to remember that computer errors are correctable, although they are not always avoidable. It is in your best interest to understand what computer errors are, as well as understand what they mean and how to minimize their impact.

Computer errors are the result of a number of things that may or may not have anything to do with the way the computer is used. Computer errors come about whenever there is a conflict within the series of commands it executes. Normally it is a smooth process since computers run off a program of commands. However, when one command conflicts with another the computer will return an error.

One key reason for an error is when a user attempts to use software that is not compatible with their system. To minimize this type of error, you should verify that your computer has all the required components to run the program. Some errors are caused by insufficient memory, disk space, screen resolution or monitor color depth. If you do your research, you will find that software programs specify minimum hardware requirements. These errors occur as the software attempts to access things it cannot find, such as hardware, space, memory or screen resolution.

Shared files that are not up to date can cause errors since programs use files that are common to a number of programs. For example, Program 1 is already installed, and works just fine. Then the user decides to download and install Program 2. Program 2 shares a file (or files) with Program 1. This may produce errors that are the result of Program 2 attempting to use outdated shared files from Program 1. To fix this type of problem an updated version of the shared file must be uploaded.

Errors sometimes occur since a system does not contain the required drivers or the drivers are of an incorrect version. Updating the computer on a regular basis can resolve such problems. Take the time and care to update your computer so that, if a program is in need of a shared file, it is available to be used.

This article does not come close to encompassing the entire scope of computer errors. It only just starts to scratch the surface. A helpful tip is to research the wording of the error message on the Internet. You may find it is not that difficult to resolve the error yourself.
About the Author

GoToMyPC is used for remote pc access. GoToMeeting is used to hold online meetings.

How to compare and buy the right notebook?

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:19:00 +0000

It's not tricky to be intimidated by all the notebook computers models on the market these days. You can most often get a dozens of price range and models.

In order to find the right notebook for you, a little consideration will be needed. Before go on shopping you should make a decision what actually you need. When you distinct your need, no doubt buying the right notebook is very effortless.

Here we point out 5 basic factors to consider:

1. Dimension

Size is definitely a matter in the mobile computing world. A notebook computer can be affected by two element sizes: portability and display size.

If you are intending that you will be used your computer for just a short time, an ultra light will save you some shoulder strain.

In the other hand, a large display will definitely play a big role while using the computer for a long period in a unique day.

Comparing the displays size of other desktop computers, some notebook computers displays exceed 17 inches these days. The down face is that these monsters can simply weigh three times as much as an ultra light.

2. Hard Drive

The element here sounds the size of the hard drive. What size of hard drive you have to buy? Simply query the following question from yourself.

Will the notebook be my alternative system or a primary? If a primary then you should buy a bigger hard drive - 60 GB or more. If an alternative, you may probably buy a 20 GB.

Also you should know how much data you will be kept in or how much data you have in the present. So simply you should buy a hard drive according to your need.

3. Memory

Determining the right memory or RAM for your notebook need to know the way of for what you will be used the notebook? If you feel that you will be face up to somewhat mundane - email, spreadsheets, word processing, etc- 256 MB will be suitable. Most often many of notebooks have such configuration, so don't spend a lot for more RAM.

But if you are aspiring mobile digital photographer always stuff your notebook with as much RAM as it can hold.

4. Network Connections

Internet is the most important part of the modern computing, computing in the 21st century rely heavily on being connected: It should be connected to a corporate network, connected to an online service, connected to the Internet, connected to a home network, connected to a wireless network.

You should buy a notebook computer that will be able to access them all. 4. The Price

Price of notebook depends mostly on your budget, how much you can pay for a notebook. A few years ago, $2.000 were not sufficient for buying a notebook, but today, there are a huge rang of notebooks allow you to pay $1,000 or less for a notebook. However purchasing a notebook computer is still considered a major purchase for most of buyers. You should compare different prices before confirming a deal. We would recommend you http://computersnext.com for comparing and buying a notebook computer.
About the Author

Harris Adam is an expert writer of quality content, he wrote these articles, "How to compare and buy the right notebook" for such notebooks: http://computersnext.com/notebook_computers-sc2.aspx that allow comparing etc. He can be reached at http://computersnext.com

Microsoft Office Tricks

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:13:00 +0000

Microsoft Office Tricks
by Christine Harrell

No matter how long you've been using Microsoft Office, you probably don't know every trick and shortcut there is. Maybe you've stumbled upon a few shortcuts by accident after years of doing things the hard way. There are an incredible number of shortcuts hidden within each Microsoft Office application that can cut time and frustration out of your daily activities. Here are just a few of the techniques you can use to get even more out of Microsoft Office.

Special symbols Special symbols can be inserted by using "Insert/Symbol" on the menu. However there are many shortcuts that make inserting symbols even easier. The Autocorrect function allows you to enter common symbols quickly.

If there are symbols you use a lot, such as foreign currency symbols, you can edit the autocorrect list to create your own combinations.

International characters are a snap. Simply type "CTRL+(symbol)" followed by a letter to add a diacritical mark to a letter.

Format Painter An often-overlooked feature in Microsoft Office is the Format Painter. It appears as a little paintbrush on the toolbar. When this icon is selected, it makes a copy of the formatting of the text where the cursor is located. The cursor changes to a paintbrush, allowing you to "paint" that format into a new section of text. By double clicking on the icon, you can paint the format over and over until pressing ESC.

Shortcut keys All Microsoft Office applications have huge collections of shortcut keys. While it might be overwhelming to memorize them all, skim the list of shortcuts in the help document to see if there is an easier way to do what you are doing.

Also remember that you can access menus by pressing ALT-letter where the letter is the underlined letter in the menu. For example, to insert a row in Excel you can press ALT-I (to select the Insert menu) then R (to select Row). Often it's easier to use keyboard commands rather than take your hand off they keyboard to use the mouse.

Many more Microsoft Office tips These are just a few of the tips that users can pick up by enrolling in Microsoft Office training courses. Even if you use Office in your job every day, you might be surprised just how much you are missing. A day of class could save you hundreds of hours of lost productivity as you learn to do your work more efficiently.
About the Author

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on Microsoft Office, visit http://www.MicrosoftTraining.net/.

Beware of Cheap Printers Using Small Ink Cartridges

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:59:00 +0000

Beware of Cheap Printers Using Small Ink Cartridges
by ASAP Inkjets

Are those cheap printers really such a great deal? If you factor in the cost of replacement ink cartridges, it could be a lot more.

Nowadays, when you stroll down the printer isle, you might notice a few printers selling for around $50. At first glance you might think it's a great price, but is at a fair assessment?

Lexmark was first manufacturer selling $50 printers. The printer was a loss-leader and the sales of replacement cartridges subsidized the low initial cost. The cost of 1 set of replacement cartridges exceeded the value of the machine itself.

A lot of people who never owned a printer before, didn't realize what was going on. They never thought about the price of the new cartridges. Lexmark continued the same campaign but then lowered the volume of ink in their cartridges.

Consider this:

One Lexmark 10N0016 OEM Black cartridge retails for about $30 and will yield 410 pages at 5% coverage

One Lexmark 10N0026 OEM Color cartridge retails for about $32.00 and will yield 275 pages at 5% coverage

It was commonplace to buy Lexmark printer for $50 just for the ink cartridges, and throw the printer in the garbage and just buy another one. Hewlett-Packard has now followed suit and is using the same strategy to takeover market share.

Several new machines will enter the market in July 2006. Many of which are cheap to buy (starting at around $25.00), but can be expensive to operate. Many of these new cheap printers do not come with cables or both ink cartridges which entices users by lowering the initial price.

Over the course of a few years however, the low cost of the machine will be overshadowed by the large amount spent on replacement inkjet cartridges

The inkjet cartridges that most of the new HP printers use contain only 5 Milliliters of ink. In comparison, about 4 years ago the most common HP black cartridges contained 42 milliliters of ink. That's nearly 8 times more printing at about 1/3rd the cost (per milliliter of ink).

A lot of people who owned machines in the past, are shocked when they see how fast their new printer goes through ink.

Not very many people realize the actual operating costs of these printers until they gone through a few sets of replacement cartridges.

HP's goal now is too take over the market and squeeze competitors out of the picture by taking over retail shelf space with as many models as possible. Most have the same basic qualities, but the machines they have on the shelf, the less space for competition. Hewlett Packard hopes to seduce people in with their famous name, and a low-priced machine.

If they can get the customer to buy their printer, they can rely on a continuous stream of supplies for the life of that printer.

So here's what you need to know... It is critical that you investigate the price of replacement ink cartridges before you purchase a new printer. Comparison-shop both the printer and cartridges at the same time. A short list of printers to avoid are printers using the HP 21 and HP 22 ink cartridges. (these contain only 5 milliliters of ink)

PSC 1410 Series, Officejet 4315, Deskjet F340, F380, HP Fax 1250, HP Deskjet 3910, Deskjet 3940 Series, Deskjet 3915, Deskjet 3930 Series

Printers Using HP 92 and HP 93 ink cartridges (5 milliliters of ink)

PSC 1510 Series, PSC 1507, Officejet 6310, Deskjet 5440 Series, Photosmart 7850, Deskjet 5440 Series

The only customers who should consider these particular new HP printers, are those who print infrequently (less than 3 cartridges per year).

HP makes quality machines, however we recommend simply seeking out a model that does not use the #21 and #22 or #92 and #93 cartridges. Many more of these new HP printers will be released this month.

Another option is to look for a different manufacturer such as Canon, Epson or Brother. Their inkjet printers often get as good or better reviews from users.

Again, check the cost of replacement cartridges, page yield or milliliters of ink contained in the cartridge to be sure you are getting a good value in comparison.

About the Author

ASAP Inkjets sells inkjet cartridges and laser toner at up to 80% below retail store prices. You buy printer ink anyway, why not get it from a company who saves you money & takes care of their customers? Signup for your free newsletter for tips & discount coupons at: subscribe@asapinkjets.com or visit: http://www.asapinkjets.com/inkjet-cartridges-canon.html

How To Test You CD Case

noreply@blogger.com (Cipunas) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:53:00 +0000

by Pisan K.

You should be able to find several indispensable facts that somebody have never discovered. As it is a kind of experiment with your CD case. So information about how to test it in the following paragraphs may be very useful or has just little use more or less. If there's at least one fact you didn't know before, imagine the difference it might make. In fact this is just my own suggestion and I have learnt it from my own experience and it may not always fit to any one. Therefore, carefully reading and consider whether information I have provided below is practical for you. Follow my step without careful consider may harm your CD case and you will make your favourite one broken by your own.

Most of people who bought CD case may not interest to test it to see whether they are strong enough to protect your favourite CDs. Generally, many people could satisfy and think that they is good enough just be case they can protect them from basic dangers such as wet, hot and cold temperature, and soft pressure. In fact, in my opinion is that is just quite not enough. Imagine that of you have very old rare compact discs and it could not be replaced if damage or lost. I guess that you will never want to keep it in low quality case.

Now I am about to tell you about the way that I use to test it once I have bought it. This is because I have a lot of them. Firstly, I have to make sure that the one you have bought can protect my CD from water and some other kind of hot drinks such as coffee. Because I often carry the case to every where I go and often in a coffee shop. Some times you may find that some kind of them are not resist to hot water, the plastic and coating colour will become melting when there is hot water pour on it. So the method of test is very, just drop some hot coffee on your CD case and see whether it could resist to hot water.

Second thing that you have to think about is protecting your favourite CDs from chemical agent. Some of you may argue that this kind of protection is absolutely unnecessary because there is almost no chance that they will be damaged by chemical. In fact, there are some types of chemical agents that usually found in you house and they definitely harmful to them such as detergent, alcohol etc. However, I am not encouraging you to apply those chemical on them because you my lose it, but please bare in mind that you should keep away from these chemical agents or choose the type that anti chemical when you buy a CD case. The last one that I would like to emphasize is heat. Heat can damage them inside the case. So make sure that you will not leave your case in a car that you have to leave the car in strong sunlight.

About the Author

Pisan's a writer for Bag, Handbag, Luggage websites including http://www.shopcdcase.com. If you found this article helpful, visit us to get more information.