Excel Computers

Role Of Internet And Computers In Forex Business

2009-06-28T13:26:00.001-07:00

In electronic trading is the maximum per year, and in particular trade and the exchange of money over the Internet. Deliver new profession - and the money involved. The Internet and the availability of jobs, in the home or office via a trade in the situation, because the development is completed. Electronic platforms, provided by the banks and brokers in the financial markets, and we all have the trick, he died not knowing the can and start living. The development of information technology, the experience of the program of development, security, telecommunications and the ability to increase the analysts. It seems that the analysts in their skills and confidence to the advantage that the risk of an increase in the round while working. Therefore, the ability of companies to a high trade value is high. Automated systems, since the eighties the start of negotiations on the Internet in the form of demand - the nature of the coordinate system at the end of the nineties all the standard for the dissemination of currency changes. The system works, and the banks, the computer system and Internet, while the coordination of electronic brokerage systems. The system works more and more dealers, which means that a large number of transactions, the reliability of administrative efficiency. Ryan, as the authors of the transactions, merchants can certainly lose. Efficiency, speed and security of the systems for the exchange of currencies process in the main role of the expansion done. You have a computer with an important role in many steps to the money. In addition to the treatment of a system for coordination of all parts of the world of communication with the traders on the market, and the construction-mail agent. A new office, a system of vouchers, a comprehensive report, the Minister of Labor, the reduction of the risks and costs for the acquisition. A day for all types of payments and the products of the new theory on the basis of technical indicators, a good opportunity for a relatively low cost and the length and continuous access for traders. Use of the Internet on the market and the exchange of information and provides financial and index, and the exchange of money in the world, and the access of all records on the speculation. Now, with many of the accounts. Have a great role in the trading of foreign exchange is the exchange rate. Mail-speed for a second term and that it is possible to prevent the speculation. If you have a service subscription to take all the speculation on exchange rates via e-mail received May. Are you looking for a service is available at: http://www.iforex.org Eric Cooper Club Internet changes, foreign exchange, which is useful, the expectations and trade relations to recommend the services of a specialist. The address could include: http://www.iforex.org

‘System is Dangerously Low On Resources’ Word Error and Recovery

2009-06-28T13:25:00.001-07:00

How to recover your word files if system is dangerously low on resources.
Normal.dot is the default template that Microsoft Word uses to create each document. MS Word always uses this template, even if you are using other templates. If this template gets corrupts, it affects all the documents that are based on it. At times, you also observe that Word crashes down whenever you try to open it and gives error messages. To restore data in such situations, you need to use your recent file backup. But if backup is not available, corrupted or not updated, Word Recovery applications can be used for complete file repair and restoration. Consider a situation, you open Microsoft Word and encounter an error message that the program has performed an illegal operation. Further, when you click Details tab of the error message, you receive another error that WINWORD has caused invalid page in its .exe file at an address. This error message is followed by the below error: "System is dangerously low on resources." The same error message may also be encountered when you try to print a document. As the additional symptom, Microsoft Word hangs and you need to exit Winword.exe using Task Manager. Cause Normal.dot file is damaged or corrupted Solution To correct this issue, you need to follow these steps: - For solving global template corruption problem, you should rename the damaged Normal.dot (global template) file. You need to locate the file and rename. After this, you require changing some settings in order to restore favorite options. Also, you need to copy the customizations, if any, from earlier Normal.dot file to the new one. - If Word starts correctly after renaming the damaged global template, you need to next ensure that all documents are in good condition. To repair damaged documents, try opening the damaged documents with ‘Open and Repair’ feature or with applications like WordPad etc. If problem persists, use your recent file backup to restore and delete the damaged one. In case of any backup issues, you need to use Word Repair applications. Such word recovery software employ advanced scanning algorithms to repair the damaged Word documents, effectively and safely. Stellar Phoenix Word Recovery is an advanced tool that uses powerful algorithms to repair and restore damaged Word documents. It supports word repair for documents created with Word 2007, 2003, 2002, and 2000. It restores all document objects like, hyperlinks, charts, images, drawings etc. The application is compatible with Windows Vista, XP, 2003, 2000 and NT.

Free Conference Call Services - How to Find the Best Web Conference Call Hosting

2009-06-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

Web conference call services have made a revolution in the conference calling world. Now you can hold and manage your conference calls anytime or anywhere simply using your laptop and the Internet. You know how web conference call services are becoming more and more popular instead of traditional phone line conference services. Because it is easier to use, faster, and automated. And as if all the benefits already wasn't enough, web conference hosting companies are coming with more ideas to improve it even better and win more customer by offering free conference call services. Yes, the good news is, now you can run your own conference call on the Internet and use all the powerful features... for free. But doesn't it sound too good to be true? Wise question. So let's find out... What Are the Pros and Cons of Free Conference Call Services? Even though they may sound amazing, there are a few things you want to be aware of. There are dozens of companies that offer conference call hosting for free, and even though they all may claim to be the best in the market, you and I know it can't be true for all of them. Naturally we have great services, average services, and even terrible services that you want to stay away from. But the good news is, there are a few top quality services that offer you such a great service that you will find is even better than many paid ones out there. So how can you find out which conference call hosting service is the best for you? There are a few important factors to look for when comparing them together. Also there are some very important questions to ask before, so you know you're getting the best deal. Looking for easy-to-use web conference call services that offer you the highest quality and the best rates? Check out this helpful guide to discover the top three free conference call services to find out which one is the best for you.

Free Fax to Email Services - Send Your Fax Online Using Email

2009-06-28T13:22:00.001-07:00

So what's so great about fax to email services that everyone is talking about? Are they really so great or is it just another trend that comes and goes? Find out more...
So what's so great about fax to email services that everyone is talking about? Are they really so great or is it just another trend that comes and goes? This guide is going to help you find out the insider tips on Internet fax service and if they are going to help your business. Not so long ago, we all needed to use traditional fax machines and a separate phone line to be able to send and receive faxes. But after fax to email services have been introduced online, using fax has become much easier for personal and business needs. All you need is your computer and Internet access - which you already have - and your easy-to-use Internet fax service. Can it possibly be any easier? There are many free and premium online fax software and services available for you to choose from. They come with different features and benefits to choose from. How to Use Fax to Email Services as Easy as 1, 2, 3 After you sign up for your online fax number - which can be a local number or from many other cities and even countries around the world - you can start sending and receiving faxes. When someone sends a fax to your fax number, it comes straight to your email. You can see it or download it as an attachment. One important benefit to email fax is that you can access your faxes from anywhere - not just your office. Because unlike traditional fax machines, you can log in to your email from anywhere you wish - from your office, home, or even vacation. How to Choose the Best Internet Fax Software? As you may already know, there are various companies that provide online fax services to you. Each of them offer you a unique set of tools and features that you can choose from. Depending on the size of your faxing needs and the options you'd like to have, you can choose the service that is right for you. If you only like a simple Internet fax software to help you with your personal or small business needs, then you can go with a free fax to email service. However, if the size of your business and you faxing needs is large, then you can consider upgrading to premium fax services. By making a small investment, you can enjoy a more professional, faster service. Looking for an easy, free Internet fax software to help you send and receive faxes to all over the world? Then check out this helpful guide to discover the best free fax to email services to send and receive your faxes anytime and anywhere.

Registry Cleaners: A RegCure Review

2009-06-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

Looking for registry cleaners? This article provides a comprehensive review of Regcure.
Registry cleaners do for your computer what a regular tune up does for your car. The process checks for potential problems in your system like unused or corrupt data and gets rid of it so your computer can run more efficiently. However, not all products for this purpose are created equal. This article will review RegCure, one of the best registry cleaners on the market today. If you want to start using the best registry cleaner now, visit this website to get a free Regcure scan . Some products will not clean your computer as efficiently or thoroughly as others might. Some might even install unwanted spyware or other programs into your system while they are running. It is important to choose your registry cleaner carefully to ensure you find one that can deliver on its promises. The best way to check into the various products available is to read unbiased reviews. Customers find that the majority of registry cleaner reviews written on RegCure tout its praises and recommend it as one of the best registry cleaners available. RegCure also offers a number of special features that are quite valuable in registry cleaners. First, the cleaner backs up and restores data so there is no chance of important information getting lost in the cleaning process. Users can also benefits from the automatic repair function that allows the cleaner to do the repair work for you. If you prefer, you can switch over to a manual repair mode that turns the process over to you instead of the cleaner. This ensures your computer is tuned up to your specifications. Sometimes the hardest part of getting registry cleaners to work for you is making sure you are using them on a regular basis. RegCure takes care of this problem by providing a regular cleaning schedule that you can set up to run automatically. This makes it easy to ensure your computers keep running at top efficiency without having to worry about when the next cleaning needs to be done. RegCure can also help your Windows programs run more efficiently by guiding you in the startup process. RegCure can scan startup items and stop unneeded programs from beginning automatically. This can speed up the startup process considerably so you can get on your system and get to work right away. RegCure is the best registry cleaner on the market today for a number of reasons. This product can ensure your computer systems at home or at work continue to run at peak efficiency. The special features included make RegCure one of the top registry cleaners for your dollar. Check out this product and tune up your computer system so it can work harder for you. We hope you have enjoyed this registry cleaner review.

Internet Marketing Basic Mistakes

2009-06-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

Marketing with articles can be fun, but can also be a challenge, so I though I'd branch out, "how to" style.
Yes, article marketing works, yes, we all love it, but doing it the wrong way can be costly both in time and lost opportunity. I thought I should add a couple of things I've learned. Here Are A Few Mistakes To Avoid If you're in the category of the legion of article writers out there attempting to pump out a living writing and marketing articles then you'd ought to be sure that you avoid a few of the casual dangers that beset several of your competitors. Education as you go is "Alright" by me This is the most general way to learn most things and it is another of (yes) the most common with internet marketers. It eases you into the process and avoids overload. Anybody who has been there knows that over committing leads to panic, leads to being overwhelmed and ultimately can lead to remorse from giving up. A small amount at a time helps - as well as being less stressful. Well, now to the errors: Mispent reconnoitre - If you need to understand how to act, it's simple - formulate quality articles and build a following. All the delving in the universe won't teach you to recreate the wheel or catch up with marketers who own thousands of good content. Any of these familiar (ok reconnoitre is a rough one)? Too Many Ebooks - quite spending and begin making money. If you buy from every big name, who gets rich? They will not you Trying to cheat - You could spin pages and improve plr articles and attempt to get above the pack, but you halt using your creative abilities and you stop learning. Write your own content, construct a following and have an unique voice. No Structure - objectives are excellent, but with out a plan they are a little futile. Planning your daily is vital and will stop you getting off track. Remember you are the mastermind so it's up to you and your annual targets will keep you to a path to succeed Not Writing Enough - If you do not make 15+ articles for your blog a week and gather 15 links as well as submitting 12 articles to repositories then what are you up to? Here's a plan for you to try 15 articles could take you 7 hours 10 articles could take you 3hours 25 links could take you 2hours Total hours could be around 12 in total Could you do 12 hours? Imagine what you could procure in 20 or 40 If you want to get wealthy on the net then attempt 50 hours like I do Construct as many pages as you can don't make the big mistakes of your peers and you will definitely have a nuance of success.
Secrets Of Article MarketingWhat do you need to know about article marketing?

Buy Cheap Apple iPod touch 16 GB MA627LL/A

2009-06-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

The new generation iPod which is highly popular and extremely durable is now available in the market, the Apple iPod touch (16 GB, MA627LL/A).
However, like the other Apple products, this costs you quite expensive. But there are certain reasons why you are going to avail the product. If you are a music freak, the space of this iPod can store enough songs. But for some people they are not even satisfied in sixteen GB as they incredibly expect for more. However, the iPod can hold about four thousand songs with its sixteen GB memory capacity. The memory of this iPod is built in and neither expandable nor slotted. Assortment of audio formats have also supported the Apple iPod touch (16 GB, MA627LL/A). There is the MP3, the AAC, the MP3 VBR, the WAV, the AIFF and also the Audible. What is surprising is the MP3 speed. The frequency response of this particular iPod is 20-20000 Hz with speed of sixteen to thirty two kilo bytes per second. The iPod is supported by MPEG4 and H.264, hence the screen of the Apple iPod touch (16 GB, MA627LL/A) has video playing capacities and the video format. The product has a maximum resolution of 640x480 and has bit rate of more than twenty five thousand kilo bytes per second. On the screen of the player, we will decide for the most essential features required. At all times, what are the things you want to be displayed on the screen? Of course the battery, the track playing, the playlist and the time left for the current song being played. All of the above features mentioned can be seen exactly on the screen of the product. Are you nosy about its screen size? Well, it is quite large for an iPod for it has a size of 3.5 inches. In addition, the Apple iPod touch (16 GB, MA627LL/A) will arrive with a jack for headphones and a USB connector. Provided on this iPod are additional features such as games, timer, clock around the world, address book and an upgradeable firmware. You may want to know another important thing, the life of the battery, how long it will last? It can last up to 22 hours max because the battery of this product is rechargeable lithium. So, even with a non-stopped sound trip without charging it yet, you can virtually listen to songs for twenty two hours long. Well, as expected for Apple, an exceptional for any iPod. Further details you must learn are: the Apple iPod touch (16 GB, MA627LL/A) has also its 8, 16 and thirty two GB and you can save on these products all of your photos, music and videos. What’s more you can gain aside from listening to music is that it can be your style statement as well. If you want to browse the Internet and connect with a Wi-Fi, you can do so through your Apple iPod. Only call making and receiving are lacking. More than that, this iPod is your most excellent mobile solution. Check out my in depth Apple iPod Touch 16 GB MA627LL/A review. Discover where to buy cheap iPod Touch online.

Grand Theft Auto IV Review - What’s Different in Rockstar North GTA 4

2009-06-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

This action pack adventure game is also known as the GTA IV. The Grand Theft Auto games have over a total of nine series and GTA IV is the ninth one. The one which came before GTA IV is named GTA San Andreas. The game GTA IV was released with versions of Xbox and PlayStation 3 in April 2008. It is on this same release date when the game was released in America and Europe. Months later, it was also released in Japan on the 30th of October 2008. Eventually, the game was released in the Windows version on December 2, 2008. As we move to the game, you will learn that the Grand Theft Auto 4 was set in an imaginary Liberty city. When compared to the previous games, the version of the city existing in this game is different and completely redesigned. The city portrays the real New York as its inspiration and other things that go on in the city. The protagonist of the game is a war veteran named Niko Bellic. Since his country is not specified, what we know about him is that he came from some country in Eastern Europe. When this man comes to America in quest for the American Dream, he gets caught up in seedy dealings and affairs with the underworld in the city. What can one found in the city are numerous sort of vices that you can imagine like corruption, murder, etc. He gets pulled into a net of crimes and gangs and thus unable to come out. The good part of the game is that you can undergo different experiences while playing it such as being a first person shooter, a third person shooter, and you can ride your car and what not. Those who have played a few of the versions of Grand Theft Auto may know precisely what I am talking about. In fact the gaming experience that can be attained by any player of Grand Theft Auto 4 is the "open-world" game play which permits the players an enormous amount of hold over the playing experience. With your friends around the globe, you will all certainly enjoy the game for its mode has about fifteen game types and is available online with a multiple player. Grand Theft Auto 4 is a game ever developed that broke all records of the gaming industry leading to its major critical success. After it was sold about more than for million on the first of release, anyone can say how big a commercial success the game is. There was about six million copies sold worldwide and over five million dollars was earned in its first week alone. Until the sixteenth of August, the game had sold over ten million copies according to a consensus. This is not a heresy because when you come across to see the ranking charts of the MobyGames and the TopTenReviews, the Grand Theft Auto 4 is proven to be the highest rated game. Choosing GTA 4 is the best choice as you wait for the next game to come. Get yours and experience a different level by playing this game. Click here for a more in depth Grand Theft Auto IV review.

Online Games with Good Available Games

2009-06-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

The withdraw online bit gaming marketplace has exploded over the prehistoric 5 eld to comprise of a innumerous total of gritty developers and business websites. The sometime is in author qualified supplying than the after, yet level flashgun gritty developers are steadily seemly in overmuchness supplying as much companies harmonize the gain in providing unconstrained online games as an advertising construction. Publishers are in greater supplying with a huge total of games websites offering the developers substantial, indeed whatsoever games developers also furnish their own business websites much Ninjakiwi and Armour Games. These are two of Ninjakiwi make trice games low their own slim in asylum squad of developers, they are owners of the rattling touristy brand of games known as Bloons. The gear Bloons spunky was introduced support in mid 2007 and the series has metamorphose so general as a issue online gritty entertainment call that the games soul already been played hundreds of millions of present. If you liken such an chance exposure valuate to something similar the most touristy recording watched on you structure, it is simple to see why advertisers are turn to quotient. What's solon intriguing is the demographics behindhand unplanned gamey players, whatsoever may conceive that it is mostly children that perform these games, they would be dishonorable, the age of group who joke the games are boylike adults, with such a particularized demographic being crystallize, supply online games create great appealingness to companies merchandising products around the young these games, as mentioned the solon nonclassical games perceive zillions of plays on a daily supposition and a considerable amount present noneffervescent be played by children. Of course with supply online games holding much brobdingnagian business postulation, games are turn to be organized writer cleverly. Developers are now creating games targeted specifically at age ranges, including teens, adolescent adults and mums. Ninjakiwis' list of games is expanding rapidly. As their name has conventional greater danger over the previous year they mortal branchy out from their model success of Bloons to make other games with antithetic concepts, few hump been received with author enthusiasm than others. Many of their strategy successes let: Bloons Business Series - Including the contestant packs, many bloons and symmetrical many bloons, form justification games, hot air bloon, bloons pop 3 Boombot Games - 1 and 2 Hotcorn Games - 1 and 2 Potion Madness Powerpool Replay Racer - 1 and 2 Rings Shinju Sinta Zeba Ninjakiwi as a liberated online spirited businessperson has legitimate a faithful fan support with their compass of games existence publicized crosswise infinite recreation websites including their own. One of their business platforms is through a website called Mochiads. This website provides a star construction for both brave developers and gamy publishers to get income from publishing games with a dinky advert existence shown whilst apiece gallinacean is beingness downloaded by the viewer. Developers and publishers get cashed every time several one plays a strategy they score made or a scheme origin is that there are thousands and thousands of wellborn extricated online games for you to savor. Revel them today - they are clear games! The Author has wrote on topic of free online games, free games. Hope you enjoy this article. For more information on free online games or Discover Clear Online Games and Contemplate yourself with Good Available Games in the Humankind today!

PC Satellite TV: The Best Way to Watch TV on PC

2009-06-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

One of the newest innovations in the technology of the computer and the internet right now is the program that allows people to watch TV on PC. This technology is powered by a PC satellite TV software that gets television signals and then converting them to that which enables you to view your favorite online shows. Studies and reports actually state that PC satellite TV is becoming well-accepted by people is now rising to be one of the favorite past times and hobbies of people from different parts of the globe. These reports actually show that the numbers to this will increase and grow by the day. If you are interested about this technology, then you need to go through the information below that will allow you to better understand the process and the technology behind it. A lot of people are concerned about the price. You will be happy to know that getting this technology to work is not at all expensive. In fact, the investment that you need to make with this is only about fifty dollars which I am sure you would agree to be an amount which is very inexpensive and affordable. The good thing about this PC Satellite TV software that enables you to watch TV on PC is that the investment only needs to cover one time. What this means is that the actual purchase to download the software is all there is that you need to pay for. It does not come with any hidden fees and definitely, there will be no monthly subscriptions which you need to take care of as you typically would with a cable or satellite connection. With the software that you get to purchase, all you need to do afterwords is to install and to run it in your PC. From here, you will get to access over three thousand channels or stations through PC satellite TV. These stations come from different parts of the world and they surely will be very interesting and insightful for you to watch. Radio stations are even accessible through the PC satellite TV software. It even comes with an interface which is very user-friendly that makes it hassle free for anyone in your family to navigate and surf through the stations that you can get to access. Indeed, the PC satellite TV technology provides users with better options and one that is very sensible and practical which still allows them to enjoy and view entertainment just like they are used to.

Effective Techniques Increase Website Traffic

2009-06-28T13:10:00.001-07:00

Who Doesn't Want To Increase Website Traffic For Their Business? 3 Step Blueprint For Success 1) Analyze Objectives What are your business website goals? Who will be your target market? Age group and gender of prospects? Your financial budget for promoting business? Preference for website theme or model? Who will be your major competitors? What specifically makes them your competitor? Do your prospects have certain needs or expectations? Type of products or services to offer? What makes your business unique from anyone else? 2) Website Design Determine what kind of look and feel that you want your website to portray. What will be your business logo or image? Your logo or brand should be a consistent theme throughout all of your products, printed ad material, and website. Your website should be well organized and structured in a logical manner, to make navigation easy and quick. All of your benefits and features should be highlighted throughout the subcategories and table of contents, to let people know in a glance what's available to them. The webpages should be able to load within 12 seconds. Anything longer than this is impractical, and should be considered in the overall design and plan of your business site. 3)Website Content This should always be relevant information, that's laid out short and sweet and to the point. Content also needs to be optimized properly for the search engines, in order to gain popular rank and placement. Ideally, this is accomplished through competitive keywords and meta tags. Diligent research is absolutely necessary, which means determining which search terms are in high demand with low supply. Check out all the optimization tips for each search engine that you plan on submitting your website to. Always use effective and catchy titles for your html pages. Categorize your products and give them their own page. Be on the alert for any broken links, and correct accordingly. Attractive designs and layouts, with easy navigation system and relevant useful content, will encourage and interest your visitors to browse through your site. Increase Website Strategies Online Publish your website in ebook format, and put it on CD-Rom, and include it in your direct marketing campaign. Invite visitors to give away your freebies to visitors at their own websites. Join Traffic Exchange Programs to promote your website. Participate in discussion forums and message boards and blogs, to let other webmasters and marketers know who you are. Offer a gift or bonus in exchange for someone's testimonial that you can use as a means of giving your products and services some credential. Search Engine Marketing Include relevant keywords: Heading Tags Meta Tags Title Tag Body of Content OnPage Links Promotion Opt-In Offers Offer something of value in exchange for someone to give you their name, email address, and permission for you to contact them with emails. This form of email marketing is permission based, inexpensive, and great for building an email client list that you can promote via through ezines, white paper, newsletters, reports, articles, and so forth. Word press Plugins 1) Permalink Plugin These are for a 301 permanent redirect; and allows you to point to the same entry or archive with or without the trailing slash, going against what a search engine such as Google would recommend. 2) RSS Power Plus Each post goes to the RSS directories and submits the feed for the post, consequently resulting in an instant and automatic backlink from an authority site. 3) SEO Title Plugin Allows total customization of page titles to each page. One can also craft their own keyword focused upon a unique page title. 4) Google Site Map Plugin This one helps a site to get indexed as it progressively builds and develops. Create a directory of websites in an e-book format Sell advertisement space in your ebook, or on your website Submit your ebook to freebie and free download websites. Benefit from all of the free advertising that comes thereof. Issue a news announcement or press release of the opening of your new business, or new product and/or service. Link Building Techniques Back links, inbound links, reciprocal links, free links are all vital to the search engines determining your website as popular. This not only gives you a page rank, but also provides you with an increase of website traffic. Be sure not to link your website to bad websites, link farms or irrelevant websites. One of the best ways to start getting links, is to write articles such as this one and submit them to article directories. You can write about anything that you're knowledgeable about - - but a great idea would be to write testimonials for products, services or tools that you've used. Have you thought about writing a review article for your own website? This could portray all of the benefits and features of what your site offers. Article Marketing Show yourself as an expert in your field by writing and publishing articles about your knowledge and skills. There are many article directories to choose from, but the best way to locate them is to do a current search for the top article directories. - VRE ToolBar will even show you their Alexia Rating and Google Pagerank. Here are some to give you an idea: EzineArticles Buzzle GoArticles WebProNews ArticlesBase ArticleCity ArticlePool ArticleCube Freebies One of the best techniques for website traffic increase is to give free stuff away. Everyone loves freebies! eBooks Demos Seminars Sweepstakes Screen Savers White Papers Newsletters Consultations CD Roms, CD's or DVD's Software Downloads Start-up Packages Business Card Templates MicroSites These are marketing sites with unique urls and content focus, that's separate from any main web site. They provide micro-targeted messaging, which target customers with messages that are relevant only to them. Factors to consider when setting up a mircosite: - Search engine optimize with keyword focus, title tags, image tags, meta tags, easy navigation structure, keyword anchor links, etc. - Provide your visitors a site map so that they can quickly and easily find what they are looking for. That goes for the search engines as well. - Aside from quality content, use plenty of video, audio, text, PDF and so forth. - Use bullet comments, charts, graphs, product photos and so on to draw the readers attention. - Offer a mobile-friendly version of your website to anyone who might be interested. Joint Venture Giveaway Events These JV Events are excellent for building your opt-in email list, to generate traffic flow, build links, download free gifts, and promote your offers for free. This is where several webmasters get together as contributors, and offer freebies to everyone's opt-in list. The gifts can be anything from free software downloads to free e-books. Step-By-Step For JV Events 1) Check out all available JV Giveaway Events 2) Sign up for events and download the free products 3) Create your own product to give away 4) Sign up for Aweber list building service account 5) Submit product (s) to every JV Giveaway Event 6) Watch your mailing list start to grow 7) Build relationships with your email list, and recommend new products to them for affiliate sales. Offline Strategies TV Commercials Flyers T-Shirts Radio Ads Yellow Page Ads Business Brochures Sign Displays Local Newspaper Ads Small Business Cards Vehicle Decals or Bumper Stickers Host Seminars or Speeches Printed Ads such as Posters, Sales Letters, or Brochures Traffic Generating Tips 1) Offer solutions to people who are in need. 2) Use bullet points or numbers to highlight all benefits. 3) Personalize emails, and use your email signature. 4) Elicit testimonials from those who have used your products. 5) Use catchy title and attention grabbing headlines. 6) Invite people to invite their friends to your website. 7) Ask visitors to bookmark your site, or make it their homepage. 8) Utilize feed burner headline animator blocks. 9) Never copy or paste content from other sites. 10) Always proofread your text for typos or improper grammar. 11) Use focused content based upon major keywords. 12) Don't ever spam or solicit another person or website. Good Sales Copy Sells To motivate people to buy from you, is easy if you know how to write persuasive copy. - Use 3 to 5 keyword phrases on any one page - Place keywords in page headings, subheadings, and bulleted points - Write page summaries with keywords at the top of page - Again, remember to give them a catchy headline - Show them how your product or service solves their problem or need. Establish why you are unique and better than someone else. Make them feel like they need only your products - Building a successful marketing campaign that effectively promotes your products and services begins with preparation, research and dedication. - Stay focused and updated on all the latest trends so that you can adjust accordingly. Success In Increasing Your Website Traffic! Author Robert Milne is Webmaster and Marketer of Website Marketing Solutions Blueprint This is a great resource for all kinds of marketing freebies as well as free tips, techniques and invaluable information. Take advantage of our free ezine newsletter "The Strategic Marketing Blueprint," by opting in today!

Effective Techniques Increase Website Traffic

2009-06-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Safe Mode in Windows XP

2009-04-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

For diagnostic purposes, it is possible to operate Windows with a reduced set of drivers and files. This is called Safe Mode. How to get to Safe Mode is discussed here.
What is Safe Mode?
All versions of Windows come with a diagnostic setup called "Safe Mode". Many average PC users are unfamiliar with the purpose of Safe Mode and only encounter it when there has been a system crash or similar problem. They are then puzzled by what to do next. The purpose of Safe Mode is to help troubleshoot computer problems by operating with a bare minimum of drivers and Windows components. By reducing what is running, Safe Mode can help you diagnose a problem caused by a faulty driver or software.
How to Get to Safe Mode
One way to reach safe mode is by booting up and pressing the F8 key right after the POST check. In practice this can be tricky to time correctly and all too often you can end up in the regular boot mode. The technique is to repeatedly tap the F8 key until the startup menu appears. Sometimes you will fill up the buffer memory with all the key taps and get an error message or the computer will complain by beeping. Also, the F8 key may not work with a USB keyboard because USB drivers have not yet been loaded. However, newer computers have USB support in the BIOS so this problem should be limited to older machines.
When you successfully initiate the boot options selection, the window shown below will open. The menu provides a number of advanced options. The default selection is "Start Windows Normally" and is highlighted. To open in Safe Mode, use the up arrow key to select it and then press the Enter key.
Boot options menu
Windows Advanced Options MenuPlease select an option:
Safe ModeSafe Mode with NetworkingSafe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot LoggingEnable VGA modeLast Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)Debugging Mode
Start Windows NormallyRebootReturn to OS Choices Menu
Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.
Add Safe Mode to boot menu
If you try out a lot of new gadgets or software and find yourself frequently needing to go into Safe Mode, you can add Safe Mode to the Boot Menu by editing the file boot.ini. The Boot Menu and how to edit it is discussed in detail on another page. For a specific example of adding Safe Mode, see this Elder Geek page
Use Msconfig to get to Safe Mode
If you only want to enter Safe Mode occasionally and have trouble using the F8 key, you can use the System Configuration Utility (msconfig) . Go to StartRun and enter “msconfig” (without quotes). When the utility opens, click on the tab BOOT.INI as shown in the figure below.

Highlight the operating system listed in the section [operating systems] as shown in the figure below. Next put a check by the entry /SAFEBOOT as shown below. Also click the radio button MINIMAL Then reboot. The system should open in Safe Mode. When finished using Safe Mode, open Msconfig again and remove the check by /SAFEBOOT. Otherwise, you will continue to open in Safe Mode whenever you boot.
When the Computer Boots to Safe Mode without Asking
Many people have probably had it happen that instead of a normal boot, Windows puts up an error message and boots into Safe Mode. The most common reason for this to happen is that Windows has been shut down improperly. This will be indicated in the error message that comes up first. Generally, all that needs to be done in the case of improper shutdown is to restart the computer and Windows will clean up the problem and reboot normally.
If the system continues to go into safe mode, there may be a corrupt file or a driver problem. The error message may indicate the problem. Try doing a system restore. If the problem persists, there may be a problem with spyware or other pest so use the methods for cleanup associated with your particular anti-malware programs.
References
Beginner's Guide Microsoft description How to start in Safe Mode Adding Safe Mode to the boot menu How to edit the boot menu Starting in Safe Mode PC Magazine article

Hard Disk Management in Windows XP- the Drive Context Menu

2009-04-17T12:39:00.001-07:00

There are many features in Windows XP that may be familiar to those conversant with Windows NT/2000 systems but which will be foreign territory to those used to the 9X/Me family. One area with a number of new concepts is in the management of hard disks. In particular, use of the file system NTFS allows for a new array of tools and actions. Also, there is the new concept of “dynamic disks.” In this article, we will discuss some of these new aspects. On this page we look at the right-click context menu and the Properties Sheet.
The right-click context menu
Many of the actions and properties for hard disks can be reached by going to "My Computer" and right-clicking on the icon for a drive of interest. This opens a context menu as illustrated in Figure 1. Among the entries is "Format", which may on occasion be of concern, but most often the "Properties" entry will be where one is interested. Some of the most commonly used tools and features can be accessed here.

Properties sheet for hard drives
Click “Properties” and a sheet with a number of options will open. The sheet is similar to that for a FAT32 system but with an added tab “Quota”. Also at the bottom of the box for the “general” tab are two additional entries “Compress drive…” and “Allow Indexing…” (Figure 3). In NTFS systems a procedure for compressing files and folders to save space is available. In my opinion, today’s large hard drives make this less useful than it may have been once. Compression also slows down the computer. Indexing is for the purpose of keeping track of the files on the disk for search purposes. Many PC users prefer to turn this service off because it can result in unexpected disk activity and can sometimes slow down the machine. Unless you wish to do rather sophisticated searches, it probably isn't needed. This article explains how to turn it off. Note that the “General” tab shows a pie chart showing the used space on the drive just as in Windows 98/Me. Also the “Disk Cleanup” button is present as before. Use of this button is a convenient way to keep too many temporary files from accumulating and for emptying the Recycle Bin

The “Tools” tab contains error-checking and defragmentation tools (Figure 3). If it is installed, the dialog box also contains a back-up facility. Systems with the Home edition of XP may have to install the backup accessory separately. Whether it is FAT32 or NTFS that they are using in Windows XP, those who look for the disk utility Scandisk will find it missing. The disk error-checking procedure in Windows XP replaces it with Chkdsk, the same name (but different program) that was used for the old DOS utility. More details about Chkdsk are on another page.

Error-checking the disk is done by clicking “Check Now”. This will bring up the dialog shown in Figure 4. If either box in Figure 4 is checked, Chkdsk will not run until the next boot since it cannot fix errors while Windows is running. Otherwise, it will check but not repair any errors it finds.
Clicking "Defragment Now" in Figure 3 will run the defragmentation tool. This tool can also be accessed through the Run line or in other ways. The defragmentation procedure in XP is a little different from the version in Windows 9X/Me and is described in more detail on another page.

If Backup is installed (by default in the Pro version but not in Home) clicking “Backup Now” in Figure 3 will open a wizard (Figure 5) which will take you through the steps for either a backup or a restore process.

How to Edit Boot.ini Files

2009-04-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

Since boot.ini is a text file, it can be edited with a text editor such as Notepad. However, the attributes must first be changed, Also, care must be taken to preserve the correct extension. Since any mistakes in editing might very well render your system unbootable, it is better to use one of the safer methods that are available. Before using any method, be sure to make a backup copy.
One of the most common reasons for editing boot.ini is to reduce the "timeout" setting.in order to speed up booting. This is easily accomplished by using the System Configuration Utility (often called msconfig). Open Start-Run and enter "msconfig". The box shown below will open.

Click the tab "BOOT.INI" and the figure shown next will open. The contents of the boot.ini file are shown and a number of configuration settings are available. In the middle right is a box where the settings for Timeout can be changed. This example is for a dual-boot system and another common reason for editing is to change the default operating system in dual-boot setups. Note that there is a button "Set a Default" as well as buttons "Move Up" and "Move Down" (grayed out here). If there are multiple entries in the boot display, their order can be rearranged here. There are also a number of advanced options that experienced computer users may look at. These other functions are discussed in the Microsoft references in the sidebar.
Another way to configure these two most commonly edited settings is to open the Start menu, right-click on "My Computer" and choose "Properties" from the context menu. The System Properties dialog box will open as shown below. In the section "Startup and Recovery" click the button "Settings".
The dialog box shown in the next figure will open. Both the Timeout setting and the default operating system can be changed here.
To add or delete an operating system or program from the boot display menu, use the "Edit" button on the right of the entry "To edit the startup options file manually, click Edit" as shown in the figure below. For example, if it is no longer desired to dual-boot a system, the unwanted operating system can be removed from the boot display menu this way.
The command line tool bootcfg.exe
Windows XP Professional also has a command line utility for manipulating boot.ini called bootcfg.exe. (It may or may not be in a Home Edition installation.) It is described in this Microsoft reference. It can be used in the Recovery Console to repair a damaged boot.ini file or in a command window to edit entries to the file. There are a number of different switches and these are illustrated in the output to a command window shown below.
There is another set of switches for bootcfg when it is being run in the recovery console. These are discussed at this Microsoft reference. A discussion of using the tool to repair a damaged setup is discussed here. For example, a damaged boot.ini file can be scanned or deleted and a new version built.
Addition of DEP switch in Windows XP SP2
The security updates in service pack 2 for Windows XP included the addition of capability for DEP (Data Execution Prevention). DEP configuration for the system is controlled through switches in the boot.ini file. Some features of DEP are turned on by default with a boot.ini switch "/NoExecute=OptIn". There are three other possible values for this switch and they are discussed on another page. Typical entries in boot.ini for a Windows XP SP2 system are shown in the table below.
Simple boot.ini for a Windows XP SP2 system
[boot loader]timeout=30default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS[operating systems]multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
Most current processors can use DEP although some older systems may not. There have been some reports that these older systems can be slowed down if DEP is enabled. More details on configuring the settings for DEP are given on a separate page.
Note about Windows Vista
It should be noted that Vista uses a different way of managing the boot process. There is no longer a text file called boot.ini. Boot information is stored in a Registry-like file called the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store. Extensive information on the new boot process can be found at this Microsoft site. Vista comes with a command-line tool bcdedit.com for configuring BCD. However, the command-line tool is rather complicated to use and a free editor called EasyBCD has a graphical user interface that is simpler to use.
References
Microsoft description of the purpose of boot.ini Microsoft on editing boot.ini Detailed description of boot.ini Boot.ini switches About "bootcfg" Boot.ini and dual-booting General information on boot.ini Description of Windows XP startup process Adding Safe Mode to the boot menu Details of Data Execution Prevention

Dual-Booting Windows 98/Me with Windows XP

2009-04-17T12:29:00.000-07:00

A good choice for those who wish to add Windows XP to an older system is dual-booting. Windows XP is incompatible with a variety of older programs and hardware. By using a dual-boot system, the functionality of these legacy applications and equipment can be preserved until the time comes for a new computer or a complete system overhaul. Dual-booting with XP is basically very straightforward but there are a few points that are worth pointing out and I will mention them here.
It is not a good idea to install XP on the same partition with another operating system. A second empty partition should be created first. Although partitioning can be done from the XP disk using the modern version of Fdisk, everything on existing partitions will be destroyed. Unless you are going to completely reinstall your older operating system you will need something like Partition Magic. If using Partition Magic, create a data partition and do not use the option “this partition will contain an operating system” unless you plan to use a boot manager other than the one that comes with XP and you want to hide the two operating systems from each other. Hiding one operating system from the other was necessary when dual-booting Windows 95 with 98 or dual-booting Windows 98 with Me. It is not necessary with XP and my personal preference is to be able to see the entire system from each operating system. Windows XP can also be hidden from the Windows 98 system by formatting the XP partition with NTFS. Windows 98/Me must have a FAT partition. More advanced users may prefer this setup. Any FAT32 partition will be visible to Windows XP but Windows 98/Me cannot read NTFS volumes. (For more on the different types of file systems, see this article.)
The older operating system must be already installed before starting the XP installation. Installation is very easy with only one thing that has to be carefully watched. Do NOT use the default choice of an upgrade installation. Ignore the message that this is “recommended”. That choice will over-write the older existing Windows operating system. Choose “New installation, advanced.” (See figure below) The installation will then go in automatically onto the empty partition. If you have more than two partitions, there is an Advanced setting that will allow you to pick which partition you want XP to be on. More details are at this Microsoft article.
After XP is installed, a boot menu will appear whenever the computer is first turned on. By default Windows XP will be at the top and will be the operating system that boots unless Windows 98/Me (called Windows on the menu) is highlighted by using the down arrow key. The default setting has a 30 second delay period in which to make a choice. Both the order of operating systems in the boot menu and the delay time are controlled in a hidden file boot.ini that is located in the root of the C: drive. It is a text file and can be edited with a text editor (after removing the attributes) but it is a better idea to do any editing from Windows XP. One way to adjust settings is to go to Control Panel-System-Advanced-Startup and Recovery- Default Operating System (See figure below.) The details are given here
One final point is that the early stages of booting XP actually involve the C: drive even when most of the operating system is on another partition. XP installs three files in the root of the C: partition. These files are hidden, read-only, system files and include the aforementioned boot.ini, and two others, ntldr, and ntdetect.com. Dual-boot systems also have a file bootsect.dos. If these get corrupted, the system will not boot so I suggest making a backup diskette with copies.
Removing Dual-Boot Entries from Boot Display Menu
After using a dual-boot system for a period of time, many PC users then want to remove the older operating system and use only Windows XP. One annoyance is that after removing the older system, you still get a boot display menu listing both operating systems. Removing the boot display menu involves editing the boot.ini file and is described here.

Helping the home PC owner to use Windows Vista

2009-04-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

These pages will give tips, tweaks, and tutorials for configuring and making better use of the Vista operating system. Beginners and intermediate PC users will find educational material that will help make running a Vista PC easier and safer. Vista is new and much remains to be discovered about how the system fares in daily use. Thus, this site is necessarily a work in progress and will evolve as the Vista experience develops.
Is Vista for you?
Ultimately, the great majority of home computer owners will have a Vista system because almost all new PCs are going to come with it already installed. Microsoft has too great a hold on the market for its dominance to be going away. Nonetheless, there are viable alternatives and they are discussed here.
Upgrade now or wait for new computer?
There are many reasons for home PC users to avoid upgrading and to wait until they need a new computer. The pros and cons of upgrading are discussed here.
Vista versions and system requirements
There are a variety of Vista versions with different system requirements. These are summarized here.
Vista performance
Vista has some added features that should help performance. However, it is also more demanding on the hardware. The pros and cons are discussed here.
Vista security features
One of the strongest selling points for Vista may be its greater security. However, there are some possible drawbacks as well. The new security features are described here.
Vista visual effects
The most obvious and perhaps most publicized feature of Vista is its new look and visual effects. The new graphics and the increased system requirements are discussed here.
Vista tips and tweaks
Windows systems are highly configurable and everybody has their favorite tweaks. I will post some of my favorites on this page.
Slide show on current status of Vista
A PowerPoint presentation, "Windows Vista- a Report Card", (November, 2008). An assessment of Vista after SP1 and the relationship to Windows 7.

The Start-Run Line

2009-04-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

The "Run" line in the Start menu can be used to speed up access to a whole variety of functions. Some examples of the shortcuts that are available are discussed here.
Introduction to the Run LineThe Run command line may be one of the least utilized functions in the Start menu. This is a pity since it can be very useful. It is often the quickest way to launch programs or to open folders and documents. The figure below shows the Start-Run entry.
Clicking the entry "Run" opens the box shown below, where commands may be typed and entered.
Opening applications in Run
Although applications can be opened in a variety of ways, the Run line often provides the quickest route. Desktop shortcut icons are also a quick route but you have to know how to create a shortcut for all the applications and you may end up with dozens of icons.
The best candidates for the Run line are applications that are in the "path" environment. (Go to this page for more discussion of the path.) The path environment is a set of folders whose names do not have to be included when entering a command. The path environment variable normally includes \Windows\ and \Windows\system32\. Many common accessories and Windows applets are in these folders and can be opened by entering just the executable file name. Several that I use constantly are the Registry editor (regedit) and the System Configuration Utility (msconfig). Note that neither of these frequently used system tools has an entry in Start- All Programs. The Run line is the standard method of accessing them.
A table listing some applications that can be opened in the Run line is given below.
A few applications for the Run line
Entry for Run
Function
calc
Opens calculator
cmd
Opens command prompt window
explorer
Opens Windows explorer
magnify
Screen magnifier accessory
msconfig
System Configuration Utility
mshearts
Opens Hearts game
msinfo32
System Information applet
mspaint
Opens graphics accessory Paint
notepad
Notepad accessory
regedit
Registry editor
sol
Opens Classical Solitaire game
Programs not in the path require their full address, including the root folder and all subfolders. Actually typing long path names is not required since a "Browse" function comes with the Run line. This provides a way to search for files of interest and to enter them directly without typing. If desired, frequently used programs can be added to the path environment using the methods that are discussed in a section below.
Opening Management Consoles
Some of the functions that I find convenient to open by means of the Run line include various Management Consoles. For example, the disk defragmenter is opened by entering "dfrg.msc" . I find this easier than the multi-step process involved otherwise. A list of the appropriate file names for opening some of the various services is given in the table below. A more complete list is on this page.
Commands for some Management Consoles (msc extension required)
Entry for Run
Function
ciadv.msc
Manages the Indexing Service
compmgmt.msc
Computer Management Console. It contains a number of the other consoles
devmgmt.msc
Device Manager
dfrg.msc
Disk Defragmenter
diskmgmt.msc
Disk Management
gpedit.msc
Group Policy Editor. Windows XP Professional only
services.msc
Manages the many services involved in Windows and installed software
Opening Control Panel Applets
It is also possible to use Run to open the applets that appear in the Control Panel. A full discussion of shortcuts to Control Panel applets is given on this page. For example,entering "main.cpl" launches the mouse properties window.
Rundll32.exe
There are a number of commands employing Rundll32.exe that can be entered into Start-Run. A full discussion can be found here.
Opening folders in Run
Not only files but also folders can be opened in the Run line. Folders contained by a folder in the path are in this category. Examples are folders within \Windows\ and \Windows\system32\ such as the folders Fonts and "Drivers". Folders that are in \Documents and Settings\{Current User}\ can also be opened in Run. An example is SendTo (written as one word). Being able to open this folder in Run is convenient for editing. It makes it easier to add functions to the "Send To" entry in the right-click context menu. (See this page) Another example of a folder from the same location that can be entered is Cookies.Note about Vista: Certain system folders like SendTo and Cookies are not directly accessible in Vista. See the page on the Shell command.
There are also some interesting shortcuts to folders that are available in Run. Typing the backslash (\) in the run line and entering it brings up the root folder, usually the C: drive. Typing and entering a period (.) brings up the folder \Documents and Settings\{Current User}\ in Windows XP (or Users\(Current User} in Vista). Entering two periods (..) opens the folder \Documents and Settings\ (or Users in Vista).
Dragging and dropping folders and files into the Run line
If the Run line is open (make sure it is empty) folders or files can be dragged and dropped on it from an open folder window. The full path of the dropped object will be inserted into the Run line and clicking "OK' or pressing the "Enter" key will open the dropped file or folder. Although this feature presents no particular advantage in general, it can be helpful to those who have trouble with double-clicking the mouse.
Adding applications to the Path
The ability to enter a short file name into the Run line to open a program can be extended to any program by putting the folder containing the program executable into the path. Adding folders to the path is described here.
Alternatively, the Registry can be edited to explicitly contain the path to the desired executable file or files. The Registry key involved isHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths
Create a new sub-key with the name of the executable file that you wish to add to the path. e .g., HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\somefile.exe
In this new key, add a string variable named "Path" containing the value of the the path to your new executable file, e.g., C:\Program files\newprogramfolder\
The new key will already have an empty variable (Default). Edit it to have the string value of entire address of the new program executable , e.g., C:\Program files\newprogramfolder\somefile.exe You can now enter "somefile.exe" into the Run line to open the program. An example of what the Regedit entries look like is shown in the figure below. I have added a chess game with the executable "winchen.exe" to the path.
A number of files are likely to have already been added on your system. Many applications place themselves here when they are installed. Examples are Microsoft Office components. It is sufficient to enter "winword" into the Run line to open Microsoft Word or "excel" to open Microsoft Excel.
Internet Applications
If you are connected to the Internet, entering an URL into Run opens Internet Explorer (or other browser if it is properly associated) and takes you right to the appropriate web site. The "Browse" function can be used to go to your Favorites folder and you can then click on a link. (Be sure the Browse function is showing "All files" as the file type.) On some systems it will even initiate a Web connection if you are not already on-line. You can also start e-mail by entering “mailto:someone@somewhere.com”. This will open a blank new e-mail with the address already entered. If you want to use an e-mail client other than the Microsoft application Outlook Express, it will have to be associated with the “mailto” function. Many e-mail clients do this automatically when they are installed. (As far as I know, this does not apply to AOL.)
Google supports a command line function that allows for simple searches on on a single term. Enter "www.google.com/search?q=%1" into the Run line, where %1 is the term that is being searched. A dash can be used to combine words. For example, try "www.google.com/search?q=windows-registry" (Omit the quotes.)
Comparison of Run with the Command Prompt
Although a great many commands can be executed in either the Run line or a command prompt, some commands will run directly only in one or the other. Commands which are built into the command interpreter cannot be entered in the Run line without first invoking cmd.exe. They are listed here. These include commands like "dir" and "del". Certain special features of the Run line such as the direct way of opening folders or the Internet shortcuts discussed above do not work in a command prompt unless prefaced with the command "Start".
Accessing the Command Shell from Run
The command interpreter can be invoked to carry out a command from the Run line by entering cmd /c some_commandWith the switch "/c", some_command will be carried out and the command shell will then close. If you want the command shell to remain open, use the switch "/k". Enter cmd /k some_command
The Run Line in Vista
The Start menu in Vista has no Run line in its default setting. Many of the functions of Run can be carried out in the new Search function that is at the bottom of the Vista Start menu but I still like to use Run sometimes. You can get Run back temporarily by using the keyboard shortcut Windows key+R. To put Run permanently back in the Start menu :
Right-click on the Start menu and choose "Properties"
Select the "Start Menu" tab and click on the "Customize..." button
Check the "Run command" option

Configuring the Command Prompt Window

2009-04-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

The interface to the command shell can be customized in a number of ways and these are discussed.
The default settings for the window that displays a command prompt can be changed to suit individual preferences. Among the properties that can be changed are those that affect the appearance such as window size, background and foreground color, and font style. Others that affect operation such as the editing mode and command history buffer can also be configured.
The command prompt properties dialog
Changing the settings for the command prompt can be done through the properties dialog box. This can be reached in the menu that is opened by left-clicking the icon in the left-top corner or by right-clicking anywhere in the title bar at the top of a command prompt window. In the menu that opens choose "Properties". Figures 1 and 2 show the procedure.
Fig. 1. Menu for command window
Fig. 2. Entry for properties dialog
The properties dialog box contains four tabs. Each of these is discussed below.
Options tab
The figure on the right shows the dialog box for the Options tab. Settings here include provision for configuring cursor size and window or full-screen display. The "Quick Edit" mode allows you to use the mouse to cut and paste text to and from the command window. You can also choose insert or overwriting for editing by checking or unchecking "Insert Mode".
Command History buffer
A new feature is the "Command History" buffer. This buffer stores the previous commands that you have entered so that you do not have to retype them (reminiscent of Doskey). The default value is 50 but can be made as large as 999 (remember that they do take RAM) . The up-and-down arrow keys can be used to navigate the previously entered commands. Alternatively, pressing the F7 key will display a pop-up window with a list of the commands.
Font tabThis tab is more or less self-explanatory. On most machines, there is a choice of two font faces, Raster (the default) and Lucinda Console. Lucinda Console is more versatile. A selection of font sizes is available. As is true in general about settings, changes in font can be made for the present window only or for all command windows with the same title.
Layout tabThe window size and position can be set here. There are also settings for the screen buffer size. This determines how many lines back that you can scroll.( Incidentally, this ability to scroll back to previous commands was not present in DOS. Once something was off the screen, you couldn't scroll back.)
Color tab
The dialog box for configuring colors is shown on the right. The default colors for a command window and its fonts are the old black and white combination. However, other color combinations are available. The colors for pop-up windows associated with the command window can also be configured. As shown in the figure on the right, colors can be changed by clicking on the appropriate choice or by entering numerical values in the 256 color RGB notation. In the figure, I have chosen a blue screen background with yellow screen text as illustration. Color changes can be made for the current screen only or applied to all command windows.
Screen colors can also be changed with the "color" command or a command-line switch directly modifying the command interpreter. Both these methods are discussed below.
It is also possible to have shortcuts that open the command line with more than one color scheme and this is discussed in the shortcut section below.
Applying changes to all command windows
Note that changes apply to the current command window only unless you specify otherwise. When making configuration changes, you will be shown the dialog box on the right. To make changes stick after the current command session is closed, check the button by the entry, " Save properties for future windows with same title".
Configuring shortcuts for the command prompt
If you use the command prompt a great deal, you may want to place a shortcut on the desktop or in the Quick Launch bar. After creating the shortcut, you can configure the properties of the command window that it will open in much the same way as discussed above. Right-click the shortcut and choose "Properties" from the context menu. Four of the the tabs at the top of the properties sheet will be the same as those discussed above. They are marked in the figure on the right. You can apply whatever customization you like and it will apply only to command windows that are opened from this particular shortcut.
Another way to configure the properties of a particular shortcut is to apply the changes in a command window that has been opened with that shortcut. After configuring the changes to the open command window by the methods discussed in sections above, the dialog box shown on the right will open. Check the button by the entry, "Modify shortcut that started this window".
The "color" command
The screen colors can be configured from the command line itself with the command "color" followed by a two-digit hexadecimal number. The first digit determines the background and the second determines the text color. The table below shows the relationship between the hex numbers and colors.
Table I. Hexadecimal color codes
0 = Black
8 = Gray
1 = Blue
9 = Light Blue
2 = Green
A = Light Green
3 = Aqua
B = Light Aqua
4 = Red
C = Light Red
5 = Purple
D = Light Purple
6 = Yellow
E = Light Yellow
7 = White
F = Bright White
For example the command "color 1E" will give a blue background with yellow text. Settings made this way apply only to the current session. Entering "color" with no argument will return the system to the starting colors.
Switches for the command interpreter cmd.exe
Another way to modify the behavior of the command prompt is to use switches with the command interpreter cmd.exe. The syntax for cmd.exe is:cmd [[{/c/k}] [/s] [/q] [/d] [{/a/u}] [/t:fg] [/e:{onoff}] [/f:{onoff}] [/v:{onoff}] string]Table II describes the parameters briefly. See the Windows Help and Support Center for more detail.
Table II. Switches for cmd.exe
Parameter
Description
/c
Carries out the command specified by string and then exits
/k
Carries out the command specified by string and stays open
/s
Modifies the treatment of string after/c or /k. See Windows Help for details
/q
Turns the echo off. Default is echo on
/d
Disables execution of AutoRun commands
/a
Creates ANSI output (the default)
/u
Creates Unicode output
/t:fg
Sets the foreground f and background g colors. The hex codes for f and g are in Table I.
/e:on /e:off
Enables or disables commands extensions. The default is "on"
/f:on /f:off
Enables or disables file and directory name completion
/v:on /v:off
Enables or disables delayed environment variable expansion
string
Specifies the command you want to carry out
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Commands that everybody can use

2009-04-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

Since the command prompt is often used by systems administrators, many of the commands are specialized for networks and administration. However, the average PC user is not left out; there are some powerful commands for everyday tasks that anybody will find useful. Here we discuss some examples.
For convenience in the examples below, I will use simple names for files and folders without indicating the full path. Please remember that paths for all commands are relative to the folder indicated in the command prompt itself, unless explicitly indicated otherwise. The default reference folder is usually C:\Documents and Settings\(log on name)\. Thus if a reference is made to a file "somefile.txt", the computer assumes you mean C:\Documents and Settings\(log on name)\somefile.txt. If what you really want is C:\someotherfolder\somefile.txt, then you must enter the entire name with the correct path. Note that paths containing spaces have to be enclosed in quotes. A convenient way to be able to open the command prompt in a folder of your choice can be obtained by installing the Microsoft PowerToy “Command Prompt Here”. The right-click context menu will then contain an entry for opening a command prompt in any selected folder. The accessory can be downloaded here. Another way to get file names into the command line without having to type a long path is by using drag and drop. Open a command window and enter the command you want with a space after it. Then use Windows Explorer to open the folder containing the file you want to use. Drag the file over to the command window and drop it. (Drag and drop does not work in Vista.)
Power deleting with the expanded "Del" command
The delete command “del” now has a switch “/s” that provides for deletions in subfolders. Thus the commanddel /s myfolder\* will delete all files in myfolder and all files in any subfolders of myfolder. Note the convenient asterisk wildcard “*”, which allows for multiple deletions in a single user operation. Together with the switch “/s”, a single “del” command can clean out Temp folders and do other useful housekeeping chores. Another switch "/f" will force the deletion of read-only files. If you are sure about what is being deleted, add the “/q” switch to run in quiet mode so you aren’t asked if you really want to delete for every single file. Because of its power, this extended del command has to be used carefully. Any files deleted this way do not go into the Recycle Bin but are permanently removed.
To delete only files with a particular extension EXT, use the commanddel /s myfolder\*.ext Note that this command will delete all files of a particular type in a folder and all its subfolders. One example of its use is to get rid of all temporary files with the extension TMP.
Enhanced management of folders (directories)
The command "rmdir" or its twin "rd" are also expanded compared to the old DOS version. To remove folders (directories), use “rmdir” (just “rd” will also work). Folders must be empty before they can be deleted. However, there is a switch “/s” for deleting subfolders and with this switch files are also deleted. It is like the old command "deltree". The command rd /s myfolder will remove "myfolder" and everything in it. Adding the switch /q for a "quiet" mode is also possible.
Options have also been added to the command for making folders. The command “mkdir” or “md” can now make a whole tree. For example, consider the commandmd new\new1\new2 This will create a folder “new” with a subfolder “new1” that in turn has a subfolder “new2”.
Xcopy- Powerful and versatile way to copy or back up files
For copying large numbers of files or backing up a large folder, the command line is often the fastest and easiest way to go. The command “xcopy” is a very useful and powerful command for this purpose. (The old DOS also had an “xcopy” command but it sometimes had trouble with long file names. The XP version has no such problems.) “xcopy” comes with an alphabet soup of assorted switches that give it great versatility for use as a file backup utility. Enter “xcopy /?” in a command prompt to see them all. For example with the switch “/d:[mm-dd-yyy]” only files changed after a given date are copied. A command that will copy all files from the folder myfolder that have changed since June 1, 2003 to the folder mybackup is given byxcopy myfolder mybackup /d:06-01-2003 If no date is specified the switch “/d” will copy all files that have changed at any time.As is true in general, if there are spaces in a name, the path and file name have to be enclosed in quotes. Adding the switch "/s" provides that subfolders and their contents will also be copied. Other switches provide for read-only and hidden files. Altogether, there are something like 27 command line options for xcopy. More information is on this page.
How to list files with "dir"
The "dir" command is not new but it remains one of the most useful for average PC users. If you have ever wanted to make a list of all the files contained in a particular folder, you will have discovered that the Windows GUI provides no easy way to do this. It is very straightforward, however, when using the command line. The command “dir myfolder” will list the files and folders contained in myfolder. Again, there are switches that provide for various modifications of the command. For example “/h” will show hidden files and “/s” will list the contents of sub-folders in addition to those of the main folder. Of course, the normal output of the command is to the screen. To output to a file instead of the screen, the command isdir myfolder >listmyfolder.txt where “>” is the redirection symbol. The file "listmyfolder.txt" will be created by the command. Output can also be redirected straight to a printer on the LPT1 port but I think it is better to first create a file and then print from there if hardcopy is desired. These lists can be a lot longer than you might think. (These days most printers are on USB, anyway.) This use of dir is also available in Windows 98/Me.
The dir command can also be used to list only files with a given extension. For exampledir myfolder\*.doc /s >listmyfolder.txt will list all Microsoft Word files in myfolder and its subfolders. This form of the command will also list all the directories and sub-directories. If you want a list of filenames only, add the switch /b. The filename will include the full path.
Renaming files with "ren"
Renaming a a large number of files can be tedious. The command ren (also written rename) is somewhat limited but its ability to use wild cards can sometimes be useful. The basic command is ren file1 file2 The renamed file has to stay in the same folder as the original; this command cannot move files to another folder. The wildcard capability can be used to change the extension of all files of a certain type. Thus ren *.txt *.doc will rename all text files to have a DOC extension.
Moving files
The command "move" takes a file from one folder and puts it in another. Its ability to use wild cards makes it useful for moving all the files of a given type to another location. A command of the typemove /y folder1\*.mp3 folder2\will move all MP3 files from folder1 to folder2. The switch " /y" is used if you want to prevent the system from asking if it should overwrite existing files of the same name. To prevent overwriting, use the switch "/-y".
Changing file attributes with "attrib" In addition to their actual content, files also have a set of properties that characterize them (sometimes called metadata.) One set of these properties are the four attributes read-only, hidden, system, and archive. The archive attribute is primarily used in backup procedures but the other three can be encountered in various contexts. These attributes can be turned on or off with the command "attrib" and its switches. The great utility of this command is that it can act on subfolders with its switch "/s" and can use the wildcard "*". For example, to clear the read-only , system, and hidden attributes from a file use attrib -r -s -h somefile This operation is not uncommon when system files have to be edited. To restore the attributes the command is attrib +r +s +h somefile A common situation where it is desirable to clear the read-only attribute from many files is when files are copied from a CD. By default CD files are normally marked read-only. This can interfere with editing. To clear the read-only attribute from all files in a folder and its subfolders use attrib -r somefolder\*.* /s If you want to process all files of a certain type such as MP3, use attrib -r somefolder\*.mp3 /s
How to make your favorite folder easily accessible in Windows dialog boxes
Another older command that I find handy is "subst". There are certain folders that I use over and over and I like to have ready access to them. One way to do this is to use the command “subst” to assign a drive letter to a folder. Since drives are at the top of My Computer and any folder trees in browse lists, it makes the folder very easy to get to. To map the “Z:” drive to a folder "myfolder", entersubst z: myfolder Unless you are working from the parent folder of "myfolder" you will need the full path for it. The assignment only lasts until the user logs off or the computer is shut down so I have a one-line batch file in my Startup folder that reinstitutes the assignment.
Other commands
There are so many commands that we can only give the briefest sketches here. A list of some that I think might be useful on home computers is given here. I urge you to look into as many as possible since I feel you will be surprised at how useful some can be. For example, there are a whole host of commands for checking network functions and for use on the Internet. (Many have names that begin with “net…”) There are new ones as well as versions of the well-known commands such as “ping” and “tracert”. As more and more people have home networks, these commands are assuming greater significance to the average PC user. Go to this page for more discussion of some networking commands.
Useful command line programs in scripts
Average PC users are not always comfortable using the command line and I have used VBScripts to wrap some of the examples discussed above with an easy-to-use graphical interface. Description of the free scripts and instructions for their use and downloading are at a sister site.

Command Line List and Reference

2009-04-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

The complete list of possible commands is quite large. Collected here is a selection of those that I believe are likely to be the most applicable to home PC use.
Many of the commands listed below are also discussed in more detail elsewhere on this site as is indicated by the link "details here". Most commands have switches that are not given in the table. For more information, open a command prompt and enter "commandname /?" (without quotes). Detailed information about these commands and a larger list is available at this Microsoft reference.
Selected list of commands
Command
Description
Example
assoc
Displays or modifies file name extension associations. Used alone, displays a list of all the current file name associations
details here
at
Schedules commands and programs to run on a computer at a specified time and date. Requires the Schedule service. Superseded by schtasks

attrib
Configures file attributes read only, hidden, system
details here
bootcfg
Used to repair or edit the boot.ini file
details here
cd or chdir
Displays the name of the current directory or changes the current folder
cd folderpath
chkdsk
Checks hard drives for errors. With switches,does repairs.
details here
cls
Clears the screen
cls
copy
Copies a file from one location to another
copy somefile somefolder
del
Deletes one or more files
details here
dir
Displays a list of a folder's files and subfolders
details here
echo
Used to display a message or to turn off/on messages in batch scripts
echo message
exit
Exits batch script or current command control
exit
fc
Compares two files and displays the differences between them
fc file1 file2
for
Runs a specified command for each item in a set
details here
fsutil
Displays and configures certain file system properties. A suite of various commands
details here
ftype
Displays or modifies file types used in file name extension associations
details here
getmac
Returns the media access control (MAC) address for your network card
getmac
goto
Directs the Windows command interpreter to a labeled line in a batch program
details here
if
Performs conditional processing in batch programs
details here
ipconfig
Displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values and refreshes Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name System (DNS) settings
details here
md or mkdir
Creates a directory (folder) or subdirectory (subfolder)
details here
more
Displays one screen of output at a time. Used with another command that has extensive output
command more
move
Moves a file from one folder to another
details here
net
A suite of various networking and service commands
details here
netsh
Network services shell . Complex suite of commands.
details here
netstat
Displays active TCP connections, ports on which the computer is listening, Ethernet statistics, the IP routing table, statistics for the IP, ICMP, TCP, and UDP protocols
details here
path
Sets the command path in the PATH environment variable, which is the set of directories used to search for executable files
details here
pathping
Provides information about network performance and conditions at intermediate hops between a source and destination
details here
pause
Used in batch scripts
pause
ping
Checks connectivity to other networked computers, routers, or Internet sites
details here
popd, pushd
Changes the directory being referenced in a command prompt. Pushd changes the directory and stores the previous directory. Popd changes the current directory to the directory stored by the pushd command
pushd somefolderpopd
powercfg
Manages the power settings such as hibernation. Has numerous switches

reg
Adds, changes, and displays registry entries. A suite of various commands
details here
rd or rmdir
Deletes a directory (folder)
details here
ren or rename
Changes the name of a file or a set of files
details here
sc
Used to obtain information about services and to configure them. A suite of various commands
details here
schtasks
Schedules commands and programs to run periodically or at a specific time

set
Displays, sets, or removes environment variables
details here and also here
sfc
System file checker scans and verifies the versions of all protected system files
sfc /scannow
shutdown
Shuts down or restarts a computer
details here
start
Starts an application or opens a new command window
details here
subst
Associates a folder with a drive letter
details here
systeminfo
Displays detailed configuration information about a computer and its operating system
systeminfo more
taskkill
Ends one or more tasks or processes
details here
tasklist
Displays a list of applications and services with their Process ID (PID) for all tasks running
details here
tree
Graphically displays the directory structure of a folder or drive
tree somefolder
type
Displays the contents of a text file
type somefile.txt
xcopy
Powerful command with many switches for copying and backing up files and folders
details here

The Windows Command Line, Batch Files, and Scripting

2009-04-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Windows command line is a mainstay for systems administrators and power users but is relatively unknown to many PC users. The purpose of this site is to make the power and utility of the command line more familiar to a wider community of computer users. Also under-appreciated are the related resources of batch files and scripts and these will be discussed as well.
Windows is famous as a graphical user interface and many computer users tend to forget (or never knew) that there are also very useful command line functions in Windows. In fact, there is a great deal more to Windows than just point and click. The keyboard and the command line can be substantial adjuncts to the mouse and icons. There are two basic features involving a command line. One is the entry 'Run" (or "Start Search" in Vista) that is in the Start menu and the other is the command prompt window.
Introduction to the Command Prompt
DOS is dead, long live the command line Before proceeding further, I wish to clear up a common misconception that the command prompt in Windows XP is the same as DOS. Even some experts who know better sometimes refer to the command prompt as a “DOS window”. In fact, Microsoft itself isn't always careful about the distinction. There are some superficial resemblances and some commands with the same name but in fact the old 16-bit DOS is dead. All remnants of DOS are totally gone from the Windows XP kernel (there is a DOS emulator for legacy programs). Windows XP is a 32-bit protected memory system with a totally different approach from the DOS/9X/Me family. The command line in XP has many more capabilities and none of the 16-bit limitations like the restriction to the DOS 8.3 file name format. The augmented capabilities make the command line a powerful tool.
The command prompt windowThe command prompt is run from its own window by invoking the Windows XP command interpreter that is provided by the file cmd.exe located in the folder \Windows\System32\. (The old DOS command interpreter is command.com.) If you look in this folder you may also see several files that look suspiciously like some of the old DOS files. They are, however, different 32-bit versions with many new features. The command prompt window can be opened by entering "cmd" (without quotes) into Start-Run or through Start-All Programs-Accessories. A black and white window (the colors can be changed) containing the command prompt will open. The window looks just like the old DOS window but don’t be fooled, it isn’t. Note that it is possible to open several windows containing command prompts, all running independently. It is even possible to run a separate command prompt shell inside another command prompt window.
Internal and external commands
There are two kinds of commands that can be run from the command prompt. There are the internal commands that are built into the command interpreter like “del” and “dir”. These commands can only be run from a command prompt (or by invoking the command interpreter in some other way). They are listed in the table below. There is also a large list of external commands that use an additional executable file that can be run from either the command prompt or the Start-Run line. Details of the various commands are available in several places. In the Professional version of Windows XP there is a help file ntcmds.chm, which has details of all the commands and their many switches. The help file can be opened by entering (without the quotes) "hh ntcmds.chm" into Start-Run. It may or may not be in the Home Edition, depending on what setup you have. However, in both versions a list of many (but not all) of the commands available can be obtained by entering "help" (without quotes) into a command prompt. For more detail on a specific command, enter "help command-name" or "command-name /?" For example to get information on the command xcopy, enter "help xcopy" or "xcopy /?”. Microsoft keeps moving things, but the last time I checked they had a command line reference at this link. Some of the commonly used commands are discussed on this page and in the list given here.
Table I. Internal commands in the command shell
assoc
dir
move
set
break
echo
path
setlocal
call
endlocal
pause
shift
cd
exit
popd
start
cls
for
prompt
time
color
ftype
pushd
title
copy
goto
rd
type
date
if
rem
verify
del
md
ren
volume
Some symbols that are usedIn addition to the commands, there are several symbols that are used. These modify or combine the actions of commands. The table below gives a list.
Table II. Symbols used with commands
Symbol
Function
Example
>
Sends output to a named file. If file does not exist, it creates one. Overwrites existing file
command > somefile
>>
Appends output to contents of a named file or creates a file if none exists
command >> somefile
<
Uses contents of a named file as input to a command
command < somefile
¦
Sends ("pipes") the output of command1 to the input of command2
command1 ¦ command2
&
Used to combine two commands. Executes command1 and then command2
command1 & command2
&&
A conditional combination. Executes command2 if command1 completes successfully
command1 && command2
¦¦
Command2 executes only if command1 does not complete successfully.
command1 ¦¦ command2
@
Used in batch files at the beginning of a line to turn off the display of commands
@echo off
The most commonly used symbols are the two redirection symbols ">" and ">>" and the so-called pipe, "¦" . (Just to make sure there is no confusion, the "pipe" is the symbol above the back slash on most keyboards. On keyboards it has a break in the middle but the break does not always show when you type the symbol. A special code is used to show it on a Web page.)
A frequent use of the redirection is to save some output to a text file. For example the command dir somefolder > somefile.txtsends a list of the files in "somefolder" to a text file "somefile.txt". More about this type of use is on this page. A common use of the "pipe" is to control the screen display of some command with a lot of output. For example, if you want to check the list of files in a folder with many files, you can display one full screen at a time by piping to the command "more" dir somefolder ¦ more

Protecting Your Computer Without Slowing it Down

2009-04-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

Antivirus and other security programs are essential for anyone who uses the Internet, but you don't need the baggage that comes with them.
Having problems with your system running slowly after installing the latest and greatest antivirus and/or security programs? Then you are not alone. Back in 2006 when I was installing the new version of a popular antivirus program for a customer, I discovered that there was no longer a way to disable all the other bothersome and unnecessary utilities that came with it. I decided then and there that there had to be a better way to protect your computer without having to bog it down with things you don’t need. So the search was on for a good antivirus program that did not need over 100mg of ram to run in. I settled on NOD32, by ESET. It was ranked consistently in the top five of all the tests run by Consumer Search, a website that analyzes product reviews and recommends the products that are determined by consumers to be the best. So I thought that I would give NOD32 a try. I talked with some dealer friends to see if any of them had heard of NOD32, and one person said he had tried it and he absolutely loved it. I installed it on two test computers and got busy testing it out. It worked very well right off the bat and did not slow either PC down in the slightest. I even ran a test to see if it could pick up a virus that had been missed by Big Yellow (the mainstream antivirus program most people use), and it did catch it. I'm not a programmer or antivirus expert, but I have over 25 years in the IT world and for the last 21 years I've owned my own network engineering business. I know what it's like in the real world when a virus can disrupt operations for hours or days. In January of 2007 I installed my first two NOD32 licenses for a customer, and I have not looked back. Since that time I have installed over two hundred NOD32 programs on my customers’ systems, and there hasn’t been a single failure to catch a virus. NOD32 is a modularized program; there is a separate module that covers online operations, one for e-mail, one for Office applications, and one for real-time scanning. They work quite well together. I won't name names, but if you've had it with Big Yellow or Big Red (the second most popular antivirus program) I would highly recommend that you give NOD32 a try. You can download a fully functional 30-day trial from ESET’s website and see what you think. NOD32 is also cheaper in the long run because you can buy up to a three-year license at a discount rather than having to renew your license each year. As good as NOD32 is in catching viruses, there are some other threats that you need to be concerned about. One concern many people don’t even know about is all the extra baggage that is downloaded in the background when you are on the Internet. This is important because more malicious software gets downloaded in temporary files and locations than ever before, and the threat keeps growing. When you visit websites, often they install tiny files on your computer without you even knowing it - advertisers such as Doubleclick and 24/7 Media are the main culprits. You don’t even know these sites are installing crap on your computer until things eventually slow down or come to a screeching halt. What you want is a little program called ccleaner. You know what that first "c" stands for right? This is a highly configurable utility. From deleting all those downloaded files, to managing cookies, to a registry cleaner, this is a very good utility to have. Last but not least is a good adware or malware or spyware program. Ad-Aware by Lavasoft is a good free non-commercial product. With the free version you have to download your updates manually, but it is easy to do. If you buy the professional version it will update in the background just like an antivirus application will. And for the really stubborn issues try the malewarebytes program. I have used this when I have needed to specifically check individual files, although malewarebytes does take some time to complete. Numerous threats are lurking on the Internet, just waiting for unsuspecting people to come along so they can attack your computer. These three products will help ensure that you’re protected.

Dual core computer processors: luxury or necessity?

2009-04-04T11:35:00.000-07:00

Most of the talk going on in the computer processor industry is revolving around dual core processors. But what advantages do they actually give and is it worth it in terms of price?
All processors have a core. A processor contains some memory, often referred to as cache, either L1, L2 or L3, depending on how close it is to the core, and the core itself, as well as a few other essentials. The core is the "brain" part, it performs all the big calculations that are needed for the various things a computer does.
Computer cores have been increasing in speed, and increasingly quickly. Manufacturers were in a race to have the chip with the fastest speed, measured in GHz. One surprise is that despite these increases in clock speed, the actual speed of programs didn't increase proportionately.
As modern programs make much heavier use of other computer parts like memory, and there are often many running at the same time, another approach was needed.
Dual core processors were the answer.
By putting two "brain" parts into the processor, you can run two programs on two cores, without having to share it between them. The effect of this is that when running two or more programs, the processor can now handle much more as a whole.
The part about them that might disappoint is gaming.
Unlike the multitasking environment that is usual for a computer either at home or at the office, games rely on the brute force of a powerful processor to help them along. So far there is no technology to take advantage of the two processors, like the ability to split its tasks over two cores. Most gaming has not improved with this new technology.
As with processors in the past the mainstream of dual core processors is dominated by the two big guys, Intel and AMD.
Intel offers two processors in its range, same processor, just different speeds. The lower priced of the Pentium D processors comes in at around $250. This price is reasonable considering how much you would pay for the top of the line single core processor.

The Pentium D is based on the same core as it's single core counterparts, just two of them inside. Its boost in performance is quite notable, and makes it presence felt in the multitasking environment.
The AMD Athlon X2 is AMD's offering in the dual core market. Unlike the Pentium D its lowest priced model comes in at a staggering $400. It's not expensive compared to processors like its FX series, which are over $1000, but in comparison to Intel it's expensive.
It too is based on the same core as its single core cousins and also offers the same performance increases.
The price of the AMD is surprising. From a company that became renowned for it's low cost, high performance processors this is quite a blow. Even the upper model of the Pentium Ds comes in at less that AMD's cheapest model.
The price might be justified if the AMD actually gave a significant performance boost, but it doesn't.
For the first time in a long time, I think I would be willing to switch back to an Intel processor. Although my preference is not for dual core, if I had or needed to switch I would certainly go straight for the Pentium D.
And finally, how do they compare to their now out of date traditional processors?
Considering how powerful processors have become I would still not make the switch. Dual core has not been around long enough to produce low cost, slightly out of date models. The power of the AMD Athlon 64 3000+ more than does it for my computing needs, and that's where I would stay for now.
So for those who are looking for the next cool thing for their desktop computer and price is not a huge issue, this would be your best choice, but go for the lower end Pentium D.About the Author
Peter Stewart is a computer enthusiast, his interest in computers and focus on practicle down to earth advice inspired his two websites. http://www.computer-buying-guide.com - Practical buying tips http://www.computer-reviews.net - Fair and honest reviews and opinions

Computer disposal, donation, and recycle information

2009-04-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

This page has been created as a location to find additional information about properly disposing your computer equipment and batteries as well as donation information for working computers and electronics. Users who have older working computers may also want to review document CH000719 for ideas suggestions on what can be done with older computers.
Organization notice
If you are with a company or organization who accepts donations or properly dismantles computers, electronics, or batteries, please edit this page and suggest your company or organization. We request all submissions contain all the company's information and highly recommend that the company have some type of web presence.
Recycling batteries
Because of the large amounts of batteries being used today with computers and other electronics, it is important that you dispose the batteries not only properly but safely to help the environment and other beings. In addition, there are now over 500 recycling laws in the United States and not disposing of the batteries appropriately may cost you or your company.
In addition to the below list of companies who specialize in recycling batteries some major electronic retail stores in the United States also accept used ink cartridges. Below is a listing of some of these companies.
Best Buy
Circuit City
Office Max
Office Depot
Radio Shack
Below are a few of the several hundred available companies that can help provide you with information or help you recycle your batteries.
Battery Solutions (http://www.batteryrecycling.com/)
Phone: (734) 467-9110Fax: (734) 467-9104Batteries Recycled: Able to manage every type of spent battery manufactured today.
RBRC (http://www.rbrc.com/)
Phone: (352) 376-5135Fax: (352)376-5942Batteries Recycled: Ni-Cad (visit web site to find local Ni-Cad drop off locations).
GNB (http://www.gnb.com/)
U.S. Phone: (888)438-5865Canada (English) Phone: (800)267-7581Canada (French) Phone: (800)-231-9081Batteries Recycled: Lead-Acid Batteries
Caution: In no instance can a battery be incinerated. Disposing a battery by burning will cause them to explode.
Important: In case of rupture, leaking electrolyte or any other cause of skin or eye exposure to the electrolyte, immediately flush with water. If eye exposure, flush with water for 15 minutes and consult physician.
Additional information on batteries can be found on our battery information page.
Computer dismantle
If you have a computer or computer equipment that you believe is beyond repair or is too old to be useful we recommend one of the below services which can dismantle the equipment properly to obtain all usable parts and materials. If you have a usable good computer you may want to consider donating the computer instead of dismantling or recycling it.
Many computer manufacturers and computer hardware manufactures also have their own recycling and/or trade in programs. Below is a list of some of the major manufactures and links to their recycling programs.
Apple recycling program
Dell recycling program
Epson recycling program
Gateway recycling program
Hewlett Packard recycling program
IBM / Lenovo recycling program
Lexmark recycling program
NEC recycling program
Below is a short list of some of the major recycling companies capable of recycling computers.
E-Tech Recycling (http://www.etechrecycling.com/)
Phone:(503) 693-8939 or (703) 421-4340Fax: (503) 693-8939 or (703) 421-4340Address:1600 NE 25th Ave Suite EHillsboro, OR 9712421580 Atlantic Blvd, Suite #120Sterling, VA 20166Note: Company capable of recycling computers, monitors, telephones, and related equipment, and various other electronic items.
Genesis Recycling (http://genesisrecycling.ca/)
Phone: (604) 533-2537Fax: (604) 533-2537Address:19632 40th AvenueLangley, B.C. V3A 6L7Note: Company who's capable of recycling all types of computers, printers, monitors, phones, and numerous other electronic components.
IBM PC Recycling Service (http://www.ibm.com/ibm/environment/products)
Phone: (888) SHOP-IBM (Reference part number 06P7513)Note: IBM can recycle any manufacturer's PCs, including system units, monitors, printers, and optional attachments for $29.99 which includes shipping.Parts capable of recycling: any manufacturer's PC, monitors, printers, and optional attachments.
Intercon Solutions (http://www.interconrecycling.com/)
Phone: (888) 452-5642 or (708) 756-9838Fax: (708) 756-4094Address:1001-59 Washington11th and WashingtonChicago Heights, IL 60411Parts capable of recycling: All types of electronic equipment and material, including computers (mainframes, monitors, terminals, CPU's), printers, fax machines, modems, bridges, hubs, copy machines, consumer electronics (radios, CD players, dvd players, clocks, calculators, telephones, cellular phones), components, and various other types of plastic and metal.
Back Thru the future microcomputers, Inc. (http://www.backthruthefuture.com/)
Phone: (408) 453-4511Fax: (408) 453-4511Address:Refer to web page (multiple locations)Note: Back Thru The Future Microcomputers is one of the largest computer recyclers in the United States and are a women's owned business. The company recycles microcomputers for corporations, educational institutions, government, and individuals. With millions of microcomputers being displaced each year by newer technology, Back Thru The Future has committed itself to finding uses for this older technology and preventing it from becoming a high tech waste. Parts capable of recycling: All computer equipment. For corporations, educational institutions, government, and individuals.
Envirocycle Inc. (http://www.enviroinc.com/)
Phone: (800) 711-6010Fax: (570)879-2008Address:Envirocycle, Inc.Rt. 81 Ext. 68PO Box 899Hallstead, PA 18822-0899Note: Envirocycle, Inc., a company of The Matco (Environmental Group) offers responsible asset reclamation and disposition services to the electronics industry. In 1995 alone, Envirocycle dismantled over 465,000 monitors and 2,000,000 pounds of electronic equipment. Parts capable of recycling: All electrical components and Monitors.
Total Reclaim (http://www.totalreclaim.com/)
Phone: (206) 343-7443Fax: (206) 343-7445Address:Total Reclaim Inc. Seattle2200 6th Ave. SouthSeattle, WA 98134Note: Total Reclaim provides environmentally responsible asset reclamation and disposition services to the electronics industry. Total Reclaim is the Pacific Northwest's largest electronics recycler, handling 9,000,000 lbs of monitors, televisions, and other electronics in 2004.
United Recycling Industries (http://www.unitedrecycling.com/)
Phone: (800) 323-1574Fax: (847) 455-3232Fax: (630) 231-6565Address:3700 North Runge AvenueFranklin Park, IL 60131
1600 Harvester RoadWest Chicago, IL 60185Note: United Recycling is the the disassembly and de-manufacturing operation of Untied Recycling Industries total asset recovery concept for environmentally safe disposal and recycling of excess, obsolete, or end of life commercial, industrial, military, and consumer electronic material. Parts capable of recycling: Computers and peripherals, cell phones, office, and telecommunication equipment, laboratory/medical equipment, and many other electronic materials.
Monitor dismantle
E-Tech Recycling (http://www.etechrecycling.com/)
Phone:(503) 693-8939 or (703) 421-4340Fax: (503) 693-8939 or (703) 421-4340Address:1600 NE 25th Ave Suite EHillsboro, OR 9712421580 Atlantic Blvd, Suite #120Sterling, VA 20166Note: Company capable of recycling computers, monitors, telephones, and related equipment, and various other electronic items.
Genesis Recycling (http://genesisrecycling.ca/)
Phone: (604) 533-2537Fax: (604) 533-2537Address:19632 40th AvenueLangley, B.C. V3A 6L7Note: Company who's capable of recycling all types of computers, printers, monitors, phones, and numerous other electronic components.
IBM PC Recycling Service (http://www.ibm.com/ibm/environment/products)
Phone: (888) SHOP-IBM (Reference part number 06P7513)Note: IBM can recycle any manufacturer's PCs, including system units, monitors, printers, and optional attachments for $29.99 which includes shipping.Parts capable of recycling: any manufacturer's PC, monitors, printers, and optional attachments.
Intercon Solutions (http://www.interconrecycling.com/)
Phone: (888) 452-5642 or (708) 756-9838Fax: (708) 756-4094Address:1001-59 Washington11th and WashingtonChicago Heights, IL 60411Parts capable of recycling: All types of electronic equipment and material, including computers (mainframes, monitors, terminals, CPU's), printers, fax machines, modems, bridges, hubs, copy machines, consumer electronics (radios, CD players, dvd players, clocks, calculators, telephones, cellular phones), components, and various other types of plastic and metal.
Total Reclaim (http://www.totalreclaim.com/)
Phone: (206) 343-7443Fax: (206) 343-7445Address:Total Reclaim Inc. Seattle2200 6th Ave. SouthSeattle, WA 98134Note: Total Reclaim provides environmentally responsible asset reclamation and disposition services to the electronics industry. Total Reclaim is the Pacific Northwest's largest electronics recycler, handling 9,000,000 lbs of monitors, televisions, and other electronics in 2004.
United Recycling Industries (http://www.unitedrecycling.com/)
Phone: (800) 323-1574Fax: (847) 455-3232Fax: (630) 231-6565Address:3700 North Runge AvenueFranklin Park, IL 60131
1600 Harvester RoadWest Chicago, IL 60185
Note: United Recycling is the the disassembly and de-manufacturing operation of Untied Recycling Industries total asset recovery concept for environmentally safe disposal and recycling of excess, obsolete, or end of life commercial, industrial, military, and consumer electronic material. Parts capable of recycling: Computers and peripherals, cell phones, office, and telecommunication equipment, laboratory/medical equipment, and many other electronic materials.
Recycling used printer ink cartridges
National Revitalization Services (http://www.natrs.com/)
Phone: (973) 275-1786Address: 108 Baker StreetSuite 500Maplewood, New Jersey 07040Note: Company capable of recycling almost all non remanufactured laser and inkjet printer cartridges.
In addition to the above recommendations many printer manufacturers also have their own recycling program. Below is a list of some of the major printer companies and links to their recycling programs.
Epson recycling program
Hewlett Packard recycling program
Lexmark recycling program
Finally, some major electronic retail stores in the United States also accept used ink cartridges. Below is a listing of some of these companies.
Best Buy
Office Depot
Office Max
Computer donation
Rather than disposing your computer, the best option for proper management of "retired" computer equipment is material recovery for all usable parts. If the equipment still functions, consider donating it to a local school or nonprofit organization. For computers that are "beyond repair", refer to Computer Dismantle.
Below is a list of various organizations that also accept used computer equipment. Please call them before sending anything to ensure the item(s) meet their needs.
Note: As much as we would like to Computer Hope, does not have the resources to donate any of its equipment. See document CH000701 for additional information.
Share The Technology: (http://sharetechnology.org/)
Phone: (856)234-6156Fax: (856)234-5809Address:P.O. Box 548Rancocas, NJ 08073Note: See web site with database of organizations looking for donated computers.
National Cristina Foundation: (http://www.cristina.org/)
Phone: (203)863-9100Fax: (203)297-8000Address:National Cristina Foundation500 West Putnam AvenueGreenwich, Connecticut 06830Note: This organization accepts computer equipment for donation to organizations serving the disadvantages.
Recycles.org: (http://www.recycles.org/)
Phone: None or unknownE-mail: Click hereNote: Nonprofit materials exchange network that connects users and organizations looking to share or gather computer equipment for reuse across America.
CompuMentor: (http://www.compumentor.org/)
Phone: (415)633-9300E-mail: realperson@compumentor.org Note: An organization that's been around since 1987 that's dedicated to helping nonprofits use technology.
Reboot Canada: (http://www.reboot.on.ca/)
Phone: (416) 534-6017Fax: (416) 534-6083E-mail: info@reboot.on.caAddress: 136 Geary Avenue, Unit 110Toronto, OntarioM6H 4H1Note: Nonprofit charity providing computer hardware, networking, and technology support.
RECONNECT: (http://www.reconnectpartnership.com/)
Note: Comprehensive electronics recovery, reuse, and environmental responsible partnership between Goodwill and Dell. This organization has dozens of locations throughout the United States in states such as: California, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The address and other contact information for each of these locations is found on the above link under participating goodwills

Intel® Desktop Board DX58SO

2009-03-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

enlarge image
The Intel® Desktop Board DX58SO is designed to unleash the power of the all new Intel® Core™ i7 processors with support for up to eight threads of raw CPU processing power, triple channel DDR3 memory and full support for ATI CrossfireX* technology. Today’s PC games like Far Cry 2* and Call of Duty: World at War* need a computing platform that delivers maximum multi-threaded CPU support and eye-popping graphics support

Features and benefits
Form factor
ATX (12.00 inches by 9.60 inches [304.80 millimeters by 243.84 millimeters])
Processor
Click View supported processors for the most current list of compatible processors. At product launch, this desktop board supports:
Support for a Intel® Core™ i7 processor in an LGA1366 socket
Memory
Four 240-pin DDR3 SDRAM Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) sockets
Support for DDR3 1600 MHzς, DDR3 1333 MHzς, DDR3 1066 MHz
Support for up to 16 GBς of system memory
Chipset
Intel® X58 Express Chipset
Audio
Intel® High Definition Audio subsystem in the following configuration:
8-channel (7.1) Dolby Home Theater* Audio subsystem with five analog audio outputs and two S/PDIF digital audio outputs (coaxial and optical) using the Sigmatel* 9274D audio codec
Video
Nvidia SLI* and ATI CrossFire* multi-GPU platform support enables two graphics cards to work together for ultimate 3D gaming performance and visual quality
Full support of next-generation ATI CrossFire* and Nvidia SLI*
LAN support
Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbits/sec) LAN subsystem
Peripheral interfaces
Twelve USB 2.0 ports (8 external ports, 2 internal headers)
Six Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s ports, including 2 eSATA port with RAID support supplied by a Marvell* controller
Two IEEE-1394a ports (1 external port, 1 internal header)
Consumer IR receiver and emitter (via internal headers)
Expansion capabilities
One PCI Conventional* bus add-in card connectors (SMBus routed to PCI Conventional bus add-in card connector)
One primary PCI Express* 2.0 x16 (electrical x16) bus add-in card connector
One secondary PCI Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x16) bus add-in card connector
One PCI Express* 1.0a x16 (electrical x4) bus add-in card connector

Intel® Core™ i7 Processor

2009-03-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

Brilliantly fast
With faster, intelligent, multi-core technology that applies processing power where it's needed most, new Intel® Core™ i7 processors deliver an incredible breakthrough in PC performance. They are the best desktop processors on the planet.¹
You'll multitask applications faster and unleash incredible digital media creation. And you'll experience maximum performance for everything you do, thanks to the combination of Intel® Turbo Boost technology² and Intel® Hyper-Threading technology (Intel® HT technology)³, which maximizes performance to match your workload.

Features and benefits
Go to the next level of multi-core performance.
Intel Core i7 processors deliver an incredible breakthrough in quad-core performance and feature the latest innovations in processor technologies:
Intel® Turbo Boost technology maximizes speed for demanding applications, dynamically accelerating performance to match your workload—more performance when you need it the most.²
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology enables highly threaded applications to get more work done in parallel. With 8 threads available to the operating system, multi-tasking becomes even easier.³
Intel® Smart Cache provides a higher-performance, more efficient cache subsystem. Optimized for industry leading multi-threaded games.
Intel® QuickPath Interconnect is designed for increased bandwidth and low latency. It can achieve data transfer speeds as high as 25.6 GB/sec with the Extreme Edition processor.
Integrated memory controller enables three channels of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, resulting in up to 25.6 GB/sec memory bandwidth. This memory controller's lower latency and higher memory bandwidth delivers amazing performance for data-intensive applications.
Intel® HD Boost significantly improves a broad range of multimedia and compute-intensive applications. The 128-bit SSE instructions are issued at a throughput rate of one per clock cycle, allowing a new level of processing efficiency with SSE4 optimized applications.

Clean Install Procedure of Windows XP with Illustrative Screen Captures

2009-03-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition - Upgrade VersionSystem: Personal Computer
Phase I - Text Phase
Floppy Drive
Unpartitioned and Unformatted Hard Drive
CD ROM Drive
Keyboard
Mouse
Network Interface Card
SVGA Monitor
If the system does not have a bootable CD ROM, see Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks for instructions.
Figure 01
The preferred method for initiating a clean install of Windows XP is by booting from the XP CD. If the CD drive is not set as the primary boot device it will be necessary to access and modify the BIOS settings. Once the CD drive is set to be polled before the hard drive, insert the XP CD into the drive and power on the system. If the screen shown in Figure 01 appears, all is well and the clean install of Windows XP Professional is underway.
Figure 02
Almost immediately after Windows setup begins the screen shown to the left will appear. Unless you have the very latest in hardware you probably won't need to press the F6 key to install and SCSI or RAID driver. However, when XP is first installed it tries to determine what type of BIOS is available on the computer. Newer systems have what is known as Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) capability. Unfortunately, XP doesn't always recognize a computer BIOS is ACPI capable and doesn't install the support for ACPI. Pressing F5 at this point allows you to select the proper HAL. A full description of the process is here.
Figure 03
Once the initialization process completes, the screen in Figure 03 loads to guide the XP installation process. More than anything, this screen is a fork in the installation road. This guide deals with a clean install and to accomplish that goal select the first option by pressing Enter. If you wanted to use the Recovery Console with an already completed XP installation, pressing R would be the proper choice. F3 ends the current installation process. After pressing Enter, setup will search the drives for an existing XP installation.
Figure 04
Pretty much any way you go at an installation anymore you're going to run into the Windows XP Licensing Agreement, better known as the End-User License Agreement or EULA, shown in Figure 04. Press F8 if you agree to the terms or press Esc and start researching alternative operating systems if you don't agree. There's no middle of the road.
Figure 05
Since you agreed to the terms of the EULA in the previous step, and because this is a clean installation from an upgrade version of XP to an unpartitioned and unformatted hard disk, the screen in Figure 05 appears asking you to verify you qualify to use the upgrade product. Of all the XP installs I've done I could count on two hands the number of times they have been done from full version CD's rather than upgrade CD's, so it's pretty likely you'll see this screen. The qualifying products are listed on the screen. Replace the XP CD with the qualifying product CD and press Enter.
Figure 06
Once Microsoft is convinced you've agreed to the EULA and qualify to install the upgrade version, the screen in Figure 06 appears where you choose a drive and partition on which to install XP. For those familiar with prior Windows operating systems, this section of setup is equivalent to FDISK when a clean install is being performed. In this example, since there is only the one hard disk it will be used to create the install partition by pressing C.
Figure 07
Once the partition creation has been initiated, the screen in Figure 07 opens and prompts for the size of the partition that will be created. As long as you adhere to the minimum and maximum listed on the screen you have the freedom to set partition sizes as you wish. Keep in mind that there are minimum space requirements to install XP. Set the size of the desired partition and press Enter.
Figure 08
Once the partition has been created you are returned to the screen in Figure 08. If there is still unallocated space on the drive and you want to create another partition, highlight the unallocated space entry and press C again to repeat the partition creation process. If you want to change the partition that was just created, highlight it using the up and down arrow keys and press D. A confirmation message will be displayed. Once you're satisfied with the partition scheme, highlight the desired install partition and press Enter.
Figure 09
The final step after creating and selecting the install partition is specifying the file system to use for formatting the partition. The available choices will be shown on the screen that appears as in Figure 09. In most cases you'll want to use NTFS. It's far more secure than FAT32 and supports permissions, encryption, and compression. The only reason for considering FAT32 would be data sharing with W9x/Me installations and since this scenario deals with a clean install it's not even a consideration.
Figure 10
Remember a few steps ago when XP wanted you to insert a CD to prove you qualified to use the upgrade version of XP? What it didn't do was tell you to remove the qualifying version and reinsert the XP installation CD. That time has arrived. Why it doesn't do this immediately after the verification I have no idea, nor will I waste more time on this screen.
Figure 11
The XP CD is back in the drive and the partition is being formatted. This part of the process is totally non-interactive and a tad less interesting than watching paint dry - unless of course the paint is the same hideous yellow color as the progress bar.
Figure 12
You thought the part where the partition was formatted was boring? More of the same in this section of setup where the files needed for installation are being copied to the hard drive. You'd think at the least they could have changed the progress bar color.
Figure 13
Almost there; the configuration is being initialized. This screen has a blissfully short appearance.
Figure 14
Finally. A red progress bar that indicates the system will reboot in 15 seconds so the Graphical User Interface portion of setup can begin. If you're still awake, tap the Enter key to speed up that 15 seconds until restart. This is the end of the text portion of setup.
Figure 15
This is it - Prepare yourself for what is possibly the longest commercial for a piece of software that has ever been presented, also called the Graphical User Interface phase of XP setup. Click the Onward to Phase II link below.

Guest Article: Easy Money Making Ideas For The Beginner Blogger

2009-03-21T13:07:00.001-07:00

Guest Article: Easy Money Making Ideas For The Beginner Blogger

Posted using ShareThis

Excel Hotkeys - keyboard Shortcuts

2009-03-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

Keyboard Shortcut n Result in Excel 2000 - General

F1 Key
Help

F2 Key
Edit current Cell

F5 Key
Goto

F7 Key
Spell Check

F12 Key
Save file as

CTRL and A
Select entire worksheet.

CTRL and B
Toggle Bold Text.

CTRL and C
Copies the item or items selected to the Clipboard and can be pasted using CTRL and V.

CTRL and F
Displays the Find dialog box.

CTRL and H
Displays the Replace dialog box.

CTRL and I
Toggles Italic Text.

CTRL and N
New File.

CTRL and O
Open File.

CTRL and P
Print.

CTRL and S
Save File.

CTRL and U
Toggles Underlined Text.

CTRL and V
Paste the contents of the clipboard.

CTRL and X
Cut the selected item.

CTRL and Y
Redo the last undone action

CTRL and Z
Undoes the last action.

CTRL and 1
Displays Format Cells Dialogue Box

CTRL and 5
Toggles Strikethrough Text

Keyboard Shortcut n Result in Excel 2000 - Formulas

ALT and =
Autosum

ALT and F8
Macros

CTRL and ;
Insert Current Date

CTRL and :
Insert Current Time

Keyboard Shortcut n Result in Excel 2000 - Movement

Left Arrow
One Cell Left (also SHIFT and TAB)

Right Arrow
One Cell Right (also TAB)

Up Arrow
One Cell Up

Down Arrow
One Cell Down

Home
Go to End of row

CTRL and left Arrow
Go to End of Column

CTRL and Home
Go to Top of Worksheet (A1)

CTRL and End
Go to End of Worksheet

CTRL and PAGE-DOWN
Go to Next Worksheet

Keyboard Shortcut n Result in Excel 2000 - Cell Selection

CTRL and Spacebar
Select the entire Column

SHIFT and Spacebar
Select the entire Row

CTRL and A
Select Entire Worksheet

SHIFT and Left Cursor
Select all cells to the left of the active one

SHIFT and Right Cursor
Select all cells to the right of the active one

Stock Exchange Pakistan

2009-02-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

Karachi Exchange May Sell Stake to Overseas Partner

July 17 (Bloomberg) -- The Karachi Stock Exchange, Pakistan's largest, may sell a 10 percent stake to an overseas partner before its initial share sale to help spur trading on a market that has risen 14-fold in six years.
``I have received interest from a number of regional, even European exchanges, including the Dubai International Financial Exchange,'' Razi-ur-Rahman Khan, chairman of the Islamabad-based Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan, said in an interview in Karachi on July 16. ``A foreign stock exchange could take a five or 10 percent stake, become an active partner and play an active role in management.''
Pakistan's KSE 100 index has surged to $70 billion in market value from $5 billion in 2001 as investors shrugged off street protests against President Pervez Musharraf and violence by militants along the border with Afghanistan. The NYSE Group Inc., operator of the world's largest stock exchange, this year invested in neighboring India's biggest market.
Selling a stake ``would be a step in the right direction because it will help bring in technology infrastructure, cross- border listings and product development,'' said Abdul Aziz Anis, who oversees the equivalent of $58 million in stocks and bonds as chief executive of Alfalah GHP Investment Management Ltd. in Karachi. ``We're still a plain vanilla exchange and we need derivatives and other products to be brought in.''
Companies from the Middle East, including Emirates Telecom Corp. and Emaar Properties PJSC, accounted for 13 percent of Pakistan's foreign investment in the 11 months ended May 31.
Market Valuation
The Karachi exchange, home to companies including Oil & Gas Development Co. and Pakistan Telecommunications Co., plans to demutualize, or convert to a public company from a body owned by its members, by December. Under a reform plan started in 1997, independent management, automated trading and risk management systems were introduced at the exchange.
Sale arranger Deutsche Bank AG will complete its valuation by August and an initial public offering of shares could take place early next year, said Khan, 57, who was appointed chairman in January 2006. Memberships are valued at about 100 million rupees ($1.66 million), valuing the exchange at about $340 million.
Options, which are contracts granting their buyers the right to buy or sell a security at a set price, will be introduced by December, Khan said.
Overseas investors doubled their investment in Pakistani stocks to $1.8 billion in the 11 months ended May 31, from $947 million a year earlier, according to central bank data.
Surveillance System
The regulator also plans to install a surveillance system by October to curb insider trading. The Kolkata, Bangalore and Delhi stock exchanges in India, and the bourse and market regulator in the Philippines are using the technology, said Amer Hashmi, chief executive of System Innovations (Pvt.) Ltd. in Karachi, which has procured and will implement the facility.
``This will be a real-time system which will give us minute- by-minute updates of who is doing what and will flag us to various trading patterns,'' Khan said. ``Before recently, market surveillance was zero. Now, action will be taken against brokers and others found guilty of breaking the law.''
The regulator made it mandatory in June 2006 for brokers to use identification numbers to help track individual clients.
The commission needs to use trade logs, order logs and recorded phone lines at the offices of stock exchanges, brokers and fund managers to ``facilitate the tracking of culprits in the event of abnormal trading activity or price movement,'' said Mohammad Shoaib, who oversees 11 billion rupees in stocks and bonds as chief executive officer of Al Meezan Investment Management Ltd. in Karachi.
``Time and again, corporate results are leaked out and there is abnormal price movement prior to the announcement, but unfortunately nothing is done by the regulator to catch insider traders,'' he said. ``Existing regulation must be implemented.''
The Securities & Exchange Act of 1969 provides for as much as three years in prison for insider trading and fines amounting to as much as three times the amount of gains accrued.
The commission plans to hire 200 employees this year. It currently employs 560.
To contact the reporter on this story: Naween A. Mangi in Karachi at nmangi1@bloomberg.net.

Excell Computers

2009-01-29T05:36:00.000-08:00

Assalaam o alaikum

Dear Visitors This Blog is All About Computers and Related components.