6 tips to boost your browsing skills

You probably spend a good amount of your computing time within the confines of a web browser. But are you making the most of that time?

You're not if you are relying on the same old browser habits that you developed years ago. The good news: There are plenty of ways in which you can supercharge your web browsing without resorting to a bunch of tricks that you'll likely forget.

Discover caret browsing
One of the best-kept secrets of both Internet Explorer (IE) and Firefox is the caret browsing feature. Caret browsing essentially makes web pages more keyboard friendly - and web surfing a lot more productive, particularly if you spend much time at all selecting and copying text or graphics from a website.

With caret browsing activated, a text cursor appears within any web page, and moving the cursor around and highlighting text and graphics are very similar to performing the same actions in a word processing document.

In caret mode, the Tab key moves you from one major section of a web page to another, and the Enter key will activate any link on which the cursor is positioned.

You can activate (and de-activate) caret browsing by simply pressing the F7 key in both IE and Firefox. Google's Chrome has a version of caret browsing that involves first selecting some text and then using the Shift and arrow keys to select more.

Launch into full screen
Most elements of web browsers - menus, toolbars, status bars, and the like - are useless clutter once you've landed on a page that you want to read. To get rid of the clutter, simply tap the F11 key. All of the major browsers will launch into 'full screen' mode, showing you just your web page and none of the browser controls you don't need.

Press F11 again to return to the browser's previous state.

With Internet Explorer, you can still access your menus with in full screen mode. Just use the keyboard shortcuts (Alt-F, Alt-E, and so on), and the menus will hover over the web page.

Outsmart ads
One of the biggest time-zappers while surfing the internet today is waiting for ads to load - or waiting for them to leave you alone so that you can get to the content you need.

You can get rid of most ads altogether in a couple of ways. First, if you're a Firefox user, head straight for Adblock Plus (http://bit.ly/12oUg). Install this plugin, and in no time bothersome ads will be a distant memory.

This plugin can't zap all ads, but it takes care of most of them. Chrome users also now have a beta version of Adblock plus (http://bit.ly/7EABcN) that they can try.

If you're using IE, try Ad Muncher (http://bit.ly/3aCI27), which is also compatible with most other browsers.

Use the keyboard
Think about the operations you perform repeatedly in your browser using the mouse. There are probably keyboard shortcuts for most of them that can save you a lot of time.

Do you frequently return to your home page, for example? Hold down the Alt key and tap Home (Alt-Home) Need to find something on a web page? Ctrl-F activates the Find box. Need a new tab? Ctrl-T takes care of it. And how about switching among open tabs? Ctrl-Tab does the trick. These tricks work in all of the major browsers.

Try a form filler
Web forms are everywhere these days, and most of them ask for the same information: your name, address, e-mail address, and perhaps your credit card if you're purchasing something.

Make short work of entering all of that information by enlisting the help of a form filler. The two best ones are LastPass (http://lastpass.com) and RoboForm (http://www.roboform.com).

Adopt multiple browsers
You might love IE. You may swear by Firefox. You may be intrigued by Chrome. Regardless of which browser you prefer, one of the other browsers likely has a feature (or a add-on) that will let you get your work done faster.

There's no reason these days not to be acquainted with all of the major web browsers. That would be IE, Firefox, and Chrome. They're all free. They all get along with one another when installed on the same computer.

And thanks to a diverse and talented development community, they all have add-ins or plugins that provide unique features that are not available on other browsers. Just spend some time at the Add-ons for Firefox page (http://bit.ly/6dgS) or the Google Chrome Add-ons site (http://bit.ly/YY5JR) to get a taste of what's out there.

-- DPA

How to do without antivirus

Do you wish you could do without antivirus software? There are certainly plenty of good reasons not to like it. After all, antivirus programs invariably slow down your computer, annoy you with false positives or status pop-ups, and of course most of them cost money - often on a recurring, yearly basis.

But can you just say no to antivirus software and still stay safe? The short answer is 'yes' - if you adopt some security-savvy computing practices.

Know what you download
If you only use commercial software and never install programs you've downloaded from the internet or copied from a friend, then your main sources of concern for contracting a computer virus will come from websites and email. Common sense -- and following the guidelines below -- will protect you the rest of the way.

On the other hand, if you're addicted to free downloads, shareware, and 'warez' sites that purport to offer commercial software at no cost, then you have no viable option. You must install antivirus software -- and perhaps even use a couple of programs -- to make sure you don't fall victim to malicious software or phishing attacks.

Most people, however, run just the few programs that came with their PCs and don't venture into dangerous territory on the web. For them, the guidelines below will provide adequate protection.


Upgrade your browser
Today's browsers have a lot of security controls built in, and these tend to do a fine job of preventing phishing attacks or the automatic downloading of potentially malicious software. Antivirus tools add little to their already robust protections.

So if you want to be free of antivirus software, be sure to use to latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, or Chrome, and keep those browsers up to date through your operating system's automatic update feature. Also, do not disable or alter the default security settings of the major browsers unless you know what you're doing.

If you attempt to access a website that's known to be harmful, most modern web browsers will warn you before the site is displayed on your screen. If you'd like to feel even more secure when you're surfing, consider installing the free McAfee SiteAdvisor tool (http://www.siteadvisor.com), which adds small site rating icons to your search results and a new browser button and optional search box to your browser. These controls together do a good job of alerting you to a potentially dangerous site before you reach it.

Clean email
Most of the generalised warnings you hear about virus-carrying email messages are misleading. You can't get a computer virus merely by receiving an email message. You would have to click on a link within the message that downloads a harmful file onto your PC, or you would have to open or run a malicious file attached to a message.

So don't do either one of those things if you receive an email message from someone you don't know. Combine that common sense approach with the latest patches or updates for your e-mail program of choice, and you should have no use for additional protection offered by a bloated security package.

You can add yet another level of security by configuring your email program so that it displays incoming messages as plain text. Doing so will turn off the display of graphics, which, when clicked, may unleash a virus-carrying file. If you use a traditional email client such as Outlook or Outlook Express, add a good spam-blocking like Cloudmark Desktop (http://bit.ly/7zrVeU) to your toolkit, and chances are very good that any potentially dangerous messages will get routed automatically to your Spam folder, where you will never see it.


Periodic scans
Just because you decide to run your PC without antivirus software doesn't mean you shouldn't check for viruses occasionally. You can do so, however, without installing anything if you stop in occasionally at one of the free online virus scanners.

Among them are Eset Online Scanner (http://www.eset.com/online-scanner), Avast Online Scanner (http://onlinescan.avast.com), and TrendMicro Online Scanner (http://housecall.trendmicro.com). All of these allow you to initiate a system scan without installing a permanent antivirus package.

Go for security apps
If you don't like the idea of initiating a virus scan from a website or you just don't feel comfortable going without antivirus software, you can keep system slowdowns to a minimum and annoyance at bay by opting for one of the security applications that are known to be effective at detecting threats, relatively easy on system resources, and reasonably priced.

Titles that meet all of those criteria include Microsoft's Security Essentials (http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials) - which is free - PC Tools' Spyware Doctor with Antivirus =(http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor), and Norton Antivirus 2010 (http://www.symantec.com). Each of these will provide the background scanning and on-demand protection that you might need, and each can be configured not to bug you unless absolutely necessary.

-- DPA

Entering Data in Excel

This tutorial covers basic information for entering data into an Excel spreadsheet. Click on the links below to read specific information.

1. Plan your spreadsheet - Before you start to type

2. How to Enter Data into a Spreadsheet - Doing the Excel three - step

3. Cells and cell references in Excel - Keeping track of where your data is going

4. Using AutoComplete to Enter Data - Getting help from Excel

5. Types of data in Excel - Labels, values and other data types

6. Getting around your spreadsheet quickly - Shortcut keys

7. Editing data in a cell - Updating data and fixing those mistakes

How to Use Excel - Excel Tutorials for Beginners

How to Use Excel is a Series of Excel Tutorials designed with the absolute beginner in mind. These tutorials will show you how to use Excel to produce a complete spreadsheet. The tutorials cover:

This article identifies the main parts of the Excel spreadsheet work area. There are links from each label to glossary items describing each part in greater detail.

Entering Data in Excel
This article covers the basics of how to enter data into an Excel spreadsheet. Items such as the importance of planning your spreadsheet before you enter data, widening columns, the types of data that can be entered, and editing cells to change data, are covered in this tutorial.

Basic Excel 2003 Spreadsheet Tutorial
The tutorial, as the name suggests, shows you how to create a basic spreadsheet in Excel 2003. Topics covered include entering data, creating simple formulas, and formatting a worksheet.
Excel Math
These articles cover how to carry out basic math operations in Microsoft Excel. If you want to know how to add, subtract, multiply, or divide numbers in Excel, these articles will show you how.

Excel Formulas Step by Step Tutorial
Formulas are a very important and a frequently used feature in Excel. This article uses a step by step example to show you how to create and use formulas in Excel.

SUM and AutoSUM Step by Step Tutorial
This step by step tutorial walks through how to use Excel's SUM function and the AutoSUM feature to perform spreadsheet calculations.

How to Use the Excel's Date Function
There are a number of date functions available in Excel. Depending on your needs, you can use a date function in Excel to return the current date, the current time, or the day of the week. This article covers the most commonly used date functions used in Excel.

How to Use Excel Formatting Features
There are a variety of formatting options available in Excel - conditional formatting, number formatting, text and general spreadsheet formatting techniques. This two part tutorial covers the basics of number formatting – adding commas, currency symbols, percent signs, and decimal spaces to cells in the worksheet, as well as changing cell colors, adding text formatting, and changing the alignment of text in cells.

Add / Delete Columns and Rows
It’s a rare occasion when a spreadsheet doesn’t need a change of layout before it is finished. When this happens in Excel, with a click of the mouse you can easily add that extra column or delete those unwanted rows.

How to Use the Excel Chart Wizard
A graph, or a chart as it is known in Microsoft Excel, is a visual representation of worksheet data. A chart often makes it easier to understand the data in a worksheet because users can easily pick out patterns and trends illustrated in the chart that are otherwise difficult to see. The quickest and easiest way to create a chart in Excel is to use the Chart Wizard. This step by step tutorial leads you through the four steps of using the Chart Wizard.

Excel Printing
Use the print options in Excel to print entire spreadsheets or just selected areas. The printing options can be accessed through a number of locations including the print button on the standard toolbar and several options under the File menu.
How to Widen Columns in Excel
Widening columns in Excel is one of the most commonly performed operations. This article will show you how to carry out this task easily.

How to Use Facebook

This group has been created for people looking to utilize the power of Facebook.

Facebook is the number one Social Networking site on the internet with over 350 million users. The majority of people know the basics when it comes to Facebook but you may be missing out on thousands of cool applications and features that you never knew existed!

We have recorded a Free 40 minute Facebook Webinar where we share all of our secrets to get you started as soon as possible! Register for free at http://www.onlinesocialsuccess.com

If you enjoy this group please do us a favour and share with your friends by simply clicking 'Share' and 'Post to Profile' (in the right hand column)

You can also click 'Invite People to Join' and send personal invitations to all of your friends! Our goal is to make this Group the largest support network on Facebook.

How to Use Facebook: 5 Tips For Better Social Networking

Facebook is a social networking site that is enormously popular, but it can be a frustrating user experience. The design of Facebook leaves a lot to be desired and there are almost too many choices for things to do on Facebook. Also some of the more popular Facebook activities are trivial instead of useful - throwing sheep is an oft-quoted example.

Having said that, there's no doubt that Facebook is a powerful social networking tool. So how can you best utilize it and find the good apps? In this post we aim to find out. We'll be focusing specifically on social activities, rather than the many other potential uses of Facebook (work, brand management, etc).

Tip 1: Update Your Status Regularly

This is a simple thing to do to keep your Facebook profile active. Right at the top of the page there is a place where you can "write something." Usually a comment about what you're doing or thinking. Once a day, or even once every few days, is enough. But update it enough to keep your page interesting.

Tip 2. Use Groups (a.k.a. Lists in Facebook Terminology)

Groups are a core feature of social networking on the Web. To effectively use Facebook, we recommend you set up some groups so that you can filter content. One person who does this very well is our own Marshall Kirkpatrick. Marshall says that he generally scans his Facebook homepage first, then clicks to his groups for family and old friends from school. He noted that "this way most of my time spent on Facebook isn't re-reading the same things I've already read on Twitter."

here is a bit of a trick to setting this groups feature up. Facebook calls this feature "lists," probably to differentiate them from its other Groups feature (which have been usurped by 'Pages' now). Confused? Get used to it, Facebook navigation is awful.

To set lists up for your Facebook account, go to your Facebook homepage and click the "more" link on the left-hand sidebar. You will see a link entitled "Create new list" at the bottom - click on that to create a new group.

Tip 3: Add Your Content From Other Sources (Carefully...)

In this day and age, you are likely creating content in more than a few places on the Web. This ranges from the extreme cases (early adopters who have personal RSS feeds coming out their ears), to those who may just use YouTube and a couple of other niche social websites.

Many early adopters use FriendFeed to aggregate their 'lifestream' of content from multiple sources. Facebook just bought FriendFeed, so expect to see it integrated into Facebook over time. As of now, if you have more than a few content sources and they aren't necessarily the well-known ones like YouTube or Last.fm, then you'll need to use FriendFeed or an equivalent lifestreaming product to aggregate those feeds. But if you find FriendFeed just a bit too geeky (and many people do), then you can adequately enrich your Facebook profile with external content.

One thing we'd caution, which this author took too long to notice: don't pipe your FriendFeed content into Facebook if you aggregate a lot of content into FriendFeed! It quickly overpowers your Wall and will likely annoy the friends you have who also subscribe to your FriendFeed.

Tip 4: Brighten Up Your Profile With Photos and Videos

This almost goes without saying, but adding multimedia makes your Facebook profile interesting and attractive.

If instead of Facebook you usually use a specialist photo site (like Flickr) or video site (like Vimeo), then you'll need to search around for ways to export your files. I use Flickr and didn't find a satisfactory way to export photos from Flickr to Facebook's Photo albums. But via my Twitter network I managed to discovered a plug-in for iPhoto, which allows Mac users to bulk export from iPhoto to Facebook.

Tip 5: Search Out the Best Facebook Apps

Ever since Facebook became a development platform back in May 2007, thousands of apps have been built to add to your Facebook page. As noted in the introduction, these range from trivial (e.g. sheep throwing) to very useful. The best tip here is to find apps that complement your interests.

Our advice is to search the directory for keywords of interest to you. The quality of apps varies greatly and often there are errors (at least I came across them several times when researching this article). When you find an app you like, you can add it to your profile. I added an Art app recently, for example.

You can browse a user's apps by clicking the oddly-named 'Boxes' tab on their profile page.

how to learn tally online ?

Tally website have may tutorials available for download. You can download pdf files from there . To get material from tally official site click here.

How to learn Tally from Home

Learning has a cost. Every body who has learned something has paid its cost. You pay cost not only in terms of money but also in other forms too. These forms of paying the price can the time taken or extent of learning etc. Learning Tally is also not an exception. You have to pay the price. Let me explain this fact a little more.

You can learn tally in three different ways. One you learn tally from a person who knows, Two: at your own from books and helping material from net or any other source and Three from an institute who is capable of teaching you tally.

In all three ways you pay the price in different ways. In the first way the price can be the charge you pay plus damage done to you due to lack of knowledge of your tutor. In second case the price can be less in terms of money but can be more in terms of time spent in learning it at your own. In third case price can be the institute fee you have paid and extent of knowledge you have gained or time saved in learning.

The best way too learn is to learn it from some competent institute, preferably from TallyAcademy as the price paid , the extent of knowledge you get and time you spend has perfect balance.

The second option is not bad if you are ready to pay the price in terms of your time. Yes, you can learn tally from home. For that you have to become a keen learner. Lets see how you can learn tally from home.

Arrange for study material :
Before learning Tally first arrange all study material. The best books can be TFAP books which can be bought from any TallyAcademy. They are best because they are about the latest versions and have full features explained with practical examples.There are good amount of exercises are also in it. Except it there are certain other books available in the market specially on Tally.

Arrange for Software :
First of all we have to which software version you want to learn. At this point of time version 7.2 is most appropriate. The books too covers this version. So arrange Tally 7.2 educational version with latest release and with stat files and Help file. The stat files are necessary as these would be necessary for statutory reports like VAT, service tax etc. It may happen that while learning it from books you stuck some where. Or this is also very much possible that what ever you are looking on books is not coming in actual tally. At this point just press help and context sensitive help would come. Study the concept and syntax from there and proceed.

One more difficulty you would face is that as you are using educational version then you would not be able to enter the transactions on actual dates as educational software would only take 1, 2 and 31 of each month. In this situation you have to enter the dates of your vouchers only in 1,2 and 31 date. Believe me you would be able to see all effects except the few like interest calculation, forex gain etc where you would find some difference but it would do.

When you struck up:
When you struck somewhere then you have very few options but these can help.
Contact your peers who have some knowledge of tally software.
Post your query at Yahoo answers, chances are good that you get the answer.
Joint some group on internet where you can mail your queries. TallyUsers is a good choice.

How to learn tally free ?

Tally education is always in a boom for last 15 years. At any period of time, student always love to learn tally.

However getting a professional education through tally authorised academy or professional classes is not everybody’s cup of tea.

If you are looking for a software to learn tally, then You are just a silly person because tally in itself is a software. Many readers request me to suggest them a software to learn tally. I only can feel pity for all such readers.

If you think that you can learn tally within couple of days or without understanding basic accounting and without doing some practical work on tally then again you are on a wrong ship in the sea and you will never find your destination.

I am trying to provide free education on Accountancy, legal matter and Tally software to the extent within my capacity.

For legal matters you may browse my other blog www.vkrokti.blogspot.com and for Accountancy and tally software, reader can

browse the site www.tallynine.com. There is lot of various articles, tips and tricks,FAQ section, How to do, and I am continuously posting more and more article to help tallynine.com readers.

the user can search related information through the LIJIT search which is now available within within a post itself to find out the information he/she is looking for.

Further, now you can contact tallynine.com directly through contact us. you can specify your query. if you want me to check your tally data for free, then you can upload your tally data at the contact us page by uploading file selection.Please make a zip of your file and not to upload more then 5 MB size.

IF you have doubt about some particular entry, then you can take screen shot of that entry and can upload it on my site for my review. the data will remain confidential and only me can access it.

I will review your data within 3-4 days and will let you know personally.

You can also use this facility to share some informative and interesting items with other tallynine readers.

How to Upload Photos on YouTube

YouTube is a popular video sharing website that allows you to upload short video clips and photos for users to view. You will need to create a YouTube account to use the video sharing service. Once your account has been setup, you can begin uploading videos, photos, build play lists, and make comments or rate videos that's posted on the website.

1. Log on to the Internet and type the URL address "youtube.com" in the navigation toolbar on your browser and press the "Enter" key.

2 Search for the link "Create Account" on YouTube's homepage and click on it. You should see a web page that says, "Get started with your account." Create a user name and provide the necessary information to create a YouTube account. Then, press the "I accept" button to load the web page that says, "Do you already have a Google Account?"

3Type your "Google" email address and password if you already have an account with them. Then, press the "Sign in" button. Otherwise, you will need to provide an email address that you currently use and create a new password. When you're done, press the "Create New Account and Finish" button.

4 Open "Windows Movie Maker" to import the photos that you want to upload on YouTube. Keep in mind that YouTube can only host videos, so you won't be able to directly upload photos or pictures images on the website. You will need to create a video slide show out of your photographs.

5 Select the "Movie Maker" link the says, "Import pictures" to find the file folder containing the photos that's saved on your computer. Click on the photo file name to open it.

6 Drag and drop the photo to the storyboard area. Hover your mouse over the photo until you see a double-sided red arrow. Click and hold down the left button on your mouse and move it towards the right to increase and set the duration of time that you want the image to be displayed. Select the "Import pictures" link again, and continue adding photos to the storyboard area.

7 Choose the link "Save to my computer" under the "Finish Movie" option. Type a file type and location where you want to save the file. Press the "Next" button and select the radio button "Other settings" and choose "Video for broadband (340 kbps)" from the menu list. Press the "Next" button to save the video file on your computer.

8 Go to YouTube and upload the photo video file. Click the "Upload" link and create a title. Enter a description for the video file. Press the "Continue" button and then, press the "Browse" button to find the photo video file.

9 Press the "Upload Video" button to upload your photo video file on YouTube.

Read more: How to Upload Photos on YouTube | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6407912_upload-photos-youtube.html#ixzz1CKCBS1gH

Apple's App Store hits 10 bn downloads

HELSINKI: Apple's App Store reached landmark 10 billion downloads, further underlining the lead of the iPhone-maker in mobile online software battle, a counter on front page of the store showed.

Apple launched the iPhone store in mid-2008 and it proved to be an instant hit, driving sales of the smartphone and helping reshape the way mobile content is delivered.

The iPhone app store offers more than 300,000 programmes, and there are also more than 40,000 apps available for the iPad.

Its closest rival is privately-held GetJar, which sells software for all platforms, and reached 1 billion downloads in June 2010.

Google's Android Market and Nokia's Ovi Store are among other larger mobile online stores

Read more: Apple's App Store hits 10 bn downloads - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/hardware/Apples-App-Store-hits-10-bn-downloads/articleshow/7351706.cms#ixzz1Bvo0B3BO

How to secure your online image

WASHINGTON: Type your name into a search engine, and what do you find? Is it good? Bad? Are there links to shady people with your name who might be confused with you? These days, your online reputation matters.

Employers, financial partners, and even friends would almost be remiss if they didn't avail themselves of the opportunity to find out about you by searching for your name online. How can you be sure that what they find won't end up causing you problems? Read on for some tips.

Q: When I type my name into a search engine, some unsavory information about other people with the same name appears. I don't want people to confuse them with me. What can I do?
A: When it comes to removing information about other people who might be mistaken for you, your options are limited. You cannot, after all, approach websites and ask that pages containing information about others be altered or deleted because those pages might reflect badly on you. You can, however, create your own web presence - through a home page or blog, for example - so that the information you want to be known about you is available.

Blogs tend to get indexed particularly well, so look at setting up a WordPress or Blogger blog. Or create your own site and post your professional credentials. That way, at least, you'll have a fighting chance of appearing on the list of search results when someone types your name into Google or another search engine.

Q: Some information about me appears on the internet, and I wish it didn't. How can I get it removed?
A: If the information is located on sites you have some control over - including social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter - exercise the control and either shut down public access to the sites or delete the accounts altogether.

For Facebook, log into your page, click Account in the upper right-hand corner, and then click Privacy Settings. Choose the ones that are most appropriate. For Twitter, you can delete particular posts - or followers - by looking through them one-by-one and clicking Delete next to the post or follower.

You can delete your Twitter account altogether by logging in, clicking Settings in the upper right-hand corner, and then clicking the 'Deactivate my account' link at the bottom of the Settings page.

For information on sites you do not control, contact the webmaster of the site. You should find contact information on most sites - often listed at the bottom. You may be pleasantly surprised at how willing site administrators are to remove unflattering or simply unwanted information about you. It's not in their interest to have you complaining.

If all else fails, you can enlist the help of companies that specialise in 'cleansing' the internet of unwanted information about you. ReputationDefender (http://www.reputationdefender.com) is a high profile representative of a growing number of companies specialising in this type of service.

Q: I have a lot of personal information on my smartphone, and I worry about what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands. What can I do to secure it?

A: You're right to be concerned. Smartphones today are our most vulnerable information technology devices, since we carry them everywhere, and they're typically unsecured even with a password. Increasingly, too, you can use smartphone apps to tap into your bank account, your online social networking sites, and much more. If someone were to steal or use your smartphone, you could be paying the price for years to come.

So rule number one is to password-protect your smartphone. Virtually every smartphone comes with the ability to set a password so that, once the device goes into sleep mode or standby, a password is required to regain access to its functions.

Yes, setting a password means you'll have to enter it each time you want to use your phone. But not setting up a password could mean major headaches if your phone were to be stolen.

Passwords, though, can be broken, so you need to look beyond them and think carefully about the apps you install on your smartphone. Avoid installing any app that would give a user access to your Twitter, Facebook, or other social networking site.

Imagine the damage that could be done by a malicious user posing as you and posting offensive messages to your social networking accounts.

Also, do not set up any app that can access your bank or other financial accounts, and even be careful about your list of contacts, securing them if possible. Finally, but not necessarily last, if your smartphone is stolen, call your carrier and cancel all services and plans immediately so that the phone cannot be used.

-- DPA

Read more: How to secure your online image - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/personal-tech/computing/How-to-secure-your-online-image/articleshow/7341656.cms#ixzz1Bvnknmo0

Computer Graphics Lessons for Kids

Lessons and tutorials to help children get started creating computer art and animations.

In the beginning the Internet was nothing but text. Today, as you browse the web you notice many colorful graphics or images on most web pages, as well, on forum posts.

It is not that difficult to make your own graphics with the many graphics software programs available. Many are free and many come with online help, tutorials and tip pages. In the beginning it can be a bit tricky but mastering graphics making is something most kids can learn.

You also have the option to use online web clipart, including original graphics made by myself. Creating your own however gives you a uniqueness and originality.

These helpful steps will get you started making your own graphics.

Steps to Easy Graphic Making:

* The Basics: Getting Started
* Saving Images
* How I Create Graphics!
* Scanning Images
* Using Graphics on Web Pages
* Using Graphics in Forum Posts
* Copyright: It's the law
* Graphic Software Programs
* Graphic Tutorials for Kids

How to Learn Computer Graphics Online

When you want to learn something new, but don't want to go back to college and remind yourself painful memories, or simply because staying at home is easier, you've got to know where to look into the worldwide web. Computer graphics is a new popular and interesting domain. Whether you want to learn for the sake of passion, or to start your own freelancer carrier, you can always do it yourself with the help of Internet.

Instructions

Go to the Computer Graphics World website (See References) for a substantial amount of information on all things computer graphics. Learn about different areas under graphics by scanning the archives, videos, forums, blogs and gallery. There is a slew of instructional information on this site.


Register for a online class at the Computer-schools.info website (See References). Westwood College, Art Institute of Pittsburgh and Capella University are just a few of the online Graphic design schools. Taking an online class is a great way to learn about computer graphics because you have direct communication with accredited professors.


Go to the Society of Digital Artists website (See References). Create an account and begin to browse the contents of the site because everything is informative. Click on the forums link at the top of the page.

Begin to browse the threads for topics that spark your interest. Start a new thread of your own. This is a great way to learn because you are getting direct answers to your questions.

How to Make Computer Game Run Faster

PC games are more fun to play when they run smoothly and at full capacity. Sometimes, or even most times however, you may find that the game you installed tends to be choppy and below your graphical expectations. There are steps you can take as a remedy to this problem before you lose interest and stop playing the game altogether.

Materials Needed:
- PC
- higher capacity RAM and video card (optional)
- network connection (optional)

Step 1
Make sure that you meet the recommended system specification required by the developer. The rule is the more powerful the system is, the better the game will run. Most modern games are CPU-intensive. They take up a huge amount of resource from the Video Card and RAM. It would be wise to get the latest and best models when it comes to hardware. Investing in a better gaming rig would ensure that the graphics run smoother and look closer to what the developers have intended and will have audio effects that are more crisp and lifelike, thus providing a more satisfactory interactive experience.

Step 2
Disable unnecessary background tasks. More open programs mean more RAM is used. This could be otherwise used by the game program itself. It is highly recommended that when running a game, you should momentarily disable programs that could take up important system memory. These include antivirus programs, disk defragmenters, messenger services, browsers, etc.

Step 3
Make sure that the hardware drivers are properly installed and updated. Most modern games require that the computer system should have the latest hardware manufacturer drivers installed in order to attain the best gaming experience.

Step 4
Periodically de-fragment your hard drive. Most program loading times could be cut by several moments from just letting the system rearrange the cluttered files on the drive.

Step 5
If you feel that the graphics are slow or look nothing like what you expected it to be, consider tweaking your in-game graphics settings. Most modern games provide this option to the users. You should consider the balance between the quality of the rendered image and the speed of the action and adjust the settings to your desired preferences.

Step 6
If the graphics are still too slow, you may want to adjust the game to work on a lower rendered resolution. Higher-resolution gaming takes a lot more processing power from both the CPU and RAM, so gaming on lower resolution settings should ease the system's burden of producing a larger image and should speed up the motions in the game program.

Step 7
Make sure that your network connections are properly maintained. This is especially true for network gaming. Most delay and disconnections from gaming on a network can be attributed to faulty LAN wiring and poor service from Internet Service Providers.

How to Make Computer Animation

Animation is generally the result of implementing time-dependent behavior on objects that are part of a complex system. Using static background and drawings, it is composed of a series of images sequenced in such a way that it provides the perspective of seemingly following a predetermined path. Developed based on the concept of transforming 2D objects into the 3D plane, it makes use of a rendering machine that translates the user's instructions into a complicated set of events normally stored in a single file. The development in this computer application field has paved the way for advancements in filmmaking, gaming, and presentations among others.

Materials Needed:
- Applications with a rendering engine
- video card (supports 3D graphics rendering)
- RAM
- monitor

Step 1
The initial step to creating a computer animation is to conceptualize the story. This mental image creation process is important because it defines the flow of movement that will be observed by the objects in the animation. It will also define the starting, middle, and ending position of all objects concerned allowing the user to identify where the looping process begins.

Step 2
The background must then be introduced into the frame. In general, anything that does not require movement or is not defined as a character is considered as a background element. So if you are creating an animation of a butterfly moving from one flower to another under a cloudy sky, the flowers are part of the background. If the clouds are moving, then they are considered as characters just like the butterfly.

Step 3
Proceed by drawing every pose that you intend the characters to assume. Each pose must be made on a separate drawing or slide (in the case of Microsoft PowerPoint). The drawings must reflect the changes in the character’s appearance like a butterfly with closed wings, open wings, touching a flower, flying between the flowers, and so on. The number of drawings would depend on the number of poses the characters would assume. Like in the example, the butterfly may need four different drawings while the clouds may only need two.

Step 4
Make multiple copies of the background image based on the number of drawings required in the animation. Merge the initial pose of the characters with the background to create the initial frame. In the example, only two drawings of the clouds were made. Each drawing must have its own copy to correspond with the four drawings of the butterfly. In the same manner, there must be four copies of the background image.

Step 5
Save each frame with a different file name. To make sure that there is continuity and that the frame will flow seamlessly, copy the previous frame into the new frame deleting only the pose of the characters and replacing them with the new pose. This is time-saving especially when using applications like CorelDraw or even PowerPoint.

Step 6
Repeat Step 5 for all remaining frames until all the poses have been completed. Remember to save each frame with a different file name and take care not to overwrite previous frames.

Step 7
When all of these are finished, it is necessary to load animation packages with rendering engines like the GIF Construction set, Swish, Anim8or, Blender 3D, iMovie, or Windows Movie Maker among others. The user must load the frames in the order which they will be logically displayed. The delay in the display of the frames will dictate how fast or slow the movement will be in the final animated file.

Step 8
The completed file is usually saved in the GIF format. The output may also be passed through a compression package to minimize its size for use with websites or easier distribution.

How to Load a DLL

Dynamic Link Libraries or DLLs is a group of executable functions providing one or more specific functions for a wide range of Windows applications. They are small components of an entire program that gains access to various Windows functions either by producing a dynamic link or a static link to the DLL. A dynamic link is produced by the application as the need arises, while a static link remains the same while executing a program. DLL files are produced by software developers such as Microsoft. The files are usually created as a component of several software packages.

Materials Needed:
- Computer
- Internet connection

Step 1
Right-click the mouse and then copy the file name of the .dll file. Record on a piece of paper the information or if not, create a word document and then copy and paste the information on the document created. It is necessary to record the information in order to back up the document in the event that the computer shuts down.

Step 2
Open a browser to direct the user to a search engine or if not, visit the website DLL-files.com. Once a search engine has been accessed, search for entries and information regarding downloading .dll files. A number of websites particularly DLL-files.com have comprehensive list of .dll files that can be downloaded for free.

Step 3
Left-click on the first letter of the file found from the list of .dll files that begin with a similar letter. If the user has access to the file’s complete name, type the file name or copy and paste it on the search window.

Step 4
Click on the hyperlink with the file name in preparation of the loading of the file. To start the loading process and to allow the display of a new screen before the user, click on the prompt stating 'Click here to download the file'. Once the new screen appears, click the prompt saying 'Download (file name)'.

Step 5
Click the 'Open' button appearing within the Windows dialog box and follow the prompts provided for installation of the file into the computer system. Press 'Save' to save all the information installed on the computer hard drive. The user may choose the folder where the information may be saved before pressing the 'Save' box.

Step 6
In some instances, the user must perform a system reboot in order to properly register the new .dll file downloaded into the system. On systems using Windows XP and Windows Vista, the .dll file may be successfully installed by going to 'Start' then 'Run' and typing 'regsvr32 filename.dll' before finally clicking 'OK'.

How to Make Your Own Web Server

Before thinking of selling an unused computer lying around in the house, consider turning it to a personal dedicated Web server. It does not matter if the computer is not as powerful, for as long as it is fully functioning and it is not too outdated, it should still work fine as a Web server.

Materials Needed:
- 2 computers
- blank writable CD
- CD burner

Step 1
The first thing to do is to download an Operating System that works well and takes up minimum RAM and hard disk space. An Operating System to consider is Ubuntu. A lot of popular Web server providers and Web companies use this OS. It offers an OS specifically for computers to be used as Web servers. Other Operating Systems can be used as well. If Ubuntu is chosen, download the OS from its official website. Make sure to download the Server Edition.

Step 2
Burn the installation file to a blank CD.

Step 3
Put the installation CD into the disk drive. Turn on the computer. Boot from the CD by pressing the key instructed during the BIOS. The instruction should look something like this: 'Press (key) to change boot order'. Press the specified key to select the drive.

Step 4
Choose preferred language and hit enter.

Step 5
Click 'Install Ubuntu Server' and follow the on-screen instructions.

Step 6
When the system detects more hardware and the'Partition disks' prompt appears, select 'Guided – use entire disk'.

Step 7
Select the disk to partition. When asked if the changes are to be written on the disk, select 'Yes' and hit enter. The drive is then formatted and the partitions are set up.

Step 8
Give full name, hit continue, and supply a username.

Step 9
Provide a password. Choose a strong password. A strong password typically consists of at least 7 alphanumeric characters. Re-enter the password.

Step 10
The Package Manager is then configured. Provide with proxy information if necessary. If not using proxy, leave blank and hit continue.

Step 11
A prompt to install more server software appears. Select OpenSSH server and press the spacebar.

Step 12

After the installation has finished, remove the CD and press enter.

Step 13
After the installation has finished, remove the CD and press enter. The system should reboot.

Step 14
Install Apache, MYSQL, and PHP to the Web server. The Apache serves as a Web server. The MySQL serves as a database server, and PHP serves as a server-side language. To download the said applications, type in the command, 'sudo aptitude install apache2 php5-mysql libapache2-mod-php5 mysql-server' and press enter. This automatically downloads and installs the said programs.

How to Make HTML

The language Hypertext Markup Language or HTML uses text and a defined collection of commands to create Web pages. An HTML file uses tags in creating pages to be displayed on the World Wide Web. The tags you can use for making an HTML can take effect on the Web page in two ways. It may change the behavior of the text, such as bold and italic, or create commands to embed objects and items including links, images, audio files and videos visible on your page. You may use a specialized writing program or the simple notepad application in order to create HTML files.

Materials Needed:
- Computer
- Web browser
- Web page creator program

Step 1
You need to have a writing program in which you would input the codes and tags to start creating an HTML document. You need tags in order for the HTML to take its proper form within the Web page. Every tag works by pairs which resemble the function of a parenthesis. The beginning tag is denoted by the tag name enclosed by brackets.

Step 2
Let us assume you did it on notepad, the first thing you need to do is to start with the tag. This determines that the .txt file is convertible to an HTML document. You do not need to worry about the case of the characters for the tags. The closing part of this tag which is the should be found on the bottom most part of the HTML document.

Step 3
The HTML file is separated into two parts. The first section is the heading denoted by the tag. This contains the title of the HTML document which should be written using the

Step 4
The remaining section is the body of the HTML file enclosed by the tag. You may use different types of tags for the text sizes on the body of the HTML file. These tags that you may use within the body include headings, lists, paragraphs, linkers, and many more usable tags.

Step 5
The heading plays a major part on the overall appearance of the HTML to give emphasis to several parts. This is denoted bytags.

Step 6
When writing the contents of the paragraphs, you should include thetags. This enables you to properly format the paragraphing style of the HTML document.

Step 7
You may want to input other lively objects such as pictures and videos on your Web page. Use the phrase in which the picture.gif is the image that you want to input on your page.

Step 8
Links to other Web pages can be created using the anchor tag. This is denoted by the tag followed by the reference and the caption of the linked page.

Step 9
Make sure to save your created file as an HTML after you enter all the necessary information you want to display on your Web page.

How to Learn Basic Computer Skill

The computer is one of the most used technologies nowadays. It provides people with assistance regarding their day-to-day activities. It can be used to document, research, and publish different kinds of material.

Materials Needed:
- Computer
- keyboard
- mouse
- Windows OS
- Internet connection

Step 1
Locate the 'Power' button of the computer. It is normally placed in front of desktop computers, and on the edges of the keyboard on laptops. Turn on the computer.

Step 2
Familiarize yourself with the keyboard and the mouse, while the computer is turning on. The display/monitor will show the Windows Desktop soon.

Step 3
The Windows Desktop is the first display to be seen. This display is the main graphical interface used in operating the Windows Operating System. Familiarize yourself with the different icons. The main icons here are the 'Start' button and the 'My Documents', 'My Computer', and 'Recycle Bin' icons. Other icons seen here are the application shortcuts and system tray icons.

Step 4
The mouse controls the pointer seen on the display. The buttons on the mouse have different functions. The left mouse button is used to select a choice, while clicking the right mouse button shows a menu of items related to the application used. It can also be used to highlight text by holding down the left mouse button and selecting the text. Right clicking on the highlighted text will show a menu allowing the user to copy or cut the selected text.

Step 5
Selecting the 'My Documents' or 'My Computer' icon by double-clicking on it with the mouse will open the Windows Explorer window. This window allows the user to browse through the different areas on a computer. It can be used to view, copy, cut and paste files from a folder, drive or disk to another.

Step 6
Windows is normally bundled with Microsoft office, and Microsoft Office is a collection of applications used in creating, editing, and saving documents, tables and presentations. You can select an application through the use of the start button, and browsing through the programs installed on your computer. Most of these applications have help menus accessible through the program menu.

Step 7
One type of application found on the system is called the Web browser. Web browsers such as Internet Explorer, allow the user to browse, or surf various websites on the Internet. The user does this by entering a URL on the browser field, and allowing the browser to connect to the said Web address.

Step 8
For more lessons on using a computer, the user may use a search engine and browse for Basic Computer Tutorials.

How to Search on the Internet

The Internet is one of the quickest ways to get extensive data when searching for information. It can save you time and energy if used effectively. There are several ways of narrowing down searches and maximizing efficiency and they will be discussed in this article.

Materials Needed:
- A computer
- Internet connection
- Web browser

Step 1
Organize your thoughts and the particular information you need on a topic before beginning your search. Write down the scope and limitations of your topic.

Step 2
Open your Web browser and type 'Search Engine' in the search bar on the top part of your browser. This will lead you to several search engines like Google, Dogpile, Yahoo, etc. Choose one of them to begin your search.

Step 3
Each search engine may vary in the way they require the user to make their queries. It is therefore advisable that you first go to the 'Help' function in a search engine to find out what these are.

Step 4
Type your query on the search field of the search engine. Make your search as specific as possible by putting in all the important keywords. This will help narrow down your search. Most search engines do not consider articles or capitalizations so you do not have to worry about these.

Step 5
There are particular ways of typing your queries that may help in making your search more efficient. Most of the search engines share common rules but again, consider referring to the 'Help' function in a search engine to find out if there are variations.

Step 6
Entering a phrase within quotation marks 'car accessories' will find documents containing these words in the exact order in which you typed them.

Step 7
Entering AND in between phrases and in between quotation marks means that all key words in your phrases must be found in the documents before they are listed in the search engine results.

Step 8
Enter OR in between the phrases in quotation mark if you want results that will exhibit any of the key words in your query.

Step 9
Key in AND or NOT if you want to limit your search further. For example, typing 'car accessories' AND 'interior' NOT 'seat cover' will give you a list of documents containing interior car accessories but do not have seat covers in them.

Step 10
Press 'Enter' or the 'search' button beside the search field to begin producing the list of results.

Step 11
Most search engines display the title of the article or document and a few lines containing the key words that are part of your search. Sort through these and visit the websites that you feel will help you get the information you want and need.

How to Remove a Trojan Virus

A Trojan virus is a program designed to appear as a benign or harmless application but really has malicious functions. This computer threat can easily be downloaded without the knowledge of the user. It can also secretly install without getting user consent. You may unwittingly download a music or video file not knowing that the file contains a virus. It may also arrive in email messages and exploit vulnerabilities in the Web browser or Operating System.

Materials Needed:
- Anti-virus program
- computer mouse
- keyboard

Step 1
The first step that you should take to remove a Trojan virus is to get good anti-virus software. One example is AVG, a free anti-virus program that can easily detect and remove Trojans.

Step 2
Run a scan by clicking on the 'scan' button. Some anti-virus programs have options for a quick scan or a full scan. A full scan is usually scheduled once a week then you can just run a quick scan if you feel the need to check your PC for viruses.

Step 3
After scan completion, the anti-virus will look where the Trojan virus is hiding and what exactly the file name is. Some anti-virus programs like AVG will clean the virus on its own or place it in a 'virus vault'. This is where some viruses are placed in isolation keeping them from causing further damage on the computer.

Step 4
You can also try to look for the file yourself and the delete it. Just highlight the file name, hold the 'Shift' button down then press 'Delete'. This completely removes the file from the computer system and it would not even be found hiding in the recycle bin or any other location.

Step 5
You can also try this free online scanner called Trend Micro Housecall to scan and clean up Trojans. This is a Web-based anti-virus and cannot be corrupted or damage by any harmful program. You can let Housecall run a scan then after completion, it will present you with a list of harmful programs in the PC.

Step 6
You will have to look for the file manually and try to remove it yourself.

Step 7
Write down the malicious files that cannot be removed from the list. The list usually shows the specific location or folder of the Trojan.

Step 8
You can try to manually delete the harmful files though some Trojan viruses cannot be deleted in any way.

Step 9
You may attempt to format the hard drive to make sure all traces of the Trojan are gone. The method is drastic but it is the only way to prevent further damage and breach to security.

How to Record MP3 File

Recording audio files especially MP3 files is necessary for several activities that require data in audio format. The quality needed for each recording depends on the audio input device and the recording software. You can use high quality recording devices for best results. Low quality microphones are good enough for simple recording needs such as in audio blogging or podcasting. Higher quality and more complex recordings usually for musical performances require additional recording instruments such as electric guitars and USB mixers.

Materials Needed:

- Audio input device
- recording instruments
- computer
- audio recording software
- audio converter

Step 1

Install the recording software and audio converter. Prepare the materials for the recording such as the audio input device and the recording instruments. Make sure they are in the proper place to maximize the quality of the audio output.

Step 2

Launch the recording program and set it on standby mode. Necessary preparations should be set up properly in order to avoid unnecessary re-recording of the performance.

Step 3

Click the record button on the recording application when you are ready to record. This would initiate the recording procedure. Continue recording until the desired record length. Focus on the quality of the sound during the recording session. Avoid unnecessary noises that may interrupt the performance.

Step 4

Return to the recording software once you finish the performance. Cut the recording session by clicking on the stop button. Do not be too hasty on stopping the recorder. Just focus on the quality of the audio you are recording.

Step 5

You may notice some unnecessary recordings that you do not want to be included on the output audio. The next necessary step is to edit the recorded audio. The recording software has a feature that enables you to cut some parts of the output.

Step 6

Edit some of the unwanted parts by either lowering its volume or replacing it with another recording. The changes you apply on the audio can be reverted back to the original by using the Undo function.

Step 7

You can rehearse the output by pressing the Play button once you finish editing and removing unwanted parts of the audio. This is a good time to evaluate the quality of your recorded audio. You may create some necessary changes before the audio is saved into the MP3 format.

Step 8

Use the export to MP3 command of the audio recorder to save the audio file as an MP3 file. Some recorders do not have this option; thus, you need an audio converter to do so.

Step 9

Open the audio converter. Select the saved audio and place it on the audio converter. You do not need to specify the .mp3 file extension since it automatically converts the audio file to an MP3 file.

How to Reboot a Laptop

Laptops are computer systems considered as lightweight, portable, and virtual offices for people on the go. Just like their desktop counterparts, it is possible that these mobile machines may encounter problems with the installed programs or Operating Systems which may cause various errors including freezing of the system. For desktop computers, when a system freezes, the reset button is usually hit to prompt a reset. For laptops however, there is no reset button that will reboot the machine. In computing terms, there are two types of reboot methods, the soft reboot (software-based) which is more preferred because it allows for the complete termination of all running processes and the hard reboot (hardware-based).

Materials Needed:
- Laptop machine
- power cord
- battery
Step 1
To initiate a soft reboot, it is important to identify the type of Operating System installed. This is because every platform implements its own way of triggering a reboot process. To use a hard reboot, proceed to Step 7.

Step 2
For the Microsoft Windows Operating System, go to Step 3. Users of Linux Operating Systems should proceed to Step 4. Laptops running on the Mac OS platform should proceed to Step 5.

Step 3
Click on the 'Start' Menu, select the 'Turn off Computer' and click on the 'Restart' option. An alternative is to simultaneously press and hold the CTRL, ALT, and Del keys on the keyboard which bring up the Windows Task Manager window. Choose the 'Shutdown' Menu and click the 'Restart' option.

Step 4
For Linux systems, the reboot can be implemented from the graphical user interface or the command shell. Depending on the GUI used, the reboot option is normally placed in the Main Menu or the object bar at the side of the window. Under a command shell, simply type the text reboot or the shutdown –r to restart the machine.

Step 5
In Mac OS-based laptops, the easiest way to reboot the system is by clicking on the Apple Menu at the upper left corner and choosing the 'Restart' option. This normally displays a message box waiting for a user action prior to the reboot process. Pressing the 'Control' and 'Eject' key combination will also display the 'Restart' menu that will reboot the machine.

Step 6
Steps 3 to 6 are preferred because they prevent possible damage to the Operating System components. These processes may also take some time because all actively running processes will be closed correctly.

Step 7
In instances wherein an Operating System-based restart is impossible because the machine has frozen, a hard reboot is resorted to. Simply press and hold the power button of the laptop for about 10 seconds until the machine turns off. Wait for another 10 seconds before attempting to power up the system.

Step 8
When a soft or hard reboot process is not possible due to any reason, the last resort is to remove the power source of the laptop. This can be done by unplugging the laptop or removing its battery. Refer to the laptop’s documentation on how to remove the battery because this process differs depending on the brand.

How to Prevent a Computer Virus

A computer virus is one of the biggest enemies of a computer user, especially those users who use the Internet often. Prevention is always better than cure and knowing how to prevent a computer from obtaining virus may very likely save important files, documents, programs and applications from being infected and put to waste. Avid Internet users should all have basic knowledge as to how to prevent computer viruses from entering the system.

Materials Needed:

- Internet connection
- Security tools
- software

Step 1

If the computer is running on Windows Vista or Windows XP, then it should have a firewall installed into and activated on the system. To ensure that there is a firewall installed in it, go to Control Panel and click on the Security Center icon. If there is an installed firewall, make sure that the firewall is set on. You can click on Firewall settings on the bottom right of the Window to edit certain firewall preferences.

Step 2

Install security software to your system. There are a lot of security software applications available for download on the Internet. There are some free reliable anti-malware programs but there are also paid ones. Trust the more popular ones that have been in the market for a long time. Be careful in choosing security software as there are a lot of rogue security applications offered for free on the Internet. Check the software’s reliability and reputation before downloading.

Step 3

Make sure that the security software is set to 'automatically update its database'. New malware programs come out every day. This is why security programs need to be updated often. If a security program is not updated, its reliability is lessened for every day that it remains out-of-date.

Step 4

If the computer has a large memory and hard drive capacity, consider setting the computer to automatically download Operating System updates. These updates are provided by Microsoft. They contain patches to the Operating System’s programming errors and loopholes. These patches usually take up a lot of system memory and hard disk space. Go to the Control Panel and click the Security Center Icon. On the option below the Firewall, turn Automatic Updates on. You can click on Automatic Updates settings on the bottom right of the Window to tweak specific preferences.

Step 5

Finally, avoid downloading files and programs from questionable websites and emails. These files and programs may contain malware programs that may damage the system.

How to Password Protect USB Drive

Flash or USB drives are affordable, compact, and convenient devices which provide users with portability when backing up or transferring important information from one computer system to the next. In order to safeguard important and private information in case the flash drive is stolen or lost, users should protect their flash drives with a password. Although there are a number of removable drives with built-in password protection, there are others that do not automatically provide protection. There are several encryption and password applications that can be availed of for free and there are others that may be purchased.

Materials Needed:

- Flash drive
- computer
- encryption programs such as Cryptainer LE
- password

Step 1

The process of password protecting the USB drives involves the download and installation of a freeware application known as Cryptainer LE onto the user’s laptop or computer. Although there are a number of USB drives that allow users to set up passwords when using the flash drive for the first time, free encryption programs are available on the Internet. A password is then typed in by the user. This may be comprised of characters ranging from 8 up to 100.

Step 2

When entering the password, the user should make sure that the location and size of the file is defined so that the user may modify it each time he or she chooses to do so. The password is typed in when prompted by the application.

Step 3

Upon the completion of the installation of the Crytainer LE, install the Cryptainer Mobile. At the menu bar located at the topmost part of the screen, select 'Tools'. Choose Install Cryptainer Mobile and then follow the series of prompts that appear. The Cryptainer LE’s Mobile version comes bundled with the said application.

Step 4

The next step involves closing the Cryptainer LE encryption application on the computer. The user should then choose a location and a password for the application’s Mobile version. All the information in the USB drive should then be encrypted because encrypted data could be accessed only by a user who has the correct information to unlock it. Encryption provides protection to information in case someone else manages to get hold of the USB drive and figures out the password. In order to protect pertinent folders and files, place them inside the vault where the encrypted files are located.

Step 5

What should then follow is the installation of anti-virus software. A USB drive infected with malware could result in data loss, an inability to access files, or data hacked by remote intruders. The installation of anti-virus software helps maintain a virus-free flash drive.

Step 6

Lastly, users should make sure to delete bits of data that are no longer needed from the USB drive. Regular methods of deletion may not be able to remove all the remnants of the user’s information that is why it is advisable to download applications capable of performing several wipes for added security.

How to Open BIN and CUE files

BIN files are usually used together with CUE files to facilitate the running of CD and DVD images without the need for a CD or DVD or even a disk drive. A BIN file is a binary file that represents an entire disk image of a DVD or a CD disk. The BIN file possesses the data from the disk while the CUE file is the image that permits the reading of the disk. A BIN file usually requires a CUE file for it to be opened or burned. A CUE file on the other hand contains a series of instructions that can guide a user into burning the BIN image. In some instances, the CUE file may be absent or missing when the user attempts the downloading of a BIN file.

Materials Needed:

- CD/DVD Burning software
- CD-R/DVD-R Disks
- Image mounting software (Daemon Tools
- MagicISO
- Nero ImageDrive
- etc.)

Step 1

Ensure that a CUE file has been downloaded after downloading a BIN file. If the CUE file is missing, create a CUE file in order that the BIN image may be opened or burned.

Step 2

To create a CUE file, right click the mouse on a vacant space where the BIN file can be found. Click on 'New Text Document' and as soon as the document is opened, choose 'File' and then 'Save As'. When requested, the user must name the new document using a name similar to the BIN file but with a CUE extension like when the BIN file’s name is 'mygame.bin', the new document must bear the name 'mygame.cue'. Click on 'OK' once renaming has been done.

Step 3

In the new CUE file, type 'FILE'mygame.bin'BINARY' then press the 'Enter' key. Press the 'Enter' key upon typing 'TRACK 01 MODE1/2352'.Type 'INDEX 01 00:00:00' and close the document upon selecting the 'File' and 'Save' prompts.

Step 4

The user may now open any of the CD/DVD disk burning applications and browse toward the BIN file prior to burning it into a recordable DVD or CD disk. The opening and burning of the disk is usually made possible through image mounting software such as Daemon Tools, MagicISO, and Nero ImageDrive. Install any of these image mounting programs into the computer.

Step 5

Open the installed disk burning application in order that that the contents of the BIN file could be extracted.

Step 6

To load the image, look for the folder where both the CUE and BIN files are saved. Click on 'Extract' followed by 'OK' after browsing the BIN file to automatically save the contents of the image on the computer hard drive. Once saved, the image file can now be accessed just like an ordinary file.

How to Network Two Computers

Setting up a connection between two computers is easy. Computers can interface with each other, participate in multiplayer games or programs, work together on projects, and share files. Recent computer models may come equipped with network Ethernet cards or even a wireless network adapter. Computers with built-in wireless network support are most easily connected.

Materials Needed:

- Network Cards
- Wireless Network Adapter
- two CAT5 strait-trough Cables
- Networking Hub or Wireless Router

Step 1

Prepare the equipment to be used. It is preferred to use products of the same brand when choosing a hub or router and network cards or wireless network adapters.

Step 2

Determine whether the network cards or the wireless network adapters are plugged in or built-in. Point to the 'My Computer' icon and right-click. Select 'Properties'. Choose the 'Hardware' tab on the Properties window then click on the 'Device manager' button. Search for the network adapter and make sure that the device exists (denoted by a '+' inside a box) on both computers.

Step 3

Find the computer’s Ethernet sockets or ports. They are found externally and are normally located at the backside of the computer. The ports or sockets look like phone line sockets, only larger. Switch on the network hub.

Step 4

Plug in one end of the CAT5 cable into the first computer’s Ethernet socket and the other end of the cable into the network hub.

Step 5

Plug in one end of the CAT5 cable into the second computer’s Ethernet socket and the other end of the cable into the network hub.

Step 6

Connect two computers with a wireless router. Ensure that a wireless network adapter is visible on both computers’ Device Manager.

Step 7

Connect the router into a modem (if available) using a cable that accompanies the modem or wireless router.

Step 8

Configure the wireless router by using the accompanying User’s Manual. Each router brand and model may have different configuration steps. Connect the wireless router into a computer by borrowing a modem cable. Follow the configuration steps on the router manual. It is important to configure the following: the wireless network name or SSID, the wireless encryption (WEP) and/or Wi-Fi protected Access (WPA) and the administrative password used to configure network and router settings. Save the router, network settings, and unplug the cable from router to computer.

Step 9

Link up the two computers with the wireless router. Follow documentation instructions on connecting your computers. Most new computer models with built-in wireless network support will automatically access the wireless network. Some adapters may require the use of a CD installer in which the directions should be followed.

How to Make a Window XP Boot Disk

Essentially, boot disks are used to allow a user to start up the machine from the floppy drive instead of the hard drive usually either to fix operation-related issues or to initiate an installation process for loading older computer games designed for the MS-DOS platform. Boot diskettes are normally write-protected to prevent the accidental erasure of their contents as well as possible infection from malicious codes by preventing any future write operations to the storage media. Although the Microsoft installation disk for Windows XP is distributed as a bootable media, the use of Windows XP-based bootable disks may be used as a backup as well as the installation of the Operating System in machines without any CD or DVD drive. To date, the Microsoft Windows XP Operating System platform remains as one of the more dominant computer systems in the industry primarily due to its ease of set up, use, and deployment.

Materials Needed:

- Blank floppy disks
- floppy drive
- CD-ROM of Windows XP installer
- a working Windows XP-based PC
- Web browser
- Internet connection

Step 1

To create a Windows XP boot disk, it is first necessary to determine the current version of the Windows XP running in the host machine. This can be achieved by clicking on the 'Start' button and choosing the 'Run' option.

Step 2

In the new window, type the command 'winver' (omit the quotation marks) in the Open box and click on the 'OK' button. This will open the 'About Windows' screen with the complete Operating System version.

Step 3

Take note of the Windows XP version and click on the 'OK' button to close the 'About Windows' screen.

Step 4

Insert a disk in the floppy drive and use the format utility of Windows XP by clicking on the 'Start' button and choosing the 'Run' option. In the Open box, type the command 'format a:' and click on the 'OK' button.

Step 5

After completion of the format process, insert the Windows XP CD-ROM installer in the CD or DVD drive. Copy both the NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR files located in the folder i386 of the installer by clicking on the 'Start' button and selecting the 'Run' command. In the Open box, type the command '[Drive]:\i386' (where [Drive] corresponds to the CD or DVD drive letter) and click on the 'OK' button.

Step 6

Right click on the file 'NTLDR' and select Copy from the context menu. Click on the 'Start' button and select the 'Run' command. In the Open box, type 'a:' then click on the 'OK' button. From the Edit Menu, click the 'Paste' command. Repeat this process for the file NTDETECT.COM.

Step 7

Copy the file BOOT.INI from the host machine operating under the Windows XP platform or create a new version by clicking on the 'Start' button, selecting the 'Run' command, typing 'notepad' in the Open box, and clicking on the 'OK' button.

Step 8

In notepad, type the text [boot loader], timeout=30, Default= multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows, [operating systems], multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows='' in separate lines.

Step 9

Click on the 'File' Menu then choose the 'Save As' option. Make sure that the destination folder is set to 3 ½ floppy (A:) and the file name should have an INI extension. Click the 'Save' button to store the file in the boot disk.

Step 10

Click on the 'Start' button, select 'Turn Off Computer' and click on the 'Restart' option.

Step 11

During the boot up process, enter the BIOS settings menu by referencing your product manual. In the BIOS settings, make sure that the primary boot device is set to the floppy drive. Insert the boot disk in the floppy drive and save the BIOS settings.

Step 12

Upon restart of the machine, it should begin by booting from the floppy drive.

How to Make Internet Faster

Generally, computer users welcome the introduction of broadband Internet connection which does not only provide greater bandwidth compared to the older dial-up Internet connection technology but is also more stable with less instances of disconnection with the Internet Service Provider (ISP). However, what majority of computer users are not aware of is that they do not actually utilize the entire connection bandwidth they are paying for primarily because either the Operating System or the Web browser is limiting the connection speed that is being consumed. In many instances, computer users fail to utilize every bit that they pay for because the programs are still configured for hosting the older dial-up model which transmits data packets significantly slower. This guide assumes that the computer user is subscribed to a broadband connection and is using a machine with adequate configuration which will not cause any slowdown in accessing the Internet.

Materials Needed:

- Computer
- Web browser
- broadband Internet connection
- tweak tools
- Internet booster utilities

Step 1

Before boosting the speed of your Internet connection, it is first important to know where it stands at the moment. This can be done by going to different websites that provide free speed test utilities. Remember that the speed of the Internet connection will always vary each time it is tested. What is important is that the difference should not be significant and must be very close to the subscribed speed.

Step 2

Once the current speed is determined, you can proceed to optimize your Internet connection. Begin by clicking on the 'Start' button and selecting the 'Control Panel' option.

Step 3

Under the Control Panel window, choose the Internet Options category to open the Internet Properties screen. Click on the 'Connections' tab and select the 'LAN settings' button.

Step 4

Clear any check marks found in the boxes. Click on the 'OK' button twice and close the Control Panel window.

Step 5

Another option is to download tools or utilities that affect functions related to the Internet connection process. Look for utilities that can rebuild the Windows Sockets (Winsock), tweak the Receive Window (under Windows by default is set too low), and implement Web acceleration. Download and install these utilities to speed up the default Internet connection.

Step 6

Another way is to modify the Reserved Bandwidth implemented by the Microsoft Windows Operating System platform. Click on the 'Start' button and choose the 'Run' option
.

Step 7

Type gpedit.msc in the Open box and click on the 'OK: button. This will open the Group Policy window. Click on the 'Computer Configuration' category and select the 'Administrative Templates' option.

Step 8

Click on 'Network' and choose the 'QoS Packet Scheduler' category to edit the 'Limit Reservable Bandwidth' option. Click on the 'Enable' button and replace the default value with zero.

Step 9

Click the 'Apply' button and then the 'OK' button to implement the changes. This will result in faster loading of Web pages.

Step 10

Modifying some values associated with the Internet Explorer browser will also speed up the connection process. To implement this, click on the 'Start' button, select Run, type in regedit in the Open box, and click on the 'OK' button.

Step 11

In the Registry Editor window, select the 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER' category and expand the 'Software' sub-category. Click on the Microsoft folder, choose Windows, select Current Version, and finally Internet Settings.

Step 12

Modify the values associated with the MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server and MaxConnectionsPerServer keys to a higher value like 10. This will allow for more available connections for every page visited.

Step 13

Closer the Registry Editor window and launch Internet Explorer. Browse websites to see the increased speed in displaying Web pages.

Step 14

For users of the Mozilla Firefox Web browser, the Internet connection can be boosted by typing about:config in the address bar to open the configuration settings.