File Compare Tools To Servive

If you've ever been working with files in your software program and suddenly realized the data changed in a way you hadn't planned, it is often due to an error in data entry, coding or even programming files. In the past, in order to find out where the difference, error or change had occurred, you would need to do a line by line, or sometimes word by word comparison of before and after files in order to correct the problem.

This process can be very time-consuming, especially where there are lines of programming code which must be reviewed individually or pages of mathematical formulas which must be checked.

Another tedious and time consuming task is maintaining mail or email lists. If you have marketing lists from two or more different sources and there are similarities but not exact agreement, in the past a manual review name by name to look for duplicates was the commonest way to clean up a mailing list.

If someone made changes to a document without recording the changes, the clean up could take days, depending upon the length of the original document. Looking for difference both in terms of additions and deletions is a tedious task which requires a great deal of concentration if done manually.

By using a file compare tool, all of these onerous manual comparisons can be done quickly and easily by the software program. Some of the software is shareware, others are attached to specific software programs such as Excel, and still others are purchased software suitable for comparison of specific types of files.

Because comparison is often accompanied by merging tasks or editing tasks, a good file compare tool that combines all three potential corrections is very beneficial to anyone working with data.

Even the most organized computer user will eventually find themselves in a situation where there are duplicate files of different dates on the computer. There can be extremely unwelcome results when editing or additions are done to an older file. A file compare tool which identifies duplicate files and allows you to clean up and remove unwanted duplicates is just one of the types of file compare tools that are available.

Some software programs such as Excel for example, have compare features built right into the programming. Using this software allows you to compare two Excel spreadsheets, ranges of cells, or Excel files and places the results on a third spreadsheet with identification of added material, deleted materials and changed data.

Another file compare tool is SwiftCompare. It's not limited just to one product such as Excel Compare. With SwiftCompare and other like it, you can manage source code, verify data, keep folders in sync, restore corrupt data and more.

Many shareware applications have been written and made available to make it easy to check programming in binary code as well as in plain English. A file compare tool used with a word processing program is great for determining where words have been changed, added, or deleted in a product in transition.

Source : www.readbud.com

File Compare Tools To Servive

If you've ever been working with files in your software program and suddenly realized the data changed in a way you hadn't planned, it is often due to an error in data entry, coding or even programming files. In the past, in order to find out where the difference, error or change had occurred, you would need to do a line by line, or sometimes word by word comparison of before and after files in order to correct the problem.

This process can be very time-consuming, especially where there are lines of programming code which must be reviewed individually or pages of mathematical formulas which must be checked.

Another tedious and time consuming task is maintaining mail or email lists. If you have marketing lists from two or more different sources and there are similarities but not exact agreement, in the past a manual review name by name to look for duplicates was the commonest way to clean up a mailing list.

If someone made changes to a document without recording the changes, the clean up could take days, depending upon the length of the original document. Looking for difference both in terms of additions and deletions is a tedious task which requires a great deal of concentration if done manually.

By using a file compare tool, all of these onerous manual comparisons can be done quickly and easily by the software program. Some of the software is shareware, others are attached to specific software programs such as Excel, and still others are purchased software suitable for comparison of specific types of files.

Because comparison is often accompanied by merging tasks or editing tasks, a good file compare tool that combines all three potential corrections is very beneficial to anyone working with data.

Even the most organized computer user will eventually find themselves in a situation where there are duplicate files of different dates on the computer. There can be extremely unwelcome results when editing or additions are done to an older file. A file compare tool which identifies duplicate files and allows you to clean up and remove unwanted duplicates is just one of the types of file compare tools that are available.

Some software programs such as Excel for example, have compare features built right into the programming. Using this software allows you to compare two Excel spreadsheets, ranges of cells, or Excel files and places the results on a third spreadsheet with identification of added material, deleted materials and changed data.

Another file compare tool is SwiftCompare. It's not limited just to one product such as Excel Compare. With SwiftCompare and other like it, you can manage source code, verify data, keep folders in sync, restore corrupt data and more.

Many shareware applications have been written and made available to make it easy to check programming in binary code as well as in plain English. A file compare tool used with a word processing program is great for determining where words have been changed, added, or deleted in a product in transition.

Source : www.readbud.com

Fiber Optics In The Real World

Optic fibers are used widely in the medical field for diagnosing and treating a variety of ailments. Because optic fibers can be made extremely thin and made into flexible strands, they can be used for insertion into blood vessels, lungs and other parts of the body. Optic fibers have been enabling physicians to look and work inside the body through tiny incisions with an instrument called an Endoscope. An Endoscope is a medical instrument made to carry two bundles of optic fibers inside one long tube. One bundle of optic fiber directs light at the tissue being examined, while the other bundle of optic fiber transmits light reflected from the tissue, producing a detailed image. Endoscopes may be designed to look into specific areas of the human body. For example, physicians can use the optic fibers in the Endoscope to examine knees, shoulders and other joints in the body.

Arthroscopy (pronounced ahr-THROS-kuh-pee) is a technique of using another medical instrument called the Arthroscope. This instrument is straight and cylinder-like with a series of lenses and optic fiber bundles that come in sizes of 1/12 to 1/5 inch (2 to 5 millimeters.) The Arthroscope is used to examine a joint in a body, such as knee joints, ankles, elbows, hips and shoulders. This is done by the Arthroscope being inserted into a joint of the body through a small incision. A light is then transmitted by the use of the optic fibers to the tip of the Arthroscope to illuminate the joint. The use of optic fiber through the Arthroscope enables a physician to thoroughly examine a joint for diagnosis or treatment.

Optic fibers used in the Arthroscope can be used to measure temperature and other bodily
attributes as well as being used in performing surgical procedures. The problem most commonly treated by Arthroscopy is torn cartilage in the knee. This is when a small incision is made at the joint for use of the optic fiber in the Arthroscope and then a second incision is made for the use of other surgical instruments to remove the cartilage. The primary advantage of using optic fibers through Arthroscopic surgery is that the operation can be performed through a small incision, resulting in the patient experiencing the least amount of discomfort and a healing time that is much shorter, when compared to the other methods of surgery.

Aside from the uses of the Endoscopes and the Arthroscopes, another widely used function of optic fibers in the medical field is the ability for the optical fibers to be inserted into blood vessels to give a quick and accurate analysis of blood chemistry. Physicians have also found medical use of the optical fibers to direct intense laser light at a wound to stop bleeding or to burn away abnormal tissue. Fiber optic training is necessary in the field of medicine. The use of optic fiber through medical science continues to grow rapidly to everyday to develop more new and advanced medical devices to enable physicians to provide people with better service.

Source : www.readbud.com

Blu-Ray set to take the world by storm!

The Blu-ray Disc belongs to a new generation of optical discs capable of staging high density data. Blu-Ray technology is based on a blue-violet coloured laser. The blue laser operates at a wave length of 405 nm, while older technology such as DVDs and CDs are based on red and infrared lasers that works at 650 and 780 nm. Since the wave length is shorter with a blue laser, the new Blu-ray technology makes is possible to store much more information

The advantage with the Blu-ray technology is that the laser beam can be focused much more tightly at the surface of the disc. Tight focus means that a smaller spot will be produced on the surface on the disc, and when the spots become smaller there will naturally be room for more information on each disc. The minimum spot size of any laser depends on a naturally accruing phenomenon called diffraction. The narrow beam of light sent out from a laser will always diverge into a wider beam eventually, due to the natural diffraction of waves. Diffraction will also occur the waves meet an obstruction. By reducing the wavelength of a laser, we can affect the diffraction.

In Blu-ray technology, the diffractions is also affected by the fact that the lens used to focus the light has a higher numerical aperture than the lenses found in ordinary DVDs - 0.85 instead of 0.6. Blu-ray technology based appliances are also equipped with a dual-lens system of supreme quality, and the cover layer has been made thinner in order to prevent unwanted optical effects. All this makes it possible for a Blu-ray laser to focus on much smaller spots. The optical improvements are accompanied with a new method for encoding data which makes it possible to store even more data on the Blu-ray disc.

The standard for Blu-ray technology has been developed as a joint venture between several major manufacturers of PCs and consumer electronics, including Sony and Philips. The group is called the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA). The first Blu-ray recorder was launched in Japan in 2003, by Sony. Today, Samsung, JVC, Matsushita (Panasonic) and LG Electronics are all examples of companies using Blu-ray technology in their products. Hewlett Packard has announced that they will release desktop PCs equipped with Blu-ray technology in late 2005.

The main competitor for the Blu-ray technology is the HD DVD format which is also capable of storing more information than a normal DVD. The Blu-ray technology does however allow for more information per layer than the HD DVD format – 25 GB compared to 15 GB. The Blu-ray technology will on the other hand most likely be more expensive to support, at least initially, which can make the HD DVD a tempting alternative. In a Blu-ray disc, the data is stored extremely close to the surface. This made the first Blu-ray discs extremely vulnerable to scratching and many users preferred the tougher HD DVD discs. Since 2004, all Blu-ray discs are coated with a clear polymer called "Durabis" which makes them much more durable. According to the developers of Durabis, the TDK Corporation, a coated Blu-ray disc will work even after being attacked with a screwdriver.

Source : www.readbud.com

Networking Is More Than Just Handing Out Business Cards

At a Chamber of Commerce Business Card Exchange several years ago a well-dress woman walked up to me, business card in hand and, in perfect form held it in both hands in front of me, gesturing for me to take it. I took the card from her and smiled. She looked up and in a polite voice, said "Thank you," and walked away. How sad. Here was this obviously well-intentioned woman, who most likely owned an interesting business but never learned what to do at a card exchange. Somewhere she bought into the idea that you were suppose to hand out as many business cards in as little time as possible. Clearly, this does nothing but waste business cards. Great for card businesses, not so great for yours.

The other extreme is the person who spends the entire time at a card exchange talking to the same individual, sometimes even people from their own company. Again, this is quite unproductive. The purpose of a business card exchange is to get to meet new people in a pleasant atmosphere.

While there are many good books to help you hone your networking skills including, Sue Roane's How to Work a Room, the essence of networking is quite simple.

Businesses run on relationships. I've always felt that everything that we do is about personal relationships and a business just gives us a playing field on which to do it.

Following that theme, growing your business is about developing and nurturing relationships and card exchanges and similar networking events are really the starting point to begin what will hopefully become a mutually rewarding relationship.

Since your time is limited, it is a good idea to spend only a short time speaking with people, especially those you already know. If you feel a resonance with someone you're talking with, make arrangements to follow-up your connection at a later date and move on to meet someone else. I'm sure the shy looking person in the corner, who is probably there for the very first time, has something interesting to say. Why not go over and extend your hand.

The other big faux paus I see over and over again, are the people who approach the networking meeting with a "me, me, me" attitude. A better approach is to learn about the other person first. You then have the option of explaining how what you do might be of interest to them. This establishes a stronger platform for communications, for as speaking legend Zig Zigler says, "You get what you want by helping other people get what they want.

Care about the other person

There are better ways to network and meet prospective business contacts. For openers, (no pun intended) people are more responsive if you first show some interest in them and what they do. There is an old cliché that says we have one mouth and two ears for a reason. If you listen more than you talk, you will automatically find people more interested in talking with you and being around you.

Marketing guru, Jay Abraham, once said that "Discovery is the fuel of competitive advantage." Get curious. Become interested in other people and what makes them tick. Really care about the other person. If you take the time to investigate, you will find that even those people who appear quite ordinary have a story to tell. If you show an interest in them and their lives, you will not only increase your chances of doing business with them but you may gain a friend as well.

How do you do that?

When you do introduce yourself, do so in a way that states the benefit of doing business with you. Saying "Hi, my name is Mary and I sell insurance" is not very exciting. However, if you were to say, "My name is Mary and I help people prepare for the uncertainty that may be in their future." This causes the other person, if they are at all curious, to ask, "How do you do that?" At this point, you have opened the door for a further explanation or "commercial" for your business. You can go on to explain the benefits of your products and services.

As an exercise, devise three or four ways to introduce your business. Let each one focus on a different benefit of your product or service. Test each of them at your next networking event.

Remember: people do not buy products or services, they buy benefits and solutions.
The more you focus on communicating the benefits gained from using your products or services, the more you will benefit from the increase in business.

With prospecting new business becoming more and more difficult, a personal relationship is even more important and the Chamber of Commerce Card Exchange offers the perfect playground for you do it, besides the food is usually pretty good too.

Source : www.readbud.com

Rules In SEO

If you want to build a successful business on the Internet, you can spend as much money as you can afford on a Google AdWords campaign and other forms of advertising. However, it has been proven in the Search Engine Marketing industry that at least 40% of the time, your clients will find you through Google and other search engines.

This fact alone makes it very important for any serious Internet business owner to learn the basics of Search Engine Optimization. If you can't do it yourself, at least you can't be left in the dark on the methodologies if you decide to hire an SEO specialist.

And just what are these SEO basics?

Website Design and Navigation

These are the most important aspects of SEO. A website that succeeds with both search engines and website visitors are those that are easily navigated and are designed in simple HTML. When these two elements are combined, they make up for a good visitor experience and easy crawling by the search engine spiders.

Some of the things to avoid in website design are dynamic page and URLs, frames, flash elements, Java script, and image maps for web page interlinking or sitemap generation.

Keyword research

SEO is based on the premise that an unknown number of Internet users are searching for a host of things on Google by typing in search terms called keywords. If you want to know the popular keywords that is appropriate to the business your website represents, research exhaustively on keywords.

In deciding what keywords to use, there is one rule: "the more specific the better". If you own a dating site, for example, "true love" or "soul mate" might be too broad. Run the keywords on Overture and Wordtracker. You might find keywords that are more appropriate to your site like "True love for marriage", perhaps?

Keyword Density and Relevance

Search engines, specifically Google, determine what websites go to the top of your search based on relevance. This is determined in part by keyword density, or how many instances a keyword appears in the web page's content.

Write your content according to density. Do not spam, though. Aside from sounding gibberish, spam content also gets flagged by search engines and websites containing them are removed from the index.

Relevance and Inbound Links

Search engines also consider inbound links to your site (specifically, their number and quality) to determine your website's relevance to a keyword.

Make time to find the sites related to your website. Also make sure that the hyperlink to your site found on the other website has your keywords in them.

Don't scoop and link though. Google once penalized websites that linked with 200 to 300 other sites per month.

An Opportunity On Each Page

On each page on your website there is actually an opportunity for you to rank for a different keyword each time. Notice how two different pages by the same website are generated for the same keyword. Go ahead and assign different keywords to each. Write and optimize accordingly.

Source : www.readbud.com

Selecting the Right Laptops

Everyone wants the best for their money spent and a laptop purchase is not an exception. Laptops are very useful to people, as everyone is inclined towards leading a comfortable life. Hence, many prefer a laptop to a desktop computer due to the fact that laptops are easily portable and mobile. It makes the work faster and easier. The benefits got from the laptops are not restricted to businessmen, but can be availed by mothers working from home, research scholars, ordinary employees and students.

Selecting the right kind of laptop is a daunting task as there are so many options available these days. As laptops are costly, it can be disastrous if they are bought without any thought of how they will be used. This calls for the need to research a little bit before buying a laptop.

Valuable information regarding the selection of laptops can be got from the following sources:

Search engines provide all the information regarding laptops, available brands, costs, features and their advantages within a few seconds. They provide information regarding the websites that sell good laptops all over the world.

Forums too provide valuable information if proper thread is followed. There are many people who write lot of informative articles and advice that may be really helpful while selecting a laptop.

Reviews are written by those who have used a product. Such reviews provide an insight on the product and its selection. Mistakes can be avoided if right decision is made by learning from their experience.

Many websites provide description of products, technical details, accessories that can be used along with the product etc. Knowledge is power. Understanding about the product will help in the right selection.

A laptop buying guide can be of great use. Such guides are available free of cost on the Internet or even got for a smaller fee. Since the purchase of laptops involves investing a considerable amount of hard earned money, it is better to got through a laptop guide. These guides help in assisting the customer in selecting the best laptop for him. It contains all the information that is updated at regular intervals making the customer accessible to the latest information and trends in the field of laptops.

Even though there are huge varieties of laptops available, the selection of the laptop by the purchaser should match the need rather than buying through an impulse. Variations may be seen in the laptops depending on the processor speed and other additional features. The purchaser can however increase the memory capacity and other parts of the laptops according to his needs. The expectancy of the internal parts of the laptops may be limited, but if it is got from a reputed manufacturer or if the laptop is of a credible brand, the purchaser can be sure of the quality of the internal parts. The memory capacity requirement of the laptop depends on the operating system used on it. While selecting a laptop some of the essential built in additions needs to be checked are the USB ports, Network port, DVD burner, modem port, Bluetooth and Wireless feature.

Source : www.readbud.com

Data Recovery and Your Computer

Have you ever wondered if what you know about data recovery is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on data recovery.

Sooner or later your company could become the victim of a natural disaster, or something much more common like a lightning storm or downed power lines.

Just because your company may be a small business doesn't mean it's immune to data disasters. If a small business does not have a good and tested disaster recovery plan in place when disaster hits they may never fully recuperate and it may even cause them to go out of business. Sometimes even a data recovery service is unable to be of any help.

Following are some questions that should be answered in order to give you some idea of what you need to do to that will help you if you do have a data disaster situation.

Do you know where your company's most important data files are located?

Are these files being backed up and by what means?

How often do you run these data backups and are they verified and tested?

Do you have automated controls that correctly and on a consistent basis do the backups?

Do your data backup tapes go off-site and how often?

Do you have some kind of security against tampering or theft of your data backups?

Do you keep your servers, routers, hubs, and phone system controllers in locked areas to keep them more secure?

Does just anyone have access to your servers and your other technology assets or do you limit access to at least two, but no more than four people?

Do you run a locally securable operating system, such as Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, Microsoft Windows XP, or Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4,on the company's desktop PCs and notebooks?

Do you have any confidential data stored locally on any desktop PCs or notebooks? Are any of these systems running an inherently in-secure operating system, such as Microsoft Windows 9x or Microsoft Windows Me?

Do you prevent unauthorized boot-ups or tampering with BIOS configuration settings by using power-on passwords?

On your desktop PCs and notebooks, how are main updates, service packs and releases kept current?

The bottom line is that you can't plan when a data disaster may strike but taking a few steps beforehand may help with your company's survival in the days and weeks following a disaster

Source : www.readbud.com

Windows Registry - Problem Solving

With so many computer users online in the current day and age, it is inevitable that PC problems will be encountered by mostof them from time to time.

A lot of these problems are easily avoided, but that's easy to say for someone with technical knowledge and experience, and not so easy for a huge number of users who just want their machines to run as reliably and hassle free as possible.

A great number of people do not even know where to begin when it comes to keeping their PC running as sweetly as the day it was first plugged in, and over a period of time they start to notice the length of time it takes to boot up in the mornings, and that it seems reluctant to carry out tasks that once upon a time it simply sailed through. By the time they start to notice this degradation in performance, the workings of their machine have beome horribly clogged with internet and software "garbage" that the machine has been accumulating every day for months on end.

There are a variety of reasons for this, but this article aims to deal with just one of them - the Windows Registry - so long an area excluded to all but the techno geeks among us, with dire warnings of the dangers of editing your registry!

This was fair, because an inexperienced user running rampant with their delete key in the registry minefield would certainly spell danger for the unfortunate copy of Windows on their machine. Nowadays, things have become a lot easier....

It is quite simple now for people to look after their Windows Registry and this is fortunate indeed, because with high speed internet connections allowing people to download and install a whole host of applications and files, it does not take long for the registry to become horribly clogged with extraneous bits and pieces, all of which will slowly but surely degrade performance of your operating system.

If you don't like the idea of delving around and trying to understand the workings of this mysterious area of Windows, there are plenty of affordable software solutions on the market today - see the foot of this article for a couple of suggestions. Many will offer free trial periods, and will demonstrate in an easy to understand format, just how bad things have become! If you haven't checked your registry in a while, or maybe even never, you should serioulsy consider doing so. You will probably be very happy with the results of a thorough clean up, all at the push of a button and without risking the ruination of your valuable Windows operating system.

Just like anti virus, anti spyware/adware programs, a good registry leaner should be high on your shopping list. When I've shown people the results of a registry scan after just one week of internet use, they are extremely surprised by the large number of conflicts thrown up - often into the hundreds!

In conclusion, keep your registry clean, and if your other system maintenance tasks are kept up to date, you and your PC will be far happier in your partnership for a long time to come.

Source : www.readbud.com

Crime Fighting Computer Systems and Databases

As crime globalizes, so does crime fighting. Mobsters, serial killers, and terrorists cross state lines and borders effortlessly, making use of the latest advances in mass media, public transportation, telecommunications, and computer networks. The police - there are 16,000 law enforcement agencies in the Unites States alone - is never very far behind.

Quotes from the official Web pages of some of these databases:

National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC)

Its mission is to combine investigative and operational support functions, research, and training in order to provide assistance, without charge, to federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies investigating unusual or repetitive violent crimes. The NCAVC also provides support through expertise and consultation in non-violent matters such as national security, corruption, and white-collar crime investigations.

It comprises the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), Child Abduction and Serial Murder Investigative Resources Center (CASMIRC), and Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP).

VICAP is a nationwide data information center designed to collect, collate, and analyze crimes of violence - specifically murder. It collates and analyzes the significant characteristics of all murders, and other violent offenses.

Homicide Investigation Tracking System (HITS)

A program within the Washington state's Attorney General's Office that tracks and investigates homicides and rapes.

Violent Crime Linkage System (ViCLAS)

Canada-wide computer system that assists specially trained investigators to identify serial crimes and criminals by focusing on the linkages that exist among crimes by the same offender. This system was developed by the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) in the early 1990s.

UTAP, stands for The Utah Criminal Tracking and Analysis Project

Gathers experts from forensic science, crime scene analysis, psychiatry and other fields to screen unsolved cases for local law enforcement agencies.

International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) - Interpol's DNA Gateway

Provides for the transfer of profile data between two or more countries and for the comparison of profiles that conform to Interpol standards in a centralized database. Investigators can access the database via their Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) using Interpol's secure global police communications system, I-24/7.

Interpol's I-24/7

Global communication system to connect its member countries and provide them with user-friendly access to police information. Using this system, Interpol National Central Bureaus (NCBs) can search and cross-check data in a matter of seconds, with direct and immediate access to databases containing critical information (ASF Nominal database of international criminals, electronic notices, stolen motor vehicles, stolen/lost/counterfeit travel and ID documents, stolen works of art, payment cards, fingerprints and photographs, a terrorism watch list, a DNA database, disaster victim identification, international weapons tracking and trafficking in human beings-related information, etc).

Interpol Fingerprints

Provides information on the development and implementation of fingerprinting systems for the general public and international law enforcement entities.

Europol (European Union's criminal intelligence agency) Computer System (TECS)

Member States can directly input data into the information system in compliance with their national procedures, and Europol can directly input data supplied by non EU Member States and third bodies. Also provides analyses and indexing services.

Source : www.readbud.com

IT Networks: How to Argue for a Bigger Budget

IT network managers have to fight the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mindset to win resources. With computer networks, that mindset is dangerously complacent. IT networks will keep pumping data until they die or let in hackers. Here are some winning arguments against "if it ain't broke…"

IT Network Maintenance: Better Analogies

Don't let your IT network's budget get lumped with IT in general--or worse, operations in general. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" sometimes makes sense in IT or operations. Upgrading workstations or desks can cost productivity, making it self-defeating.

You have to stress that IT networks are different from workstations or desks.

IT networks are harder to repair.

IT networks cannot be done without until fixed. You depend on them for email, web, file transfers, and in some organizations, printing, fax and telephone. If your network breaks you may be forced to rely on hand-written letters.

IT network improvements rarely lower productivity on the front line. Instead, a faster, more reliable network can improve front-line productivity.

Here are the analogies you should stress to counter "if it ain't broke":

Plumbing: IT networks will appear to function until they burst. The damage will be more expensive than maintenance ever could have been. In the meantime, you are losing productivity to all the little "leaks."

Dams: If a poorly maintained IT network bursts, the eventual flood will harm overall productivity.

War: There is no such thing as "good enough" when you are in competition. With an IT network, you're in a quiet arms race with hackers. You are also competing with your business competitors in terms of productivity.

Health: Your IT network has to be in top physical condition. You can't make up for bad habits with a week or two of "rejuvenation." Meanwhile, your day-to-day performance will suffer.

Cars: Don't wait for your IT network to conk out. Get a regular tune-up of up-to-date equipment.

IT Network Maintenance: What Can Go Wrong

Now, let's drive the point home. Here are some concrete, easy-to-explain reasons to keep your network up-to-date:

Power supplies. Without redundant backups, your network is vulnerable to a shutdown. The lost productivity will make extra equipment seem inexpensive in comparison.

Integrity. Faulty or contradictory data can break older networks. Newer equipment has solved these problems. Again, the potential cost of lost productivity makes newer equipment a good value.

Firewalls. Hackers can leak trade secrets stolen from unprotected networks. Firewall software upgrades are relatively inexpensive.

VOIP. Organizations worldwide are switching to VOIP--not just outside-line telephones but also switchboard and teleconferencing. If your network is out-of-date, it may fail when you eventually try this new technology.

Speed. Older platforms such as 10BASET will throttle your bandwidth. You can now upgrade to a Terabit or more. Just think of the seconds, minutes, hours, and days lost as staff wait for email to arrive and web pages to load.

Final tip: show how cost-effective IT network maintenance really is. Get a firm cost estimate from a vendor. Just make sure your cost estimate is as competitive as it can be. You can often get new equipment at half the cost of retail by buying refurbished equipment.

Close your case for a better network with this wisdom: no matter what you pay, keeping your network up-to-date is cheaper than the consequences of letting it fall into disrepair

Source : www.readbud.com

Choosing A Good Domain Name

With over 50 million registered domain names, it's tough to find a good done that's still available. Unfortunately the domain name industry is full of opportunistic "traders" who buy and sell domain names without any intention of even using it themselves. Because of this, the majority of the registered domain names don't even have a website to go with it!

This can be quite frustrating as you seek out a domain name for yourself to build a website for. But at the end of the day in a first-come first-served world, we must try and find another way to find that great domain name.

There are several tools that can be very handy when it comes to looking for a domain name. I discuss these tools in another article. Here we will discuss what makes a good domain name.

To brand or not to brand?

Brading is a key element in traditional "offline" marketing. Having a unique, catchy name does wonders for any business. However when it comes to an online presence, you might just be better off with a domain name that is rich in keywords.

Search engines primarily work on keywords as you may know. You enter a search term or "keywords" and the search engine produces results based on their formulas and the websites they believe to be the best fit for your search.

Now, there are many Search Engine Optimisation techniques that can be used by anyone on any site. The same techniques could be applied to a lot of sites, so my question is what could possibly be the 1 thing that is unique and could separate one site from the other? Of course, domain names!

I prefer to have keywords in the domain names that I own because this is what could give me the edge over competitors. Of course it's not so important if your website is a personal one and you are not looking to make any money from it. But if you are selling something or wanting to make money off your website, I would strongly recommend using keywords in your domain names. Just to prove it, go to Google.com and search for "domain name". You will see in the results that any occurrence of the words "domain" or "name" is actually in bold. So Google is definitely looking out for your search terms and highlighting them for you.

On the other hand, branding is still a strong concept online as well. If you find that catchy name (such as....hmmm Google?) and market it well, then you could be well on your way to word-of-mouth fame in no time!

If your business name is available, register it. You can always register keyword rich domain names to draw the traffic, and redirect them to your business name domain.

Hyphens or no hyphens?

Another common topic of discussion is whether to use hyphens in your domain names. I own mixtures of both hyphenated and non-hyphenated names. There is nothing wrong with hyphens. In fact, for search engines you are helping them by separating words that could be read differently. Here is one example: mikesmithstables.com

This domain could belong to a horse trainer "Mike Smith", as a website for his racing stables, or it could also be read as "Mike Smith's Tables". So there is definitely nothing wrong with hyphenation, as it would actually help to distinguish where the words end in the above example. The only small problem you will run into is word of mouth advertising where people will have to call out the hyphens. But believe me, you want all your traffic to come from search engines because it's free and the volumes are enormous.

What about using abbreviations?

If your preferred name was something like flowerstoyou.com but it was taken, but you see flowers2you.com is available, should you take it? There are several common abbreviations or variations of certain words that are almost commonly accepted, particularly in cyberspace. Thanks also SMS messaging, we are no used to the use of "2″ instead of "to", "4″ instead of "for" etc. Whether you choose to use such variations in your domain name is totally up 2 u (ok I was trying to be funny..).

Don't forget however that word of mouth advertising will always require the person making the recommendation to remind people of the substitute.

Source : www.readbud.com

How to learn to gamble in an online casino

Gambling in an online casino can require more and better skills then when you are playing in a land based casino. This is why it is very important to pick the online casinos that are best for you. Here I have written some helpful ideas on how to find the online casino that is right for you.

Gambling in an online casino is not exactly the same as playing in a regular casino. Yes the rules are the same but the way you play may be slightly different.

One of the major differences between gambling in an online casino and a regular land based casino is the fact that you can't look into the eyes of another player. Let's say you are playing poker and you suspect the other player may be bluffing you can look at them to try to get a read on them to see if they have a tell, but in an online casino you have to be sharper then that.

In an online casino or online poker room you need to be good enough to know from the way the other players at the table are playing if they are bluffing or not, as opposed to at a regular casino or poker room where you can look into their eyes and try to get a read on them.

Other then poker most of the games are almost exactly the same as in a land based casino. If you are new to gambling online you may want to check out some online casino review sites. These sites not only offer reviews from independent reviewers, but you can also find reviews from regular everyday players like yourself and read about their experience both good and bad and make up your own mind. <

To do this I recommend going to yahoo.com and typing In casinos into the search engine, and if you check out the top 5 or 6 sites I guarantee you will find all the information on what sites are reliable and which ones are a rip off. Some of the sites even offer their readers weekly gambling Horoscopes, and recipes for foods perfect for the next time you invite the guys over for poker night.

Before spending any money in any of the online casinos, open a free account and try the games out for free, see if you enjoy the software and the different options. Make a list of things you liked and things you did not like and find the site that offers you more of what you want and less of what you do not want.

Make sure to read all of the rules for each online casino. They will tempt you by offering you bonuses just for signing up, but make sure you read and understand the rules for accepting the money before you accept it or spend any of the allegedly "free" money.

Many of the online casinos will offer you a tutorial explaining how to use the features and to play each game and I highly recommend that you use it, because if you make a mistake the online casinos will not give you a refund.

Other then this the only advice I can give is that the more you play the better you will get, and will therefore be able to win more money.

Source : www.readbud.com

Reinventing Your Homepage

Everyone struggles to make their sites appealing. Nonetheless, only a few has discovered the formula behind pretty and serviceable site.

Some sites need little alterations but some need total overhauling. The latter, being the most taxing than the former, has to start off on the right foot. What does it take to have tempting and pleasurable sites?

First, a site must have focus or concentration leading to a goal. Be sure not to leave the site wanting in details. Say everything that needs to be said. The contents must be material to the site's objectives. Place in graphics that are valuable to the site. Bear in mind that the color, design and layout must agree to what you are saying. However, do not give beyond what is expected. Overdoing it invites confusion by reason of smorgasbord of links and all sorts.

Focus means organization of ideas and graphics. The more organized the homepage is, the better.

Another attribute of a good homepage is empathy. Marketing involves not just logic but a greater doze of matters of the heart. Persuasion is the key to a successful marketing strategy thus, this is also vital in websites most especially to homepages since they are primarily used to market products and services.

When visitors come to a certain site, their expectation is to be served and get solutions or answers. Therefore, your site must cater to the individual needs of these visitors. That way they can be satisfied and comfortable with your site. This will further build trust and loyalty between visitors and your site. This trust can yield you visitors and probable purchasers. <

To empathize, you have to know first the possible reasons why visitors come to your site. Next, the class of visitors and level of knowledge they have in connection to your product and services. Be sure to answer all the doubts in their minds as well as needs, feelings and habits because that will affect the decisions they will be making.

The third thing to consider – is the 'call to action'. This is the most important yet the most neglected attribute of a site. Without this, your site will be wasted.

Visitors want to know the action plan and they should get what they are supposed to do. The action plan can be getting information, buying the product, signing up for a service and the likes. Give a strong, persuasive and clear action plan to get the results you desire.

Reinvent and invigorate you homepage by making it stunning and functional

Source : www.readbud.com

ClixGenie, An online Web Tracker tool to monitor your website visitors.

If it can't be measured, it can't be managed" - a basic rule of marketing.

ClixGenie helps you to have a better understanding of traffic on your site assists in planning future development, increasing web site traffic and also provides opportunities for increasing revenue through targeted advertising. This is a very useful marketing tool - helps you check if your Google AdWords works, if your search engine optimization (seo) works, if your affiliate programs work etc. This makes it possible to analyze sales activities on your website and take further decisions. ClixGenie has a highly efficient monitoring system. It does not clog your bandwidth by repeatedly checking the server for new visitors. (No refresh needed to update tables). There is no upper limit on the number of visitors to be monitored.

IT TAKES ONLY 2 MINUTES TO SET UP YOU WOULD KNOW...
• How each customer navigates through your website, which links they use, which pages they visit, it shows which pages are visited more often and more popular and informative.
• Which browsers did they come from, where did they come from - through a search engine or link, or Google AdWords... what marketing techniques are working.
• Which country is each visitor from - input to target segment analysis...
• At which point they abandoned your site and where they decided to buy - which pages of your website need to be worked on.
• Is the visitor coming to your website for the first time or is he a repeat customer - how many unique visitors you are able to get.
• How much time did he spend on each page of your website - shows how serious they are and what are there interests.
ClixGenie makes Web monitoring & tracking easy and cost-effective. Our hosted Online chat software tracks the web statistics and helps you plan effective marketing strategies helping you decided where to best place your advertising dollars. This information gives you a birds eye view of how your online business is progressing

Source : www.readbud.com

Why use URL shorteners?

You must have seen them. Web addresses like http://tinyurl.com/2gj2z3 which, when you click on them, take you to another web page. Why use them? Are there any risks in using them?

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. It's the posh technical term for a web address. Web addresses normally take the form http://www.somesite.com/somepage.html, which is not too much of a problem. But some site names can get very long, and so can page names. The increased use of database-driven sites mean that URLs can get very long indeed, and most of them is computer gobbledygook. They are impossible to type in, if you are reading them in a print article, and often get corrupted by word-wrapping when they appear in an email or blog posting.

An URL shortener is a web service that takes a long address that's hard to type, and turns it into a short one. You should use them in articles for print publication, classified ads, emails, blog and forum postings, anywhere there is a danger that the full address may be corrupted, or that someone may need to type the address into a browser manually.

But there is a danger in using short URLs that may make people afraid to use them. The short address disguises the real destination. This makes it easy for somebody to post an innocent looking message encouraging people to click on a link that takes them to a site which infects their computer with spyware, or something equally undesirable.

Some URL shortening services have tried to address this problem. The most well-known service, TinyURL.com, has an optional preview page that shows you the target address before you go there. But you have to know to type "preview" in front of the address, or visit the site and set it as a permanent option. Those who don't know about this are still vulnerable to deception.

A safe URL shortener would not allow the creation of links to undesirable sites. It would also always display a preview page, so the user always sees where the link is taking them before they go there. xaddr.com uses Internet blacklists to prevent its use to disguise sites that are advertised by spam. Its preview page offers a link to McAfee's Site Advisor, which can be used to check the safety of the destination.

Next time you need to write a long web address, use an URL shortener. But to encourage confidence that no harm will come from clicking the link, pick a safe one

Source : www.readbud.com

Online And Wireless Features

The online and wireless features offered through billion-dollar corporations may seem like little rewards that will make life a lot easier for millions. People love to select features for the cellular telephone because these little additions seem to personalize the little piece of electronic machinery. The online and wireless features will in fact, complicate life more than the small benefits the consumer gets by relieving the strain by using these small and insignificant entertainment features.

The cost of installing ringtones into a cellular telephone might surprise some users when the first bill arrives. These online and wireless features are at times, only bits and pieces of songs that can also be heard in their entirety on the local radio stations. The disenchantment for ringtones will begin when the customer realizes that every ringtone will increase the bill by $.150 or more. The customer will also be charged for airtime used to download the ringtone to the cellular phone.

Some cellular telephone users will focus on the most productive online and wireless features they have. The voice plans, voice and data plans, and wireless pc card options will make cellular telephone customers feel like they are in charge of controlling the cellular telephone cost of ownership. Cellular telephone customers that do not understand the charges and fees associated with the online and wireless features they use on the phone will incur high bills.

The cellular telephone customer that chooses the basic calling plan might find that it does not provide enough minutes. The online websites for the brand name online and wireless service providers will place per-minute amounts for every call that exceeds the minutes in the chosen calling plan. Some of those per-minute charges could accrue bill amounts that could be more than some cell users can manage to pay for in a month.

Without payment in hand, the online and wireless service provider will turn off service with no further ado, and send a bill out with a charge for a $175 deactivation fee. The features that were thought to be so popular will now seem like a ball and chain because of the charges that they bring to a cellular telephone bill and that burden is one that consumers will tire of carrying one day. Some cellular telephone users might try another carrier for online and wireless service and use the features on the phone more responsibly.

A basic ring and an answered call are just the basic features that cellular telephone users need today. Parents are finding that online and wireless features such as text messaging are charges that they can live without. Many cellular telephone users are reconsidering the online and wireless features that they use and are deleting those that connect them to the internet.

Some believe that those feature charges are out of step with the needs of cellular telephone users. Perhaps the billion dollar online wireless service providers could simplify bills and provide one amount for all services they offer and consumers could then relax and enjoy the service that they are paying for.

Source : www.readbud.com