YOU MAY HAVE TO COPY AND PASTE THE LINK SHOWN INTO YOUR BROWSER TO FOLLOW THE LINKS. SOMETHING IS HINKY, LATELY. TRY A RIGHT CLICK ON THE TINY BLUE TEXT..AND open in a new tab FROM THE DROP DOWN MENU.
SEQUIMTECH BLOG - a.k.a. STB
On line since JUNE of 2006.
USE SEARCH TOOL In top of column on the LEFT.
Friday, July 31, 2009
HP debuts 2709m 27-inch 16:9 display
HP debuts 2709m 27-inch 16:9 display: "HP debuts 2709m 27-inch 16:9 display"
3 Sites To Help You Identify Unknown Drugs
3 Sites To Help You Identify Unknown Drugs WHAT ARE THOSE LITTLE WHITE PILLS YOUR GRAND DAUGHTER IS POPPING?
BBC NEWS | Technology | 'Rosetta stone' offers digital lifeline
BBC NEWS | Technology | 'Rosetta stone' offers digital lifeline: "These are depressingly regular losses often visited on those who do not make regular back-ups. According to one report by Swedish data salvaging service Kabooza that is the majority of us.
A massive 82% of home computer users hardly bother with back-ups, says its worldwide report."
A massive 82% of home computer users hardly bother with back-ups, says its worldwide report."
Thursday, July 30, 2009
NAS security susceptibility
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The device that posed the highest number of threats was NAS, or network-attached storage, units, which were susceptible to all five attack classes considered in the study.
For instance, attackers can sabotage NAS units made by one vendor (The Register agreed not to name any specific manufacturers or models in this article) by doing nothing more than entering javascript commands when trying to log in to the device. From then on, the device will execute XSS, or cross-site scripting, attacks against network admins each time they view a device log that stores the wayward login
attempts.
Similarly, attackers can manipulate SMB, or server message block, commands, to rename files on a NAS device so they contain malicious javascript. The Stanford team has dubbed such exploits cross-channel scripting attacks because they use a non-web-based channel such as the file transfer protocol to store arbitrary scripts that, when viewed in a web browser, can expose the admin to serious threats. Four of the five NAS manufacturers studied in the report were vulnerable to them.
The device that posed the highest number of threats was NAS, or network-attached storage, units, which were susceptible to all five attack classes considered in the study.
For instance, attackers can sabotage NAS units made by one vendor (The Register agreed not to name any specific manufacturers or models in this article) by doing nothing more than entering javascript commands when trying to log in to the device. From then on, the device will execute XSS, or cross-site scripting, attacks against network admins each time they view a device log that stores the wayward login
attempts.
Similarly, attackers can manipulate SMB, or server message block, commands, to rename files on a NAS device so they contain malicious javascript. The Stanford team has dubbed such exploits cross-channel scripting attacks because they use a non-web-based channel such as the file transfer protocol to store arbitrary scripts that, when viewed in a web browser, can expose the admin to serious threats. Four of the five NAS manufacturers studied in the report were vulnerable to them.
Web Design Checklist
Comprehensive Web Design Checklist
Your Web site needs to do more than make your company look good. It has to support your overall business operations - customer service, sales and marketing and collaboration. Whether you're planning an intranet or Internet site, don't start before you check your strategy against this comprehensive checklist.
The following checklist and the associated answers will facilitate the analysis process ofr designing and building the website that allows your company to turn the corner.
GENERAL
1. Where did you hear about us?
2. Do you have a domain name? If not, do you have ideas on one? If so, what is it?
3. What is your company name? Do you want to use the entire name on the site, logo, and graphics?
4. Do you have special features in mind like ECommerce shopping cart, BLOG, RSS, Forms with emails, EZine, Newsletter signup, autoresponders, advertising landing/call-to-action pages, etc.?
MARKETING
5. Who is your intended audience? Are they regional, industry specific, company size specific, etc.?
6. Do you intend to provide a call to action - make a sale, call in to your office, fill out a form, etc?
7. Describe your ideal client and the specific attributes that we'll be targeting in the website.
8. What are your website expectations, main emphasis and primary goals - increased sales, increased leads, etc.? Please prioritize.
9. What separates your company from your competition and what do you expect will draw clients to the website?
10. How do you plan to market the website?
11. What company properties do you want to emphasize on the website? Please prioritize.
IDENTITY
12. Do you already have a logo and other graphics to be used? If not, do you want to have one created?
13. Have you identified a tagline? That would be something like "Just do it", "Reach out and touch someone", etc. Here is some information on the subject http://advertising.about.com/od/copywriting/a/guesttagline.htm.
14. What keywords do you want to be found by in the search engines?
LAYOUT
15. Please provide a list of websites that you like and don't like. Why do you or do you not like these sites?
16. Please provide a list of competitors websites.
17. Do you have ideas of the colors to be used, and colors you don't like? Please provide example sites.
18. Do you have an intended website screen size - 1024x768, 800x600, or stretch to the entire width of the screen?
19. If the site isn't the entire width of the screen do you have a preference for left or center alignment?
20. Do you have a horizontal or left-side vertical preference for the main navigation?
21. Please provide the main pages you need in the website.
22. Have you created the copy text for any of your pages?
23. Do you have existing business cards or other printed material we need to match?
24. Are you leaning towards custom drawn artwork or photographs?
POST-CONTRACT
25. Once we start designing the website we'll need the following (Note that this information will be kept in strict confidence):
a. FTP access information - username and password
b. Hosting company and their tech support phone number
Your Web site needs to do more than make your company look good. It has to support your overall business operations - customer service, sales and marketing and collaboration. Whether you're planning an intranet or Internet site, don't start before you check your strategy against this comprehensive checklist.
The following checklist and the associated answers will facilitate the analysis process ofr designing and building the website that allows your company to turn the corner.
GENERAL
1. Where did you hear about us?
2. Do you have a domain name? If not, do you have ideas on one? If so, what is it?
3. What is your company name? Do you want to use the entire name on the site, logo, and graphics?
4. Do you have special features in mind like ECommerce shopping cart, BLOG, RSS, Forms with emails, EZine, Newsletter signup, autoresponders, advertising landing/call-to-action pages, etc.?
MARKETING
5. Who is your intended audience? Are they regional, industry specific, company size specific, etc.?
6. Do you intend to provide a call to action - make a sale, call in to your office, fill out a form, etc?
7. Describe your ideal client and the specific attributes that we'll be targeting in the website.
8. What are your website expectations, main emphasis and primary goals - increased sales, increased leads, etc.? Please prioritize.
9. What separates your company from your competition and what do you expect will draw clients to the website?
10. How do you plan to market the website?
11. What company properties do you want to emphasize on the website? Please prioritize.
IDENTITY
12. Do you already have a logo and other graphics to be used? If not, do you want to have one created?
13. Have you identified a tagline? That would be something like "Just do it", "Reach out and touch someone", etc. Here is some information on the subject http://advertising.about.com/od/copywriting/a/guesttagline.htm.
14. What keywords do you want to be found by in the search engines?
LAYOUT
15. Please provide a list of websites that you like and don't like. Why do you or do you not like these sites?
16. Please provide a list of competitors websites.
17. Do you have ideas of the colors to be used, and colors you don't like? Please provide example sites.
18. Do you have an intended website screen size - 1024x768, 800x600, or stretch to the entire width of the screen?
19. If the site isn't the entire width of the screen do you have a preference for left or center alignment?
20. Do you have a horizontal or left-side vertical preference for the main navigation?
21. Please provide the main pages you need in the website.
22. Have you created the copy text for any of your pages?
23. Do you have existing business cards or other printed material we need to match?
24. Are you leaning towards custom drawn artwork or photographs?
POST-CONTRACT
25. Once we start designing the website we'll need the following (Note that this information will be kept in strict confidence):
a. FTP access information - username and password
b. Hosting company and their tech support phone number
"What is a Whacker or Wannabe?" on Policeposers.com
"What is a Whacker or Wannabe?" on Policeposers.comWe have some of these around town.
RFA Home
RFA Home Enlighten yourself. Browse to Radio Free Asia site and read the articles. Don't be a prisoner of US Media. The ENGLISH pages are here: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
turn Windows Firewall on or off
Make an icon to turn Windows Firewall on or off
If you use the built-in Windows Firewall, you probably have to turn it off occasionally to troubleshooting networking problems. Then you have to turn it back on. Going through the menu to do that can be a hassle. Why not create a shortcut to make it easier? Here's how:
Right click an empty spot on the desktop and select New, then Shortcut
In the shortcut wizard dialog box, under "type the location of the item," type netsh firewall set opmode disable
On the next screen, when you're asked for a name for the shortcut, type Disable Firewall
Repeat steps 1 and 3 but this time type netsh firewall set opmode enable for the location and type Enable Firewall for the shortcut name.
If you use the built-in Windows Firewall, you probably have to turn it off occasionally to troubleshooting networking problems. Then you have to turn it back on. Going through the menu to do that can be a hassle. Why not create a shortcut to make it easier? Here's how:
Right click an empty spot on the desktop and select New, then Shortcut
In the shortcut wizard dialog box, under "type the location of the item," type netsh firewall set opmode disable
On the next screen, when you're asked for a name for the shortcut, type Disable Firewall
Repeat steps 1 and 3 but this time type netsh firewall set opmode enable for the location and type Enable Firewall for the shortcut name.
The Hidden Risks of Cloud Computing - Security - Lifehacker
The Hidden Risks of Cloud Computing - Security - LifehackerSECURITY RELATED ARTICLE BY GINA TRAPANI
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
AfterDawn.com: Guides: How to convert AVI files (DivX, XviD etc.) to DVD with Avi2DVD
AfterDawn.com: Guides: How to convert AVI files (DivX, XviD etc.) to DVD with Avi2DVDAvi2DVD is a free download. I got the proggie, here:
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_tools/avi2dvd.cfm
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_tools/avi2dvd.cfm
Israeli Start-Up Creates Turbine-Powered Hybrid From a Toyota Prius | Motortrend News & Auto Blog - Wide Open Throttle
Israeli Start-Up Creates Turbine-Powered Hybrid From a Toyota Prius | Motortrend News & Auto Blog - Wide Open Throttle: "ETV's prototype, a modified Toyota Prius, works the same way a Chevrolet Volt does, just with a different powerplant. The micro-jet engine is not connected to the wheels but rather to an electric generator that produces power to drive the wheels or recharge the battery pack. ETV claims their car can travel 35 to 50 miles on a charge before the jet engine needs to be fired up, but doesn't say how far the car can go with the turbine creating power. Unlike turbine-powered cars of the past, reports claim that ETV's prototype is whisper quiet on the road and can barely be heard starting up."
Monday, July 27, 2009
A Beginner’s FTP Command Tutorial For Ascii or Binary File Transfers
A Beginner’s FTP Command Tutorial For Ascii or Binary File Transfers: "A Beginner’s FTP Command Tutorial For Ascii or Binary File Transfers"
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Free backup tool
Free backup tool: "Drive Backup Free Edition makes it easy to protect yourself against catastrophic data loss. You can backup your whole hard drive, or separate partitions. Decide where you want to stick your backups—chooose another drive on your system, a removable drive, or even across the network. It works with FAT and NTFS file systems, as well as Linux ext2 and ext3."
Mourning the Death of Handwriting - TIME
Mourning the Death of Handwriting - TIME: "I can't remember how to write a capital Z in cursive."
If It's Hip, It's Here: Typeface by Toyota. The iQ font Designed By A Moving Car.
If It's Hip, It's Here: Typeface by Toyota. The iQ font Designed By A Moving Car.: "Typeface by Toyota. The iQ font Designed By A Moving Car."
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Memory upgrades from Crucial.com - How much memory do you need
Memory upgrades from Crucial.com - How much memory do you need: "When it comes to adding system memory, the general rule of thumb is the more, the better."
Total Defrag 2009 Special Edition [Now Free for Home Use]
Total Defrag 2009 Special Edition [Now Free for Home Use]: "Total Defrag 2009 Special Edition [Now Free for Home Use]"
Download SpeedFan - Access temperature sensor in your computer
Download SpeedFan - Access temperature sensor in your computer: "SpeedFan 4.38 Copyright 2000-2009 by Alfredo Milani Comparetti
Donate something for SpeedFan :-)
If you need a tool that can change your computer's fan speeds, read the temperatures of your motherboard and your hard disk, read voltages and fan speeds and check the status of your hard disk using S.M.A.R.T. or SCSI attributes, then you came to the right place. SpeedFan is the software to go. It is fully configurable and you can create custom events to handle every situation in an automated way. SpeedFan works under Windows 9x, ME, NT, 2000, 2003, XP and Vista. SpeedFan works fine on Vista 64 bit too. The relevant driver is now signed with my digital certificate. And this all costs you absolutely nothing!
If you have an nVidia video card and SpeedFan uses 100% CPU, use the /NONVIDIAI2C switch.
Donate something for SpeedFan :-)
If you need a tool that can change your computer's fan speeds, read the temperatures of your motherboard and your hard disk, read voltages and fan speeds and check the status of your hard disk using S.M.A.R.T. or SCSI attributes, then you came to the right place. SpeedFan is the software to go. It is fully configurable and you can create custom events to handle every situation in an automated way. SpeedFan works under Windows 9x, ME, NT, 2000, 2003, XP and Vista. SpeedFan works fine on Vista 64 bit too. The relevant driver is now signed with my digital certificate. And this all costs you absolutely nothing!
If you have an nVidia video card and SpeedFan uses 100% CPU, use the /NONVIDIAI2C switch.
RoohIt: Instant Web Highlighter. Highlight any part of any web page. No Registration, No Download, Fast & Free
RoohIt: Instant Web Highlighter. Highlight any part of any web page. No Registration, No Download, Fast & Free
Just type roohit.com/ before any web address to start highlighting.
Just type roohit.com/ before any web address to start highlighting.
Friday, July 24, 2009
SEQUIM final destination t shirts
Get your original, Sequim T-Shirt - "Sequim, The Final Destination"
http://www.cafepress.com/pcsig.256384709 Comes in lots of colors and designs. Sold at cost. No markup.
http://www.cafepress.com/pcsig.256384709 Comes in lots of colors and designs. Sold at cost. No markup.
Twitter / Search Widget
Twitter / Search Widget - http://sequim-web.net has one on the front page now.
Windows 7 HAX
15 Best Windows 7 Tips and Hacks
Posted: 23 Jul 2009 07:00 AM PDT
You have upgraded to Windows 7, love the new taskbar, and enjoy the power of using the cool Libraries feature.
But now you want more. You want the cool tips and tricks that make Windows 7 fun!
So here are the best ones to help you get the most out of your new OS. In this article, we will focus on the Windows 7 interface to get you started on the road to becoming a Windows 7 Power User. In Part 2, we will be looking at advanced tips for usability, performance, and security.
1. Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Using the mouse, you can drag-‘n-dock windows to either side of the screen, or drag it to the top to maximize it. These keyboard shortcuts are even faster:
* Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow dock the window to the left and right side of the screen
* Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow maximize and restore/minimize
* Win+M minimizes everything
* Alt+Up, Alt+Left Arrow, Alt+Right Arrow navigate to parent folder, or browse Back and Forward through folders in Explorer
* Win+Home minimizes/restores all open windows except the active window
* Alt+Win+# accesses the Jump List of program number ‘#’ on the taskbar
2.Rearrange System Tray Icons
SystemTray
You can rearrange icons on the taskbar as you wish and start new (or switch to running) instances of the first ten taskbar programs using Win+1, Win+2, and so on. The cool thing is you can also rearrange system tray icons. Reorder them on the tray or move them outside or back in the tray. Take control of what you want to always keep an eye on, and from which apps you’ll require notifications.
3. Access Jump Lists with the Left Mouse Button
Jump Lists usually show up when you right-click on a taskbar icon. However, they can also be accessed by holding the left mouse button and dragging upwards. If you’re using a laptop touchpad or a touch screen, this is convenient because you do not have to click any button to access a context menu.
4. Add Any Folder to Favorites
AddToFavorites
You can add any library or folder to the Favorites section in Windows Explorer. To add a folder, navigate to it in Explorer, right-click Favorites in the left navigation pane, and select Add current location to Favorites. Now you get quick access to your favorite folders in all File->Save As dialogs!
5. Pin Frequently Used Folders to the Taskbar
Right-click, drag, and pin your favorite folders to Windows Explorer on the taskbar. They will now show up in the Jump List when you right click on Explorer giving you quick access to your favorite folders.
6. Pin Control Panel to the Taskbar
PinControlPanel
You cannot pin the Control Panel to the taskbar via the Start Menu or by drag and drop. Open the Control Panel and right-click its taskbar icon to pin it to the taskbar. An advantage of this is that Control Panel’s Jump List allows quick access to recently used functions.
7. Create Keyboard Shortcuts for Programs
You can create keyboard shortcuts for any program in Windows 7. Right-click the program icon and select Properties. Select the Shortcut tab, click in Shortcut key, to set the keyboard shortcut for that program.
ProgramShortcutKey
8. Open Command Prompt in Any Folder
Like the command prompt? Miss the ‘Open Command Window Here’ Windows XP power toy? Press ‘Shift’ when right-clicking on a folder to get that option in the context menu. This also works on the desktop. No power toy required!
ExpandedContextMenu
9. View Expanded ‘Send To’ Menu
Press Shift when right-clicking on a folder to get an expanded Send To menu.
10. Adjust Screen Text with Clear Type
Use Clear Type Tuner for the best look on your LCD monitor or laptop screen. Run ‘cttune.exe’ from the Start Menu search box, or go to the Control Panel Display applet, and select Adjust ClearType Text from the left.
ClearType Tuner
11. Get Exact Colors On Your Screen
If you are an artist or you work with colors, use the Calibrate Color option in the Control Panel Display applet or run dccw.exe from the Start Menu search box. You can adjust gamma, brightness, contrast, and color balance, ensuring that colors are displayed correctly on your screen.
12. Customize the Power Button
If you restart your computer more often than you shut it down, change the default Shutdown power button to Restart. Right-click on Start, select Properties, and choose the Power button action that you use the most.
StartMenuProperties
13. Customize Number of Items in Jump Lists & Start Menu
Right-click Start, select Properties, click Customize and choose the number of recent programs to be shown in the Start Menu and the number of items displayed in Jump Lists from the Start Menu Size section below.
14. Search Internet from the Start Menu
SearchInternetStartMenu
Enable Internet search from the Start Menu using your default browser. Run GPEDIT.MSC from the Start Menu search box to start the Group Policy Editor. In the left pane, go to User Configuration->Administrative Templates->Start Menu and Taskbar. In the right pane, right-click to Edit and Enable Add Search Internet link to Start Menu.
SearchInternet
15. Add Videos to Start Menu
Windows 7 does not place a link to your videos on the Start Menu by default. To add a link to your videos on the Start Menu, right-click Start, select Properties, click on Customize. In the Videos section at the bottom, choose Display as a link.
Add Videos
Posted: 23 Jul 2009 07:00 AM PDT
You have upgraded to Windows 7, love the new taskbar, and enjoy the power of using the cool Libraries feature.
But now you want more. You want the cool tips and tricks that make Windows 7 fun!
So here are the best ones to help you get the most out of your new OS. In this article, we will focus on the Windows 7 interface to get you started on the road to becoming a Windows 7 Power User. In Part 2, we will be looking at advanced tips for usability, performance, and security.
1. Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Using the mouse, you can drag-‘n-dock windows to either side of the screen, or drag it to the top to maximize it. These keyboard shortcuts are even faster:
* Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow dock the window to the left and right side of the screen
* Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow maximize and restore/minimize
* Win+M minimizes everything
* Alt+Up, Alt+Left Arrow, Alt+Right Arrow navigate to parent folder, or browse Back and Forward through folders in Explorer
* Win+Home minimizes/restores all open windows except the active window
* Alt+Win+# accesses the Jump List of program number ‘#’ on the taskbar
2.Rearrange System Tray Icons
SystemTray
You can rearrange icons on the taskbar as you wish and start new (or switch to running) instances of the first ten taskbar programs using Win+1, Win+2, and so on. The cool thing is you can also rearrange system tray icons. Reorder them on the tray or move them outside or back in the tray. Take control of what you want to always keep an eye on, and from which apps you’ll require notifications.
3. Access Jump Lists with the Left Mouse Button
Jump Lists usually show up when you right-click on a taskbar icon. However, they can also be accessed by holding the left mouse button and dragging upwards. If you’re using a laptop touchpad or a touch screen, this is convenient because you do not have to click any button to access a context menu.
4. Add Any Folder to Favorites
AddToFavorites
You can add any library or folder to the Favorites section in Windows Explorer. To add a folder, navigate to it in Explorer, right-click Favorites in the left navigation pane, and select Add current location to Favorites. Now you get quick access to your favorite folders in all File->Save As dialogs!
5. Pin Frequently Used Folders to the Taskbar
Right-click, drag, and pin your favorite folders to Windows Explorer on the taskbar. They will now show up in the Jump List when you right click on Explorer giving you quick access to your favorite folders.
6. Pin Control Panel to the Taskbar
PinControlPanel
You cannot pin the Control Panel to the taskbar via the Start Menu or by drag and drop. Open the Control Panel and right-click its taskbar icon to pin it to the taskbar. An advantage of this is that Control Panel’s Jump List allows quick access to recently used functions.
7. Create Keyboard Shortcuts for Programs
You can create keyboard shortcuts for any program in Windows 7. Right-click the program icon and select Properties. Select the Shortcut tab, click in Shortcut key, to set the keyboard shortcut for that program.
ProgramShortcutKey
8. Open Command Prompt in Any Folder
Like the command prompt? Miss the ‘Open Command Window Here’ Windows XP power toy? Press ‘Shift’ when right-clicking on a folder to get that option in the context menu. This also works on the desktop. No power toy required!
ExpandedContextMenu
9. View Expanded ‘Send To’ Menu
Press Shift when right-clicking on a folder to get an expanded Send To menu.
10. Adjust Screen Text with Clear Type
Use Clear Type Tuner for the best look on your LCD monitor or laptop screen. Run ‘cttune.exe’ from the Start Menu search box, or go to the Control Panel Display applet, and select Adjust ClearType Text from the left.
ClearType Tuner
11. Get Exact Colors On Your Screen
If you are an artist or you work with colors, use the Calibrate Color option in the Control Panel Display applet or run dccw.exe from the Start Menu search box. You can adjust gamma, brightness, contrast, and color balance, ensuring that colors are displayed correctly on your screen.
12. Customize the Power Button
If you restart your computer more often than you shut it down, change the default Shutdown power button to Restart. Right-click on Start, select Properties, and choose the Power button action that you use the most.
StartMenuProperties
13. Customize Number of Items in Jump Lists & Start Menu
Right-click Start, select Properties, click Customize and choose the number of recent programs to be shown in the Start Menu and the number of items displayed in Jump Lists from the Start Menu Size section below.
14. Search Internet from the Start Menu
SearchInternetStartMenu
Enable Internet search from the Start Menu using your default browser. Run GPEDIT.MSC from the Start Menu search box to start the Group Policy Editor. In the left pane, go to User Configuration->Administrative Templates->Start Menu and Taskbar. In the right pane, right-click to Edit and Enable Add Search Internet link to Start Menu.
SearchInternet
15. Add Videos to Start Menu
Windows 7 does not place a link to your videos on the Start Menu by default. To add a link to your videos on the Start Menu, right-click Start, select Properties, click on Customize. In the Videos section at the bottom, choose Display as a link.
Add Videos
How Teens Consume MEDIA
How teens use #media. Report in .pdf format from Morgan Stanley:
http://media.ft.com/cms/c3852b2e-6f9a-11de-bfc5-00144feabdc0.pdf
http://media.ft.com/cms/c3852b2e-6f9a-11de-bfc5-00144feabdc0.pdf
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Gmail Offers to Automatically Unsubscribe You from Mailing Lists - Gmail Auto-Unsubscribe - Lifehacker
Gmail Offers to Automatically Unsubscribe You from Mailing Lists - Gmail Auto-Unsubscribe - Lifehacker: "Gmail Offers to Automatically Unsubscribe You from Mailing Lists"
LinuxLive USB Creator | Get LinuxLive USB Creator at SourceForge.net
LinuxLive USB Creator | Get LinuxLive USB Creator at SourceForge.net: "LiLi USB Creator is a free software for Windows that allows you to create a bootable USB key with a linux on it, with integrated virtualization."
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Do You Have These 11 Traits of Highly Creative People? | Copyblogger
Do You Have These 11 Traits of Highly Creative People? | Copyblogger: "Do You Have These 11 Traits of
Highly Creative People?"
Highly Creative People?"
Mozilla Firefox Safe Mode
Mozilla Firefox Safe Mode gives us a window to start over (temporarily) by disabling add-ons and resetting (permanently) other settings to defaults. By comparing the performance, we can narrow down and fix the cause of any problem.
There are two ways we can start Firefox in Safe Mode (Windows) –
From Start – All Programs (Programs in Vista) – Mozilla Firefox – Mozilla Firefox (Safe Mode).
From Start – Run – Type firefox.exe -safe-mode. Hit OK. (or “C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe” -safe-mode)
For other operating systems, the paths are:
Linux – use Terminal and type in /path/to/firefox/firefox -safe-mode
Mac OS X – open Terminal and type in /Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -safe-mode
The Safe Mode dialog box pops up.
There are two ways we can start Firefox in Safe Mode (Windows) –
From Start – All Programs (Programs in Vista) – Mozilla Firefox – Mozilla Firefox (Safe Mode).
From Start – Run – Type firefox.exe -safe-mode. Hit OK. (or “C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe” -safe-mode)
For other operating systems, the paths are:
Linux – use Terminal and type in /path/to/firefox/firefox -safe-mode
Mac OS X – open Terminal and type in /Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -safe-mode
The Safe Mode dialog box pops up.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Flash Drives - info
What Really Is A Flash Drive?
A USB flash drive consists of a NAND-type flash memory data storage device integrated with a USB (universal serial bus) interface. USB flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, much smaller than a floppy disk (1 to 4 inches or 2.5 to 10 cm), and most USB flash drives weigh less than an ounce. Storage capacities typically range from 64 MB to 128 GB with steady improvements in size and price per gigabyte. Some allow 1 million write or erase cycles and have 10-year data retention, and are connected by and compatible with USB standards 1.1 and above.
USB flash drives offer many advantages over other portable storage devices, particularly floppy disks, or CDs - they even hold more than DVDs and BluRay Discs. They have a more compact shape, operate faster, hold much more data, have a more durable design, and operate more reliably due to their lack of moving parts. Plus they come in a wide variety of shapes, designs, and color - some quite unique - they have truly become a vanity or fashion product!
Additionally, it has become increasingly common for computers to be sold without floppy disk drives, and the new Netbooks don't have optical drives either. USB ports, on the other hand, appear on almost every mainstream PC, laptop, netbook, and handheld. These types of drives use the USB mass storage standard, supported natively by modern operating systems such as Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and other Unix-like systems. USB drives with USB 2.0 support can also operate faster than many optical disc drives, while storing a larger amount of data in a much smaller space.
Nothing actually moves in a flash drive: the term drive persists because computers read and write flash-drive data using the same system commands as for a mechanical disk drive, with the storage appearing to the computer operating system and user interface as just another drive.
A flash drive consists of a small printed circuit board protected inside a plastic, metal, or rubberized case, robust enough for carrying with no additional protection—in a pocket or on a key chain, for example. The USB connector is usually protected by a removable cap or by retracting into the body of the drive, although it is not likely to be damaged if exposed. Most flash drives use a standard type-A USB connection allowing plugging into a port on a personal computer.
If a device has a smaller type USB connector, there are solutions to connecting the full-size USB connector. Adaptors are available, as well as USB hubs.
A USB flash drive consists of a NAND-type flash memory data storage device integrated with a USB (universal serial bus) interface. USB flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, much smaller than a floppy disk (1 to 4 inches or 2.5 to 10 cm), and most USB flash drives weigh less than an ounce. Storage capacities typically range from 64 MB to 128 GB with steady improvements in size and price per gigabyte. Some allow 1 million write or erase cycles and have 10-year data retention, and are connected by and compatible with USB standards 1.1 and above.
USB flash drives offer many advantages over other portable storage devices, particularly floppy disks, or CDs - they even hold more than DVDs and BluRay Discs. They have a more compact shape, operate faster, hold much more data, have a more durable design, and operate more reliably due to their lack of moving parts. Plus they come in a wide variety of shapes, designs, and color - some quite unique - they have truly become a vanity or fashion product!
Additionally, it has become increasingly common for computers to be sold without floppy disk drives, and the new Netbooks don't have optical drives either. USB ports, on the other hand, appear on almost every mainstream PC, laptop, netbook, and handheld. These types of drives use the USB mass storage standard, supported natively by modern operating systems such as Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and other Unix-like systems. USB drives with USB 2.0 support can also operate faster than many optical disc drives, while storing a larger amount of data in a much smaller space.
Nothing actually moves in a flash drive: the term drive persists because computers read and write flash-drive data using the same system commands as for a mechanical disk drive, with the storage appearing to the computer operating system and user interface as just another drive.
A flash drive consists of a small printed circuit board protected inside a plastic, metal, or rubberized case, robust enough for carrying with no additional protection—in a pocket or on a key chain, for example. The USB connector is usually protected by a removable cap or by retracting into the body of the drive, although it is not likely to be damaged if exposed. Most flash drives use a standard type-A USB connection allowing plugging into a port on a personal computer.
If a device has a smaller type USB connector, there are solutions to connecting the full-size USB connector. Adaptors are available, as well as USB hubs.
Drive Manager
Drive Manager If you have lots of drive letters of different types of drives, such as mapped network drives, thumb drive (USB memory sticks), smart media and compact flash, CD-ROM and DVD then this utility is perfect to help you manage them.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Google FeedBurner
Google FeedBurnerBurn a feed for your BLOG. Use Twitterfeed with a Google FEEDBURNER feed to send your BLOG postings to Tweet, for example. -tp.
YouCube by Aaron Meyers
YouCube by Aaron MeyersMap videos from YOU TUBE onto a CUBE. Kool, they say.
Create Ringtone Online, Convert YouTube To Mp3, Free Ringtones, Cut Mp3 - Edit Music Online!
Create Ringtone Online, Convert YouTube To Mp3, Free Ringtones, Cut Mp3 - Edit Music Online! Don't be stupid/lazy. Make your own tones. Don't buy them.
ListenToYouTube.com: Youtube to MP3, get mp3 from youtube video, flv to mp3, extract audio from youtube, youtube mp3
ListenToYouTube.com: Youtube to MP3, get mp3 from youtube video, flv to mp3, extract audio from youtube, youtube mp3
Note: I ran the final MP3 through VLC and converted it, as the MP3 wouldn't play in Windows Media Player. VLC is a good, free audio and video player and converter. -tp.
Note: I ran the final MP3 through VLC and converted it, as the MP3 wouldn't play in Windows Media Player. VLC is a good, free audio and video player and converter. -tp.
Boost Your Wireless Router Signal
8 Tips To Effectively Boost Your Wireless Router Signal
Posted: 18 Jul 2009 12:00 PM PDT
Look at it – staring you down so innocently, yet I know that your Linksys wireless router refuses to give you signal. Since you decided to place it in a corner to gather dust, using it only for its relay capabilities, it has decided to constantly bring up the feared “Limited Network Connection” bubble. Don’t you just hate those?
These routers have the power to transmit intangible signals; these signals, powerful as they may be, are prone to constant interference whether it be by physical objects, other signals floating around in the air, or even because you didn’t plug the wire in all the way.
Regardless of what the issue, there are some proven ways to try to remedy the situation of a weak Wifi signal. Some may simply be a little bit of common sense, other methods require purchasing additional parts.
Here are 8 tips on how to boost your wireless router signal.
Position it better
Unless you are living in a cave and you somehow miraculously have internet connectivity at the same time, you probably figured out that if your wireless router was in the corner of your kitchen under a pile of old newspapers and your computer was located on the second floor on the opposite side of the house — it is a great idea to place your router in an open position (preferably in the center of your house) where it isn’t obstructed by dense or metallic objects such as file cabinets or brick walls.
Other items that may interfere with your signal include (but are not limited to) microwave ovens, cordless phones, garage door openers, and even baby monitors. The bottom line is that the less objects in the signal’s way, the easier it is for it to relay information to your computer.
Change the WiFi Channel
Generally, Wifi routers transmit their signals on a radio frequency of 2.4 GHz. Many other household objects may operate on or around the same frequency, like cordless phones, for example. So, the channel becomes bogged down over time with lots of excess traffic that slows down your wireless connection. In the U.S., routers have a predefined set of 11 channels, and the default on a lot of them is channel 6. Changing the channel would reduce some interference. So how do you change the channel?
A great utility many people use is called NetStumbler, a wireless networking tool that just so happens to offer the option for you to change your wifi channel. Once opened, the program gives the choice of fooling around with all of your wireless utilities. Here is where you change your channel:
Posted: 18 Jul 2009 12:00 PM PDT
Look at it – staring you down so innocently, yet I know that your Linksys wireless router refuses to give you signal. Since you decided to place it in a corner to gather dust, using it only for its relay capabilities, it has decided to constantly bring up the feared “Limited Network Connection” bubble. Don’t you just hate those?
These routers have the power to transmit intangible signals; these signals, powerful as they may be, are prone to constant interference whether it be by physical objects, other signals floating around in the air, or even because you didn’t plug the wire in all the way.
Regardless of what the issue, there are some proven ways to try to remedy the situation of a weak Wifi signal. Some may simply be a little bit of common sense, other methods require purchasing additional parts.
Here are 8 tips on how to boost your wireless router signal.
Position it better
Unless you are living in a cave and you somehow miraculously have internet connectivity at the same time, you probably figured out that if your wireless router was in the corner of your kitchen under a pile of old newspapers and your computer was located on the second floor on the opposite side of the house — it is a great idea to place your router in an open position (preferably in the center of your house) where it isn’t obstructed by dense or metallic objects such as file cabinets or brick walls.
Other items that may interfere with your signal include (but are not limited to) microwave ovens, cordless phones, garage door openers, and even baby monitors. The bottom line is that the less objects in the signal’s way, the easier it is for it to relay information to your computer.
Change the WiFi Channel
Generally, Wifi routers transmit their signals on a radio frequency of 2.4 GHz. Many other household objects may operate on or around the same frequency, like cordless phones, for example. So, the channel becomes bogged down over time with lots of excess traffic that slows down your wireless connection. In the U.S., routers have a predefined set of 11 channels, and the default on a lot of them is channel 6. Changing the channel would reduce some interference. So how do you change the channel?
A great utility many people use is called NetStumbler, a wireless networking tool that just so happens to offer the option for you to change your wifi channel. Once opened, the program gives the choice of fooling around with all of your wireless utilities. Here is where you change your channel:
Saturday, July 18, 2009
TouchGraph | Products: Google Browser
TouchGraph | Products: Google Browser: "Use this free Java application to explore the connections between related websites."
Wordle - Beautiful Word Clouds
Wordle - Beautiful Word Clouds
Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.
Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.
rwhdj.jpg (JPEG Image, 1440x2040 pixels)
rwhdj.jpg (JPEG Image, 1440x2040 pixels)Computer Hardware Chart...lots of pictures of the various types of sockets, ports, slots, etc. Good reference.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Newseum | Today's Front Pages | Gallery View
Newseum | Today's Front Pages | Gallery View: "Today's Front Pages > Friday, July 17, 2009: 811 front pages from 72 countries.
The Newseum displays these daily newspaper front pages in their original, unedited form. Some front pages may contain material that is objectionable to some visitors. Viewer discretion is advised."
The Newseum displays these daily newspaper front pages in their original, unedited form. Some front pages may contain material that is objectionable to some visitors. Viewer discretion is advised."
Screenjelly - What's on your screen?
Screenjelly - What's on your screen?
Site based records of screen activity with your voice. Share via Twitter or emai.
Site based records of screen activity with your voice. Share via Twitter or emai.
OEM inkjet cartridges vs. third-party ink cartridges and refills? - CNET Peripherals Forums
OEM inkjet cartridges vs. third-party ink cartridges and refills? - CNET Peripherals Forums: "OEM inkjet cartridges vs. third-party ink cartridges and refills"
Free, Online: Training in Electronic Records Management (TERM)
ResourceShelf » Blog Archive » Free, Online: Training in Electronic Records Management (TERM): "Free, Online: Training in Electronic Records Management (TERM)
From a PADI Web Site Post:
The Training in Electronic Records Management (TERM) programme was developed by the International Records Management Trust as part of the “Fostering trust and transparency in governance: Investigating and addressing the requirements for building integrity in public sector information systems in the ICT environment” (2006 to 2008) project. It consists of a series of five training modules on electronic records management plus related resource materials (Glossary, Route Maps, Best Practice Indicators). Modules include: 1. Understanding the context of electronic records management; 2. Planning and managing an electronic records management programme; 3. Managing the creation, use and disposition of electronic records; 4. Preserving Electronic Records; and 5. Personnel Records as the information base for human resources and payroll management.
Direct to Training Modules and Case Studies" http://www.irmt.org/researchReports.html
From a PADI Web Site Post:
The Training in Electronic Records Management (TERM) programme was developed by the International Records Management Trust as part of the “Fostering trust and transparency in governance: Investigating and addressing the requirements for building integrity in public sector information systems in the ICT environment” (2006 to 2008) project. It consists of a series of five training modules on electronic records management plus related resource materials (Glossary, Route Maps, Best Practice Indicators). Modules include: 1. Understanding the context of electronic records management; 2. Planning and managing an electronic records management programme; 3. Managing the creation, use and disposition of electronic records; 4. Preserving Electronic Records; and 5. Personnel Records as the information base for human resources and payroll management.
Direct to Training Modules and Case Studies" http://www.irmt.org/researchReports.html
WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER - 6 hours CE credit - $60
Hello all … If you did not read the announcement in the paper, AMERICAS BEST Distance Education was acquired by 360Training on May 1. I founded the business and was the administrator and instructor in 34 states for ten full years. After taking a well-deserved mini-retirement for three months, I am now ready to move forward with my new school – SUSAN DAVIS PRESENTATIONS. I’ve set up a small country schoolhouse on my farm. (144 Tripp Road, Sequim) The facility seats 16 comfortably in classroom style with additional room for break-out groups. When not being used a real estate classroom the facility will serve as a writers workshop - and, as I’ve been certified by Deepak Chopra as a Meditation Teacher, I will be providing that instruction and group meditations also.
The first offering will be
WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER - 6 hours CE credit - $60 Thursday July 30, 10 am – 4:30 pm, ½ hour light lunch provided
The overall objectives of this course are to present the key models and systems that will enable you to:
· transform your sales practice into a business; and
· grow that business exponentially.
The emphasis of this course is on preparing you to view your real estate practice as a business and to develop the systems and tools required to grow that business. This includes:
· setting goals and eliminating barriers to success;
· understanding the fundamental principles of a real estate business and measuring your performance quantitatively;
· implementing the practices necessary for success by mastering four key models
ü economic,
ü lead generation,
ü leverage (people) and
ü budget.
The class is limited to the first 16 registrants. Please put your check ($60) into the mail (PO Box 699, Sequim, 98382) include your business card with your license number on the back.
Susan
Susan Davis
Certified Distance Education Instructor™
Licensed instructor in 34 states
460-7941 cell
The first offering will be
WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER - 6 hours CE credit - $60 Thursday July 30, 10 am – 4:30 pm, ½ hour light lunch provided
The overall objectives of this course are to present the key models and systems that will enable you to:
· transform your sales practice into a business; and
· grow that business exponentially.
The emphasis of this course is on preparing you to view your real estate practice as a business and to develop the systems and tools required to grow that business. This includes:
· setting goals and eliminating barriers to success;
· understanding the fundamental principles of a real estate business and measuring your performance quantitatively;
· implementing the practices necessary for success by mastering four key models
ü economic,
ü lead generation,
ü leverage (people) and
ü budget.
The class is limited to the first 16 registrants. Please put your check ($60) into the mail (PO Box 699, Sequim, 98382) include your business card with your license number on the back.
Susan
Susan Davis
Certified Distance Education Instructor™
Licensed instructor in 34 states
460-7941 cell
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Overview
Overview
BitBlinder aims to preserve your privacy and keep your IP address safe from them.
It also allows you to avoid most restrictions and filters on you Internet access.
Enter your email below and they will send you an invite code to join the BitBlinder network as soon as possible.
BitBlinder is currently in a limited beta while we fix some bugs. We also have to control the rate at which new users join the network so that it does not become unstable or slow for our current users.
BitBlinder aims to preserve your privacy and keep your IP address safe from them.
It also allows you to avoid most restrictions and filters on you Internet access.
Enter your email below and they will send you an invite code to join the BitBlinder network as soon as possible.
BitBlinder is currently in a limited beta while we fix some bugs. We also have to control the rate at which new users join the network so that it does not become unstable or slow for our current users.
ThinkGeek :: Ironkey Military Strength Flash Drives
ThinkGeek :: Ironkey Military Strength Flash Drives Just the ticket for {wink} picturs of your girlfriend, etc.
Video demo: https://www.ironkey.com/demo
Video demo: https://www.ironkey.com/demo
Flickr Photo Download: 56 geeks poster complete
Flickr Photo Download: 56 geeks poster complete Scott Johnson's Geek Poster.
Hard disk copy, hard disk backup, hard disk rescue!
Miray Software - HDClone - Hard disk copy, hard disk backup, hard disk rescue!: "Free Edition » back to top
NEW: Creating physical image files.
NEW: Running on Windows XP/Vista/Server now.
NEW: Automatical upsizing during copying with AutoExpand.
The Free Edition of HDClone clones an entire hard disk to another, larger medium. Use it for migrating an existing installation to a new hard disk or for rescuing data. The Free Edition is real freeware without obligation to buy and is intended for the short-term usage at no cost. In case of more frequent usage, we recommend using one of the higher editions since they offer higher performance, support for a wider range of hardware, and additional options which are optimized for regular or professional use."
NEW: Creating physical image files.
NEW: Running on Windows XP/Vista/Server now.
NEW: Automatical upsizing during copying with AutoExpand.
The Free Edition of HDClone clones an entire hard disk to another, larger medium. Use it for migrating an existing installation to a new hard disk or for rescuing data. The Free Edition is real freeware without obligation to buy and is intended for the short-term usage at no cost. In case of more frequent usage, we recommend using one of the higher editions since they offer higher performance, support for a wider range of hardware, and additional options which are optimized for regular or professional use."
Remove items from CONTEXT menu
When you right-click a file or folder, you'll see the list of context menu items out of which some may be invalid.
You can remove items from the context menu by editing the registry. The items are contained in the following registry key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ * \ shellex \ ContextMenuHandlers
Delete the keys for the items you don't want. Be sure to back up the registry before editing it.
You can remove items from the context menu by editing the registry. The items are contained in the following registry key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ * \ shellex \ ContextMenuHandlers
Delete the keys for the items you don't want. Be sure to back up the registry before editing it.
TED Blog: Go behind the scenes of a TEDTalk
TED Blog: Go behind the scenes of a TEDTalk: "It's our third anniversary of posting TEDTalks free to the world! We started in June 2006 with our first six talks -- including Sir Ken Robinson, Al Gore, Majora Carter ... Three years and 486 talks later, we hope you'll enjoy this mini-documentary, 'Behind the TEDTalk.' It stars TED Curator Chris Anderson and the TED team, and a roster of speakers you love: Elizabeth Gilbert, Hans Rosling, Seth Godin and more, in a 6-minute look behind the scenes:"
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
NirCmd - Windows command line tool
NirCmd - Windows command line tool: "NirCmd v2.37 - Freeware Windows command-line tool
Copyright (c) 2003 - 2009 Nir Sofer
Description
NirCmd is a small command-line utility that allows you to do some useful tasks without displaying any user interface. By running NirCmd with simple command-line option, you can write and delete values and keys in the Registry, write values into INI file, dial to your internet account or connect to a VPN network, restart windows or shut down the computer, create shortcut to a file, change the created/modified date of a file, change your display settings, turn off your monitor, open the door of your CD-ROM drive, and more..."
Copyright (c) 2003 - 2009 Nir Sofer
Description
NirCmd is a small command-line utility that allows you to do some useful tasks without displaying any user interface. By running NirCmd with simple command-line option, you can write and delete values and keys in the Registry, write values into INI file, dial to your internet account or connect to a VPN network, restart windows or shut down the computer, create shortcut to a file, change the created/modified date of a file, change your display settings, turn off your monitor, open the door of your CD-ROM drive, and more..."
Followformation - Make Following Make Sense
Followformation - Make Following Make Sense: "followformation is a tool for twitter users who want to follow the top people in the areas of their interest."
Monday, July 13, 2009
The New 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid
The New 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid: "The New 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid" One of our SPCUG members just got one and will show it off to us at some point, I hope. -tp.
Apartment Therapy Unplugged | MagicJack Flying Off The Shelves, Plans Femtocell
Apartment Therapy Unplugged | MagicJack Flying Off The Shelves, Plans Femtocell: "The company is getting ready to launch some new technology soon. It's a wireless base station for your home, named Femtocell, which lets you use your cell phone with the MagicJack service. So basically, you could use your iPhone anywhere in your place, but you won't be using your service provider, you'd be using MagicJack."
Pingdom Web site monitoring for 100% uptime. Measure your downtime.
Pingdom Web site monitoring for 100% uptime. Measure your downtime.: "Sign up for a FREE account
The free Pingdom account lets you monitor one website or server and includes 20 free SMS alerts. Email alerts are free."
The free Pingdom account lets you monitor one website or server and includes 20 free SMS alerts. Email alerts are free."
Sunday, July 12, 2009
about | The Public School
about | The Public School: "THE PUBLIC SCHOOL is a school with no curriculum. At the moment, it operates as follows: first, classes are proposed by the public (I want to learn this or I want to teach this); then, people have the opportunity to sign up for the classes (I also want to learn that); finally, when enough people have expressed interest, the school finds a teacher and offers the class to those who signed up."
abelhadigital.com: HostsMan 3.1.57 released
abelhadigital.com: HostsMan 3.1.57 released
HostsMan is a freeware hosts file manager and editor.
HostsMan is a freeware hosts file manager and editor.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
TwitChuck - Seriously taking on Twitter spam
TwitChuck - Seriously taking on Twitter spam: "Hate Twitter spam? TwitChuck allows you to easily check a Twitter user before you follow."
Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File
Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File
Prolly time to download and update your current HOSTS file. -tp
Prolly time to download and update your current HOSTS file. -tp
Friday, July 10, 2009
Official Google Blog: Find Creative Commons images with Image Search
Official Google Blog: Find Creative Commons images with Image Search: "Today, we're launching a feature on Image Search to help you find images that you can use for free, while respecting the wishes of artists and creators. This feature allows you to restrict your Image Search results to images that have been tagged with licenses like Creative Commons, making it easier to discover images from across the web that you can share, use and even modify. Your search will also include works that have been tagged with other licenses, like GNU Free Documentation license, or are in the public domain."
How to Ease Your Transition to Google Voice - Google Voice - Lifehacker
How to Ease Your Transition to Google Voice - Google Voice - Lifehacker SPCUG has a Google Voice number, on loan from yours truly.
Dinky Page | Disposable pages for everyone
Dinky Page | Disposable pages for everyone
Practice your skills and editing here. Also, look at the the HTML BEHIND the text,etc., that you enter. -tp.
Practice your skills and editing here. Also, look at the the HTML BEHIND the text,etc., that you enter. -tp.
10 cool tools in Windows 7 | 10 Things | TechRepublic.com
10 cool tools in Windows 7 | 10 Things | TechRepublic.com: "10 cool tools in Windows 7
* Date: May 21st, 2009
* Author: Debra Littlejohn Shinder"
* Date: May 21st, 2009
* Author: Debra Littlejohn Shinder"
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Jay Leno’s 3D Printer
Jay Leno’s 3D Printer Replaces Rusty Old Parts
Jay Leno has a lot of old cars with a lot of obsolete parts. When he needs to replace these parts, he skips the error-prone machinist and goes to his rapid prototyping 3D printer. Simply scan, print and repeat. http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/jay_leno_garage/4320759.html?page=1
Jay Leno has a lot of old cars with a lot of obsolete parts. When he needs to replace these parts, he skips the error-prone machinist and goes to his rapid prototyping 3D printer. Simply scan, print and repeat. http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/jay_leno_garage/4320759.html?page=1
DETAILS ABOUT OPEN DNS
Use OpenDNS to surf safely with these tricks
By Becky Waring
Windows Secrets editors frequently recommend OpenDNS, a free service that blocks dangerous sites so you can browse the Web securely.
Unfortunately, OpenDNS has a few tricky gotchas for the unwary, but most of the problems can be solved if you set up an account and take advantage of a few tweaks.
In her June 11 Top Story, WS contributing editor Susan Bradley described how to use OpenDNS to help combat malicious Web sites. In essence, you quit letting your ISP's server convert domain names (like Google.com) into IP addresses (74.125.45.100) for your browser. When you type a domain name, the conversion to an IP address goes through OpenDNS instead.
This simple substitution of one set of DNS servers for another should eliminate the intermittent server outages that many broadband subscribers experience. OpenDNS uses a global network of servers that can be redirected in case of overload or failure. The service's main page shows the servers' locations in the U.S. and Europe. In addition, OpenDNS claims to resolve requests quicker than the DNS servers of most ISPs, which means pages should load faster.
However, the real power of OpenDNS — and the reason Susan and other experts recommend it as a defense against Web-based malware attacks — lies beyond mere name-to-number serving.
By filtering the URL requests that come to you through its servers, OpenDNS can block your browser from surfing to phishing sites and other kinds of undesirable content. The service also corrects typos you make, such as google.cmo, and lets you create URL shortcuts for quick access to the sites you visit most often.
OpenDNS is currently beta-testing a new SmartCache feature that loads the last known-good address for a Web site, even if its nameserver is offline. This kind of outage can happen due to distributed denial of service attacks, for example. This spring, Amazon.com and other big-name sites were unavailable for several hours due to this type of assault, as described in ZDNet's Between the Lines blog. With SmartCache, OpenDNS users can access these sites even though other Internet users cannot.
With such a simple premise, OpenDNS sounds great, right? Unfortunately, some people — including several WS readers who wrote in after Susan's story appeared — have had problems when attempting to use the service.
The correct way to set up OpenDNS
The issues our readers and other OpenDNS users report are due mainly to an incomplete or incorrect setup of the service. Many articles that recommend using OpenDNS say only that you should replace the DNS servers in your computer or router with two OpenDNS-controlled IP addresses: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220. These articles, while meant to help users, fail to tell the rest of the story.
A simple IP address replacement is indeed all most OpenDNS users need to do. Full control of your OpenDNS experience, however, requires that you create an account on OpenDNS.com. Without an account, you're stuck using the default preferences, which may not work for your setup. For example, you may not be able to access a VPN (virtual private network) or Windows Home Server without changing your account preferences.
Similarly, you can't take advantage of OpenDNS's powerful filtering options without establishing an account. By default, OpenDNS uses a so-called PhishTank list to block phishing sites; the list is maintained by OpenDNS itself. But if you're a parent or employer who also wants to block sites in such categories as pornography, illegal downloads, social networking, or video sharing, you need to do so by configuring your account preferences.
To set up a free account, simply go to OpenDNS.com and sign up. You must also change the DNS servers in your router to the two IP addresses mentioned above. Instructions for doing this on most routers can be found on the Use OpenDNS page. Once your account is confirmed, sign in at the OpenDNS site and open the Dashboard to change your account preferences. (See Figure 1.)
OpenDNS Dashboard
Figure 1. Customize your OpenDNS settings via the service's Dashboard.
To customize OpenDNS for a typical home PC user, you would first add your home network using the Networks tab. By configuring OpenDNS in your router and adding your home network, you can protect all your computers and network devices — including smartphones that connect via Wi-Fi — with the same account settings. If you use multiple networks, you can add them all under the same account.
When you travel, you can change the DNS settings for your laptop's Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapters to connect to OpenDNS directly, rather than relying on your home network to make the connection. Instructions for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers are available on the OpenDNS Change DNS settings page. (It's fine to use both computer and router OpenDNS at the same time.)
Next, click the Settings tab to choose and customize your Web-filtering preferences. I have mine set at the second level, Low, which blocks phishing and pornography sites. Parents may want to choose a higher level of protection. You can also create custom lists of allowed and blocked sites, regardless of the level of protection you select.
Accessing the real OpenDNS mother lode, however, may be a bit more difficult for the typical user to figure out. Click Settings, Advanced Settings. (See Figure 2.) This is where you can add your VPN or Web server, activate the SmartCache feature, and enable dynamic IP updating — which is particularly useful for travelers.
OpenDNS Advanced Settings
Figure 2. The OpenDNS Advanced Settings page lets you customize your use of the proxy service.
To reach a VPN or corporate intranet domain, or to access such resources as network printers and network shares, you have two options. For home networks, simply add a "Domain typo exception" in the name of your VPN server or network domain; for example, vpn.mycompany.com. Together with dynamic IP updating, this solves a problem with remote access and Windows Home Server.
If you're already running a local DNS server such as Windows Server 2008 with Active Directory, your second option is to forward only external DNS requests to the OpenDNS servers and continue to resolve local domains locally. In this case, you update the external DNS settings to OpenDNS on your server, not in your router or client computers.
People who rely on a dynamic IP address from their ISP or who travel frequently can download and install the OpenDNS Updater, which is available on the OpenDNS Support page.
Putting OpenDNS to the speed-comparison test
Once you've got OpenDNS configured properly, it's time to try it out. First, you can attempt to verify OpenDNS's speed claims with the handy DNS Performance Test from Silverwolf's Auditorium. Run the test on your regular ISP's DNS servers and on OpenDNS's servers.
In Northern California, where I live, the results confirmed some complaints of slowness by the alternative service. AT&T's DNS servers, accessed via my standard DSL service, were twice as fast at resolving DNS requests as OpenDNS: 89ms versus 187ms.
While 187ms is a fairly good response average, the OpenDNS folks indicated that my results were atypical, especially since they have a server located near my house. When I asked several other Windows Secrets editors to run the same tests from their locations around the world, their results varied widely.
For example: In New Hampshire, Fred Langa got a test result of 132ms from the servers at his FairPoint ISP and 146ms from OpenDNS. In Colorado, Scott Spanbauer's Comcast connection registered 119ms compared to OpenDNS's 116ms. And in Phuket, Thailand, Woody Leonhard's TT&T MaxNet DNS served up 547ms against OpenDNS's score of 414ms. These results are virtual ties.
The bottom line is that your mileage may vary. I recommend that you run the same tests on your connection before committing to using OpenDNS. Even if you find a small performance deficit from OpenDNS, the minor slowdown should be evaluated against the security and reliability benefits OpenDNS can bring.
If you find a larger difference, this may argue against using OpenDNS from your area. In that case, you can also try DNS Advantage, a similar service from NeuStar. DNS Advantage is still under development but will soon be adding site-blocking and typo-correction services similar to those offered by OpenDNS.
NeuStar already has a large network of DNS servers for its paid, corporate UltraDNS service, so DNS Advantage is likely to become a big player.
Assessing readers' reports of OpenDNS glitches
As I mentioned above, some WS readers reported difficulties in using OpenDNS after Susan's story appeared. David Cagle complains that his ISP is blocking the service:
* "Here in Florida, with Comcast as my service provider, it's almost impossible to reach the OpenDNS Web site. After several days, I became suspicious and began doing some Web searches. Thread after thread of angry Comcast subscribers are all reporting that OpenDNS is either blocked outright or hobbled to the point of being useless."
While several readers reported problems when using OpenDNS with Comcast, Scott Spanbauer experienced no such difficulties when he tested OpenDNS over his Comcast connection. Further, OpenDNS CEO David Ulevitch assured me that "we have many millions of users in the U.S. and many of those are Comcast customers. We've had no complaints from them. We also know the Comcast DNS engineers reasonably well, and we know they aren't doing any blocking."
It's likely that David's problems stem from his particular setup. (OpenDNS contacted David to try to help him out, but as of early July, he hadn't responded.)
Reader Ernie Mandoky warns of another potential problem related to OpenDNS use:
* "Windows Secrets readers who employ Windows Home Server should be warned that OpenDNS will not translate the server's IP address correctly and will prevent clients from connecting to the server through both [Recovery] Console and Remote Desktop. Backups will continue to function automatically, and you can even access the server by entering the server's IP address directly into the browser, but the Console will no longer connect."
As I described above, to protect a home network simply add a "Domain typo exception" in the name of your VPN server or network domain — for example, vpn.mycompany.com. Together with dynamic IP updating, this should eliminate problems concerning Windows Home Server and remote access.
Rick McLeod found that his system performance slowed to a crawl after he installed OpenDNS, and he concluded that his PC had become infected:
* "Because of following [your] advice on OpenDNS, I now have a browser hijack when I enter an invalid URL. It goes to their search page. I didn't ask for that and am having big difficulty getting rid of it."
OpenDNS isn't any kind of a hijack or exploit. Displaying a search box when a user types a domain name that doesn't exist is an OpenDNS feature. If a common error is made — such as typing google.cmo — the service just sends you to the correct page. If there's no easy match, however, OpenDNS directs you to a search page, which contains advertising that supports the service.
I feel this is a small price to pay for such a valuable free offering. This is especially true because most of the typos I make while using OpenDNS are automatically routed to the correct domain, saving me the hassle of retyping. Few Internet services as useful as OpenDNS are truly free. As long as the ads don't get in my way, I'm willing to make the trade-off.
By Becky Waring
Windows Secrets editors frequently recommend OpenDNS, a free service that blocks dangerous sites so you can browse the Web securely.
Unfortunately, OpenDNS has a few tricky gotchas for the unwary, but most of the problems can be solved if you set up an account and take advantage of a few tweaks.
In her June 11 Top Story, WS contributing editor Susan Bradley described how to use OpenDNS to help combat malicious Web sites. In essence, you quit letting your ISP's server convert domain names (like Google.com) into IP addresses (74.125.45.100) for your browser. When you type a domain name, the conversion to an IP address goes through OpenDNS instead.
This simple substitution of one set of DNS servers for another should eliminate the intermittent server outages that many broadband subscribers experience. OpenDNS uses a global network of servers that can be redirected in case of overload or failure. The service's main page shows the servers' locations in the U.S. and Europe. In addition, OpenDNS claims to resolve requests quicker than the DNS servers of most ISPs, which means pages should load faster.
However, the real power of OpenDNS — and the reason Susan and other experts recommend it as a defense against Web-based malware attacks — lies beyond mere name-to-number serving.
By filtering the URL requests that come to you through its servers, OpenDNS can block your browser from surfing to phishing sites and other kinds of undesirable content. The service also corrects typos you make, such as google.cmo, and lets you create URL shortcuts for quick access to the sites you visit most often.
OpenDNS is currently beta-testing a new SmartCache feature that loads the last known-good address for a Web site, even if its nameserver is offline. This kind of outage can happen due to distributed denial of service attacks, for example. This spring, Amazon.com and other big-name sites were unavailable for several hours due to this type of assault, as described in ZDNet's Between the Lines blog. With SmartCache, OpenDNS users can access these sites even though other Internet users cannot.
With such a simple premise, OpenDNS sounds great, right? Unfortunately, some people — including several WS readers who wrote in after Susan's story appeared — have had problems when attempting to use the service.
The correct way to set up OpenDNS
The issues our readers and other OpenDNS users report are due mainly to an incomplete or incorrect setup of the service. Many articles that recommend using OpenDNS say only that you should replace the DNS servers in your computer or router with two OpenDNS-controlled IP addresses: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220. These articles, while meant to help users, fail to tell the rest of the story.
A simple IP address replacement is indeed all most OpenDNS users need to do. Full control of your OpenDNS experience, however, requires that you create an account on OpenDNS.com. Without an account, you're stuck using the default preferences, which may not work for your setup. For example, you may not be able to access a VPN (virtual private network) or Windows Home Server without changing your account preferences.
Similarly, you can't take advantage of OpenDNS's powerful filtering options without establishing an account. By default, OpenDNS uses a so-called PhishTank list to block phishing sites; the list is maintained by OpenDNS itself. But if you're a parent or employer who also wants to block sites in such categories as pornography, illegal downloads, social networking, or video sharing, you need to do so by configuring your account preferences.
To set up a free account, simply go to OpenDNS.com and sign up. You must also change the DNS servers in your router to the two IP addresses mentioned above. Instructions for doing this on most routers can be found on the Use OpenDNS page. Once your account is confirmed, sign in at the OpenDNS site and open the Dashboard to change your account preferences. (See Figure 1.)
OpenDNS Dashboard
Figure 1. Customize your OpenDNS settings via the service's Dashboard.
To customize OpenDNS for a typical home PC user, you would first add your home network using the Networks tab. By configuring OpenDNS in your router and adding your home network, you can protect all your computers and network devices — including smartphones that connect via Wi-Fi — with the same account settings. If you use multiple networks, you can add them all under the same account.
When you travel, you can change the DNS settings for your laptop's Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapters to connect to OpenDNS directly, rather than relying on your home network to make the connection. Instructions for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers are available on the OpenDNS Change DNS settings page. (It's fine to use both computer and router OpenDNS at the same time.)
Next, click the Settings tab to choose and customize your Web-filtering preferences. I have mine set at the second level, Low, which blocks phishing and pornography sites. Parents may want to choose a higher level of protection. You can also create custom lists of allowed and blocked sites, regardless of the level of protection you select.
Accessing the real OpenDNS mother lode, however, may be a bit more difficult for the typical user to figure out. Click Settings, Advanced Settings. (See Figure 2.) This is where you can add your VPN or Web server, activate the SmartCache feature, and enable dynamic IP updating — which is particularly useful for travelers.
OpenDNS Advanced Settings
Figure 2. The OpenDNS Advanced Settings page lets you customize your use of the proxy service.
To reach a VPN or corporate intranet domain, or to access such resources as network printers and network shares, you have two options. For home networks, simply add a "Domain typo exception" in the name of your VPN server or network domain; for example, vpn.mycompany.com. Together with dynamic IP updating, this solves a problem with remote access and Windows Home Server.
If you're already running a local DNS server such as Windows Server 2008 with Active Directory, your second option is to forward only external DNS requests to the OpenDNS servers and continue to resolve local domains locally. In this case, you update the external DNS settings to OpenDNS on your server, not in your router or client computers.
People who rely on a dynamic IP address from their ISP or who travel frequently can download and install the OpenDNS Updater, which is available on the OpenDNS Support page.
Putting OpenDNS to the speed-comparison test
Once you've got OpenDNS configured properly, it's time to try it out. First, you can attempt to verify OpenDNS's speed claims with the handy DNS Performance Test from Silverwolf's Auditorium. Run the test on your regular ISP's DNS servers and on OpenDNS's servers.
In Northern California, where I live, the results confirmed some complaints of slowness by the alternative service. AT&T's DNS servers, accessed via my standard DSL service, were twice as fast at resolving DNS requests as OpenDNS: 89ms versus 187ms.
While 187ms is a fairly good response average, the OpenDNS folks indicated that my results were atypical, especially since they have a server located near my house. When I asked several other Windows Secrets editors to run the same tests from their locations around the world, their results varied widely.
For example: In New Hampshire, Fred Langa got a test result of 132ms from the servers at his FairPoint ISP and 146ms from OpenDNS. In Colorado, Scott Spanbauer's Comcast connection registered 119ms compared to OpenDNS's 116ms. And in Phuket, Thailand, Woody Leonhard's TT&T MaxNet DNS served up 547ms against OpenDNS's score of 414ms. These results are virtual ties.
The bottom line is that your mileage may vary. I recommend that you run the same tests on your connection before committing to using OpenDNS. Even if you find a small performance deficit from OpenDNS, the minor slowdown should be evaluated against the security and reliability benefits OpenDNS can bring.
If you find a larger difference, this may argue against using OpenDNS from your area. In that case, you can also try DNS Advantage, a similar service from NeuStar. DNS Advantage is still under development but will soon be adding site-blocking and typo-correction services similar to those offered by OpenDNS.
NeuStar already has a large network of DNS servers for its paid, corporate UltraDNS service, so DNS Advantage is likely to become a big player.
Assessing readers' reports of OpenDNS glitches
As I mentioned above, some WS readers reported difficulties in using OpenDNS after Susan's story appeared. David Cagle complains that his ISP is blocking the service:
* "Here in Florida, with Comcast as my service provider, it's almost impossible to reach the OpenDNS Web site. After several days, I became suspicious and began doing some Web searches. Thread after thread of angry Comcast subscribers are all reporting that OpenDNS is either blocked outright or hobbled to the point of being useless."
While several readers reported problems when using OpenDNS with Comcast, Scott Spanbauer experienced no such difficulties when he tested OpenDNS over his Comcast connection. Further, OpenDNS CEO David Ulevitch assured me that "we have many millions of users in the U.S. and many of those are Comcast customers. We've had no complaints from them. We also know the Comcast DNS engineers reasonably well, and we know they aren't doing any blocking."
It's likely that David's problems stem from his particular setup. (OpenDNS contacted David to try to help him out, but as of early July, he hadn't responded.)
Reader Ernie Mandoky warns of another potential problem related to OpenDNS use:
* "Windows Secrets readers who employ Windows Home Server should be warned that OpenDNS will not translate the server's IP address correctly and will prevent clients from connecting to the server through both [Recovery] Console and Remote Desktop. Backups will continue to function automatically, and you can even access the server by entering the server's IP address directly into the browser, but the Console will no longer connect."
As I described above, to protect a home network simply add a "Domain typo exception" in the name of your VPN server or network domain — for example, vpn.mycompany.com. Together with dynamic IP updating, this should eliminate problems concerning Windows Home Server and remote access.
Rick McLeod found that his system performance slowed to a crawl after he installed OpenDNS, and he concluded that his PC had become infected:
* "Because of following [your] advice on OpenDNS, I now have a browser hijack when I enter an invalid URL. It goes to their search page. I didn't ask for that and am having big difficulty getting rid of it."
OpenDNS isn't any kind of a hijack or exploit. Displaying a search box when a user types a domain name that doesn't exist is an OpenDNS feature. If a common error is made — such as typing google.cmo — the service just sends you to the correct page. If there's no easy match, however, OpenDNS directs you to a search page, which contains advertising that supports the service.
I feel this is a small price to pay for such a valuable free offering. This is especially true because most of the typos I make while using OpenDNS are automatically routed to the correct domain, saving me the hassle of retyping. Few Internet services as useful as OpenDNS are truly free. As long as the ads don't get in my way, I'm willing to make the trade-off.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
RSS2Twitter - publish content from RSS to twitter | twi5.com
RSS2Twitter - publish content from RSS to twitter | twi5.com: "The easiest way to publish your content to twitter, directly from your RSS feeds"
‘Virtual Assistants' Find Demand for Services in Tight Labor Market - washingtonpost.com
‘Virtual Assistants' Find Demand for Services in Tight Labor Market - washingtonpost.com: "Most do tasks such as document preparation, paperwork and accounting. Some have niche areas, such as bilingual translation or creative services."
UPDATE: See Google search on VAs: http://u.nu/464i
UPDATE: See Google search on VAs: http://u.nu/464i
Monday, July 6, 2009
» View Tofu screenshot for Macintosh
» View Tofu screenshot for Macintosh
Tofu is free and helps you make columns with your MAC.
Tofu is free and helps you make columns with your MAC.
Rob Pegoraro - Fast Forward: Browser Users Can Celebrate an Independent's Day - washingtonpost.com
Rob Pegoraro - Fast Forward: Browser Users Can Celebrate an Independent's Day - washingtonpost.com: "Browser Users Can Celebrate an Independent's Day"
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Protection Center - Windows Live OneCare safety scanner
Protection Center - Windows Live OneCare safety scanner: "Keep hackers and unwanted software at bay and learn about some quick ways to keep your PC secure.
Launch protection scan
How safe is your PC?
Use our free protection scan to check for and remove viruses, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software and to find vulnerabilities in your Internet connection. Learn more.
You need Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 Server. You also need either Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or MSN® 9.0 or higher.
Launch protection scan
How safe is your PC?
Use our free protection scan to check for and remove viruses, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software and to find vulnerabilities in your Internet connection. Learn more.
You need Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 Server. You also need either Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or MSN® 9.0 or higher.
Kaspersky Online Scanner 7.0
Kaspersky Online Scanner 7.0: "# # Heuristic analysis to detect unknown malware"
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tubemaster Plus Plus: download media from media sharing sites (including encrypted sites) | freewaregenius.com
Tubemaster Plus Plus: download media from media sharing sites (including encrypted sites) | freewaregenius.com: "Tubemaster Plus Plus: download media from media sharing sites (including encrypted sites)"
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