Laptops are different from desktops in the following ways

by: Bonnie Archer

A) The Power supply: As desktops can be plugged in an outlet in the wall (AC Power) so can laptops with an AC adapter. But how a laptop is different from a desktop is that it is portable because batteries can also power laptops. The batteries are rechargeable; lithium, nickel-cadmium, or nickel-metal hydride.

B) The Display: Also like desktops, laptops have some type of LCD display screen. Modern Laptops have 800 x 600 pixel resolution. This gives it a very clear screen and anything less should be avoided.

C) The Input Devices: On a desktop computer you usually use a mouse and keyboard to enter data and navigate. With laptops keyboards are built in but since they are portable so they don't have a mouse. Instead they have one of three input devices in place of the mouse. A trackball, rotating the ball allows you to move the cursor. A trackpoint allows you to push your finger over the point to move the cursor. Lastly, a laptop may have a touchpad that you move your finger across to move the cursor.

D) The Docking Connections: Many laptops come with a docking connection to make it more comfortable to use at a desk. You just plug your laptop in and use it as a desktop. The docking station comes with many peripheral devices: full size computer monitor, full size keyboard and mouse, disk drives and printer.

Thanks for reading
B. Archer

About the author:

http://www.A1-computers.net/laptops.html
http://www.A1-computers.net/desktoppc.html
Check out our Blog!
http://a1-computers.blogspot.com

Top 10 Ways To Protect Yourself From Computer Viruses

by: Jim Faller

As more and more people are becoming comfortable using their computers at school, home or in the office it’s only a matter of time before they encounter a computer virus. Here are our top 10 steps to protect you from computer viruses.

Use a high quality anti-virus program. There are many different anti-virus computers programs on the market some of them are better than others. Look to reputable computer magazines or websites for ratings to help you find the one that matches your needs.

Always use your anti-virus software. Make sure your anti-virus software is always turned on and scanning, incoming and outgoing email messages, and any software programs you run.

Keep your antivirus programs up to date. Most programs come with a yearly subscription make sure you take advantage of the updates. More advanced programs allow you to schedule updates or full system scans for “off hours” like 2AM when you aren’t likely to be using your computer.

Keep your computer up to date. From time to time operating systems fall victim to security holes or issue updates. Make sure you check periodically to make sure you are running stable up to date versions of your software.

Backup your data regularly. Most windows computer users keep their documents in the “My documents” folder. This makes it easy to back up all of your important documents. Make weekly or monthly copies to CD or USB drives.

If you use floppy disks or USB drives on public computers like your school computer lab, Kinko’s, or even digital photo printing store make sure you scan them for viruses. Public computers are notorious for not being up to date and properly protected.

Be wary of email attachments. Treat any email attachment as potentially dangerous. Never open attachments from people you weren’t expecting. Also be careful of attachments from people you know but weren’t expecting. Many computer viruses replicate themselves by reading the contacts from an infected computer.

Use text email if possible. While HTML email is prettier and allows you more control over formatting it also can carry computer viruses. If you use text based email the only way to get a virus is by opening an attachment.

Use downloaded freeware and shareware files or software with caution. Try to download them from popular reputable sources that scan the programs before they are uploaded. To make sure you are safe scan the program before you install it on your computer.

Be wary of links in IM or instant messaging software. Don’t accept invitations from people you don’t know and never click a link from someone you don’t trust, they can easily redirect you to another website that will try to install a virus on your computer system.

© Computers.6ln.com, All Rights Reserved.

About the author:
This article was written by Jim Faller of http://computers.6ln.coma website with information about viruses, spyware, adware, backups, data recovery and computer security.

Brush Special Effects, Clipping Layer Tutorial

It is quite possible that you only use the default Brush set in Photoshop. Photoshop has a lot of Brushes. They are hidden. You can access and use them. I have shown how to use one of the brushes and how a Clipping Layer works for a Special Effects tutorial.

I have taken this image.
And made this. This special effect has been created with a Brush that all versions of Photoshop have.

The tutorial is here.

Other tutorials are here.

Advice about the most informative opinion regarding computer.

by: Tom Brown

Advice about the most informative opinion regarding computer. When you're trying to find high-class advice about computer, you'll find it difficult extricating the best information from misguided computer suggestions and help so it's best to know ways of judging the information you are offered.

Great Deals On Electronics
Click Link for Daily Special And Deals on PC Products. Save Now! aff

Here are several guidelines which we believe you should use when you're searching for information regarding computer. Please understand that the advice we offer is only relevant to internet information about computer. We don't offer any guidance or advice for conducting research offline.

Tiger Direct.Com
Shop for Computers, Electronics, LCDs, Plasmas, Parts & Accessories ! affiliate

A great hint to follow when you are presented with information or advice on a computer web page is to verify the ownership of the website. This may show you the people behind the site computer authority The easiest way to reveal who owns the computer website is to look on the 'about' page or 'contact' page.

Any reputable site providing information about computer, will almost always provide an 'about' or 'contact' page which will list the people behind the site. The particulars should reveal key points concerning the owner's requisite knowledge. This enables you to make an assessment about the vendor's education and practical knowledge, to offer guidance about computer.



About the author:
Tom Brown is the webmaster at databasespecialnews.info

Malware Quiz

by: Joel Walsh

Most people who think they know all about spyware, Trojans, viruses, and other malware really don't. Take this quiz to make sure you know who your enemies are.

This quiz tests your knowledge of five of the most common kinds of malware, the software you don't want on your computer: Trojan, worm, virus, spyware, and adware. Keep in mind that there are at least seven other kinds of malware we know about.

The answers are located at the end of the quiz.

1. Which of the following is most likely to make your computer stop working?
a. Trojan
b. Worm
c. Virus
d. Spyware
e. Adware

2. Which of the following is not a stand-alone program?
a. Trojan
b. Worm
c. Virus
d. Spyware
e. Adware

3. Which of the following is most likely to send spam emails from your computer?
a. Trojan
b. Worm
c. Virus
d. Spyware
e. Adware

4. Which of the following is lest likely to be detected with standard antivirus software?
a. Trojan
b. Worm
c. Virus
d. Spyware
e. Adware

5. Which of the following is most likely to come with other malware?
a. Trojan
b. Worm
c. Virus
d. Spyware
e. Adware

6. Which of the following is bundled with the peer-to-peer file-sharing software, Kazaa?
a. Trojan
b. Worm
c. Virus
d. Spyware
e. Adware

7. Which of the following is most likely to install a "backdoor" internet connection?
a. Trojan
b. Worm
c. Virus
d. Spyware
e. Adware

8. Which of the following is most likely to be involved in a denial-of-service attack?
a. Trojan
b. Worm
c. Virus
d. Spyware
e. Adware

9. Which of the following is the only malware publicly documented as having been employed by the FBI to bring a suspect to trial?
a. Trojan
b. Worm
c. Virus
d. Spyware
e. Adware

10. Which of the following is most likely to steal your identity?
a. Trojan
b. Worm
c. Virus
d. Spyware
e. Adware

Answers:

1. c. virus. Trojans, worms, spyware, and adware all depend on your computer staying up and running. They use your computer's resources to accomplish whatever their designer intended, such as sending emails, displaying advertising, or stealing information from your computer. Viruses, however, are usually created by vandals who just want to damage as many computers as possible.

2. c. virus. Viruses are not stand-alone programs. Just as biological viruses must take over the cells of their host in order to function and reproduce; computer viruses must take over one or more files of the computer on which they are stored. Trojans, worms, spyware, and adware are all stand-alone programs that can run without the help of another application, though they often come bundled with other applications as a decoy, or with other malware.

3. b. worm. Worms are stand-alone programs that are often used to send spam emails, or emails containing viruses. Trojans often contain worms which are then installed for the purpose of sending spam emails, but the worms are what actually send the emails.

4. e. adware. In the strictest sense, adware is rarely patently illegal or destructive, and so antivirus software makers have traditionally avoided treating it as malware. Adware designers are usually large advertising companies with hundreds of millions of dollars, and they take care to insert end-user licensing agreements (EULA) that supposedly mean that the software is installed with permission. Also, adware will not usually do anything more destructive than show advertising. Nonetheless, adware can quickly multiply on a computer, hogging system resources and causing a computer to slow down or even malfunction. That's why most anti-spyware software makers target adware as well.

5. a. Trojan. By definition, Trojans bear other malware within them, just as the mythical wooden worse bore Greek warriors. The malware can be viruses, worms, spyware, or adware.

6. e. adware, though d. spyware, is also correct. Kazaa's developers, Sharman Networks, make most of their money from the advertising shown by the included adware. The adware typically runs even when the Kazaa software is not in use. Sharman Networks has adamantly denied that the adware that comes with Kazaa is spyware, since, like most adware, it comes with an end-user license agreement that says the user grants permission for the software to be installed. In reality, few Kazaa users, until recently, were aware of just how much adware was being installed on their machines (as much as a dozen or more). Plus, the adware does monitor your internet usage, and so is spyware in the strictest sense.

7. b. worm. Worms most commonly install a "backdoor" internet connection in order to send out data (for instance, spam emails or requests to remote servers) undetected.

8. b. worm. Worms, which most commonly install a "backdoor" internet connection on the host computer, are perfect for sending out the millions of server requests needed to achieve a denial-of-service attack. A denial-of-service attack is when a server is maliciously sent so many hits that it is overwhelmed and cannot continue to operate.

9. a. Trojan. The Trojan "Magic Lantern" was famously used to install monitoring software on the computer of a suspect who was later brought to trial partly on the strength of the evidence gathered.

10. e. Spyware. Spyware is malware that collects information from your computer and sends it to another remote machine, so by definition any software that steals your identity is spyware. However, spyware is often installed on your computer by a Trojan, or sent to you by another computer infected with a worm, so other kinds of malware pose an indirect threat of identity theft as well.

About the author:
Joel Walsh writes for spyware-refuge.com about spyware, viruses, Trojans, adware, worms, and other malware: http://www.spyware-refuge.com?Computer Viruses[Publish this article on your website! Requirement: live link for above URL/web address w/ link text/anchor text: "Computer Viruses" OR leave this bracketed message intact.

All About Computer Viruses

by: Kara Glover

Feel Free to reprint this article in newsletters and on websites, with resource box included. If you use this article, please send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: kara333@earthlink.net

Word Count = 1,500
Word Wrapped to 60 characters per line
URL: http://www.karathecomputertutor.com
Author photo: http://www.karathecomputertutor.com

Your computer is as slow as molasses. Your mouse freezes every 15 minutes, and that Microsoft Word program just won’t seem to open.

You might have a virus.

Just what exactly is a virus? What kind is in your computer? How did it get there? How is it spreading and wreaking such havoc? And why is it bothering with your computer anyway?

Viruses are pieces of programming code that make copies of themselves, or replicate, inside your computer without asking your explicit written permission to do so. Forget getting your permission down on paper. Viruses don’t bother to seek your permission at all! Very invasive.

In comparison, there are pieces of code that might replicate inside your computer, say something your IT guy thinks you need. But the code spreads, perhaps throughout your office network, with your consent (or at least your IT guy’s consent). These types of replicating code are called agents, said Jimmy Kuo, a research fellow with McAfee AVERT, a research arm of anti-virus software-maker McAfee Inc.

In this article, though, we’re not talking about the good guys, or the agents. We’ll be talking about the bad guys, the viruses.

A long, long time ago in computer years, like five, most viruses were comprised of a similar breed. They entered your computer perhaps through an email attachment or a floppy disk (remember those?). Then they attached themselves to one of your files, say your Microsoft Word program.

When you opened your Microsoft Word program, the virus replicated and attached itself to other files. These could be other random files on your hard drive, the files furthest away from your Microsoft Word program, or other files, depending on how the virus writer wanted the virus to behave.

This virus code could contain hundreds or thousands of instructions. When it replicates it inserts those instructions, into the files it infects, said Carey Nachenberg, Chief Architect at Symantec Research Labs, an arm of anti-virus software-maker Symantec. Corp.

Because so many other types of viruses exist now, the kind just described is called a classic virus. Classic viruses still exist but they’re not quite as prevalent as they used to be. (Perhaps we could put classic viruses on the shelf with Hemingway and Dickens.)

These days, in the modern era, viruses are known to spread through vulnerabilities in web browsers, files shared over the internet, emails themselves, and computer networks.

As far as web browsers are concerned, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer takes most of the heat for spreading viruses because it’s used by more people for web surfing than any other browser.

Nevertheless, “Any web browser potentially has vulnerabilities,” Nachenberg said.

For instance, let’s say you go to a website in IE you have every reason to think is safe, Nachenberg said.

But unfortunately it isn’t. It has virus code hidden in its background that IE isn’t protecting you from. While you’re looking at the site, the virus is downloaded onto your computer, he said. That’s one way of catching a nasty virus.

During the past two years, another prevalent way to catch a virus has been through downloads computer users share with one another, mostly on music sharing sites, Kuo said. On Limewire or Kazaa, for instance, teenagers or other music enthusiasts might think they’re downloading that latest Justin Timberlake song, when in reality they’re downloading a virus straight into their computer. It’s easy for a virus writer to put a download with a virus on one of these sites because everyone’s sharing with everyone else anyway.

Here’s one you might not have thought of. If you use Outlook or Outlook Express to send and receive email, do you have a preview pane below your list of emails that shows the contents of the email you have highlighted? If so, you may be putting yourself at risk.

Some viruses, though a small percentage according to Nachenberg, are inserted straight into emails themselves.

Forget opening the attachment. All you have to do is view the email to potentially get a virus, Kuo added. For instance, have you ever opened or viewed an email that states it’s “loading”? Well, once everything is “loaded,” a virus in the email might just load onto your computer.

So if I were you, I’d click on View on the toolbar in your Outlook or Outlook Express and close the preview pane. (You have to click on View and then Layout in Outlook Express.)

On a network at work? You could get a virus that way. Worms are viruses that come into your computer via networks, Kuo said. They travel from machine to machine and, unlike, the classic viruses, they attack the machine itself rather than individual files.

Worms sit in your working memory, or RAM, Nachenberg said.

OK, so we’ve talked about how the viruses get into a computer. How do they cause so much damage once they’re there?

Let’s say you’ve caught a classic virus, one that replicates and attacks various files on your computer. Let’s go back to the example of the virus that initially infects your Microsoft Word program.

Well, it might eventually cause that program to crash, Nachenberg said. It also might cause damage to your computer as it looks for new targets to infect.
This process of infecting targets and looking for new ones could eventually use up your computer’s ability to function, he said.

Often the destruction a virus causes is pegged to a certain event or date and time, called a trigger. For instance, a virus could be programmed to lay dormant until January 28. When that date rolls around, though, it may be programmed to do something as innocuous but annoying as splash popups on your screen, or something as severe as reformat your computer’s hard drive, Nachenberg said.

There are other potential reasons, though, for a virus to cause your computer to be acting slow or in weird ways. And that leads us to a new segment – the reason virus writers would want to waste their time creating viruses in the first place.

The majority of viruses are still written by teenagers looking for some notoriety, Nachenberg said. But a growing segment of the virus-writing population has other intentions in mind.

For these other intentions, we first need to explain the “backdoor” concept.

The sole purpose of some viruses is to create a vulnerability in your computer. Once it creates this hole of sorts, or backdoor, it signals home to mama or dada virus writer (kind of like in E.T.). Once the virus writer receives the signal, they can use and abuse your computer to their own likings.

Trojans are sometimes used to open backdoors. In fact that is usually their sole purpose, Kuo said.

Trojans are pieces of code you might download onto your computer, say, from a newsgroup. As in the Trojan War they are named after, they are usually disguised as innocuous pieces of code. But Trojans aren’t considered viruses because they don’t replicate.

Now back to the real viruses. Let’s say we have Joe Shmo virus writer. He sends out a virus that ends up infecting a thousand machines. But he doesn’t want the feds on his case. So he instructs the viruses on the various machines to send their signals, not of course to his computer, but to a place that can’t be traced. Hotmail email happens to be an example of one such place, Kuo said.

OK, so the virus writers now control these computers. What will they use them for?
One use is to send spam. Once that backdoor is open, they bounce spam off of those computers and send it to other machines, Nachenberg said.

That’s right. Some spam you have in your email right now may have been originally sent to other innocent computers before it came to yours so that it could remain in disguise. If the authorities could track down the original senders of spam, they could crack down on spam itself. Spam senders don’t want that.

Ever heard of phishing emails? Those are the ones that purport to be from your internet service provider or bank. They typically request some information from you, like your credit card number. The problem is, they’re NOT from your internet service provider or your bank. They’re from evil people after your credit card number! Well, these emails are often sent the same way spam is sent, by sending them via innocent computers.

Of course makers of anti-virus software use a variety of methods to combat the onslaught of viruses. Norton, for instance, uses signature scanning, Nachenberg said.

Signature scanning is similar to the process of looking for DNA fingerprints, he said. Norton examines programming code to find what viruses are made of. It adds those bad instructions it finds to its large database of other bad code. Then it uses this vast database to seek out and match the code in it with similar code in your computer. When it finds such virus code, it lets you know!

© by Kara Glover

Newsprint Girl in Photoshop

Let me show you how to create a special effect using scanned newspaper images or any image you want to use in Photoshop.

This is the Newsprint Girl that you can create with Photoshop.

The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here.

How Spyware Blaster Can Protect Your Computer From Harm

by: Philippa Smith

By browsing a web page, you could infect your computer with
spy ware, ad ware, dialers and hijackers. These, unwelcome
guests, are some of the fastest growing threats on the
Internet today. It is important to protect your computer
and one of the most powerful software products, available
for this, is Spy ware Blaster, a program created by Java
cool.

How are you affected?

A spyware program will record every keystroke and e-mail as
well as every web page you visit and every chat session.
Some spyware programs will try to take control of your
homepage, search page and other browser settings. Some may
silently download themselves onto your computer. Others may
pose as legitimate programs and persuade you to download
them.

Private and confidential information extracted from a
user's computer may be put on the Internet before he can
realize that he is a victim of these malicious programs.

A Microsoft program called ActiveX is used to download
software from websites for supporting legitimate services
like file viewers or games. ActiveX can also be used to
download spyware, hijackers, dialers and ad ware. Spyware
Blaster can make it difficult for these ActiveX programs to
run on your computer. It can also protect your computer
from certain cookies while running Mozilla based browsers
like Fire fox.

The major anti-virus software product manufacturers have
ignored the risks of spyware, hijackers, dialers and ad
ware till now. Due to this, users have little knowledge of
the software products that can be effective in detecting
and eliminating them. One of the most powerful products
available to provide security from spy ware is Spyware
Blaster.

Spyware Blaster

Spyware Blaster is a freeware that offers effective
protection from malicious Internet downloads. It disables
malicious ActiveX controls that are already present and
prevents downloads of malicious ActiveX controls from a web
page. Its current database contains 822 items against which
it provides protection. About 100 of these are tracking
cookies, used by advertisers.

Spy ware Blaster's Flash Killer capability enables it to
block the installation of distracting macromedia flash
content. It gives the user the option to block specific
search engine toolbars and browser plug-ins.

Wireless Networks: How Do They Work?

by: Ron King

Wireless networks use radio waves instead of wires to transmit data between computers. Here's how:

The Binary Code: 1s and 0s

It's well known that computers transmit information digitally, using binary code: ones and zeros. This translates well to radio waves, since those 1s and 0s can be represented by different kinds of beeps. These beeps are so fast that they're outside the hearing range of humans.

Morse Code: Dots And Dashes

It works like Morse code, which is a way to transmit the alphabet over radio waves using dots (short beeps) and dashes (long beeps). Morse code was used manually for years via telegraph to get information from 1 place to another very quickly. More importantly for this example, though, it is a binary system, just as a computer system is.

Wireless networking, then, can be thought of as a Morse code for computers. You plug in a combined radio receiver and transmitter, and the computer is able to send out its equivalent of dots and dashes (bits, in computer-speak) to get your data from here to there.

Wavelengths And Frequencies

You might wonder how the computer can send and receive data at high speed without becoming garbled nonsense. The key to wireless networking is how it gets around this problem.

First, wireless transmissions are sent at very high frequencies, which allows more data to be sent per second. Most wireless connections use a frequency of 2.4 gigahertz (2.4 billion cycles per second) -- a frequency similar to mobile phones and microwave ovens. However, this high frequency produces a wavelength that is very short, which is why wireless networking is effective only over short distances.

Wireless networks also use a technique called "frequency hopping." They use dozens of frequencies, and constantly switch among them. This makes wireless networks more immune to interference from other radio signals than if they transmitted on a single frequency.

Internet Access Points

The final step for a wireless network is to provide internet access for every computer on the network. This is done by a special piece of wireless equipment called an access point. An access point is more expensive than a wireless card for 1 computer, because it contains radios capable of communicating with around 100 computers, sharing internet access among them. Dedicated access points are necessary only for larger networks. With only a few computers, it is possible to use 1 of them as the access point, or to use a wireless router.

Industry Standards

Wireless equipment from different manufacturers can work together to handle these complex communications because there are standards which guide the production of all wireless devices. These standards are technically called the 802.11. Because of industry compliance with these standards, wireless networking is both easy to use and affordable today.

Wireless Is Simple To Use

If all this talk of frequencies has you worried -- relax. Wireless networking hardware and software handle all of this automatically, without need for user intervention. Wireless networking, for all its complicated ability, is far simpler to use than you might expect.



About the author:
Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit http://www.havewireless.comfor more info.

Why Hide Your IP Address?

by: Matt Garrett

Hiding your IP address is the best way for surfing the net anonymously. IP address is the Internet protocol address. This is the unique address of a computer on the Internet. The IP address consists of four numbers divided by periods. These numbers indicate the domain, the subnetwork, the network and the host computer. Each IP address mostly has an equivalent domain name address, spelled with four letters. It is very important to hide your IP address online. Hiding your IP address online ensures that your personal information is not leaked out to the outsiders.

By installing software in your PC, you can hide your IP address. Anonymous surfing of the web will enable you to safeguard your Internet privacy. There is nothing illegal in hiding your IP address, for the proper reasons. If you have any doubt regarding this you can always consult your legal advisor. The legal advisor can guide you about the matter.

An IP address changer can help you change your IP address when you are surfing online. The tools of IP address changer will let you change your IP address anytime by routing your Internet traffic through an overseas server. The tool has drop down box that enables the user to choose an IP address from one of the countries mentioned in the box. Hiding your IP address is the best option to protect your self from any kind of fraud.

Hiding your IP address also enables you to protect your computer from spyware. Spyware is the software that monitors the activities of the user of a computer. Some webmasters and software producers offer free downloads for your computer. Most of the free downloads are embedded with spyware. After you complete the download, the spyware gets installed in your computer and your activities can be monitored.

Hiding your IP address also gives you freedom from the constantly bombarding pop up ads in your computer. Whenever you enter a website, you will be flooded by the pop up ads. Constant flooding of the pop up ads in the computer can be very irritating and disturbing for the user. The efficiency of the computer also gets diminished due to this. Your computer can stop functioning when you have an urgent piece of work to do. Hiding your IP address will protect you from such situation.

The main advantage of hiding your IP address is that you are protected from any website that wants to monitor your online habits and activities. Hiding the IP address also makes sure that you do not receive any junk or bulk emails in your inbox. Good software for hiding your IP address will keep your computer safe from the hackers. If the software has the ability to support frequent IP address change, the chances of protecting your privacy increases.

You can also use the web-based email to send anonymous email to people. This can sometimes be necessary for your work. Your IP address is meant for your personal use and nobody has the right to misuse this without your permission.

About the author:
Author – MattGarrett http://www.GhostSurf-Pro.com

Internet Security Basics 101

by: Niall Roche

The explosive growth of the Internet has meant that thousands of people are today experiencing the joys of being online for the first time. With growth there always comes pain. Be it your growing pains as a child or the growth and development of this part of our culture called the Internet.

Firstly we need to quickly explain what the Internet is and where it came from. The Internet is the offspring of a military project called Arpanet. Arpanet was designed to provide reliable communication during global nuclear war. A vast network of interconnected computers was set up all over the world to allow the various branches of US and NATO forces to communicate with each other.

Nuclear war never came (thankfully) and the world was left with a massive network of computers all connected together with nothing to do. Colleges and universities started to use these computers for sharing research internationally. From there it grew and spread outside colleges to local homes and businesses. The World Wide Web was born and its father was a guy called Tim Berners Lee.


When you're connected to the Internet you're sharing a vast network with hundreds of millions of other users. This shared network provides resources that 15 years ago were never thought possible. Unfortunately when something is shared its open to abuse. On the Internet this abuse comes from hackers and virus creators. Their sole intent is to cause chaos and/or harm to your computer system and millions of other computer systems all over the world.


How do you combat this? You need an Internet security system. This might sound complicated but your Internet security system will be quite straigtforward being comprised of just 2 - 3 Internet security products. We'll look at each of these products in more detail now:



AntiVirus Software
The first and most critical element of your Internet security system is antivirus software. If you don't have up-to-date antivirus software on your PC you're asking for trouble. 300 new viruses appear each month and if you're not constantly protecting your system against this threat your computer will become infected with at least one virus - it's only a matter of time.


Antivirus software scans your PC for signatures of a virus. A virus signature is the unique part of that virus. It can be a a file name, how the virus behaves or the size of the virus file itself. Good antivirus software will find viruses that haven't yet infected your PC and eliminate the ones that have.

Antivirus software can only protect your computer from viruses trying to infect it via email, CD-Rom, floppy disk, Word documents or other types of computer files. Antivirus software alone will not keep your computer 100% safe. You also need to use firewall software.



Firewall Software
The use of firewall software by home computer users is a relatively new occurence. All Internet connections are a two way process. Data must be sent and received by your computer. This data is sent through something called ports. These are not physical things rather aspects of the way your computer communicates online.

Firewall software watches these ports to make sure that only safe communication is happening between your computer and other computers online. If it sees something dangerous happening it blocks that port on your computer to make sure your computer stays safe from the person who is trying to hack into your system.

An easier way to understand a firewall would be to picture your computer as an apartment complex. At the front door of this complex there is a security guard. Every person who enters the complex must pass this security guard. If the security guard recognizes the person entering as a resident he allows them to pass without saying anything. If, however, the person entering the complex is unknown to him then he will stop that person and ask for identification. If they have no business being at the apartment complex he escorts them from the building.

If you are not currently using firewall software your computer will get hacked into - that's a guarantee.



PopUP Blocker
You can get a good popup blocker at no cost. An easy way to do this is to install either the Google or Yahoo toolbar. Both of these come with popup blockers built in. Popups are not necessarily dangerous but are a nuisance and using either of these toolbars will make your life that bit easier.


A simple rule for practicing online security is: "If in doubt then don't". If you don't recognize the file, the email address, the website or if your gut feeling says "no" then don't click that button.

About the author:
This article was submitted courtesy of the Spyware & Malware Guide. This site is dedicated to spyware removal and just generally helping users keep their PCs spyware free.

Cut out an image with a Layer Mask - Part 2

In a prior photoshop tutorial how you can cut out an image from its background using a simple Layer Mask. This a follow up tutorial. It will also show you how to manipulate a Drop Shadow.

This is the original image of a girl which I will cut out with a Layer Mask.
I have cut her out perfectly and placed her on a Wite background. I have also added a Drop Shadow, which I have manipulated so that it appears to be cast by her person. You can do it too. The tutorial is here

Other tutorials are here.

Cutting out image with a Layer Mask

There are many way to cut out an image from its background. There are many uses for cutting out an image from its background. You can add it to another background or make a background yourself. I have demonstrated quite a few methods in my tutorials. You will find links to them in the tutorial I have just posted. But have you ever tried cutting out an image with a simple Layer Mask? It can be done too.
I have taken this free stock image of a girl.

She has been cleanly cut out from the background with a Layer Mask.

The tutorial is here.

Transparent Clothes with Photoshop

This is a photoshop tweak to make revealing clothes even more revealing without changing the rest of the image. You can do it in any version of Photoshop.

This is the image which I have chosen for giving the tweak.
The saree has become more transparent. The rest of the image is unaffected after the applying the tweak.

A closeup of the image.

The tutorial is here.

Other Photoshop tutorials are here.

Guide to buying the perfect PC

by: Dee Kerr

PCs have become a staple in every home. Without PCs, you will find it hard to stay connected and to even do the work required of you in school or in the office. With so much PC packages being shoved to our throat every time we go to department stores and computer shops, you’ll really get quite confused on what you really need and what PC package will fit your budget and lifestyle. To help you through this dilemma, here is a brief backgrounder of the parts of PCs that you should get to know.

Processor.
This is one of the three primary components of your PC. The processor is the part that determines how fast your computer process information. Intel is still the leading brand in processors but competitors such as American Micro Devices (AMD) are slowly catching up, offering cheaper alternative. In shopping for a processor, one should consider the following:

Clock speed – this will show the number of instructions that a computer can execute in a second. This usually comes after the brand name. Processors nowadays are already set at the gigahertz range.

Cache memory – this stores the data that were previously accessed. This simplifies the work of the computer as it would not take twice as long to access information already stored in memory bank. Without a cache memory, much of the work will fall on the RAM (Random Access Memory).

Operating temperature – some processors easily heats up. Before buying, make sure that you have asked about the operating temperature just in case you need to buy additional fans or put the computer in an air-conditioned room.

RAM (Random Access Memory).
RAM serves as the temporary memory of the PC, containing information that are needed for the computer and the programs to function. In addition to processors, RAM also determines the speed of the computer. The higher the RAM, the faster the computer is in accessing information and responding to commands.

Motherboard
This is where all the parts of the PC’s CPU (Central Processing Unit) are attached. Some motherboards already have videocards and soundcards embedded on it while others don’t. what is important however is to choose a motherboard that is compatible with your RAM and processor. Incompatibility of PC hardware can cause major problems and may even lead to the breakdown of your computer.

Hard drive.
This is the part where you store all the information in your PC. Picture a floppy disk with much much larger storing capacity. The hard drive serves as the permanent memory of your computer. Here you install all your programs and save all the documents that you need. It is also important that you buy a hard drive with really big capacity especially now when people are so used to storing multimedia files that may use up a lot of hard drive space.

Video cards
This is the part of the computer which determines the quality of the multimedia images that you will view. The higher the memory of the video card, the better is the picture quality and the colors. Also, video cards are also responsible for how fast multimedia images are accessed. This is especially needed if you use your computer for multimedia activities such as watching a movie or playing video games.


About the author:
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Getting The Most Out Of A Tablet PC

by: Eve Larson

What is a tablet PC, how is it different from a laptop and is it the right computer for you? To find the answer to these questions lets take a look at tablet PC’s and how they work.

Tablet PC's were originally designed to put mobile computers in the hand of people working in the field. The people using them spent the majority of their time away from a desk and wouldn’t have access to a keyboard or mouse. Users would make entries via stylus or digitizer. The lightweight and highly portable nature of these types of computers made them perfectly suited to field technicians and health care workers. These original models are known as slate tablets do to their distinctive one piece design. The entire computer screen and all was encased in one small unit, usually weighing 4 pounds or less. All of the units came with ports for connecting an optional keyboard, mouse, CD/DVD drive, printer, monitor or other computer peripherals. By choosing not to include all of these peripherals computer manufacturers were able to shave off pounds and lengthen the battery life considerably.

Many people were attracted to these new tablet PC’s but still wanted a traditional keyboard setup. Manufacturers responded to consumers demand and the convertible tablet PC was born. A convertible tablet PC looks very much like a small notebook computer. Aside from the monitor it functions exactly like a traditional laptop computer. The monitor is attached on special hinge that allows the monitor to swivel, making it an extremely powerful tool for small customer presentations and demonstrations. The monitor is also capable of swiveling completely around and lying on top of the keyboard with its screen facing up. This gives it the appearance of the traditional slate tablet PC. Convertible tablet PC’s traditionally have a larger viewing screen, larger hard drive, larger battery, and other accessories. These extras make it a much more powerful computing platform, but they also make it heavier and more expensive.

Is a tablet PC the right PC for you? The real question is how portable does you’re computing lifestyle have to be? Do you spend a lot of time outside of a traditional office environment? Do you need to use a computer to record or makes notes while you’re walking, or moving from place to place, if so a tablet PC is the perfect choice for you? For salespeople or business men who spend a lot of time traveling a convertible tablet is probably a much better option. It gives them more power, and more features, with a more traditional computer setup.

© Copyright TabletPC.6LN.com, All Rights Reserved.

About the author:
Eve Larson is the lead writer for the Six Level Network Tablet PC News and Review website (http://tabletpc.6ln.com).

How to Avoid Getting Ripped-Off Online

by: Jim Edwards

Online security is one of the top catch phrases these days, but hardly anybody knows what it means and worse, most home computer users think security only applies to corporations and online businesses.

Most people think online security means simply protecting your credit card data from fraud and theft, but it actually goes way beyond that.

The potential for mayhem and just plain disruption of your life doesn't just mean credit card fraud - it can mean having your identity stolen, your life disrupted and spending hours cleaning up after an online 'vandalism' attack.

You must protect yourself from everyone from the teenage computer hacker to the organized crime syndicate using computer worms and keystroke logging viruses.

The great news is that a number of simple techniques should protect you against the vast majority of threats, since the evil doers will simply move on to easier pastures.


Update your anti-virus files

The widespread 'Bad Trans' worm logged keystrokes and transmitted potentially sensitive data such as credit card and social security numbers to the 'bad guys'.

Though this virus contained a high level of criminal intent, it was easily blocked by anyone with up-to-date anti-virus files.

If you don't have anti-virus software with current virus definitions installed, you leave the door wide open for security problems.


Install a 'Firewall'

A firewall helps prevent unauthorized access to your computer by 'hackers'.

It closes off the entry points (called open 'ports') carried by virtually every computer connected to the Internet.

A common misconception is that firewalls are only for people with cable or other high-speed connections.

Even if you use a dial up connection to get online, a firewall can help you detect and prevent people from logging on to your computer, stealing files or even using your computer to break into others!

You can take a free test of your computer's security by logging on to http://www.symantec.com/securitycheck/ and clicking 'Find out today if you are safe'. The results may surprise you.


Use secure sites

Only give sensitive data such as credit cards, social security numbers and important passwords over a secure connection.

This means the little yellow lock appears in the lower part of your browser and nobody but the website you are connected to should be able to read the data you send.


Change passwords often

An easy way for you to protect your sensitive data and email is to change your passwords on a monthly basis, or even more often depending on how frequently you use computers away from home.

If you log on to your email at the library, in 'cyber cafes' or any other remote computer then the possibility exists that computer could have a key-stroking virus present.

This means everything you type into the computer (passwords, birthdays, social security numbers, credit cards) could be logged and used by someone else.

** Change your passwords at lease once a month.


Though not fool-proof, these security tips should help reduce your vulnerability and keep you safer online.


About the author:
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use fr^e articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate links...

Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to your website for weeks, even months... without spending a dime on advertising! ==> http://www.turnwordsintotraffic.com

Spyware and Adware – Are You Protected?

by: Clyde Dennis

Spyware is without doubt the most prevalent threat to online computer privacy and security.

Exactly what is Spyware?

Spyware applications are programs and files that hide on your PC's hard drive without your direct knowledge. They allow hackers and advertising companies to track your every move, both online and even when you work offline.

Tracking the websites you visit, the items that you buy online, the emails you send and receive, your Instant Message dialog, and worst of all they can even record your credit card number, personal identification numbers, and all of your passwords.

If you use dial-up to connect to the Internet then spyware can be used to bill 900 numbers to your telephone bill.

Spyware allows hackers to take control of your browser and alter your computer system files.

These computer parasites slow down your Internet connection by inundating you with unwanted Spyware pop-up ads.

This is just a short list of the harm that Spyware can cause.

Note: Spyware and Adware cannot be detected by anti-virus and firewall software.

Some Disturbing Facts About Spyware:

· Spyware infects 91% of all computers. That equates to an alarming 9 out of 10 computers!

· 27.3 million Americans have been victims of identity theft in the last five years, including 9.91 million people or 4.6% of the population in the last year alone.

Keep reading to learn how to keep from becoming a victim of Identity Theft.

Have you noticed your computer running slower than ever?

The reason for that may have to do with online advertisers adding Spyware, or Adware to your computer without your knowledge.

Exactly what is Adware?

Adware works very much like Spyware.

Adware is software that will show you popup ads over and over. These files can also be extremely dangerous to your PC and could cause major problems with your Computer.

Note: This article is an excerpt from a SPECIAL REPORT entitled "Spyware! – How To Get And Stay Safe". In the full report you'll find the information you need to effectively protect your computer and personal information. Avoiding the grief of dealing with problems like Identity Theft among others.

The full version of the free report can be downloaded in PDF format by clicking over to http://www.easyhow-to.com/special-reports/spyware.htm

About the author:
Clyde Dennis, a.k.a. "Mr. How-To" has been writing and publishing Articles and Newsletters online since 1999. Clyde's company EASYHow-To Publications provides "How-To" information on How-To do, be or have just about anything one can imagine. For more information visit http://www.EASYHow-To.comEmail correspondence for Clyde should be sent to: cdennis at easyhow-to.com

Invisible Clothing Special Effects Photoshop Tutorial

I found a photoshop tutorial called 'invisible clothing' on the internet. I liked it, but the method shown was too complex. I have therefore used my own method for this tutorial to make it easy for you to do in any version of Photoshop.

I have taken this free stock photo.
And another free stock photo of an empty beach.

And, here is the girl in the 'invisible clothing'. You can see the sea and the beach through her gown. It is simple enough to do and will only a bit a of patience. You too can do it.

The tutorial is here.

Other tutorials are here.

Protect Your Computer And Your Personal Information From Spyware

by: Ryan Larson

Spyware is a broad term used for certain types of software that are downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge. Malware has become a phrase that is used when describing spyware and adware.

Spyware is placed on your computer in order to track your internet surfing habits. It knows every site you visit and every page on that site. Spyware also collects your personal information through software that tracks your actual keystrokes. If you fill in a form to make a purchase all your personal information, including name, address and credit card information can be tracked. The potential abuse of spyware tracking is also being discussed in some businesses that store secure information, such as credit card numbers or even medical records.

Adware is another type of spyware. It doesn't work by tracking your information as spyware does, but what it can do is actually change your browser settings without your consent. It can cause pop up ads to show on your computer. It can even place a new toolbar on your computer. Most people are unaware they even have any type of adware installed on their computer until their computer starts to slow down.

The spyware business is a billion dollar a year industry with people getting very rich selling the information they steal about you. There is a case currently in court in the State of New York against a spyware company. The outcome of this legal case will hopefully mean the end of secretly placed spyware.

In order to not fall prey to these types of malwares there are steps you can take. First, don't download freebies. A lot of services that are offered to you as "free" such as free music downloads are free per say, but the price you pay is allowing them to place spyware software or adware targeted advertisements on your computer. Read any agreements about the software very carefully before you download it.

Run an anti spyware software program often along with your virus protection software. Generally spyware and adware are designed to be difficult to remove from you computer and they leave behind "ticklers" which reinstall the software.

About the author:
This article courtesy of http://www.adware-eliminator-guide.com

Computer Network Installation

by: Adrian Griffiths

has become an essential prerequisite for any efficient modern-day business as it allows employees to truly work as a team by sharing information, accessing the same database and staying in touch constantly. For a computer network to give the best results, a lot of detailed planning and foresight is required before installation.

Firstly, an organisation needs to clearly define its requirements – how many people would use the network, how many would use it locally (within the office) and how many might require remote access (from a different location), how many computers and other devices (servers, printers, scanners) would be connected to the network, what are the needs of the various departments and who would be in charge of running/managing the network. It also helps if one can anticipate the direction the company would take in the near future so potential growth can be factored in during computer network installation.

The technology issues should also be ironed out in advance – hardware, software, servers, switches, back-up devices, cables and network operating systems. Make sure you have the required licenses to run the software on all your machines before installing a computer network. Alongside computer network installation should proceed the building of a dedicated technical support staff, either within your own organisation or outside consultants. Delegate responsibility clearly for network management. Before installing the network, you also need to choose the security mechanism to protect corporate data and keep viruses at bay.

The transition to a new or upgraded computer network can bring some teething problems. To minimise chances of confusion, the company might need to train its staff to make them familiar with the new system. Careful planning will to a large extent prevent crises like system downtime and network crashes.

If you are planning to install a computer network or upgrade and existing one, contact Viper System at sales@vipersystems.co.uk for help.


About the author:
Adrian Griffiths

http://www.vipersystems.co.uk

http://www.vipersystems.co.uk/networking-articles.php

Is Spyware Slowing Your Computer Down To A Crawl?

by: George Peirson

Everyday more and more computers are becoming infected with Spyware and Adware (advertising tracking). No matter where you go on the web, someone is trying to sneak something on your computer. From honest web sites placing simple logon cookies, to paid advertising tracking your movements on the web, to malicious software that is designed to record your keystrokes and discover your passwords, Spyware and Adware have together become the web’s number one problem.

Many of these programs are down right dangerous and seriously threaten your online privacy and identity. But even the simple and supposedly benign Adware programs can cause you serious problems.

Spyware is any program that installs itself onto your computer with the intent to spy on your activity. This can be recording your online searching habits, or whatever you type on your keyboard. Adware is not much better. It is designed to watch what you do online, where you go, which terms you search for and then report this to the ad agency that runs the adware program.

Adware programs may be designed with the best intentions in mind, but even these can cause your computer serious problems.

Here is what happens. Many, if not most, advertisers on the internet will try and place a cookie or other small program on your computer. Many will add code that will track that cookie as it hits different pages. The code may be designed simply to gather anonymous data, or it may be trying to send ads to your browser that the advertising company thinks you will be more likely to respond to.

Whatever the case, the Adware or Spyware is using your computer to do its tracking. This means that part of your computer’s power and CPU cycles are being diverted away from the activity you are trying to perform. Your computer is being used by someone else instead to track your movements. Now, when we multiply this behavior by tens or hundreds of Adware or Spyware programs all trying to use your computer for their work you can begin to see the problem.

These programs can literally slow your computer down to a crawl, or make it crash altogether. They can fill your computer up with trash files, open unwanted popup windows, use up the space in your internet cache and generally just make working on your computer a nightmare.

Luckily there are several easy solutions to the problem. But first let me make one distinction, Spyware and Adware are not the same thing as a computer virus. Although a computer virus can install spyware on a computer, you will need different tools to remove a computer virus and to keep your system clean from Spyware and Adware. You should be using both a high quality commercial anti-virus program and one or more good quality programs for handling the spyware/adware problem.

There are several good Spyware/adware programs on the market. I use two different programs on my network, Ad-aware from Lavasoft and Spy Sweeper from Webroot Software although there are several others. You can easily find both of these by doing an internet search for Ad-aware and Spy Sweeper. Or simply do a search for spyware. Both of these programs will scan your hard drives and registry and present you with a list of spyware/adware programs hiding on your system. You can then quarantine or remove the offending programs. I use both of these programs since neither one seems to catch everything. Plus I will run them 2 or more times in a row, the nastier spyware will not be completely removed on the first pass.

The process is very easy and I recommend running these programs at least once a week and every time you have been doing some extended web surfing. You will be surprised at how many of these spyware/adware programs will sneak onto your system. I run a very clean network and I have yet to scan my system and not come up with at least a few of these hiding on my hard drive.

So be aware of the problem, take reasonable precautions, scan your system frequently, and the spyware/adware curse can be broken.


About the author:
George Peirson is a successful Entrepreneur, Internet Trainer and author of over 30 multimedia based tutorial training titles. Read more articles by George Peirson at www.howtogurus.com/free-articles.html

Understanding the Components of a Home Network

by: Jeff Heaton

Home networks are becoming more common. People want to be able to share a single broadband Internet connection to several computers in the house. There are many different devices that you can use to make up your home network. If you have never heard network terminology device names like router, hub, etc may seem confusing.

The purpose of most of these devices are to control how the network passes around information. This information is sent in the form of "packets". I will refer to the term packet several times in this article. It simply means the data that the network is transporting. I will now explain the purpose of the major components of a home network.


What is a Hub

A hub is a device that has several Ethernet ports on the back of the device. One of these ports will likely be labeled “Uplink”. This port allows you to connect multiple hubs together, if you run out of ports on your hub. If you do not have an uplink port on your hub, the hub can not be easily extended if you run out of ports.

A hub is a device that attaches multiple computers on an Ethernet network. If you have a number different computers that you want to connect together, you could connect each to the hub. Any packet that is sent out by any computer on the network will immediately be transmitted to the other computers. Each computer will determine if the packet was really intended for it, and filter out packets that were intended for other computers.

You really should not use a hub in a modern home network. You should always use a switch in place of a hub. Switches will be discussed in the next section.

What is a Switch

A switch is a device that has several Ethernet ports on the back of the device. One of these ports will likely be labeled “Uplink”. This port allows you to connect multiple switches together, if you run out of ports on your switch. If you do not have an uplink port on your switch, the switch can not be easily extended if you run out of ports.

A switch serves the same function as a hub. It allows you to connect multiple computers together, so that they can exchange packets. However, a switch is much more efficient than a hub. A switch will only send Ethernet packets to the computer that the packet was intended for. Because of this you should always use a switch in place of a hub.

What is a Router

A router is a device that has several Ethernet ports on the back of the device. One of the connectors will be labeled WAN. You should connect the WAN port to the Ethernet connection on a broadband source, such as a cable or DSL modem. The other ports on the router can be connected other computers or switches/hubs that will share the WAN connection.

Routers allow you to share your broadband connection with multiple computers in your house. Rather than connecting your computer directly into your cable or DSL modem you connect the router to the cable or DSL modem. Now any computer that you connect to the router will have access to the Internet.

If you run out of ports on your router you can always connect an additional switch to the router. To connect a switch to a router simply connect the switch’s "uplink" port to one of the routers Ethernet ports. Of course, don’t connect to the router’s WAN port. The WAN port should only be connected to something such as a cable or DSL router.

Some routers come with additional features installed. Most routers also include a firewall. Firewalls are discussed in the next section. Some routers will also include a wireless access point (WAP). The WAP allows you to use wireless devices, such as wireless laptops, with the Internet.

What is a Firewall

A firewall controls traffic flow between your network and the Internet. A firewall can be either hardware or software. Windows XP SP2 or higher includes a software firewall. A hardware firewall is included with most routers.

A firewall is a very good idea. It can protect you from inbound virus attempts. By inbound virus attempt I mean other computers that will connect to your computer and attempt to infect your computer. You do not want to run a computer directly connected to the Internet, without a firewall. There are just too many other computers out there that can connect and infect you without you even noticing.

What is a Network Attached Storage (NAS)

A network attached storage device is s device that allows a hard drive to be shared across the network. This hard drive is NOT attached to any of your computers. It is simply made available by the NAS. This can be a convent way to add a hard drive that can be accessed by several computers on your network. The other common way to add a network hard drive is to simply share a folder on one of your computers. However, with the NAS, you do not need to keep one of your computers on at all times.

There are two types of NAS commonly available. The first type comes with a build in hard drive. The second accepts a USB or Firewire external hard drive. The advantage to using a USB or Firewire hard drive is that you can upgrade the hard drive if it ever were to become too small.

What is a Print Server

Just like you can buy a device to allow you to share a hard drive, you can do the same with a printer. A print server connects directly to your printer. Your printer is then shared to all of your computers on the network. This is convent because you do not need to leave the printer hooked to a computer, which must be turned on to print.


Conclusions

As you can see there are many different components. Perhaps the final component that I have yet to mention is the cable. These components are connected together with CAT5 Ethernet cable.

You are now ready to pick out the components for your home network!


About the author:
Jeff Heaton ( http://www.jeffheaton.com) is author, consultant and college instructor. Jeff maintains the "Heaton Research"( http://www.heatonresearch.com) website that contains many Java tutorials and other computer programming information.

Crash Course In Getting A #1 Google Ranking

by: Jason DeVelvis

First, here’s the rundown of some of the terminology I’m going to use in this article –

Inbound Links – Links coming into your site
Outbound Links – Links leaving your site
Cross Links – Links that you have “traded” with another site (ie, they’ve got a link from their site to your and you’ve got a link from your site to theirs)
PR (Page Ranking) – Google’s measure of how “important” your site is

SEO Is Not Dead

Ok, now lets talk about what you really want to hear – how to get those coveted 1-10 ranks for your keywords. Remember this - SEO is not dead. In fact, it is very much alive and important. The first thing to do in order to raise your site rank is target specific keywords. I say specific, because you need to target “keyphrases,” meaning more than one word keywords. Some people use the words interchangeably (me included) so just ignore one-word keywords altogether. You will waste your money if you shoot for these, because chances are, there are other, MUCH larger companies who already have you beat, and will continue to have you beat unless you’ve got a bottomless wallet.

Check Out Your Competition

Take this example, for instance, if you sell computers, you should not try to optimize your site for the keyword “computer” or “computers.” First, think about all of the businesses that do ANYTHING with computers. Yeah, that’s a lot. They’ll all show up if you search for “computer.” Now try to think of who would show up at the top of that list. I’ll make it easy, it’s Apple, Dell, Computer World, Computer Associates, IEEE, Computer History Museum, Webopedia, ASUSTeK, WhatIs.com, and HP. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that I 99.9

About the author:
Jason a long time web developer and the owner of Premier MicroSolutions, LLC. If you’re looking for more articles about getting higher Search Engine rankings, go to http://www.Content-Articles.comand check out their great directory of articles.

Are They Watching You Online?

by: Jim Edwards

When surfing the Internet you probably take your anonymity
for granted, most of us do.

Tapping phones, listening to confidential conversations,
reading others' e-mail messages seems like something that
only happens in spy movies to "other" people.

However, you probably don't realize just how much
information about yourself has the potential to get
transmitted across the Internet every time you go online.

Every computer connected to the Internet has "ports" that
allow it to connect. A "port" doesn't mean you have a
physical hole or opening in your computer's case or
hardware, but it does mean you have openings through which
information passes back and forth between your computer and
the Internet.

Depending on the type of connection (dial up, LAN, cable,
DSL), you may have several openings for potential mischief
by hackers, malicious code or viruses.

Computers with dedicated connections rate the most at risk.
If someone or something gets into one of these ports and
into your computer, they can potentially watch everything
you do and see all the data you enter, including social
security numbers and credit card information.

The easiest way to defeat this problem involves using a
firewall. Firewalls, simple and inexpensive software
available at virtually any office supply or computer store,
block the most common ports hackers use to enter your
computer.

Firewalls also help you detect and block unauthorized
transmission of information from your computer to the
Internet. This adds a significant measure of protection if
you get infected with a Trojan Horse virus that tries to
"phone home" to the hacker with your sensitive information.

If you'd like to test your connection for vulnerability to
attack, log on to http://security1.norton.com and run the
various diagnostics. I would strongly advise anyone
connected to the Internet through DSL or cable to get and
use a firewall to protect against unauthorized access.

Infected with "Spyware?"

Previously we talked about unauthorized access to your
computer. But a growing problem online with people watching
you and your activities involves using programs you
willingly place on your computer.

Commonly called "Spyware," this refers to any program that
transmits information about you to someone else without you
knowing exactly what gets sent. The main purpose of Spyware
involves tracking your surfing habits so advertisers know
which targeted ads to send you.

Most Spyware basically comes onto your computer bundled
with other software applications, as a standalone program,
or as modification to the HTML on a web page.

Regardless of how you get it, you need to understand
exactly what information gets transmitted about you so you
can decide whether to keep or uninstall the software. Plain
and simple, these Spyware programs can potentially reveal
extremely sensitive information about you and your online
habits.

If you have concerns about Spyware and whether or not your
computer currently carries any, log on to www.lavasoft.de
and check out the free PC software that will scan your
system for known Spyware.

About the author:

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-
author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to
use free articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted
visitors to your website or affiliate links...

Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to
your website for weeks, even months... without spending a
dime on advertising! ==> "Turn Words Into
Traffic"