Computers and Technology Articles

In every version of Microsoft Windows, you have a registry that constantly gets modified and accessed throughout its use. There are two main reasons why you need to backup Windows registry. The first reason is that you may need to manually repair the registry due to an error on your system. The second reason is that you may want to tweak your computer within the registry with a fix that is not available in any visible menu. This article will look at these main two reasons of why you would need to backup Windows registry.

Picture this: you are working on your computer and then all of a sudden you get an error message popup in Microsoft Word. After doing some research on the error, you are led to a solution that requires you to change a value of a key in the Windows registry. At this point, you can either confidently apply the registry fix or save a copy of the registry and then apply it. This is one of the reasons you should do a backup of the windows registry. If you are not satisfied that your problem has been fixed, then you could easily just recover from the changes to the registry. Sometimes you may find a solution that will help the performance of your PC.

These performance optimizations are called tweaks. A registry tweak allows you to change a setting in your system that is not available in a software or visible menu. You maybe required to dig deep into the registry in order to apply the registry tweak. This is another reason why you need to backup Windows registry. A tweak may not always do what you want, but at least you have a copy of the registry before you applied the change.

Now I just gave you two good reasons why you should backup Windows registry. However, you may not know how to do a manual backup of the registry. When you do backup the registry, you have the option of backing up the entire registry or just a specific key. If you are interested, I have illustrated a step-by-step approach with screenshots to backing up the registry on my blog. Just keep this in mind: the basic principle is that if you are doing any sort of manual changes in the windows registry, you may want to backup Windows registry to save you the trouble of trying to recover from the changes.

Now depending upon your budget or experience

level you may not be ready to buy a full fledged

screenplay writing software with your current

budget. It is not difficult to find free screenplay

writing software. Most of it is available on the

internet, which you can download provided it is not

pirated copies of the real software.

Here are some places to obtain Free Screenplay

writing software.

- Free Demo Downloads: Most of the

Commercial Screenplay writing software available

allow you to download a 30 day demo version for

you to use their software with all its bells and

whistles to determine its usability and convenience

for you. Using these demo downloads helps you

learn what additional features that the software

possesses and will be useful for you in writing your

screenplay

- Free Screenplay writing software: If you don”t

want to check out demo versions, and yet want to

use a free screenplay software before you make a

final decision, then the FREE SOFTWARE Script Styler suite provides a set of features to aid the

creation and development of scripts for television,

film, and radio. The Script Styler suite also contains

tools such as budgeting, scheduling, and planning so

you can put your writing efforts into actual

production

- Discounted Screenplay writing software: If you

want to buy a licensed version in the below $ 100

range then you can either check out listings on EBay

or even better ask your college professor, as they are

usually allowed discounts directly by the software

producers which is meant to aid the learning of

students.

The increased awareness around data backups is one reason why offsite data backup services have become such a popular option. Storing and protecting your business’s data can be critical. Before committing to one of these services it is important to understand the service, the common features, and their pros and cons. By reviewing this information you’ll be able to decide whether or not offsite data backup services are the right solution for your data storage needs.

First, you should understand what offsite data backup services are designed to do and how they work. Basically, the data that is housed on your computer, server, or network drive is retrieved and encrypted on a set schedule through software provided by the service. After the data has been encrypted, it is delivered electronically to off site secure storage. Before choosing a type of offsite storage, it’s also important to look at the features each service offers.

Most of the storage services available today offer similar features. For one, you can expect the transferred data to be compressed so it will use up less bandwidth as it travels to the remote destination. Some services allow you to choose continuous backup so you never have to worry about losing any saved data. Other services will give you online access to your stored data. With all of these features, there are some clear advantages to using these types of solutions.

There are a few main advantages to this type of service. For example, you do not have to manually backup your data which means you won’t have to worry about forgetting. Having a remote storage site is good because if something happens at the original data’s location you could end up losing both the original and stored otherwise. Plus, the security used is usually very high. However, there are some disadvantages.

Using these services comes with some drawbacks. For example, if you have low bandwidth it may take awhile for the data to be restored to your computer. Also, if the backup service goes under your data could end up elsewhere. You may also be worried about losing the encrypted password because it is your only key to your stored data.

Overall, there are many valuable features and good reasons to consider these offsite data backup services. Before deciding, you may want to look at price and security issues in more detail. However, this should give you a starting point for that further investigation into effectively and efficiently using offsite data backup services.

When you consider customization on the database extension level to Microsoft Dynamics GP, you should think about core architecture - Microsoft Dexterity or former Great Plains Software Dexterity. The specific is seen in such nuances as DEX_ROW_ID, for example. So, if you plan to hook up your custom tables in GP workstation interface, you should initially create (and design) you custom tables in GP Dexterity IDE. It this is not required, you can create your custom tables directly in SQL and then link them with GP tables via SQL scripts (in this case you will not be able to produce the link in dex)

o Updating. If you plan to update GP tables from SQL stored procedures, please be very conservative and try to get help from professional GP Dex SQL developer. GP application business logic is complex and if you think you can update just one table without destroying internal links - you may be too optimistic

o Selecting. Select statement is OK, as it doesn’t update GP tables records

o Placing custom tables into DYNAMICS or Company db. This is allowed, if you come from MS CRM world, where all custom objects should be placed into custom database - please, know that in the case of GP you can place your custom objects into both system and entity DB

o Integrations Design. This is the most popular GP SQL scripting direction - integration with legacy databases, Microsoft Retail Management System (MS RMS), integration with heterogeneous database platforms, such as Oracle, Pervasive SQL, Ctree/Faircom, Sybase. When you develop integration, you should try to imitate GP table distribution records and if you integration logic goes beyond simple imitation - you should consider getting the help from GP developer who has access to DYNAMICS.DIC with source code (sanscript dex code not stripped out)

o eOne Extender. If you plan to deploy the Enterprise version, purchased directly from eOne, you should consider reviewing its table structure and how you can address new tables in SQL scripting

If you are not a professional photographer, or if you are not taking up photography as a hobby, you do not have to get a really expensive digital camera if your only purpose for it is to capture the great moments in your life. The digital camera you would need would be something that you can whip out when something nice happens at home. It would also be something that you can easily bring along to special events and to your travels.

You can find such a digital camera to suit your needs for under $300. The five best digital cameras that you can get for under $300 are listed below.

Canon PowerShot A720 IS. Many experts in digital cameras have opined that the Canon PowerShot series is the best line available in the market today. It is therefore not surprising that it has cornered a good portion of the market.

What makes this particular digital camera so special? For one, it has 8.0 megapixels and its lenses have a 6x zoom. It also boasts of an increased usability that makes it easy for the person using it to control the pictures he or she is taking.

Nikon Coolpix P50. This digital camera poses itself to be a middle-ground camera. As it is, it is a good startup camera for anyone who wishes to learn serious photography, but it is wieldy enough to serve ordinary point-and-shoot picture-taking purposes.

Canon SD1100 IS. Another digital camera coming out of Canon’s production line, this model introduces a couple of new features that were not yet seen in other digital cameras, be it from Canon or from any other brand. These features in particular are face detection and motion detection. Both are aimed at preventing picture blurring.

Sony CyberShot DSC H10. This digital camera is designed for photographers on a tight budget - great for heavy-duty shooting and yet going for a mere price of less than $300. It has 8.1 million effective pixels and is fitted with a 10x optical zoom manufactured by Carl Zeiss. Also, it has a pretty wide 3.0 LCD screen and an HDTV video output.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5. This model from the Panasonic digital camera lineup is dubbed as a “Travel Zoom” camera. It has a powerful zoom lens - a 10x optical zoom - and yet the gadget itself is quite slim and handy. It boasts of 10.7 million pixels, a high-resolution 3.0 LCD screen, and the ability to make movies with a resolution of up to 1280 x 720 pixels. Other than that, it has 22 shooting modes and a built-in clipboard.

These are the five best digital cameras that people with $300 to spare can buy. Take your pick.

If you think that a brand new computer that you but from dell or another major company has all the good parts stock then you are wrong. A good built computer is not one that you can buy at a store a good computer is one that you can build up to the performance you want. Most people think that they won’t need more then what comes stock because it already cost a lot of money well if you are going to be playing games and things like that you will need a built computer not one that you can buy.

People will continue thinking that what comes out of the box is perfect but it’s just a learner box really you get a computer that is built for just internet nothing else just surfing the internet no games nothing else because it is stock. Most people probably already know how the computers are just stock but if you know a good bit then you know that you can build your own computer for cheaper and will be a heck of a lot better for the price you pay.

The normal computer that you will get will have its computer monitor speaker’s keyboard and mouse. To you the beginner to computers may be fine but to others you may need a new graphics card motherboard network card or many other things to use the computer the way you want to use it. The only way to get the computer that you really want is to customize and that is the only way you will ever get what you want.

Computers if want to be used to your standards need to be built how they are going to be used. If you want to use the computer for office use and storage then you will need a big hard drive and a little bit of RAM. On the other hand of you want this computer for gaming then you will need to build it up so it can handle high performance.

Just like any old stock computer it needs upgrades just like anything else.

Depending on what upgrades you need it can either be very pricey or not hardly and money at all. If you just need office upgrades then you can probably get away with getting cheap RAM and a cheap hard drive. When you get to playing hardcore games and are in need or higher performance is when these computers need to be upgraded to a higher CPU or motherboard. There are many things that you might need.

It doesn’t matter what type of computer you have or how good it is upgrading your computer can become something that you don’t want, you don’t want to waste all your money on it because it could crash and leave you stuck. So just go out and get what you need to make the computer that you want. You can build the computer you want rather then buy something and you can usually build it for a few hundred dollars cheaper.

Technology has been no doubt an essential part of the modern society. Through its advancements for the past decades, human is confronted with so many innovative ideas which could improve the present trend of life. One of these advancements includes the popularity which the computer is gaining as time passes by.

Computer is a machine which is characterized as one having the capability to perform calculations as well as take instructions given by the humans. It actually ranges from a very small type of computers to very large ones. As a matter of fact, most computers nowadays can perform calculations in a single second only. Therefore, computer is one of the most powerful technological innovations in the history of humankind. It helps humans perform burdensome tasks at an impressive rate of speed. Also, it organizes and displays some of the needed information in just a wink of an eye. It is safe to say actually that computer advances as technology improves. However to be bale to have a faster performing computers, a free safe registry cleaner is needed.

Operating systems of all computers are undeniably susceptible to errors or a cluttered registry. The term registry is used to refer to a computer’s part wherein settings and software data are stored. Disordered registry is due to broken links, corrupt files and incorrect settings. However registry errors are just common to computers. The possible symptoms of a cluttered registry computer are “blue screen” crashes, crashed software, incorrect messages, slow computer performance, and software that won’t open.

If computers are not running like new ones, then there is a high possibility that the computers are experiencing registry errors. Thus, a free safe registry cleaner is indeed very necessary. It is because registry errors can slow down the speed capability of computers or even make computers very unstable. It is therefore important to give the registry more attention just like any important personal things.

However, there is no need to worry anymore because free safe registry cleaner is already present on the worldwide web. As a matter of fact, it can be easily downloaded through the Internet access. And with this downloadable free safe registry cleaner, anyone can have the chance to clean the registry of their own computers. There is no need to hire some tech experts or tech savvy just to clean the computer’s registry. It is at the same time economical on the part of everyone.

Free safe registry cleaner is so simple because most of the cleaner software available includes an interface which is actually a wizard style. This interface will walk a particular computer user through the process of registry cleaning. Registry cleaners are also widely used to scan the computers from dangerous viruses. In this manner, one can try the software with ease while figuring out if how many registry errors a particular computer has.

Cleaning the registry can surely assure everyone of a more efficient and faster speed of computers. It’s as if the computer is really a brand new. However, maintenance on the registry is really needed to keep the computers on its best performing level.

These days you can find practically anything on the internet, some things for a price, and the rest of them for free. This holds true to Antivirus software, firewalls, and adware/spyware blockers. These programs keep our computers malware free and running in tip top shape without the slowdown of trojans and spybots sending all of our personal information back to their creators. If you’re like a lot of people out there you can shell out lots of cash for programs that are supposed to keep your computer clean and running optimally like Norton and McAffee. These programs are fine and dandy if you don’t mind that they’re pretty expensive ($39 a year at McAfee and Norton for basic anti-virus software, the security internet suites can easily run an upwards of $70) and slow your computer down to turtle speed with all the extra addons and ‘intrusion-detecting-virus-scanning-database-blocking-popup-alerts-that-annoy-

the-hell-out-of-you-and-show-up-for-no-reason’ , or you can use free software and achieve some of the best protection you can get for less headache and less cost.

Antivirus Programs

The two antivirus programs I recommend is avast! antivirus v4.7 and AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition . They’re both fully compatible with Windows 98 and onwards, yep that includes Vista too.

avast! antivirus features:

• Standard shield providing real-time protection
• IM shield for instant messenger protection
• P2P shield for P2P protection
• Internet mail for email protection
• Microsoft Outlook/Exchange Protection
• Web shield for HTTP protection
• Network shield that protects against well known network worms
• Audible alarms
• Boot-time scan
• Also a completely skinnable GUI

Surprisingly avast! is not a system resource hog, the only windows that popup is a small one above the icon on the task that tells you that a new update has been installed. Avast! regularly receives updates practically daily so you can be sure your virus database is always up to date. It’s also compatible with According to AV-Comparitives (An independent site that rigorously tests antivirus software on scanning and virus detecting abilities) avast! detected 95% of the viruses tested and got the ‘Advanced’ designation in their tests which is the second highest ranking.

A downside to avast! is that even though it’s free after 60 days you have to register via their website and you’ll receive a one year renewable registration key in your email. Avast! is overall a genuinely good free antivirus software solution that’s easy to use and update, all while offering superb protection with it’s many different scanners.

AVG Anti-Virus Free features:

• Periodic scans
• Email scans
• Ability to Heal some infected files
• Virus vault to hold infected files

AVG is also hardly a resource hog with it’s minimum system requirements only at 16MB of RAM and 20MB of hard drive. The scan time is average compared to other antivirus software, and even while scanning AVG does not use that many system resources. And according to AV Comparitives AVG Anti-Virus did even better than AVG detecting 97% of the possible viruses in it’s test scan received the highest ranking of ‘Advanced+’.

Spyware/Adware Removers

For antispyware protection and removers you can look to Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware 2007 Free and Microsoft Windows Defender 1.1. They both offer optimum spyware and malware detection and are pretty easy to use.

Ad-Aware 2007 features:

• Windows Vista Compatible
• Customizable themes
• Repairs damage left by malware
• Erases internet surfing tracks
• Free software updates and support from worldwide security volunteer network

Ad-Aware 2007 has been downloaded over a quarter of a billion times, scored a 4 out of 5 stars on a Download.com Editor’s Review and it only takes 3 minutes to run a smart scan on my system.

Windows Defender features:

• Extremely easy to use with a simple interface
• Updates downloaded and installed automatically
• Very little system resources used, able to do things normally while scanning
• Real-Time Protection so your protected while surfing the web

Microsoft Windows Defender is a strong spyware detector and what make it even better is the real-time protection that is offered with the free software. Most free softwares leave that out of the free version and only include it if you pay. The only downside is that it only works on Windows, duh.

Firewalls

The two good firewalls that I can recommend are ZoneAlarm Firewal and Comodo Firewall Pro. I find ZoneAlarm easier to install and use, but Comodo has all the options a power user would need for administering his network and monitoring his firewalls.

Comodo features:

• Host Intrusion Prevention System to lock down access to critical files and block malware before it installs
• Advanced Network Firewall Engine to prevent programs from connecting to the internet
• Application Behavior Analysis to detect suspicious application activity
• A white list for almost one million trusted applications

Comodo Firewall is good for those who want the most out of their firewall and want to be able to use all of their options and settings for an extreme network monitoring application. According to PC World Australia Comodo Firewall even does better than most paid-for competitors.

ZoneAlarm features:

• Inbound intrusion detection system
• Ability to which programs create outbound connections
• Compatible with Windows Vista

Zonealarm is very easy to use and install, and when it’s in use you won’t notice it unless there’s something crazy going on in your firewall. When a new program is trying to access the internet a pop up window from the taskbar shows up and asks for permission, after accepting or denying access you can select a check box to prevent it from asking again.

Each one of these programs can be used to help make your computer system and network safer from hackers, intruders, viruses, trojans, and spyware. Also each one has different features available to it’s users and offer slightly different levels and kinds of protection so be sure to do some more analytical research before making a final decision. Also don’t double up on firewalls or antivirus programs, because those can cause a multitude of conflicts with each other as a general rule is only one firewall or antivirus software program on a machine. With the spyware detectors and removers, you’ll be better off grabbing more than at least one, because they all detect different spywares so to have complete protection you’ll want to make sure you have a few good programs for that task.

Is your computer running slower than ever? Does it crash a lot?

If so it might be because advertisers have loaded it up with Spy and Adaware without your knowledge.

“Spyware” is a common term for files that are installed on your system that allow companies to monitor your Internet activity.

“Adaware” is software that will show you pop up ads over and over. These files can be extremely dangerous to your PC and could cause major problems.

They track the websites you visit, items that you buy online, the emails you send and your Instant Message dialogues. In a worst case scenario they can even record your credit card number, personal identification numbers, and all of your passwords.

I know all of this because I learned the hard way. Fortunately, I never had any personal data stolen, at least that I’m aware of. But every now and then, when least expected, my computer would crash, sometimes resulting in days of lost activity and income.

It seems like I spent a small fortune fixing one problem after another. I bought expensive software programs that actually made my problems worse, then another hard drive that I really didn’t need.

Ultimately I had to take my computer to 2 different techs to work out all the bugs. If only I knew then what I know now.

After months of frustration and too many hundreds of dollars I care to admit to I finally learned what it takes to keep my computer healthy and functioning properly.

Below is what I learned and a recommendation that can help you avoid what I went through.

1. Get a spyware removal program. You’ve heard it before, but have you done it? This helps as your 1st line of defense against hackers and viruses.

2. Avoid opening email attachments from people you don’t know. When in doubt, don’t do it. Granted, this isn’t so easy to do when you’re in the people business, but I still encourage you to manage it as best you can. This alone eliminated a lot of my problems.

3. Scan for viruses and clean your registry at every opportunity. I spend a lot of time on the Internet working on my website marketing products, sending and receiving email and the like.

Consequently, my computer is vulnerable to attack from a lot of different ways. So, I scan it for viruses and clean my registry daily; sometimes several times a day depending on how long I’ve been on it.

If you don’t have a good spyware program you should get one. It’ll help you optimize your computer’s performance, and get it in tip top condition in no time.

Here are the benefits.

They’ll let you:

know if you have any files that are infecting your PC

help protect your computer and eliminate trojans, worms, dialers, browser hijackers, etc., and

help you avoid serious problems before they happen

You’ll be amazed at how much speed and problem free use you can regain from the use of your computer after you install a good spyware program.

If you don’t have one I strongly recommend Spyware Nuker. It’s relatively inexpensive and is money well spent to safeguard your computer and personal and professional information stored on it.

You even get to try if for free before you buy it and I believe it comes with a 90 day satisfaction or money back guarantee.

Happy listings and please feel free to call me if I can be of assistance.

In this report we will concentrate on the “problems” seen by customers with their equipment. We see these kinds of things all the time here in the shop, and hopefully this information will save you an unnecessary trip to the shop.

Problem # 1: Can’t get channels above channel 13 Your TV is in the “air” mode. To remedy this problem, you must either autoprogram your TV, or set your unit to the cable mode in the menu.

Problem # 2: Channels won’t change, can only get 1 channel This is similar to problem #1. Your TV needs to be autoprogrammed again using the menu.

Problem # 3: TV has a funny looking menu, looks like an ad This unit is in what is called the “demo” mode. Contact the manufacturer and if they are of no help, call us and we’ll be happy to walk you through the process of getting rid of it.

Problem # 4: There’s a black box blocking the picture We see this all the time. You TV has been accidentally placed into the closed caption mode. To clear this problem, bring up the menu and turn the closed captions off.

Problem # 5: I can’t view certain channels on my TV This is usually a password or parental lock problem. If you have forgotten your password, you may be able to access the menu by using the factory default password that you’ll find in your owner’s manual. If this doesn’t work, then you may have to contact the manufacturer for help.

Problem # 6: I don’t have sound on some channels, spanish or the weather report on others This is another one we see a lot of. You unit is in the SAP or separate audio program mode. Access the menu and set the audio to normal, standard, or stereo.

Problem # 7: My TV just quit working This could indeed be a real problem, but maybe not. If you have cats or small dogs, do they hang out behind the TV a lot? If so, check and see if they have damaged the power cord or pulled it just far enough out of the wall to allow it to lose contact with the wall outlet. If this is not the case, carefully move the set out from the wall and smell the carpets and look at the back of the set for signs of wetness. If you find this, your pet is urinating into the set and has caused your unit to shut down. Unplug it and take it to the shop as soon as you can.

Problem # 8: No picture, all I get is snow The first thing to do here is to verify that everything is hooked up properly, and that the signal source you want to watch hasn’t been changed. If you find no problem here, then you may have a cable box problem, or your satellite provider is down. Contact your company for details on any problem you might be having and don’t forget to log on to their website for current information if you can’t get through by phone.

Problem # 9: My remote doesn’t work verify this by checking to see if you can turn on the set with the panel mounted power button. If this works and the set operates normally, then all you may need to do is change the batteries in the remote to restore operation.

Problem # 10: My TV doesn’t work right since my son/daughter started playing with it Kids seem to have a real understanding of electronic gear, and some of them (my son included) love to monkey around with the menus. Some of them will even add their own passwords and setup their own access codes. It’s rare that they can do any real harm so make sure that they tell you what they’ve done so you’ll be able to enjoy your own programs.

I hope this list of the things we see everyday will help you to enjoy you TV a lot more, and save you money and time. Thank you and have a great day!

By W. Braverman