How to Use Windows XP "System Restore"

Basically, System Restore is like a little hound that runs behind the scenes taking "snapshots" of various parts of the Microsoft Windows XP operating system. So, if a part of Microsoft Windows XP stops working one day, the System Restore utility is able to reference one of the "snapshots" it took and restore your system from a previous day (a day when your computer worked). It's kind of like going back in time to a day when your computer worked. All your current data (Microsoft Word files, ...

10 Simple Ways To Speed Up Your Windows XP

One of the factors that slow the performance of the computer is disk fragmentation. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk when the file is opened to piece it back together. To speed up the response time, you should monthly run Disk Defragmenter, a Windows utility that defrags and consolidates fragmented files for quicker computer response. Follow Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk ...

Pros And Cons Of Linux. Is It Right For Your Business?

What is Linux?Linux is an operating system, like Microsoft Windows, MacOS, or Unix. It was created as a hobby by Linus Torvalds, a student at the University of Helsinki in Finland. What most people don’t know about Linux is that its source code is available to anyone. The Linux source code is called the kernel and it is the base of the Linux operating system. Because the source code or kernel is free, it has enabled hundreds of companies and individuals to release their own operating ...

What Is MySQL And Does Your Business Need It?

What is MySQL?First released in May 23, 1995, MySQL is an open source database software. It is part of a large and growing family of open source software including Linux, Apache, and programming languages PHP and Perl. However, unlike many open source products where the copyright is owned by the individual authors or distributors, MySQL is owned and sponsored by a single for-profit firm, MySQL AB, which holds the copyright to most of the codebase. They develop and maintain the system, sell ...

PowerPoint Tips

Are you puzzled when using PowerPoint sometimes? In this article, I will list some small PowerPoint tips. Maybe they are all common, but practical ones. Hope these tips will make you convenient in your work and life.

Difference between 32 bit and 64 bit OS.

During my research about 64 and 32 bit operating system I found many people confused about what computer they should purchase or what bit system they should choose…I think this article should be a great help for people to choose the correct machine for their use.

The Best Free Software (2007)

Most software is expensive and bloated. Yet free software typically does one task and does it with precision and elegance. Among the thousands of free apps available on the Web, how do you find the best, most reliable ones for your needs?
To produce this story, we asked PC Magazine staffers to share their best-loved free software and were inundated with responses. Our recommendations are the apps that real people use everyday, at work and at home, for all kinds of tasks—photo editing and DVD burning, database work and intrusion detection, VoIP calling and stargazing. They're tried and tested, the best tools you can get—and they're all free.
Many of the programs we cover are open-source, with their source code available for use and modification as others see fit. We also help you navigate ­SourceForge (www.sourceforge.net), one of the best sites for finding open-source software. But before you start downloading, make sure to protect yourself. In researching this story, we had an encounter with a Trojan horse, which is not unusual. So we turned to our security expert, Neil J. Rubenking, for tips on how to protect yourself from malware. And by the way, once you get started with free software, it's hard to stop.

Free Software Article for CET Magazine - needs review please

I was asked by the magazine editor of College of Engineering Trivandrum to prepare an interesting article on Free Software covering the various aspects around it. The article is supposed to go into the CET College Magazine. I have prepared a reasonably elaborate article and have posted it in my longer and philosophical blog. It would be great if you can please chip in and review the article here - Making Money with Free Software
I have been thinking of writing a detailed article around the same line for quite some time. It took me the whole of two days to get down to doing it. It is pretty long, so make sure you have sufficient time on your hands before you sit down to read it. Do let me know any corrections or changes that need to go in. The deadline for the submission is supposedly next Monday so we have just enough time to do any clean up if required.

FREE SOFTWARE LEADERS STAND TOGETHER

The Craig Mundie speech is old news by now, so hopefully this is the last word. A number of the free software evangelists, in informal discussion, felt that the proper response to Microsoft would be to stand together. Mundie's speech shows that Microsoft's strategy is to keep us divided and attack us one at a time, until all are gone. Thus, their emphasis on the GPL this time. While we didn't try to represent every group and project, many major voices of Open Source and Free Software have signed this message. We took a while, because we're not used to this, but we'll be better next time. So, please note the signatures at the bottom of this message - we will stand together, and defend each other.
Bruce Perens
We note a new triumph for Open Source and Free Software: we have become so serious a competitor to Microsoft that their executives publicly announce their fear. However, the only threat that we present to Microsoft is the end of monopoly practices. Microsoft is welcome to participate as an equal partner, a role held today by entities ranging from individuals to transnational corporations like IBM and HP. Equality, however, isn't what Microsoft is looking for. Thus, they have announced Shared Source, a system that could be summarized as Look but don't touch - and we control everything.
Microsoft deceptively compares Open Source to failed dot-com business models. Perhaps they misunderstand the term Free Software. Remember that Free refers to liberty, not price. The dot-coms gave away goods and services as loss-leaders, in unsuccessful efforts to build their market share. In contrast, the business model of Open Source is to reduce the cost of software development and maintenance by distributing it among many collaborators.
The success of the Open Source model arises from copyright holders relaxing their control in exchange for more and better collaboration. Developers allow their software to be freely redistributed and modified, asking only for the same privileges in return.
There is much software that is essential to a business, but which does not differentiate that business from its competitors. Even companies that have not fully embraced the Open Source model can justify collaboration on Free Software projects for this non-differentiating software, because of the money they will save. And such collaborations are often overwhelmingly successful: for example, the project that produces the market-leading Apache web server was started by a group of users who agreed to share the work of maintaining a piece of software that each of their businesses depended on.
The efficiency of this cooperation is in the best interests of the user. But Free Software is also directly in the user's interest, because it means that the users control the software they use. When they do business with Open Source vendors, the vendors do not dominate them.
With very little funding, the GNU/Linux system has become a significant player in many major markets, from Internet servers to embedded devices. Our GUI desktop projects have astounded the software industry by going from zero to being comparable with or superior to others in only 4 years. Workstation manufacturers like Sun and HP have selected our desktops to replace their own consortium projects, because our work was better. An entire industry has been built around Free Software, and is growing rapidly despite an unfavorable market. The success of software companies like Red Hat, and the benefits to vendors such as Dell and IBM, demonstrate that Free Software is not at all incompatible with business.
The Free Software license singled out for abuse by Microsoft is the GNU General Public License, or GNU GPL. This license is the computer equivalent of share and share alike. But this does not mean, as Microsoft claims, that a company using these programs is legally obliged to make all its software and data free. We make all GPL software available in source form for incorporation as a building block in new programs. This is the secret of how we have been able to create so much good software, so quickly.
If you do choose to incorporate GPL code into a program, you will be required to make the entire program Free Software. This is a fair exchange of our code for yours, and one that will continue as you reap the benefit of improvements contributed by the community. However, the legal requirements of the GPL apply only to programs which incorporate some of the GPL-covered code - not to other programs on the same system, and not to the data files that the programs operate upon.
Although Microsoft raises the issue of GPL violations, that is a classic red herring. Many more people find themselves in violation of Microsoft licenses, because Microsoft doesn't allow copying, modification, and redistribution as the GPL does. Microsoft license violations have resulted in civil suits and imprisonment. Accidental GPL violations are easily remedied, and rarely get to court.
It's the share and share alike feature of the GPL that intimidates Microsoft, because it defeats their Embrace and Extend strategy. Microsoft tries to retain control of the market by taking the result of open projects and standards, and adding incompatible Microsoft-only features in closed-source. Adding an incompatible feature to a server, for example, then requires a similarly-incompatible client, which forces users to "upgrade". Microsoft uses this deliberate-incompatibility strategy to force its way through the marketplace. But if Microsoft were to attempt to "embrace and extend" GPL software, they would be required to make each incompatible "enhancement" public and available to its competitors. Thus, the GPL threatens the strategy that Microsoft uses to maintain its monopoly.
Microsoft claims that Free Software fosters incompatible "code forking", but Microsoft is the real motor of incompatibility: they deliberately make new versions incompatible with old ones, to force users to purchase each upgrade. How many times have users had to upgrade Office because the Word file format changed? Microsoft claims that our software is insecure, but security experts say you shouldn't trust anything but Free Software for critical security functions. It is Microsoft's programs that are known for snooping on users, vulnerability to viruses, and the possibility of hidden "back doors".
Microsoft's Shared Source program recognizes that there are many benefits to the openness, community involvement, and innovation of the Open Source model. But the most important component of that model, the one that makes all of the others work, is freedom. By attacking the one license that is specifically designed to fend off their customer and developer lock-in strategy, they hope to get the benefits of Free Software without sharing those benefits with those who participate in creating them.
We urge Microsoft to go the rest of the way in embracing the Open Source software development paradigm. Stop asking for one-way sharing, and accept the responsibility to share and share alike that comes with the benefits of Open Source. Acknowledge that it is compatible with business.
Free Software is a great way to build a common foundation of software that encourages innovation and fair competition. Microsoft, it's time for you to join us.
Bruce Perens, Primary Author: The Open Source Definition
co-signers:
Richard Stallman, Free Software Foundation.Eric Raymond, Open Source Initiative.Linus Torvalds, Creator of the Linux Kernel.Miguel de Icaza, GNOME GUI Desktop Project.Larry Wall, Creator of the Perl Language.Guido van Rossum, Creator of the Python Language.Tim O'Reilly, Publisher.Bob Young, Co-Founder, Red HatLarry Augustin, CEO, VA Linux Systems

In the beginning

One of the most significant moments in the history of the modern software industry took place in 1998 when Netscape announced plans to release the source code of its browser under a license that would freely permit modification and redistribution. That pivotal event represents the point at which software freedom extended its reach beyond the enthusiast community and began its ascent into the mainstream.
The "Open Source" term was proposed by Christine Peterson at a strategy session held in Palo Alto on February 3rd, 1998—one month after Netscape's announcement. The people present included also Todd Anderson, John "maddog" Hall, Larry Augustin, Sam Ockman, Michael Tiemann, Eric Raymond.
Soon after the Open Source Initiative (OSI) was formed by Bruce Perens and Eric Raymond, with Raymand as president. The Board of Directors included Brian Behlendorf, Ian Murdock, Russ Nelson, and Chip Salzenberg.
On April 7th, Tim O'Reilly held a so called "Freeware Summit" that brought together many free software leaders and developers: Linus Torvalds, Eric Allman, Kirk McKusick, Michael Tiemann, Eric Raymond, John Gilmore, Paul Vixie, Brian Behlendorf, Jamie Zawinsky, Tom Paquin, John Ousterhout, Phil Zimmermann, Rich Morin, Mark Stone, Greg Olson, Fred Baker, Larry Wall, Guido van Rossum.
During the event they discussed the problems with the term "free software", mostly related to the different meanings of the word "free". Eric Raymond proposed "Open Source" as an alternative. Michael Tiemann suggested "Sourceware". And then they voted: 9 votes went to "open source", and the other 6 votes went to "sourceware" or "free software".
The winner was announced with a press release and the term "open source" began spreading in the community.
Ten years after the vision of software freedom gave birth to the broader open-source software movement, the software industry is a radically different place. Today, open-source software can be found everywhere from cell phones to server rooms. Surveys show that the vast majority of software companies use open-source software in their development stack. The open-source Linux operating system is even used in a number of popular products like the TiVo and Amazon Kindle.
To celebrate the success of the past ten years and reflect on some of the challenges that the open-source software community will face in the future, we spoke to some of the pioneers who were there on day zero when revolution started. We want to share their perspectives on a wide range of issues, including software patents, the emerging challenges and opportunities created by cloud computing, open-source software on the desktop, the importance of interoperability, and the ongoing fight to bring software freedom to the masses.

In a Desert, TV-Browser is an EPG Oasis

Microsoft has recently announced that its beloved encyclopaedia, Microsoft Encarta, will soon be discontinued. After October 31, 2009 its contents will no longer be available. Both the online version and the CD ROM version will be discontinued.
My first reaction was “what a pity”. My job is to gather and publish good contents. I know how much work goes into creating and publishing material. This news must have been quite hard to digest for people who have been working on Encarta for a while. The two main questions that come to mind, however, are: “Why?”, and more importantly, “What about the contents?”

The Bittersweet Facts about OLPC and Sugar

Recently, I had to fact-check some older articles I wrote about One Laptop Per Child in order to bring them up to date. This meant digging through the controversy in 2008, and what I found was some pretty appalling human behavior. That’s the “bitter”. The “sweet” is that both OLPC and Sugar (now separate projects) are both doing a lot of good in the world. Sugar, in particular, is doing a better job of connecting with the community. That’s a challenge for us in the community to step up and do a much better job connecting with Sugar. We need to make it the best thing ever, and that’s going to mean more than lip service. So we all need to get it installed and start contributing.

The Kindness of strangers can defeat Proprietary Cloud Computing. Free Software Solutions

Fashion is fickle. One day thin clients and clusters are the fashion de jour, the next it’s Web 2.0, Virtualisation or distributed computing and Grids. They who live by the sword of fashion will surely perish by it but a new model has been strutting its stuff along the catwalk of web fashion and she goes by the name of Cloud Computing. Like all fashions there is a deal of hype surrounding it but there is a consistent concern emerging from all that hype and is about the dangers of proprietary cloud computing. Richard Stallman has called it a “trap”. He is right—but it is more than that. It is a well-baited, DRM-like honey trap for the unwary. That is not immediately obvious. Like all good traps it suckers you in before the wire noose tightens around your neck. You don’t have any wire cutters in your rucksack but you do have the GPL and free software to effect an escape. Can it save us from vendor lock in and proprietary software?

Is the iPhone just too sexy? Or, are Android phones just not sexy enough?

What’s in a look? Before Apple started making immensely slick, sexy hardware, the main issues were always “specs”, “graphic cards”, “memory”. Then, the game changed. People started buying Apple computers because they looked good — inside and out. Their computers (and gadgets) are immensely appealing. Their operating system, OS X, is a pleasure to look at. When the iPhone was announced, I knew it was going to be the equivalent of Naomi Campbell in the cell phone world. And I was right.
Are iPhones just too sexy to compete against them?

Software additions:

McAfee Virus Definitions 5605
McAfee virus pattern and engine updates
EgoNet 2009-05-02
A handy network analyzer
SharePoint Cross-Site Lookup 2.11.428.1
Provides additional features beyond the default ...
uSeesoft DVD to AVI Ripper 1.2.0.10
An easy way to use DVD ripping program to rip DV...
Software Toolbar Icons 2009.5
One of the best choices for a thinking developer...
WireMaster 0.45
A handy wire frame generator
R-Crypto 1.4 Build 3321
Disk encryption software for data security, priv...
More Options 2 1.3.6
Add options and features to Maxthon 2.0.9 and la...
Merlin JustDeals 2.2.17
Automatically search eBay for only buy-it-now au...

Mobile additions:

LG KS660
Digicam, Bluetooth, USB
Samsung I7500
Smartphone, Touchscreen, Digicam, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB
Nokia 6216 classic
Digicam, 3G, Bluetooth, USB
LG GD900 Crystal
Digicam, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB
T-Mobile Sidekick LX 2009
Digicam, 3G, Bluetooth, USB
LG GC900 Viewty Smart
Touchscreen, Digicam, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB
Motorola ROKR W6
Digicam, Bluetooth, USB
Samsung E1360
USB
Samsung E1210
USB
Samsung T219
Bluetooth, USB
Samsung T119
USB
Samsung E1117
USB
LG KP270
Digicam, 3G, Bluetooth, USB
LG KF311
Digicam, 3G, Bluetooth, USB
LG KP170
Bluetooth, USB
LG Neon
Touchscreen, Digicam, Bluetooth, USB
LG GB125

Samsung A657
Bluetooth, USB
Samsung P250
Digicam, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB
LG GD330
Digicam, Bluetooth, USB
Sony-Ericsson W205
Digicam, Bluetooth, USB
Sony-Ericsson S312
Digicam, Bluetooth, USB
HTC Snap
Smartphone, Digicam, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB
LG GB210
Digicam, Bluetooth, USB
LG Xenon
Touchscreen, Digicam, Bluetooth, USB
Samsung Impression
Touchscreen, Digicam, Bluetooth, USB
Samsung Propel Pro
Pocket PC, Digicam, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB

Total Video Converter 3.21

View: screenshot Size: 9.64 MBLicense: SharewareOS: Win98,WinME,WinNT 4.x,Windows2000,WinXPPrice: $45.95 - Buy full version Publisher: EffectMatrix Inc.

Internet Download Manager 5.17.1

Date added: 6/18/2005Date updated: 5/1/2009Total Downloads: 411606Downloads - Last Week: 6342

Orbit Downloader 2.8.10 Screenshot (2)

http://www.brothersoft.com/orbit-downloader-download-54366.html

Cleans the following

Last updated on 1st May 2009 Over 275 million downloads!!!
CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware! :)
http://www.ccleaner.com/download

Orbit Downloader 2.8.10 Description

"Download social music/video and rapidshare; Super light, faster, easier to use"Orbit Downloader supports HTTP/FTP/HTTPS/RTSP/MMS/RTMP protocols and provides a total solution to download rich media. So you can download music and video from social music/video websites include Pandora and YouTube more simple and easy.Orbit Downloader v2.8 release Grab Pro to support video download from sites which use anti-leeching technology and support RTMP potocol.* Super Light: micro-sized and resource-friendly - Orbit Downloader is written with efficiency in mind, it typically uses less than 3MB of memory and 3% of cpu when downloading. Additionally, the installation package is less than 1.6MB.* Great Speed - Orbit Downloader is based on p2p and multi-source downloading technology, which make you download files up to 500% faster than before.* Support RapidShare - Orbit Downloader supports most of file-sharing service websites, including megaupload, badongo, sendspace, sexuploader, yourfilehost, uploading, filefront, 4shared, turboupload, depositfiles, filefactory, more....* Easy to Use - Orbit Downloader has a simple and clear user interface. It is easy to use and config for both newbies and professions.* Free and Safe - 100% free and no registration allowed. No adware!!! No spyware!!!New Features* Grab Pro - Download RTMP protocol video* Download e-mail and forum attachments with great speed!* More Efficient mirrors selection algorithm and faster download sources!* Maximum possible download speed, up to the fastest Download Manager!* Download social music and video include Youtube, Pandora, Myspace easily* Support all streaming media protocol include RTMP/ MMS/ RTSP* Support all popular browsers include Firefox 3 you can free download Orbit Downloader 2.8.10 now.

Works Very Well

Pros: -Really did speed up my downloads-Pause and resume-Scheduling-Bandwidth Limits
Cons: -Ads. A lot of them in free version.-Difficult to integrate with some browsers but you can copy a plugin file into the browser directorySummary: If you download a lot, I recommend this product. I currently use it for my downloads. The ads are basically advertising their own products and Premium versions so at least whats good is that its not random third party software being advertised. It truly did speed up my downloads.

Download Accelerator Plus 9.1.1.1

"Living up to its name"
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt
Reviewed on: December 3, 2008
Version reviewed: Download Accelerator Plus 9.1.1.1
This download manager brings much more to the table than fast file transfers, but it definitely delivers those, too. Increased download speeds are Download Accelerator Plus's bread and butter, speeding up downloads by almost 200 percent in most cases and occasionally as high as 400 percent.
Besides splitting files into smaller pieces, it thrives on automatically seeking faster mirrors. It also can get a file simultaneously from several sites, which is useful if a particular site limits the download speed; it can resume downloads; and it can preview some media files while downloading. There's also a blacklist for sites that you never want to accept downloads from, and categorized folders and filters to keep your downloads organized. DAP rolls in a media buffer, too, that allegedly will prevent streaming-video hiccups. Ensuring that you're running the latest version of the Adobe Flash player won't hurt, either.
Two new features include a UI change that lets users choose a Firefox- or Internet Explorer-styled download window, and integration with DAP's publisher's video converter. Downloading and converting video on the fly is a pretty smart way to keep the program fresh. The program will prompt you at your first attempt if you don't have the converter installed and guide you through its installation. Frustratingly, the install process will weigh you down with a ton of toolbars, default switches, and e-mail recommendations that you must opt out of for a clean installation.
Although it's heavy with ads and promotions, DAP is still a good choice for adding some heat to your typical download recipe.

Windows downloads

Antivirus 2009 snapshot:

Remove Antivirus 2009. Description and removal instructions

Antivirus 2009 is a new rogue anti-spyware program. It is also a clone of Antivirus 2008 - also a rogue, and one that's produced more clones than any other recently. The list of these clones is long: System Antivirus 2008, Ultimate Antivirus 2008, Vista Antivirus 2008, XP Antivirus 2008 etc. Like any other of it's predecessors, Antivirus2009 uses trojans, such as Zlob or Vundo, to spread. These trojans lurk in porn/warez websites disguised as video codecs, and, upon entering the system, floods the user with popups and fake system notifications, supposedly to inform him of an infection. While the system at hand may indeed be infected, Antivirus 2009 will inform the user of this regardless of whether it's true or not. The point of this disinformation is to convince the user he is infected and therefore needs an antispyware program to dispose of the threat. The user might click on one of the popups or notifications, all of which claim they will take him to a legitimate security tool, but try to make him purchase Antivirus2009's "licensed version" instead. Antivirus2009 may redirect web browser to antivirus-premium-scan.com, webscannertools.com, googlescanners-360.com, livesecurityinfo.com, antivirusonlivescan.com, bestantivirusscan.com, antivirus-best.com, internetquarantinesite.com, premiumlivescan.com and secureclick1.com websites that sell the malware. Some of these website are not only fraudulent, but they are also malicious. they are capable of installing additional malwares.Antivirus 2009 is a scam and should be treated as such: do NOT download or buy it and block it's websites using your HOSTS file: Webscannertools.com

Virus Cleaner

Provided on this page is our suggested (by Webmaster) removal procedure and User's suggestion. However, we cannot control and evaluate each suggested procedure so please use it at your own risks. If no suggestion is present to remove virus, spyware, adware and malware, you may try our Standard Procedure

Anti Virus 2009

Antivirus 2009 is tagged by security expert as of the widely spread and most successful rogue antivirus to date. It had infected vast number of computers around the world. Antivirus 2009 pretends to be a security application but crated primarily to sell the rogue security product by using unfair method of fake scanning and detection to assure the victim of its importance.

Get Free AntiVirus

I can't believe I was so foolish to fall for their alert. I remember when they tricked me in downloading this junk. After than my PC behaved like a mad man. I've been losing space rapidly, and lost 10 GB because of this Anti virus 2009, since I install it. Before it, it run normally. I tried to remove it but nothing helped. This however did. Thanks a bunch.

Free Anti Virus

Every computer user needs a basic text editor for Readme files and simple note taking capabilities--that's why Windows comes with Notepad. But if you want added features like a tabbed interface, search and replace functionality, or extras that help you with coding projects, you need to look for the more full-featured alternatives. The best editors come with numerous features and work great for editing code for Web sites, but also for simply writing quick notes, and pasting excerpts from the Web when aggregating research for a project.