Computer Terminology Is An Alien Language

By Richard Blackmon

I have been working in and on computers for over 50 years, and yes, I am a Geek. When I lapse into computer terminology, my wife's eyes glaze over, and I hear "borrrrrrrrrrrring" from her. Suspecting she is not the only person that is illiterate when it comes to computers, I have developed a simple terminology to use when speaking to a non-geek.
First, an analogy: A computer is made of many components. They fall into 3 groups:
Memory or RAM:
Memory or RAM is your work bench. It is where the work gets done. The more memory you have, the more things you can do at the same time. Ram is measured in mega (mega= million) bytes.
CPU or Processor
Your CPU or Processor is your motor. The more powerful your motor, the faster you can get things done. Processor speed is measured in GHZ or giga (Giga= A million million) hertz.
Hard Drive
The Hard Drive is your file cabinet, the more data you can save for future use. Hard Drive space is measured in mb or mega (millions of) bytes.
See? Nothing mystical about those terms is there?
Now on to the Definitions.
Definitions
Adware Those unwanted ads that appear on your browser.
Bit A Single piece of data.
Byte A block of bits, usually 8 bits. An example of a byte would be a single letter as "A".
Browser The software that helps find what you are looking when you surf the internet.
Computer A high speed moron. It does exactly what it is told. This is not necessarily what you want it to do.
CPU Central Processing Unit. This is the heart, engine, motor of your computer.
DVD+R A format used to burn a DVD. Usually not compatible with a DVD-R drive.
DVD-R A format used to burn a DVD. Usually not compatible with a DVD+R drive.
Firewall A vital device that can be either software or hardware that hides your computer from the outside world. Windows has a built in firewall.
Firewire A type of connection to a computer. Used for connecting a device such as a camcorder to a PC. It is also known as IEEE1394. Sony calls their version "I-link".
Floppy disk A type of storage media. Floppies are no longer popular due to the limited capacity and slow speed.
Gamer A person that uses a PC primarily for playing video games. It requires a fast PC and a high level graphics card.
GHZ Giga hertz. Abbreviated as ghz. This is the speed of a processor. A hertz is a cycle.
Gigabyte A billion (thousand million) bytes of data.
Graphics Processor The component that processes and sends images to the monitor. Many demanding programs use the graphics processor as an additional processor to help the main CPU.
Hard Drive A storage unit. The hard drive is where data or applications are stored until needed again. It has non destructive readout meaning reading it does not destroy the data as in RAM.
Hi-Def High Definition as in TV. It is a very high resolution device and requires a lot of storage space.
IEEE1394 A type of connection to a computer. It is usually used by digital camcorders or external hard drives. Also known as "Firewire".
Internet The internet is a superhighway with information at waypoints scattered everywhere. In order to find where you are going, you need a browser, a url or a search engine such as Google or Yahoo.
LAN Local area network. The connection of several PCs together. They can also share an internet connection. An example of a LAN would be the 3 PCs in my house connected together. Data can be shared between the PCs.
Megabyte A million bytes of data.
Memory Also known as RAM. It is where data and programs are kept whle working or being worked upon. It is a destructive readout deivce, meaning that if you want to keep it, you must restore it. This is a concern only for programmers not users.
OS OS stands for operating system. Windows and Linux are examples of operating systems.
Processor The unit that does the work in a computer. Also known as CPU.
RAM Ram stands for random access memory. Random because you can pull data from any address, not wait flr sequential as in a hard drive.
Ram Drive A very fast retrieval device for storage. It uses memory as its media, where as a disk uses a metallic storage.
Router A device for connecting to the network. It allows several PCs to share a single network connection.
Scanner A peripheral device for reading a document, converting to a digital data stream and sending it to the computer.
Software A compilation of instructions to the processor telling it what to do in order to complete its taks. Remember, the high speed moron does only what it is told.
Spyware A snippet of instructions that is stored on your hardware without your knowledge. It then reports back to its originator what you are doing. Anti-spyware software can prevent this.
Switch A device used in a network. It usually has a router integrated into it. It also is an excellent firewall.
Terabyte Terabyte is a million million. That is a "1" followed by 12 "0"s.
Trojan Horse A snippet of software (usually malicious) that gets into your computer as a part of a legitimate message, such as email. Once activated, it can wreak havoc, even ruining a hard drive. Most anti-virus software also blocks trojans.
USB Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a type of connection to your PC. It is used to connect devices to your PC.
Virus A virus is a piece of malicious that enters your computer, usually against your knowledge that can corrupt your hard drive and thus your data.
Virus Checker Software that blocks viruses from entering your PC. Also known as anti-virus software.
Vista Vista is the latest operating system (OS) from Microsoft.
WAN Wide area network. Usually a connection of systems in several locations off the main premise or campus. For example, if you work at a company that has several locations in various cities that are connected via high speed lines, this is a WAN.
Web cam A small camera that is connected to your PC via USB or firewire can record what is going on within its view and send to your PC. From there, you can allow relatives in another location to view what is going on at your home.
Wireless In computerese, a method of connecting several PC's together. Each computer would require a wireless adapter. Routers and switches can offer a wireless connections. This eliminates the need to run cables between the various units.
Worm A snippet of programming language that is covertly slipped into your computer. When activated, it can corrupt your files, take over your browser, etc. Generally, anti virus software blocks worms.
WYSIWYG What you see is what you get. In other words, this is how your output will look.
XP Microsoft Windows operating system. XP is the predecessor to Vista.
computersprintersandmonitors.com is my computer website. Visit it for other articles on computers.
My name is Rick and I call myself The Elderly Geek. Elderly, because I am 74 years old. Geek, because I have worked with or on computers since July 15, 1957. I retired from IBM and one of my passions is computers. I really enjoy helping people with their computer problems. I have always been tech support for my family. Another is playing with video. I have just begun to become interested in internet marketing. My PC desktop is so crowded with icons, it amazes my family that I can find anything.

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How to Spy with Your Computer

By Sasko Vasilevski

Do you remember the TV show I Spy? Maybe Get Smart was your favorite because you enjoyed your spying with a sense of humor. But someone doing things on your computer that you don't want done isn't a joking matter. If you remember these shows or not you may need to be a spy concerning your computer. If you like any spy show then playing the part of a computer spy is right up your alley. But more to the point-spying may be a necessity for the security of your computer or the safety of your child or teenager.
Today's world isn't safe whether in the real world or in cyberspace. You know one thing for sure there are a lot of nuts and predators lurking around the corner of either world. These are people you don't want your child or teenager to meet. You don't want them influencing your child or teenager. You realize that these people shouldn't be on the internet at sites where children or teens hang out, but you know that they do go to those sites.
You've seen reports on TV and you've read horror stories on the net about these predators talking someone else's child into meeting them at a park or hamburger joint. Sometimes these predators are lurking in the library. You can accompany your child to the library and you can warn your teenager to be careful when doing research there. But how do you protect them from the deviants that lurk online?
There is an excellent product that is several tools in one that will be your mother's or father's helper. It will detect all internet activity for you and your child or teen won't be able to realize it is there and working. It will do its job as an invisible secret agent that is employed by you. You can get all of the details at the link in my bio and you'll see that the Keylogger is indeed a friend you need.
You can get all of this and more done and in stealth mode. No has to know but you. It will be your secret that can put your mind at ease. Conversely, if any problems are recorded you can solve then quickly before more harm is done. Put your mind at ease make your company safer. Go to Keylogger.
Keylogger is THE BEST software for monitoring internet activities on your computer. Keylogger will protect your family or business.

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Computer virus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. The term "virus" is also commonly used, albeit erroneously, to refer to many different types of malware and adware programs. The original virus may modify the copies, or the copies may modify themselves, as occurs in a metamorphic virus. A virus can only spread from one computer to another when its host is taken to the uninfected computer, for instance by a user sending it over a network or the Internet, or by carrying it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, or USB drive. Meanwhile viruses can spread to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by another computer. Viruses are sometimes confused with computer worms and Trojan horses. A worm can spread itself to other computers without needing to be transferred as part of a host, and a Trojan horse is a file that appears harmless. Worms and Trojans may cause harm to either a computer system's hosted data, functional performance, or networking throughput, when executed. In general, a worm does not actually harm either the system's hardware or software, while at least in theory, a Trojan's payload may be capable of almost any type of harm if executed. Some can't be seen when the program is not running, but as soon as the infected code is run, the Trojan horse kicks in. That is why it is so hard for people to find viruses and other malware themselves and why they have to use spyware programs and registry processors.
Most personal computers are now connected to the Internet and to local area networks, facilitating the spread of malicious code. Today's viruses may also take advantage of network services such as the World Wide Web, e-mail, Instant Messaging and file sharing systems to spread, blurring the line between viruses and worms. Furthermore, some sources use an alternative terminology in which a virus is any form of self-replicating malware.
Some malware is programmed to damage the computer by damaging programs, deleting files, or reformatting the hard disk. Other malware programs are not designed to do any damage, but simply replicate themselves and perhaps make their presence known by presenting text, video, or audio messages. Even these less sinister malware programs can create problems for the computer user. They typically take up computer memory used by legitimate programs. As a result, they often cause erratic behavior and can result in system crashes. In addition, much malware is bug-ridden, and these bugs may lead to system crashes and data loss. Many CiD programs are programs that have been downloaded by the user and pop up every so often. This results in slowing down of the computer, but it is also very difficult to find and stop the problem.

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Computer System

Maintaining your system
Adroit Data Recovery Centre Pte Ltd

Visit our homepage: http://www.adrc.net ---------------------------------------- Perhaps you have handpicked the finest computer from the I.T mall, selected the fastest processor and graphic card and slammed in few gigabytes of memory. So you thought to yourself that your machine is probably going to sustain you for the next 5 years. But little did you discover that some 6 months down the road, your computer is behaving like a Pentium 2 computer, perpetually flustering you with its choppy images, frustrating pop-ups and tremendous slow disk access.

Gradually, your computer crashes and all your data is lost on one fine afternoon. One thing you have probably missed out on is the need for system maintenance. The basic routine maintenance comprises of the 3 basic processes:
a. Data Backup
b. Malware Maintenance
c. Disk or File System Maintenance Let us address each of the processes in detail so that you can better understand how you can apply them in your system to extend its longevity. 1. What Is Data Backup?
Backing up basically means to create a redundant copy of a data so that in case anything should happen to the original data, you have a spare copy. This is typically a simple thing to do. Firstly, you must ask yourself why should you back up the data or system. If you feel that you should backup your valuable data, then you should decide and select what are the data to be backup. Depending on your needs, you may choose to backup your windows registry, or your Outlook Express mail data, or even your windows security keys.
Windows operating system's friendly interface allows you to drag and drop computer files from one storage device to another. And this can be as simple as copying a document file from your desktop into a floppy diskette or thumb drive.
But when these files gradually grow overtime, you may need to seek help from archiver utilities such as Winzip which enables you to compact your files into a single compressed file. You can then break up this large file into several pieces to be stored in several mediums such as a span of CD or DVD-Recordable.
Winzip also allows you to protect your file with encryption and a software password to prevent any unauthorized access. There are a number of backup methods you could use. 2. What Is Malware Maintenance?
Malware refers to any kind of malicious codes, objects or content that infiltrates your computer, resulting in damage and causing your system to act in an undesirable manner. Commonly, these include viruses, spyware, worms, trojan horses, spams and many more. When you're infected, you can lose your privacy, confidential data and access to your system when software and hardware are damaged. Fortunately, there're a couple of preventive measures you can take to protect yourself from malware.
Firstly, you absolutely require a working Anti-Virus scan running in your computer. This is the only one thing that you should never compromise if you frequent the Internet. Running a system without an Anti-Virus scan is practically risking your computer to 90% of all kinds of software attacks. In some cases, your hardware can fail due to a virus attack. Remember the CIH virus that attacks the computer flash BIOS that resulted in tremendous business damage during 2001?
Also, having a virus scan residing in your computer is as good as zilch if you do not take time to update the scan engine and virus pattern files. Every week, virus signature files are released for download to equip you with the latest protection. See more on how to remove virus and spyware.
Next, the choice of websites you visit plays a major factor. Certain websites contain malicious active content such as Javascript and VBscript that automatically infects your computer when they are downloaded into your computer without your knowledge and consent. (That's why they're known as spywares) If you have experienced new icons appearing in your system tray or desktop, this may be a sign that your computer has been infected.
Thankfully, those malicious active content usually lurks in pornographic and hacking websites. So if you can refrain from them, you generally safe. Nevertheless, if it is absolutely necessary to visit these sites, always disable ActiveX content running in your Internet options.
Lastly, avoid downloading, executing software or mail attachment that you are uncertain.As a rule of thumb, do not even consider opening an attachment unless the file is from someone you know and the message makes meaningful references to the file. Okay, say you have accidentally downloaded an executable file into your computer and you are pondering if you should run it because a reliable colleague has sent it to you. But you notice that the file has a weird file name such as meetingsxpzss.jpg.exe. But you are told that it is crucial that you read it now.
One thing you can do at this point in time is to scan the file for any virus infection before you attempt to open it. If the scan shows nothing, it's probably a safe file. But then again, it may be a new virus yet to be updated in your virus scan. You can either wait and apply the next virus signature update and perform a second scan or risk it all, cross your fingers and open the file.
If you ever decide to do this, you can take an extra step to protect your organization by disconnecting from your network during the process. If you suspect you have been infected, try to remove the spyware or virus immediately before they propagate to harm your entire system or network.
Always make it a point to update latest operating system or software patches to shield against any security issues.
3. Disk Maintenance
Did anyone tell you that your hard disk is a pretty tricky machine? When you first installed your operating system, you may be pleased to know how smooth and efficient your software applications are running. But gradually, it slows down and this bothers you. What truly causes the dip in performance? You may argue that your disk is just a couple of months old. This has much to do with the way you operate on your system.
Try to imagine a big tool bucket filled with gadgets. Initially, the bucket only contains a few spanners, a hammer and some screws. So every time you search for a particular item, it is relatively easy to find. But soon as you keep pilling the bucket with all sorts of items and especially when the amount of items grows, you'll discover that you may need more time just to search for a particular screw head. In such cases, uninstall any unnecessary software and defragment your disk. Typically, your system performance will dip when the amount of data in your hard disk starts to grow.
Next, would you be surprised if I were to tell you that 30% of your data in your computer may be junk files? Temporary files are stocked up in your computer each time you browse the internet or perform an installation. Most programs clear these files away after it exits but unfortunately, software that are poorly written do not. Thankfully, Microsoft Windows comes with a couple of useful utilities which helps to solve some of these problems.
The disk defragmenter packs your data neatly to facilitate quick accessibility. Disk Cleanup does the job of scanning and removing all redundant temporary files. Unnecessary startup files could also be cleaned up. And to cope with physical error such as bad sectors, ScanDisk helps to repair and recover any data lost due to mild data corruption.Your could also fix minor system file corruption or repair the corrupted system files essential for the system operation. If you suspect the installed software is giving you problems, try to repair the software corruption.
So now you see that there is more to just picking and plunging a speedy hard disk drive into your computer. Healthy and regular disk maintenance practice can greatly benefit your system and data.
http://www.adrc.net/ Adroit Data Recovery Centre Pte Ltd

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Is It Time To Buy A New Computer?

Piter Gursky

Is It Time To Buy A New Computer?
With the Internet and computer technology developing every single day, you might want to give your old computer a long break it badly needs.

Computer has gone a long way from being just a mere typing machine.
If you want to know whether you need to box-up your old computer or buy a new one, here's a quick checklist:
Operating system Run only in Windows 95/98 (or older operating systems!) Old operating systems won't allow you to add on scanners, printers, or dig cams. It also won't allow you to run newer programs.
Updated RAM If your computer takes forever to load up, chances you need to add more RAM. Some old RAM chips might not be available in the market anymore and they don't come cheap too.
Small hard disk space Isn't it frustrating when you come to the point that you have to delete older files to make space for your new ones? This clearly states that you badly need a new hard disk. The market now offers as much as 500 GB for personal computers.
Software doesn't run If new software doesn't work on your computer, then it is no longer compatible with new programs in the market, and you absolutely need to change your system.
Slow processors If you are doing some graphic works on your computer, then it suddenly bogs down, then you are in trouble. Older computers don't even come close to opening website with large graphics.
If you find yourself in the above situation, then it's high-time that you buy a new computer. Below are some quick tips that can do you a lot of help:
Tips in Buying Computers
The first thing you need to ask when buying a computer is "what would it be used for?" If you just need to type up writing assignments or do some office works, then a computer with a decent word processing program would go. If you were using the Internet often, then you would need a computer with 128 MB of memory and at least Pentium-2 processor.
If you do some graphics, edit pictures or create videos, aside from higher RAM and larger space, you need a good video card to view your work as actual as it can be. Also check the compatibility of other devices like scanners and printers to your computer. If you are decided to buy a new computer, then allot at least $500 of your budget. If you want a high-end computer then it definitely costs a lot more than that. Don't think that you get the best deals when you buy a computer on a cheap price. Always go for quality, it's a total headache if your computer acts up in the middle of your work.
When buying a new computer, think properly what you need before heading to a computer shop. It is also a good thing to have a chit-chat with a computer salesperson. Ask them all the things you want to know. With enough patience, the right computer for you is just one decision away. For more info you may want to visit htt://www.baytradecomputers.com
Piter Gursky is Internet marketing expert who writes for various companies including BayTradeComputers.com (discounted computers and networking). Find out low priced computers and networking at http://www.baytradecomputers.com/

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Link Load Balancing

highreplica highreplica

Load balancing is the even distribution of computer processing and communication activities so that a server is not overwhelmed. Load balancing is especially important for networks where it is difficult to predict the number of requests that will be issued to a server.
Link Load Balancing balances out critical resources on data networks with unpredictable requests issued to a server.

For example, a web site with heavy traffic may employ two, three or more servers in a link load balancing program. The link load balancing routines enable a network to “juggle” more traffic that otherwise possible If one server is overwhelmed, the link load balancing scheme forwards them to a different server with extra capacity.
Another aspect to link load balancing concerns the communications channels themselves. In this case the “juggling act” is meant to better distribute processing and communications demands more equitably across the network so that no single a computer is overwhelmed by the demand.
Link Load Balancing - Key Features & Benefits First and foremost is “availability” - 24/7 Application Availability for complete IP Application access. Local and Global Service providers rely on redundancy and link load balancing between servers, WSD units and distributed sites for complete server continuity across global networks
Performance Network Bottlenecks - Link Load Balancing Network managers are constantly seeking new solutions for eliminating bottlenecks and latencies for the fastest performance of all networked applications and web-enabled transactions. The idea link load balancing technology combines both unlimited application scalability with flexible traffic distribution management of data centers and server farms.
Network Security - Link Load Balancing Link load balancing is a key element in the overall network Intrusion Prevention effort. Expert Link Load Balancing guards the network against internal and external attacks such as viruses, worms, Trojans, anti-scanning and protocol anomalies. Above all hovers the ultimate link load balancing challenge and network threat – DOS - Denial of Service.
Remember the song, “Take a load off Annie” Just listening to it makes you feel nice and relaxed… For maximum performance and 100 percent uptime, networks use link load balancing to even out resource use throughout the network.
Radware is the global leader in link load balancing solutions delivering maximum performance and security of critical networked applications. For more information on link load balancing , visit RadWare.
highreplica is the author related to [Load Balancer, Dual Port Router, Multiple Gateways, Server Load Balancing] (link: http://www.xrio.com/xrionet/) Xrio provide solutions for bandwidth management, load balancing, link bonding, server load balancing, multiple gateways, global traffic management, wan optimization, wan performance, isp, adsl, sdsl, dual port router, high availability router, local director, multihoming router, vpn clustering.

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Flash Drives

Flash Drives Made Simple
Lucas Kent

Eventhough most of our lives are stored on computers, many people still neglect to have a back up for their files. In the past backing up files was time consuming and required individual to use numerous floppy disks and/or cds. Today the flash drive is making backing up and transferring files quick and efficient.

A flash drive is a small, portable data storage device that plugs into the USB port of a computer. Flash drives are popular because they can hold a considerable amount of data and are fast, reliable, and portable. Before you go out and purchase a flash drive here are a few things you should consider: 1) Choose one that suits your style and will stand up to daily wear and tear. 2) Flash drives can hold 32Mb to 4Gb of data find a drive or drives that suit both your current and future needs, as your requirements for more capacity may grow. In terms of budget, as a general rule price increases with capacity. 3) Make sure that the drive is compatible with your PC and that it comes with software and/or it is easily downloaded from the web. 4) Ensure that the drive has write protect to avoid accidental erasure and if privacy is a concern, make sure that the drive can be password protected. As an educator I have found that having a flash drive saves me time and in the long run saves money.
Mr. L. Kent is an experienced educator and president of MrKent.Net - Education Technology Made Simple.

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