Computer, Internet and Technology

How Secure Is Your Security? You've got firewalls and you've got antivirus software, so why is your computer back with IT having its hard drive wiped and everything re-installed? The simple answer is because the risk to security wasn't taken seriously enough!

This time you were lucky, a simple virus or Trojan can be sorted. Next time though, it could be a hacker. Before you have time to say 'annual bonus' your entire database is floating around in cyber space and you've got some serious explaining to do to your customers. Not the most ideal way to start your Monday morning. However, armed with a little research and common sense you can make sure your database isn't quite as vulnerable.

In a nutshell, security is all about managing risk, whether that risk is to your ongoing profitability or your organisational climate, if it could happen, what can you do to minimise the risk of it becoming likelihood? Your database may never be hacked or pick up any lethal viruses; but if it does, do you really want to be explaining to your client why you've lost all their confidential information?

With every Tom Dick and Harry out there offering so many different security products how do you know what will best suit your business? Vendor A seems to be selling the same product as Vendor B, their packaging is similar; they both appear to be offering the same things and the only really obvious difference is vendor A is charging a lot more money. The most common explanation for this is vendor A is investing a lot more money in the research which goes into his security. Vendor B can promise to protect you from every potential risk out there today, but vendor A is making sure they are pre-empting what may well come at you tomorrow too.

It's not just what may attack you 'out there' which you need to be vigilant about. In fact, your security is more likely to be breached by one of your own employees. Simple steps can make sure your business doesn't scream 'easy mark' to every passing hacker or disgruntled employee. Obvious passwords need to be banned; it is far too easy to find out what Sarah in accounts cat is called, or the registration plate of Luke in sales, especially in this social networking age. You should also make sure that old accounts are removed, especially if an old employee didn't leave on the best of terms, you leaving their account open is just asking for them to extract a little revenge. It's also important to make sure security access is used wisely. Does your intern really need the same level of access as your account directors? It may be easier just to give them all administration clearance, but is it an acceptable risk? One last really simple thing you can do to improve your security is 'Patching', when vendors discover a potential weak spot in the security package the patch will remedy that potential flaw, ignoring theses patches means ignoring a recognised risk.

So you've taken a good objective look at your business from the point of view of a hacker and decided that losing your computer to IT for the day (and that's at the very least) isn't a viable option. You also know that the cheapest option out there isn't necessarily going to cost you less in the long run. So now you need to work out how much is acceptable to spend on any potential risks. The simplest way to do this is, to put a value on what it would cost you if anything happened, then times it by how often this risk could occur. From this you should be able to work out what is acceptable to spend on your security.


Copyright (c) 2008 Kim Hutson
About the Author: Kim Hutson
Resource Box: To find out more about business security and risk, visit: http://www.guruonline.tv/ViewSets.aspx?search=ibm For more business advice on subjects such as sales, finance, technology plus dozens more, visit the Guru Online home page where you can access hundreds of bit sized videos, full of constructive advice and information for free: http://www.guruonline.tv/Default.aspx

Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

How To Select The Notebook That Meets Your Requirements?

By: Roberto Sedycias
For the past ten years there has been a tremendous growth in the usage of notebook or laptop computers. The impact is that the notebooks are slowly replacing the traditional desktop computers from home as well as from office. There are so many varieties, technologies and brands of notebooks available in the market that it has become very difficult for a regular user to identify the best fit for his or her needs. This article will help you in getting a few tips on how to select the right notebook and make the most out of your investment.

A notebook offers several advantages. The most important being the trouble-free mobility. This is enhanced by the easily available wireless internet connections all over the world. It is very convenient to carry all your work with you anywhere you go. Advancement in technology has brought down the weight and size of the notebooks significantly, making it even more comfortable for a regular user.

What are the things that you should consider before purchasing your notebook? Start with doing an analysis of your needs. Ask questions like: For what purpose will I use this notebook? The answers could include -- for internet browsing, chatting, high-end graphic designing, gaming, business or official work, programming, application development, etc. The type of notebook you choose will depend on what you need it for.

When you do your research, make notes on the prices, technical features, configuration, guarantees, and performance that each notebook has to offer. You would need to decide whether you want a notebook from an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or from a brand. It is believed that brand notebooks offer better post-sales service, and guarantee, while OEM notebooks are cheaper and offer the same hardware quality as the brand ones.

If you need a notebook that is small and light and should be carried around easily while you are traveling, go for the ultra-portable range models. These notebooks have screens smaller than 12 inches and weigh up to 5 pounds. Some models of such notebooks include Sony Vaio PCG-U3, Fujitsu Lifebook P1510, Toshiba Libretto U100, Panasonic R4, Dell Latitude X1 and many more.

If you are a business professional looking for a thin and light notebook that offers durability, security and all important features necessary for your office, then you can select from a wide range of business notebooks. These include Apple MacBook, Dell XPS M1210, Sony VAIO FJ, and Dell Latitude and etc.

If you are addicted to gaming you would need a notebook that has the capability to present high-end graphics performance. These would include notebooks with the latest processors, increased RAM and hard disk storage space, faster CPUs, top-of-the line graphic display capability, great wireless connectivity and a host of other compatibility features. Some of the best gaming notebooks include Alienware Aurora, Dell XPS M170, and Rock Xtreme CTX PRO and etc.

If you are looking for just an economic replacement for your desktop and you do not want to spend on a high-end notebook, then you can select from a variety of models offered by Acer, Apple, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba. These notebooks are fashioned to be used at a fixed location and weigh up to 13 pounds, so they are not very convenient if you have to travel a lot. They generally have bigger screen sizes and lower battery life.

Apart from the notebooks mentioned above you can also pick tablet PCs, transportables, high-end personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, or smart phones. These are mobile devices that you can carry with you wherever you go, if mobility is all you are looking for.

Author Bio
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for polomercantil. This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the News Article section of page PoloMercantil
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

By: Nam Sss
So you've bought your computer and want to get online? It's not as simple as connect the wire and off you go these day's. The internet is a weird and wonderful place as long as you can control what you do.

That's why you need to protect yourself. These can be done in a number of very simple steps. This article will get you started but you should always try to be smart when your surfing the net!

Step 1: Anti-Virus Scanner

Whether you're connecting to the internet or not, you need an Anti-Virus scanner. Your computer can become infected with "viruses". These are little files or codes that have been written to ruin your computer! That's why they must be stopped!

There are many programs out there that can help, but it's best to trust only the mainstream programs as these are used widely and updated regularly.

Recommendations:
AVG Anti-Virus Free
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

Avast antivirus
http://www.avast.com/

Step 2: Firewall

Ok so your thinking what is a "firewall" sounds scary right? Well it's not really. It is again another line of defence against the number of ways your computer can be attacked. In simple terms it blocks other computers and programs from connecting to you and playing with your stuff. Think of it as an internet wall of fire, where you allow what can pass through.

Software - Again there are many programs available to protect you, Recent Microsoft Windows machines come with Windows Firewall, which can be described as basic at best. We do recommend you go for mainstream again.

Hardware - A firewall can also be included as part of your hardware, like an internet router "that's the box that sits between your pc and the internet line". This is the best and recommended way to have a firewall. As it blocks intruders before it gets to your pc.

Recommendations:
Zone Alarm
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp

Step 3: Be AWARE!!

Simply put watch what you download and accept to save to your PC, sometimes people can send you files in e-mails. They look ok but when you run them they will install something onto your PC and leave you upset and distraught. Always scan something that has been downloaded before opening it and never open/run programs that have been sent in an e-mail from unknown sources.
Step 4: Go for it

That's pretty much it to get you going. If you think something doesn't look right, it probably isn't. Hopefully this will get you going to start with, wait till you find out about spy ware and Trojan's!! Good Luck and Safe Surfing

Author Bio
Nam
www.LionBlade.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

There are two things going on in your computer at all times: The file system and your hard drive. When your computer is on, the file system is hard at work processing and making things happen. The hard drive actively records and then stores this information. Think of it like this: the file system is like a courtroom. All sorts of things are happening: testimonies being made and evidence presented. The hard drive is like the court reporter, recording all the information. As soon as the courtroom shuts down for the day, its essential to have an accurate record of that day’s proceedings. This exchange can go awry for a number of reasons. For example, if your computer freezes, and you are forced to shut down, the hard drive may not finish recording a piece of information. Or the hard drive itself can be damaged internally, by something simple like someone bumping into it. (Your hard drive, or hard disk, records information almost like a record or CD and can get scratched.) Luckily, commands like Check Disk, or Chkdsk exist for DOS, OS/2 and Windows operating systems. Chkdsk is used to find and fix errors on the hard drive. Your computer will prompt it to run when there is an error or errors. Using the example above, if your computer freezes and you are forced to restart, Chkdsk will run when you start back up. It will scan your hard drive, and fix any problems.

Unfortunately, Chkdsk can sometimes become corrupted or encounter problems in the registry. Chkdsk errors usually indicate a damaged registry.

The registry is a directory that stores fundamental settings and options for your Windows operating system—it is literally the most important set of data on your computer. It keeps information about your hardware (like your mouse, keyboard, or monitor), software (Windows 2000 or Microsoft Word for example), and user settings and preferences. The registry is constantly being added to and/or updated. If you install a new program, view a web page for the first time, or download something in your email, new information may be added or overwritten in the registry. Unfortunately, over time, this directory can become crowded, disorganized, and/or information may have been replaced. Registry repair is essential to ensure error-free operation of your computer. RegCure is the most advanced Windows registry cleaner on the market and uses advanced technology to scan your registry for missing, obsolete, and corrupt entries. At RegistryRepairProgram.com, you can download a free scan for your computer. If you elect to use RegCure, your registry will be repaired eliminating problems like Check disk errors. Most of us would rather not wait until our computer crashes (potentially losing valuable information) before realizing their PC has errors. Using a registry cleaner can fix any issues before they become a major challenge. Additionally, if your registry is tip-top shape, it will eliminate any Check disk errors.

About the Author: Hamilton Hill
Helen Walker. To eliminate Check disk errors, and learn more about Registry repair and Reg Cure visit www.RegistryRepairProgram.com.
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

In the next few months, more and more buzz will be generated for new motherboards. That's because with the launch of Intel Core i7 processors, only new motherboards with the X58 chipset can be used. In other words, if an enthusiast wants to upgrade a CPU, the motherboard has to be upgraded as well.

A lot of information has been released by technology news websites on various motherboards such as the ASUS P6T Deluxe OC Palm,Intel DX58SO, MSI Eclipse and EVGA's X58 SLI motherboard. In order not to be overwhelmed by the plethora of articles on these motherboards, it may be a good idea to be clear headed and focus our attention on the crucial elements.

Crucial element 1: Speed

The overall speed of the computer system depends on the multiplier values of the system. For example, you can achieve higher performance if you tweak the multiplier values of the CPU or the memory. Overclocking enthusiasts will be most interested to know if the system can run reliability at the overclocked values.

In this area, the ASUS P6T motherboard offers an extra in the 2.5" LCD displays that presents system configuration information, overclocking data, etc. This is useful for overclockers who want to tweak and monitor the system while it runs.

Crucial element 2: Graphics

The graphics of a computer system is another major component to take into consideration. Many software applications require a lot of graphics processing power to run smoothly. This includes professional software, such as video and audio editing software that performs a lot of zooming, panning, modeling of 3D objects, etc. Many 3D games also require powerful graphic processing for best effects.

Enthusiasts should check whether the motherboard has SLI (Scalable Link Interface) support. SLI is a technology developed by nVidia, and it's used for multi-GPU processing. Not all motherboards support this feature because manufacturers are required to pay a royalty to nVidia if they want to offer support for SLI.

Since SLI is meant for intensive graphics processing, only those who need it for business applications or gaming need to consider having this feature.

Crucial element 3: Memory.

The memory on a system affects the overall speed of the computer. With powerful processors, enthusiasts have to make sure that there won't be a bottleneck when it comes to memory. Having insufficient memory could mean that the system will run at substandard performance.

Motherboards with the X58 chipset offer support for triple channel DDR3 memory kits. Various memory manufacturers from Taiwan and China have already released memory kits that are timed perfectly for the Core i7 processors.

Enthusiasts should pay attention to the number of slots available. For instance, the ASUS P6T motherboard has 6 memory slots, allowing a max memory of 12 GB. Other motherboard options may have only 3.

As far as the motherboard is concerned, there are various editions available. Of course, one can expect the high-end editions to be much more costly. However, enthusiasts can still enjoy the increased performance at an affordable price if options are selected wisely.
About the Author: Gen Wright
For fresh technology news on the latest PC hardware, such as the ASUS P6T Deluxe motherboard, please visit the Gadget Advisor web site.
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

By: Mal Keenan
If you belong to any of the following groups, then this article is for you.
• You already have a business and a website that serves as the official hub for your online sales. The website may be serving as an online store for your enterprise.
• You need a venue wherein you can promote your affiliate links.
• Your already have a website, which may not necessarily be a commercial one, and it is enrolled with a Pay Per Click (PPC) program, like Google AdSense.
Success in these fields depends on one essential principle which you might have already realized: traffic is the key to your online business thriving.
You may have in your digital inventory the best products in the world, but they won't mean squat if no one would get to see them. This is why each and every online businessman will fight tooth and nail just to have a piece of the Internet traffic. After all, the more visitors who get to visit your site, the more potential clients you have.
And blogs can most definitely help you drive visitors to your pages. Here is how you could use them to achieve such a purpose:
1. Download the Wordpress blogging software, which is available for free at www.wordpress.com . An alternative is to go with blogger.com. I have posted instructions for setting up a Blogger blog at your own server in this PDF file:
www.pluginprofitstraining.com/blogsetup.pdf
2. Remember that good content is always at the heart of a progressive online traffic stream. People are always looking for information, and if you will give them that, they would read what you have to offer. Dedicate your blog to the subject of your main website. Publish informative entries that would hook your readers and make them come back for updates. In between purely educational entries, strategically include a link to your site by suggesting their importance to your readers.
3. Using the above mentioned strategy, you could also include your affiliate links to pre-sell your affiliate products. The more traffic you drive to your affiliate merchant's site or sales page, the more chances you will have of effectuating a successful sale and bigger commissions.
4. Links from blogs are unilateral, meaning, they are one way links to your websites. The more traffic a unilateral link generates, the more it becomes prominent in online searches. Avoid reciprocal links at all costs! Do not include a link to your blog from your website. Search engines abhor reciprocal linking.
5. 80% of your traffic will come from the search engines. You have to tweak your blog to attract the attention of the search engine spiders. Now, blogs are already search engine friendly. However, there is a very big possibility that you would be competing with other blogs on the same subject. You have to make sure that once you upload your blog, it is able to outperform its competitors in the search engine rankings.
One way you can do this is by using the title of your post to match the keyword phrases you are targeting, plus put a sprinkling of your keyword phrase in the post itself. I am doing this with great results.
6. Check your blog offline. It should be as readable and as navigable as possible for your prospective readers. Make appropriate adjustments if necessary.
7. Upload your blog to a reliable server that has enough bandwidth to accommodate many viewers.
8. Constantly update your blog. Search engines love regularly updated content, so publishing new entries will greatly increase your blog's page rank, and consequently, your main website's traffic.
9. Accepting links from other related blogs will also bring to your site some traffic from sources other then search engines. The way that a blog is designed fosters the building of a community of blog sites, and this will provide for an added stream of visitors for you.
10. You could also decide to enroll your blog site in the Google AdSense advertising program. This will give you an additional income stream. We will discuss this in future articles.
Blogs are excellent promotional tools for your existing business. Use them well and you will harvest the rewards in a matter of weeks.

Author Bio
Get Your Hands on My FREE and Exclusive 7 Day Blogging Report by Sending a Blank Email to freeblogreport@getresponse.com In this Report I Reveal All The Secrets for Creating and Running A Successful Online Blog.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

By: Ant Onaf
Blogs can be a very marketable and very profitable tool if used correctly. Profiting from blogs is just a matter of grabbing the attention of an audience and not doing any actual salesmen selling. In this article you will learn the 13 most essential steps to successful blogging.

1) Where to start?
You should begin your blog with a free blog hosting service such as Journal Home. I don't say that because I'm the owner, but a free blog host is very rewarding for a new blog. Starting with a free blog hosting service allows you to begin blogging instantly without having any advance knowledge of scripts, hosting, or programming. It allows you to build an audience and buzz for your blog. It allows you to focus on your content and not the internal maintenance of the blog. The best benefit of starting with a free service, is in the case your blog doesn't become successful you do not lose any money or are you left holding the bill. The great thing about a blog is that they are organized in chronological order, your latest entry is displayed first. When your blog traffic grows greatly and you are ready to upgrade to your own domain then you can simply make your last blog entry the announcement of your "move". Simply add a last entry stating that your blog has "moved" and type the new blog URL address. Which directs visitors to your new blog site, keeping your following, without a major inconvenience to anyone. Upgrade as you need to...but only when you need to!

2) Niche
A niche is a targeted product, service, or topic. You should first decide on a product, service, or topic which interest you. Choose an area which you can enthusiastically write about on a daily basis. You can use keyword research services like Google Zeitgeist or Yahoo! Buzz Index to find popular searched topics. It does NOT matter if your topic is popular as long as there is a audience for your topic and the topic is precisely focused then your blog should be successful. Anything can be considered a niche as long as it has a target audience no matter how large or how small the audience is. A blog about your cat can be a niche or a blog about the species of the cat family can be a larger niche market, if there are people who are interested in hearing about your cat or the species of the cat family, then you have a niche...you can even choose to build your audience for a market which an audience does not exist, but first you must build your blog.

3) Update Daily (nothing less)
This step is a must and not a suggestion. Updating your blog daily not only keeps your blog more interesting to readers, but it also gives your blog fresh content on a day to day making it more appealing to search engines. Not updating your blog on an occasional holiday or one day here and there is understandable to most, but missing days at a time or weeks is unacceptable and will most likely result in your blog being unsuccessful. To keep your blog traffic and retain your visitors interest it is a must to update your blog daily with multiple entries. Though, I am seeing a growing trend of successful blogs that are not being updated daily, but they are successful and have a stable audience who continue to visit their blog daily. Regardless, these blogs are still updated weekly with multiple entries. Until you have a steady audience you should try to update your blog everyday with at least 3 or more daily entries. The best way to accomplish this is to set aside 1-2 hours a day for tending to your blog and adding new entries. It may even be wise to schedule a set time which you dedicate to your blog each day. Give yourself work hours and treat your blog as a job, what happens if you don't come to work for days or weeks...you lose money or worse you get fired! Same applies here...if you don't update your blog for days or weeks you'll lose visitors.

4) Traffic
It's no secret. You must have traffic to profit from blogs. There are numerous ways to build traffic. Paid advertising, free advertising, viral marketing, search engine marketing, RSS/XML feeds, and word-of-mouth. You should always use your blog URL address in the signature of your email, forum discussions, message boards, or any other communication media. You should submit your blog URL address to search engines and blog directories. You should submit your RSS/XML URL feed to blog ping services like Technorati, Ping-O-Matic, and Blogdigger. You should confidently share your blog with family, friends, co-workers, associates, and business professionals when it relates. Many blogs can be considered as a collection of articles, for this purpose you should submit your blog entries (those that are valuable and lengthy articles) to content syndicators like GoArticles.com or ArticleCity.com. Once submitted your articles can be picked up and published by others. The trick is to make sure you include your Blog URL address in the "About the Author" passage. What this does is create link popularity and backlinks for your blog, when someone picks up your article from the syndication then publish the article on their website the "About the Author" passage is included with each publication and the link you included is followed, crawled, and indexed by search engines. Imagine if your article is popular enough or controversial enough to produce 10,000 publications across the web. The search engines is bound to find your blog in no time with that many publications and credit you a authority on the topic, in return increasing your rank on search engines. The small effort of writing a well written article is rewarding. You should try to write at least 1 full length article every week for syndication and submit your article to at least 10 article syndicators.

5) Track Your Blog
How do you know if your blog has traffic? Just because no one is leaving comments doesn't mean your blog isn't growing. Many visitors do not leave comments but they are returning visitors. I know it sounds crazy but with blogs people are more interested in what "you" have to say! Many visitors do not comment their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd time. Some do not comment at all, but are active daily visitors.

Tracking your blog does not have to be overly sophisticated usually a simple free page counter like StatCounter.com or Active Meter will do the trick. Install (copy/paste) the code into the html of your blog template and start tracking your visitors. Its better to use a service which gives you advanced traffic analysis, such as keyword tracking information, referral information, and search engine information. Visitors, returning visitors, and unique visitors should be standard for any page counter service you choose.

6) Listen to Your Audience
When using the proper page counter you should begin to see how others are finding your blog and if through search engines then which keywords are being used to find your blog. If constantly your blog is being found by 1 or more keywords then focus your blog around those keywords to make it even more powerful. When writing entry titles and entries use the keywords as often as possible while keeping the blog legible and interesting.

7) Multiple blogs
Use multiple blogging accounts (free) to attract more people. This means you should have a blog with JournalHome.com and others. The more blog accounts the better (be sure to read and adhere to the Terms of Service for each site). You can copy/paste from 1 blog to all others. Having different blog accounts is like having a publication in different newspapers. This enables you to attract more visitors and this also increases the chance that 1 of your blogs will be in the search engine results for your focused keywords.

8) Short & Concise
Aside from the lengthy article a week for syndication and publication your blog entries should be short & concise (if you can help it). Sometimes there are exceptions to the rule and you have no choice but to blog lengthy entries, but try to avoid this as much as possible. You do not want your blog entries to become hours of reading. Visitors like to easily find information and skim through your entries. It is good to be detailed and provide useful information, but do not include useless information or run away sentences that veer away from your topic. Stay keyword-focused.

9) Digital Art
Try to include non-advertising graphics, pictures, photos, and art in your blog entries. Not too much. Once a week is fine. Graphics can sometimes bring your blog to life. Of course, the content of the blog is the most important aspect and you do not want to overshadow your content with graphics, but displaying graphics can add a bit of spice to the blog. Be choosy about your graphics and make sure they fit your entry topic. You should add content with the graphic, at least a caption. Original graphics, photos, pictures, and art is recommended.

10) Keep it Personal
A blog is most successful when it is kept personal. Try to include personal experiences which relates to the topic of your blog entry. Stay away from the business style of writing. Write with a more personal style and use first-person narratives. Do not write any of your entries as sales letters, instead share product reviews and personal endeavors.

11) Interact With Your Visitors
You now have the traffic you deserve. You should begin interacting with your visitors. Create a regular theme such as: "Monday Money Tip" or "Picture of the Week" which entices your readers to look forward to each week.

Give your readers advance notice about a product, service, or topic which you are going to review and then talk about later. If the President was scheduled to give a speech then in your blog you should state that you "will discuss the speech and give your opinion after the speech airs. Comments will be appreciated".

Try your best to find exclusive information that not many have. Do not disclose any confidential or secret information which is deemed illegal or can potentially get you into trouble, but try to get the scoop before everyone else does. Such as: If your blog was about Paris Hilton (the socialite) and you had a blog entry about "Paris Hilton Getting Married" then it would be interesting to your readers if you had a actual picture of Paris Hilton engagement ring. Give your best effort to dig and search the internet for exclusive information and you will possibly come up with something useful. Your readers will appreciate this and they show their appreciation through word-of-mouth referrals. Imagine how many readers will tell their friends, family, and others about information they only can find at your blog.

12) Make Money
Once your blog has gained some real momentum and your blog traffic is increasing then it is time to start thinking about turning your traffic into profit. You should use contextual advertising, like Google Adsense or Chitika. Contextual advertising is usually text links which use the content of your blog to publish targeted ads on your blog. The payout is usually based on a pay-per-click model, meaning for ever click an ad receives you are paid a small percentage of the profits. In addition to contextual advertising it is good to also use graphical advertising such as: BlogAds.com, Amazon.com, MammaMedia, or General Sponsored Advertising.

13) You're a Professional
You're a professional now! What are you still doing with that free blog hosting service? It is time to upgrade to a domain hosted solution. You need to get a web host and choose a domain name for your blog then check its availability. Select the blogging software you wish to use, such as: Squarespace.com, WordPress.org, MovableType.org, TypePad, etc. When you have your new blog domain setup and ready for traffic then it is time for you to announce your move on all your previous blog accounts. Your last entry to the blog should be a "move" announcement. The title should be "Moved" and the blog entry should state something like "I have a new home for my blog, please bookmark and follow the link: http://www.YourNewBlogDomainName.com". This way all returning visitors and new readers should not have any problem finding your new blog domain. Plus, search engines can easily index and crawl your new blog, since your old blog should already be popular with the search engines.

At the level of a professional blogger you may want to team up with 1 or more other bloggers. This will create a more interesting and more powerful blog. The old saying "two heads is better than one", more authors mean more advertising and exposure because each author will have a vested interest in the blog. The idea of a team blog is to make it profitable and rewarding for all authors, while continuing to target the blog topic and keeping the blog interesting for visitors.

Following these blogging techniques should make your blogging experience much more rewarding. There is no guarantee that your blog will become popular or a household name, but the effort should at least put you one step closer. Making money online is not an overnight experience like many may think, but making money online is definitely a foreseeable possibility. As well, growing popularity on the web is not an overnight experience, but through time, dedication, and persistence you will be rewarded with all the royalties of blogging.


To learn more about successful blogging subscribe to the Journal Home Newsletter
Author Bio
Ant Onaf is the owner and founder of www.JournalHome.com where can author your own free blogs He is an online internet marketer, web advertiser, and IT consultant. Ant Onaf has years of IT-related experience and Internet-related experience. His ingenuity, dedication, and passion for technology & internet marketing have made him a monumental icon in the World Wide Web. His blog can be visited at www.journalhome.com/AntOnaf
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

By: ReveNow.com
If you have joined the blogging revolution that is sweeping the net, and you think you might want to make a little revenue - or a lot of revenue - from your blogging efforts, you need AdSense tips for bloggers. Blogging has opened up an entirely new way of how non-technical people interact with the Internet, and now, anyone can publish anything about any topic - without having a website - and anyone can profit without even having a product!

Adsense for blogs make perfect sense. Google's advertising programs are designed to work with sites related to the keywords for the ads that are being presented. Each time you add content to your blog, the Google spiders gobble it up. The more you update, the more the Google spider visits your page. Ultimately, you move up in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) for the topics that you write about. You see where this is going. The higher your search ranking, the more traffic you receive, which ultimately leads to higher revenue from AdSense ads.

The beauty of blogs is their potential for rapid growth. If you become known as an expert in your area of expertise, word of mouth spreads quickly and your blog can become very popular. So it is vital that you always teach something with every blog entry. You want your readers to come back frequently and they will if they know they will learn something. Not only will your readers bookmark your blog and return often, but they will link to your blog enthusiastically as well. People in forums will refer to your blogs and discuss what they learned. Websites will link to you as a valuable resource. In short, an informative blog can grow very quickly if the information it provides is valuable.

It is important to write about specific topics, and sprinkle your blog entries with specific keywords to get the best results - and the highest revenue - with your Google AdSense ads. There is a method to the madness. Start your revenue generating blog by testing the waters.

Decide what area you would like to write about and then do some keyword research. Research is easy if you use Google's keyword tools found at https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordSandbox. The keyword tools are located in your Google AdWords account. Yes, you need a free AdWords account to be successful but you don't have to fund it to use the keyword tools. Look for keywords related to your subject that are high paying. These are keywords where the bid amounts are high. Make a list of the top paying keywords, and use that list to determine what topics you will write about.

Remember, you want people to visit your blog time and time again, and build up a readership, make sure that your blog is well written and informative. Don't just target keywords for the sake of targeting keywords - the writing needs to make sense! Writing valuable content is the first step to generating traffic to your blog, and traffic is needed to profit from AdSense ads!

You are allowed to use the AdSense ad units in two different places on each page. You can accomplish this in a couple of different ways. First, you can add the AdSense ad code to the template for your blog. This is done through the control panel for your blog, and some knowledge of HTML is needed. The other option is to paste the AdSense code directly in your blog post each time you submit a new post. You can use it once at the top and once at the bottom, or once after a few paragraphs of the post, and again after a few more paragraphs.

Get that code in there however you see fit - but then pay close attention to the results so you can see what is working and what isn't. Tracking is everything if you want to make real money!

Of course, you need to advertise your blog as much as possible as well. Make sure that you provide Trackbacks to other people's blogs as often as possible, and that you visit blogs, leave comments - and leave a link for your blog as well!

Discuss this topic in the ReveNow AdSense Forums: www.revenow.com/forums/

Author Bio
ReveNow! is an AdSense marketing resource covering AdSense, AdWords, affiliate marketing, and SEO.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

By: Geoff Kitkat
One of the best bets for starting an online home business is an on line gaming site. These sites are typically very easy to set up and ensure almost immediate success, thanks to the popularity of online gaming. Here's a quick guide to help you start your own online gaming home business.

1. Research popular online games - Most online games are available in flash format. Try to find a good mix of popular games that you can add to your own site. If you want to start fresh, you can hire a developer to design games that will be unique to your own business.

2. Set up a site - It is a good idea to use a content management system for your new online home business. A CMS will make it very easy to build an attractive site that will be appealing to gamers. As a bonus, many popular CMS systems are free and feature games that are already built in and ready to go.

3. Start promoting your site - Once you have your site ready to go, you can begin promoting your online home business gaming site. One of the best places to start is a gaming community that is centered around the type of games that you offer. Free games are always popular and they are a great way to attract new players.

4. Keep the games coming - Don't fall into the trap of having old, stagnant games. Stay on top of the market by finding new games and designing unique games to fit your online home business. The more games you offer, the better your chances are of success.

5. Stay on top of trends - Gaming trends can change at the drop of a hat. Stay on top of the market by getting involved in the gaming community.

6. Offer a premium area - This is how you can really start making money for your online home business. Offer special games that are only available to subscribers, or offer them the ability to challenge one another to games for a fee. This is a great way to offset your bandwidth costs and make extra money.

An online gaming site is a great place to start for an online home business. The set-up costs are minimal and it is a niche that has been consistently popular for many years. With proper management, you could be the next great gaming portal.

Look caerfully at the optiosn available. You should look for a system that will enabel you to start with a free or quite low cost option - get your game site first, so you can judge the quality and attractiveness of the games. You then need an option that allows you to upgrade your position so you can start to promote yoru own games, and even host high ticket tournaments.

of course, the really best opportunities will also have the opportunity for you to set up a full multilevel marletin opportunity, so you can easily duplicate wha you have apready been doing.

You never know, following that route, you could either play games for money, or even make money on the game...

Author Bio
Geoff Kitkat has been involved in internet marketing and social networking projects for several years. he has built up a great on-line business out of uVme online games. Watch the video and get a free report by visiting www.uvmeonlinegames.com.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

By: Paul Wilson
Internet games use the cyber world technology for playing. Games are extremely popular and constantly evolving.

There are:
• Games played using e-mail.
• Games played on a browser window by using a web address.
• Games played using Internet Relay Chat, Telenet, MUD client, or a Web based forum.
• Games that are graphic need stand-alone software that permits players to play with or against one another using an Internet connection.
The first game, MUD, was developed in 1978, and the market has burgeoned since then.

To play, one needs:
• A reliable Internet connection.
• A personal computer or game console.
• Selected software required by specific games.
One can play simple board games like scrabble, or bingo, or games like poker, mahjong, and pool. Another popular category is simulation games-these imitate real-life situations and cover aspects like combat, city planning, strategies, as well as flight simulation.

For serious gaming the computer performance must be optimized. This can be done by:
• Running the disk defragmenter and organizing the computer files. This should ideally be done once a month at least.
• Correct folder and file errors by using scandisk---use once a week and the computer will give trouble free performance.
• Clean your hard drives-get rid of Internet files, temporary files, as well as files in the trash/recycle bin. Clear the cache and uninstall programs that are not in everyday use.
• Update the operating system software. Download any new security patches. Keep video drivers updated.
• Clear space on the hard drive---store files on a back up system.
• Clear any spyware you have inherited from websites.
• Minimize number of programs running-when playing a graphic intensive game if there are too many programs running simultaneously the graphics will become choppy and game will be slow.
• Delete add on game files-wall papers and other paraphernalia will just clutter the computer.
• Run an anti-virus program regularly but disable it when you are loading/playing games. Antivirus programs slow down games.
• Always shut down the computer properly.
The Internet allows gamers to compete with people across oceans, on the other side of the world and anywhere in the universe. Some use PCs while others use consoles. What you use is a personal choice and depends on issues like costs and so on.

Before you buy a game you must:
• Consider "system requirements" - some games can run on systems that are not exact others need specific hardware.
• Find out if the game is single player or multi-player. Many games need the Internet-and, the broadband connection is more efficient than the dial-up connection. Many like Xbox Live only work on a broadband connection.
• Find out if the game can be played using a mouse/keyboard or whether it will need a full-featured joy stick.
Be wise and try a demo before making an actual purchase. Playing a demo benefits the player as well as game developer. Many online games offer free trial periods - beta testing is a great opportunity to find out if the game suits your taste as well as pockets.

Do your research thoroughly-usually there are several games competing for players within a genre. Read game reviews before taking the final step.

Author Bio
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888FreeOnlineGames.com, the premier website to play thousands of free online games including arcade games, action games, card games, flash games, strategy games, puzzle games and more. He also freelances for the premier Computer Article Submission Directory Site www.1888Articles.com/computer-articles-11.html
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

By: Paul Wilson
Whew! According to Computer Gaming World, there are 80 gazillion free Flash games sites in the cyber world.

Popular sites are:
• www.games.yahoo.com - this has card games, word games, arcade games, as well as puzzles. The number of violent games is limited so the site appeals to the "old-young" -those who are young at heart.
• www.shockwave.com - a popular site with original games as well as PopCap ones. One can do a jigsaw here everyday.
• www.addictinggames.com - has free games that are updated every week-Friday. The site has action, arcade, puzzle, as well as sports games.
• www.arcadetown.com - has Flash games, java games, downloads and more.
Since Flash offers many advantages to developers as well as players, many games are designed using Macromedia Flash. It is by far the best game platform and has incredible features.

In an industry that's evincing exponential growth, Flash has become the universal and popular choice for multimedia intensive web sites. Flash, singly crosses most barriers-
• It supports complicated and wonderful graphics.
• Allows download of files via the Internet.
• And is compatible with playback devices.
In the world of Flash enabled games the hosting system is the web server itself. Flash enables web sites to host animated as well as interactive movies and games. There is no paraphernalia required. All that is needed is to download the game itself. The costs are minimal and not recurring.

To play on the web all that is required is: a web browser, a Flash player, and the Internet. Flash is the universal plug in needed to play games. It is installed on every PC with Windows XP and Mac.

Playing online can be fun and most games can now be played by many players from all round the world. Just keep in mind:
• That there are players who cheat at games. Look for PunkBuster software on the server, this detects cheats who try and gain unfair advantages.
• Play with others who have credibility and are accountable for their actions. Many online sites need verified log ins, they are actively managed gaming environments. This is a better choice for safe gaming.
• Create a select group of friends and use the broadband server to host a private gaming server.
• Do your research thoroughly. Seek safe and high quality gaming sites.
Gaming is in its golden phase and is set to reach new heights. Innovation, new business models, and unprecedented growth is expected to open new avenues in gaming.
Author Bio
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888FreeOnlineGames.com, the premier website to play thousands of free online games including arcade games, action games, card games, flash games, strategy games, puzzle games and more. He also freelances for www.1888SoftwareDownloads.com.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

By: Paul Wilson

Flash is an interactive platform that has a powerful design and animation tool along with a dynamic scripting engine, bitmap rendering, as well as advanced video and audio playback. There are three main aspects: the player, the file format, and the authoring tool/IDE. Flash games can be developed for websites, interactive TV, as well as handheld devices. There is no need to adopt multiple programming languages to build games.

It is the universal tool that permits the development of multimedia driven complex games. Games means fast, furious, efficient with rich graphics.

Flash enables developers to build the most popular games for online gamers. It just needs to support:
• Rich engaging graphics.
• Smooth download of files from the net.
• A playback device that can interpret downloads.
There are three main areas: design, development, and hosting.

The first step is creation of graphics. One must use Fireworks as well as Freehand for this aspect. The tools are compatible and fireworks allows the addition of Java script to images.

The game development will be done in Flash by importing graphics created in Freehand and Fireworks. The graphics are then placed in Director the parent tool of Flash.

The next part, hosting, uses a Web server. Dreamweaver MX is the tool that will create Web pages to host the game.

And, finally Action Script is used to provide enhanced functionality.

Advantages:
• Integrates almost all features needed for developing a game. It is a great interactive tool.
• Can be used anywhere does not need additional software or plug-ins.
• It is Mac friendly.
• Permits conversion from a full game to web version and vice versa.
• Low cost and free to distribute. Licenses for decoders MP3 and Sorensen Spark are included.
• Artists that can use flash easily are in plenty.
• Flash delivers broadcast quality images over the Internet.
• Permits embedding of game in power point for use in presentations.
• Plenty of information as well as guidelines can be accessed as well as understood by all -tutorials, articles, as well as blogs.
• The size of the game file remains small as the vector graphics and sound files are compressed.
• Learning Flash language is easy.
• Permits copy-paste to test components
There are traps one must be wary of and a few cons. Know the system well to maximize its use. There are plenty of tutorials inline that can be used as guides. Flash interface is ideally suited to both designer as well as developer, you can have fun while creating the game.

Flash is simple to use and a game can be developed in a few hours in a packaged form that can run on a PC, Mac, or Linux. One can make use of a browser or run the game as a stand alone.

Author Bio
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888FreeOnlineGames.com, the premier website to play thousands of free online games including arcade games, action games, card games, flash games, strategy games, puzzle games and more. He also freelances for www.1888SoftwareDownloads.com.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

So you have made the decision to switch to an internet phone service... now what? As with purchasing most staff these days, shopping online is a good idea. Where to start, though? Here are some key features to look for, when deciding which VoIP service to go with.

Basic VoIP Features:

First you will want to make sure that the provider you go with has the basic features you know and love on your home phone line. It includes things like caller ID, three way calling, call blocking, etc.

Additional VoIP Features:

Once you are sure that all the basics are covered, you'll go to look into some of the advanced features that the internet phone provider has.

Virtual Numbers (DID) - These allow you to have more than one phone number for your VoIP service. For example, you want to have an Los Angeles based number and one that appears local to Texas as well. This feature might not be required, but it is something to consider.

Local Number Portability (LNP) - Another cool feature you'll want to check on is whether the internet phone provider gives you an option to keep your phone number with you if you decided to go with it.

Telemarketer Blocking - We all hate getting calls from telemarketers. Some VoIP services provide a feature that recognizes these types of calls and hangs up on them before they can bother you with their pitch.

Unlimited Calling - If you have a lot of friends and family and like to talk on the phone, you'll want to look for a rate plan that includes unlimited calling. You might pay a little more monthly fee for this plan, but if you talk on the phone a lot, you can save this way.

E911 Service - Enhanced 911 service is a must if you're doing away with your landline phone. Pay attention to the details of the plan you decide to go with and make sure you can contact the authorities in the case of an emergency. An enhanced 911 service may just save somebody's life.

Line Unavailable Forward - If you are losing your Internet connection for some reason, you'll want to make sure that your internet phone provider lets you to route missed calls to another, back-up phone number. While the technology is advancing and there are less dropped calls, it's still good to know that you won't lose any calls if you lose your Internet service for whatever reason.

There are a lot of other features you'll want to consider when making your decision of what Internet phone provider to go with, but these should give you some ideas on what to look for when you're shopping for VoIP.

About the Author:
Gen Wright
Many great features for internet phone services. Bring your own device and more.
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

There are many workers in the UK that are now classified as mobile or lone workers since much of their day to day work involves them working outside of the centralised office environment. It may be that they are a night time security guard or that they work for the social services and are frequently out of the office on home visits. Whatever their job title mobile workers often find themselves in unusual situations, but like office based workers their employers must ensure that they are protected and kept safe whilst on the road.

It is a general legal duty of employers under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act to maintain safe working arrangements for all their employees whether mobile or office based. In order to comply with this rule Section 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations requires that employers must also carry out full risk assessments of the hazards to which their employees are exposed. For mobile workers these risks or hazards could include violent encounters from the general public, sudden illness or road traffic accidents.

As a result of this modern businesses now have strict rules and regulations for mobile workers and have detailed risk assessment documents that identify the possible risks and outline the measures they have put in place to help prevent these risks from occurring. In accordance with risk assessment laws, employers should consider in their assessment whether or not a single person can do the work safely and what arrangements are required to ensure the lone worker is at no more risk than employees working together.

For many employers and business owners these laws alongside the Duty of Care Legislation, which was introduced in 1991, have led to an increased awareness about their workers safety. Employers have had to respond to this legislation by introducing new methods of achieving these levels of safely.

As these laws and regulations have developed so to have the technologies and equipment used to help keep lone workers safe. Personal Digital Assistants are one such technology and have quickly become the mobile device of choice for many organisations. PDA’s enable business owners to get critical information to their mobile employees quickly and in real time, something that has proven to be indispensable in the modern business world.

A PDA device also enables business owners and managers to answer some of the many questions they must take into consideration when evaluating mobile worker risk. For example, when considering remote working it may be necessary to establish guidelines as to when the lone worker should check in with their managers or supervisors or track their movements in order to ensure their safety.

With PDA’s being readily available and carried by many mobile workers, innovative software solutions are now being utilised in order to keep track of these workers whereabouts at all times. As long as the PDA is switched on, tracking systems are able to pinpoint their exact location via a mapping system. A discreet panic button can be added should any member of your workforce need it. These panic buttons have the facility to be mounted in different locations for instance in a vehicle in order top make them as versatile as possible.

PDA tracking systems have a number of benefits making it a wise choice when thinking about safeguarding your mobile workers. The tracking software is able to be used with any Windows mobile device such as a PDA. Combine this with its covert possibilities, optional lone worker application, and access to Internet mapping amongst others, makes it a powerful tool for any business with mobile workers.

Even if your company does not have its own PDA’s, the tracking system provider can supply these. In short, the benefits of tracking systems and PDA tracking software are so great and diverse that it is an effective method of tracking and safeguarding workers against harm or unforeseen circumstances. Want to find out more about how tracking systems can help your company? Visit www.supatrak.com today.

About the Author:
Phil Young
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

Imagine for a moment how great it would be if your field staff had instant access to vital information enabling to do their job properly. Having the correct level of information at their fingertips would enhance the service provided as well as making their lives easier. For the business owner, costs can be reduced and your workforce is kept safe from harm.

There are different methods of GPS tracking available in order for businesses to keep in touch and track their mobile workers. Two of the main contenders and most effective methods are perhaps, JobTrak and PDATrak.

The JobTrak real time tracking system gives you an ‘always on’ solution that can exchange information between you and your workers quickly and easily utilising ‘push’ technology. JobTrak can be undertaken as a fully managed service meaning that any of the hassles and problems associated with support and deployment related to the software applications are taken care of.

What benefits will JobTrak tracking software give you? The answers are many fold. The fleet of vehicles under your control will be able to operate with more efficiency making them more productive as a result. This will lead to an increase in customer satisfaction and as a by-product, your fleet’s service and fuel costs will be improved.

As well as this, insurance costs may well be lowered not to mention the fact that the amount of paperwork required from your drivers will be reduced since the tracking system will take care of a lot of the reporting and scheduling. This in turn will reduce the amount of time your vehicles are stood and reduce overtime costs. Conclusive proof of delivery times can also be given if need should a problem arise.

Of course, all of the above can be seen as benefits of vehicle tracking software that you can measure but what about the other benefits. These can include, a more comprehensive level of security for your mobile workforce and their vehicles, as well as offering the ability to fully analyse all activities of your drivers and gain knowledge of their driving habits and styles.

The automation that comes from vehicle tracking software means less control room activity and can even help you comply with your responsibilities regarding ‘Duty of Care’ legislation. It can even be useful to help in the event of evidence being required should an accident or dispute occur.

JobTrak can be initiated in either an off the shelf application or a more tailored solution depending on your business’s specific needs and requirements. It has been fully developed in house, therefore giving complete control over many aspects of tracking and maintaining contact or your workers. It gives you the ability to send jobs to workers while at the same time keeping an accurate track of where they are at any given time.

PDATrak on the other hand, turns your workers Personal Digital Assistants into a means of tracking your mobile workforce. As with JobTrak, this software can help to increase productivity, help your business conform to ‘Duty of Care’ legislation and lets you send and receive crucial information as and when needed.

PDATrak can be installed on any Windows Mobile PDA. This means that it can be used on a large cross section of devices. It offers protection for mobile workers in the field and comes with a panic feature making it invaluable for anyone who might work or enter areas of danger. PDATrak provides a scalable tracking system that is intuitive and user friendly making it perfect for both small and large operations.

Another advantage of using a tracking system such as PDATrak is that it has been designed to be future proof. The ability to be updated and added to as technology progresses makes it a good buy for anyone dealing with a mobile workforce. As an added bonus, even if your company does not have their own supply of PDA’s, they can be provided fully loaded ready to be used by your staff.

The benefits that can be gained from both JobTrak and PDATrak are immense. Integrating them into your business will help you to not only lower your overall expenditure but can also be a means of keeping your staff that work in the field, safe and well informed. Why not find out more about these two innovative software systems by visiting www.supatrak.com.

About the Author:
Phil Young
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

Although manufacturers of LCD TVs are slashing down prices, there are still consumers who prefer units they can buy at significantly reduced prices. If you're watching your budget but don't want to sacrifice the quality of your viewing pleasure, here are some tips for finding and buying cheap LCD TVs:

Check out discount shopping stalls and departments.

Even name brands have cheap LCD TVs in these places. If your budget ranges from just £180 to £350, spend a few hours checking out the units in these hallowed grounds and you'll be going home with a brand new LCD TV that won't drill a hole in your pocket.

You'll find a 19" Samsung SyncMaster LCD TV here for just under £200 and a 20" Telefunken LCD TV equipped with High-Def panel for just £180. There are also great offerings from brands such as Daewoo and Bush.

Go off-brand.

This is a good tactic for you if you're the type of consumer who doesn't care much about brand names. There are several emerging brands today that are currently giving many of the top manufacturers some competition. Try brands such as Kreisen, Syntax Olevia, Maxent and yes, even Westinghouse, a very familiar name. If the £1,000 price tag on a 37" name brand makes you cringe, you'll be glad to know that many off-brand manufacturers let you have a 50" plasma TV for a bargain basement price of only £1,200.

Buy refurbished.

Refurbished LCD TVs are a lot cheaper than those units you find on display at the local electronics shop. And most of them are actually brand new – except that they have been repaired or restored in some way. If you look harder, you could get an LCD TV at a slashed off price merely because it had a slight scratch or dent on the exterior – nothing more.

Should you buy refurbished, always go to an authorized retailer or dealer so you can be assured of quality.

Seasonal sales

Even brand names have to give in when the seasonal sale trumpet sounds. The science behind this is quite simple, actually. Manufacturers actually watch out for certain weeks or months in a given year when the urge to buy surges. This explains why there's plenty of sale events going on come Christmas time – people simply have the reason to buy and they have the cash.

If you want to find a cheap LCD TV, consider buying during seasonal sales. You could get from 5% to as much as 20% off in case you're lucky. Plus, there's no need to wonder about the quality of the product.

Clearance sales

Clearance sales for electronics can take a while to happen but they're almost always worth the wait. That is, depending on your purpose for buying and the specifications you have in mind. If you're in the store hoping to find this year's model winking at you from the clearance shelves, good luck. Most units sold during clearance sales are older units or those that have not have a lot of success in the market.

However, if you don't mind the 'age' of the unit, this could be a good route to consider when looking for a cheap LCD TV. Check out your local retailers periodically and ask your friendly salesperson for a heads up about any clearance sales in the horizon. You want to be one of the first in the store should that happen so you can choose carefully from available units.

About the Author:
Alex Bradbury
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

What Features To Look For In Free Downloadable PC Security Software

Computer security software is readily available for free over the internet. While major corporations still produce extensive security software packages that are marketed for consumer purchase, they still release smaller versions that can be downloaded for free. When shopping for a free security software package, try to find ones that have as many of the following features as possible:

Personal Firewalls - these are geared towards blocking active attempts by other terminals to access your computer over the internet. When looking for a free firewall, find one that has an easy user interface. This is because firewall settings are a major determinant in the extent of security they provide, so the interface should allow you to easily adjust these settings to suit your needs.

Anti virus - anti virus software ideally should not only be able to detect and block incoming viruses, but should be able to detect existent viruses that are already in your system and clean them out. Since there are new viruses constantly being made, as well as thousands of existing known viruses, the best thing to look for in a virus software is an extensive database of viruses it can deal with, as well as constant updates on the latest viruses discovered.

Adware and Pop Up Blockers - these are specialized programs similar to firewalls whose primary purpose is to keep ads, spam, and annoying pop ups from flooding your screen when you're accessing the internet. While not necessarily harmful, the sheer volume of these can, if unrestricted by a blocker, bog your computer speed down drastically.

Anti Spyware - spyware is a form of virus that you should definitely consider protecting yourself against. While not a classic self-replicating and destructive virus per se, spyware actually inserts itself into your system and allows a hacker on a remote terminal to access your personal information This can range from simply monitoring and viewing your information and activities, to actually controlling your computer's functions. Spyware protection programs ideally should be able to not only block intrusion attempts, but to detect active spyware that manages to sneak in your system, and cut off its access.

Anti Trojan Programs - Trojan viruses are special viruses that are usually disguised as a different program. For example, a trojan virus may appear to be a harmless game or a music file that you can download. Anti Trojan Programs scan all files that you attempt to download off the internet to make sure they are secure. Like regular anti virus programs, make sure the anti trojan program you select has a good coverage of known trojans.