How Do I Back Up the Money Data File?

by Stephen Nelson

If you're using Microsoft Money to manage your personal or investment affairs or perhaps as the accounting system for a small business--say an S corporation or a limited liability company--you own and operate, you'll want to regularly back up the Money data file. The Money data file stores your financial records and needs to be preserved and protected in order to easily support the preparation of tax returns and financial reports of your personal, corporation or limited liability company income.
Back Up Procedures for the Microsoft Money Data File
You can back up your Money data file in two ways. First, you can wait until the Money program prompts you to back up the file, which Money does using the dialog box. To back up the Money data file in this way, simply click the Back Up Now button. Money backs up the data file to your floppy drive.
Second, you can back up using the File menu's Back Up command. When you choose this command, Money displays the Backup dialog box. Click an option button to indicate which backup location you want-a floppy drive or your hard drive-and, if necessary, select a specific drive from the list boxes. Then click the OK button.
NOTE The Backup To Floppy dialog box provides an Options button. Click this button to display a dialog box of buttons and boxes you use to describe how Money backs up your data file and when Money reminds you to back up your data file.
How often should I back up?
You don't need to back up your Money data file every time you use Money. Money suggests, for example, that you back up every fourteen days. And that's a good rule of thumb. If you enter numerous transactions every day, you might want to back up more regularly than this-perhaps weekly. If you enter only a few transactions a month, you could probably safely back up every other month.
Essentially, you want to estimate the amount of work it would take to reenter all of the transactions recorded since the last backup and compare this to the work of regularly backing up. The less work it is to reenter transactions, the longer you can go between backups without risking too much.

How do I restore the Money data file?
If you lose the original Money data file or the file becomes corrupted in some way, you can restore the file to its condition when you last backed up. To do this, take the following steps:
1. Tell Money you want to restore a file.
Choose the File menu's Restore To Backup command. Money displays the Restore Confirmation dialog box.
2. Pick the backup file.
Click the Restore From A Backup File option button, and then click the Next button. Money asks which backup copy of the file you want to use for the restoration. If the file described as the default backup file is correct, click the Restore From Default Backup File option button and then click the Restore button. Otherwise, click the Open A Different Backup File option button, identify the backup file you want to restore, and then click the Restore button.
3. Reenter any new information.
After you've restored the Money data file using the most recent backup copy of the file, you need to reenter any transactions missing from the backup file. In other words, if you last backed up the Money data file on Monday and you entered transactions on Tuesday, you need to reenter Tuesday's transactions.
TIP: If you do use Microsoft Money as a small business accounting solution, you might want to make backing up the Money data file a regular accounting task for your small corporation or limited liability company. You might, for example, decide to back up the data file every time you prepare invoice customers or at the end of every week after you pay bills.

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The Nigerian Scam (As Seen On TV) - How To Protect Yourself From It

by Hillary Patz

One of the most common e-mail scams today is called the "Nigerian Scam" (also known as the Nigerian Letter or 419 fraud). Although the Nigerian Scam comes from the country of Nigeria, forms of the scam have originated from other parts of Africa and Europe. Although the current form of the Nigerian Scam appears to have started in Nigeria during the 1970s, an early version called the "Spanish Prisoner Letter" has been around since the Middle Ages.
Normally, the scam begins with a letter, fax or e-mail, sent out by a family of a rich Nigerian political figure who is currently in prison or dead. The family cannot gain access to the "frozen account" that contains millions of dollars, but the money can be deposited into a foreign bank account. The family must find foreigners willing to receive a portion of this money for safekeeping. In exchange for doing so, the recipient is able to keep up to 40% of the total investment. What Crap!

What's worse, is that these e-mail scams contain honest information about a real political figures death or imprisonment, making this scam seem legit. The second part of the classic Nigerian Scam begins when a "victim" gives his/her bank account number(s) to the sender in order to receive the money. From this point on, the Nigerian Scam artist will either use this information to clean out the victims entire bank account or send a fake cashiers check as a partial payment. Either way... You Are Screwed!
I urge you to be extremely cautious when receiving these e-mails. NEVER give out your personal information (especially banking info) to a complete stranger, no matter what issues or problems he/she is facing. Because, in time, they may become YOUR problems!

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4 Cool FireFox Add-Ons You Need

by Jim Edwards

Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser still rates as the most popular and widely used browser for one simple reason: it rides along with every Windows installation.
But in response to security scares over the last few years, another browser took a bite out of Microsoft's monopoly.
FireFox often represents the browser of choice for those who either dislike Microsoft (for whatever reason), or want more flexibility and functionality in their browser, specifically in the area of add-ons (also know as "plugins").
Add-ons (little programs that enhance a web browser's functionality) can trick out your browser to help you do everything from upload website files to speed dialing your favorite websites.
The overwhelming majority of add-ons for FireFox come free of charge (though donations are appreciated). Just log on to http://addons.mozilla.org and check out the free add-ons you can snag.
Note that once you get to the page, the little programs you can run with FireFox are under the "extensions" link. Here are a few of our favorites here in my office - just search for them by name once you log on to the Mozilla site (or use the links below).
** Forecastfox ** "Get international weather forecasts from AccuWeather.com, and display it in any toolbar or statusbar with this highly customizable and unobtrusive extension." That's a fancy way of saying you can always know what the weather reports say just by glancing down at your browser's lower right corner.
This makes very handy tool to keep an eye out for thunderstorms or remind yourself that a sunny day awaits when you finish up a marathon session on your computer. http://tinyurl.com/yqv54y
** SpeedDial ** Everyone uses bookmarks or "favorites" at one point or another. But those who use them frequently create a problem for themselves. Every time you want to log on to your favorite sites, you must wade through dozens, hundreds, even thousands of links to find what you want.
Enter the "SpeedDial" add-on that helps you organize your most frequently used websites into a "dashboard" you can customize. You can even organize multiple speed dial directories around groups of web pages (business resources, shopping sites, etc.). http://tinyurl.com/2hhn7a

** FireFTP ** Anyone who owns a website needs the ability to upload files to their hosting account. You can either install a standalone FTP program, or you can use this nifty little browser add-on that turns FireFox into a neat little FTP utility.
"FireFTP is a free, secure, cross-platform FTP client for Mozilla Firefox which provides easy and intuitive access to FTP servers." I really found this add-on helpful in my own business when it comes to fast access to the files on my websites. http://tinyurl.com/yv56ru
** Download Statusbar ** One annoying feature of Firefox involves the download window that opens up every time you download a file from the web. This can get in the way and actually disrupt your activity.
Enter the "Download Statusbar" add-on, which promises "View and manage downloads from a tidy statusbar - without the download window getting in the way of your web browsing."
Even though this add-on does make downloading more convenient, make sure to read the instructions before using it just to make sure you don't get frustrated. http://tinyurl.com/29a456
Copyright (c) 2008 Jim Edwards

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use free articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website, affiliate links, or blogs... Need MORE TRAFFIC to your website or affiliate links? "Turn Words Into Traffic" reveals the secrets for driving Thousands of NEW visitors to your website or affiliate links... without spending a dime on advertising! Click Here> http://www.turnwordsintotraffic.com

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Disposing of Your Old PC - Safely!

by Olly Fallon

If you've recently purchased a new updated computer, you may want be considering donating or selling your old one. Even an older computer can make a good first computer for someone that doesn't have one. But, it could cost you thousands of pounds when your computer ends up in the hands of another user!
There are steps that you will need to take to ensure your private information is kept private! Every year identity thieves are finding ways to get your valuable personal and financial information and this can end in devastating effects!
Simply deleting the files or even re-formatting the hard drive doesn't erase all of the information that's been stored there. These processes only remove the information that is used by the hard drive to find data!
There are many recovery programs available that can even retrieve data from a hard drive that is no longer usable! And, many free programs that can un-delete files, even if they've been emptied from the recycle bin!
While these programs can be life savers if your hard drive has crashed or you've mistakenly deleted the wrong file, they can also reveal pin numbers, account numbers and passwords.
Even if you don't complete banking or business transactions on your computer, there's still more than likely lots of personal information that you wouldn't want to fall into the wrong hands!
The safest way to remove data is by using a wiping or erasing utility on your hard drive. There are many free programs available online that you can download and use to completely erase any personal data from your hard drive. These programs will allow you to choose which files to erase so that you can leave the actual operating system intact.
If you use Outlook Express you should also remember to delete any emails or email addresses that you may have. Emails are often personal and they may contain information that you'd like to keep personal.

While online email services don't store anything on your hard drive, everything you do in Outlook is stored in your system! Those emails that you've received from your online banking service or credit cards could be used against you!
Something that people often forget to remove are photographs. Even if they're pictures of a birthday party or Christmas, they're still personal pictures that you may not want to share with a total stranger!
If you make your living writing or designing or inventing new products, then you've probably got a lot of files that pertains to your work. You will definitely want to make sure these are completely wiped away! All of your hard work would go down the drain if your great idea ended up patented under someone else's name!
It may sound like a lot of extra work to prepare your computer for sale or to donation, but it can be well worth it in the end. You will be protecting the security of both you and your family.
Most people would probably find it easier to just toss that old computer in the trash. But, computers contain many toxic components such as mercury and a landfill isn't the best place for them. If you don't have the time to make sure all of your data is wiped away, or if your computer doesn't work any longer, please consider recycling!

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Don't Go It Alone - Learn To Rely More On Your Support Team

by Jane B Smith

Most companies of a reasonable size have their own IT support team, but many of them don't actually use them as much as they should. This is a pity because the knowledge that an IT support team has between its members can greatly enhance any kind of business, offering solutions, ideas and ways of getting more out of your existing computer network.
Many business managers see their support team as something to call in the event of an emergency. Whenever a problem occurs within the IT infrastructure the support team is the first point of contact, and that's exactly as it should be.
But why not use this amazing resource of knowledge before problems occur? Why not take advantage of the help they can give you to understand your computer system better than you do now; to seek solutions for problems which don't stop you from doing your work, but hamper you in some way; and simply to build better relationships between the support team and the rest of your employees?

It almost seems as if some businesses have forgotten what the word 'support' actually means. Why struggle to try and solve a problem yourself when you have a team in place to do it for you - especially when that team has far more in the way of knowledge to solve that problem?
Building relationships within a business isn't always easy, but doing so can have far reaching benefits. Opening a dialog between departments that may not always have been in direct contact can have a huge effect on the workings of the whole company. Often an employee's reluctance to contact the IT support team for any reason can be fueled by a lack of knowledge about what they do and what they are there for.
As always, education helps to foster better relationships between all parties. Holding an open meeting to introduce the support team in a more informal way to the rest of the company can help employees to understand exactly what the support team can do for them. Creating this understanding will ensure that from that point on the whole team will learn that relying more on their support team than they do at present will actually be to the benefit of everyone involved - including the clients and customers.

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Seven Abilities Which Must Be Owned By It Professional

by Cak Momon

Besides skill and knowledge in IT area, a Computer or programming expert has to own the ability of IT Professional. For example:
1). Writing ability. In order to write better, need the intensive practice and enough preparation.
2). Ability to phrase the idea and think creatively. Phrasing idea and think creative also need in designing IT solution. Each company have to own unique IT strategy, ability to think creatively from an IT professional is required here.
3). Presentation Ability. After writing and thinking creative, presentation ability is the most difficult part because an IT professional have to look out on direct with the audiences to phrase his creative idea.
4). Computing Ability. This represents the elementary requirement an IT professional, especially at graphical design and spreadsheet.
5). Processing Information ability. Information Processing mean how to present the newest and correct Information at one whom precisely.
6). Ability to make decision. When we converse the IT, every risk is always occult on each decision taken, this is IT excess.

7). Team work Ability. In real world, we will never meet there is a 100% effective IT solution or is not effective at all. Oftentimes sophisticated solution, precisely and give a lot of advantages to us not yet of course give the same benefit for others. Soft-skill is required here, that is we should be able to comprehend that each and everyone will see each problems from the aspect of approach which different each other.
A Computer or programming expert does not have to always sit behind the computer desk. With seven abilities above, career of computer expert will really go up to become an IT professional.

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The Esential Drivers A Computer Needs

by Mike Selvon

A common piece of software that is often overlooked is the software driver. These drivers are designed to allow an external piece of hardware, such as a printer, to integrate with the main computer unit. A driver facilitates communication between the software application that needs to use a device and the device itself. It can be thought of as a bridge that closes the gap between applications and external hardware devices.
When a computer software program calls for a certain function of the device, this invokes a specific routine in the driver which then issues the proper command to the device. The device then sends the requested data back to the driver, which in turn communicates that back to the application.
These little drivers also have the ability to request certain commands or functions in return from the application that initiated the "call" to the device. With this constant back and forth communication, it is essential that a driver is running the most current available version of both the software application and of the driver itself.
Some of the common device drivers that you probably have on your pc are the small programs that came with your printer, your digital camera, your cell phone, any Bluetooth device that you have and hard drives that are removable. Without the right device driver you will find it virtually impossible for any of these external tools hardware devices to be recognized by the operating system, let alone function correctly.
When people have problems with printers, scanners, USB drives and other devices, one of the most common problems is with the drivers. Because these small programs function as a go-between and interact with both operating systems and other computer software programs, they have a tendency to be become corrupt.

When a device driver becomes corrupt, the item of hardware that they "drive" can start to behave erratically or stop responding completely. One very common problem that happens is when a printer driver gets corrupted. If your printer suddenly starts producing pages that are not formatted the way they appear on the screen, or print out nothing but sheets full of code, then the problem is most likely a bad software driver.
The good news is that it is very easy to replace a device driver that has gone bad. Most of the time on a PC running Microsoft Windows, such as Windows XP or Windows Vista, you can reinstall the driver from the CD-ROM that came with your device, as it will simply over-ride the defunct version.
However, before installing Mac drivers, it is recommended to completely remove all associated files from your pc before re-installing the newer version. If it has been awhile since you bought the device, then the best thing to do is go to the website of the manufacturer and search for the most recent version of the driver.
In many cases this is the easiest and fastest way to fix a problem with an external hardware device, although it is often an overlooked solution. Sometimes, when installing a new version of device drivers, users also find improved performance as a surprise bonus. Because of this, it is helpful to establish a routine of checking with the manufacturer regularly for updates.

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How to Create a Wireless Network

by Olly Fallon

Wireless networking allows you to easily share your Internet access as well as printers, and media, very easily without wires. Setting up a wireless network is generally very easy and it is becoming more and more commonplace to do this in your home or small office. The great thing about wireless networking is the fact you can add wireless functionality to your existing network.
If you intend to use wireless networking it is advisable to have windows XP service pack 2 as a minimum. Whilst this is not absolutely essential it can make things much easier when connecting to wireless networks and also a few security issues have been fixed with this service pack
The first stage to setting up a wireless network is to obtain the correct equipment. There are several different options, depending on your current setup. If you currently use a cable based provided then you just need a broadband router, however, if you currently use the more common ADSL style broadband suppliers (common here in the UK) then you will need to ensure you purchase the router with the ADSL modem built in. The router will now connect to the Internet for you and allow other devices to connect to it wirelessly. If you were previously used to having to go to a dial up connection - you now no longer need to do this as as soon as your computer connects to the router - you will automatically be connected to the Internet.
To connect your wireless router should be straight forward enough. If you use the CD that comes with the router it will quickly guide you through the setup. The basics are to plug your existing modem into the router if you are on a cable system, or disconnected your previous broadband modem and input your settings into the new router. You should have indicator lights advising you of the routers status. These vary from router to router so refer to your instructions provided.
As previously mentioned, the CD that comes with the router is often the best way to quickly create a secure active wireless network. However, if you are like me, you may want to explore the settings of the router to configure it yourself. Here are some common terms you may come up againt.
- SSID - this is your networks name. Choose something unique, as generally it will come up with the manufacturer of the router name. When you try and search for the router with your computer you will want to identify which name represents you own router.

- WEP or WPA is the type of security encryption to prevent other people accessing your Internet connection. WPA will generally allow you to use a memorable word to user a password whilst WEP is more a randomly generated bunch of numbers and letter.
- Administrator Password - this is just the password to actually access the administration of your router. Unless someone has already got a connection to your router they will be unable to change settings. If you do use a password here, make sure it is something memorable as it is quite possible that you will not have to access the admin, once setup, for a very long time.
Now your router is all set up we need to understand how to connect a computer to the network. This is very easy to do. If you have wireless technology built into your computer then ensure it is switched on. If you haven't, insert your wireless device into the relevant port.
You should have a wireless icon in the bottom left hand corner by the clock. Right click here and search for wireless networks in range.
In the box that comes up you should see a list of the networks in your area that your computer has detected. Being wireless technology is so popular these days it is common to see several different routers in here from neighbours.
Within this list you should see the name that you previously inputted as you SSID. Double click this. You should now be prompted for either your WEP or WPA key - enter this.
You should now be connected. Go ahead and load your preferred Internet browser. You should be able to surf to any given page. - Congratulations - You have successfully configured your wireless network!

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Adware Programs And How They Work

by Mehmet Onatli

Adware or advertising-supported software is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertising material to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used. Some types of adware are also spyware and can be classified as privacy-invasive software.
Adware is software with advertising functions integrated into or bundled with a program. It is usually seen by the programmer as a way to recover programming development costs, and in some cases it may allow the program to be provided to the user free of charge or at a reduced price. The advertising income may allow or motivate the programmer to continue to write, maintain and upgrade the software product.
Some adware is also shareware, and so the word may be used as term of distinction to differentiate between types of shareware software. What differentiates adware from other shareware is that it is primarily advertising-supported. Users may also be given the option to pay for a "registered" or "licensed" copy to do away with the advertisements.
Adware has been criticized because it usually includes code that tracks a user's personal information and passes it on to third parties, without the user's authorization or knowledge. This practice has been dubbed spyware and has prompted an outcry from computer security and privacy advocates, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
A number of software applications, including Ad-Aware and OptOut (by Gibson's company), are available as freeware to help computer users search for and remove suspected spyware programs
Prevention & Detection
Programs have been developed in order to detect, quarantine, and remove spyware. As there are many examples of adware software that are also spyware or malware, many of these detection programs have been developed to detect, quarantine, and remove adware as well. Among the more prominent of these applications are Ad-Aware and Spybot - Search & Destroy. These programs are designed specifically for spyware detection and will not detect viruses, although some commercial antivirus software can also detect adware and spyware, or offer a separate spyware detection package.
Well-known Adware programs/programs distributed with Adware
· Sweet IM
· 123 Messenger
· 180 Solutions
· 180SearchAssistant
· Zango
· 888bar
· Bonzi Buddy
· BlockChecker
· ClipGenie
· Comet Cursor
· Crazy Girls
· Cursor Mania
· Cydoor
· Daemon Tools - (Software comes bundled with the "Daemon Tools WhenUSave Toolbar" but can be unchecked during installation)

· Direct Revenue
· Dollar Revenue
· Ebates MoneyMaker
· ErrorSafee
· Gator
· Hotbar
· IEPlugin
· Kazaa
· Mirar Toolbar
· Messenger Plus! Live (Option to install sponsor. Not required.)
· Oemji Toolbar
· PornDigger!
· Smiley Central
· TagASaurus
· TopMoxie
· Videothang
· VirusProtectPro
· WeatherBug
· WhenU
· WinFixer
· Winzix
· XXX Shop online
· XXX Toy
· Zango Toolbar
· Zwinky
The Eudora e-mail client is a popular example of an adware "mode" in a program. After a trial period during which all program features are available, the user is offered a choice: a free (but feature-limited), an ad-supported mode with all the features enabled, or a paid mode that enables all features and turns off the ads. If the user chooses the ad-supported mode, Eudora becomes adware, although according to Qualcomm the program does not collect any information about user activity.

Mehmet Onatli is a computer technology enthusiast and an expert in computer performance optimization. His site is about registry cleaner software and gives you effective tips and information on how to maintain your computer. Visit his website at: http://www.registryheal.com/

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Unblock Sites At School

by Besmir Bregasi

How many times you have been at school or work and wanted to browse your favourite sites, but guess what, they were blocked! Happened a lot to me, or at least until I heard of web proxies.They are web sites that let you unblock sites by your administrator.
How is that possible?
Basically they retreive the page you want to surf and display it for you.So, you connect to the web proxy, and it connects to the blocked site.It's like a person in the middle.
For what are they used else?
Web proxies, besides unblocking unblock sites, p.s myspace unblock, they are used to protect your privacy.That means that you dont show your IP to the sites you connect, but show the proxies IP.
How can I find them?
Just make a google search for terms like proxy or unblock sites and you will get thousands of working proxies.It' just that easy ;) .
What if you don't like proxies?
While proxy servers are extremely popular in helping to get past firewalls there are still other sneaky ways in which you can get on MySpace at school as well. For example, you could use Google to load the cached version of the site. This works because the cached version of the site is usually filter free. To do this you will need to go to Google first, type in MySpace and then go to the first link, but make sure you click on cached not the actual URL link.
Another way would be to try changing the prefix of the site name. For example, instead of typing in http://www.myspace.com you would type in "http://home.myspace.com" Of course, you can use other prefixes besides home, such as invite, search, mail, blog, favorites, groups, forum, events, music, signup, chat, etc. Just make sure you put the dot (.) before the rest of the URL.

You might also try using a language translator page in order to translate the site from another language into English. There are several sites that offer this type of service including Google Language Tools, FreeTranslation, and Babel Fish Translation.
If you are a bit more technically minded another method would be to install a circumventor. A circumventor program can be used to sneak past all kinds of web blocking programs. Be aware that you won't actually be installing the program on the computer from which the firewall is blocking the site you want to see. Instead, the program is installed on a different machine, one that is not blocked. So, for example, you wouldn't install the circumventor on the computer at school; it would be installed on a computer at home. After the circumventor program has been installed it will provide you with URL for the new circumventor, you take that with you and use that URL to sneak past the firewall or other type of web blocking device.
It is important to know that whatever computer you install the circumventor on must have a fast Internet connect, not dial-up. It should also be running either Windows XP or 2000. In addition, the computer must be turned on and hooked up to the Internet in order for the circumventor to work. Peacefire offers information where to download circumventor programs.

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Access VBA Training Adds Power to Your Databases

by Christine Harrell

Most database projects can be created using the basic commands in Access. VBA training however, gives you the tools to add powerful features to your database to make it even more useful.
VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is a computer language included with all Microsoft Office applications. If you have ever recorded a macro, then you have used VBA. The power of macros lies beyond simple recording of repetitive actions. By delving into the programming code you can add your own database commands and extend the functionality of the application.
Let's look at a few examples of what Access VBA training can add.
Smart Data Entry
Access allows you to indicate that fields should be numbers, strings, dates, and so on. For example, one common mistake that new users make is to define a phone number field as numeric. After all it's made of numbers, right?
Actually, numeric fields should be limited only to values that will be used in mathematical operations. You'll never add or multiply a phone number, so it is actually a string that happens to be composed of numbers.
However, phone numbers often involve symbols as well. A data entry operator might enter spaces, dashes, or parenthesis which could complicate actions such as pulling phone numbers within a certain area code.
This issue can be addressed using Access VBA. Training courses can illustrate how to add a few instructions to a data entry field to strip all non-numeric data and store just the basic phone number. It can add sanity checks, such as verifying that the area code matches the city in the address or ensuring there are enough digits for it to be a valid telephone number.

Automatic Record Sorting
Access defaults to listing records in the order they were entered. These lists can be easily sorted but sometimes it would be nice if the records were sorted automatically. If you always want to see your customers sorted alphabetically by last name, it would be nice to have that happen every time you pull up the customer list rather than having to do it explicitly every time.
Access VBA training demonstrates how to tie commands to events such as the opening of a form. By creating an event subroutine, you could tell the form to sort the customers by name every time it is opened. The list could still be sorted manually by other columns such as city, but will default to sort by last name.
Access VBA Training Improves Efficiency
An Access VBA training course provides a wealth of tools that will make your databases easier to use, less prone to errors, and capable of more powerful data analysis. The time invested will pay off in improved productivity.
The advantage of a course over self-training is that often the instructor will tell you about features you might not realize even existed. It is hard to teach yourself about something if you don't know it is possible. An Access VBA training course taught by a Microsoft-certified instructor is the quickest path to VBA proficiency.

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on Access VBA Training, visit http://www.MicrosoftTraining.net/.

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Using Microsoft PowerPoint Advanced Techniques

by Christine Harrell

Judging by most office PowerPoint presentations, most employees don't realize that there is much more to PowerPoint than just graphs and text bullets. How many important points have your co-workers failed to get across in meetings because of dreadful presentations made with PowerPoint? Advanced techniques make your presentations more powerful and effective. Here are just some of the ways advanced PowerPoint users implement these techniques in their presentations.
Animated Charts
Basic users of PowerPoint create charts that are simple and static. PowerPoint advanced users inject life into their charts by adding simple animation.
To do this, view the chart you wish to animate and select "Slide ShowCustom Animation" Select the chart object then click "Add EffectEntrance" on the custom animation panel to bring up a list of animation effects such as Blinds and Checkerboard. Once the effect is selected you can modify features such as the direction and speed of the effect.
The chart is listed on the elements list at the bottom of the animation panel. Click the down arrow next to the chart name to show new selections such as "Effects Options" which allows you to customize the animation. For example, you can have the entire chart appear at once or each element can appear in sequence.
Skipping Slides
Let's say you are training two groups of employees on a new computerized expense reporting system. One group is office workers who use the company computers every day, while the second group is lab technicians, many of whom have never logged onto the company network. The core presentation is the same for both groups, but the second group will need additional training on basic company computer protocols.
Do you prepare two different presentations? Do you make the clerical staff sit through the basic computer training?

PowerPoint advanced training demonstrates the creation of a hyperlink that allows the presenter to skip the basic computer training if the audience won't need it.
From the slide before the basic computer section, select "Slide ShowAction Buttons" and pick one of the buttons presented. The "Action Settings" dialog appears. Select "Hyperlink to:" then from the dropdown menu below that, select the slide that follows the basic computer training.
Create a Self-Running Presentation
Putting a self-running presentation on a kiosk can be a terrific technique for presenting information to a changing audience, for example at a trade show. Once started, it will run automatically without needing a presenter. This PowerPoint advanced technique is actually very easy to set up.
Select "Slide ShowSlide Transition..." to display the Slide Transition dialog. Under "Advance slide" click "Automatically after" and enter a time in seconds for each slide to be displayed. You can change the other settings on this panel as desired.
Now select "Slide ShowSet Up Show." Under "Show Options" select "Loop continuously until 'Esc'" and under "Advanced Options" select "Use timings, if present". You can also select "Browse at a kiosk" under "Show type" to limit viewers' ability to change the slide show.
These are just a few of the techniques you will pick up in a PowerPoint Advanced course to make your presentations capture the interest of your audience. You may want to gain the advantage over your co-workers and take an individual PowerPoint Advanced class. Or perhaps you're so frustrated with your co-worker's less than professional PowerPoint presentations that you schedule an in-house training session for the whole team. Either way, with a bit of PowerPoint advanced knowledge, more lively meetings and presentations are sure to follow.

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on powerpoint advanced, visit http://www.MicrosoftTraining.net/

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Penetration Testing Wireless Embedded Systems

by John Prodonovich

How do we test embedded wireless systems? Let's take a fictitious product, a Remote Pilot System to see the process.
Our imaginary Remote Pilot System (RPS) lets pilots guide an aircraft from outside the cockpit, say from the First Class cabin, or even from the ground. The cockpit transmits all data to the RPS. The pilot studies the RPS console and instructs the controls in the cockpit. He might even be miles away from the cockpit.
For now, let's assume that the pilot is seated in the First Class cabin. The RPS connects to the cockpit via a 802.11x wireless protocol. The RPS talks to the dials and joysticks in the cockpit using a custom protocol, layered atop the standard wireless protocol.
That's enough background. On to the penetration test...
The Method
First, figure out the threats to the system. That's the Threat Profile in our lingo.
An adversary...
... hijacks the controls of the plane from the pilot
... tampers with the instructions sent by the pilot
... messes the dial readings the pilot sees
... knocks out the connection between the RPS and the cockpit
Probably not exhaustive, but those are the most important ones. Good enough. Let's move on.
Next, we create the Test Plan. The Test Plan maps each threat to different lines of attack. Examples of "lines of attack" are: replay attacks, sniffing, jamming, etc.
Let's take one threat from our Threat Profile and figure out a test plan. Consider: "An adversary tampers with the instructions sent by the pilot". Here're different lines of attack we could try:

1. Replay an instruction sent by the pilot: when the pilot instructs the plane to climb 5000 feet, capture the request, and replay it multiple times to send the plane zooming up
2. Intercept the request via a man-in-the-middle attack and modify the variables: change that 5000 feet to 25000 feet and see what happens.
3. Insert instructions the pilot never made: unlock the doors, turn off radio contact, reduce the speed
We think through and prepare the test plan. The better the test plan, the stronger the test.
Once the Test Plan is ready, figure out the exact Test Cases for each line of attack. Let's take an example:
Replay an instruction sent by the pilot. How does the test case for this look? Remember the RPS is talking over a Wireless LAN and it's no doubt using some form of encryption. So, step #1 is to identify the encryption scheme. Next capture enough packets to try and break it. If we break it, we then locate the packets with instruction from the pilot. Find out an instruction that's sent in just one packet, say "Climb 5000 feet now!" We are really figuring out the RPS custom protocol here.
Recreate wireless frames for that instruction, spoofing it to come from the pilot and re-inject it back in the air. Watch our balance to see if the test succeeded.
Ok, I was trying to be funny. But that's the basic approach for testing an embedded wireless system: Threat Profile to Test Plan to Test Cases
The Pros and Cons of Black Box Testing
Here're the pluses and minuses of a black box test for wireless embedded systems.
First the minus: it's not very efficient.
A black box pen tester spends a fair bit of time trying to break the encryption, interpreting the packets, constructing test cases. An in-depth review of architecture and protocols can be more thorough in spotting weaknesses in lesser time.
And the plus: it's more realistic in two ways.
One, a black box test tells you how hard it is to actually break in. No architecture review can tell you if a hole can be compromised in a week or in a month. The penetration test simulates the travails of the outside attacker best.
Two, the architecture and protocol rules are finally documents. The implementation, in practice, might vary a bit from the original design, and that might introduce holes. Testing a deployed system gives you greater assurance on the implementation.
A combination of black box testing with design review provides the best value. The black box test alone might not find all holes in the limited time for a test. A review of the architecture and protocol done after the black box test can pick out flaws faster.

For more information about penetration testing, please visit plynt.com.

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Discover The Key To Making Sure Your Computer Is Protected With The Best Anti-Spyware

by Jack T Mason

It's no secret anymore that spyware can be a big threat to your computer. It's estimated that over 90% of computers have some form of spyware infection because most people aren't using the right form of protection. With this in mind we wanted to put together a quick guide showing people what they need to look for in an anti-spyware program.
Why protect your computer from spyware? Because nowadays you just can't risk not to. Not only can spyware drastically slow down your computer's performance, but it can also put your personal information at risk of being stolen.
Since there are so many different spyware removers available, we thought we would list a few key features you should always look for:
1) A comprehensive program that can search for, detect and then destroy all forms of spyware and adware
The term "spyware" consists of a lot of different types of infections. You have to look out for keyloggers, robots, browser hijackers, worms, dialers - There's far too many to list here!
Obviously it isn't your job to know exactly what all of these infections are, but it is the job of your anti-spyware program! You better be sure your spyware remover is aware of all the different infections that are out there.
Make sure to look for a program that is comprehensive and powerful enough to detect all of these malicious programs and wipe them off your computer.

2) Automatic Updates
There are new types of spyware hitting the internet each day. It's vital that your anti-spyware program knows how to detect and destroy these new infections otherwise your computer will be left vulnerable.
Look for a program that automatically updates itself so that it always knows what new threats it needs to protect your computer against. This will make sure your computer is always being fully protected.
3) Automatic system scans
One of my faults is that I'm just plain forgetful!
It might sound like a little thing, but having a program that automatically scans your computer for spyware each week is an important feature. Instead of you having to remember to open up the program and run a system scan, the program will automatically do it based on a pre-set schedule that you decide on (I recommend a weekly scan).
4) Solid customer support
Realistically you aren't going to need to ask for a lot of technical support with an anti-spyware program. Once it's installed on your computer it's pretty much smooth sailing from there. However I like to know that I can get support if I were ever to need it.
To me, a company that offers quick support is dedicated to keeping their customers happy. It's a sign of a company that is putting in the effort to produce quality products.
I don't expect to have telephone support for this type of product, but I do want to have access to prompt email support.
The four above features are something you should always look for in an anti-spyware program. By doing this, you make sure your computer is running at peak performance and your personal information is protected from spyware. It's extra important that you take these steps nowadays so you have nothing to worry about while you are online. All the best!

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Registry Cleaners Are A Necessary Utility

by A Singh

Many so-called experts on the subject will post various tips and advise on multiple forums and Blogs about the system registry and the use of registry clean tools. Some of them also advise against the use of any form of registry cleaning software though they will, in the same article, admit that the registry continues to bloat with useless information that may slow down the system in the long run. Their 'long run' is about three months. So then, how do we remover this redundant information or useless entries from the registry to de-bloat it and make it faster and more responsive to the programs installed to run on the system?
The Best Way To Clean The Registry
The answer to this problem is to either use software that can run through the system and clean out any link or file that leads to nowhere or else manually dive into the registry and grope around in the dark without doing anything but damage the system. Even the experts advise against this because even the so-called gurus of Windows operating system cannot shuffle through the system registry and know exactly what they are doing in there. It will always be a trial and error system.
The registry cleaning programs such as express registry cleaner, Window registry cleaner, PC Mantra's registry cleaner and many more registry cleaner are special programs that are designed to scan the registry entry for entry and test the links to see if they are actually connect to some program in other parts of the registry and the system. If the links or files fail to produce a link to another program or file they are obviously loose ends and need to be removed from the registry. Because the registries scan will unnecessarily stop, if even for a millionth of a second at these broken links, will delay the process. Just add this one delay, no matter how short, to the hundreds of thousands of useless entries it will encounter, every time it scans the registry, which may be several times a minute.

Where Does This Junk Come From?
These broken links come from programs and viruses that are removed by the uninstall programs and anti virus software. This process of removal leaves traces of the program in the registry and has to be expertly removed with registry cleaners It is not necessary to scan the registry every second day, however, the registry must be cleaned at least every six months or so. If the registry clean utilities are absolutely safe then why will they have a registry backup program built in? There is always a risk involved. Perhaps that is the reason even the best programs have a backup function - Such as any Windows Operating system.

Author is admin and technical expert associated with development of computer security and performance enhancing software like Registry Cleaner, Anti Spyware, Window Cleaner, Anti Spam Filter. Learn how clean registry increase efficiency of computer. Visit our Home page or Resource Center to read more about products and download free trial of a range of security and performance enhancing software like
· Windows Registry Cleaner
· Anti Spyware and Anti Adware
· Windows and Internet Cleaner
· Anti Spam Filter for MS Outlook
· Anti Spam Filter for Outlook Express

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Video Surveillance Equipment Bonnie and Clyde Would Have Loved To Hate

by Nahshon Roberts

The saga of Bonnie and Clyde remains to this day one of the most popular in American criminal history. The two rose to notoriety in the 1930s and died together in the May 23, 1935 ambush staged by the Texas posse in Gibsland, Louisana. If they were alive today, which of the video surveillance equipment would they love to hate?
The Gizmos
In the 1930s, no bank had video surveillance equipment. Robberies were staged in broad daylight, and the robbers were armed to the teeth. There was no way the bank people could call the police for assistance as the robbers carted away the cash to their getaway horses. The most famous of the robbing bands was that of the group of Bonnie and Clyde.
If they were alive today, they would have preferred the good old robbing days when there were no video surveillance equipment. Such things were unheard of during their heyday. Robbing was simpler those days - you walk in a bank, announced a stick-up, and scooped the cash. No wailing police siren and no video footages to indict the robbers with solid proof. But then, those were the days.
Today's banks and gas stops have their hidden cameras that can capture the images of the robbers and in action too. If they were still around, Bonnie and Clyde would make a list of their most hated items after the video surveillance camera in the following order:

* Vehicle Tracking Device
* Motion Sensors
* Digital Video Recorder
Vehicle Tracking Device
Another video surveillance equipment is the GPS vehicle tracking device would have won hands down in the most hated list. Ever mobile, Bonnie and Clyde would have been easily tracked down in their V8-powered 1932 Ford with sweeping fenders.
The tracking device is attached to a vehicle to record the position its position at regular intervals using the Global Positioning System (GPS). It can also determine if the vehicle is stationary, or the direction of the travel when in motion.
Motion Sensors
Unlike the trip wire method to detect motion, the electronic motion sensors using a camera send signals to a device that produces an alarm. These would have slowed down Clyde and his gang because unauthorized entry is immediately detected by the sensor, which quickly transmits a signal to a sound device that emits an alarm.
Motion sensors are great video surveillance equipment to boost monitoring of the home and workplace. These are placed in areas where there is less traffic and along private passageways to detect unlawful entry. These devices are also used to detect cessation of activity to extinguish electrically powered illumination.
Digital Video Recorder (DVR)
The DVR eliminates the trouble of having to stop the recording of images because you have to review previous footages. No robber would like to have previous footages saved and reviewed, not because it an old movie rerun but it may yield a good frame showing his face, warts and all.
No need to bet on odds here. Bonnie wouldn't be caught eyeballing the camera eye. The DVR records motion electronically in digital format and the digital pictures produced are of the highest quality.
But Bonnie and Clyde would adore the bug detector, another video surveillance equipment that they could use to their advantage. They could sweep hotel rooms for bugs. Once detected, the audio tone accurately locates the bugs. This can be used on a silent mode for those covert sweeps.

You'll love the latest video surveillance equipment, DVR software, and wireless security camera. Visit Video-Surveillance-Guide.com today to get the latest surveillance news and information to help you make the best choice.

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Top Ten Things To Consider When Buying A Computer

by John Dowling

When entering into the world of computers it can get very easy to get confused and loose sight of your goals and sometimes your budget. Hopefully I can help you set some realistic goals and make sure you get the computer you really want and need.
1. The first thing that most of us are constrained to is budget so this is the first thing you should consider. We always want the best but we need to be grounded on what we can afford. So Get a budget and stick to it.
2. The next thing you should be looking at is your requirements. Do you need a laptop or desktop? What is the machine going to be used for? Once you have done this go back to number one and see if these are compatible often they are not first time round. You either need to adjust your budget or adjust your goals to make them more compatible with each other.
3. Once you have ironed out the bugs it's time to move onto the computer itself. There are many things to consider when actually buying the computer, here I will list the most important so you can choose wisely.
4. The Processor is the most important factor when choosing a computer nowadays and there are many factors in processor choice the main thing is that in my opinion Intel are at the moment making the best chips and their core 2 duo range is the best so go for one in this family and you will be ok.

5. Next it is on to RAM, now this is simple for most just go for as much as possible and remember if you go above 2 GB then you must make sure you get windows vista 64bit as your operating system.
6. Hard drive is the next piece you should tackle. Again for the ordinary person it should be just a case of bigger is better.
7. Graphics, now all computers come with some form of graphics built in. But my recommendation is to go with something a little better possibly from NVIDIA.
8. Now that should be your main considerations when thinking of the hardware. The next thing to think about is software now many computers come with windows vista as standard, this should be premium at least I wouldn't even think about basic.
9. The last thing to do with the actual computer is a good virus and spy ware package. Don't be under any illusion this is possibly the most important part of protecting your computer. It will get attacked at some point be prepared when it does.
10. Finally the internet, get a good internet provider broadband at least, no computer I complete without this basic of add-ons.
I hope this list is helpful in helping you make vital decisions when buying your new computer. Please visit me and maybe we can help you in your building you a custom computer.

I own a website selling custom build computers and believe that people shouldn't be in the dark when making purchases. I hope this helps.

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Download The Mozilla Exe File And Install The Best Security For Your PC

by Andres Berger

From time to time, the news shows hacked websites and many users that got into security problems. These incidents would be reduced greatly if users were more conscious using more secure software in their PC, instead of using pre-installed software. Software like the new Mozilla Firefox browser and some additional security programs such as: Antivirus, antispyware and a good personal firewall are necessary to protect all computers from the security threats of the internet.
Why the internet is so insecure?
The main reason why the internet is not as safe as it should be is based on how computer software works and how operating systems (the software that interact with the underlying hardware) were designed. Time has proven that build software without errors is almost impossible and you can hear about software used for years without seeing problems failing unexpectedly and for this reason the designers of the PC industry programmed operating systems to load the software necessary at startup, every time the PC is turned on. Since all software works in volatile memory, it only takes some other software to load and take control of your system to start seeing problems.

The internet was not designed with security in mind
The designers of the internet were much more interested in adding features than providing a solid security foundation. That is the reason why internet software don't have minimal security and now we have to deal with this using things like: firewall software (this stop malicious traffic to get inside your PC) antivirus software (this stop malicious programs to cause harm in your PC) antispam software (this stop junk messages to get in your inbox), some antispyware features included in the Mozilla software (this warns you about phishing sites).
Software contributes to the overall problem
Software built in a rush tend to have a lot of errors, such as the case of internet Explorer, which was designed in a hurry to take Netscape (this was years before Mozila) out of the market by year 1,994, when Netscape was the most popular browser. With so much hurry in the design of the software, you need to be lucky if some hacker could not find a way to take advantage of some of them to take control of your PC. Microsoft updates could help, but the design of the software is so bad that errors are very difficult to deal with.
Mozilla took more time to make a careful design
Firefox is the son of many other browser projects such as Netscape with many years of experience to adapt and turn itself into a very powerful browser with a lot of safety features. This browser also has many innovative things such as the tabbed browsing, making navigation through many websites easier because it is not necessary to open many different windows. One of the most exciting features of the Firefox browser is that you can extend the functionality of the browser using Plug-ins.

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The HD DVD War Is Over - Blu-Ray Prevails

by David Cant
The high definition DVD war is over. The challenger has thrown in the towel and the victors arm is held aloft.
The announcement by Toshiba that its HD DVD format was to be abandoned has confirmed expectations that Sony's more expensive BLUE ray solution would prevail.
The two rival systems have been battling for two years now, initially racing neck and neck. The rot set in when Warner Brothers backed Blu-ray and said it would only issue films in that format in future.
One by one other content providers and retailers have added their vote for the Sony option.
The final nail in the HD DVD coffin appears to have been Wal-Marts decision to phase it out of their stores, announced earlier this month.
One hey reason for Sony getting the edge has been its development of Blu-Ray in its own Playstation 3, which means it had many more drives installed and working that its rivals.

As it makes its way to the failed formats Museums, to line up along-side that most famous exhibit, Betamax, those who have harvested in their own HD DVD player are left high and dry.
The one million people who bought one in good faith will have good reason to be miffed. Although prices came down from an initial almost £500 to £150, even that is a lot of money to have tied up in a player for which very few DVDs will now arrive on the shelves.
The key question today concerns plans for HD DVD units sitting in warehouses and on retail shelves. Will they be written off, or will they be advertised as bargains as sold to unsuspecting buyers? It should be the former, for they became obsolete last week - 25 February 2008.

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How To Watch Any TV Channel Online - Watch Live TV Right On Your PC

by Peter L. King

One question that we get a couple of times each week is "How can I watch live TV on my computer?" It's a good question that we thought would be worth exploring in a quick article. Nowadays it is possible to watch just about any TV channel right from your PC.
It's pretty impressive how much you can now find online. There are many benefits to watching TV on your computer compared to regular cable or satellite services.
With cable or satellite service there is always some restrictions on what channels you received. Usually there are extra fees you have to pay if you want certain specialty channels such as movie or sports packages.
It's a lot different online. The TV services don't have the same restrictions as the regular cable or satellite providers so they are able to offer far more channels than you can find elsewhere.

For watching TV online, there are two options that you have:
Option #1 - Live TV Online
You can find certain websites that claim to offer free TV - many people try this as their first choice. However, there's a lot of downsides to using this type of service.
As you can probably guess the selection of channels on these sites is very limited. You can only get the most basic channels - any specialty channels aren't available.
Another complaint about these websites is that the picture quality can be poor. Remember that since these websites are free there isn't any money being invested in new technology or bandwidth. Because of this the video streams can be choppy and sometimes unclear.
These websites can be frustrating so we rarely recommend them. The second option is a lot better and eliminates the problems you find with this one.
Option #2 - Live TV Online
There are online TV services that let you choose from literally thousands of TV channels. This includes all of the major networks, movie channels, specialty channels and even sports packages. You can also find thousands of international channels in all sorts of languages.
There's a fee for using these websites, but it isn't very expensive. You will be asked to pay a one-time membership fee which will give you full access to all the TV channels and services. There are no monthly or additional charges.
We included a link at the bottom of this article that you can use to try a free trial at a couple of the top-ranked online TV services. We should warn you though - it's easy to get addicted!
If you have a laptop, a great feature is that you can use this service no matter where you are. It works all over the world - you just need an internet connection and you can watch any channel you want.
The charge is about $50 for these services so you can see why many people go this route. That's less than many monthly cable or satellite services and in this case you are only charged once.
Watching TV right on your computer is a great way to always be able to catch your favorite show, movie or sports team. It's something that can be highly addicting once you start!

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