TechnoAge

Rich Internet Applications (abbreviated to RIAs) are pieces of software, which you access in your web browser, that closely mimic the behavior and functionality of desktop applications. A good example that most people are familiar with is Gmail, the email service by Google that behaves a lot like the email software installed on your computer.

In the early days of the Internet there were static pages of text and images connected together through hypertext links. To interact with a web site users normally clicked on something and waited for a new page to load. While hypertext links are still valuable, modern web browsers provide many ways for users to interact with web sites.

Today, there are word processors, spreadsheets, online games, and all kinds of other applications developed as RIAs. The advantage of RIA technology is that people can connect to a web site, use the software they need, and not have to install anything on their own computer. RIA technology also provides a consistent experience for people who use Macs, PCs and other systems.

There has been a real explosion of RIA technology on the web in recent years as consumers demand more functionality. Businesses are able to provide increased service levels to customers at a relatively low cost. RIA technology can provide a real win-win scenario.

Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for people to even think about accessing their bank accounts from a computer in their home, now we expect it. If a bank didn’t offer online services, they would lose a lot of customers. We now expect a lot more interaction a lot faster than in the early days of the web.

Some RIA technologies include things such as Adobe Flash, Adobe Flex, Microsoft Silverlight, Ajax, and JavaFX. However, unless you are a software developer, you almost never have to worry about the choice of technology. Sometimes users may have to install a plugin (such as the Flash Player or Silverlight plugin), and other times the RIA will work with technology already built into the web browser.

Today, many companies rely on RIA technology to provide a competitive advantage. Youtube is one example of a site, providing a unique service and built with RIA technology (Adobe Flash and Ajax). You’ll also find traditional web sites, like Amazon.com, sprinkling RIA technology liberally throughout their site.

Today, there is a growing RIA community that consists of software developers, business people who need to leverage the technology to compete, and end-users who want the most from their Internet experiences. It’s an exciting time to be on the Internet with new fun and useful applications being launched every day.

About the Author:
John Moore is a Web 2.0 expert who creates Rich Internet Applications. He has created the web’s first RIA community at http://www.riaspot.com

Computer forensics is the process of using the latest knowledge of science and technology with computer sciences to collect, analyze and present proofs to the criminal or civil courts. Network administrator and security staff administer and manage networks and information systems should have complete knowledge of computer forensics. The meaning of the word “forensics” is “to bring to the court”. Forensics is the process which deals in finding evidence and recovering the data. The evidence includes many forms such as finger prints, DNA test or complete files on computer hard drives etc. The consistency and standardization of computer forensics across courts is not recognized strongly because it is new discipline.

It is necessary for network administrator and security staff of networked organizations to practice computer forensics and should have knowledge of laws because rate of cyber crimes is increasing greatly. It is very interesting for mangers and personnel who want to know how computer forensics can become a strategic element of their organization security. Personnel, security staff and network administrator should know all the issues related to computer forensics. Computer experts use advanced tools and techniques to recover deleted, damaged or corrupt data and evidence against attacks and intrusions.

These evidences are collected to follow cases in criminal and civil courts against those culprits who committed computer crimes. The survivability and integrity of network infrastructure of any organization depends on the application of computer forensics. In the current situations computer forensics should be taken as the basic element of computer and network security. It would be a great advantage for your company if you know all the technical and legal aspects of computer forensics. If your network is attacked and intruder is caught then good knowledge about computer forensics will help to provide evidence and prosecute the case in the court.

There are many risks if you practice computer forensics badly. If you don’t take it in account then vital evidence might be destroyed. New laws are being developed to protect customers’ data; but if certain kind of data is not properly protected then many liabilities can be assigned to the organization. New rules can bring organizations in criminal or civil courts if the organizations fail to protect customer data. Organization money can also be saved by applying computer forensics. Some mangers and personnel spent a large portion of their IT budget for network and computer security. It is reported by International Data Corporation (IDC) that software for vulnerability assessment and intrusion detection will approach $1.45 billion in 2006.

As organizations are increasing in number and the risk of hackers and contractors is also increase so they have developed their own security systems. Organizations have developed security devices for their network like intrusions detection systems (IDS), proxies, firewalls which report on the security status of network of an organization. So technically the major goal of computer forensics is to recognize, gather, protect and examine data in such a way that protects the integrity of the collected evidence to use it efficiently and effectively in a case.

Investigation of computer forensics has some typical aspects. In first area computer experts who investigate computers should know the type of evidence they are looking for to make their search effective. Computer crimes are wide in range such as child pornography, theft of personal data and destruction of data or computer.

Second, computer experts or investigators should use suitable tools. The investigators should have good knowledge of software, latest techniques and methods to recover the deleted, encrypted or damaged files and prevent further damage in the process of recovery.

In computer forensics two kinds of data are collected. Persistent data is stored on local disk drives or on other media and is protected when the computer is powered off or turned off. Volatile data is stored in random access memory and is lost when the computer is turned off or loses power. Volatile data is located in caches, random access memory (RAM) and registers. Computer expert or investigator should know trusted ways to capture volatile data. Security staff and network administrators should have knowledge about network and computer administration task effects on computer forensics process and the ability to recover data lost in a security incident.

It is a complex world, millions of domain names and thousands of internet users!

But have you ever wondered, how does the internet keeps track of all the millions of domain names that have been registered up to date?

Here is a hint! The way computers transmit information from one, to another is very identical to the way our postal system works to delivers letters and packages. I know! That is a sure subject for another day.

The World Wide Web is just what the name suggests, thousands of computers inter-connected with one another and amongst networks running across the globe. But those networks are meaningless without their end-nodes, otherwise known as computers. But again computers are also meaningless and worthless if they are not put into use by an end user to share information from one computer to another.

As I said earlier, it is indeed a complex world. In a system where there are billions of separate computers, there must be a solution or some kind of organization to harmonize the communication and transfer of information within this system. That is where the DNS, (the Domain Name System) comes in.

With the DNS system in place, every part of a network that is going to send or receive information is assigned an IP address that looks like this 209.131.36.158. Now an IP address is a numeric identifier that uniquely specifies a particular ‘node’, such as a computer, a router that directs traffic or other component.

For a moment just imagine that you had to memorize such a number each and every time you went online to all the different pages that you are used to surf each day! Of course you will agree that it will be difficult to remember and work with such numbers. Another aspect is that dealing with such numbers is not that attractive from a marketing perspective. Just imagine once more telling your prospective customers to visit 209.131.36.158 to see your latest deal!

So, someone somewhere, came up with a naming system, what we call now domain names.

This development made thing a bit more complicated. Naturally if you have a system that associates a unique IP address to a given name, then obvious you will need some way or a system to keeping track of all of that. Distinct parts of the system comprising of DNS Servers, Registrars, and other components work together to harmonize all transactions.

The Name Registrars.

Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and other international bodies are responsible for keeping track of domain names. Once someone registers their name, the information associated with that name eventually makes its way into a number of specialized databases stored inside DNS Servers.

A DNS Server.

A DNS server is the software/hardware that tracks and forwards the IP Address and the Domain Name from one place to the next. Depending on the connection involved there are a number of them between the remote computer that you want to share information with and your browser.

In summary therefore the DNS system is simple yet complex. The DNS server translate your domain name into an IP address and then requests and forwards your data from one computer to another and you the surfer is happy to receive, send and carry out all your internet transaction unaware of all the process taking place in the background.

About the Author:
Joseph Nyamache started his ecommerce hosting site and provides a list of available domain names here

Not long ago Shane “Locutus” Shields wrote an interesting blog entitled, “What is the use of standards?” whereby he expressed his disillusionment with standards in the Information Technology (I.T.) field. His discontent is not without precedence. Most of us have at one time or another yearned for standards in our work effort, only to be thwarted by the grim realities of an industry that doesn’t like to embrace standards. We all admit standards are a good idea and we should all be heading in that direction, someday… but that day never seems to come because there are forces at play deliberately resisting such efforts.

First, the primary reason for standards is to seek some sort of conformity in our work effort. Such uniformity simplifies product development, maintenance, usability, and, God forbid, the interchangabiity of component parts. Standards materially improves communications between people and saves time, simply because everyone has accepted and adapted to the standard, thereby causing them to communicate on a common level (aka, “on the same page”). Imagine where the entertainment industry would be today if there were no standards in musical composition. People would have to reinvent the expression of music with each new song. But because we took the time to develop standards, musical composition can be read and written by anyone on the planet. This also means standards can be taught and applied on a universal basis.

Standards also provides a means to measure work effort, which is one reason why some people object to them. Instead of performing in a uniform manner that can be compared and contrasted to others, some I.T. people prefer nonconformity to cloak their work effort in secrecy, thereby clouding comparisons. The excuse from such people is that they do not want to be “encumbered” or “stifled” by standards. In reality, they are just trying to protect their job.

Without standards, cooperation and communications between parties breaks down. From this we can deduce that standards is an inherent part of teamwork. Instead of the chaos involved in a heterogeneous environment (where everyone is allowed to “do their own thing”), standards offers the tranquility of a homogeneous environment where people are all “rowing on the same oar” in a concerted manner. From this perspective, it could easily be argued that standards promotes productivity in the workplace. This means standards require an intuitive manager who understands the value of teamwork and uniformity in work effort. Unfortunately, most managers today still prefer “rugged individualism” instead, representing the antithesis of teamwork.

Another problem facing standards is the reality that whoever dominates market share becomes the de facto standard and jealously defends it from intruders. We have seen this on more than one occasion in the I.T. field and frankly there is little we can be do about it. We could turn to government agencies to act as arbitrators, but they have not proven to be an effective vehicle for the establishment of standards, at least in the I.T. field. Instead, a coalition of industry related companies would perhaps be a better alternative, with maybe some government prodding to move things along.

But my biggest concern in terms of standards is their enforcement. I think we are now at a point in the I.T. industry where we must admit standards are useless without some form of automation to substantiate adherence to them. Over the years I have seen numerous attempts at standardization in the I.T. field and those that are simply enforced by human judgment, such as through a bureaucratic processes, inevitably dies a slow death. Without some form of automation to validate conformity to standards, the human being will find a way to avoid complying with them. Sad, but true.

One of the benefits of growing older is that your hindsight becomes clearer. Although I have seen numerous attempts at standardization in the I.T. field, it is hard to find any true standards as vendors have all put their own unique spin on it. For example, COBOL was intended to be the first universal programming language but this never happened as hardware manufacturers implemented their own nuances in their compilers, thereby creating multiple interpretations of COBOL. Perhaps the only true standard I’ve come across in this industry was ASCII text which was invented by Robert W. Beamer.

Back in 1970 my father first called for industry-wide standards for the development of systems. This was done at the annual convention of the old Data Processing Management Association (DPMA; now the Association of Information Technology Professionals - AITP). At the time, DPMA was a powerhouse in terms of size and resources and could have easily undertaken such an effort but, unfortunately, balked at doing so, as has numerous other industry associations.

One recent attempt has been the “Business Analysis Body of Knowledge” (BABOK) by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), which is an interesting set of tips and techniques, but is certainly no means a body of standards. For example, there is no defined conceptual foundation or glossary of terms defining such fundamental concepts as “system,” “business process,” “procedure,” “software,” “information,” “data,” etc. These are all taken for granted and it assumes everyone has the same interpretation (which they most certainly do not). Although it is well meaning, it misses the mark. Without a conceptual foundation, the techniques embodied in the document, are like trying to build an atomic bomb without first knowing E = MC2.

CONCLUSION

Standardization offers the benefits of uniformity, predictability, interchangeability, and harmony. If this is not of interest to you, than there is little point in trying to participate in a standards program. But if you do wish to participate, understand there is more to implementing standards than to just say “that’s just how it is going to be done.” There has to be some sound rationale for their governance. In addition, you must address the enforcement issue. Standards will be adhered to by the degree of discipline instilled in the staff; If well disciplined, your chances for success are good, but if discipline is lax, automation is required to assure standards are being followed.

About the Author:
Tim Bryce is a writer and management consultant with M. Bryce & Associates of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the field. He is available for lecturing, training and consulting on an international basis. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

In a project, there are so many factors to consider like cost, time, quality product, etc. But, the top three ever-present factors in a project that need to be considered are Cost, Scope and Time. These three are also the constraints in Project Management.

In cost, a team usually ponders about the likely expenses to be incurred while building a product. In scope, a team tries to determine what the project is trying to accomplish. And, in time, a team has to finish the product with what time allotment given to them. These discussions are about Project Management, but what about managing the actual building of the system? There’s a different kind of approach used in an analytical way to handle problem-solving and management issues, and that is Systems Management. Sounds new right? But actually, it’s been used since the 50’s.

Systems Management is divided into three parts: (1) systems philosophy – views things as systems, (2) systems analysis – problem solving approach, and (3) systems management – address business, organizational and technical issues.

There are two major phases in a project. These are project feasibility and project acquisition. The former determines the concept and the initial development plans of a project. While the latter executes and implements the plans a team has created while also considering potential risks.

I had an experience before where in my team didn’t fully discuss the concept of the project we are trying to build. We suffered a lot because in a way we realized, in the middle of the building process, that the IT Project we are trying to build is not feasible at all considering what resources, time, etc. my team has. Probably, if we have done a thorough study of the system we are trying to build, we probably detected as early as Project Feasibility stage that the system is not feasible at all.

Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is one very useful method or guide in systems management. Developers use it to help them as they go along in building a system/IT product. SDLC is a useful tool because it describes the phases involved in developing systems. The most popular phases (common in many Life Cycle models) are: planning, analysis, design, implementation and maintenance. Samples of SDLC models are: waterfall, spiral, incremental release, RAD, and prototyping. Using SDLC is important because there is a smooth transition from one phase to another, there is a smooth execution of plans, there is a detailed description and set of activities for every stage, and it serves as guide. Thus, eliminating “groping in the dark” and confusion about what to do next.

About the Author:
P. Lobrin (plobrin@gmail.com) is a person dedicated to IT project management and software development

After continued success with Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon, the new Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron Linux desktop is sure to make big waves in the Linux distribution pool. As shown in the Ubuntu 8.04 alpha and beta releases, the new Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron release offers many features and enhancements for your desktop including the following and more.

Gnome 2.22 on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron has a full array of improvements including the new GVFS Back-end Nautilus.

Pulse Audio offers cutting edge sound server technology on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron.

Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron offers Firefox 3.0 which offers a good collection of new, tested, productive features but is still in beta at the time of this writing.

The Wubi installer allows you to easily install Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron on Windows using an .exe just like any other Windows application.

Along with the new Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron graphic scheme the World Clock Applet is an all around positive for the desktop offering temperature display, location profiles and more.

X.org 7.3 gives Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron users auto-configuration enhancements with the focus placed a minimal configuration file.

Developed by Google during the Summer of Code project and included in the upcoming Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron release, Prefetch will speed up boot-time and common application launching by profiling which files are read in which order and will automatically optimize the order of the data on the hard disk.

A new addition to the Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron application selection is Inkscape, a drawing program that has similar features to popular drawing applications like Illustrator, Freehand, and Corel Draw. Inkscape on Hardy Heron will help complete the graphic design application options on Ubuntu Linux.

Ubuntu 8.04 includes Vinagre which is a useful VNC Client designed for the new GNOME 2.22 desktop.

The Gnome BitTorrent downloader has been replaced by the GTK version of Transmission, a multi-platform BitTorrent client that is light weight and full of features.

Brasero will replace the Serpentine burner on the new Ubuntu desktop. Brasero provides simplicity and a decent set of features

Ubuntu 8.04 includes PolicyKit which is now integrated in the administrative user interface. PolicyKit provides the finest control over permissions while enhancing usability and increasing security.

About the Author:

Andrew Weber supports open-source and enjoy revewing the benefits of using the many different Linux Distributions.

UDP, or User Datagram Protocol, is one of the several core protocols of the standard Internet protocol suite. By making use of UDP, it is possible for programs that are found on various computers connected by a network to send short messages back and forth. Known as datagrams, these quick and easy message make use of very little in the way of system resources, and are secure point to point communications.

When Was UDP Developed?

The earliest creation of UDP took place before the widespread use of the Internet by the general public. Developed in 1980, UDP was the brain child of David P. Reed. Reed looked for a quick and easy way to communicate between computers on a network that did not have to go through the usual protocols, or use up the same amount of resources. In order to accomplish this, Reed created the format for quick communication that compressed the message into a datagram and did a point to point delivery. Because of the secure nature of UDP, this made the protocol ideal for the delivery of proprietary documents that had been compressed.

How Is UDP Used In General?

Along with use for quick messages between users on the same network, UDP also can interface with several different network applications. Domain Name Systems, or DNS is one such application. Various streaming media applications, both voice and video make use of UDP. Such applications as IPTV, Voice over Internet Protocol, a variety of online games, and Trivial File Transfer Protocol all work with the use of UDP.

What is the Relationship Between UDP and TCP?

Both TCP and UDP are commonly used in business situations. The two applications are usually balanced in their use, and it is possible to make use of each one depending on the circumstances. TCP, however, is usually focused on such applications as accounting software, order taking and fulfilling software, and similar types of key systems that businesses use daily. By contrast, the use of UDP will focus more on the transmission of voice in video using VoIP and VVoIP to conduct virtual meetings, sales presentations, and other similar business related tasks.

Some programmers complain that the presence of UDP can undermine the functionality of TCP. However, this can usually be corrected by structuring the design of the network to allow for the dual use of both types of protocols.

As is normal in the world of computers things change rapidly and there’s always a bigger, better piece of software or hardware waiting in the shadows patiently for its chance to dethrone current technology. This is perhaps even truer when dealing with technologies surrounding networks. Though it’s been in existence for some time aspects of IT automation are just beginning to take foot within businesses.

When it first began to make it’s rounds in the business world, IT Automation was extremely expensive to have implemented and the technology was in an obviously unproven state. As time went by and the technology advanced more businesses began to take notice and begin implementing things like Run Book Automation and ITIL automation. These businesses quickly discovered that implementation of such things freed up not just network resources but human resources as well.

Prior to implementation the majority of businesses whom relied on their networks for business were frequently forced to dedicate one or two individuals to a network for the sole purpose of tracking down bugs and then manually create patches for those problems. This naturally consumed payroll and did not allow talented individuals to assist in the creation of new applications, perform alpha and beta testing, and even keep things running smooth for those in the company who used a computer. As it became known that automation would free up these types of resources and allow the network to patch itself this technology really began to garner attention from businesses that may have once been apprehensive about adopting a new technology.

These days the majority of companies be them small or large have implemented some type of automation. Some have begun to use services like ITIL Management while others still have gone to full automation and streamlined their IT staff considerably, saving their company both money and time. In fact those companies who do not plan to automate to even a small degree should take heed and learn from those who’ve already chosen that path. Data Center Automation has become such a powerful tool that those that choose not to automate often find themselves struggling to keep applications online and running properly and generally have no choice but to employ an unnecessarily large IT staff. In many cases these companies have failed and are no more however it’s never to late to begin the automation process.

As with all things once it approaches commodity status and is no longer the new thing prices drop, healthy competition takes root, and there are endless choices both in terms of services and cost for entrepreneurs and IT professionals to consider. Most experts predict that the majority of networks will be completely autonomous by 2016 and while that’s difficult to argue, it may happen much sooner should the technology continue on the road it’s on.

About the Author:
As an avid tech enthusiast Scott keeps a close on technologies such as ITIL and services like ITIL Management

The event of persons being born within certain geographical bounds during a period of accelerated birthrate (where the rate exceeds 2%) is referred to as a baby boom. America experienced a very dramatic baby boom immediately following World War II (1940s – 1960s). America experienced another baby boom logically when the baby boomers had their children (1970s – 1990s).These generations are referred to the Baby Boomers and the Echo Boomers or Generation Y, respectively.

The Echo Boomers are the first generation to have always had computers and the nternet. Their first social activity was Instant Messaging. If they need information they simple get it online. They spend a majority of their time in this environment where their information comes from their friends and trusted internet sources. This generation is said to be curious, focused, intelligent, self reliant and confident. They are most importantly noted for being able to adapt to change. They are also noted for their expectation of immediate gratification.

Digital Technology is a major difference that separates these generations. The Baby Boomers were digital immigrants who reached adulthood without digital technology. Some were reluctant but most welcomed new technology. Those of Generation X (around 1965 – 1982) are referred to as being digital residents as digital technologies flooded their existence during their developmental and teenage years. They welcome the products they saw introduced becoming fundamental. And those of Generation Y have enjoyed the luxury of digital technology their whole lives. They had educational computer software in grammar school. They came home from grammar school to their video games!

Computers, cell phones, ipods, instant messaging, facebook, my space are all an integral part of their lives. They have always had fast results and have enjoyed the instant gratification of technology. Although technology has made many things easier it has also had negative net effects on this generation.

We have seen an increased focus on individual success enabled by technological advancements. This focus is also beginning at an earlier age than witnessed in other generations. There is also evidence of increased educational competition in all grades. Therefore, it stands to reason that their childhoods have been shortened not only by the change in focus but by the constant flood of information that they are exposed to. A loss of identity do to technological streamlining could very well be the cause of the increased educational competition and focus on individual success. It is very sad to think that something so precious as childhood innocence was the price to pay for these amazing and beneficial advancements.

Echo Boomers are the first generation to have always enjoyed the luxury of digital technology. This has afforded them many benefits such as instant access to information however, there have also been a number of costs which include a loss of innocence at a much younger age than earlier generations.

About the Author:

I have an extensive background in Finance and Fiscal Procedure. I also have a web business where I offer Computer Learning Software for Kids. I am very interested in the product itself as well as the subject matter that it involves. Please use the link above to visit us at The Software Spot!
Thank you, Allison Merlino

The idea of purchasing a personal computer may be appealing to a lot of people, however they may feel undecided as weather to go for a traditional desktop computer or for a light weight portable notebook. Several aspects should be taken into consideration as for the purposes of such acquisition. If the main purpose of buying a computer is for occasional use, regardless if it is for work or entertainment activities, one may consider buying a traditional desktop computer taking in consideration that its price is usually lower than the portable version.

The maintenance and eventual upgrade of a desktop computer is also much easier to perform and less costly. If the buyer is looking to spend the least amount of money, definitely the desktop computer models offer more choices of finding better deals weather it is used or new. One may look around the local computer stores for special deals or may consider browsing the many possibilities offered online stores.

Perhaps the greatest feature a desktop computer has is the fact that quite often it can be upgraded and personalized to suit the user needs without having to be sent back to the manufacturer. In most cases a local authorized computer store can perform the technical changes or upgrades to satisfaction. The desktop computers are meant for work and leisure as well and regardless of its configuration or how fast it can perform, it seems that it became an everyday tool of modern times.

On the other hand, if the main reason for the purchasing of a computer is portability, then in this case the notebook will be the right choice. There are several brand names available on the market offering all kinds of configurations, from very basic up to the most sophisticated and powerful late models of notebooks. After a careful research on which model will better suit your needs, then you will still have the option to choose to buy a new, reconditioned or used unit for the sake of saving some money. Keep in mind that a reconditioned laptop purchased from a computer store, usually comes will full warranty, just like as if you had purchased a brand new model but for a much less cost.

Just like any other purchase, it is important to do a careful research to find out what exactly your needs are and what are you going to do with it. The lightweight and portable notebooks are much nicer to carry around even though they are usually more expensive. Also the lightweight models almost always have a smaller screen and a more compact keyboard than traditional models of notebooks. So, in this case if weight is not a critical issue, than you may just consider to purchase a traditional regular-model notebook as long as it meets your requirements. If you choose this later option you will certainly be saving a great amount of money.

If you are the kind of person who feels skeptical about purchasing a reconditioned computer, because it has been previously returned from the manufacturer, relax, some times there is absolutely nothing wrong with the returned unit. It may have just been a matter of model preference or some minor detail that didn`t quite match the previous owner`s preference. Keep in mind that a reconditioned notebook with a full warranty is just as good as a brand new one and maybe even better for the great discount it usually offers.

Also you may find some good deals in refurbished notebooks. Beware that the difference between refurbished and reconditioned notebooks is that the former is usually an older notebook that has been used and then reconditioned, often by a third party, and the later usually means that it had some problem, went back to the manufacturer, got fixed and now it is available at a fair discount price with full manufacturer guarantee.

The right solution for one`s computer related tasks, whether desktop or notebook, will depend mostly on one`s working or leisure needs. Search carefully for the best deals and avoid paying extra for accessories you will hardly use. Also take a look at reconditioned (full warranty) computers. The price will certainly surprise you. And the performance might too!

Author Bio
Roberto Sedycias - IT Consultant
This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the News Article section of page PoloMercantil
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for PoloMercantil.

Have been using Google Mail™  for your domain now since May 2006 and have been quite happy with the speed, ease of use and stability of the product.  With all the emails since May 2006 (and most spam as well) I am only using 290 Meg (or 4%) of my 6.5 Gig available to access. You almost never have to delete your emails again. Google Mail™  uses “lablels” instead of standard email folders so that you can sort emails based on labels that you create. Once you get used to the change, it worked very well.

The embeded Google Talk™ within the Google Mail™ application works to facilitate online chat with family members who have standard Google Mail™ accounts. Google Talk™ with the presense indicator and the Blackberry version of Google Talk™  work seamlessly with Google Mail™

As far as the Google AdWords™ go when displayed in Google Mail™, from time to time I may notice them and even click on one or two, but not as often as you might think. I do not really find them obtrusive and can live with them to offset the exceptional service from Google. Have thought about the privacy aspect of email hosted by Google and perhaps Google may offer open source software so that companies can host their own version of Google Mail™ in-house. Perhaps one day….

Click on Google Apps to learn more.

 Over a year ago I was deciding on what to get my kids for as a gaming console to replace their Nintendo Gamecube. I looked at the Sony Playstation 3 as well as Microsoft’s XBOX 360. The graphics and games available for the PS3 and the XBOX were great for me but not so much for my kids. In addition, my kids had numerous Gamecube games that they could play on a Wii as it is backwards compatible. So I decided on trying out a Wii if I could get one that is. So I searched for a few weeks and actually stumbled upon one at a local Wal-Mart and bought it….

Since birthdays and the holidays were far away and “I” was wanting to play with it too, I made a deal with my kids. The deal was that if they saved up half the money for a Wii that I would put in the other half. We shook on it….. Within a week they had painted fences, raided their piggy banks, and had made up their share much to my surprise. Its amazing what kids can do when they have a goal!

Now the hard part, they knew that Wii’s were is short supply and thought that they were not going to get one for that reason. Lucky for me, we already had one! Did I say lucky? So we gave them their prized Wii and words cannot describe their reaction.

So now with an extra controller and nunchuck, two gamecube controllers (for their old games), numerous new Wii games, Wii points cards, connection to our wireless access point, etc. we live our lives with Wii included.  With the active games, backwards compatability, wireless access, etc., there is no question that this is the best game console I ever purchased for my kids period.

ASUS has released the eee pc computer. The unit itself has a 7″ screen, is a small form factor, has built-in wireless and uses a solid state drive (hard drive is not required). At a weight less than a 1 kilogram and with a custommized verison of XANDROS, the unit is ideal for those who need a truly portable solution. Boots in less than 21 seconds and shuts down quickly as well. This rugged unit can actually fit into most jacket pockets (winter jackets and some others) so that it is truly a portable, almost instant on machine.

 Many people are buying these units and hacking them by adding Windows XP, bluetooth, touchscreen, larged solid state drives and the list goes on and on. Just download and install WireShark on it and you have a cheap and portable wireless network sniffer. Many web sites are popping up just on the hacks and mods that can be done on the eee unit.

Keep an eye out for the eee as it will certainly take off and is ideal for a light portable pc that has many features of larger laptops.

The folks at Comodo are offering people use of their firewall software for FREE. Their claim to fame is that their software passes all known leaks and that the default settings will work well for most users after installation, making it easy to setup.  The Comodo firewall is suitable for home and business use.

The firewall also classifies more than 10,000 applications according to their risk level such as SAFE, SPYWARE, and ADWARE. Download it today to see if it fits your requirements. Remember, its FREE!

According to The Register, Dell  has chosen Ubuntu 7.0.4 for their Linux Distribution offering. Dell will allow consumers purchasing e-series and certain XPS systems, the option of installing Ubuntu as their operating system. 

On Monday, April 23, 2007,  PKWare released a FREE version of SecureZIP encryption software. This limited time offer allows users to secure the body of email messages, email attachments as well as files and data stored on your hard drive.

With this FREE version you are able to create and open any ZIP file.  This limited time offer is for a full individual user license. THIS IS NOT TRIAL SOFTWARE!

Most of us are using or have used Dell products in the past as part of our careers.  Perhaps you have had some suggestions or comments that you wanted to communicate with Dell. That’s where Dell Idea Storm comes in.

IdeaStorm  is Dell’s new online community that brings users closer to the creative side of technology by allowing them to share their ideas and suggestions with other customers and Dell themselves. Now anyone can suggest new products or services you’d like to see Dell adopt.

Some interesting suggestions are to pre-install Linux, Ubuntu, Fedora, and OpenSUSE, for free on new Dell computers, as well as offering free installation of software such as OpenOffice. This way, the operating system would have the most current drivers for Dell hardware right out of the box!

Have you downloaded and tried Spiceworks yet?

This must have tool for network administrators is designed for the everyday desktop, server and software monitoring needs of small and medium businesses. Once installed, it runs as a web server on your local machine. Spiceworks allows you to perform an inventory of your network, monitor devices on your network as well as has a simple help desk system built in.

Spiceworks is designed for the everyday desktop, server and software monitoring needs of small and medium businesses.

The software is free (supported by ads on the main interface screen similar to Google Adsense) and is supported by the Spiceworks community.

If you are responsible for the IT needs of your small or medium business, download and install SpiceWorks. You will be pleasantly surprised!

Welcome to TechnoAge.com.  This web log is just an Information Technology blog created by an average IT person. We hope that at least some information posted here is useful to you.