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What exactly is a computer network? According to Wikipedia: “A computer network is two or more computers connected together using a telecommunication system for the purpose of communicating and sharing resources.” Arguably, network experts debate about this—they feel a computer network should be defined as a minimum of three or more computers connected together, not two.

Whether it’s a minimum of two or three computers to constitute a computer network, clearly the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. What are some of the advantages?

Let’s briefly cover the five advantages of computer networking. As Hutchinson & Sawyer brought out in Computers, Communications, & Information, the advantages of computer networks are: “sharing peripheral devices, sharing of programs and data, better communications, security of information, and access to databases.”

Sharing Peripheral Devices- Print sharing (where multiple users share the same printer) can cut operational costs. For example, large and expensive laser printers are used by multiple users within company networks. Providing a business has a network, large in-house printers can affordably be leased or purchased.

Sharing of Programs and Data- File sharing in the business environment is important, because it saves space, time, and paper. Digital files on a share drive are not only cost effective and convenient, but a company’s database is accessible to only authorized personnel and inaccessible to unauthorized personnel. Network-linked employees can share groupware and work together on shared projects. Purchasing network versions of software is yet another advantage of having a company network.

Better Communications- Schedules and task assignments can be easily shared and organized in a network. When emailing within a network, group settings and contact lists are easily kept up-to-date. Attaching scanned documents and emailing business communication is cheaper and easier than faxing information to another department at a different location.

Security of Information- When information is shared on a network and accidental data loss occurs, data recovery is much more likely to occur when working on a network. When shared information is stored on multiple computers and databases, it stands to reason that if a hard drive fails, others will have the shared information residing in another repository. Firewall appliances that are built for networks go far beyond what a consumer grade firewall can do.

Access to Databases- Typically, extensive databases (whether public or private) are shared on a network. Sophisticated databases have built-in parameters to protect the data from accidental overwrites or misuse by disgruntled employees.

As you can see, computer networks have many advantages and are understandably gaining popularity for small-medium sized businesses. It is no wonder why computer networks are notable for their cost-saving features and ease-of use for end-users worldwide. If you are concerned about your budget and need to set-up or improve your home or business computer network, call us at Genesis Global, Inc.: 1-800-908-9665. We can help you meet your networking equipment needs, as well as work with your financial budget in conjunction with getting you improved network communication devices.

Resource: Computers, Communications, & Information, 2000. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Debbie Jensen, a technical writer for Genesis Global, Inc. Genesis Global, Inc. provides a wide variety of security equipment. Cisco hardware and accessories, as well as other leading network equipment manufacturers, have much to offer. Cisco’s PIX Firewalls and Adaptive Security Appliances brilliantly transform traditional network management into state-of-the-art secure communication networks where worms, hackers, and other threats are proactively controlled through the combination of firewall, application security, and intrusion prevention services. Make sure to visit: http://genesisglobalinc.com

HP has been a leader in printer industry for a long time. HP printers come in a wide selection, including the deskjet ink printers, laserjet printers, business inkjet printers, photo printers and designjet printers. Despite keen competition from other printer manufacturers, HP printers remain the most popular choice for home and business users.

The popularity of HP printers means that there is a huge aftermarket for HP printers. Indeed, consumers have many choices when they want to replace their HP printer cartridges. Here are some useful tips that can help you maximize your savings.

1) Remanufactured and compatible cartridges — HP has recently made a deal with Staples to remove all compatible HP cartridges from Staples retail stores. The move is considered as a victory for HP in the battle for printer aftermarket but this battle is far from over. Remanufactured and compatible cartridges are still readily available from major computer stores, office supply stores and hundreds of online ink / toner cartridge stores. These cartridges are in great demand because they offer a savings up to 30-50% compared to OEM cartridges.

2) Ink refill kits and ink recycling programs are another alternative for bargain hunters. Although it is a bit less convenient than buying a brand new cartridge, refilling ink cartridges is environmentally friendly and helps you save even more than compatible cartridges.

3) Combo pack — no matter whether you are purchasing compatible cartridges or OEM cartridges, you can usually get a discount buying the bulk pack or combo pack. If you are shopping from online stores, you can also enjoy free shipping when you buy several packs at the same time.

4) Online shopping — HP online store sells their OEM cartridges with free shipping. You can sign up for their MyPrint Rewards Club to get exclusive discount on ink and toner. Other online vendors also have OEM, remanufactured or compatible HP cartridges available at discount prices.

5) Coupon codes — many online vendors selling compatible cartridges provide coupon codes which give an additional 10-15% off on top of the original discount.

6) Warranty period — check the warranty period of your cartridges before purchase, especially if you are buying in bulk. A long warranty period means that you don’t need to open the packages and use the cartridges immediately but can return them at a later date if you are not satisfied with the quality.

7) Compare price and service — compare the price at different vendors, their shipping policy, warranty period and shopper’s satisfaction rating. Buying from reliable vendors can save you lot of money and hassles in the end.

Kwan H Lo owns a review site promoting high quality discount ink / toner cartridge including HP deskjet ink cartridge and HP laser jet toner cartridge.

Golf Technology is a wonderful thing. It has helped out heroes from yesterday like Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson to stay competitive longer than they would have been able to otherwise. However, the good news is that the new golf technology has just not helped the professional players. It has also allowed amateurs many benefits to their game as well. What are some of the golf technology factors that currently affect the amateur’s game today? Here are a few suggestions:

Golf Technology - Through the research of many golf club manufacturing companies, including Titleist, the science of tracking a golf ball with a launch monitor was made available to more PGA Professionals and their club members. The launch monitor could follow the golf ball from impact, to the launch angle to the flight apex and finally to when and where it hits the ground including the ball’s roll out has greatly improved. Doppler Radar is now used to track all of the characteristics of ball flight. This now allows a player receiving a club fitting to swing multiple drivers to find the correct combination of length and loft just for them. Through using this technology, it has been discovered that most players hit longer shots with more loft on their drivers. Currently, some tour professionals are using drivers with 10.5 degrees of loft. Just a few short years ago, you would have been laughed at for having this much loft on your driver. It was thought that the less loft you needed on your driver the better player (or bigger ego) you had. As these players used the new technology and discovered they could hit it farther with more loft on their driver, again, their ego took over and the switch to more loft was on! At the beginning of this revolution, it go to the point where some golf club companies would even place the “preferred lower loft” on the bottom of the head when the head actually had more loft on it. They did this so sales would not slump as they would have if the “real loft” was placed on the driver.

Golf Technology - If you polled most amateurs on what their “bad shot” is on the golf course with their driver, what type of answer do you think you would get? After giving literally thousands of golf lessons, I can promise you that the mass majority of golfers fade or in most cases slice the golf ball. The manufactures know this and have introduced the golf technology of closing the face of the majority of the drivers to be sold to the mass public by one or two degrees. This tweaking of the clubhead design of the driver is considered by the manufactures a design technology. Obviously, the closing of the face would allow you to hit straighter drives but in theory they should be longer as well. As the clubface is not as open as it was with “your driver”, the closed driver head would have less loft on it as impact is made and would provide a longer drive. Hmmmm thought the manufacturers. If golfers will hit it straighter and farther, we just might sell a few of these

The Wireless Golf Coach is a website created by PGA Professionals to provide affordable online golf instruction. This is accomplished by offering unlimited online golf lessons through memberships at http://www.virtualgolfswing.com With an online connection with your computer, PDA or phone, you can literally take your golf lesson anywhere. In addition, enjoy the competitive pricing in the online golf shop.

How many times have you heard ads on the radio or television, “I’m a Loan Officer that does everything; good credit, bad credit, FHA, 100% financing, bla-bla.”

If that an accurate statement? Sure it is. Does that set you apart from the average Loan Officer or Mortgage Broker? Nope, it doesn’t. Almost EVERY ad you hear/see say those similar words. Think about it, when you were NOT part of the mortgage business, did you pay attention to those ads? Probably not. Do you think the average borrower can tell one Mortgage Company from the next? Probably not. Get my point?

What I’m saying is get focused on one thing. If you want to concentrate on sub prime, go for it. If you want to focus on FHA, then do it. If the Option Arm is your gig, then learn it well (that happens to be mine). There is no right or wrong product, but stick with one and learn it well.

After you feel you have one (we’ll call it discipline) mattered, learn another until you have that down as well. Then go on. Brand yourself by really getting the “nitty gritty” of one product down, then go for another. Become the FHA specialist in your officer. Be the LO others turn to when they need info on the Option Arm. Do You get where I’m coming from?

If you try to be all things to everyone, you may eventually succeed in them all, but that’s going about it the hard way. If you’re a Loan Officer that works in an office with other LO’s, there will be a few that are specialists at something, learn to piggy back with them while you’re learning another product. You will be surprised how that kind of teamwork will pay off in the end.

And now I would like to invite you to get “Mortgage Info With An Attitude” with Free weekly answers about the mortgage business in the Mortgage Mailbag. As a Bonus, you’ll receive the Special Report “The 5 Biggest Myths about the Pay Option Arm and the Real Truth About Them”. You can access this free service and the bonus at http://www.MortgageMailbag.com

There are three basic golf grips that you can use: the overlapping grip, the baseball grip, and the interlocking grip. We’ll cover each of those in a minute. Here’s the basic rule for gripping a golf club.

Start by holding the club directly in front of you with your right hand with the club head pointing away from you at about a 45 degree angle.

Next grip the club with your left hand. The club will be mainly in the palm across the pads at the base of the fingers. However, the club will lie across the first section of the index finger. The thumb will be positioned straight on top of the golf club shaft. Relative to the golf club, the thumb will be in the twelve o’clock position.

Now, with your right hand, grip the golf club just above your left hand with the fingers, not the palm, of your right hand. The thumb will be positioned slightly off to the left. Relative to the golf club, the thumb will be in an eleven o’clock position.

If you have gripped the golf club correctly, only the first two knuckles of your left hand will be visible. Also, your left thumb should be completely hidden under your right hand. The index finger position of your right hand will look and feel like a gun trigger finger. Here are three of the most common golf grips and how to use them:

1- The overlapping grip is the most common golf grip used. It is used mostly by male golfers and those with strong wrists and forearms. The little finger of the right hand lies on top of or overlaps the index finger on the left hand.

2- The baseball grip is most commonly used by younger golfers, females, seniors, and those with weaker wrists and arms. The index finger of the left hand and the little finger of the right hand meet but do not overlap or interlock.

3- An interlocking grip will be used by golfers with shorter hands and fingers, those with thicker or chunkier palms, and golfers who have difficulty with the overlapping grip. The index finger of the left hand and the little finger of the right hand overlap each other and interlock.

If your golf grip pressure is right, the club could almost be pulled out of your hands, but not quite. A correct golf grip will make you feel as if you are holding the club mostly in the palm and last three fingers of your left hand. Regardless, both hands should hold the club with equal pressure. A correct golf grip doesn’t guarantee a successful golf swing, however, a defective golf grip will almost always result in a failed golf swing.

Patrick is a golf enthusiast since 12 years and love to help others learn the ropes of this awesome sport that is golf. For a limited time he is giving away a free report on how to improve your Golf Swing and get additional tricks and tips in his newsletter.

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There are certain things to note when you are using your notebook on batteries.

Especially when it comes to using notebook on batteries, I believe notebook users alike are having the same problem of fast battery consumption (myself included). I’ve been tweaking around lately and I think I should write this post to share with those who might be having the same problem like me and most importantly how to overcome it. There are 10 things to note for you to maximize your notebook battery usage.

1) Regular Defragmentation - Defragmentation is like arranging your files in order.

Example: When you go to a library, the book that you are searching for will be a bit faster if it is arranged from the A to Z alphabetical order and in their numbering code system. This way you will also save time and energy to search for the book.

The same principal also applies to the notebook. Regular the defragmentation process will result in less time and energy (battery usage) used by the notebook computer system. This will eventually lead to a longer battery life.

2) Lower Contrast - A dimmer screen means less battery usage used by the notebook LCD.

3) Use Programs Only When Necessary - We tend to use and open programs files which we sometimes may not need to access so frequently. Stop or exit running programs and applications like Messenger and Skype if you are not using them at that particular time. Most of the quick launch programs that appear that the bottom right hand of the screen are background running services which will use battery energy. Multitasking of programs will eventually lead to a fast consumption of battery usage.

4) Minimize Usage Of External Devices - USB thumbdrives, portable hard disks and any notebook peripheral connected to the USB/1394/Firewire ports will take up battery power. Less usage of these devices means conservation of energy to your notebook’s battery.

5) Put More Physical RAM - By increasing your RAM, you can save CPU usage and hence save your battery energy. Some might argue the fact with an increase of RAM this will lead to more battery energy being transferred to the RAM. Well in the other hand I believe with added RAM, applications will run faster and the Virtual Memory is normally utilized by the CPU will take less battery power and will prevent you getting symptoms like “system hanging” which also simply input to both the user’s frustration and battery usage in energy.

6) Run From Hard Disks - Try creating a virtual drive from programs such as Nero, PowerISO or Alcohol 120%. By running these programs on a virtual platform, we minimized the usage of optical drives like the CD or DVD drive which take a lot of battery energy.

7) Battery Maintenance - Keep battery contacts clean on interval. Clean the contacts with rubbing alcohol after 2 to 3 months of usage. This will allow efficient battery energy to flow through the notebook. Remember also to use the notebook while on battery mode at least once every 2 to 3 weeks. This should refresh the batteries Li-Ion components from discharging effects. Keep them healthy by charging and discharging them to the fullest once in every 2 to 3 weeks.

Hibernation Mode - Hibernation mode is much more recommended than the Standby mode. Why? Hibernation will save your notebook settings from where you left off, and completely shut down the notebook thereafter. You can resume your work by just touching the “On/Off” power button.

9) Cooler Environment - We all know temperature is a major factor in PC computing especially when it comes to the notebook. With a cooler environment, cool air will make your notebook work more efficiently. That is why most internet cafes that are set up these days are air-conditioned.

10) Tweak Power Options - The Control Panel provides options for you to change the power settings. Via the Power Settings in the Control Panel, select the “Laptop battery mode” or “Low Power” to reduce energy usage.

If all of the above steps lead to a failure result, it’s time for you to get a better notebook.

Mohd Fauzi is an Expert in PC Computing & Software.

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This Article can be found at my blog at here.

If you have ever owned your own computer then at some point you have had to deal with hardware that dies at some point. Often many people do not know what is even wrong, but just their computer quit working and will not start. Oddly enough, when you actually try to start the computer it beeps a few times and suddenly displays a message… “OS Not Found”.

Luckily for us though, its actually quite simple to replace a broken hard drive. Most of the time the only tool you even need is a phillips screw driver. Following these steps will allow you to replace that hard drive in no time flat! So here they are…

1. Disconnect the power cable from the back of the computer.
2. Once you have the power disconnected, unplug all the other cables and wires from the computer.
3. Place the computer tower on a table or stand to allow easier access to the computer.
4. Locate the two screws holding the cover on the side of the computer. Some computers, like Dell, have a handle or button you press that will release the side of the computer for you without having to remove any screws.
5. Remove the cover and place off to the side, out of the way.
6. Unless you ordered more than one hard drive for your computer, most computers only come with one hard drive. Most of the time they are located in the spot directly under your computer’s CD-ROM or DVD player. Older computers use IDE’s drives and newer computers use SATA drives. IDE is easy to spot as it has a fairly wide cable attaching the hard drive to the mother board. SATA on the other hand, uses a lot smaller cable. They both also have some form of power cable attached to them. This is usually a small, white plastic jack for IDE, and an even smaller black jack for SATA. Once you know what kind you have you simply need to go buy a new hard drive thats the same as the old drive.
7. At this point you can disconnect the old hard drive. Do not disconnect the cables yet.
8. Install the new hard drive to the slot and screw it back down properly.
9. Once you have the new hard drive in place, disconnect the first cable from the old hard drive.
10. Attach this cable to the new hard drive.
11. Disconnect the last cable and attach it to the new hard drive.
12. With both cables connected, you should be able to replace the cover and screws to reseal your computer case.
13. Re-attach each cable to the back of your computer, connecting the power cable back up last.
14. Install a fresh copy of Windows on your computer and you should be good as new. Most computers come with some kind of disk that will reinstall Windows for you. Simply turn on your computer, insert the disk as soon as you can, and it should display a message asking you if you would like to boot from the CD. The Windows installation is fairly simple after that.

Once you’ve replaced a hard drive, replacing other things like a vidoe card, or modem are a piece of cake. Most everything else simply plugs into some kind of slot making most hardware work a breeze.

Why worry with learning all the geek stuff about maintaining your PC? PC Power Suite has 30 programs built into 1 to make the ultimate swiss army knife of software for your computer. Perform your own computer tune ups with PC Power Suite

A record two million people have taken out loans interest rates, as high as 100% from Britain’s largest door-to-door loans company. This is said to be the direct result of the major banks not wishing to deal with people who have a bad credit history.

One company alone reported profits for 2007 were up 11% to a record £115 million. Since last year’s problems in America, with what they call sub-prime mortgage lenders. High street banks in the UK have been introducing much stricter rules about the type of people they are willing to give money to.

In frustration, many people with bad credit histories have moved on to lenders who work door-to-door giving out loans to people who banks consider to be a bad risk These companies offer people who are known as “nonstandard”. Loans with often outrageous rates of interest that will probably push people into even deeper debt. These people are not unusual, in fact, there are believed to be around 10 million people in the country who could not get loans from banks or acquire a credit card. These types of loans are mostly legitimate. Some certainly are not, and sometimes it can be hard to tell if you are dealing with a legal company or the fringes of organised crime.

Charities, who deal with people who have debt, said the situation is serious, especially as people may not know the character of the company they are dealing with and whether or not, they are legitimate or a criminal enterprise.

There are a couple of other options for people who find themselves on the outside, when it comes to dealing with high street banks. Many reputable institutions can offer debt consolidation loans that are tailored to suit individual’s needs and are capable of paying off many small loans.

In addition, replacing them with one single manageable monthly payment. This type of loan is ideal for people who possibly have several credit cards and other debts that are eating into their monthly wage and leaving them little spare.

With a debt consolidation loan, you can make a single payment, which will be considerably less than you were paying on all your other loans. It can allow you not only to clear your existing debts, but also to have additional spare cash every month, to do with as you wish. A debt consolidation loan is what is known, secured loan. This means the finance company, takes charge on your property against the loan. There are also unsecured loans, where the finance company has no security. If you do not pay, these loans have the advantage of not risking your house, but do have a higher rate of interest than a secured loan.

The unsecured debt consolidation loans can be somewhat more difficult to obtain than a secured their conciliation loan. And will as mentioned, have a higher rate of interest. In addition, they will be over a shorter period of time than a secured loan but this also means that it would be paid off quicker clearing your debts faster. For most people, a secured debt conciliation loan is probably the best way to go. Giving them the maximum amount of money, they can borrow without stretching their monthly budget of the same time clearing those heavy debts on their shoulders.

Being in debt is not a pleasant situation, not being able to pay it back is considerably worse, causing all kinds of personal and relationship problems that are best avoided if possible. By simply paying off the company’s that you owe money to and making it easier for you to live a comfortable life each month.

Joe Kenny writes for Glitec.org, offering loans UK, visit them today for cheap personal loans or more options from OnlyStop.com loans.

I was fortunate as a youth to grow up on a golf course. Besides the scenic view, there were numerous benefits to living on the golf course.

I could pull up a lawn chair and observe and take in all of the free golf lessons a young aspiring golfer could ever want. There were many good golfers worthy of picking up pointers, but the golfers that really stuck into my memory over the years were from the bad golfers.

Golf, while a serious competitive game, was taken a bit too serious by some. One of my first golf lessons was watching the turf fly further than the ball. While we have all done that once or twice, the real lesson was the four-letter vocabulary I learned that was used to describe such a shot. That lesson could then proceed to the more advanced lessons on how to ground your club hard into the ground. If it was a real special day I might even learn how golfers wrap their clubs around trees.

Living on the course I would also occasionally dive into the golf course ponds to pick up golf balls. This was very profitable as we could on a good night pick up 75 or more name brand balls and sell them the next day for 50 cents a piece. For a young kid I was rolling in the dough!

The best finds out of the ponds were not the golf balls. Once in a while we might pick up a club or two. But the grand prize of all was finding complete sets of golf clubs. Evidently for some golfers wrapping the club around a tree wasn’t enough. So if you’re that frustrated why not throw the club into the pond! Looking back I think the guy that threw his whole set of clubs in at least had something right. He knew that he had to walk away from the game. Golf is meant to be fun! We all have bad shots or bad days but don’t let it eat you alive.

I still wonder how the guy that threw his whole set ever got home that day. I still have his keys!

Stephen Long is an avid sportsman who has a passion for golf, hunting and fishing. Check out the latest golf tips, techniques, as well as some of the best golf trips in North America at Pro Golf Tips

If you are running out of space on your computer or find that programs load a little slow, or that big files take a long time to open, it may be time for a new hard drive.

Making a more careful decision about the hard drive can mean a much longer working life for the hard drive. Better reliability, allowing the hard drive to run for many years without mechanical failures or the worst of all, losing your precious data to errors on the drive.

Obviously the main thing that people think about when getting a new drive is size. Although a 400GB drive sounds great, there are very few people who actually use this much space. Only if you save DVD movies to your hard drive, or if you do serious amounts of video editing will you need this much space. The smallest size drives available today are about 40GB and will suffice for all your needs. However if you want the latest technologies, bigger sizes are inevitable.

Over the years the speed at which hard drives work has increased. One of the main technologies to improve is the connection between the hard drive and the rest of the computer. It passes the information back and forth from the hard drive, the faster it is the faster information can be passed, and so speeding up the programs you use and the files you use.

There are 2 main varieties for this connection:

The old IDE kind, which comes in 4 flavors: ATA33, ATA66, ATA100 and ATA133, each number corresponding to the transfer rate in MB/s, the bigger the faster. This type is pretty standard. If your computer is older, you may only be able to use this kind, and depending how old will determine which speed.

SATA is a newer kind. It uses a different cable and allows much faster information transfer. The slower kind is 150MB/s and the faster is 300MB/s, so they are much faster than IDE.

A newer technology called Native Command Queuing (NCQ) speeds up how fast things are found and done on the hard drive. Just briefly, it orders the read and write commands given to it in such as way as to get the tasks done quicker and with less delay.

Drives are most often separated by their size and this is a big factor in the pricing of a drive. The smallest drives today are around 40GB, you can get a little smaller, but no point really. The largest of 400GB will be enough for a really long time.

The other thing that affects pricing is the rotation speed, which is the speed at which the big disk spins inside the disk drive. The faster it spins the faster information gets found. Look for rotation speeds of 7200RPM as standard and 10000 for the fast end.

With all of this it may be hard to decide, but here are my suggestions.

For a main drive, which has your Windows and programs on it, go for something faster, but bear in mind that even for me my ATA66 drive is fast enough for my uses. But a faster one will speed up how fast your programs go. It might be a good idea just to go for one big, fast drive.

Brand name drives are often worth getting, as manufacturers like Seagate, Maxtor and Western Digital are well known for long lasting quality products, which will not make any difference in the short term usually, but will pay off with long life and reliability.

If you want or need two drives the second one can sacrifice speed for size, as that’s what’s most often needed for a second drive, which usually stores all your information.

You should now have enough to make a smart choice in your next hard drive purchase. A good one can be kept for a very long time and minimize any hassles in the future.

Peter Stewart is a computer enthusiast, his interest in computers and focus on practicle down to earth advice inspired his two websites.

http://www.computer-buying-guide.com - Practical buying tips

http://www.computer-reviews.net - Fair and honest reviews and opinions