Posts filed under 'Software Info'
In today’s times, if you have an web connection, you do not have to pay anything extra for your calling anywhere around the world. This is so because by using the VoIP programms, you can use your internet connection to place free long-distance phone calls. This process works by using the available to make phone calls over the . This technology has actually been around since quite a time; however, with broadband hi-speed high-speed internet connection, long-distance calling concept has benefited a lot. There are basically three ways in which VoIP is used these days:
1. ATA: (Analog Telephone Adaptor) is the most common way, which allows phone connection with the internet.
2. IP Phones have an Ethernet connector which gets directly plugged into your router (instead of the usual jack connector that other phones have.) Being in-built, no extra software needs to be installed.
3. Computer-to-PC: is the simplest and the cheapest way to make computer-to-computer calls.
These calls are entirely free. All you need is the software which can be found for free on the internet, a good internet connection, a microphone, speakers, and a sound card. All you pay here is your monthly internet service charges. Big companies have found a more economical use of this technology for their bigger requirements. This includes conducting all their calls within their international branches through a VoIP network. Using this to route international calls, they thus get away with these calls at local rates. Today, with this technology, you can make a call anywhere that you have a broadband connection. This means freedom and the facility to make calls from home, or anywhere else where you carry your phone or your . Other benefits as provided by some service providers is the ability to check your voicemail via your e-mail. And also can you attach voice messages to your e-mails. Seems like VoIP has truly outpaced the traditional telephones.
Network tools
August 5th, 2007
Exit Grabber is the latest software product spawned by the never ending evolution of the pop up genre. This one does not perform any circus acrobatics like its predecessors. Nothing flys, spins, floats, or peels.
It is non intrusive in its own way, mostly because it is a take off of the old exit pop up. It does not throw itself in front of you, blocking your view of the content that you were looking for, so it isn’t as irritating as most.
When used properly this one can actually be a little spooky. Your old school exit pop up would be activated when you closed the page or moved on to another page, thus replacing the website you just left. This one works on the same premise but with a twist.
When you move your mouse to enter a new URL or anywhere on the menu toolbar, presumably the back button or your favorites, the pop up is activated. This gives the impression that the software has anticipated your move or maybe even read your mind. This impression can be further amplified with a message like “Hey…You Don’t Really Want To Leave Do You?” or maybe “Don’t Click On That Yet!”.
The sale page claims a 300% increase in sales conversions. I don’t know about that but I can think of several ways to put this tool to use and am definitely going to give them a try. I can see how this could increase my sales and that’s what it’s all about.
July 31st, 2007
Nowadays, new website start-ups are more interested in time to market rather than wasting valuable time on template designs. And it makes perfect sense to want to spend your time marketing rather than time tedious website design. Designs From Nature offer a huge range of already made, professionally looking themes and templates ready for use. Some of the popular categories are:
- WordPress Themes
- OsCommerce and Zen-Cart e-Commerce Templates
- Macromedia and Microsoft FrontPage Templates
If you really like a theme and are hesitant from other websites using the same artwork and layout, you can easily be the last person to buy that theme by opting to close it out. What this essentially does is take that theme/template offline so no-one can purchase it anymore. However, this option doesn’t come cheap, at around $2000+.
The majority of web templates are sold for less than $100.
July 28th, 2007
The curiosity levels and buzz regarding Windows Vista is probably greater than the news that spread when man landed on the moon.
The curiosity levels and buzz regarding Windows Vista is probably greater than the news that spread when man landed on the moon. Extensively discusses and analyzed Microsofts Windows Vista is scheduled for an end 2006 release with the corporate version coming first. According to reports Windows Vista is all set to satisfy every need:
1. Security is comprehensive and takes care of every imaginable problem. Windows and spyware library are streamlined as also administrator apparatus.
2. The back up programms is state-of –art and PC systems can be installed across several states and countries within a company by simple creating an image.
3. Windows side bar is atoll that has been designed to provide regular or continuous updates on weather, stock movements, temperature, sports scores and more. This just means you will be able to keep a tab on these while you are working on the main screen.
4. The internet explorer 7 has enhanced privacy management and security functions are all at the next level. The color coded address bar will indicate whether a page is designed to “phish” information or whether it is authentic.
5. A feature awaited for with bated breath is high-end graphics and aero-glass interface with great 3D rendering, animation, and effects. Translucent icons and other elements are all the latest technology and allow functions like viewing real time on minimized windows without opening programs. The Windows Vista is designed for people who multitask.
6. Integrated desktop search will allow powerful indexing, user specific searches and data access, and ease of filing and storing much used URLs. Searches can be extended to other PCs on the network by using Windows Longhorn.
7. Updates are streamlined and can be done directly without the use of Internet Explorer. A key component of the new system is said to be Windows Defender.
8. Windows Vista brings with it updated and revolutionary Windows Media Player, with an MP3 library. The Windows Photo Gallery in Vista brings photo library functionality and in Vista photos can get mega tags, titles, ratings, and what are more there are systems that allow limited editing and printing too.
9. Windows Vista recognizes parental concerns regarding computers and the World Wide Web. The new software has enhanced systems that allow greater parental control. Parents can limit access to files, and web pages, block sites, lock downloads, and screen objectionable content. Guess what even games can be blocked based on the gameРІР‚в„ўs Entertainment Software Rating.
10. Back ups are visionary in Windows Vista. The system can be set to take periodic snapshots of your whole operating system as well as files. This means in case of total break down you will not loose any data or software. Windows Vista brings great news for business users. It not just facilitates P2P collaboration, but Vista users can share files and other data across the network. It allows even a mobile workforce to utilize computers while traveling. Although there are releases, reviews, and speculation one needs to wait until Windows Vista is in actual use to judge how many hopes and promises are going to come true.
Original post: 10 New Features in Windows Vista
July 10th, 2007
One of the biggest announcements from Google at the beginning of 2006 was a collection of free programms called \”Google Pack.
One of the biggest announcements from Google at the beginning of 2006 was a collection of free programms called \”Google Pack.\” Google Pack was developed in order to provide workstation users with essential software which Google felt every user needed for their new or current personal computer. One of the programs in Google Pack was free virus protection software.The virus protection software in Google Pack was provide by Symantec the vendor behind the popular Norton-Antivirus products. The Norton-Antivirus products have continuously received excellent reviews from independent testers and still remain one of the leading anti virus products. For Google Pack to start with Symantec supplied Norton Antivirus 2005, although not the latest version, a more than capable antivirus program. The only limitation was that Symantec would only supply 6 months of virus definition updates after that the user would need to upgrade.At the beginning of 2007 Google persuaded Symantec to provide a virus protection program which the user would not have to upgrade from. Norton Antivirus 2005 was replaced by \”Norton Security Scan.\” Despite the name Security Scan both scans for AND removes virus threats. The product is based on the same award-winning virus scanning and removal skill found in the Norton Antivirus range of products. More importantly the virus definition updates are not limited to six months.There are a number of other good reasons to download Google Pack. For starters, Google Pack now includes a Starter Edition of Spyware Doctor which is based on one of the best anti spyware programs on the market today. There is also an excellent photo organizer software called \”Picasa.\”Danny Jones runs a number of computer related sites. He recommends Free Download Norton Anti Virus from Google Pack to protect your computer.
Article Source: Software downloads - Soft3k.Net
July 8th, 2007
I told friends of mine that work as programmers, that I was planning on getting to grips with application and web development as I had lots of ideas for products, scripts and automation tools. They mainly laughed at me and followed up with technical reasons on which programming languages and platforms I should study.
After I did my own research I decided that for web development I would concentrate on PHP and MySql database for information storage/retrieval and c# and .NET for application development. This cause many arguments among my friends. The main argument was, since I was going to be studying c# for application development, then I should choose ASP.NET as my web development platform of choice since there would be less of a learning curve. They still swear by their arguments and all I got was pros about their programming languages and tools : (I’m no programmer but my first lesson in the world of programming was - Programmers are very loyal to their development platform of choice and Its almost impossible to get a neutral opinion of different programming languages and technologies )
So Ive decided on what technologies I would be studying based on my own experience online :
PHP for web application development and scripts :
- I’ve been online and creating websites since I was 18 and most of the tools and software I use to drive traffic and increase my page rank etc were built using PHP. They are usually installed onto my hosting accounts and perform their tasks (usually scheduled) based on configurations.
- Every hosting package Ive purchased supports PHP and MySql (I also found out during my research that it is much more expensive to host a website or web service build using ASP.NET).
- Most Forums and membership sites I used were build using PHP
- API to query search engines etc had lots of PHP support and documentation.
C# For My Windows Desktop Applicatios
- A friend of mine sat down with me and gave me a tour of building windows programs using .NET. My I was so impressed. He was using a drag and drop approach to quickly build an interface and was quicly able to demonstrate using code to make those controls work.
- I certainly don’t intend or even think i’d be capable of attempting to build a complex enterprise application with multiple users etc. I just want to be able to build simple single user interfaces that belt out the functionality I need.
- He even wrote what he called an “XML Web Service” in PHP (he wrote a piece of PHP code that simply added two numbers) He then called that PHP code from his c# desktop application and he presto, the PHP went away and did its work and passed the results back to his c# program.
Thats all I needed to see. My mind is running overtime - I now know that buy using “XML Web Services”, PHP and c#, I can architect to solutions I need.
I’m along way from achieving that but I believe Im on the right track. I never thought programming could be exciting. The problem solving and architectural side of programming will be a fantastic booster for my analytical and problem solving skills.
Kieran Cranley
Programming Newbie
July 6th, 2007
Virtual assistants might seem like the wave of the future. Does the concept sound like an assistant working in tandem with Rosie, the Jetsons’ maid, to help make your life in the brave new world simpler?
In reality, virtual assistants are becoming a very real alternative to on-site employees in the present. Why would someone choose to work with a virtual assistant instead of an assistant in their office?
One of the major reasons to consider hiring a virtual assistant is the cost factor. Virtual employees equal big savings to small businesses.
When first looking into virtual assistants, a lot of people see that the average hourly wage can be higher than what they would pay their own in-office assistant. Without further exploration, they dismiss the virtual option as too costly and move on.
The savings in hiring a virtual assistant do exist. However, you do have to look beyond just the hourly rates. If you do, you will see that money is saved on so many levels, that it’s impossible to ignore this option.
First, think about the last employee you hired. Did you ever think about how much you spent on just hiring that person? You have to spend money to advertise the position. You or your other employees must spend valuable time in the hiring process. It can be a costly endeavor.
Next, you’ve got to consider the actual capital you invest into each employee you hire. There’s more than you might think. As a small business, office space is usually a pricy commodity. And did you consider all of the “stuff” that you’ll need to acquire. You’ll have to have another desk, another computer, an additional phone and line, additional internet service, another license for all of the software that you use, etc. This list can go on and on.
The last area we’ll look at today is human resource. For each employee, you’ve got to determine wages, benefits, insurance, time off, etc. You’ve also got to shell out for payroll taxes, unemployment and all of those fun ways the government likes to get involved in your business!
Would hiring a virtual assistant alleviate these costs? In short, yes!
First, you will find your virtual assistant on the internet. There are thousands of us out there, you simply research and find the assistance provider who best suits your needs and with whom you are most comfortable working.
Secondly, every virtual assistant should have their own complete home office. They have already taken on the costs of all of the equipment needed to complete their work. You do not have to invest any of your capital into their work space.
As for the human resource issues, with most virtual assistants there aren’t any. The majority of us work as independent contractors. Therefore, you aren’t responsible for any of our tax paperwork, insurance, time off, or any costs that accompany an employee of your company.
As you can see, hiring a virtual assistant can definitely increase your bottom line. Increasing the amount of work you can accomplish without greatly increasing your budget. Also, in most cases, you are only committing your cash on a project to project basis.
Virtual assistants can save your small business a lot of your hard-earned funds. This is one option definitely worth considering!
Dana Wallert is the owner of an online virtual assistance company. She has many years experience in sales and marketing, as well as office management. Find more about Dana and sign up to receive her free monthly newsletter at DW Office Solutions - Virtual Assistant Services.
June 20th, 2007
It’s not very often I get excited about a software program, but today I’m so excited I just had to tell you about Xsitepro, the top tool for Internet marketers. In particular, those who have been using HTML applications programs like Dreamweaver and Frontpage to produce their Internet media will find this program revolutionary in that it can at least halve your time for site development.
In 1996 while studying a Master’s degree in multimedia and online learning I learnt about HTML which seemed like a backward step after using and teaching word processing and programming in Pascal and DBIII+ (do you remember these?). MS Word and Wordperfect, even Multimate, were light years ahead of this HTML stuff. I remembered wondering why on earth anyone would design a programming language so simple and so time consuming to format. Shortly after, I was to find out why it was kept simple and I stumbled across Dreamweaver and Frontpage HTML generators. For years I’ve used both programs to produce my HTML email templates and Internet site pages.
I’ve become fairly proficient using either, but as I have a preference for Dreamweaver, I’ve used that most often. In fact, just during the last few weeks I upgraded my site adding additional links, changing the banner heading, putting in some jump menus and generally making it more user friendly. Just after I finished a colleague brought my attention to the most innovative, useful, purpose-built software for Internet marketers I have ever seen - Xsitepro. And I’ve seen and purchased dozens.
After reading every word of the sales blurb and watching the on site video “7 Reasons Why You Need Xsitepro”, I decided I had to get a copy. As I usually do, I give software a good test run before the trial period or guarantee runs out and if it’s not suitable I uninstall it and request a refund.
No refund here. Xsitepro was easy to download and installed without a hitch. It comes with an excellent tutorial and an extensive user manual in Adobe PDF format, both of which are accessible from the Help menu. After working through the short tutorial, which steps you through building a site for an optometrist’s store, it was very simple to get the program up and running. The user interface consists of tabs in a logical arrangement from left to right; start a project, enter the website description and keywords, project name, copyright information and any notes and click the next tab headed ‘Page Layout’. Here, as the name suggests, you set up your standard page layout dimensions, graphics, menu and other features. It’s a cinch.
In the next tab, ‘Web Pages’ you enter your content in much the same way as you use a word processor - it’s all what-you-see-is-what-you-get (wysiwyg) and very easy … point and click for font sizes, to embolden, underline and so on.
Now, I have to tell you, I was blown away by the sheer common sense concept behind this program (Why didn’t I think of it?). It does almost everything an Internet marketer could want quickly, efficiently and professionally. If, like me, you are creating several sites selling different products or services and you intend to create numbers of additional sites, this is a product that will save you so much time you’ll wonder what to do with yourself.
Some of the excellent time-saving features included in Xsitepro are:
- An affiliate link storage facility so that when you want to place an affiliate link you just right click and select and bingo, the link is in place
- Point and click to install Google Adsense advertisement codes
- Automatically break a long page into multiple pages and place navigation
- Install a breadcrumb menu (obviously named after the Hansel and Gretel fable) that shows users where they are eg, Home -> Services -> Tooth Pulling and allows them to click on links to return to previous pages
- Automatically create site maps in alphabetical or hierarchical view or links pages
- Search engine optimization
- Templates for articles, sales and product pages
… and much, much more.
This program has you creating multiple sites within hours and publishing them using the FTP interface included. All of the graphics and associated files are placed in a folder so you don’t have to hunt for them later.
On the downside, if there is one, it takes a while to adapt to the way of working in Xsitepro. For example, working in tables in Xsitepro is quite different from working in tables with Dreamweaver. But, when you work out the differences you can move along quickly building, resizing, placing borders, colouring and inserting or deleting tables. The program has excellent flexibility and nothing has been missed.
I was disappointed with the number of typos and other errors in the manual which were more numerous than I would have expected of such an excellent program, but it didn’t detract from the instructional value of the content and is something that will no doubt be rectified in a future upgrade. It had all the appearances of being rushed together to meet a publishing deadline.
The price for Xsitepro surprised me by being much lower than I thought could reasonably be charged for such a top application. And with the price come numbers of free upgrades.
If you are doing what many Internet marketers are - including me - and building multiple streams of income using stand-alone themed sites, Xsitepro will be the best investment you could make to build and grow your business.
This is a once-in-a-million software program that is set to change the face of Internet marketing. The concept is both brilliant and remarkably simple.
Published June 2005. Copyright Robin Henry 2005.
Robin Henry is an educator, human resources specialist and Internet marketer whose firm, Desert Wave Enterprises, helps individuals and businesses improve their performance by using smart processes, smart technology and personal development. He has a number of tertiary qualifications including a Master of Education degree majoring in education technology and online learning. He lives at Alice Springs In Central Australia. Visit here to read more about this program.
June 16th, 2007
When it comes to business automation, most organizations are constantly looking for the competitive edge. Today, acronyms like customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) have been so misused that end users can find it hard to make sense of it all. Add the marketing message from vendors claiming their wares are designed for businesses of all types and sizes, and you’ve got a recipe for utter confusion.
So how does a typical business cut through the noise and confusion, and obtain a tight concise list of solutions to review that provide the automation needs they actually need? The first thing to remember is that no one solution by itself can do it all. Despite what the vendor claims, solutions are always designed with an ideal target customer in mind, and it’s up to you to figure out if you’re that target customer.
What Everyone Does That You Shouldn’t
It’s no secret that business application roll-outs meet with more failure then success, as many case studies can attest to. A small business customer relationship management and e-business suite solution provider, I’m constantly hearing potential customers talk about past mistakes, so in this regard I’ve become somewhat of an expert. “I’m calling you guys because we got into this mess and now we need to fix it” is a common cry for help. But after hundreds of these conversations, you start to see common patterns emerge. I should first state that almost all of these data points come from small businesses of perhaps 10-200employees that got in over their heads. So what’s the common pattern you ask? Well, inputting together a requirements list almost everyone puts all the emphasis on license or rental price, features, and brand recognition. What else is there you might be asking? What no body seems to understand until its too late, is that while it was arguably relevant to Casanova, in the realm of business automation, size really does matter - business size that is. It’s because too many business failed to understand how the solution they chose failed to impact them in this one regard, that I get so many cries for help
June 16th, 2007
The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood. The most important thing is to study with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.
Minding your own business takes knowing someone else’s business. After all, no one but you has your best interests at heart! With a company background check, you can decide whether or not to use a particular plumber or landscaping service. You can go forth with major investments of money, depending on what a company background check reveals.
Maybe you are a Construction Supervisor in a business and you are reviewing bids from contractors for a project coming up. One of them is a company you have never heard of. Does that mean they are not legitimate? No, but by running a company background check, you can get a good sense if the company will honor their work and commitments. There is quite a bit of information you can learn from a company background check and any reports can be customized to what you are looking for.
At what point do you initiate a company background check? Each case is different. For instance, say you want some plumbing work done in your home. You will most likely ask your friends, neighbors and even your local hardware store for some references. From there, you would probably gather several quotes for the plumbing work. Deciding on how to narrow down those plumbing contractors to just one is most likely the best time to run that company background check. The results will help you make an informed decision on your new plumber.
The best time to learn about company background check is before you’re in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable company background check experience while it’s still free.
Thanks to the wonders of the internet, it is easy to run a company background check. You just have to know where to look and where to start. Since there are a variety of websites and ways of accomplishing this goal, your starting point may not necessarily be someone else’s. If you are investigating a local company, try the Better Business Bureau. You can find out if the company has any complaints against them and if any of them have been resolved. You can also find out their physical and mailing addresses as well as all the corporate officers.
Another resource in conducting a company background check is the website for the Secretary of State. You can determine those individuals that make up the governing body of the company. After gathering these corporate names, you can run them through a search engine and see what pops up – news releases, magazine articles and even court documents. Dun and Bradstreet also is a resource for your company background check. You can get the same basics as the Secretary of State website, but for a nominal fee, you can purchase a report about the company’s sales history in sales and whether they pay their bills in time.
Since time is money, you would probably save some by having someone else conduct the company background check for you. Depending on the information you are looking for, you could spend literally hours at the computer or on the phone hunting up information. By hiring an investigator or a reputable internet company that specializes in company background checks, you can get your results a lot faster and make your decision about the company you just might be doing business with.
This article’s coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.
Matthew Bass of BackgroundCheckWizard.com provides more recommendations and information on Background Checks that you can research at your leisure on his website.
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June 3rd, 2007
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