Its is a new beginning and its gonna be exciting..
Well, this is my first blog.. Im still confused wat to post. The reason y i first got this idea cant b implemented right away, since i don kno wat ppl reaction wil be. So im open to eveythin. Any questions, personal, technical or whatever.. Except nonsense.. So, fire away.. :-)
The humans are the most developed species on the earth. But sometimes how much ever developed and mature we are, we never act in that way. We have a very unique power to do a lot of things which we can put to use for a lot of things and into constructive use. But that happens very less. I am trying to put down so many feelings running in my mind but i'm not able to find the right words. But i will try my best.
Even tough we boast of being developed, matured, blah blah blah, we are never thinking of many other things that are going on without our knowledge. Most of us tend to not notice such things. Whenever we go to a zoo or an underwater aquarium, we adore the creatures over there. But once we return from there its a lost memory in no time. We want to be amazed or entertained by those creatures but 99% of us are not concerned of the well being of those creatures.
Instead of using our well developed technology and ultimate power of being the most developed species, we are behaving just like other animals. Killing one another. Not only our fellow ladies and gentlemen but also those very beautiful creatures which never meant any harm to us. I ask, what is the use of boasting of our accomplishments when we are defeating the very purpose of nature in all the aspects? We have taking away the basic right for survival from everyone. We are cutting down trees, killing animals, contaminating natural resources, etc, etc..
Wage a war with a country that you dont like, i dont care.. You may be having many issues with them but why do you kill and poach innocent creatures like Seals, dolphins, Whales, Tigers, Elephants, etc.. The list goes on and on.. What harm did they mean to us? They never killed us, they never destroyed our homes, nothing.. If at all they have killed humans then its only because we have provoked them. Isn't it the basic survival strategy for animals? But why do we kill them for no reason? We kill bears, foxes, dolphins(one of the most adorable creatures and friend of human beings), etc for our own luxury, pride and enjoyment?
Now in fashion industry fur is the latest cool trend. They boast of wearing the best fur coats to parties and all. Cant they understand that their fashion and pride of wearing those is at the cost an a living being? An innocent animal which as much right to survive as that particular person has? My blood boils whenever i see someone with fur and leather items. I want to show them what pain is and it feels when they go close to death. I want to make them feel the same thing what these animals feel but are not powerful enough to save themselves. Because the credit goes to our sophisticated weaponry which gives us the power to kill them like cowards from a long distance.
Cant those who go for killing those animals understand the simple fact that, even those animals feel pain? That they too have the right to survive as we do? I dont understand the mindset of such people. How can one KILL an innocent animal? HOW? What makes them? Dont they ever have MERCY? Did they never for a moment get a slightest flash of thought that, being humans its our job to protect those creatures that are inferior to us and cant protect themselves?
I cannot type anymore.. I am not able to control my anger.. I CANNOT.. I appeal to all of you out there.. All you kind people, the one's with kind hearts, do what you can to get your voice heard to protect the basic rights of these beautiful creatures. Let us not make them extinct. Lets give the chance even to our kids to see those amazing creatures and their beauty. I say, this would give us more joy, sense of happiness, achievement and pride in protecting the rights of these helpless animals than protecting the basic human rights. If humans can be so cruel then its not worth protecting their rights. At least few of them. PLEASE, motivate people around you so that we can preserve the beauty the nature has given us. To the parents with young kids, i would like to say this. Please motivate and teach your children in their young age itself, so that when they grow up they can become the protectors ("the protective") of these animals and the nature, rather than what we have become now, "the destructive".
Its better to be late than never. We have still the time and opportunity, join hands and raise your voice. Lets protect the nature and its harmony before its too late..
Please see these links to know and understand how the animals are being getting extinct due to the acts of cruel people:
Coming soon! A smart PC that watches all your moves
Original Article by Jaimon Joseph
Friday , February 05, 2010 at 10 : 02
Spend a single day in London, and you'll be videotaped at least 300 times. More than 11,000 cameras watch every move you make. Thank God India doesn't violate your privacy like that - right? Consider this. When London's underground Metro was bombed five years back, the terrorists were arrested within a week. The cops played back hours of recorded footage from the area. Then followed the men back from the station to their homes - sitting at their computer terminals. Have the 2008 Delhi bombers been arrested yet? Or the folks who started the Mumbai riots?
Two of India's biggest airports, some of our busiest sea ports and a few of our most famous religious shrines are now being watched. With technology even more advanced than London's security system in 2005. The company behind it, HCL Security Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of HCL Infosystems Ltd. I'd always thought HCL was full of software geeks who punch out dollars from their keyboards. But apparently, their software can now command everything from NSG paratroopers, to the fire brigade.
Imagine this. A man walks into a crowded market. Loiters around a bench, then walks away, leaving his bomb-laden bag nestled underneath. No one notices. Except the hidden cameras. If the bag's unattended for more than a couple of minutes, a silent alarm automatically goes off in the control room. Other cameras track the man as he crosses lobbies and corridors.
If the man suddenly remembers his bag and goes back, the alarms shut down. If he keeps walking, the computer automatically calls the cops. If one doesn't pick up, it instantly calls ten others, on their cells. Security officers start closing in on the unwary terrorist. Floor supervisors get a map on their phones, to get to the abandoned object and remove it. The fire station's alerted, hospital wardens put on standby.
Of course, this is a simplistic description - these responses are carefully calibrated. You don't want an expensive computer crying wolf every hour and numbing people's reflexes completely. But I saw a live demonstration of all this, just a couple of weeks back in HCL Security's sprawling Noida office. And what I've told you, is just half the story.
This is a smart computer. With a thousand eyes. It records every second of every day. It remembers. And it thinks. Stray incidents that seem completely innocent. Random actions that don't look threatening at all. The same man visiting a tourist hotspot repeatedly, a couple of days apart. A new van in the locality, parked outside a gate for hours without moving. Unusually heavy truck movements, at random times during the day. You and I might not make much of these. But the computer's constantly sniffing for patterns. And asking security officers to investigate.
How did HCL Security suddenly become a pro at all this? After all, American, South African and Israeli security companies spent billions of dollars over many decades, to get where they are today. HCL isn't re-inventing the wheel. What it's doing is making the products these companies make, work together. The X-Ray scanner at the airport check in line, the telephone switching systems that keep employees connected, the ultra small cameras that can be hidden in every nook - they're all made by different companies for different purposes. HCL Security gathered them all together into one streamlined whole, designed to weed out the enemy. For a price I'm betting, that's lower than more established players.
The Commonwealth Games a few months from now, could be the ultimate test of such systems. Networks that let the police, paratroopers, hospitals, transport departments all work in tandem. That eliminate the sort of confusion Mumbai faced during 26/11. Coming out of the HCL Security Office, all this seemed a lot like sci-fi. A bit like Tom Cruise's Minority Report. But the technology exists. And it's coming soon, to a colony near you.
I am really proud to have become a part of this company.. I hope if i cannot get into army(god forbid), then i can take care of my country at least in this way..
The career of Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been punctuated by so much drama, so many triumphs and tragedies, it has taken on an almost-mythical quality. Now, the leader that rabid Apple fans see as the white knight of the technology world has set off on another mythical quest to slay a new dragon.
So, it seems appropriate to look back on the sometimes-thorny path Jobs has taken, as well as the four dragons that he has slain. And, of course, we’ll look at the new dragon that Jobs is hunting.
The myth of Steve
Jobs burst on the scene in the late 1970s as the boy leader who became the evangelist of the personal computer revolution. In 1984, he led the team at Apple that brought the graphical user interface to the masses with the Macintosh.
Then, just as quickly as he had burst upon the business world, his world imploded. In a failed struggle for power and control at Apple, he got kicked out of his own company in 1985 and went into exile. He was a rich has-been by the age of 30.
Over the following decade, his next two companies — NeXT Computer (which he founded) and Pixar Animation (which he bought from George Lucas) - quietly made some important breakthroughs in computing but struggled financially and started bleeding away the $100 million fortune that Jobs had made at Apple.
Jobs launched a coup to reclaim his white knight status in the mid-1990s. His first bit of redemption came with Pixar in 1995 when Toy Story became the highest grossing animated feature of all time and Pixar rode that acclaim to a very successful IPO, orchestrated by Jobs himself. Once the IPO launched, it instantly turned Jobs into a billionaire.
His next bit of redemption was even sweeter. At the end of 1996, a badly-struggling Apple decided to purchase NeXT to help reinvent itself as a technology innovator. Jobs initially joined Apple as an advisor as part of the NeXT deal, but he quickly convinced the Apple board to get rid of its leader, Gil Amelio. As a result, Jobs was thrust into the role of “interim CEO” and company savior.
What happened next was a series of conquests that far exceeded anyone’s expectations and returned Apple to the role of technology superpower. These conquests also anointed Steve Jobs with the reputation of being a mix between warrior and magician.
Dragon #1: The Macintosh
When Jobs returned, Apple was in such bad shape that he wasn’t even sure it was salvageable - and industry analysts shared his skepticism. The company’s finances were in the toilet, the product roadmap was a mess, and the Apple brand itself had lost most of its former luster. Something dramatic was needed to save Apple from being bought out in a fire sale or simply fading into oblivion.
Jobs launched a two-part strategy to reinvigorate Apple. He started with the Think Different ad campaign, which associated the Apple brand with creative thinkers and revolutionaries. It was a huge hit, winning awards, drawing consumer interest, and generating tons of media buzz. But, above all, it set the stage for the rebirth of the Macintosh.
While the Think Different ads were making people feel cooler about the fruity computer maker, Jobs also refocused Apple’s product and engineering teams on developing the company’s next great product.
By the late 1990s computer sales were spiking due to the new killer app: the Internet. Lots of people were buying their first computers just to “get online.” Apple latched on to this trend with a computer that was designed to make connecting to the Internet as easy as taking the computer out of the box and plugging in two cords. Jobs and Co. even named it after the Internet - the iMac.
The iMac was a throwback to the original Mac in that it was an integrated all-in-one system, but it also included a unique new design with a translucent blue and white plastic case that allowed you to see the electronics and circuit boards inside. In the world of beige computers at the time, the iMac was extremely stylish. The launch of the iMac in 1998 (combined with the similarly-styled iBook and Power Mac G4 in 1999) drove a huge spike in Mac sales - at one point the iMac was even the single best-selling computer model in the world.
The Mac was back.
Dragon #2: The iPod
One of the things Apple had occasionally done to increase the appeal of the Macintosh platform was to build its own applications to match the style of the Mac and show off its capabilities. With the Mac’s revival and the launch the new Mac OS X operating system in 2001, Apple resurrected the strategy of making some of its own software apps.
One of the apps that it decided to build was a software jukebox so that users could copy music CDs to their Macs and manage all of their music digitally. This was part of Jobs’ strategy of turning Apple into a digital lifestyle brand and the Mac into a personal media hub.
In the process of making the software that would become iTunes, the Apple team also decided to make it compatible with some of the new MP3 players that allowed users to carry some of their songs in the digital equivalent of a Sony Walkman. However, after looking at the various MP3 players, Apple decided that all of them were crap and decided to design its own player instead. That’s when the iPod was born.
The first iPod launched on October 23, 2001 with 5GB of storage and the promise of “1,000 songs in your pocket.” Initially, it was only compatible with Macs and Apple viewed it as an accessory to help increase the appeal of the Mac. But, Jobs quickly realized that the iPod had much broader appeal, and much bigger sales potential.
In 2003, Apple ported iTunes to Windows and sales of the iPod skyrocketed. By the end of 2004, Apple had sold over 8 million iPods and was the dominate force in the digital music player market. Despite this dominance, and the fact that Jobs had convinced the music industry to sell its songs through the iTunes store, there were still a lot of doubts at that point about whether Apple would continue to own this market. With new players coming from Sony, Rio, Creative, Dell, and (eventually) Microsoft, a lot of analysts expected Apple to fade into a niche player, just as it had done in the computer business. It never happened.
By 2009, the iPod accounted for over 70% market share in the digital music player business.
Dragon #3: The Apple Store
When Apple launched the iPod in the fall of 2001, it was a bold and risky move. The company had never had a hit product outside of its computer line, other than companion printers for its computers. Apple was investing a lot in the iPod, and was initially counting on it to help drive a lot of Mac sales.
But, before Apple even launched the iPod, Jobs had already made an even riskier move. On May 19, 2001, Apple opened the doors on its first two retail stores. Both were in malls - in Glendale, California (a suburb of Los Angeles) and Tysons Corner, Virginia (a suburb of Washington, D.C.). The Apple Store was born.
Virtually no one in the press or on Wall Street thought it was a good idea. Gateway and Dell had already tried retail stores and completely flamed out. Microsoft had opened a tech lifestyle store called “microsoftSF” at the Metreon in San Francisco in 1999. Despite its prime location next to the Moscone Convention Center and in the heart of San Francisco’s tech community, it was a flop, too.
David Goldstein, a retail consultant writing for TheStreet.com, stated, “It’s desperation time in Cupertino, California. I give [Apple] two years before they’re turning out the lights on a very painful and expensive mistake.”
A funny thing happened with the Apple Store, though: Customers showed up. Apple designed the stores to be high-touch and low-pressure. There was lots of light and open space and people could wander in and try out Apple products and accessories, get help with Mac hardware and software problems, and take classes on how to do new stuff with their Macs.
When Jobs first opened the Apple Store in 2001, Macintosh market share was hovering around 2% of the personal computer market. By 2010, Mac market share had risen to 10% (although some tracking services claim Mac market share is actually only about 5%).
Even beyond the raw market share gains for Mac, the Apple Stores were a runaway financial success. By the beginning of 2010, there were over 200 Apple Stores in 10 countries. In 2007, Fortune declared Apple the most profitable retailer in America. Apple’s Regent Street store was called the most profitable in London in 2009. And, in the heart of the retail capital of the world, the Fifth Avenue Apple Store in New York City was called the highest grossing retailer in Manhattan by Bloomberg.
The most impressive statistic for the Apple Store may be that, in the brutal world of retail, the company has never had to shut down a single store.
Dragon #4: The iPhone
The successful risks that Apple took with the iPod and its retail stores emboldened Jobs and Co. to take another swing for the fences in 2007. At the Macworld Expo in January that year, Steve walked on to the stage for his annual keynote and told the audience, “We’re going to make to some history together today.”
In a career marked by effective salesmanship, the Macworld 2007 keynote was Jobs at his most persuasive. It also didn’t hurt that he had an innovative product to show off.
Thirty minutes into the keynote Jobs paused momentarily and said, “This is a day I’ve been looking forward to for two and half years. Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything… [You're] very fortunate if you get to work on just one of these in your career. Apple’s been very fortunate. It’s been able to introduce a few of these into the world. In 1984, we introduced the Macintosh. It didn’t just change Apple. It changed the whole computer industry. In 2001, we introduced the first iPod, and it didn’t just change the way we all listen to music, it changed the entire music industry.
“Well, today, we’re introducing three revolutionary products of this class. The first one is a widescreen iPod with touch controls. The second is a revolutionary mobile phone. And, the third is a breakthrough Internet communications device… These are not three separate devices. This is one device, and we are calling it ‘iPhone.’ Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone.”
In 2007, smartphones were primarily business tools deployed by corporate IT departments. They allowed professionals to check their email from their smartphones at all times. Most of these phones also had some limited Web browsing capabilities, but page loads were slow and reading Web sites on 320×240 screens was not pleasant.
The other problem with the smartphones of the time was that they were difficult to use. The Palm Treo, the BlackBerry, and the various Windows Mobile devices all had a fairly steep learning curve. For consumers buying smartphones at retail locations, there were reports of up to a 50% return rate, simply because people couldn’t figure out how to use them.
With the iPhone, Apple wanted to solve two problems. First, it wanted to make smartphones much easier to use, and second, it wanted to make the smartphone a legitimate Web browsing device. With its touch-based interface, the iPhone hit it out of the park on the first goal. From the first day it hit the market (June 30, 2007), the iPhone was the easiest smartphone to use. Many competitors have emulated it since then, but it arguably remains the most simple UI to navigate, especially for new users.
In terms of its goal of putting the full Web browser in the palm of your hand, the first iPhone arguably did succeed in offering the first fully functional and readable Web browser, mostly because of its pinch-to-zoom UI. However, this was negated by the fact that the first iPhone did not have 3G connectivity. So, even though the browser worked well, the Web browsing experience was painfully slow unless you were on Wi-Fi.
The other problem with the first generation iPhone was that it wasn’t very useful, especially for business professionals. It did not have the email functionality of the BlackBerry or the Treo, and it didn’t have a lot of applications to take advantage of the easy new UI. As a result, a lot of executives and IT departments wrote it off as a toy - mostly just a fancy iPod with a phone in it.
Apple stepped up its game with the second generation iPhone, giving it 3G functionality, Exchange ActiveSync support, better security features for businesses, and opening it up to third-party applications. Then, the third generation iPhone mostly pumped up the internal horsepower of the device.
By the end of 2009, U.S. market share for the iPhone climbed to 30% in a growing smartphone market crowded with a lot of players. Meanwhile, iPhone’s global market share grew to 17% in 2009.
However, the biggest victory for the iPhone has been its application ecosystem, which has attracted the most software developers and the most application installs. After opening the doors of its App Store in the summer of 2008, the App Store served its billionth download nine months later on April 23, 2009. Five months later on September 28, 2009, it served its two billionth download. A little over three months later on January 5, 2010, the App Store served its three billionth download.
Dragon #5: The Tablet
Long before Apple released the iPhone, there were rumors that the company was developing a tablet computer. Part of that was due to the PDA legacy with the Apple Newton and part of it was due to expected competition with Microsoft’s Tablet PC.
However, an Apple Tablet never appeared. Some of the technology that was rumored to be in the tablet, such as the multi-touch UI, eventually showed up in the iPhone. Nevertheless, the rumors of an Apple Tablet continued even after the iPhone was released. On the heels of one tablet rumor, I remember having a detailed conversation with Macworld Editor in Chief Jason Snell in the summer of 2008 about what an Apple Tablet might entail and why anybody would want one.
In 2009, the rumors of an impending Apple Tablet started to heat up. There was a report in March that Apple had ordered a bunch of 10-inch touchscreens. There were rumors in July that PA Semi, which Apple had acquired in 2008, was building the chips for the Apple Tablet. Then came the rumor in August from The Wall Street Journal that Jobs, who had just returned to Apple after a brush with death and a liver transplant, was spending nearly all of his time and energy on the development of a new touchscreen tablet. Oh, and in September, Apple hired back an original developer from the Newton team.
Ever since The Wall Street Journal article, most analysts, journalists, and observers in the tech industry have assumed that an Apple Tablet was coming. The main question was the timing.
The other big question centered around what the purpose of the tablet would be. Would it just be a big-screen iPhone or iPod Touch? Would it be a Mac laptop with a multi-touch screen and no keyboard? Would it be an e-reader? Would it be gaming platform (after all, games are a big part of the App Store)?
Ask five tech industry experts about the Apple Tablet and you’re likely to get at least six different answers. Still the general consensus is the Applet Tablet will be a personal media device and it’s primary function will be consuming digital content in various forms - text, audio, video, and a new breed of multimedia mashups.
The most revolutionary aspect of this device is that it could usher in a new era of interactive reading that would change books, newspapers, and magazines forever. As we heard Jobs say in his 2007 iPhone presentation, he loves to create products that can revolutionize industries, and a big swing for the fences like this one would be right up his alley.
It’s no secret that these are all industries that are desperately struggling to adapt their business models to the digital age. If Jobs could provide a new platform for them to do it and bring the masses a 21st century reading experience in the process, it would rank as another major conquest in Jobs’ prolific career.
Apple has reportedly been wooing content partners for months. Some have even posted their concepts for tablet-based content. Sport Illustrated offered a video of what its digital future could look like, and Ray Kurzweil’s Blio eReader software provides a glimpse of what the future of interactive e-books could be.
Recently, Steve Jobs reportedly said, “This will be the most important thing I’ve ever done.”
Coming from him, that says a lot. For that reason, it’s also a tall order. Does he have it in him to slay another dragon?
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I hope all of us got to learn something from his ups and downs....... This article is dedicated to Madhuri since its was her who gave this idea.. Of all the CEOs we can see in the industry, its his life thats very different and from whom we can learn a lot........ I hope you all enjoyed this article.....
Five rules for protecting Windows with antivirus software
The best rules of thumb for virus protection on MS Windows are the same as they have been for years. By Chad Perrin and some content added by me too.. Good antivirus software is a critical part of any Microsoft Windows system that communicates with other computers, particularly if it is connected to the Internet and deals with browser, email, or instant messenger traffic. It seems like everybody has his or her favorite antivirus solution and it is different from everyone else’s. For personal desktop systems, however, there are some rules of thumb that seem to be fairly universal among security experts:
Install your AV software before connecting to the Internet. Any MS Windows computer should have antivirus software installed before connecting to the Internet. I have seen malware insinuate itself onto a computer in less time than it took to download antivirus software to use on the computer. If you have not seen that, and you use that as evidence you do not need to worry about antivirus until after you have opened a browser and navigated to a Website where you can download AV software, you are just playing Russian roulette with your computer’s security.
Don’t use default AV software. Norton and McAfee, once among the most trusted brands for home antivirus, have taken significant damage to their reputations. These days, most home desktop security experts recommend that any computer that comes with either of these brands of antivirus software get something else installed instead, as quickly as possible. Regardless of what you think of Trend Micro’s enterprise antivirus offerings, the free AV software from Trend Micro that comes with some new computers has never been regarded by many as good enough on its own. In general, the “free” antivirus software you get with your computer will come from a big-name vendor that has more money for marketing than any of the others, and is not the best option for your purposes.
Get AV with a real-time scanner. You need an on-access, real-time scanner to ensure that some of the most common infection vectors for viruses and worms are checked “live”, to prevent an infection from spreading when your computer first encounters the virus or worm. Real-time scanning can be a real burden on system performance, and there may be times when you will want to turn it off to get your performance back, but be very careful about that. Browsing the Web and checking email are not the times to turn off your antivirus real-time scanner for extra performance.
Perform regular full-system scans. A real-time scanner is not enough. You should also make sure you perform full-system scans often, and automate the process with a scheduled nightly scan if possible. Real-time scanners only detect an incoming virus before it infects your system if it happens to pass through a point of access that the scanner can effectively protect, and even then sometimes something might get through before there is a virus signature available for your AV software.
Don’t use two AV programs. Using two antivirus programs at the same time is just asking for trouble. Whether it is because their real-time scanners fight over access and between the two of them can slow your computer to a crawl, or because one might misidentify virus signature files maintained by the other as actual virus infections, many problems can crop up that make using two desktop antivirus applications effectively incompatible with each other.
My approach for a long time has been something like the following:
Get any installers downloaded from an already protected computer, and burn them to a CD.
Make sure the MS Windows computer is not yet connected to the network.
Remove any antivirus software that may have come with it.
Install AVG Free or Avast, configure it to my liking, and make sure real-time scanning is turned on. Run a complete system scan, just to be safe.
Install ClamWin, and configure it to run a complete system scan at a scheduled time once a day or once a week (depending on my expected usage habits with this computer) at a time when I’m unlikely to need to use the computer.
I know I just broke Rule Number 5: Don’t use two AV programs. I have found, however, that AVG Free and ClamWin tend to play nicely with each other, a rare trait in modern antivirus applications.
But if you try to use ClamWin and Avast together then its gonna create a problem.. People with huge RAM can try it out but if you're haiving lesser RAM capacity then go for AVG or els any one program.. Avast itself takes a lot of memory since it runs many features like network shield, email scanner and many more... So, there are lot of chances that it'lll not give enough chance to the other antivirus that you've installed, to do its work.. It'll just result in hanging of your system or it getting too slow... Avast has got one more feature that according to me as well as this author is very important, its the real-time scanner.. I've seen avast blocking many attacks very regularly on my laptop... Moreover most vendors provide an PC scanner seperately and Internet security scanner seperately.. But avast has both in it... Its kind of a All-in-one program.. But remember, if you wanna use it, then you better have patience..... It scans very very slowly....
Because no antivirus software is perfect, the fact there are two AV applications that can be used to provide simultaneous coverage is a significant advantage in the battle against infection.
Of course, part of the reason they play well together is the lack of real-time canning provided by ClamWin, which is the well-known ClamAV software used for virus scanning on many Linux and Unix-based mail servers. As the ClamWin site explains it:
Please note that ClamWin Free Antivirus does not include an on-access real-time scanner. You need to manually scan a file in order to detect a virus or spyware.
I (the author) use AVG for its real-time scanner, and delegate periodic scanning to ClamWin. Every now and then, I’ll run a full system scan using AVG as well, when I know the computer is not going to be busy for a while and the ClamWin scan is not scheduled to run at the same time.
Other factors can play a role in protecting against virus infection, of course. A good firewall; good user practices when browsing the Web, checking email, or downloading files; and even MS Windows User Account Control can help sometimes — though the dubious benefits of UAC may be more trouble than they are worth.
Do not let all the hype about improving security in Microsoft Windows lull you into a false sense of security, in any case. Microsoft still neglects virus and worm exploitable vulnerabilities, default settings are still not what they could be, the fundamental architecture of MS Windows is still far from well armored against infection, and the behavior of the user is still one of the most important factors in determining how likely the system is to get infected.
I hope it was useful........... Any questions related to anti-virus softwares or how to deal with any viruses are welcome.... It happens to be my favorite area... And i have an anti-virus of my own,,,, Well, its under development actually... Currently halted due to reasons i dont wanna explain....... Anyway....... Fire away your doubts if you have any..........
Its time for me to sleep guys.................. Im sleepy...... Cant wait to come back again..........
Bubyeeeeeeeeeee till thennnnnnnnnnnnnnnn........... :-)
The handy TweakUI PowerToy can help you overcome a variety of Windows XP annoyances and limitations and lets you create an environment that suits your working style.
In the recent article 10+ PowerToys that can expand your control of Windows XP, we shared a list of feature-enhancing XP utilities. Among them was TweakUI, which deserves some special attention due to its sheer scope. From helping you customize Internet Explorer to controlling how the command prompt behaves, TweakUI includes dozens of features that often go unnoticed but that can be real timesavers. In this article, I’ll tell you about my 10 favorite TweakUI capabilities. Some are on my list because they make my life easier, while others are useful in the work environment.
1: Control panel control
The Control Panel Extensions element in TweakUI allows you to selectively enable and disable the display of individual Control Panel applets. This is useful when you want to allow users to retain relatively significant control over their desktops but want to limit some of the damage they can do on their own. Disabling Control Panel applets in this way only turns off the display of those applets. They are still available through other means, but not through the Control Panel itself. Figure A shows this tool in action. Figure B shows the results of disabling Control Panel access to the Main Control Panel applet, which allows access to the mouse and keyboard control items.
Figure A
The Control Panel Extensions TweakUI tool
Figure B
The Mouse and Keyboard aren’t shown.
2: Autologon
TweakUI’s popular Autologon tool (Figure C) lets you log on to the desktop as any user. This capability is useful for standalone, task-specific workstations, such as e-mail kiosks or computers connected to public information displays. In most cases, you want these services to automatically recover after incidents such as power outages or even simple reboots, and Autologon helps make that possible. Of course, inappropriate use of Autologon can also be a huge security issue, so do be careful with it.
Figure C
The Autologon configuration screen
3: Taskbar and Start Menu options
For me, few things are more annoying than the constant barrage of balloon tips that clutter the bottom of my desktop. Worse, each one demands attention, thus taking me away from the task at hand. Luckily, TweakUI can eliminate the interruptions through the use of the tool’s Taskbar and Start Menu configuration options (Figure D). They enable you to disable balloon tips and taskbar notification icons. Expanding the selection adds more options, including a feature that allows the customized grouping of taskbar application buttons. The Start Menu item provides options for allowing or disallowing specific applications on the More Frequently Used Programs section of the Start menu.
Figure D
Taskbar and Start Menu options
4: Preventing apps from stealing focus
I really dislike it when I’m working on a project and another application decides to come between me and my work by stealing focus for itself. I’d much rather just receive notification that another application wants my attention and be able to address the notification when it’s convenient for me. As you might have guessed, Tweak UI has an app for that. The TweakUI General | Focus option (Figure E) lets you keep your focus where you want it. By default, this option will force Windows to flash the would-be thief’s taskbar icon three times to notify you that the app wants something.
Figure E
Keep the application focus where you want it.
5: Alt + Tab application selection
I tend to work with many applications simultaneously and often have many windows open for each one — so it’s possible that I have dozens of windows open at the same time. The Alt + Tab window can sometimes be limiting, since it shows only a few windows before requiring me to scroll. With monitors today larger than ever, there’s no reason why the Alt + Tab window can’t be expanded to show more rows and columns. On the General | Alt+Tab page (Figure F), you can choose the number of rows and columns you want to display when you browse through the open applications list.
Figure F
Decide how large you want the application selection window.
6: Windows Explorer customizations
Pretty much every aspect of my desktop is customized in some way. From specific items on the Start menu to customized icons in my system tray, I like things to be easily accessible… for me. I doubt that I’m unusual in my desire to customize my computing environment to suit my tastes, and it looks like the creators of TweakUI understood this desire and built some customization features into the tool. These features can also be used by corporate IT to lock down the desktop computing environment.
As you can see in Figure G, TweakUI offers quite a few options that can be used to simplify and customize various aspects of the desktop. For instance, you can decide exactly what will appear on the Start menu, how thumbnails will appear (with or without a little arrow), and a whole lot more.
Figure G
Customize Windows Explorer.
7: Centralized Autoplay options
Depending on the system, Autoplay can sometimes be a problem. Or you may just want to control what happens when, such as when you or one of your users inserts a music CD. With TweakUI, you can, from a central location on each system, decide on which drives Autoplay should be allowed (Figure H) and what actions should be taken for each specific Autoplay handler, such as copying music from a CD or playing a DVD (Figure I).
Figure H
On which drives should Autoplay be enabled?
Figure I
Configure how specific Autoplay actions take place.
8: Desktop icons
A few default icons can be placed on the desktop: Internet Explorer, My Computer, My Documents, My Network Places, and the Recycle Bin. TweakUI lets you decide which, if any, of these icons should be displayed there (Figure J). You can also decide which icon — My Documents or My Computer — should appear first in order on a particular desktop.
Figure J
Decide which icons should appear on the desktop.
9: Command prompt customization
No matter how good the GUI gets, the command prompt is, and probably always will be, a key component for most Windows administrators. From time to time, even users may need to use the command prompt. TweakUI includes a number of command prompt customization options, such as defining which keys to use for filename and directory completion. Figure K shows TweakUI’s command prompt customization options.
Figure K
Configure command prompt completion options.
10: Centralized control of local access control options
Many IT departments opt to use Group Policy to control certain rights at the client level, but TweakUI also provides significant capability in this area. By configuring TweakUI’s Access Control options (Figure L), you can control such items as which users are allowed to manage file shares and printer shares and who can connect to administrative shares and access performance counters. When you choose one of these items in TweakUI’s Access Control window, you can use the Change button to select which user accounts can perform the selected action.
Figure L
Manage access control options.
As im caught up with my own work right now, i couldn find time to use this tool myself to tell you my own experiences...... But soon i'll be able to post my own experiences and opinions........
Till then enjoy with this................... This is the knowledge that'll help you in future when you do ur projects guys..... Textbook's not gonna put more research content into your brains...... So change yourself that way from now onwards..........
If you have a little extra time on your hands — or if one of your New Year’s resolutions is to become a more well-rounded IT pro — check out this recommended reading list. By Greg Shultz
As an IT professional, chances are you read a lot. And, it’s a good bet that most of what you read consists of manuals and other technical books and articles directly related to your work. However, you really owe it to yourself read other types of IT-related books. For example, reading nonfiction IT-related books can help you gain different perspectives on the industry, while reading fictional books about IT will allow you to relax and enjoy the industry. So as we get ready to close the book (pun intended) on the first decade of the 2000s, I thought I would compile a list of 10 books I think every IT pro should read. Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.
Information Technology and the Corrosion of Competitive Advantage by Nicholas Carr
Every institution on the planet relies on information technology in some shape or form. It is the lifeblood of business and it provides most TechRepublic readers with a solid way to make a living. But does it really make a difference? In this thought-provoking look at the IT industry, the author challenges us to examine the role IT plays in the overall success of business. I highly recommend that everyone in IT pick up this book, no matter what your job is. Everyone from the support specialist to the CIO will find it worth their time to read Carr’s analyses.
by Bill Gates
Soon after Windows 95 radically changed computerdom as we knew it back then, Bill Gates released The Road Ahead, in which he examined the personal computing revolution and how it was to play out in a future being paved by the information superhighway of the Internet. There are two editions of this book. The first was published in December 1995 and the second was published in October 1996. The second edition was put together so soon because Gates realized that the Internet was changing the world faster than he had originally theorized in the first edition, and he wanted the book to be as accurate as it was innovative.
While companion CDs are pretty common these days, The Road Ahead was one of the first books I remember purchasing that came with one. Not only does the CD contain the text of the book and supplemental information, but it also includes a couple of video shorts - mini-dramas that provide a look into how the technology discussed in the book would play out in the future. For example, a mother and son take advantage of home-based technology, such as information appliances and interactive TV. In another, a pair of Seattle police detectives uses video conferencing, mobile communications, and electronic wallets. When the boy from the earlier video goes to school, we see all sorts of electronic gadgets being used in education, such as tablet PCs and digital whiteboards.
Even though this book is relatively old, it is still a good read. It offers an interesting perspective of the man who, back then, recognized the path technology was on and steered Microsoft in that direction.
The Breakneck Race to Create Windows NT and the Next Generation at Microsoft by G. Pascal Zachary
If you’ve been in IT for a while, you remember when Windows NT 3.1 was released in July 1993 and how, as the first fully 32-bit version of Windows, it began to change the world of IT professionals. At the time, this operating system was revolutionary for a number of reasons, including the fact that it was processor-independent, provided a full preemptive multitasking kernel, featured a new file system called NTFS, and possessed many other innovative technological advances.
To create a new version of Windows from the ground up, Microsoft hired Dave Cutler, from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), and tasked the creator of the VMS operating system for the VAX superminicomputer with picking up the pieces of what was being developed as OS/2 3.0 and transform it into what would become the foundation for today’s Windows 7.
In this fascinating story, you get a rare and detailed look at the day-to-day machinations that went on inside the walls of Microsoft as the powerful and intelligent Cutler orchestrated the development of the most complex OS ever created for the PC.
How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It by Steve Wozniak
Everyone knows that Steve Jobs is now the leading force at Apple, but he didn’t get there by himself. Back in 1976, Jobs and his business partner, Steve Wozniak, formed Apple Computer and began work on the Apple I, which when released was essentially a circuit board containing about 30 chips. To this circuit board, end users had to connect a power supply, keyboard, and a standard television to get a working system. Using a keyboard for input and a television for output made the Apple I stand out from the competition. For example, the Altair 8800 used toggle switches for input and colored indicator lights for output.
In this book, Wozniak presents the story of his early years and his fascination with emerging computer technology and how he teamed up with Steve Jobs and created the first modern computer. Not only does the book provide an interesting, yet quirky, historical perspective on the beginnings of Apple, but it is filled with wonderful techy anecdotes, old photos, and even a glossary of computer terms.
Even if you’re not an Apple fan, this book is a fun read.
Tracking a Spy through the Maze of Computer Espionage by Cliff Stoll
Back in 1986, an astronomer named Cliff Stoll took a job as a computer operator at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories when his grant money ran out. He stumbled upon and began tracking an unauthorized user through a maze of networks that included hacking into computers at universities, defense contractors, and military bases. Stoll eventually uncovered an international spy ring that was hacking into these computers, seeking out U.S. intelligence, and selling it to the KGB.
As a methodical scientist, Stoll began keeping a daily log book in which he documented the hacker’s movements and methods. To add credibility to what he was witnessing, he set up traps, such as making sure that the hacker had access to the Lawrence Berkeley network where a teletype printer recorded everything the hacker typed and setting up a honeypot in the guise of a fake Strategic Defense Initiative account filled with fake documents that would keep the hacker involved long enough to backtrack the connection to its origin. The investigation lasted close to a year and involved a multitude of federal agencies, including the the FBI, CIA, NSA, and Air Force OSI.
Based on his experiences and vividly recounted with the aid of his detailed logs, this book documents an incredible true story of international computer espionage that is both educational and entertaining.
An Eternal Golden Braid by Doug Hofstadter
A deep exploration of the workings of the human mind, using as examples the works of logician Kurt Gödel, artist M. C. Escher, and composer Johann Sebastian Bach, this book provides a philosophical outlook on how life, thoughts, and technology are all linked together. There are so many different and fascinating ideas presented in this book, along with wonderful illustrations, charts, diagrams, and complex formulas, that reading it is like exploring a foreign yet familiar land.
It is a captivating book, but because of its heavy subject matter, I found it best read it in small chunks over time.
by David Vise and Mark Malseed
Over the years, we’ve all picked up bits and pieces of the history behind Google’s rise and its brilliant cofounders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. But in this book, which was updated for Google’s 10th birthday, we get the real inside story, because the authors were allowed seemingly unfettered access to historical documents and people at Google — including Page and Brin.
They present a unique perspective on the people behind the scenes as you learn about the company’s milestone events, such as the arrival of the first investor, the development of the Googleplex campus, the origins of keyword-targeted Web ads, the IPO, new product developments, and much more. Along the way, you’ll learn a lot about how the search business works and much more about Google’s plans for expansion of its searchable database.
How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams
By now, everyone is familiar with Wikipedia — the massive collaborative effort aimed at providing the world with an encyclopedic source of information about everything. Thousands of people contribute to Wikipedia on a regular basis and it has become a terrific example of what can be accomplished when people use the world wide access of the Internet to work on a common goal.
This book explores how many companies have and can use mass collaboration and wikis to grow quickly and successfully. In fact, the book begins with the story of how Goldcorp CEO Rob McEwan learned of the success of the Linux open source initiative, realized that the closely guarded company secrets of mining for gold were no longer yielding viable results, and decided to share the company’s geological data on the Web along with the offer of $575,000 in prizes to those who could come up with the best way to find and extract gold on the company’s 55,000 acre mining facility. Suggestions based on the data poured in and out of the 55 new targets that were identified, 80% hit pay dirt.
Citing Goldcorp’s success as an example of Wikinomics, the authors go on to provide examples of other companies and describe in detail how these companies employed and harnessed collaborative efforts, or Wikinomics, to grow and be even more successful.
by Douglas Coupland
This is a thoroughly amusing story about a group of fictional characters working at Microsoft who feel that life at the company is like being in a feudalistic society, with Bill Gates as the lord and the employees as the serfs. As the story progresses, you learn more about each of the characters and how their lives are intertwined with each other, their products, and Microsoft.
Later, the group leaves Microsoft and Seattle and moves to the San Francisco where they start a new company. Living in California is different from Seattle, and you see the characters shed their Microserf skin and evolve in different ways.
by Tracy Kidder
We all know what a cutthroat business the PC industry is and that the extreme competition that exists between rival companies can also exist inside a company as employees vie for resources and power. This type of competition is more widely publicized nowadays, but it wasn’t invented by those in the PC industry. In The Soul of a New Machine, Kidder documents the internal turmoil that embroils two groups of Data General Corporation engineers tasked with developing a new a minicomputer that will go head-to-head with a new VAX computer from archrival Digital Equipment Corporation.
Along the way, we learn more about the lives of the engineers, most notably a fellow by the name of Tom West, and how he and his team beat out the other group and then have to prove themselves worthy as they grapple with such challenges as making sure that the new system is backward compatible with earlier systems, using new and untested technology, and relying on young team members fresh out of college.
Published in 1981 (incidentally the same year that the IBM PC made its debut), this book won a Pulitzer Prize.
What is your favorite IT-related book?
Of course, this list isn’t comprehensive, as there are hundreds of IT-related books out there. What’s missing from this collection? Tell me about your favorite IT-related book....... :-)
Which book are you gonna choose huhhhh????????????
IT career: What's hot (cloud computing) and what's not (tech certs)
The outlook on IT jobs for 2010 is dire or slightly positive, depending on which advisory group you listen to. The Hackett Group is advising companies to not hire back U.S. and European IT workers who have been laid off; instead they recommend filling any needs overseas. (The IT positions they are referring to are those that such as support and systems administration.)
On the good news side, a Goldman Sachs study predicts a 4 percent rise in IT spending in larger companies, which indicates some positive momentum. Surveys by IDC and Gartner also predict slight upticks in IT spending in 2010.
So the question is where is the spending going to concentrate in terms of hiring? Experts at tech placement firms are saying the demand for cloud-oriented tech experts is way up. And they are projecting a strong demand for network administrators, security managers, and systems engineers. Other promising areas are:
Software architects
Java and .NET/C++ developers
Quality assurance pros
Agile-capable developers
SAP consultants
And as I’ve mentioned many times, companies are going to be looking for people who are good (not just technical) thinkers, those who understand how IT can be integrated into business.
The outlook on certifications
The vast majority of tech certification categories show a decline in value (Web development certifications, in particular, plummeted last year), with the exception of two types:
Security certs which usually are required for work in banking, financial services, and other regulated industries. Specific security skills in demand include security auditing, e-discovery, vulnerability assessment, Cisco-CCNP, and Cisco Certified VoIP Professional certifications, given VoIP’s growing adoption in the midmarket.
The certifications that show the biggest gains in value are those that involve project and process management, such as certs from credentialed IT-business programs (e.g., IT for financial services, IT for heath care, etc.). Certifications that command some of the highest pay have ties to revenue, like the ITIL v3 Master and PMI certifications.
The top five certifications in terms of pay growth, according to Foote Partners, are:
IT Certified Architect (ITCA/OPenGroup)
Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
InfoSys Security Architecture Professional (ISSAP/CISSP)
Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Messaging (MCSA)
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
In the big picture, certs still make a difference in a tough hiring market. If a job comes down to two candidates, only one of whom has the cert, the candidate with the cert will usually get the job. Research shows, however, with the current economy, companies are less likely to underwrite certification pursuits for their existing IT employees.
Did you alll like it... Once again lets thank Toni Bowers for such a great article.... Come on guys,, No matter how many HR managers or Developers working at companies we ask.. None of then gives us a proper answer.. I would say that this article came as a ray of hope or solution to most of our doubts, if not all.. Its always very helpful to kick start our plans and career with a credible information... N this is just the source im sure everyone's been waiting for......... So, enjoyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy :-)
Come in people.... You have to comment and let me know whether you liked it or not.. Not only this but al the things im posting.. Only then i can make this place still better........ Hope you will......
