Computer Viruses - the basics

In its simplest terms a virus is a disruptive computer code period!
A computer virus almost always repeats itself and spreads by attaching itself to other files. Viruses can be made to host a number of harmful things on any computer from disrupting files to crashing networks. It can even be laying dormant, without you knowing it's there and then attack when least expect it, like right in the middle of downloading a large file or typing a long report.

It can even be made to open at a certain date, sitting like a timebomb until it's time arrives. As you can see it can be annoying at the very least.
I do not want go into all the different types of viruses here because there are so many and more are being made everyday in some dank basement by the Dark Lord.
However, since so many viruses came from unknowingly opening e-mails I would like to mention some basics here:

Never open e-mail attachments unless you know for sure who it's from and that it's safe.
Some mail programs will even ask if you trust the attachment and if you’re sure this you want to do. Your computer software can also scan attachments for viruses.
The danger is that when the attachment is opened the virus can attach itself to your hard drive and damage files. Not only that, it can search your saved e-mail addresses and send itself out to your friends, business partners and whoever is on the list, masking the message to look like a legitimate one from you. It will probably have an attachment too and when opened will infect other computers.

Many people like to download music, video, games or other programs from different sites. If it is a site you dealt with before and trust it may be safe ok, but if you’re not sure you can always run a virus scan on the download before installation. (You will need to check the anti-virus program that came with your system on procedures). This security measure is necessary because some downloads may contain virtues, spyware or adware – these last two can collect personal information, note your browsing habits and spam your e-mail with unwanted ads. Some software sites will offer a readme file that shows technical information on the download (if you like tech talk) as well as contact info.
The better sites that offer downloads will test and scan all there software programs before going online with it. As a last resort you can do an internet search for reviews on that particular company to see if others got burned.

This may sound scary to some but the fact is in this world anyone who owns a computer will have to look over there shoulders for hidden attacks when working with online.
That said there are some things should do to prevent viruses from attacking your computer:

* Download the latest virus definition lists ( files that tell your computer what to scan for) that's used for your anti-virus program.

* Check to see if your internet service provider has tools to stop viruses before they can reach your mailbox.

* Always back-up your computer on CD-R disks or other media in case you loose some or all your data.

* You can scan software for viruses before installing it. (See system manual for procedure)


* Set your security settings at the highest level.

* Check your web browser and e-mail settings.

Doing these things at least every week will help keep your computer up to date on Virus protection and running safely.

Computer Virus And Internet Worms Explained

Is your computer sluggish? It won't open programs and you can't get into anything? Well, maybe you have a sick computer. Just as people get ill from viruses, so do computers. When this happens, you need to have a computer technician look at the computer to re-format and get rid of the virus. If you know something about computers, you might be able to do this yourself.

What is a Virus?

A virus is a parasitic program written to intentionally enter a computer without the user's permission or knowledge. The word parasitic is used because a virus attaches to files or boot sectors and replicates itself, which allows it to spread. Though some viruses do little more than copy themselves, others can cause serious damage or affect program and system performance. A virus should never be assumed harmless or left on a system.

Types of viruses

Viruses are classified by the ways they infect computer systems:

1) Program: Executable program files such as those ending with the extensions .Com, .Exe, .Ovl, .Drv, .Sys, .Bin
2) Boot: Boot Record, Master Boot, FAT and Partition Table.
3) Multipartite: Both program and boot infector.

What is Trojan Horse?

Besides being a large wooden horse used in the Trojan war 2500 years ago (and more recently by Brad Pitt), a Trojan Horse or Trojan is a computer program that seems innocuous or harmless, but conceals another more nasty function. Generally a Trojan is contained in a part of program brought into your computer from an outside source - (e.g. floppy disk, CD, internet download, infected email). Trojans can be dangerous sometimes. For example a program may appear to be a computer game demo, but while you enjoy the game, it may be happily formatting your hard disk or emailing porn sites to everyone in your email address book.

Trojans are also used as a 'back door' or 'trap door' to sneak into a computer's operating system's information. An example is a program that pretends to be the system log-in program (such as you find in Windows NT/XP or Linux). When an unsuspecting user tries to log-in, the Trojan program captures the user-name & password. Then it may indicate a failed log-in attempt and exit to the real log-in program. The user may successfully log into the system next time, but by that time Trojan has also got enough details to log into the system.

Example Trojans

Notroj. This Trojan horse pretends to be a program that guards against Trojans. It's actually a time bomb that wipes out the hard disk after it's more than 70 percent full.

PWSteal.Refest A Trojan Horse that installs itself as a BHO (Browser Helper Object) for Internet Explorer and steals online banking information when it is submitted in web forms.

PWSteal.Likmet.A A Trojan horse that displays a fake MSN Messenger logon window and steals the password provided.

Run.me. This is a graphics program, which plays the Star Spangled Banner and displays the American Flag while it worms its way into the hard disk and erases the data on it.

What is Worm?

A Worm is a self-propagating program that works its way through a system or network (like the Internet), often causing damage. It does not require a host program to activate it. Someone has to insert a worm directly into network of interconnected computers where messages can be sent from one to another and data files and programs exchanged. An example is a local area network where each computer has its own files, programs operating systems and hard discs such as would be found in a university or corporate setting.

Example Worms

Alarm Clock Worm. A worm that reaches out through the network to an outgoing terminal (one equipped with a modem), and places wake-up calls to a list of users.

Worm Watcher. A special program which automatically takes steps to limit the size of a worm, or shut it down, it grows beyond a certain limit. The worm watcher also maintains a running log recording changes in the

Computer TV – Watch TV On The Computer

If you want to watch TV on the computer it can be fun and easy. There are many places on the Internet were you can get access to watch TV on computer. The most important thing is finding a site that provides the best quality TV channels.

Many site offer a wide variety of viewing choices, but be careful. Some companies charge you a monthly fee and don't offer as much variety as other Internet TV sites. I have by now checked out and tried just about every site on the web. Still PC Satellite TV for PC 2006 still comes out on top of all the other sites.

They offer the most variety of channels for you to watch TV on the computer. With over 2200 channels from around the world they offer sports, movies, weather reports and news. You can pick up TV stations from just about any country.

This means that you can watch TV on the computer and view broadcasts from stations from just about any country. The channels are categorized by country and then by the type of programming you prefer to watch TV on computer.

I can now enjoy watching sports from around the world. Before TV on the computer I could never view world soccer games. Now I can get them right at home on my PC. It is like having PC satellite TV dish in your home.

PC Satellite TV for PC 2006 has a one-time membership fee. This is great you have no reoccurring fees to worry about. I have had a membership now for over six months. I have defiantly gotten my moneys worth for watching TV on computer. It is fun to watch prime time TV in another country. Some of the channels out of the United Kingdom offer a wide variety of comedy and sports.

If you are just looking for a chance of pace for your TV viewing this may be something you may want try. People have been watching TV on computer for many years and it is now just starting to become extremely popular now. This is because of the improved quality and speed at witch your TV on the computer is transmitted.

You can browse the Internet and look at different companies that offer packages. You will find as I have that PC Satellite for PC 2006 still rates the number one site. If you would like to check out there web page you can click on the link at the top of my website.

Please visit some of my sites PC Satellite TV and PC Internet TV

Computer Support – MSConfig

The computer. The thing we all love to hate. It does so many important things for us, yet also causes some of our biggest headaches. There is always something that needs to be fixed or optimized, no matter what we do it seems. No matter how well they invent new technology, something still breaks down.

And when it does, you end up calling tech support where either you or the technician is bound to feel stupid at some point. Believe me, it’s the technician in many cases, so don’t feel bad.

In this article, I am going to go over one of the most common computer problems and how to fix it without calling a computer support technician, or your Uncle Bob’s third cousin’s friend, who knows a lot about computers.

Let’s start at the beginning. Booting up, that (for some of us) long process where your computer comes to life. I read a book that explains computers pretty well. In it, the author said that when a computer gets turned on it’s as if every time you woke up, you had to make sure you still had 10 fingers, 10 toes, two eyes, two arms, etc.

That is exactly what a computer does as it boots up and starts the operating system. It uses the registry to examine itself to see if anything it remembers having is not there anymore. So look at the registry as the brain. I do not recommend novice computer users doing anything in the registry. If you would not be comfortable performing your own lobotomy, then leave the registry alone.

Windows comes with tools built into the operating system that makes changes to the registry for you. One of these you should get to know well is msconfig. Every program you download had someone programming it that believes you cannot live without his or her software program running all the time and starting up every time you start your computer.

For almost all software, this is not the case. You can live without his or her program running constantly on your computer. Even Microsoft office and Corel office install themselves into your startup process. They must have thought while writing that program, that everyone will be using their product as soon as they boot up so let’s tell the computer to go ahead and do that for them,.

Go to start, the little button in the lower left hand side of your computer, in most instances. Now click on run. Type in “msconfig”. You will see several options. Normal startup, Diagnostic startup, and Selective startup. We are going to be selective today and from now on, so click selective.

Now on the tabs at the top, choose startup. You will see all the programs that startup when your computer boots up. Some of these are necessary and some are not. If you are unsure what something is, do not remove the check by it. I’ll tell you how to figure that out in a minute.

Some things you will see that need to stay in are “load power profile”, “scanregistry”, “taskmonitor”, “system tray”, and “hotkeyscommands”.

You can leave those in. Now to the right you will see paths to where the programs are and most will provide a clue as to what they are for. Pretty much anything to do with your Internet connection, your printer, your mouse, or other items you know you need should stay checked. Anything to do with your virus program should be left alone as well.

Others like schedulers you don’t use, QuickTime or quicktask, MSN messenger, Yahoo pager, RealPlayer, Quickview, search anything, Microsoft Office, Corel Office, etc. can be unchecked. Microsoft and Corel Office will work just fine when you go to use them without having them in your startup menu.

The same goes for the other programs. They do not need to be running until you decide you need them. Once you begin to take control of your computer and learn what makes it tick, the less you will depend on those long tech support calls.

Once you have unchecked all of the programs you know for sure do not need to be there, hit “apply”, then “ok”. It will tell you that you need to reboot. So go ahead and do that after you save this article or bookmark it so you can see what to do next.

After you reboot, you will get a popup that says something like, “OH MY GOD! You have chosen to change some settings! Are you sure?! Make sure you check the box that says don’t show me this dramatic popup anymore, then close that.

Go back to “start”, “run”, type msconfig again. Go back to the tab at the top that says “startup.” If there is anything you were not sure of that you wish to remove, go ahead, but only pick one! Important, only pick one, then reboot to see if that one caused you any problems. If it does, then you simply go back to msconfig, check the box back again and reboot again. You can repeat this for each of the ones you were not sure about removing.

I hope I have saved you at least one computer tech support call with this article. Your computer should now run a little faster and you know what to do every time you download a new program. Go see if it installed itself into the startup folder and remove it if you do not need it at startup. Happy computing!

Computer Speakers - which ones?

Few people think too long and hard about their computer speakers, instead preferring to just use the ones that came with their computers. These speakers are often built-in and poor quality, especially on laptop systems, and do not do justice to the very good sound quality that most computers are capable of producing.

The price range in computer speakers is even greater than that in other electronic products – you can pay anywhere from the price of a pair of headphones to as much as the computer itself cost you. It is natural, therefore, to be unsure of exactly what your money is getting you, which is where this article can hopefully be of some help.

Perhaps the most important thing you should look for when choosing your speakers is their maximum output power, which is measured in watts. This number tells you how good the speakers will sound at different volumes – while almost all speakers can sound good at low volumes, only ones with very high maximum output power will sound good at higher volumes. The higher the volume you plan to use, the more power you need.

Another important consideration is whether the speakers can produce either 5-speaker or 7-speaker surround sound, which makes a big difference over traditional 2-speaker systems. You should also check whether the speakers come with a subwoofer, which is a special loudspeaker for bass, allowing you to better hear the beat of your music. However, many people actually consider subwoofers undesirable, as they are so large and don’t always fit in well with a computer setup.

It is only really worth splashing out on speakers if you often use your computer for gaming or for playing music. If you do, then you might consider that there’s nothing to say so-called ‘computer’ speakers are only for computers – with a little imaginative wiring, you can also hook them up to televisions, games consoles, mp3 players, and all sorts of other things besides. This works in reverse, too, so if you already have a good pair of speakers, it should be relatively simple to connect them up to your computer and get some very good sound that way.

Computer Skills: Which Ones Your Staff Needs

Don't worry too much if you lack advanced technical computer skills. A lot of that can be remedied by just putting in a little bit of time each week in doing some self-study. In this article, you'll learn which computer skills are necessary to serve your sweet spot small business clients.

If It Works, Break It
You can do something as simple as getting a not-for-resale (NFR) copy of a product that you want to sell, install, and support and then working with the product in your lab. When you or one of your lead technicians or engineers has a spare half-hour to an hour, you can walk through the basic installations. Then, deliberately break the lab installations. Next, reinstall the software until you get more comfortable with the package.

Most of these products that you'll be installing for small businesses are very mature technologies. They're very wizard-driven, and at least for plain-vanilla configurations, they don't require tremendous levels of computer skills.

Installations Are Easier Now
Years ago, it was much more difficult to install the Novell small business suite or IBM equivalent, or the original 1997 Microsoft Small Business Server. But all of these companies, especially Microsoft, put a lot of money into making it easier for people who don't have advanced IT backgrounds and networking computer skills to install their small business server application suites.

In terms of your technical computer skills to service sweet spot clients, your staff needs to:
1. have good strong PC hardware skills
2. be able to handle a peer-to-peer setup
3. understand what TCP/IP is all about
4. know what POP3 and SMTP are
5. know how to work with basic SOHO routers

If your staff possesses the above skills, you're definitely at a good starting point to get started with at least the smaller sweet spot small businesses (10-20 PCs).

Share the knowledge among your employees
Make sure your staff members cross-train each other and you. This way, no one's ever “too knowledgeable” to the point where they can blackmail you, extract huge raises or huge bonuses, or walk away with your client base. You have to make sure your company's internal know-how or intellectual capital can't just get up and walk out the door to your biggest competitor.

The Bottom Line about Computer Skills
In this article you've learned about which technical computer skills are necessary to service your sweet spot clients.

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Computer skills: Which ones do your competitors have?

Computer skills are important for your virtual IT business. But with so many possible skills, which ones do you really need in your business? In this article, we'll address which computer skills your competitors may have so you know what you're up against.

Necessary Networking Platforms

Most of your competitors who are doing well with sweet spot clients know the following networking platforms:
· Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS)
· Novell Small Business Suite or just Novell NetWare
· Linux (generally RedHat)
· Mac OS

Some of the larger integrators in your markets that have several employees may go towards the higher end of this market. They'll start at about 25 to 50 PCs, and take on some larger small businesses where there are 50 to 100 systems. They also may take on some small, mid-size companies where there may be a range from 100 to 500 systems. These larger competitors will need to get involved in more sophisticated solutions than what you need to provide.

What Else Do Your Larger Competitors Have?

Your larger competitors will usually have some more advanced expertise on:

o Network Attached Storage (NAS)
o Storage Attached Networks (SANs)
o Complex security solutions
o CheckPoint firewalls
o Citrix Terminal Solutions
o Higher end Wi-Fi solutions
o Managed hardware

Remember though, such high-level advanced certifications are not critical until you start selling to a real IT manager at a larger small business.

What Do You Really Need?

For the sweet spot small businesses with 10 to 50 PCs, employing virtual IT staff that has one or two entry-level certifications and are working towards something like an MCSE is sufficient.

Solving Problems Makes Your Clients Happy

Usually your clients put more of a premium on problem-solving computer skills. Those clients want your company to know about their particular business industry and how you can apply IT to their business problems. That's what sweet spot clients tend to value even more strongly than pure technical computer skills and certifications.

The Bottom Line about Computer Skills

In this article, you've been introduced to which ones are the necessary computer skills in your computer consulting business. computer skills in your computer consulting business.

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Computer security and encryption becoming more vital

One of the greatest miscalculations a business owner can commit is by not prioritizing how he will protect his computer system from unauthorized intrusions and data theft.

There is a common belief among business owners especially those that do not operate a big business that their small size makes them safe from the malicious intent of computer phreakers and data thieves. They think that in a sea full of big fishes a small fish will be ignored, secure in the fact they are not worth the exertion and computer time for notorious data thieves.

Nothing can be farther from the truth. In fact, smaller businesses are far more vulnerable to internet security threats and all manner of data theft and electronic sabotage. Based on a study made by research firm AMI-Partners, almost half of all small and medium sized businesses have failed to implement even the most rudimentary security precautions – which includes the installation of antivirus and anti spyware programs. This oversight could be the main reason why when the Mydoom worm hit a few years back, one in three small and medium sized businesses were affected compared to just one in six among the larger companies were affected. This was discovered by the Internet Security Alliance, a non profit organization that deals with information security issues.

In fact, now more than ever data and network protection should be given more attention because of the ever evolving sophistication of data thieves. They are now more equipped with the software and hardware necessary to break into security measures instituted by data managers. What could the chance be for a company to weather an attack if the owner forgets or ignores putting in place data security and encryption policies for his business because he thinks it will just be an additional cost? Practically zero and the untold cost to his business would be far more greater.

It is for this reason that data security and encryption should be one of the priorities of a business. Anyone is vulnerable to an attack whether that business is an international conglomerate or a new start up. In fact, a big business will have more chance to recover compared to a small business because a big company will have the read funds available to rebuild the business. A small business, on the other hand, will not have the necessary funding to start the business all over again – making an attack quite catastrophic.

These facts are not lost on many software providers who are now coming up with many types of solutions that guarantee the safety of data in an office’s network. There are also software that bring security to a higher level by incorporating encryption technology in order to safeguard not only sensitive data but also to make it harder for hackers to get into networks or intercept data being transmitted from the corporate network to devices outside of the network. Encryption technology can, in fact, be seen as one of the highest levels of protection that a business can employ in order to ensure the integrity of its data and its computer network.

Computer Security: Threats and Solutions

When it comes to computer security, many of us live in a bubble of blissful ignorance. We might be vigilant and never open email attachments from people we don't know, we might take care to make sure an ecommerce site is secure before entering our credit card information, or we might even go so far as to install a standard firewall on our computers. Unfortunately, much of the common sense advice we follow when it comes to Internet security does little to combat the cyber-crime that is rampant.

Federal Trade Commission

Even the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, a governmental agency that is designed to help consumers, had to issue a press release stating that "consumers, including corporate and banking executives, appear to be targets of a bogus e-mail supposedly sent by the Federal Trade Commission but actually sent by third parties hoping to install spyware on computers."

There's little doubt that spyware, malware, and insidious virus attacks make any computer with Internet access vulnerable. But, because not all Internet security breaches are immediately apparent, people are often unaware that their seemingly hassle-free computing is anything but. The Federal Trade Commission offers seven guidelines to help consumer surf the Web safely:

1. Protect your personal information. For example, when shopping on an ecommerce site, make sure that the page where you enter your personal information is secure, as designated by "https" before the URL. It's important to stop identity theft before it starts.

2. Know before you click. For instance, many cyber-criminals impersonate legitimate businesses, or send "phishing" email that asks you to click a hyperlink. Check out online merchants and never click on emailed hyperlinks unless you're certain of the source.

3. Update anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall software often. Hackers and others who engage in cyber-crime seem to always be a step ahead of the good guys. If your computer protection is outdated, you're vulnerable.

4. Use Web browser and operating system security features. Make sure your browser settings give you optimal privacy and security, and ensure that you update your operating system regularly to take advantage of security patches.

5. Safeguard your passwords. For example, create a unique password for each site you visit, and keep them in a secure place. Use letter, number and symbol combinations that can outsmart automated password detection programs.

6. Always do backups. If your computer does get a virus or a worm, your files may be goners. Make sure to regularly back up any important files and store them in a secure place.

7. Prepare for emergencies. If something does go wrong, such as your computer being hacked or infected, or if you accidentally divulge personal information, know what courses of action you should take to remedy the situation and prevent further problems.

A Hassle-Free Solution

Protecting your computer from all of the threats in cyberspace can seem like full-time job. Thankfully, there are companies who make it their business to offer individuals and businesses the most technologically advanced computer security solutions available. The best of these services offer PC maintenance, full system optimization, problem diagnosis and repair, installation assistance, and a full complement of professionally managed security services. Typically, you pay a small monthly subscription fee and in turn can surf the Web knowing that your computer is locked down and that you'll never again have to stay abreast of the latest security software or lug your computer down to a high-priced repair center.

Computer Security – It’s Bigger than Spyware and Viruses

Computer security, in basic terms means keeping your computer and the data that’s in it safe and secure. More of our personal data is stored in or accessed from our computer, now more than ever before. Yet most people lack even the basic understanding of how to keep their computers safe and secure. By following just a few simple rules you can dramatically improve the overall security of your computer.

The first thing to understand is what exactly it means to be connected to the internet. Your computer connected to the internet is similar to your house in many ways. There are many ways into your house. Windows, doors, etc. The more windows and doors you have, the more ways someone has into your house. An open door doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to be robbed, but it does improve the chances. Complicating matters, the ones that you think are locked, may not be because the lock is faulty or even the door itself may have an as of yet undiscovered flaw that would allow an intruder easy access to your home.

Your computer has many windows and doors, not all of which are locked. New flaws are being found everyday, often with the fix not coming until days after. Just like you wouldn’t leave your front door unlocked, you shouldn’t leave your computer wide open either. The first two things we will discuss to help with this task are installation of a quality firewall and regularly updating your installed software.

Updating your software is becoming easier these days, especially your Operating System. We don’t have the time here to go into detail about the many ways to update the many software packages you may have or use, but generally speaking the software manufacturer will provide you a way to do this automatically via the internet. A good example of this is the Microsoft Windows Update feature. Be sure to get the updates for everything installed on your computer, nothing is too trivial.

There are two basic types of firewalls and both perform the same functions. One is hardware the other is software. A hardware firewall is probably included in your router if you are using one, while you may or may not have a software firewall installed. To continue our house analogy, a firewall is like building a wall and gate around your home and giving the guard at the gate instructions on who to let in and out. While this does give a great deal of protection, it is not all that is required. Someone may know a way around or under your wall, or even be able to coerce the guard into letting them in.

You yourself may unwittingly allow someone in. This could happen by simply opening an email or even simply surfing the net. Spyware, viruses, trojans and the like are ever more adept in their methods of fooling you and your guards. Emails may come from a trusted friend containing a dangerous virus without them even knowing it. This is where the next layer of protection comes in, anti-virus software.

Anti-virus software is a large category these days. Often these packages come as “suites” including a firewall and Spyware scanner. While most of these programs are very effective in their promised tasks, it is not wise to be lulled into a false sense of security by them. They are simply one layer in what should be a multi tiered protection plan for you and your computer. One last important note about anti virus software is to be sure that it updates on a regular basis. New threats come out daily so check its updates manually to be sure they have happened.

Back to our house analogy, we now have all of our windows, doors and other entry ways locked and fully updated. We have a wall around our house with a guard at the gate and we have software scanning everything that comes in past the gate. Sounds pretty good, but there’s one last security hole we need to address, you.

A large percentage of infections are caused by the computer user themselves. The internet is an ever changing place that requires it’s users to be educated about its use. I’m not suggesting that you need to be a computer expert to simply read your email. I am however suggesting that you take some time to educate yourself on some of the dangers that pop up everyday, and the precautions to take in order to avoid them.

In summary, your computer is a powerful machine connected to one of the greatest things ever invented, the internet. This vast resource can be a dangerous place if you are not properly prepared and informed. Regular software updates, a good firewall, anti virus software and a little education are the basics in computer security. Having and understanding these basics will make your computer safer, more secure and more enjoyable.

Computer Repair Is A Tricky Business

Computer is a combination of analog and digital device which is used to compute complex mathematical problems. It is basically a programmable electronic device which performs high speed mathematical and logical operations. The main function of computer is to perform repetitive procedures very quickly and reliably.

The computer can be broadly divided in two sections; one is hardware and the other is software. The hardware is made of electronic circuits and components while the software is the programs required to run the central processing unit or the CPU. Again the hardware is of four type i.e. CPU, input, output and memory device. Now a days looking at the vast uses of computer people are using computer at their offices and at homes for working as well as entertainment purposes.

As we all know that each and every electronic goods need repairing and computer is not excluded from that list. Whenever there is any troubleshoot in this whole procedure the computer seems to function improperly. As a result we need to repair our computer to make it function properly. It is very tedious to repair ones computer and beside that it is also time consuming if the problem is unknown by the repairer. But if anyone has sound information regarding computer repair then it would seem to be rather easier. There are several organizations with trained and qualified technicians to help you out whenever you have problem with your computer. There are also various computer selling organizations who give after sell repairing service completely at free of cost. While there are other computers organizations, which have good computer technicians, provide only repairing service. Each of these companies serves their clients with best technical services. There are also different books or guidelines to provide us various information regarding computer trouble shoot and how to repair them. There are also technical colleges and training institute for technicians to learn more about computer problems and their repairing.

There are computers of various brands such as IBM, HP, Compaq, Dell, Apple etc. in the market and they differ from each other in respect of hardware and software. Therefore their troubleshooting problems also differ from each other. So the technicians should know how to repair these different computers. A good computer technician is required to familiar with various operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, Linux, etc. A good technician must also know how to deal with different computer peripherals such as printers, scanners, fax machines, etc.

Here are few troubleshoots of computers which are very common. They are 1) Power Supply Failure, 2) Motherboard Troubleshooting, 3) Hard Drive Failure 4), CD and DVD Drive Troubleshooting, 5) Modem Failure, 6) Sound and Game Card Failure, 7) Peripheral Failure 8) Virus Threats and many more. At first the technician need to do a complete diagnostic checkup. Then he needs follow those Basic Computer Repairing rules to repair a troubleshooting computer successfully. Beside these computer requires regular update, virus cleaning and modifications. At last we can conclude that if computers are maintained and handled properly then we can prevent our computers from various troubleshoots as we all know that 'prevention is always better than cure'.

Computer Repair

Owing a computer is almost essential in today’s world. With the introduction of the internet and the convenience of email as a method of communication, it’s easy to see why most people want to have a computer in their home or office.

Computers are like anything else and there are times when they don’t operate as planned. It’s frustrating to be sitting at your desk ready to play a game or work on a document only to find that your computer isn’t being cooperative.

When it comes to computer repair it’s often wise to seek out professional help. A computer technician is specially trained to evaluate the problem and offer the best possible solution.

There are certain types of computer repair that you might want to undertake yourself. These are usually minor fixes that can be handled with a bit of instruction and attention to detail.

A computer repair that you might be able to take care of yourself is the replacement of the computer’s battery or fan. Every desktop computer has a fan inside of it. This fan is used to keep the computer’s components cool. It’s essential that the fan operates efficiently to ensure that the computer doesn’t become overheated.

The first sign that your computer’s fan might not be operating properly is that you’ll notice a different sound when you start or run your computer. Instead of immediately taking it to a computer repair shop, take a moment to test the fan.

Computers typically have two fans. One is used to cool the power supply and the other is used to cool the CPU. Open the cover of the computer and listen. If the sound does appear to be coming from the fan that cools the CPU you’ll want to replace it.

If the computer is still under warranty than this type of computer repair will be done free of charge. Follow the instructions you were given for repairs at the time of purchase. If the warranty period has elapsed you can either take it to a computer repair shop or do it yourself.

The very first and most important step when doing any computer repair is to unplug the computer from the electrical outlet. You’ll then need to examine the fan to see how it’s connected. It will probably be attached by a few small screws. Once these are loosened you’ll need to disconnect the fan from its power supply. This will be one or two small clips. Then take the fan to your computer repair shop and purchase a new one.

After replacing it, reattach the cover and plug the machine in. The fan should operate perfectly now and the noise that you were hearing will have disappeared.

Sometimes a computer will make noises because a piece of hardware isn’t attached properly. One of the likely culprits is the CD-Rom or DVD drive. Again for this type of computer repair, you’ll want to carefully remove the cover and listen for the source of the noise. After tightening the screws that hold the hardware in place and reattaching the cover, plug the machine in and listen if the offending noise is gone.

When it comes to computer repair it’s important to be safe and thorough. Computers are an expensive investment and keeping them running efficiently is crucial. If you are comfortable handling a small computer repair yourself, give it a try. If you’re not comfortable, take the machine to a local computer repair shop and allow the experts to do their job.

Computer Rental: Worth Your Money?

Is computer rental worth the money? Depending on the type of computer that you have a need for as well as the expenses that you plan to save, computer rental may or may not be the right road for you to go down. One thing is quite certain. That is, there are a number of companies out there right now wanting to provide you with the computer rental that you are after. They offer a wide range of products and services. But, is it worth spending your money on these computer rentals? Or, maybe you should just outright make the purchase?

The value of the computer rental is dependent on the need that you have as well as the overall need you expect to have down the road. It makes sense that if you only plan to use the computers for a few days or weeks that you should consider the computer rental industry. Often times it is important to have a large group of computers ready to go but you really have no need for them after a certain point. This happens and it just makes complete sense to use computer rental services.

If you plan to rent a computer for a continuous time period, then it may just be well worth it to actually make the purchase. For example, many individuals find that computer rental is a low cost option to purchasing and owning a computer. For personal use, though, it makes very little sense as you will likely be able to find a PC at a much lower cost in the long run.

Regardless of your need of computer rentals, it makes good sense to shop around for the right deal. And, it also makes sense to get the exact computer that you need as well as a back up service should you need that as well. Computer rental is something that many corporations need and therefore it is important for services out there to satisfy their customer’s demands. Computer rental services can be found throughout the web as well as in most local areas.

Computer Recycling – Switch To Environmental Friendly Mode

Computer recycling refers to the practice of salvaging useable components from obsolete electronic devices or safely disposing off electronic devices. It is a practice that each one of us must inculcate because inappropriate handling of discarded computers and other electronic devices can cause environmental hazards.

Studies estimate that over 40 million electronic pieces become obsolete annually. These pieces have constituents such as lead, cadmium, barium, and mercury, which are hazardous to the environment. In a landfill, these materials seep into the ground and then into our food and water supplies. This can cause serious health concerns over a long period.

Obsolete Computers: Environmental Threats
Obsolete computers that are simply dumped in the garbage drums are the biggest threat to the environment. The computer monitors have cathode ray tubes containing four to five pounds of lead that contaminates the environment acutely. Besides lead, the computers have many other hazardous elements such as mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium. When inhaled over a long period, these elements cause high blood pressure, liver and nerve disease, blood with poor iron, and even brain damage to the exposed group. This causes great concern, considering several million computers become obsolete annually.

Therefore, we must handle the obsolete electronic devices carefully. Moreover, different Environmental Laws have banned the illegal landfills by the disposals of computers and other electronic equipment. These laws necessitate sending the un-functional computers to a reputable recycler for harmless recycling. The laws also specify the need for regular recycling to avoid such computers from piling up.

There are several methods to deal with old computers. Some of them are as follows:

· Give It For Reuse: If your computer is in a decent condition, you can sell it to a company or an individual so that it can be used further, or simply donate it to someone needy.

· Trade It In: There are many computer dealers (e.g. HP) who offer trade-in promotions on computers and peripherals.

· Auction It: You can sell the computer on eBay or any other auction site. You can also organize a quick garage sale and see if any of your friends or neighbors wants the computer.

· Set up a Server: You can continue using the old computer as a server to store and share data.

· Salvage Some Parts: You can see which parts of your computers are in good working condition. You can salvage those parts and use them in your new computer.

Go for computer recycling and safe the planet earth!

Computer Printers - Cut Your Costs

When you buy a new computer it almost always comes with a free printer. The free printer is almost always an inkjet model. The printer manufacturer gives these to the computer manufacturer for a knock down price as a loss leader. What most people never consider is the cost of replacing the inkjet cartridges in a few weeks time, and on a monthly basis after that.

The actual laser printer has now fallen to a price where it is comparable to an inkjet printer, even for home use. Many families have 2 printers, an inkjet, for color work, and a laser as the default printer.

Even if you have to pay for a laser printer its running costs will work out a lot less than the free inkjet. Once people take the cost of ink into account a monotone laser printer is only about a third the annual costs of an inkjet. The best thing you can do is to set up your laser printer and the free inkjet. Make sure the laser machine is set as the default printer. Unplug the inkjet to prevent it being used unnecessarily.

What about refilling the inkjet cartridges? Forget it, the quality of the refilled is just unacceptable.

Remanufactured laser cartridges are worth considering, especially for every day and internal use like as an Internet printer. Laser toner cartridges are highly engineered for precision use. Yet many people just throw them away, rather than sending them away for re-use. Re-use is always less costly to our environment than recycling. Re-use involves replacing worn parts and refilling the cartridge with toner powder. Recycling involves, breaking up the cartridge and melting the various plastics down separately.

There are many companies offering this service and once you find one that provides quality remanufactured cartridges for your model of printer, you would be well advised to stick with that company. You can always find cheap, allegedly remanufactured laser cartridges, but these are just refilled and often have none of the worn components replaced.

Insist on a "money back if not satisfied" guarantee.

Computer Performance Not Up To Scratch?

Is your computer performing at the speed it's suppose to be? Is your computer throwing up odd messages that have no relevance to what you've got installed?

Chances are you haven't been maintaining it the way you should be. Common problems which users ask over and over again why their computer is slow or why does an application have problems locating certainly necessary files.

Common things to do involve de-fragmenting your computer hard drive and also clearing up temporary files which clog up your folders.

One particular item of administration that people often forget is Registry Cleaning.

For a more information see my article at www.opinview.com/Fixing_your_Windows_Registry.html

Computer News Articles-Computer running slow problems

Is your computer running slow? Does it take 15minutes to boot up? Computers can get people so frustrated when they don't do what you want them to do, computers that run slow are basically useless.

There are many reasons why computer run slow...

Spyware! What is it? What does it do to my computer?

A simple definition of Spyware: a general term used to describe software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent first.

Spyware is often associated with software that displays advertisements (called ad ware) or software that tracks personal or sensitive information. The most common type of spyware is pop up banners that never stop! You close them, and they keep returning. Im sure we have all had this problem once. Spyware in a nut shell, basically makes your computer run really slow. Once a computer is infected, the software usually uses your internet connection to download more.

Your computer 'Hardware' can be the problem!


This is probably not the problem with your computer, but it has to be mentioned because it could be the problem. After you have deleted the spyware and removed the virus you may have, if your computer still runs slow, then it is time to take your computer to a qualified technician to see if you are having hardware trouble. Check to see if you have at least 512meg of memory. This is the recommended ram specifications for windows Xp, some older systems have 256meg of memory and this is not enough if you run multiple programs. If you are running the new Windows Vista, i would recommend at least 1gig (1024meg) of ram.

Computer Hardware guide- Get all about Computer Hardware

Physical parts of computer come under the category of computer hardware. It can be changed once in a while in comparison with computer software. Normal users don’t see most computer hardware because it is enclosed as embedded systems. The term computer hardware is generally used for personal computers.

Internal computer hardware consists of motherboard having central processing unit and random access memory. Random access memory provides temporary storage of data where as CPU is used for doing all type of calculations. Second major component of computer hardware is Bus that is used to make common connection between several circuits. People can choose any type of buses as per their needs. Generally these are PCI bus, PCI-E or AGP bus, ISA bus that is outdated and UCB that is commonly used.

Computer can’t be run without power supply that is case including transformer, voltage control and fan. Computer hardware includes storage controllers that are helpful in controlling the hard disk, floppy disk, CD-ROM and other drives. These can be assembled on the motherboard or expansion card directly.

Video display controller is used to generate output for the computer display. Computer bus controllers are also come under computer hardware. These are used to connect computer to external peripheral devices like printers and scanners.

Sometimes computer hardware includes some removable media writers such as CD, CD-ROM Drive, CD Writer, DVD, DVD-ROM Drive, DVD writer, DVD-RAM Drive, Floppy disk and Zip drive. These are not permanently fixed in the computers and whenever you want you can remove them easily.

Tape drive, Internal storage and hard disk of the computer offers different levels of data storage like tape drive offers backup or long-term storage, Internal storage keeps the data safe inside the computer for later use while the hard disk offers medium-term storage of data. Sound card usually translates signals from the system board into analog voltage levels. It has terminals to plug in speakers.

If you want to connect your computer to other computer or Internet you require computer networking that helps you to communicate with other computers. Other networking hardware includes modem that is used for dial-up connection, and network card that is used for DSL/Cable Internet or connect to other computers.

Computer hardware includes internal as well as external components of a computer system. External components of computer hardware consist of some essential input/output devices such as keyboard, mouse and monitor. Other useful computer hardware components are speakers, headset, joystick, trackball, image scanner, microphone, etc.

Buyers should purchase computer hardware from a reliable source at reasonable prices. They can also find useful information about computer hardware on Internet. Several manufactures are currently selling their products online. Buyers can get heavy discounts by purchasing online.

Computer Hardware: Desktops and Notebooks and Handhelds - Oh My!

Computers have become ubiquitous in almost every facet of our lives. At work, desk jockeys spend hours in front of their desktops, while delivery people scan bar codes with handhelds and workers in the field stay in touch with the central office via their notebooks. At home, we rely on our desktops and notebooks to do our shopping, to entertain us, and to keep us abreast of world events. We may not see our email servers, but we count on them to deliver our email whenever and wherever we want it. Our PDAs keep track of our hectic schedules, our to-do lists, our contact lists, and even entertain us with games while we're waiting for an appointment or to board a plane. Computer hardware weaves itself through the fabric of our lives.

Even though computer hardware is central to almost everything we do, it's easy to lag behind in the advances made in both hardware and software. Desktops that are four or five years old, for example, become obsolete. You may be able to upgrade operating systems or buy computer add-ons to extend the life of your desktop, but at some point the software, applets, and plug-ins you need to get the most out of your computer simply won't support your old machine.

If it's time to get new computer hardware - whether desktops, notebooks, or PDAs - you'll be amazed at the computing power and the crisp displays that are available, as well as the incredible low prices. Take some time to shop around, and you'll soon discover that online computer hardware sources will save you money over traditional retail stores. When you think about it, it makes sense. According to logic, direct sales cut out the middleman and can pass along the savings to the consumer.

If you're in the market for new desktops, notebooks, or PDAs, there are a myriad of choices. Here's a rundown of some of the best systems available:

Desktops: First, you need to decide - as the advertising campaign so cleverly drives home - if you're a Mac or if you're a PC. If you're a Mac, the iMac Desktop with a 20-inch display can be found for just under $1,500. That includes a 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, a 250 GB hard drive, and a SuperDrive.

If you're a PC, the Hewlett-Packard Pavilion S7700N Slimline Desktop PC includes an AMD Athlon Processor 3800 Plus, 1 GB RAM, 250 GB hard drive, SuperMulti DVD Drive, and Vista Premium - the new Microsoft operating system. Price? You can find it for a little over $600.

Notebooks: If you love Macs, you'll adore Apple's PowerBook at just under $2,500. With a 15.2-inch screen at 1280 x 854 resolution and TFT widescreen display, the PowerBook gives you a lot of bang for your buck. It runs on a 1.67 GHz PowerPC G4 and 512 MB RAM, and has an 80 GB hard drive and a SuperDrive.

In the PC universe, the Toshiba Satellite A135-S4427 is a perfect example of the computing power you can get at a very low price. The 15.4-inch widescreen notebook has an Intel Core Duo Processor T2250, 1 GB RAM, a 120 GB hard drive, a SuperMulti DVD drive, and Vista Premium - all for around $900.

When it comes to computer hardware, it pays to shop online. Desktops, handhelds, PDAs, notebooks, servers, and even software can be found at incredibly low prices - so low that you'll want to upgrade all of your computer hardware to the fastest, clearest, best systems available.

Computer Forensics - Finding Out What The Bad Guys Did With Their Computers!

Computer forensics is a lot like the CSI investigation programs on the television. Using advanced techniques and technologies, a computer forensic scientist will reconstruct a possible crime using the data that one computer systems. This data may include email trails, files, hidden directories and other related clues.

Computer Forensics is the scientific study of computers or computer related data in relation to an investigation by a law enforcement agency for use in a court of law. While this technology may be as old as computers themselves, the advances in technology are constantly revising this science.

While all computer languages are created with ones and zeros, it's much easier to track what was done when, although by whom continues to be problematic. Forensic science has done well to keep up with the task of tracking and tracing what is done and creation of a timeline in an attempt to reconstruct a possible crime. Although it's possible to clean and remove data from a hard drive, most people simply think that a delete key really removed the data. In actuality, the delete key simply removed the file location from an index file and the actual data is still safely on the system. It's up to the data recovery skills of the forensic computer personnel to capture and restore that data without modification.

Computer forensics can be used to track emails, instant messaging and just about any other form of computer related communications. This can be necessary, especially in the world where computers and data travel around the world in seconds. Packet sniffers can literally be placed within a data stream and provide information on what's running through the network in real time. This is really phenomenal considering the millions upon millions of data packets moving through any individual part of the network.

Computer forensic science is an interesting niche in the law enforcement field that is seldom considered as a career. As it's relatively new, the field is considered by many to be wide open for anyone with the initiative to learn the skills. Unlike many computer related jobs, a computer forensic specialist will not be outsourced to a country on the other side of the world. The confidentiality of the data is just too sensitive to allow it to travel throughout the world just to save a little cash.

Consulting Firms: Should You Be a Product Reseller?

In this article, we'll explore the two schools of thought on whether computer consulting firms should resell products.

Pure Computer Consulting Firms Defined

Some consulting firms want to be pure consulting firms. They believe that they are never going to make a penny off product margin and that there are potential conflicts when reselling products. So these kinds of consulting firms don't choose to resell hardware, software, or peripherals. As consultants, these companies will help clients decide exactly what to buy, what the specs should be, and show them where they can buy the recommended products.

Purchasing Agents Are Almost Pure

A variation on this scenario includes becoming the purchasing agent for clients. In this case, your firm does the purchasing for clients and your firm bills clients for a couple of hours for that function. Your firm gets and reviews quotes, places orders, tracks orders, and carries the purchase through to completion. Both of these (the referral role and purchase agent role) are more of a pure consulting model.

Hybrid Consulting Firms Are another Option

With a hybrid-consulting model, your consulting business resells some products. A lot of computer resellers do what's known as white box PC reselling; selling what's known as PC clones. A computer reseller offering white box systems is typically selling non-branded desktops, non-branded servers and in some very limited cases, non-branded notebooks (called white books).

To Resell or Not to Resell in Consulting Firms?

The strategic decision of whether to resell or not depends on where you want to be spending the bulk of your time. Do you want your firm to try to pick up some incremental profit off of product sales? Or do you want most of your consulting firm's income to come from pure consulting dollars? Regardless, if you really want to be in a strong sales position for your consulting business, you really should not be leading off with a product sale.

Are Products Sales a Good “Foot in the Door?”

Now many new computer consulting business owners wonder: Should you sell inexpensive PCs, cheap software and cheap peripherals to get a foot in the door to sell the consulting services? The answer in most cases is no.

Why not? Because then, all of a sudden you've shown customers that you want to be their commodity broker. Will customers hire their commodity broker for consulting? Not likely. They've got your firm pegged as the cheap, low-cost source.

If you want to resell products, resell products to people that you have consulting relationships with. And make sure your consulting firm makes an ample profit margin for the time, capital, space, staff and overhead that you must devote to reselling products.

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Computer Forensics

The investigator waited until midnight, when the plant was empty, and thousands of computers had “slipped into screen-saver slumber.” Furtively, he sat in front of a colleague’s personal computer. In half an hour, the detective made an exact copy of the colleague’s hard drive. Then, using a program called Encase, he uncovered hundreds of pornographic images, which eventually cost the coworker his job.

Workplace computers are company property, so employers may inspect their contents. Only in Connecticut must employers inform workers of computer monitoring. According to the American Management Association, 45 percent of our nation’s large companies use “computer forensics” to electronically monitor workers’ computers.

The number of employees involved in Internet-related crimes or violations of company computer use policy is rising. Dow Chemical fired or disciplined 200 employees for trading dirty jokes and photos by e-mail. Then Xerox fired 40 workers, and the New York Times terminated 23 employees for similar violations.

Recently a small firm in Utah noticed that its servers were full. An employee remarked that several workers were regularly downloading music albums from Napster. The albums ended up on the servers, taking up megabytes of valuable space. An innocent (or intentional?) act had disrupted this company’s day-to-day operations.

Smaller businesses usually can’t afford the $200-450-per-hour fees charged by computer forensics consultants. But, by publishing company computer/internet policies and corresponding consequences for violations, requiring employees to sign compliance documents, regularly checking e-mail and hard drive contents, and asking employees to report infractions, small businesses can begin to police their own computer systems. Making employees aware that forensic software and personnel are available could deter some workers from wrongdoing. Call AmCheck for assistance in developing a computer use policy at 888-AMCHECK.

(Source: Miller, Greg “High-Tech Snooping All in Day’s Work; Security: Some Firms Are Now Using Computer Investigators to Uncover Employee Wrongdoing” Los Angeles Times HR News Wire.)

Computer Fits? You Need Registry Repair

Is your computer getting slower and slower? Is this occurring despite not using any more memory? Are you having frequent freezing or spontaneous shutdowns? You may have tried erasing all the programs that you don't use with no success. You may even have tried anti virus software thinking that you had been infected by a virus, and were disappointed to find that this didn't improve things.

Well I have good news for you and bad news. The good news is that your problem is common and repairable, and also that you were on the right track. The bad news is that you are probably suffering from the symptoms of a virus infection and that you probably need to get a tool that will clean your registry which is yet another cost incurred.

A computer registry is the part of your operating system that monitors and records the information for all the settings and preferences of the users for all hardware and software. Whenever a change is made it is recorded in the registry. As such it becomes cluttered and congested with time. The registry can also be manipulated with virus code to give up sensitive information and to cause malfunctions in the operating system. Just like any tool you use your computer needs regular maintenance and repair including a good thorough registry repair.

You need to be careful though when you select a registry repair tool as there are many out there with varying levels of effectiveness and related risk. You see it is possible to make changes in the registry that are irreversible and can forever affect negatively the proper performance of your computer. So how can you make a good informed decision?

Well there are several publications dealing with computer technology that will regularly review products such as registry repair software and give feedback on the pros and cons of each product. You need to pick one that is on the mainstream market for sure as they have had the most thorough testing and review and generally come from the most trusted sources. Also pay attention to the banter on the net. There are several forums that you can go to to ask questions and get feedback from actual users like you who have used the software themselves. This can be extremely helpful as long as you take all this advise with a grain of salt.

Be careful but also be excited because you will be amazed at the difference that a little maintenance registry clean will change the operating performance of your pc.

Computer Ergonomics And The Workplace: It’s Not A Matter Of Sitting Up Straight

Most people who are considering office furniture tend to look for a chair with a back that will allow them to sit up straight. In point of fact, sitting up straight is not really the best position to take when you are working at your computer. Indeed, there are many misconceptions when it comes to seeking ergonomically designed computer equipment, furniture and other products in the 21st century.

Turning for the moment to the matter of the best type of chair to use when using your computer, as has just been referenced, sitting up straight really is not the best course of action for you. Sitting at a ninety degree angle is not the healthiest way in which to work -- no matter what experts may have indicated for a significant period of time in the past.

In point of fact, sitting at a rigid and ninety degree angle is not comfortable for an extended period of time. Sitting in this manner can, in fact, be very uncomfortable.

There is a simple principle that is applied when considering ergonomics generally and computer ergonomics specifically: if it is not comfortable, it probably is not an ergonomically designed piece of furniture or equipment. In point of fact and generally speaking, when it comes to ergonomically designed products, comfort really does normally equate with propriety and proper design.

The human body is a remarkable machine. It can send your brain warning signals whenever it is not properly positioned; hence, the discomfort you feel when you are not seated properly or using appropriately designed equipment and products.

In this day and age, there are a number of useful resources available to a person who is interested in finding out more about ergonomics generally and computer ergonomics specifically. Much of this material readily is available on the Internet and World Wide Web. By accessing this information you will be in a far better position to make appropriate decisions about furniture, equipment and related products that will best meet your needs -- in a healthy manner to boot.

Additionally, there are consultants in business today that can assist you in selecting furniture and equipment, including computers and related products, that meet ergonomic standards. Thus, you will know that the products you select and utilize will be best for you now and into the future.

Computer Ergonomics: When A Rose Isn’t A Rose

Shakespeare wrote something about a rose smelling as sweet no matter what the lovely bloom was called. Such is not the case when it comes to computer ergonomics. In fact, in the 21st century, merely because a computer, computer workstation, chair or other product is said to be ergonomically designed does not, in fact, mean that such a designation is in fact true.

At the present time in most countries around the world there simply are no laws or regulations determining how the term “ergonomic” can be applied. As a consequence, the term “ergonomic” is now used on innumerable products -- whether or not these products have been designed with ergonomic concepts in mind.

Most industry experts believe that the term ergonomic has been so overused and misused in recent years that it really is of no consequence when it comes to its application to the label on a particular product. In other words, merely because a product is labeled that it has been designed with ergonomic considerations and practices in mind does not mean that has in fact occurred.

In point of fact, in order for a product to truly be ergonomically designed, it is absolutely necessary that the product be submitted to extensive testing before it ever is introduced onto the market. Minute adjustments to a particular product can render it ergonomically appropriate -- or, conversely, a slight adjust can render an otherwise proper product to be ergonomically inappropriate.

In the final analysis, you must take the selection of computers, workstation, chairs and related equipment and products very seriously. The bottom line is that your future and your health absolutely depend upon the choices and decisions that you make in regard to these types of products and equipment items. You cannot make decisions regarding these types of products and equipment pieces lightly or easily. You must approach these types of purchases with absolutely seriousness.

As an aside, when you go about considering equipment and products that you hope are ergonomically designed, you would be well served obtaining independent evaluations of a particular product. There are a number of different organizations that provide unbiased information about a particular product or piece of equipment. Armed with this independent, unbiased information you will be in a far better position to determine how a particular product or piece of equipment will best meet your needs in a healthy fashion both now and well into the future

Computer Ergonomics And Repetitive Stress Injuries

More than anything else, the main goal of computer ergonomics to work to reduce repetitive stress injuries that can result through the regular use of a computer and related equipment. Through this article, a brief overview of repetitive stress injuries is provided, particularly as these injuries relate to computer use and computer ergonomics.

Generally speaking, repetitive stress injuries are referred to by many experts in the field of computer ergonomics as Cumulative Trauma Disorders. As the moniker suggests, the key to understanding and appreciating Cumulative Trauma Disorders is appreciating that they are, in fact, cumulative. In other words, these injuries develop overtime from repetitive movements, strained exertions, working in awkward positions as well as from compression and vibration.

Most people assume that when it comes to Cumulative Trauma Disorders, exposure to the source of a trauma needs to be for a lengthy period of time. In many instances, this assumption does prove correct. However, in reality, it is impossible to develop Cumulative Trauma Disorders after exposure to a source for a matter of weeks. As a result, it truly is important for a person to follow the suggestions of computer ergonomics specialists.

The symptoms of repetitive stress injuries or Cumulative Trauma Disorders include severe pain, tissue swelling, numbness, unusual tingling, restriction of natural joint movement and, ultimately, decreased dexterity.

If you are in fact experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it is absolutely necessary for you to seek prompt and immediate medical attention. By seeking medical attention in the first instance, you have a far better chance of alleviating the symptoms and the underlying traumatic condition. In addition, by seeking prompt medical attention, you are far more likely to avoid a more invasive medical procedure such as surgery to resolve an injury or disorder.

When all is said and done, repetitive stress injuries or Cumulative Trauma Disorders simply are not matters which should be taken lightly. Rather, as has been noted, if you feel that you are suffering from one or another of the symptoms outlined in this article, you should waste no time in obtaining medical attention and assistance. Further, as has been noted, you can avoid or lessen the harmful side effects of computer use by following the guidelines established by experts in the field of computer ergonomics. Truly, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in the case of Cumulative Trauma Disorders.

Computer Ergonomics: Keeping Your Mouse … Safe

When it comes to the matter of computer ergonomics -- making certain that you computer work environment is safe and healthy -- many people focus their attention on such items as their chair, the desk of worktable utilized and the positioning of the keyboard. Of course, these are all important items when it comes to the matter of computer ergonomics. In this regard, many people pay little of no attention to their computer mouse when it comes to the matter of computer ergonomics and the safe use of a computer and related equipment. When all is said and done, making sure that you are using your mouse in a safe and healthy manner is vital and cannot be understated.

The basic, primary directional device used by most computer operators is the mouse. Many computer users find themselves using a mouse continually throughout the day. In the long run, if a person does not utilize a mouse in a proper, healthy manner, a person can end up seriously impairing his or her shoulder, forearm and wrist.

With these risks in mind, there are some important pointers that you should keep in mind when it comes to properly utilizing your mouse.

When using a mouse, you should rest your entire arm on either the side of your chair, on the table or some other available and level support. In addition, the mouse itself should be located conveniently at the side of the keyboard, on the same level as the keyboard. You should not have to reach for the mouse each time you need to use the device.

When using the mouse, make certain that you do not apply a great deal of pressure to your wrist. Again, it is important that your wrist and arm basically be in a comfortable and resting-like position when using a mouse.

Generally speaking, you should keep your wrist straight when using the mouse. Further, do not grip the device tightly. No matter how stressed you might feel on the job, do not use a stranglehold on your mouse.

Mouse devices come in a wide array of different shapes, styles and sizes. Take the time to select a mouse that fits well into your hand.

Finally, set your mouse speed in the middle range. In a similar vein, reduce the time that you actually use the click and drag feature of the mouse unit. There is now some software on the market that eliminates the need for this particular function all together.

By following these steps, you will avoid causing yourself harm or damage over the long term through the use of your mouse.

Computer Ergonomics: Don’t Hammer Away At That Keyboard

Many people frequently say that they spend a great deal of time pounding on their computer keyboards. They indicate that they hammer away when working at their computers. In point of fact, pounding on a computer keyboard -- striking the keys too hard -- can have negative consequences not only for the computer itself but such action can result in serious health consequences for the computer user.

Pounding away at the computer keyboard can have long term health consequences for a regular computer user. Perhaps the most common disability or condition that can arise from striking the keys on a computer too stridently is carpal tunnel syndrome. This debilitating condition is painful and more often than not requires a person to have invasive surgery on the hands, wrists and lower part of the arms.

Another health condition that can arise when a computer user is too hard on the keys is a deadening of the nerves at a person’s fingertips. While this may not seem like that significant of a problem on the surface, in point of fact deadening the nerves at the ends of a person’s fingers can be very serious. On a day to day basis, a typical person avoids a good deal of harm to his person because he can feel what is in front, near or around him. For example, if you are working in the kitchen, you can avoid serious damage to yourself by instantly detecting the heat from a stove by lightly passing your fingers over and above a particular burner.

In addition to the other ailments and conditions set forth in this article, using too much pressure when striking a keyboard, hitting the keys too hard, can result in a deterioration of joints in a person’s fingers. In time a person may even end up afflicted with arthritis as a result of the heavy pounding on a computer keyboard.

When all is said and done, it simply is not necessary for a person using a computer to use a great deal of force or pressure on the keys. More often than not, a keyboard will function properly with only a light touch on the keys themselves. In other words, you simply do not need to bang away on the keyboard to be effective in your typing and utilization of a computer unit. By lightly touching your keyboard you will avoid a host of health problems both now and into the future.

Computer Desks - think before you buy

Many people buy a computer, only to find that it doesn’t really fit anywhere. They can be big, awkwardly-shaped things, with a whole collection of wires and gadgets that all need somewhere to stand.

The solution is to get a computer desk. They don’t cost much, and they’re specially designed to hold all the peripherals a computer needs. There’s space for the monitor, speakers and mouse on the top, a shelf for the keyboard, and then compartments at the bottom for the system box itself and even for a printer or scanner. A good computer desk will also have holes and routes for all the various cables that are needed to tie it all together and make it work. All you need is a comfortable office chair, and you’re set.

With the rise of wireless networking, it is even possible to have computer desks in places you wouldn’t otherwise have thought of, as long as you have an electrical outlet handy. All you need to do is add a wireless card to the computer and plug the connection into a router, and then you can use the Internet without having to run network cables all over the place. This works especially well in offices, where lots of computer may be networked together, or, worse, networked to one printer or server.

In larger computing environments, it is possible to get big computer desks that are set up for multiple computers, making it easier for a team to work together on them. Some desks even come with computers integrated, meaning that the working parts of the computer can be hidden much better, a bit like a kitchen with built-in appliances. However, the downside of too much integration between the computers and the desks is that it can make the computers much more difficult to repair if they happen to break.

Computer Consulting Training: Should you get this or clients first?

A big question when starting out is comparable to the chicken and the egg dilemma. Do you get computer consulting training first and then look for clients? Or do you look for clients and then get the relevant training. In this article, you'll learn why it's best to do them both at the same time.

How About Both?

When guiding owners of new computer consulting firms, my general preference is to do both client recruitment and skills development at the same time. You shouldn't take six months off to do computer consulting training because six months later, how are you going to pay the bills? You need paying clients to survive and thrive in the computer consulting business.

On the other hand, if you let six months to a year go by and you're not keeping your technical skills sharp, at some point you're not going to be able to take on the high-end projects anymore. You're not going to bid with confidence on certain kinds of small business accounts.

The Ideal Scenario

Here's the way most small business IT consulting firms and most computer resellers generally balance this perpetual challenge of computer consulting training versus obtaining clients. Some spend a couple of days a month or a couple of weeks a year going to formal classroom training.

In addition, most consulting firms have “lab systems” (for testing and computer consulting training) in their offices so these firms can work with basic, entry-level server hardware. These lab systems can be used to do informal, self-guided computer consulting training on a continual basis.

Consider a Program

You can belong to many different programs that allow you to get you copies of software for your own internal use and training. If your firm is a Microsoft Certified Partner (), your company gets a certain amount of software for your internal use. Lots of vendor partners do the exact same thing as part of their annual program membership fee.

This evaluation software is a great way to keep your technical skills sharp. Because you're running the programs internally, you and your staff are getting very proficient on the software before you go out and set it up in the field.

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Computer Consulting Time Constraints

Where can you find time to do it all? How can you devote time to finding long-term B2B computer consulting clients when you're already working 60, 70, 80 hours a week? There's no easy answer. In this article, you'll learn some possible options for finding long term clients in computer consulting.

Do a Time Study

Really looking at where you spend most of your time and figure out if there are some things that you're doing that you can afford to delegate (or automate or eliminate).

For instance, if you're sitting there building PCs and putting in motherboards and power supplies 10 hours a week, that's something you can delegate. If you're sitting and minding the retail traffic in a retail computer store and you have someone else who can do that for a day a week, that is something you can delegate, too.

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

Think about what you can safely delegate based on the staff that you already have. Then you can free yourself up for a day to a day-and-a-half a week to start working on actively cultivating B2B computer consulting clients.

What to Do With the Extra Time

This delegation can free up some time to go out to networking events, planning, marketing campaigns, going out on sales call and making follow-up phone calls.

The Bottom Line about Computer Consulting Time Restraints

Unfortunately, if you're already working a ton of hours, you somehow just need to find the time. Think through your time management challenges. Look at where you really spend the bulk of your time every week and figure out if there are a few things that you can delegate to free up some time for the marketing. Really plan how you're going to develop this part of your consulting business.

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